Dreams and Dream Stories | Page 6

this answer, addressed to you:-- "The spectacles
you want can be bought in London. But you will not be able to use
them at once, for they have not been worn for many years, and they
sadly want cleaning. This you will not be able to do yourself in London,
because it is too dark there to see well, and because your fingers are not
small enough to clean them properly. Bring them here to me, and I will
do it for you." I gave this letter back to the postman. He smiled and
nodded at me; and I then perceived to my astonishment that he wore a
camel's-hair tunic round his waist. I had been on the point of addressing

him-- I know not why--as Hermes. But I now saw that he must be John
the Baptist; and in my fright at having spoken with so great a saint, I
awoke!
--London, Jan. 31, 1877
------------------------ * The dreamer knew nothing of Spinoza at this
time, and was quite unaware that he was an optician. Subsequent
experience made it clear that the spectacles in question were intended
to represent her own remarkable faculty of intuitional and interpretative
perception. (Ed.) -------------------

III. The Counsel of Perfection

I dreamed that I was in a large room, and there were in it seven persons,
all men, sitting at one long table; and each of them had before him a
scroll, some having books also; and all were greyheaded and bent with
age save one, and this was a youth of about twenty without hair on his
face. One of the aged men, who had his finger on a place in a book
open before him, said: "This spirit, who is of our order, writes in this
book,--'Be ye perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect.'
How shall we understand this word `perfection'?" And another, of the
old men, looking up, answered, "It must mean wisdom, for wisdom is
the sum of perfection." And another old man said, "That cannot be; for
no creature can be wise as God is wise. Where is he among us who
could attain to such a state? That which is part only, cannot
comprehend the whole. To bid a creature to be wise as God is wise
would be mockery." Then a fourth old man said:--"It must be Truth that
is intended. For truth only is perfection." But he who sat next the last
speaker answered, "Truth also is partial; for where is he among us who
shall be able to see as God sees?" And the sixth said, "It must surely be
justice; for this is the whole of righteousness." And the old man who
had spoken first, answered him: "Not so; for justice comprehends
vengeance, and it is written that vengeance is the Lord's alone." Then
the young man stood up with an open book in his hand and said: --"I

have here another record of one who likewise heard these words. Let us
see whether his rendering of them can help us to the knowledge we
seek." And he found a place in the book and read aloud:-- "Be ye
merciful, even as your Father is merciful." And all of them closed their
books and fixed their eyes upon me.
--London, April 9, 1877

IV. The City of Blood
I dreamed that I was wandering along a narrow street of vast length,
upon either hand of which was an unbroken line of high straight houses,
their walls and doors resembling those of a prison. The atmosphere was
dense and obscure, and the time seemed that of twilight; in the narrow
line of sky visible far overhead between the two rows of house-roofs, I
could not discern sun, moon, or stars, or color of any kind. All was grey,
impenetrable, and dim. Underfoot, between the paving-stones of the
street, grass was springing. Nowhere was the least sign of life: the place
seemed utterly deserted. I stood alone in the midst of profound silence
and desolation. Silence? No! As I listened, there came to my ears from
all sides, dully at first and almost imperceptibly, a low creeping sound
like subdued moaning; a sound that never ceased, and that was so
native to the place, I had at first been unaware of it. But now I clearly
gathered in the sound and recognised it as expressive of the intensest
physical suffering. Looking steadfastly towards one of the houses from
which the most distinct of these sounds issued, I perceived a stream of
blood slowly oozing out from beneath the door and trickling down into
the street, staining the tufts of grass red here and there, as it wound its
way towards me. I glanced up and saw that the glass in the closed