230 *^N THE PHANTASMS OF NICOLAI. 



infinite variety of fantaflic forms that pafs before the eyes is 

 familiar to every one. Thefe fancies are however, in fome 

 meafure, influenced by the train of thinking a perfon isaccuf- 

 Swedenbourg tomed to purfue. Svvedenbourg appears to have been per- 

 thifftatt^'" petually under the influence of this kind of reverie, except 

 when employed in writing an account of what had previoufly 

 occurred to his mind. Had he, been conftantly occupied in 

 a6live bodily exertion, perhaps it would have diflipated his 

 phantafies. 

 Why dying Picking the bed cloaths, which appears to occupy the atten- 



perfoHs pick the (jon of thofe who are labouring under the debility preceding 

 bed-clothes, and , . , , , ... ,- , • . • r 



imagine they fee death, probably antes rrom parts or the retina becoming mien- 

 demons or dark fible of the impreflion of light, which produces the fenfation 

 ' * of fomething dark lying on the bed-cloalhs, which they are 



defirous to remove. The enfeebled mind may not un fre- 

 quently transform thefe into the figures of demons. The pur- 

 fuit of the dark fpot formed by the infertion of the optic 

 nerve, which in that ftate is miftaken for a reality, may alfo 

 give occafion lo this a6tion fo frequently obferved among the 

 dying. 

 Nicolai evident- Mr. Nicolai informs us, -that he was in the habit of forming 

 Jy indulged the vivid reprefentalions to himfelf not only of whole fccnes of 

 comedies, but even of the peculiar dreffes, forms, and com- 

 plexions of thofe vA^o performed ihem; that is, heaccutiomed 

 himfelf earneilly to attend to thefe ideal exertions of his own 

 imagination. In the next place be teHs us, that he firft began 

 to fee fpeftres after having laboured under a nervous fever, 

 and great trouble of mind. For the melancholy cafi of his 

 earlier vilions, or the appearance of dead bodies, hisdejefled 

 ftate of mind accounts. That appears however to have foon 

 fubfided. The difeafed frate of the retina, confequent to his 

 fever, feems to have continued longer. 

 The phantnfms '^ ''"'^ ^^-^ appears to have been fuch as to render him fenfible 

 were of things of the fpeclra of the things he was in the daily habit of feeing, 

 fuch us men, horfes, dogs, &c. for he does not fay he ever 

 faw any thing uncommon. Wliat this particular condilion of 

 the retina might confift in, it is irnpoffible to determine. It 

 may have been a combination of weaknefs with excefs of fen- 

 flbility. The fpeflra of the bodies he had {ii'<!n invohintarily 

 recurred to his attention, but not with fuch ftrength as lo pre- 

 vent the more forcible impreflion of \vhat was in reality pafling 



before 



before feen. 



