24 The Rev. James Wills on Dreams. 



and sleep have passed away. Now, according to the principle of recollection 

 which I have explained, it would be impossible to have any such recollection, 

 unless in one of two cases, both of frequent occurrence : either when the dream 

 happens during, or rather immediately before, the waking from sleep,* or when 

 it contains some feature or component of waking life. But such is the law of 

 recollection, that the slightest glimpse of association, if not too long deferred,, 

 will recall the whole. After some time this clue will have passed, as the inci- 

 dental association will, in ordinary instances, be more likely to bring other asso- 

 ciations with it: but without this condition, the details of a dream must be wholly 

 past recall. Even in the instance of immediate waking, it is frequently ex- 

 perienced that a dream which dwells for a few minutes upon the mind will 

 pass away so completely, that no eifort can recall it, for want of any condition 

 which can be distinctly traced. I suspect that in such cases it will mostly 

 have happened that the dream will consist of some one of those vague impressions 

 to which most persons are occasionally subject; results, more of constitutional, 

 or mental tendency, than of any distinct idea, or real incident. Thus the sense 

 of some great evil or good, without any definite conception that may have shape 

 or substance, will leave the mind under its impression, and the nerves of joy or 

 grief, triumph or frustration, for a while may vibrate without any trace of the 

 occasion or moving cause. 



A more curious instance, and of most interest fur the illustration it affords, 

 is when, after some time, the want of the requisite link of association happens 

 to be supplied by some incident which instantly (for the first time), recalls a 

 dream. Such an incident will mostly be something very slight and casual, 

 which, but for that which it recalls, would hardly be noticed ; for otherwise it 

 would be more likely to recall some waking incident. When, however, the case 

 so occurs, and the attention happens to be attracted by some trivial incident, 

 uncombined with any near or striking association, but that of an unremembered 

 dream, the shadow will instantly start up to the memory from the depth of the 

 past night's sleep, and a dream be distinctly recalled. 



• I do not think it necessary to comment on Mr. Stewart's explanation on this point, not only 

 because it is too manifestly contrary to experience, but as it does not interfere with my theory of 

 the mind. His notion as to the manner in which dreams occur in the act of waking, is, like his 

 entire theory of mind, founded upon an imagined necessity, which I have, I trust, proved to have 

 no esistence. 



♦ 



