The Dream-God, or, A Singular Evolvement of Thought in SleepCuningham, John
Philosophy
The Dream-God, or, A Singular Evolvement of Thought in Sleep
Cuningham, John
Dreams; Morphine
They enter the Tuileries. The Emperor of the French expressed his
keen appreciation of the objects of their grand and adventurous tour.
With respectful earnestness he asked many questions in regard to
it; especially in relation to political developments. In reply to a
question by the American in reference to the assumptions of his own
dynasty, he asseverated that it was a Napoleonic conception, maxim and
design, “that the virtues and rights of the people could and should be
asserted under the one-man _representative_ power--that Imperialism and
Republicanism could be identicalized in and under governmental action.
That no other kind of government either suited or would satisfy the
French. And that he ever studied Great Britain and the United States as
among the leading examples before him, in devising the measures of his
action and the formulas of his policy.”
He, also, assigned this as a reason why he and his uncle had not been
favored by the old imperial or royal régimes. His Empress, the lovely
Eugenie, was marked in her gracious deference, and uttered some angelic
sentiments in support of her husband’s theory.
At Court the ethereal party received the attentions of the _savans_
of the world’s scientific metropolis, and with them visited their
meeting. Abstruse topics were discussed. In reply to an inquiry upon
electricity, the Immortal intimated “that, although it was not his
province to discuss the connection between mind and matter, or to
expound what agency magnetism had in relation to it, yet as the brain
and body of man were a series of electric batteries, and electricity
a fluid that pervaded the earth, it would in time, by an effort of
the will, and by an action of the human body under and in certain
conditions, become a medium of thought and converse between any two
persons at different spots on the earth.”
_American._--“Will they hold conversations as if in a tête-à-tête?”
_Immortal._--“Yes. Without using language, Americans will thus converse
with Chinese.”
They visited in the _Invalides_ the Tomb of Napoléon le Grand. Before
it the American was irresistibly affected by the awe, wonder and
curiosity, which may be felt for the majesty of mind.
The travellers now proceed to Bordeaux; where, seated in a _salon_, and
the American being thirsty, the best brandy and claret are set before
them. They taste them with relish, and discuss their merits.
Suddenly the Disembodied exclaims, “Day is approaching, I must return
to my body. Let us fly.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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