' .SIjUEI' and DK'EAMK.' 



77 



iiwolco ; and tlic Kubjcct of a mcsnicric traiico liiis no recol- 

 lection of what ho has done whilst in that condition. 



Another cnrious point is this : many people declare tliat 

 they can wake at any time tliey like by merely deciding to 

 do so when they go to bed. There is cei'tainly some truth 

 in this, bnt it is complicated by the fact that when the 

 niental alarum is set for a definite hour in the morning, one 

 is apt to wako not merely then, but several times before; 

 in fact we are on the qui vive all night. Nevertheless, it- is 

 too often done correctly to admit of much doubt, and is a 

 striking illustration, I tliink, of the activity of the thoughts 

 during sleep without our retaining any memory of them 

 when awake. I have tried this on myself, with, partial 

 success and sometimes disastrous results ; for example : — 



Sept. 2iHk. Set my " brain-clock " for 7.15, woke at C.15, 

 and then slept soundly until 8.45. 



Sept. 28th. Set for 7, woke about 4.30, then at 0, and 

 then not till 8, thereby losing an important engagement. 



Oct. 2Gth. Set for 7.20, woke at 6, and then at 7.20. 

 (Note. — Had no special business early, so did not worry 

 about waking.) 



Some of my fiiends have been more successful. A., for 

 example set for 4 a.m., and woke at ten minutes to the hour ; 

 woke several times before. Set for 3, and woke almost 

 exactly at 3, and did this several nights running. The 

 same when set for 6. Set at 4, woke at 4.10. B., can always 

 do it by tapping the required time with the fingei's whilst 

 going to sleep, etc., etc. 



The phenomena of mesmerism throw some light on the 

 nature of sleep. The subject mesmerised or " sensitive," as 

 «he or he is called, must either, I think, have a will that can 

 be dominated or subjugated by a sti'onger, or must have 

 [lower of intense concentration on one thing, to tlie 



the 



