ESSAY V. 389 First then, there are some impressions made upon the 'vain by the animal spirits, which are so soft and gentle, that there are no traces, no footstep of any such motions left upon the brain ; yet the soul might be just slightly conscious of them at that moment, and form correspondent ideas, though both the traces and the ideas vanish almost as fast as they are formed. These might be called dreams ; but they being all forgotten, as though they had not been, this is not usually called dreaming. Secondly, Thereare some impressions which do, more strongly than the former, affect the brain, and occasion idea in the soul' and yet donot with an over - vigorous tide of impressions delude and confound one another ; this is usually calleddreaming sleep, and these dreams we remember and can relate ; because the soul was stronglyand distinctly consciousof them through their strong distinct traces on the brain which were then made, and in a great measure remain. Thirdly, There are some impressions which by a too impe- tuous flux, and too violent a throng of animal spirits crowding through the pores and passages of the brain altogether, mingle, confound, and destroy the perpetual traces which are made; hereby the thoughts or ideas are all confounded and mutually destroy one another, so that we are rendered incapable of recol- lecting them. l'he first of these is like a soft touch of a seal upon melted . wax which scarce makes any image, or at least such as is lost again as soon as made, by the mere softness of the wax itself not retaining the impression. The second of these is like deep and distinct impressions of the seal upon wax, yet not so immoderate either in violence or number as to confound and destroy one ano- ther ; therefore they remain and we remember them. The third is like amultitude of violent impressions on the wax, which per- petually mingle and confound one another, and leave no perfect image of any thing. Thus the faint impressions of the first kind have much the same effect as the excessive numbers and violence of the third kind, i. e. they leave no distinct traces or memorials. The first is our common and most refreshing sleep, which is usually called sleep without dreaming ; and very much resem- bles what is often called brown study, while we are awake ; that 'is, when after several minutes of musing thoughtfulness, if we are spoken to or roused out of it on a sudden, we can scarce re- collect one thought past, or at least only the very last thought we had ; because the traces on the brain, that excited those slightly and passing thoughts, were very faint and superficial.- - Theyproduce but feeble and indistinct images, like the sie?.. ,_o ah
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