Consequently, whatever the somnambulist dreams is not only real in the mind, as in all other dreamers, but his ability to exercise his muscles enables him to give it a reality in action. Whether he dream of writing a letter, of visiting a neighbour's house, of thrashing his grain, or ploughing his field, his muscles are faithful to his vivid mental conceptions, which we may suppose in all cases closely connected with his customary labours and experiences, and carry him pretty safely through the operation, however sightless may be his eye, or dull his other sen ses. These are the views, which first present themselves in the way of explanation. But the inquiry again arises, How it happens, while, in most cases, both senses and muscles lose their power, in these on the contrary, the muscles are active, while the senses alone are asleep?--In reference to this inquiry, it must be acknowledged, that it is involved at present in some uncertainty, although there is much reason to anticipate, that it may hereafter receive light from further investigations and knowledge of the nervous system and functions. There is a set of nerves, particularly connected with respiration, which appear to have nothing to do with sensation and with muscular action. There is another set, which are known to possess a direct and important connection with sensation and the muscles. These last are separable into distinct filaments, having separate functions; some being connected with sensation merely, and others with volition and muscular motion. In sensation the impression, made by some external body, exists at first in the external part of the organ of sense, and is propagated along one class of filaments to the brain. In volition and voluntary muscular movement,the power of action, as far as the body is concerned, seems to be the reverse, commencing in the brain, and being propagated along other and appropriate nervous filaments to the different parts of the system. And these last-mentioned, in order to cause muscular action, require continuity and soundness not less than those, connected with sensation. Hence it sometimes happens, that in diseases of the ner vous system, the power of sensation is, in a great measure, lost, while that of motion fully remains. If the interesting and recently developed facts now referred to should, on further examination, be fully established, they will evidently help to explain the difficulty under consideration. Causes unknown to us may operate, through their appropriate nervous filaments, to keep the muscles awake, without disturbing the repose and inactivity of the senses. Further; We are not to forget here a remark on the sleep of the senses, a subject already briefly alluded to, and which is an exception to the general statement then made in regard to them. Both in somnambulism and in ordinary cases of dreaming the senses are not always entirely locked up; many observations clearly show, that it is possible for the mind to be accessible through them, and that a new direction may be given in this way to a person's dreams without awaking him. Hence somnambulists may sometimes have very slight visual perceptions; they may in some slight measure be guided by sensations of touch; all the senses may be affected in a small degree by their appropriate objects, or this may be the case with some and not with others, without effectually disturbing their sleep. These facts will be found to help in explaining any peculiar circumstances, which may be thought not to come within the reach of the general explanation, which has been given. CHAPTER FIRST. OF INTERNAL ORIGIN OF KNOWLEDGE. §. 253. The soul has fountains of knowledge within. WE have traced the history of the mind thus far with continued and increased satisfaction, because we have been guided solely by well authenticated facts, without the least desire of exciting wonder by exaggeration, and with no other feeling than that of knowing the truth. With cautious endeavours not to trespass upon those limits, which the Creator himself has set to our inquiries, we have seen the mind placed in the position of a necessary connection with the material world through the medium of the senses, and in this way awakened into life, activity, and power. Dumb matter seems to have been designed and appointed by Providence as the handmaid and nurse of the mind in the days of its infancy; and for that, purpose to have been endued with form, and fragrance, and colour the most various and delightful. Material eyes and material were given to the soul, that it might see; hands, that it might handle; and hearing, that it might hear; but the time shall come, when these outward and bodily helps shall be taken away, and it will see, as it were, face to face, and not as in a glass darkly. Even before the body is put off, and the senses are entirely closed up, the spiritual eye begins to open, and the spiritual touch to |