Dreams of Discovery - Dreams and Literature - Dreams of Persons Met Later - Dreams of Station in Life - Resolution Dreams - Repeated Dreams - Dreams of Warning and Death - Telepathy and Clairvoyance.

Dreams which are apparently of a prophetic nature have always had a firm hold on popular fancy. Though the belief that a supernatural agency is at work fashioning dreams for weary mortals, in which they are given a true insight into future events, has disappeared to a great extent, it must be confessed that many people, ignorant and learned, still hold to the supernatural quality of dreams. Ancient literature is filled with references to dreams of a divine nature. Zeno and Plato vouched for them; Cicero believed that the soul showed its divinity in dreams. Mohammed had his followers relate their dreams to him, believing that he might receive a divine inspiration; he believed that he was inspired in dreams. This recalls the ancient view that idiots were particularly blessed by the gods, and in communication with heavenly regions. Their actions and talk no one could properly understand because these were of a supernormal character. Tycho Brahe, the great astronomer, had as a constant companion an idiot to whose mutterings he listened with profound respect, trusting that he might overhear some heavenly communication of scientific importance. In early times, also, when dreams were considered gifts of the gods, the frequent dreamer was revered, and considered blessed by the deities, and in communication with them.

Though the ancients believed in divine dreams, it was admitted by them that many dreams said to be divine were spurious. Aristotle thought that true dreams were given only to the wise. At one time the Romans placed no credence in out-of-the-ordinary dreams unless these occurred to magistrates or others whose integrity could be vouched for. The Hebrews likewise were cognizant of the fact that many dreams said to be of a divine order were pure fictions.

All kinds of dreams are recorded in an effort to prove the working of an unnatural or supernormal agency when one sleeps. Inventions made, mistakes or lost articles found, poems, music, stories composed, messages of warning, etc., are quoted in abundance. While all these dreams are hardly deserving of being classed as prophetic or supernormal, they are regarded by many persons as akin to the miraculous, for which reason it might be well to consider them here.