The philosophy of sleep / [Robert Macnish].

  • Robert Macnish
Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The philosophy of sleep / [Robert Macnish]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ereat, but it is as of a person who is co-existent with ourselves. Dreams being produced by the active state of such organs as are dissociated from, or have not sympathised in, the general slumber, partake of the character of those whose powers are in greatest vigor, or farthest removed from the somnolent state. A person’s natural character, therefore, or his pursuits in life, by strengthening one faculty, make it less susceptible, than such as are weaker, of being overcome by complete sleep ; or, if it be overcome, it awakes more rapidly from its dormant state, and exhibits its proper characteristics in dreams. 'Thus, the miser dreams of wealth, the lover of his mistress, the musician of melody, the philosopher of science, the merchant of trade, and the debtor of duns and bailiffs. In like manner, a choleric man is often passionate in his sleep; a vicious man’s mind is filled with wicked actions ; a virtuous man’s with deeds of benevolence; a humorist’s with ludicrous ideas. Pugnacious people often fight on such occasions, and do them- selves serious injury by striking against the posts of the bed; while persons addicted to lying, fre- quently dream of exercising their favorite vocation. For such reasons persons who have a strong passion for music often dream of singing and com- posing melodies; and the ideas of some of our finest pieces are said to have been communicated to the musician in his sleep. ‘'Tartini, a celebrated violin player, is said to have composed his famous
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