I fhould have thought that fome difafter was impending. But it occurred to me, that the tempeftuous weather I had encountered the preceding day might be the occafion of all thofe horrors; and I have fince, in fome medical author, met with a remark to justify the conjecture. A very flight caufe may check that infenfible perfpiration which is so neceffary to health; and when this happens, we cannot expect that our dreams fhould be fo eafy as at other times. Let no one, then, be alarmed at an uncommon dream. It is probably nothing more than a fymptom of a trifling bodily disorder: and, if fo, it has nothing more to do with futurity, nor is one whit more fupernatural, than a cut finger, or a pang of the toothach.

Concerning the opinion, which fome have entertained, of our dreams being fuggefted by invifible beings, I fhall only fay, that I think it very improbable. For, firft, I fee no reafon for believing, that the Deity would employ" millions of fpiritual creatures" in fuch an office as that of fuggefting our ordinary dreams. Secondly, I cannot conceive how thofe creatures fhould be affected, in fuch an operation, by the external air, or by the ftate VOL. II. G g

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of our health, which are known to have great influence on our thoughts, both in fleep, and when we are awake. And, thirdly, from what we know of the rapidity of our fancy when awake, we need not suppose any foreign impulfe neceffary to produce the various ap pearances of dreaming; as the foul feems to poffefs in herfelf powers fufficient for that purpofe. Madness, melancholy, and many other difeafes, give an extravagance to the thoughts of waking men, equal, or even fuperior, to what happens in fleep. If the agency of unfeen beings is not fuppofed to produce the firft, why fhould we have recourse to it, in order to account for the laft? But it is urged, that in fleep the foul is paffive, and is haunted by vifions, which he would gladly get rid of, if he could. And it may be urged in anfwer, for it is no less true, that perfons afflicted with anxiety and melancholy, too often find, to their fad experience, that their foul is almoft equally paffive, when they are awake; for that they are, even then, haunted with the moft tormenting thoughts, from which all their powers of reason, all the exertions of their will, and all the exhorta

tions of their friends, cannot effectually relieve them.

To conclude: Providence certainly fuperintends the affairs of men; and often, we know not how often, interpofes for our prefervation. It would, therefore, be prefumptuous to affirm, that fupernatural cautions, in regard to futurity, are never communicated in dreams. The defign of thefe remarks, is not to contradict any authentic experience, or hiftorical fact, but only to fhow, that dreams may proceed from a variety of caufes that have nothing fupernatural in them; and that, though we are not much acquainted with the nature of this wonderful mode of perception, we know enough of it to fee, that it is not ufelefs or fuperfluous, but may, on the contrary, anfwer fome purposes of great import ance to our welfare, both in foul and body..

I am yours, &c.

INSOMNIOSUS

End of the SECOND VOLUME..