in the wind's current was curling in playful eddies, like spirits; and the country opened as a fan, and was dimly seen through the mist, as beauty through a veil : (all which I had often seen in this land of mist, when the sun, the great magician, chose to use his wand of transfiguration.) In the midst of my reverie, a figure stood before me, with his head under his arm, (I suppose this image was the remembrance from Knickerbocker) with a nose like a swordfish, (not satirical, but funny,) an acute wagging chin, lips round as cherries, small pinking eyes, red wattles, and comb on his chin and forehead. The gaunt arms and legs of Peter Schlemel, like a bundle of giblets, and the body and wing of a huge bantam cock, measuring about 25 feet high. Such an incongruity in nature I never saw; yet I was in that quiescent state, that nothing could offend me. He looked at some serious poetry I was composing, and laughed; for he appeared to have been born laughing; still I was not offended: he pulled still nose; no offence: he told me to climb up his legs, to get under his arm, that he might talk to me: I did so, and off he set with me to my the moon. I felt the sensation as of being in a swing, a laughing, sobbing sensation; such as the reading Don Quixote in a cold bath, and Don Juan in a warm one, would produce. We winged our way, and rested upon the fleecy clouds, which felt like down beds. When we arrived about forty miles high I began to gasp; he told me we should soon lose the earth's attraction, and then I should breathe freely. It was so; and I felt such a rarefaction of the senses as I never felt before: I seemed to grow bigger; my eye-balls dilated, and I could see worlds without end, and all inhabited by different formed people. We neared the moon, and slackened our pace for fear of a too violent concussion. We alighted 'mid a group of his people, who came to see the stranger. They spoke all languages, for the convenience of conversation with other worlds; but they used a sort of electric magnetic chain themselves, which was handed to each other when an idea had to be communicated. They wore it tied to a feather at the breast, and the bearer, or feeler, placed the other end to his breast, when the speaker, or communicator, rubbed the chain with loadstone, and away went the idea, like lightning passing the conductor. I begged to make trial of it. One was handed me, and I laughed most immoderately at the sensation. I asked to feel philosopher. I felt one: we did not disagree upon a point. He told me we should all agree in the same way on earth did we but use the chain; our difficulties were all upon terms, he said, and that all spoken language was inadequate to ideas: he referred me to the long periods of our philosophers, wherein you forget the beginning ere you get to the end. I tried a poet next. What a flash of the sublime! galvanism was a plaything to it: what images! both of the moon and the heavens: and their analogies seemed ready-made to them. All our oratorio sensations was nothing to this: such wonderful harmony! I took my leave from this magic group with a present of a pair of wings and a chain, for my use upon earth, and landed safe upon terra firma again. I flew to my disputing circle, to apologize for any harsh language I might have used from misunderstandings heretofore; which, I found, on my chain experiment, I had ample occasion to do. I then flew to her whose affections I had ever been doubting; I placed the chain to her breast and O, Heavens! the extacy, the measureless joy: I hastened to marry her, to make amends; when, in the midst of the delightful ceremonial, I awoke, and found myself in a dingy Highland hut, and had been awakened by a sneezing occasioned by the peat smoke. Thou mayest imagine my chagrin. What a strange thing is a diseased dream! What a compound of sense and nonsense! I have had dreams wherein I have used language, that had it been embodied, not only would have astonished myself, but the world; and again. other dreams, as ridiculous, dependent, no doubt, on the fitness of sensation to the subject, as when awake. Dreams exhibit a man's natural character, when in health. Many a pretty damsel exhibits her character in relating her dream, little thinking it would be self-destruction were the secret known. I would qualify this opinion, by saying, in health. I do not think a real dreamer ever is in health; but I am speaking of the casual dreams of the convalescent; I should be sorry to offer myself to public auction on these terms, now. I had a dream some years ago, which has left as powerful an impression on my memory as reality could have done, and wherein thou mayest see one side of my natural character. I dreamed that I was at some public place with the King. He frowned at my unshorn beard for coming into his presence; I frowned again (as I believe I should if the Devil were to frown upon it); he said, dost thou know me, dog? I am the King! I answered, I am a man! my top lip curled up in scorn, and its beard seemed to stand up to prickle my nose to do the same; I, folding my arms, &c. Fix a beard on Buonaparte, and thou hast the dream embodied! My flesh creeps while I write it. Thou wilt be weary of dreams, but believe me they constitute one third of my existence; so why not have place. Now we will enter upon the desert again. I left Inverness for fear of some of those red collared gentlemen who might have a description of me. By the bye I have felt the horrors at them ever since my encounter with them at they seem gifted with an evil eye, which always appears fixed upon me. I have gone half a mile round to avoid that mighty man of |