350 PHANTASMS. 



pecially as solitary examples, if they were so, 

 and not like these recorded of Nicolani, who, 

 you know, for a time, when troubled with 

 deranged digestive organs, saw phantasms 

 innumerable, simulacra of the living and dead, 

 often in rapid succession. Pray, at the time, 

 was your health anywise deranged ? 



PISCATOR. I was in my usual state of health, 

 and at the time leading an active life, and free 

 from all cares, excepting, on the latter occasion, 

 those connected with our position, for it was 

 during a rebellion, and it was very questionable 

 whether we had sufficient force to put it down, 

 or even to resist the enemy, had we been vigor- 

 ously attacked ; but I was young, as I have said, 

 at the time, and even insecurity and the hazard 

 of unequal war preyed then but little on my 

 mind. 



AMICUS. Of old, in the Homeric times, dreams 

 were held to be from the gods, and for 

 beneficent ends. I sometimes indulge in this 

 antique notion, or at least fancy that they 

 are not altogether useless and wasted ; and 

 I am disposed to think that those of our 

 fellow-mortals most familiar with grief and 

 bodily suffering will most readily adopt my 



