3+8 HISXOKY OF 



character from wliat 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 person departed. Arlotto, after having devoutly per- 

 formed his duty, retired 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 resolu- 

 tion of stealing it, he went down, undressed as he was, into a 

 room full of women, and, with great composure, endeavoured to 

 seize the ring. The consequence was, that he vi^as 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 what- 

 soever to stir abroad. 



What are we to say to such actions as these ? or how account 

 for this operation of the mind in dreaming ? It should seem 

 that the imagination, by day, as well as by night, is always em- 

 ployed ; and that often against our wills, it intrudes, where it is 

 least commanded or desired. While awake, and in health, this 

 busy principle cannot much delude us : it may build castles in 

 the air, and raise a thousand phantoms before us ; but we have 

 eveiy one of the senses alive to bear testimony to its falsehood. 

 Our eyes show us that the prospect is not present ; our hearing 

 and our touch depose against its reality ; and our taste and smell- 

 ing are equally vigilant in detecting the imposture. Reason, 

 therefore, at once gives judgment upon the cause, and the vagrant 

 intruder, Imagination, is imprisoned, or banished from the mind. 

 But in sleep it is otherwise ; having, as much as possible, put 

 our senses from their duty, having closed the eyes from seeing, 

 and the ears, taste, and smelling, from their peculiar functions. 



