Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-03-05
SLEEPING AND DREAMING.

Ole of the questions which has at all
times been greatly agilated is; Do we al
ways dream during sleep? This question is
as old as the days OF Aristotle, and equally
illustTious names can be quoted on either
side of the controversy. Hippocrates,
Leibnilz, Des Cartes, Cabannis, Abercrom
bic and Sir William Hamilton maintain that
we always dream. Loche. Ried. M=esish,
Carpenter and Brougham are Of opinion that
sound sleep is dreamless. In order to reach
a satisfactory solution of the question,
shall endeaver tirst 10 answer II in this sim
pier and more definite form Are we ever
perfectly unconscious dnnng sleepY | i'm
aglne that, when the question is thus put
few will hesitate to answer that we are
never entirely uuc nscious, even during the
pToioundest sleep. Iqueslion, indeed, how
far utter unconscousness is compatible with
tue existence Of mind l cannot think that
the mind is like piece of mechanism,
which may exist though it does not move.
The essense OF mind is thought, and there.
fore tue cessation OF consciousness seems to
he tantamount to the cessation of mind.
appTehend That even in swo0ns there must
be some remnants of consciousness. though
we may not be able to reach them. There
must always be feeble gimmer OF light, il
it is to be blown again into a flame. There
must always be trace Of life, however
faint, if termination is to take place. But
there are more specific arguments, which
greatly strengthen these general ones. 1t
is allowed on all hands that sensation is
greatly blunted by sleep. The eyes are
closed, the ears are partially stopped, the
whole surface Of the body loses some of Its
sensiiveness, and even the sensations which
reach US from other parts of our system are
not so vivid as when we are awake. The
lamshed escape from the pan6s of hunger,
and those who are perishing for thirst forget
for little the agony OF the parched throat
But though sensation is blunted, il is not
destroyed II the sleeper has assumed au
uncomfortable position he feels the dscom-
ort and turns himself In bed. Ifa whisper
fails to awaken US cry will. II we do not
hear step softly treading our room, we
cannot help hearing II, perchanee, the tOngs
rattle on the fender. hand gently laid on
the bedcloths may not disturb us, but hand
somewhat roughly laid on our shoulder
will make us quickly start up with confused
thoughts about thieves. This proves there
is sentiency, though it is not so sharp edged
as when we were awake. II there were no
consciousness-no senliency, as Macnish in
his PHILOSOPHY Of Sleep" ungardedly
affirms-a cannon might be exploded in our
room without awakening us, Indeed, when
once we were sound asleep there would he
cause consciousness and sense remain that
the connection is maintained between the
sleeper and the external world.
We have thus a basis for dreams. But a
dream in the usual sense of the term, is
something more than stale Of dull, slug
gish consciousness. Ii is a lively train OF
thought, resembling our wakening TeYeries,
but at once more vivid and more incoherent.
If the question be, Are such trains oil
thought constantly passing through our
minds during sleepf think there can be
no hesitation in answering IN the negative.
do not see why we should not believe thai
in sleep, as in wakefulness, the mind i:
sometimes more and sometimes less active.
In neither state is it ever entirely without
thought and consciousness, and in both Il is
sometimes intensely busy, and at othel
times in almost perfect repose. la short,
there may be every graduation OF though.
and eeling from the highest consciousness
down TO the very verge OF unconsciousness
There is reason 20 believe that In deep sleel
the latter state IS approached. Thought
lies sull, and iancy-so lively at other times
folds her wings and partakes of the uni
veTsal repose. Itis certain that those wht
sleep soundly seldom remember their dream
and l apprehend that we remember ou
night thoughts just as we remember ou
vivid day one, and quickly forget all others