ANIMALS. 2/3 



to examine the affair to the bottom, set him another exercise still 

 more severe than the former, and took precautions to observe his 

 conduct the whole night. The young gentleman, upon being so se- 

 verely tasked, felt the same inquietude that he had done on the for- 

 mer occasion ; went to bed gloomy and pensive, pondering on the 

 next day's duty, and after some time, fell asleep. But shortly after, 

 his tutor, who continued to observe him from a place that was con- 

 cealed, was surprised to see him get up, and very deliberately go to 

 the table, where he took out pen, ink, and paper, drew himself a 

 chair, and sat very methodically to thinking : it seems, that his being 

 asleep only served to strengthen the powers of his imagination ; for 

 he very quickly and easily went through the task assigned him, put 

 his chair aside, and then returned to bed to take out the rest of his 

 nap. What credit we are to give to this account, I will not pretend 

 to determine ; but this may be said, that the book from whence it is 

 taken, has some good marks of veracity ; for it is very learned, and 

 very dull, and is written in a country noted, if not for truth, at least 

 for want of invention. 



The ridiculous history of Arlotto is well known, who has had a 

 volume written, containing a narrative of the actions of his life, not 

 one of which was performed while he was awake. He was an Italian 

 Franciscan friar, extremely rigid in his manners, and remarkably de- 

 vout and learned in his daily conversation. By night, however, and 

 during his sleep, he played a very different character from what he did 

 by day, and was often detected in very atrocious crimes. He was at 

 one time detected in actually attempting a rape, and did not awake 

 till the next morning, when he was surprised to find himself in the 

 hands of justice. His brothers of the convent often watched him 

 while he went very deliberately into the chapel, and there attempted 

 to commit sacrilege. They sometimes permitted him to carry the 

 chalice and the vestments away into his own chamber, and the next 

 morning amused themselves at the poor man's consternation for what 

 he had done But of all his sleeping transgressions, that was the 

 most ridiculous in which he was called to pray for the soul of a per- 

 son departed. Arlotto, after having devoutly performed his duty, re- 

 tired to a chamber which was shown him to rest ; but there he had 

 no sooner fallen asleep than he began to reflect that the dead body 

 had got a ring upon one of the fingers, which might be useful to him : 

 accordingly, with a pious resolution of stealing it, he went down, un- 

 dressed as he was, into a room full of women, and, with great com- 

 posure, endeavoured to seize the ring. The consequence was, that 

 he was taken before the Inquisition for witchcraft ; and the poor 

 creature had like to have been condemned, till his peculiar character 

 accidentally came to be known : however, he was ordered to remain 

 for the rest of life in his own convent, and upon no account whatso ^ 

 ever to stir abroad. 



What are we to say of such actions as these : or how account for 

 this operation of the mind in dreaming? It should seem, that the 

 magination, by day, as well as by night, is always employed ; and 

 that, often against our wills, it intrudes where it is least commanded or 

 desi-sd. While awake, and in health, this busy principle cannot much 



