The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-31 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Literature and Curiosities of Dreams. By
Frank Seafield, M.A. Two vols. Chapman and

Hall.

Mr. Seafield has collected in these two goodly
volumes (elegantly bound and printed on tinted
paper) a mass of curious and interesting matter
respecting the world of dreams. He describes his
book as " a commonplace book of speculations con-
cerning the mystery of dreams and visions, records
of curious and well-authenticated dreams, and notes
on the various modes of interpretation adopted in
ancient and modern times." It is not every one
who can regard a vision of the night with a coolness
and courage equal to that of Scrooge, when ad-
dressing the unwelcome Ghost of Marley—" You
may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of
mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an
underdone potato. There's more of gravy
than of grave about you, whatever you are."
The result of Mr. Seafield's very elaborate and be-
wildering explorations in the world of shadows
leaves him, we are glad to find, still in possession of
the common-sense belief that dreams are, for the
most part, occasioned "by our present bodily sensa-
tions, or our previous waking thoughts, dispositions,
and prevalent states of mind. A hard bed or an
uncomfortable position will cause a dream of frac-
tured bones, or become suggestive of the rack and
the wheel. The throat, say, is tightly compressed
by a too affectionate button, and the dream is of
Calcraft and public perpendicular suffocation."
Nearly two hundred different authors and autho-
rities are quoted in these volumes—ancient and
modern, sacred and profane—Socrates and Mrs.
Crowe, St. Augustine and Thomas Hobbes. Among
the curiosities of literature this work may take its
place—a goodly Substance evoked from Shadows.
It does credit, in its patient research and skilful
combinations, to its author. We cannot say that it
is likely to confer much benefit upon its readers—
at least it may interest and perhaps astonish them.

Etoniana, Ancient and Modern : being Notes of the
History and Traditions of Eton College. Re-
published from Blackwood's Magazine, with
Additions. One vol., pp. 332. Blackwood and

Sons.
" Floreat Etona !" should have been the motto
of this work ; we are surprised not to find it on the
title-page. It contains a delightful collection of
Eton anecdotes, and the remaining chapters are
devoted to the history of the college and collegians
under the different provosts. Of these one of the
most important describes the reign of Dr. Keate, so
admirably portrayed by the author of " Eothen."
It was of this master that the Italian
modeller is said to have sold so many statues, " 0
yes, sare," he remarked, " Eton gentlemen buy
him many times, they have much pleasure to break
his head."

The Pauper, the Thief, and the Convict ; Sketches of
some of their Homes, Haunts, and Habits. By
Thomas Archer, author of " Wayfe Summer,"
&c. One Vol., pp. 239. Groombridge and Sons.
An interesting but melancholy volume on sin and
sorrow as seen in our metropolis, in a London work-
house, in the House of Correction, in the gaol of
Newgate, and finally at Millbank or Portland. It
well deserves a thoughtful perusal.

The Progress of Medical Science (Churchill and
Sons, Bvo., pp. 32)—is the title of a rather verbose
and rhetorical lecture by Dr. Edward Ellis, whose
confession of Medical Faith, nevertheless, as therein
conveyed to the public at large as well as to the mem-
bers of his own learned profession, affords, as it
appears to us, very favourable evidence, indeed, at
once of his accomplishments as a man of letters
and of his sagacity as a physician.

7 he Anthropological Society's Anniversary Address,
by Dr. James Hunt (Triibner and Co., Bvo., pp. 32),
was in every respect sufficiently noticeable to de-
serve the honour here accorded to it of separate
publication. In the far-reaching scope of its survey
it is an address not unworthy of having fallen from
the lips of the President of the Anthropological
Association—a society, the main object of which,
according to Dr. Hunt's own view, is the formation,
the consolidation, and expansion of a reliable Science
of Mankind.