Leviathan | Page 6

leaves an image of the Sun before our eyes a long time
after; and from being long and vehemently attent upon Geometricall
Figures, a man shall in the dark, (though awake) have the Images of
Lines, and Angles before his eyes: which kind of Fancy hath no
particular name; as being a thing that doth not commonly fall into mens
discourse.
Dreams The imaginations of them that sleep, are those we call Dreams.
And these also (as all other Imaginations) have been before, either
totally, or by parcells in the Sense. And because in sense, the Brain,
and Nerves, which are the necessary Organs of sense, are so benummed
in sleep, as not easily to be moved by the action of Externall Objects,
there can happen in sleep, no Imagination; and therefore no Dreame,
but what proceeds from the agitation of the inward parts of mans body;
which inward parts, for the connexion they have with the Brayn, and
other Organs, when they be distempered, do keep the same in motion;
whereby the Imaginations there formerly made, appeare as if a man
were waking; saving that the Organs of Sense being now benummed,
so as there is no new object, which can master and obscure them with a
more vigorous impression, a Dreame must needs be more cleare, in this
silence of sense, than are our waking thoughts. And hence it cometh to
pass, that it is a hard matter, and by many thought impossible to
distinguish exactly between Sense and Dreaming. For my part, when I
consider, that in Dreames, I do not often, nor constantly think of the
same Persons, Places, Objects, and Actions that I do waking; nor
remember so long a trayne of coherent thoughts, Dreaming, as at other
times; And because waking I often observe the absurdity of Dreames,
but never dream of the absurdities of my waking Thoughts; I am well
satisfied, that being awake, I know I dreame not; though when I dreame,

I think my selfe awake.
And seeing dreames are caused by the distemper of some of the inward
parts of the Body; divers distempers must needs cause different Dreams.
And hence it is, that lying cold breedeth Dreams of Feare, and raiseth
the thought and Image of some fearfull object (the motion from the
brain to the inner parts, and from the inner parts to the Brain being
reciprocall:) and that as Anger causeth heat in some parts of the Body,
when we are awake; so when we sleep, the over heating of the same
parts causeth Anger, and raiseth up in the brain the Imagination of an
Enemy. In the same manner; as naturall kindness, when we are awake
causeth desire; and desire makes heat in certain other parts of the body;
so also, too much heat in those parts, while wee sleep, raiseth in the
brain an imagination of some kindness shewn. In summe, our Dreams
are the reverse of our waking Imaginations; The motion when we are
awake, beginning at one end; and when we Dream, at another.
Apparitions Or Visions The most difficult discerning of a mans Dream,
from his waking thoughts, is then, when by some accident we observe
not that we have slept: which is easie to happen to a man full of fearfull
thoughts; and whose conscience is much troubled; and that sleepeth,
without the circumstances, of going to bed, or putting off his clothes, as
one that noddeth in a chayre. For he that taketh pains, and industriously
layes himselfe to sleep, in case any uncouth and exorbitant fancy come
unto him, cannot easily think it other than a Dream. We read of Marcus
Brutes, (one that had his life given him by Julius Caesar, and was also
his favorite, and notwithstanding murthered him,) how at Phillipi, the
night before he gave battell to Augustus Caesar, he saw a fearfull
apparition, which is commonly related by Historians as a Vision: but
considering the circumstances, one may easily judge to have been but a
short Dream. For sitting in his tent, pensive and troubled with the
horrour of his rash act, it was not hard for him, slumbering in the cold,
to dream of that which most affrighted him; which feare, as by degrees
it made him wake; so also it must needs make the Apparition by
degrees to vanish: And having no assurance that he slept, he could have
no cause to think it a Dream, or any thing but a Vision. And this is no
very rare Accident: for even they that be perfectly awake, if they be

timorous, and supperstitious, possessed with fearfull tales, and alone in
the dark, are subject to the like fancies, and believe they see spirits and
dead mens Ghosts walking in Churchyards; whereas it is either their