Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-03-28
DREAMS.


perstition, may be excused if, at times, he
gives some eredence to either the bril-
liant or gloomy dreams which sometimes
assail him. Modern philosophy, armed
with its hopeless scepticism, has vainly
sought to Danish among the crowd of fa-
bles, these features which prove the in
tellecual existence of man during his
sleep; on the other hand there were many
respectable personages of antiquity, PHI
lnsnphers. as well as commanders of ar
mics, with the most eminent writers Of
Greece and Rome, who thought it their
duty TO have faith in dreams, on which
might depend the safety of the people, a
city, or an army, so that without blush
ing, we may become credulous after the
manner of Zenophon, Simonides, Cassius,
Caesar, Plato. But without wading so far
back through the food of time, to search
for celebrated dreams, we need cite only
a few, which approach nearer to the pre-
sent period.
Maldonat, Jesuit, had formed a de-
sign of undertaking a commentary on the
four Gospels; for several nights he tho'u
he beheld a man, who exhorted him to
go on speedily with the work, and assured
him that he would complete it, but that
he would not live long after it was fin
ished. This man at the same time pointed
out to him certain part of his stomach
in which MaIdonat experienced violent
pangs, and of which he died, very soor
after his work was concluded.
A man, who did not know one word O.
Greek, went to seek out Saumaise, anG
showed him some certain words which
he heard in the night in dream, anC
which he had written in French charac
ters. He asked himif he knew. what thos,
words expressed? Saumaise told him il
Greek, they signifed, GO thy ways
dost thou not see that death threatenec
thee p The dreamer returned to hi
house, which fell down the followin!
night.
A learned man Of Dion, being fatiguet
all day with studying one particular pas
sage in Greek poet, without beng abl
to comprehend it, went at length 10 be,
and fell asleep. He fancied himself trans
ported in a dream to the palace of Chris
tian, at Stockholm, where he visited til
Queen Of Sweden's library, and perceive
a small volume he opened If and rea
ten Greek verses, which solved all til
difficulty he had labored under. His 10
awakened him; he rose, noted down wha
he had just read, and, finding the adven
ture ofso extraordinary a nature, he wrot
TO Descartes, who was then with tn
Queen in Sweden. and described TO hin
I
all the particulars of his dream. Desca
tes replied to him, telling him that tn
most skillful engineer could not hay
drawn the plan of the place better, nc
the library, than he had done in his le
ter that he had found the book in que
ton on the table he had pointed out; thu
he had therein read the verses mentione
by him, and that he would send him Il
work at the first opportunity.
Marshall Villars, at the age of sixteel
was a cornet in a cavalry regiment. Oh
night he was on the advanced guard in Il
|, camp, and was warming himself before
wretched fire, when he heard a Iou
voice calling to him to join and moul
his horse with his escort. The youthf
warrior paid but little attention to tn
order, but still he heard the voice, and {
invisible hand seized him by his cloa
Nillars then obeyed, and scarce was
r advanced a few PAGES distant with /
.r men, than the place he had left blew /
il with terrible explosion. It seems th
the enemy, abandoning the terrtor
- which was threatened by the French a
my, buried some barrels Of gunpowd
- which they were unable to carry ava
.. The soldiers belonging to VilIars h
lighted their fire precisely on the sp
which concealed the barrels. The aeti,
70 Of the fire commenced by drying the por
., der, and finished by its explosion. T
! protecting genius Of Yillars preserv
- him from this danger; and also say
- with him handful of brave fellows, wi
- without the fortunate star which guild
, him, might, perhaps, have perished.
The writer Of this article has heard
~ lated the following adventure: 20
4. night, after l had gone nay last rounds
n betook myself to sleep, when all on st
5 den dreamed that one Of my hot hous
et was on fire. This struck me forcibly
rs rose and hastencd to the bot house poi
~ ed out to me ia my dream, when ] h
ID the happiness to arrive in time to pI
70