WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF. 273 



the exact account of the events in question, related by accurate 

 observers trained in the scientific methods of their day. 



Dr. Cheyne's account of this case bears that Colonel Townshend 

 had suffered from some internal malady, of ascertained and well- 

 understood nature, and that he came in a litter from Bristol to Bath 

 in autumn for the purpose of obtaining medical advice. Attended 

 by a Dr. Baynard, a Mr. Skrine, his apothecary, and by Dr. Cheyne 

 himself all three despairing of the Colonel's recovery the patient 

 sent one morning for his medical attendants, and intimated that he 

 had made his will and set his house in order ; " his Senses" according 

 to Dr. Cheyne, being "clear, and his Mind calm." Colonel Towns- 

 hend next informed his doctors that he had sent for them that he 

 might give them details of " an odd Sensation he had for some Time 

 observed and felt in himself: which was," continues Dr. Cheyne, 

 "that, composing himself, he could die or expire when he pleased, 

 and yet by an Effort, or somehow, he could come to Life again, 

 which it seems," adds the author, " he had sometimes tried before 

 he had sent for us" On hearing such a recital, the doctors were 

 naturally astonished. As men of science, their natural scepticism of 

 the unusual, until proved by experiment to be likely or true, exhibited 

 itself in Dr. Cheyne's declaration that his hearers " could hardly 

 believe the Fact as he related it, much less give any Account of it, 

 unless," adds the narrator, " he should please to make the Experi- 

 ment before us, which we were unwilling he should do, lest, in his 

 weak Condition, he might carry it too far." The Colonel, however, 

 insisted on the trial being made, the preliminary duty of feeling his 

 pulse being duly performed, when it was found to be "distinct, though 

 small and threedy"-. whilst " his Heart had its usual Beating." 



Dr. Cheyne may now be allowed to relate the sequel in his own 

 words : " He composed himself on his Back, and lay in a still posture 

 some time ; while I held his right Hand, Dr. Baynard\m& his Hand on 

 his Heart, and Mr. Skrine held a clean Looking-Glass to his Mouth. 

 I found his Pulse sink gradually, till at last I could not feel any, by 

 the most exact and nice Touch. Dr. Baynard could not feel the least 

 motion in his Heart, nor Mr. Skrine the least Soil of Breath on the 

 bright Mirror he held to his Mouth ; then each of us by Turns 

 examined his Arm, Heart, and Breath, but could not by the nicest 

 Scrutiny discover the least Symptom of Life in him. We reasoned a 

 long Time about this odd Appearance as well as we could, and all of 

 us judging it inexplicable and unaccountable, and finding he still 

 continued in that Condition, we began to conclude that he had 

 indeed carried the Experiment too far and at last were satisfied he 

 was actually dead, and were just ready to leave him. This continued 

 about half an Hour. By Nine o'Clock in the Morning in autumn, 

 as we were going away, we observed some Motion about the Body, 



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