"the mind may be put in fuch a train, that it fhall "perceive, by a kind of scientific fenfe, that propri"ety, which words can but very feebly fuggeft."*

SECTION V.

Application of the Principles ftated in the foregoing Sections of this Chapter, to explain the Phenomena of Dreaming.

WITH refpect to the Phenomena of Dreaming, three different queftions may be propofed. First; What is the ftate of the mind in fleep? or, in other words, what faculties then continue to operate, and what faculties are then fufpended? Secondly; how far do our dreams appear to be influenced by our bodily fenfations; and in what refpects do they vary, according to the different conditions of the body in health, and in fickness? Thirdly; what is the change which fleep produces on those parts of the body, with which our mental operations are more immediately connected; and how does this change operate, in di verfifying, fo remarkably, the phenomena which our minds then exhibit, from those of which we are conscious in our waking hours? Of these three queftions, the firft belongs to the philofophy of the Hu.. man Mind; and it is to this queftion that the following inquiry is almoft entirely confined. The second is more particularly interefting to the medical inquirer, and does not properly fall under the plan of this work. The third feems to me to relate to a fubject, which is placed beyond the reach of the human faculties.

It will be granted, that, if we could ascertain the state of the mind in fleep, so as to be able to refolve

*Discourses by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

the various phenomena of dreaming into a smaller number of general principles; and ftill more, if we could refolve them into one general fact; we should be advanced a very important fep in our enquiries upon this fubject; even although we fhould find it impoffible to fhew, in what manner this change in the ftate of the mind refults from the change which fleep produces in the ftate of the body. Such a step would at least gratify, to a certain extent, that difpofition of our nature which prompts us to afcend from particular facts to general laws; and which is the foundation of all our philofophical refearches; and, in the present inftance, I am inclined to think, that it carries us as far as our imperfect faculties enable us to proceed.

In conducting this inquiry with respect to the ftate of the mind in fleep, it feems reasonable to expect, that fome light may be obtained from an examination of the circumftances which accelerate or retard its approach; for when we are difpofed to reft, it is natural to imagine, that the ftate of the mind approaches to its state in fleep, more nearly, than when we feel ourselves alive and active, and capable of applying all our various faculties to their proper purposes.

In general it may be remarked, that the approach of fleep is accelerated by every circumftance which diminishes or sufpends the exercise of the mental powers; and is retarded by every thing which has a contrary tendency. When we wish for fleep, we naturally endeavor to withhold, as much as poffible, all the active exertions of the mind, by difengaging our attention from every interefting fubject of thought. When we are difpofed to keep awake, we naturally fix our attention on fome fubject which is calculated to afford employment to our intellectual powers, or to rouse and exercise the active principles of our nature.

NN

It is well known, that there is a particular clafs of founds which compofe us to fleep. The hum of bees; the murmur of a fountain; the reading of an uninteresting difcourfe; have this tendency in a remarkable degree. If we examine this clafs of founds, we fhall find that it confifts wholly of fuch as are fitted to withdraw the attention of the mind from its own thoughts; and are, at the fame time, not fufficiently interefting to engage its attention to themselves.

It is alfo matter of common observation, that chil dren and perfons of little reflection, who are chiefly occupied about fenfible objects, and whofe mental activity is, in a great measure, fufpended, as foon as their perceptive powers are unemployed; find it extremely difficult to continue awake, when they are deprived of their ufual engagements. The fame thing has been remarked of favages, whofe time, like that of the lower animals, is almost completely divided between fleep and their bodily exertions.*

From a confideration of thefe facts, it feems reafonable to conclude, that in fleep thofe operations of the mind are fufpended, which depend on our volition; for if it be certain, that before we fall asleep, we must withhold, as much as we are able, the exercife of all our different powers; it is fcarcely to be imagined, that, as foon as fleep commences, these powers fhould again begin to be exerted. The more probable conclufion is, that when we are defirous to procure fleep, we bring both mind and body, as nearly as we can, into that ftate in which they are to continue after fleep commences. The difference,

* "The existence of the Negro slaves in America, appears to "participate more of sensation than reflection. To this must be "ascribed, their disposition to sleep when abstracted from their "diversions, and unemployed in their labor. An animal whose "body is at rest, and who does not reflect, must be disposed to sleep of course." Notes on Virginia, ly Mr. JEFFERSON, p. 255

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therefore, between the ftate of the mind when we are inviting fleep, and when we are actually afleep, is this; that in the former cafe, although its active exertions be fufpended, we can renew them, if we please. In the other cafe, the will lofes its influence over all our powers both of mind and body; in confequence of fome physical alteration in the fyftem, which we shall never, probably, be able to explain.

In order to illuftrate this conclufion a little farther, it may be proper to remark, that if the fufpenfion of our voluntary operations in fleep be admitted as a fact, there are only two fuppofitions which can be formed concerning its caufe. The one is, that the power of volition is fufpended; the other, that the will lofes its influence over those faculties of the mind, and those members of the body, which, during our waking hours, are fubjected to its authority. If it can be fhewn, then, that the former fuppofition is not agreeable to fact, the truth of the latter feems to fol low as a neceffary confequence.

We

1. That the power of volition is not fufpended during fleep, appears from the efforts which we are confcious of making while in that fituation. dream, for example, that we are in danger; and we attempt to call out for affiftance. The attempt, indeed, is, in general, unfuccessful; and the founds which we emit, are feeble and indiftinct; but this only confirms, or, rather, is a neceffary confequence of the fuppofition, that, in fleep, the connection between the will and our voluntary operations, is disturbed, or interrupted. The continuance of the power of volition is demonftrated by the effort, however ineffectual.

In like manner, in the courfe of an alarming dream, we are fometimes confcious of making an exertion to fave ourselves, by flight, from an apprehended danger; but in ipite of all our efforts, we contin

1

ue in bed. In fuch cafes, we commonly dream, that we are attempting to efcape, and are prevented by fome external obftacle; but the fact seems to be, that the body is, at that time, not fubject to the will. During the disturbed rest which we fometimes have when the body is indifpofed, the mind appears to retain fome power over it; but as, even in thefe cafes, the motions which are made, confift rather of a general agitation of the whole fyftem, than of the regular exertion of a particular member of it, with a view to produce a certain effect; it is reafonable to conclude, that, in perfectly found fleep, the mind, although it retains the power of volition, retains no influence whatever over the bodily organs.

In that particular condition of the fyftem, which is known by the name of incubus, we are confcious of a total want of power over the body: and, I be lieve, the common opinion is, that it is this want of power which diftinguishes the incubus from all the other modifications of fleep. But the more probable fuppofition feems to be, that every fpecies of fleep is accompanied with a fufpenfion of the faculty of voluntary motion; and that the incubus has nothing peculiar in it but this, that the uneasy fenfations which are produced by the accidental pofture of the body, and which we find it impoffible to remove by our own efforts, render us diftinctly conscious of our incapacity to move. One thing is certain, that the inftant of our awaking, and of our recovering the command of our bodily organs, is one and the fame.

2. The fame conclufion is confirmed by a different view of the fubject. It is probable, as was already obferved, that when we are anxious to pro cure fleep, the ftate into which we naturally bring the mind, approaches to its ftate after fleep commenNow it is manifeft, that the means which náture directs us to employ on fuch occafions, is not to

ces.