134 



DREAMS. 



ftuilly flying about, which, from their extreme tenuity, 

 penetrate Uie body and strike upon the iniml, exciting 

 an imaginary perception of those tilings of which they 

 are image*. The opinion of 1'lnto res]>ecting dreams 

 equally resulted from his peculiar metaphysical IIVJKH 

 Hi- believed tli:it tlie world was full of demons, 

 v ln> sustained n middle c-hurncter In-tween gods and 

 men: tliese were divided into IxMievolent and malignant 

 beings; and from the latter proceeded all fallai'ious and 

 nt, while the former produced pleasing 

 and true dreams. The sobriety of Aristotle's judgment 

 led him to examine the subject of dreams with more 

 care and strictness, and in a more philosophical man- 

 ner, than most of the ancients. In his treatise on divi- 

 nation by means of dreams, he endeavours in general 

 to account for them from natural causes ; though he ad- 

 mit.- that they were produced, in some eases, by super- 

 natural agency. All dreams, says he, are not of divine 

 origin, because many of the lower animals dream ; but 

 though there \>e nothing divine, there may be some- 

 thing demoniacal in them. His natural explanation of 

 them was very simple, and resulted from nis peculiar 

 metaphysical doctrines. According to him, every ex- 

 ternal object made an impression on the brain ; which 

 impression remained there, but not in a vivid state; 

 in sleep, these impressions were again strongly excited, 

 and dreams were produced, or, in other words, dreams 

 were occasioned by motions in the brain, excited when 

 we were awake, and continued after the removal of the 

 object. We shall afterwards have occasion to notice 

 the great similarity between this hypothesis and most 

 of those which have been advanced by modern philo- 

 sophers, to account for the phenomena of dreams. Aris- 

 totle also noticed some facts connected with dreaming, 

 which escaped the other ancient philosophers, who 

 were more anxious about theory than facts. He ob- 

 serves that sometimes we dream that we are dreaming; 

 and that a strong impression may make us dream of a 

 weak impression, and a weak impression of a strong 

 one : as slight warmth on the feet may make us dream 

 of burning coals ; whereas it sometimes happens, that 

 if a cock crows while we are asleep, the impression of 

 it in our dreams is much fainter than the reality. The 



Of the Peri- Peripatetics seem to have departed from the sober and 

 rational opinions of their master, Aristotle, on the sub- 

 ject ; for, as far as their doctrines respecting dreams 

 are intelligible, they believed that during sleep, the 

 soul being loosened from the incumbrance of the body, 

 exerted itself with more freedom and vigour; and that 

 <iinseqiiently dreams were the operations of the soul, 

 while in this uncontroullcd state. Some modern phi- 

 losophers have adopted this hypothesis ; particularly 

 Bonnet, as we shall afterwards have occasion to no- 

 tice. 



Opinions rf In no branch of human knowledge, have modern 

 philosophers paid less attention to the inductive mode 

 of reasoning, than in metaphysics, or what regards the 

 operations of the mind ; and perhaps no part of meta- 

 pnysics has been discussed in a more loose and unphi- 

 losophical manner than that which relates to dreams. 

 Indeed, till metaphysics and physiology are studied 

 more in connection with each other, it seems impossible 

 that the former should ever rise to the dignity of a 

 science ; and this remark applies with peculiar force to 

 the subject of dreams. It is moreover surprising, that 

 philosophers should have attempted to explain dreams, 

 without e\en attending to those facts respecting them, 

 which their own exjierience, or the most superficial en- 

 quiries, might have taught diem, independently of any 



the mo- 



Mtistancc from physiology ; yet o it is, theories to tic- rrrm. 

 count for dreams are sutiiciently numerous, and yet the S T""'' 

 facts resecting them are very loosely and ini|ierfectly 

 recorded. Hclbre, therefore, we proceed to notice the 

 principal theories nr opinions <>1 modern metaphysi- 

 cians and physiologist- on this subject, it may be pro- 

 per to collect and register the most material facts con- 

 cerning dreams. 



1. In dreams everything appears real; while our riirnomou 

 dreams continue, even- thing which we sec or hear of drew- 

 all the events in which we take a part, our sentiments, ">g. 

 feelings, and passions, are exactly similar to those of 



real life. Our existence, in short, seems to be renew- 

 ed, if, after a deep and sound sleep, we begin to dream. 

 Addison has described the general fact with no less 

 truth than elegance: " The soul in dreams converses 

 with numberless beings of her own creation ; and is 

 transported into ten thousand scenes of her own rai- 

 sing : she is herself the theatre, the actor, and the be- 

 holder." 



2. Our opinions, feelings, sentiments, and habits, in 

 dreams, have a strict relation to our real character: we 

 do not dream that we entertain or express those opi- 

 nions which we do not actually believe ; nor that we 

 experience those feelings, to which we are strangers or 

 averse while awake. 



3. In our dreams, we seem to have the idea of time. 

 As this is doubted by some philosophers, it may be pro- 

 per to adduce the particular facts on which it is ground- 

 ed. In our dreams, we frequently anticipate or dread 

 future events ; and we experience regret for those that 

 are past ; we also consider one event as the cause of an. 

 other ; but, in all these cases, the idea of time is evi- 

 dently implied. 



4. We reason in our dreams. We frequently seem to 

 hold an argument with others. " We address them in 

 harangues, and write whole pages with greater celerity, 

 than an author, in his happiest hours of inspiration, can 

 connect as many sentences. Degrees of good and evil 

 are compared in the same manner as in the business of 

 the day. We conceive ourselves pursued by an enemy, 

 with obstacles on every side, as rocks and rivers. We 

 observe the dangers of each, and we choose that path 

 which appears to us least dangerous." (Brown on the 

 Zoonomia, p. 353.) Of these facts every one's experi- 

 ence must convince him ; but there are others not so 

 common, but which nevertheless seem well establish- 

 ed; which prove that our inventive and reasoning powers 

 are active and vigorous in our dreams. Condorcet told 

 Cabanis, that while he was engaged in some abstruse 

 and profound calculations, he was frequently obliged 

 to leave them in an incomplete state, in order to retire 

 to rest ; and that the remaining steps, and the conclu- 

 sion of his calculations, have more than once presented 

 themselves in his dreams. According to C'abanis, Frank- 

 lin's ideas respecting the perfection of the mental powers 

 during dreams, were still more extraordinary than those 

 of Condorcet ; for that philosopher assured him, that 

 the bearings and issue of political events, which had 

 puzzled him while awake, were not unfrequently un- 

 folded to him in his dreams. (Cabanis, Knjtjiarls du 

 Physique, et du Moral de I'Hommr, torn. ii. p. 54-7.) 

 And tne writer of this article is acquainted with a gen. 

 tleman of a very speculative and inventive turn of mind, 

 to whom the idea of making a flexible rudder to ships, 

 which, like the tail of fishes, might not only direct, 

 but assist their course, was presented in a dream. 



5. Our dreams are often wild and inconsistent. 



6. Most people muet have experienced in their dreamy 



