The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-07-18
IA MKATDA PUTNAM eovNTY, one FRIDAY 1851,

referable to the circumstance Of old asse
Citations being wildly recalled 10 ihe min
--ihis very frequently happens also i
the deliFium Of fever. There is notbin
miraculous abou. such cases, aithoup
upon them are founded host Of storise
descriptive ofpersons ia their slee D spe ak
ing unknown languages, predicting iutur
events, and being suddenly possessed .
inspiration. 7,l'aS'o 't'oi a"liile
/ Not only are tlie mental powers inten
slhed in this state, but tho physical ener
| gies are unwontedly increased. IIorstiu
relates the case Of a young noblemail
living inlhe citadel Of Breslau, who use.
10 steal out, Of bis window during hi
|sleep, mufHed up In a cloak, and by grea
muscular exeriion, ascend tho roof or tht
building, where, one night, he tore il il
pieces magpie's nest, wrapped up The
little ones in his cloak, and then returned
to bed; and on The following morning,re
lated the circumstance as having occurred
in dream, nor could he be pursuadet
Of its reality until the magpies in the
cloak were shown 10 him. In The Bibli
otheque Medicine" we find tho account
Of a sompambulist who got out of his bed
in the middle ofille night and went into
peighboring house which was in ruins
and Of which the bare walls, with a few
insecure rallers running, between them,
alone remained; nevertheless he climbed
to the top Of the wall, and clambered
about from one beam 10 another without
once missing his hold, Il is affirmed
that somnambulisis will maintain their
footing in the most perilous situations
with perfect safety, SO long as they re-
main IN the state Of somnambullsm;, but
when they are disturbed or awakened in
such positions, they are then taken by
surprise, and instantly lose selEpossess,
ion. A young lady was observed al Dres-
den walking one night in her sleep upon
the roof Of a house; an alarm being given,
crowds Of people assembled in the street,
aud beds and matirasses3wer laid upon
the ground, in the hope ofsaving her life
in case Of her falling. Unconscious of
danger, the poor girl advanced to the very
edge of the roof smiling and bowing TO
the multitude below, aud occasionally
arranging her hair and her dress. The
spectators watched'her with great anxiety.
After moving along thus ounconcernediy
for some time she proceeded towards the
windowirom which she made her exit.--l
"A light had .bsep plaeod in il By sher- sd;s-s
tressed family; but the moment she ap-
proachedit, she started, and suddenly
awakening, fell into the street, and was
killed on the spot. Upon this incident
Bellini founded tho charming opera Of
"La Somnambula."} 70 toi7d B giamsd
The actions of the somnambulist are
doubtless, prompted and governed by the
dream impulseswhichthe imaginary incl
dents passing ihfongh the sleepers mind
suggest. He is dreamer able TO act bis
dreams. This we learn from those ex-
ceptional cases in which the somnambu.
list, upon awaking,has remembered the
details Of his dreams; in illustration of
which we find an anecdote, related with
much vivacity, by Brillat-Sayariu, in the
physiology ofTastc.'' ; The narrator is
a M. Duhagel, who was The prior Of a.
Carthusian monastery, and he tells us the
story;-"We had in the monastery in
which / was formerly prior, monk or
melancholic temperament and sombre
character, who was known 10 be a SOM
nambulist, He would sometimes Ia his
fits, 60 out oflis cell and retcrn directly;
but al other times he would wander
about, until il became necessary to guide
him back again. Medical advice was
sought, and various remedies administer.
ed, under which the paroxysms SO much
diminished in frequency, that we al length
ceased to think klabont them. One night
not having retired TO my bed al nly usual
hour, | was seated at my desk occupied
in examining some papers, when the door,
of the apartment, which 1 never Kept
locked, opened, and / beheld the monk
enterJin a state Of profound somnambu.
lism. Hisieyes were.opeh, but fixed; The
had only his night shirt on;in one hand
he held his cell lamp, in his other, long
and sharp,bladed knife. d Hethen advan-
ced to my bed, upon reaching which he
put down the lamp, and felt and patted is
with his hand 10 satisfy himself that he
was right, and then plunged the knife, as
if through my body, violently through The
bed clothes, piercing even the mat which
supplied, withus, The place ofa mattress.
Having done this, he again took up bis
lamp and turned around TO retrace bis
steps, when observed that his counten-
ance, which was before contracted and
fiowning, was lighted up with peculiar
expression Of satisfaction ii the imagina-
ry blow he hadisuuck. aThe:ligh. Of the
two lamps burning on'my desk did not
attract his attention; slowly and steadily
he Walked back, carefully opening and
shutting the double door Of my apartment,
and quietly retired Iioshis cell. You may
in,ao the rtnto ofasnv foe lin 0u spb;ial III