The record-union., 1891-08-28
SLEEP AND DREAMS.
How the Visions That Disturb Slumber
Come Into Being.

In order to go with sincerity to the bot
tom of things it is necessary 10 know the
nature of thought, and how it is born
and multiplied in the brain. Unfortu-
nately, we are here reduced to compari-
sons, to approximations. AS soon as a
sensitive impression reaches the brain it
is immediately received with its recog
nized characteristics, and awakens a GER
tain number of ideas which are attached
to ii by the relations of casualty, coinci-
dence, similitude; by the conception of
causes, the foreseeing of effects, tho veri-
ticationS of resemblance or of varied
atlinities. These ideas in their turn
arouse others which are bound to them
In similar manner one after the other.
Each of these is accompanied by different
sentiments, more or less intense, of fear,
hope, anger, disgust, desire, etc. Alone
and simple at the outset, where it is born
to state of simple perception of sensi-
BILE impression, it is extended, modified,
sometimes completely transformed, in
every case multiplying, but by degrees
becoming weaker. After having been
several times depressed and raised up
again it loses little by little in intensity,
according to the measure which ii has
gained in extent, after which 1t is spent
with the energy contained i'll itself and In
coils which it has put in motion. 1t is
very rare for an idea to thus run its
entire course without interruption.
Almost always new impression is pro-
duced during the course of the first,
which is not arrested, but only SuS-
pended, and returns later if nothing op
poses it. New sensitive impressions are
again produced which take their place,
and, in their turn, oppose those which
preceded. Each intertereS in some way
with the others, turning them aside, ar
resting or re-enforcing them, according
TO the meaning of the encounter. Each
is compelled to submit, at given mo-
ment, to a passing or definite prohibi-
ton, after which it reawakens as an elias
tic substance relieved from that which
had compressed it. One understands that
while awake, the continual production of
new impressions leaves little opportunity
to preceding ones to renew their OBJ
structed evolution.
Thousands of impressions are thus,
every day, relegated almost from the
moment of their birth to the domain of
oblivion. Only a small number, on ac
count of the interest which they have for
us, or the vivacity of the sentiment which
they awaken, have the power to force
themselves upon US, and to mOnOpOllze
the attention to the exclusion of the
others. When the hour of sleep comes the
fatigued brain moves more and more
slowly; the sensitive Impressions, di-
minished by the closing of the eye-lids,
by the silence of the sleeping-roOm, are
perceived gently, and arouse only con-
fused ideas. Finally, the consciousness
of living is lost or sleeps. Then, freed
from this temporary restraint, the cere-
bral impressions arouse themselves; the
obstructed ideas, released from the
weight of new impressions, born without
cessation, resume their interrupted
course, and wage a conflict between them
selves only. Is it not natural that the
most restrained should now have the
upper hand? They are so many bent
springs, and a small spring that has
reached its utmost expansion is more
powerful than larger one which has al
most regained its position of inertia. The
large springs are our strong impressions,
our laborious thoughts whose energy we
have almost exhausted in developing
them to their limit; the small ones are
the thousand nothings, driven back be-
cause we have something better with
which to occupy ourselves, or compressed
by the weight of things more important.
These obstacles removed, they are able
to relax, and manifest an unexpected en-
ergy. Such is the origin of our dreams !;
this is the reason why one impression
predominates over another during sleep
this the explanation of that paradoxical
fact that we dream oftenest of things for
eign to our strongest and most vivid
ideas.-Paris Revue Scientifique.