The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-03
n1eELOW,s "MYsrERY or SLEEP


Prefaes 10 mo Russian edition BY Prince Tarkhanos.
This book. the Mystery Of Sleep, BY John
Biselow. here presented 70 Russian TeaderA
10 In mauy Eeepects Of manifest interest. a. Y
throws new light on the subject discussed
and provides abundant casuistical material:
gathered by the author from widely extended
sources for the confirmation Of bis We've.
The author 10 first Of all az extreme spiritual-
Let and duallst who believes In the separation
OF splrit and body. and therefore there 10 no
wonder that he denies all the current psycho-
physiological theories Of sleep. according TO
which the latter 10 q period OF absolute repose
OF the ~hsmisphsres Of the brain. From chs
point OF view Of modern psyoho-physiology
sleep 10 the natural consequence Of the physical
and psychloai fatigue. and the brain needs rest.
q period Of absolute inactivity for the res
~toratlon Of tts vigor. And against this as
seTtion Of modern biologists our author rebels
With all the might OF his splrtualistic argu-
msntation; the brain 10 not Inactive during
sleep. says John Biseiow: tho intellect. freed
ID time Of slsep from the exsrtton In relation
20 the external world undergone during she
hours Of wakefulnsss, falls into Q state simi.
lar TO lts earlier one before the awakening of
CONSCIOUSNESS; oil the images and forms fatnH-
lar during the day disappear or present them
selves only 40 reflections: not being incitBd
from without. the intellect gathers new
strength, d new understanding Of oauses,
many thihss that ran through the mind
during vakefulness. scattered and confused.
become clear and definite. For this reason
our hrst thoughts on awakening are often the
beat and most important; likewise our dreams
are also frequently remarkable for their
intellectually and even for their prophetic
vision. Therefore, . man while sleeplnu 10
not In o state OF deathllke inactivity. but In
possession Of his better self. ,.
The whole purpose Of the book 10 10 prove
che truth Of the fundamental view OF the
author. Being thoroughly acquainted with
the psycho-phystology and pathology Of sleep.
the author first OF all gives his attention 20
q number OF fscts contradictory 70 the optn-
Ion that fatigue 10 the necessary cause Of ap-
proaohinG aleep. This side Of hia argument
undoubtedly shows ingenuity and Inventive
ness: but how deeply he stinss the predolnis
nant biological theory Of sleep certainly be-
comes clear whom We reflect how many mys-
teriea for tho psyoho-physiolog ists OF to-day
There arc In thts matter Of eleep. " 10 there
fore no wonder that the author sometimes
aptly aims his remonstrances But this does
not represent the main interest Of the book:
the most remarkable part Of the latter 10 the
casuistlcal material relating to dreams. which
L. sometimes Of remarkable olearness. logic.
inventiveness. shoughtfulness, penetration.
and even provision In the so-called prophetic
dreams.
The abundant material OF such dreams ID
collected BY the author from the works OF
Jouffroy, Hack Tuks, Agassis, Lucrettue.
Bryant. Waller, Bede. Swedenborg. Button.
Iambliohus, Cicero. Shakespeare. and at last
mostly from the Gospels. He also does not
overlook the supernatural and spiritual
phenomen a In sleep mentioned. In the Old
Testament. Not all the facts quoted BY che
author are lrreproachably u thenticated, but
many Of them are strongly fortified By facts
and arc Of great Interest. He asserts that
the principal facts Of the history Of humanity
have their beginning In sleep and that the
frst flashes Of altruism appeared In sleep. It
Ii evident now that In the eyes OF the author
sleep does not mean an inactive state OF mind.
but on the contrary Q separate form Of lie
subjective activity extremely important In
life. He describes In detail the forms Of
various physical and psyohical arrangements
due TO sleeplessness.
In time Of sleep consciousness ceases, ace
cordins TO Biselow. and In this respect u con.
firms the opinion Of the author OF the famous
work ON Sleep Marie de Manaceine. who
gave the following dennition: sleep Is .
period Of repose Of consciousness: conscious
ness could not exist II the dow Of external
eYotations to the brain 10 cut or But on
the other hand Bieelow surmises that In tho
brain In time OF sleep L. performed without
the aid Of consciousness Q great preparative
psychioal work. which leads to q clear under
standing Of causes and consequences, and
which 10 30 Important for the state Of wake-
fulness Of our spirit. This purely subjective
work Of the brain In sleep 10 possible only
whom the flow Of external excitations which
break the regular course Of this subjective
work u broken OF. This is the essence Of
sleep. according TO Bigelow. This subjective
work Of the brain In sleep often expresses
itself in the form Of dreams, often apparently
real and sometimes prophetic. and frequently
manifests itself with ready differences and
conclusions at the mere moment Of awaken
ing. The general result Of It is that In sleep
goes on . preparativs psyohical work for the
state Of wakefulnes of our cons ciousness:
therefore q lasting sleeplessness inevitably
causes deran eements Of the consciousness
reaching insanity.
In conclusion I say that this work Of Mr.. J.
Bieelow 10 Of great interest and deserves
serious attention for the originality Of bis
preeenta ton Of the question Of sleep and for
the abundance Of the material he has COL