Placer of heart and spirit. Family joy.

…while bathing in the sea.”The other dream, which occurred only last year, was to this effect: I was riding outside an omnibus in London when a bat suddenly flew past me. All my fellow-passengers cried out in a chorus, ‘How remarkable! A bat!’ and I awoke actually repeating those words. I was so impressed that I jotted down the dream in my memorandum book. Exactly a week later, I received tidings of my father’s death: he had been thrown from a trap, whilst descending a steep hill near Dublin, and killed on the spot. “In reference to motionless bats, a lady informed me, that one night she dreamed her counterpane was covered with bats, and bats being her pet aversion, she was so terrified that she immediately awoke, to find her whole body bathed in perspiration. The following day, she learned that an aunt to whom she was greatly attached…

…of it. The dream, however, foretold good fortune; for my friend, who was in the army, received unexpected promotion shortly afterwards.In one instance my own experience of the naked dream was very similar. In this dream I went to a fancy dress ball attired, as I thought, in some very fantastic but complete costume of the MiddleAges. To my surprise, however, the moment I entered the ballroom there was a loud chorus ofOh! And every one stopped dancing to stare at me. Feeling rather flattered than otherwise, I was making my way to one of the only available seats, when the host, his face aglow with fury, strode across the room, and, in a voice quivering with passion, said, ” How dare you, sir! How dare you disgrace yourself and me by coming to my ball like this? “Thoroughly taken aback, I replied that I did not know there was…

…as I beat and prodded it against the jagged edges of my teeth. But all to no purpose; my head remained full and my stomach empty.”A whole lifetime seemed to pass in this tantalising, agonising manner, and then into the room, in Indian file, stalked all my friends and relations, each carrying in their hands a champagne glass. My uncle, who had been dead and buried at the very least thirty years, headed the procession. Walking solemnly up to me, he took hold of my nose, twisted it round like a tap, and down through my foaming mouth poured the whiskey. As soon as his glass was full he raised it above his head, and exclaimed in a sepulchral voice, ‘ Health! Health! Health!’ to which all the company in chorus responded ‘ Amen! Amen! Amen!’ One after another my relatives and friends followed his example, and twisted my nose…