confessions of an english opium-eater-第18部分
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bus and nightmare； he lies in sight of all that he would fain perform； just as a man forcibly confined to his bed by the mortal languor of a relaxing disease； who is compelled to witness injury or outrage offered to some object of his tenderest love： he curses the spells which chain him down from motion； he would lay down his life if he might but get up and walk； but he is powerless as an infant； and cannot even attempt to rise。
I now pass to what is the main subject of these latter confessions； to the history and journal of what took place in my dreams； for these were the immediate and proximate cause of my acutest suffering。
The first notice I had of any important change going on in this part of my physical economy was from the reawakening of a state of eye generally incident to childhood； or exalted states of irritability。 I know not whether my reader is aware that many children； perhaps most； have a power of painting； as it were upon the darkness； all sorts of phantoms。 In some that power is simply a mechanical affection of the eye； others have a voluntary or semi…voluntary power to dismiss or to summon them； or； as a child once said to me when I questioned him on this matter； 〃I can tell them to go； and they go …； but sometimes they come when I don't tell them to come。〃 Whereupon I told him that he had almost as unlimited a command over apparitions as a Roman centurion over his soldiers。In the middle of 1817； I think it was； that this faculty became positively distressing to me： at night； when I lay awake in bed； vast processions passed along in mournful pomp； friezes of never…ending stories； that to my feelings were as sad and solemn as if they were stories drawn from times before OEdipus or Priam； before Tyre； before Memphis。 And at the same time a corresponding change took place in my dreams； a theatre seemed suddenly opened and lighted up within my brain； which presented nightly spectacles of more than earthly splendour。 And the four following facts may be mentioned as noticeable at this time：
1。 That as the creative state of the eye increased； a sympathy seemed to arise between the waking and the dreaming states of the brain in one pointthat whatsoever I happened to call up and to trace by a voluntary act upon the darkness was very apt to transfer itself to my dreams； so that I feared to exercise this faculty； for； as Midas turned all things to gold that yet baffled his hopes and defrauded his human desires； so whatsoever things capable of being visually represented I did but think of in the darkness； immediately shaped themselves into phantoms of the eye； and by a process apparently no less inevitable； when thus once traced in faint and visionary colours； like writings in sympathetic ink； they were drawn out by the fierce chemistry of my dreams into insufferable splendour that fretted my heart。
2。 For this and all other changes in my dreams were accompanied by deep…seated anxiety and gloomy melancholy； such as are wholly incommunicable by words。 I seemed every night to descend； not metaphorically； but literally to descend； into chasms and sunless abysses； depths below depths； from which it seemed hopeless that I could ever reascend。 Nor did I； by waking； feel that I HAD reascended。 This I do not dwell upon； because the state of gloom which attended these gorgeous spectacles； amounting at last to utter darkness； as of some suicidal despondency； cannot be approached by words。
3。 The sense of space； and in the end the sense of time； were both powerfully affected。 Buildings； landscapes； &c。； were exhibited in proportions so vast as the bodily eye is not fitted to receive。 Space swelled； and was amplified to an extent of unutterable infinity。 This； however； did not disturb me so much as the vast expansion of time； I sometimes seemed to have lived for 70 or 100 years in one nightnay； sometimes had feelings representative of a millennium passed in that time； or； however； of a duration far beyond the limits of any human experience。
4。 The minutest incidents of childhood； or forgotten scenes of later years； were often revived： I could not be said to recollect them； for if I had been told of them when waking； I should not have been able to acknowledge them as parts of my past experience。 But placed as they were before me； in dreams like intuitions； and clothed in all their evanescent circumstances and accompanying feelings； I RECOGNISED them instantaneously。 I was once told by a near relative of mine； that having in her childhood fallen into a river； and being on the very verge of death but for the critical assistance which reached her； she saw in a moment her whole life； in its minutest incidents； arrayed before her simultaneously as in a mirror； and she had a faculty developed as suddenly for comprehending the whole and every part。 This； from some opium experiences of mine； I can believe； I have indeed seen the same thing asserted twice in modern books； and accompanied by a remark which I am convinced is true； viz。； that the dread book of account which the Scriptures speak of is in fact the mind itself of each individual。 Of this at least I feel assured； that there is no such thing as FORGETTING possible to the mind； a thousand accidents may and will interpose a veil between our present consciousness and the secret inscriptions on the mind； accidents of the same sort will also rend away this veil； but alike； whether veiled or unveiled； the inscription remains for ever； just as the stars seem to withdraw before the common light of day； whereas in fact we all know that it is the light which is drawn over them as a veil； and that they are waiting to be revealed when the obscuring daylight shall have withdrawn。
Having noticed these four facts as memorably distinguishing my dreams from those of health； I shall now cite a case illustrative of the first fact； and shall then cite any others that I remember； either in their chronological order； or any other that may give them more effect as pictures to the reader。
I had been in youth； and even since； for occasional amusement； a great reader of Livy； whom I confess that I prefer； both for style and matter； to any other of the Roman historians； and I had often felt as most solemn and appalling sounds； and most emphatically representative of the majesty of the Roman people； the two words so often occurring in LivyConsul Romanus； especially when the consul is introduced in his military character。 I mean to say that the words king； sultan； regent； &c。； or any other titles of those who embody in their own persons the collective majesty of a great people； had less power over my reverential feelings。 I had also； though no great reader of history； made myself minutely and critically familiar with one period of English history； viz。； the period of the Parliamentary War； having been attracted by the moral grandeur of some who figured in that day； and by the many interesting memoirs which survive those unquiet times。 Both these parts of my lighter reading； having furnished me often with matter of reflection； now furnished me with matter for my dreams。 Often I used to see； after painting upon the blank darkness a sort of rehearsal whilst waking； a crowd of ladies； and perhaps a festival and dances。 And I heard it said； or I said to myself； 〃These are English ladies from the unhappy times of Charles I。 These are the wives and the daughters of those who met in peace； and sate at the same table； and were allied by marriage or by blood； and yet； after a certain day in August 1642； never smiled upon each other again； nor met but in the field of battle； and at Marston Moor； at Newbury； or at Naseby； cut asunder all ties of love by the cruel sabre； and washed away in blood the memory of ancient friendship。〃 The ladies danced； and looked as lovely as the court of George IV。 Yet I knew； even in my dream； that they had been in the grave for nearly two centuries。 This pageant would suddenly dissolve； and at a clapping of hands would be heard the heart…quaking sound OF CONSUL ROMANUS； and immediately came 〃sweeping by；〃 in gorgeous paludaments； Paulus or Marius； girt round by a company of centurions； with the crimson tunic hoisted on a spear； and followed by the alalagmos of the Roman legions。
Many years ago； when I was looking over Piranesi's； Antiquities of Rome； Mr。 Coleridge； who was standing by； described to me a set of plates by that artist； called his DREAMS； and which record the scenery of his own visions during the delirium of a fever。 Some of them （I describe only from memory of Mr。 Coleridge's account） represented vast Gothic halls； on the floor of which stood all sorts of engines and machinery； wheels； cables； pulleys； levers； catapults； &c。 &c。； expressive of enormous power put forth and resistance overcome。 Creeping along the sides of the walls you perceived a staircase； and upon it； groping his way upwards； was Piranesi himself： follow the stairs a little further and you perceive it come to a sudden and abrupt termination without any balustrade； and allowing no step onwards to him who had reached the extremity except into the depths below。 Whatever is to become of poor Piranesi； you suppose at least that his labours must in some way terminate her
