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a days' journey in the country, when he 

 closes his eyes at night, he is pleased with 

 the fanciful views of rural scenery which 

 present themselves before him. Or when 

 the nervous system is disordered, we may 

 be annoyed or appalled by the appearance 

 of loathsome and hideous phantoms. In 

 the common state of sleep, it is manifest 

 that the actions of life in the nerves, as 

 well as in the muscles, generally are in a 

 state of repose ; so that they must be cere- 

 bral actions only which then create appear- 

 ances, revive remembrances, and excite the 

 mind to proceed with its own imaginations, 

 and to feel and think as in matters of fact : 

 thus producing the incidents, and the whole 

 drama of a dream. Nay, even wliile we 

 are awake, actions of nerves unexcited by 

 external causes may take place, and pro- 

 duce the appearance of persons and things, 

 " in form as palpable" as realities. * 



* Ferriar on Apparitions. 



