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are clearly sensorial states not excelled by external objects; and it is also clear that they frequently originate in cerebral changes, since they represent creatures of the mind, and are not mere reproductions of past sensations."

If the mind is duly impressed, a thing will seem heavy that is very light; the odour of a dead body may be perceived from a new and empty coffin, and acute agony is endured from an imaginary wound. The influence of ideas on sensitive subjects is so great, that flames have been seen to issue from magnets, and luminous phenomena became visible in dark rooms, sounds were heard in perfect silence, and intangible things were touched. Imagination has produced various shades and brilliant coruscations of flame from bare walls, until, self-deceived and spell-bound, the victims became a prey to their delusion; a delusion which proved the extraordinary power of mind over body. It is obvious that this fact, “real sensations are produced by mental states," enables us to understand how Sir Isaac Newton could recall the spectrum of the sun, by going into a dark room and intensely applying his mind; and explains the fact of some men being able, at will and at any time, to surround themselves with spectres; and how others, without will but at any time, may be haunted by horrid illusions. Sir Walter Scott, in his "Demonology and Witchcraft," gives an example-"Passing from his sitting room to the entrance hall, fitted up with the skins of wild beasts, armour, etc., he saw right before him, and in a standing posture, the exact representation of his departed friend (Lord Byron), whose recollection had been so strongly brought to his imagination. He stopped for a single moment, so as to notice the wonderful accuracy with which fancy had impressed upon the bodily eye the peculiarities of dress and posture of the illustrious poet. Sensible, however, of the delusion, he felt no sentiment save that of wonder at the extraordinary accuracy of the resemblance, and stepped forward towards the figure, which resolved itself, as he approached, into the various materials of which it was composed-great-coats, shawls, plaids, and such articles as are usually found in a country entrance-hall."

Apply these admitted facts-The visible universe and man's

physical frame are connected by bonds of energy with the invisible, are capable of receiving energy from it; and there exists a bridge between the two—a something that welds the two into one. The motions which produce and accompany thought affect the whole order of things-visible and invisible. Thought may scientifically explain the past state of the earth and by prevision foretell its future condition. Science, in fact, accepts as physically probable, that which true religion asserts as spiritually true: that Moses was enabled to reveal the past, and that prophets were inspired to explain the future. We do not offer this as an explanation of the power of prophecy, but as an attempt to show that so far from prophecy being impossible, there are states of mind in which science may shortly be able to show that it is a real though an unusual, possession.

Explanation will make this clear. We do not doubt the possibility of a science of meteorology; nor of science dealing with phenomena which are the product of many and complex factors; nor do we, while allowing that sociology cannot be brought under the control of mathematical deduction, refuse to admit that physiologic and psychological laws are true, precise, and inevitable in their result. Accepting the fact, there is a sense in which Buddhism and Mohammedanism might have been predicted. The production of gigantic personalities, and the peculiar impression produced by them, could be foreseen, such predictions being possible to an intellect able to contemplate and comprehend the many and intricate factors producing and controlling the progressive life and opinions of the world. This prevision, at present, is crude work: little more than guessing; but can become systematic and thorough so soon as we know, and are able to trace the application of law to the vastness and variety of biologic phenomena. That the antecedents of the phenomena are irresistibly working out their results is certain; our knowledge of them is uncertain, owing to their vast complication; owing also to the operation of that unknown factor-human will; but the science is already in existence, and gathering precision with the development of human skill. This being the case, so far from men of science refusing to acknowledge

prophecy, they can conceive the flash of prevision as somewhat similar to the sparks which fell into Sir W. Rowan Hamilton's mind concerning the long sought fundamental equations.

Pass to another series of thought.

When we dream, it is often against our expectations and wish. Things, which we would see, are not seen; those, not desired, forcibly intrude. Insight, invention, origination, even creative genius, bearing the well marked stamp of our individuality, yet transcending ordinary power, are possessed in dreams. The imagination is sometimes constructive, at others lucky guesses are made; and a dullard, when awake, will pass, in sleep, through rapid thought and years of experience in the twinkling of an eye. The mind not only feeds upon the store of past ideas, but works them up into never-ending combinations; and those who have become deaf, as in the well known case of Beethoven, will compose music involving new combinations of sound; and men who have lost their sight, rejoice in the imagined beauties of a glorious landscape or a visionary picture.

