The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-03-16
The Phenomena of Sleep.

curious IactS anu SpcculullOnS. he
following facts are given in relation to
sleep, which is described to be the re-
pose of the mind:
The necessary amount of sleep differs
in the various tribes, as well as in differ
ent individuals. The average proportion
of time thus employed by our race is es-
timated at one third Sir John Sinclair,
who slept eight hours himself, says that
in his researches upon the subject of lon
gevity, he found long life under every
circumstance and every course Of habit
some old men being abstinent, others
incorporate. some active and some indo.
lent but all had slept well and long.
Alfred the Great slept eight hours day
Jeremy Taylor but three. Bona
parte during the greater part of his ac-
tive life, was content with four or five
hours sleep. Old age and infancy sleep
much.
Some boys slept, from fatigue, on board
of Nelson's ship at the battle of the
Nile. Among the impressive incidents
of Sir John Moorc's disastrous retreat
to Corunna, in Spain, not the least stri-
king is the recorded fact that many of
the soldiers steadily pursued their march
while fast asleep. Burdach. however,
affirms that this is not uncommon among
soldiers. Franklin slept nearly an hour
swimming on his back An acquaint-
ance of DR. D., travelling with party
in North Carolina, being greatly fatigued.
was observed to be sound asleep in his
saddle His horse. being a better walk
er, went far in advance Of the rest On
crossing hill, they found him on the
ground snoring quietly. His horse had
fallen, as was evident from his broken
knees, and had thrown his rider on his
head, on hard surface, without waking
him
Animals of the lower orders obey pc
culiar laws IN regard to sleep Fish are
said to sleep soundly and we are told
by Aristotle. that the tench may be la
ken in this state, if approached cautious
ly. Many birds and beasts of prey take
their rcposc in the daytime. When kept
in captivity this habit undergoes a
change, which makes us doubt whether
it was not The result of necessity which
demanded that they should take advan-
tage of the darkness, silence, and the
unguarded state of their victims In
the mcnagerie at Paris, even the hyena
sleeps at night and is awake by day
They all, however, seek, as favoring the
purpose, a certain degree of seclusion
and shade, with the exception of the lion,
which. Burdach Informs us, sleeps at noon
day, in tho open plain and the eagle
and condor, which poise themselves on
the most elevated pinnacle of rock in the
clear blue atmosphere and dazzling sun
light. Birds, however. are furnished
with nictitating membrane generally,
to shelter the eye from light. Fish pre-
fer to retire to sleep under the shadow
of rock, or woody bank. Of domestic
animals. the horse seems to require least
sleep, and that he usually takes in an c.
rect posture. Birds that rest in sit
ting posture are furnished with we'll
adapted mechanism, which keeps them
firmly supported without voluntary or
conscious action. The tendon of the
claws is so arranged as to be tightencd
by their weight when the thighs arc bent,
thus contracting closely, and grasping
the bough or perch. In certain other
animals which sleep erect, the articula-
tion of the foot ana knee are described
by Damcril as resembling the spring Of
Il pocket-knifs, which opens the instru
ment and serves to keep the blade in a
line with the handle.
1t has been prettily said that, with
out Hope and Sleep, man would be in
conceivably wrctched. The circumstan
ces favoring sleep, besides quiet con
science, mind unexcted, aud a body
free from pain, are rccumbent posture
silence aud darkness. When Ptolcmy
demanded of soothsayer-"What woulC
make one sleep well in the night ?" "Tht
best way" he replied, twas to have di
vine and celestial mc6itations, and to ue,
honest actions, in the day time" Mul
ler says he could so to sleep at will oil
assuming recumbent position Bona
partc, during his grand career, require,
no other condition but darkness yet a
St Helena, he suffered from sleepless
ness among his other tortures Habi
exercises an almost omnipotcnt influence
in this matter. A distinguished watch
maker, having retired from business, wa
in danger of phrenitis for want of sleep
After several miserable weeks of thi
) privation, some one suggested a return
to his old place of abode. The expert
ment succeeded perfectly. for he fell q
sleep in his former workshop at once
E rejoicing in the loud ticking of scores 0
clocks and watches.
OF contrasted impressbility is the cas-
of the old herpist, given by Brands, VIII
= slept the instant he left off playing bu
o although undisturbed by other sounds
n woke up immediately as any one toucl
# cd the strings of his instrument.
/. Deprived Of sleep, man is inexpressibl
e wrctched, and eager aud ceaselcss has e'
= er been his search after the means c
procuring this inestimablc blessing. Ma
. eoties are everywhere instinctiyel
Il sought and eagerly employed; aud stiu
y ulants, as indirectly narcotic, have u
: fortunately become beverages. Ala,
E. what picture of life is presented to
d in the fact that unconsciousness of al
Ie insensibility to care and anguish consi
of tute the best boon that can be offered
of suffering humanity If Sancho Pan;
:, ~ had reason for the heartfelt blessings
~ =. bestows upon him who first invent,
:, sleep, surely all nations will rise up an
& call him blessed who shall discover Il
Is means of procuring sleep at will, witho