1S32-37. ' CONFESSIONS OF AN OPIUM-EATER.' 49 



wlio love the study of metaphysics. I have never studied meta- 

 physics ; I suppose my hatred of mathematics will be no help iu 

 study. But at any rate I love to mark the workings of the 

 human mind under various circumstances ; but though it is a 

 favourite pursuit of mine to watch the feelings and actions of 

 others, and mark the workings of the mind within, yet it is diffi- 

 cult to ascertain the actions and impulses to such in others, 

 and though much may be observed, yet of course the mind of 

 the observer is the great field of observation. To no breast but 

 his own has he always access ; no bosom but his own is laid 

 open to him with all its joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, and 

 their causes and effects. But this book is an exception. This 

 talented writer has laid before his reader a narrative of a singu- 

 lar life, and depicted in most beautiful and poetical terms, the 

 pleasures and pains of opium ; and as the first are of a most 

 delightful description, the latter are of a most horrid (descrip- 

 tion). There is one singular thing he takes notice of, the peculiar 

 state of the eye (or rather the mental eye) in children. I don't 

 know if ever in your younger days you used to shut your eyes, 

 and laying your head on the pillow, conjure up phantoms. It 

 used to be a favourite employment of my brother and me, 

 and the phantoms were of a pleasing description generally, 

 but often commonplace. Thus, I recollect seeing a regiment 

 of soldiers pass before me by shutting my eyes in bed, and as 

 soon as they were opened all had disappeared, to reappear on 

 closing the eyes. This mode of producing images, I was very 

 fond of ; and even in the course of the day it would take place 

 by producing artificial darkness. This singular faculty (which 

 I believe many children possess), totally left me as life advanced, 

 so gradually, that I had almost forgot I ever possessed it, till 

 seeing the fact noticed in the Opium-Eater, in whom this 

 faculty was awakened to a most insufferable degree. I can yet 

 occasionally produce a phantom, but generally the only thing I 

 observe on closing my eyes, is a spot as of bright light. 



" Now my reason for asking you if you ever experienced this, 

 is twofold ; in the first place, I never recollect noticing it to 

 you, and wonder if it is new to you ; and secondly, it seems to 

 me a singular proof of how poetical an infancy many children 