Condorcet, in his dream, found the last steps of a difficult calculation which no power of his waking thought could discover. Tartini, in his dream, heard, as he thought, the archfiend play; but when awake could not satisfactorily produce the visional music; and Coleridge's Kubla Khan is notable as a dream-poem. So true are dreams to us while they last, and work in such new shape and unaccountable directions, that intended crimes have been prevented and past crimes have been discovered-not by mere coincidences, but by some occult action of the mind. Some impression, or succession of impressions in waking moments, has given to the dreamer an almost revelatory power. The wife of General Sleeman slept within a tent which had been pitched in a lovely opening of a jungle. Her dreams were haunted all night by the sight of dead men. The General, because of information which he had received, caused the ground to be opened, and fourteen corpses, victims. of the Thugs, were discovered. It is easily conceivable that the foul odour of these dead suggested to the lady, in the unconscious cerebration of the dream, the horrible vision.1

"Mental Physiology," p. 590: Dr. B. W. Carpenter.

Sometimes, dreaming, with closed eyes we see the realities around our bedroom, and everything in it; our library, and persons entering. We are fast asleep, it is a dream-but the objects are true clear and defined. The horizon of the dream. expands, the whole street is seen, distant places are brought nigh, and the inward scene is a true picture of things really existing. At times, old things become new; forgotten events are remembered; words long ago said, in a now unknown language, are repeated; the dead appear as living; and, as by clairvoyance, there are visions of the absent. Inward influences seem the stronger the more our brain is given up to rest and sleep or, as others assert, the operation is carried on not when we sleep soundest, but with the maximum of sub-consciousness consistent with sleep.

Whatever these perceptions are, unconscious, sub-conscious, flashes of insight scientific or poetical, our brains use them in the same manner as were they outward impressions received through the senses. They are not a mere play of the fancy; for when we are awake, no imagination, no fancy, has power to produce the objective perceptions and realities of a dream. Some persons when they dream, are as dramatic as Shakespeare. Sometimes, on awaking in the morning, there is no remembrance other than a confused notion of having lived another life in sleep; but in course of the day, some trifling incident, that has no apparent connection with dreamland, recalls the whole procession of events to form a living mental scene in the light of day. Most of us, awaking, have to fight our vivid perceptions before we find that they are only shadows; and important events float before the soul-the soul veiled in doubt whether they are visionary or real. We do, or think we do, unreasonable and impossible acts-unconscious that they are so. We dream that we dream, or dream that we awake, and thus the dream is yet more clothed with the realities of life. Sometimes our spirit seems apart from the body, and looks on the dead clay. We are in a cave, consorting with ghosts and idiots. Walls even are no hindrance, and space has no limits, though all the conditions of physical sight are absent. Men, who never painted, conceive pictures most charming and artistic; the

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unpoetic have glowing thoughts, clothe them with the language of Tennyson or Byron; and the unmusical make to themselves exquisite melody.

Such dreams cannot be produced solely by outward influences on our senses; unless we are like a harp, which, uninfluenced by outward sound when played on, resounds with gentle excitement and sympathetic nerve when not played. Even so, how is it? the eye sees when no light shines the ear is filled with melodies, discords, or cries of anguish, when no sound is without; the sense distinguishes odours, nerves of taste are delicately excited, and there seems no cause-except that of the brain's peculiar fancy. The fact is, we possess a power by which we see and hear, taste and smell, and fill space with forms, when our outer physical senses are closed to the external world: we are endued with a faculty of seeing from within, unaided by impressions from without. Does it not render possible the actual existence of a power by which visions of every kind—prophetic as to the future, inspirative as to doctrine, perceptive as to facts, revelative as to Divine dealings-are brought within the circle of human knowledge and experience?

Lord Brougham recorded a most marvellous incident.1 In his youth he had frequently disputed with G on the immortality of the soul and on a future state. They actually committed the folly of drawing up an agreement, written in their blood, to the effect that whichever died the first should appear to the other, and thus solve any doubts they had entertained of "the life after death." They grew up, and Brougham had well-nigh forgotten his young friend who went to reside in India. On the 19th of December 1799, after a day in the cold and open air, in Sweden, Brougham had a warm bath. While lying in it, enjoying the comfort, he turned round and looked toward the chair on which lay his clothes. There, on the chair sat G looking calmly at him. The apparition was so startling that Brougham fell down, and on recovering his senses was sprawling on the floor. There had been nothing to recall G to his mind, nor had he thought of him; yet, though regarding the whole as a Brougham's Life and Times," vol. i., pp. 201-204.

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