Editorial, 1 9 



dream is that generally some predominant feeling or general 

 notion is the determinant which groups the scanty materials at 

 disposition in aggregates consistent with it. The sudden open- 

 ing of a new avenue of association, adding new elements to the 

 complex, changes the whole setting of the dream, forming new 

 associational groups according to definite laws, but the feeling 

 is not altered and the change does not bring with it any sense 

 of incongruity — its personal value remains unaltered. 



An illustration of the result of this one-sided association is 

 a dream which the writer had when a student in Germany. 

 Being seated with a friend in a garden, a small lizard-like, active 

 animal appeared which at the same time seemed to be a Jap- 

 anese student. The impressions were not vivid enough to be 

 readily recalled but the effect was of some small active unfamil- 

 iar animal associated on one hand with the concept lizard and 

 on the other with the concept native of Japan. I was told that 

 most Japanese students were good linguists and accordingly 

 addressed the lizard in the best German I could command, 

 politely inquiring if he was familiar with the language. He at 

 once reqlied in fairly good German and with irreproachable 

 suavity. There was considerable surprise that the lizard should 

 speak German but none whatever at the fundamental marvel 

 that he could speak at all. In general, during that period the 

 presentations of words and phrases were uncommonly distinct 

 as a result of a struggle with a new language. 



A great deal of historical matter has been collected by 

 recent writers on dreams, for an excellent summary of which 

 orie may consult Radestock, (Schlaf and Traum, Leipzig, 1879,) 

 to which author we are indebted for many of the facts here 

 cited. The older Greek writers recognized dreams as of divine 

 origin. In Homer they are represented as derived from Zeus, 

 who, however, was not above sending delusive visions when it 

 suited his purposes. The Pythagoreans, Socrates and Xenaphon 

 trusted to the prophetic nature of dreams and even Plato 

 taught that the moral man might acquire a deeper insight into 

 truth during sleep than amid the distractions of the day. 

 Paracelsus describes what he calls the sidereal part of the soul 



