第12部分(第4/7 頁)

prehensiveness　of　our　thought；　whether　we　are　asleep　or

awake；　no　doubt　depends　largely　upon　our　idiosyncrasies；　constitution；

habits；　and　mental　capacity。　But　whatever　may　be　the　nature　of　our

dreams；　the　mental　processes　that　characterize　them　are　analogous　to

those　which　go　on　when　the　mind　is　not　held　to　attention　by　the　will。

A　WAKING　DREAM

XV

A　WAKING　DREAM

I　HAVE　sat　for　hours　in　a　sort　of　reverie；　letting　my　mind　have　its　way

without　inhibition　and　direction；　and　idly　noted　down　the　incessant　beat

of　thought　upon　thought；　image　upon　image。　I　have　observed　that　my

thoughts　make　all　kinds　of　connections；　wind　in　and　out；　trace

concentric　circles；　and　break　up　in　eddies　of　fantasy；　just　as　in

dreams。　One　day　I　had　a　literary　frolic　with　a　certain　set　of　thoughts

which　dropped　in　for　an　afternoon　call。　I　wrote　for　three　or　four　hours

as　they　arrived；　and　the　resulting　record　is　much　like　a　dream。　I　found

that　the　most　disconnected；　dissimilar　thoughts　came　in　arm…in…arm……I

dreamed　a　wide…awake　dream。　The　difference　is　that　in　waking　dreams　I

can　look　back　upon　the　endless　succession　of　thoughts；　while　in　the

dreams　of　sleep　I　can　recall　but　few　ideas　and　images。　I　catch　broken

threads　from　the　warp　and　woof　of　a　pattern　I　cannot　see；　or　glowing

leaves　which　have　floated　on　a　slumber…wind　from　a　tree　that　I　cannot

identify。　In　this　reverie　I　held　the　key　to　the　pany　of　ideas。　I　give

my　record　of　them　to　show　what　analogies　exist　between　thoughts　when

they　are　not　directed　and　the　behaviour　of　real　dream…thinking。

I　had　an　essay　to　write。　I　wanted　my　mind　fresh　and　obedient；　and　all

its　ha