Chap. V. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 247 



us when we are awake, (except in fuch particular cafes as thofe juft 

 now mentioned), by reafon of the continual movement and agitation 

 we arc in, and the various impreffions of fo many different Objedts 

 upon our Organs while we are awake. Uut, in the ftillnefs of the 

 night, when we are afleep, and when no impreflions are made 

 upon the Organs, at leaft none that reach to the Senforium, the 

 Motion, produced in them by the impreffion of external Ob- 

 jeds during the day, ftill continues ; and being propagated to the Sen- 

 forium, in the fame manner as when we are awake, the Senfo- 

 rium being then vacant, and free from other impreffions, per- 

 ceives thofe remains of Motion in our Organs ; and thence arifc 

 our Dreams, which therefore he fays are the remnants or relicts of 

 our adlual Senfations while we are awake *. But, fays he, this com- 

 munication of Motion from the Organs to the Senforium may be 

 difturbed and interrupted by other Motions in the Animal Body, 

 particularly by the Motion of the vapours or exhalations from the 

 head downwards, which produces broken and incoherent Dreams, 

 like images in water when the water is moved : And, if that 

 defluxion is very great, as in the cafe of children, there will be no 

 dreams at all ; but, if it be moderate, then it will not interrupt 

 the propagation of the Motion from the Organs to the Senforium. 

 By this propagation from the Organ of Sight, we fee in our 

 Dreams; by the fame propagation from the Organ of hearing, we 

 hear ; and fo as to all the other Senfes f . 



This is his fyftem of Dreaming : As to Divination by Dreams 

 from what he fays in the beginning of the fecond chapter upon that 

 fubjedt, one fliould imagine that he thought future events were to 

 be known in that way, and that thofe prophetic Dreams were pro- 

 duced 



• Ibid. cap. 3. p. 695. In fine. His worJs are, t,T»A«^« t,v f» 7^ -u^ynx »i7h • 



flXTOf. 



t Lib. de Divinatione per Infomnium, in fine. 



