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why certain tropical birds are burnished with glowing colors；
and that other birds under the murky skies are gray and brown；
while in the Arctic regions they bleach。
In sleep we see； without being awakened； the angry lightning rend
the midnight clouds； and hear the explosive thunder hurl its fury at us；
but can we explain it any more than our scientist can explain the natural
forces of thought； of love and hate； or the subtle intuition of woman？
What of the silhouette or the anthelion of the Scandinavian Alps；
and the aerial cities so often seen by explorers and travelers？
Do not they defy the law of optics？ Must we understand the intricacies
of articulation and the forces back of it before we can appropriate speech？
Must we discard all belief in an infinite mind because we cannot
understand it； and therefore say we are not a part of it because there
is no Infinite？ Should we discard the belief in the infinitude of number；
because we cannot understand it； and therefore say that finite number
is not a part of the infinite？
No scientist or naturalist is so grossly stupid as to deny
the infinite expansion of numbers？ If this be so； it establishes
the infinite of number； of which every finite number is a part；
and thus we have a parallel in mathematics； the very cornerstone
of the exact sciences； for a finite and an infinite mind。
It is from the prototype of this infinite of number； namely；
the infinite of intelligence； that spiritual dreams proceed。
They are； therefore； the reflection of truth upon the dream mind
and occur with less frequency than do dreams of the other two classes。
There are also mixed dreams； due to a multitude of incidents
arising from one or more sources； which being reflected upon
the mind at the same instant； produce an incoherent effect similar
to that which might be produced by running the same newspaper
through two or more presses all of different size type。
Again； if you sit before a mirror where flashlights of faces and
other things are reflected simultaneously and instantly removed；
you will fail to obtain a well…defined impression of what passed
before your mind。
If you should pass on a train； at the speed of two miles a minute；
through a forest of flowers and trees； your mind would be unable
to distinguish one flower or tree from another。
It is in a similar way dream life and incidents may fall upon the mind。
A woman may dream of receiving a letter； and in the same connection see
muddy water； or an arid landscape。 Closely following； in waking life；
she is astonished to receive a letter in about the same manner of her dream；
but the muddy water and the arid landscape are missing。
This is a mixed dream and is due to more than one cause。
The first part is literal in its fulfilment； and belongs to
the spiritual class； the other part of the dream is subjective；
and therefore allegorical in meaning。 Together with the letter；
it was a forewarning of misfortune。
These dreams are more difficult of interpretation than those
belonging to the spiritual type。 In such dreams you may see water；
letters； houses； money； people； and countless other things。
The next day you may cross water or receive a letter； the other
things you may not see； but annoyance or pleasure will follow。
Again； you may have a similar dream and not receive a letter or cross water；
but the waking life will be filled with the other dream pictures and you will
experience disappointing or pleasant surprises as are indicated by the letter
or water sign。
I have selected the allegorical type of dreams for the subject of this work。
Dreams that are common occurrences and are thought by the world
to be meaningless。
I have endeavored； through the occult forces in and about me
to find their esoteric or hidden import。
_Dreams transpire on the subjective plane。 They should therefore
be interpreted by subjective intelligence_。 This； though burdened
with many business cares； I have honestly endeavored to do。
Through the long hours of many nights I have waited patiently
and passively the automatic movement of my hand to write
the subjective definitions without receiving a word or a single
manifestation of intelligence； and again the mysterious forces
would write as fast as my hand could move over the paper。
I will leave it for my readers to draw their own conclusions
as to whether automatic writing is the work of extraneous spirits；
through the brain and intelligence of the medium； or the result
of auto…suggestive influence upon the subjective personality。
It is argued by the Materialist； with some degree of strength；
that the healthy man does not dream； This is； perhaps； true； in a way；
but the whole man comprises the past； present； and future。 The past
and future always embrace more of the conditions that surround him than
the present。 The present is only the acute stage； while the chronic stage；
considered from a personal view； is the past and future combined。
Man cannot eliminate entirely these states from himself； for； while they
are past and future to the personal mind； they are ever present
to the higher subjective senses； he is； therefore； never in perfect
health unless these states are in harmony with the present。
The personal self； in a normal state； cannot free itself from the past
or from the anxieties of the future。
The reader should ever keep before his mind the fact that no man
ever had the same dream twice。 He may have had very similar dreams；
but some detail will be missing。 Nature seems to abhor duplicates。
You could no more find two dreams alike than you could find facsimiles
in two blades of grass。 A man cannot live two days exactly alike。
Different influences and passions will possess him。 Consequently； no two
dreams can be had under exactly the same influences。 Stereotypes are
peculiarly the invention of man and not of God or nature。
Since it is impossible to find a man twice in exactly the same
mental state； it is equally impossible for him to dream the same
dream twice； therefore； it is only possible to approximate
dream interpretation by classing them into families。
This I have attempted to do in a more comprehensive way than
other writers who have preceded me。
All men are acquainted with health and sickness； love and hate；
success and failure。 Sickness； hate and failure belong to kindred families；
and often ally their forces in such a way that it is hard to say whether
the dreamer will fail in love； health or some business undertaking。
But at all times a bad symbol is a warning of evil； though that evil may
be minimized or exaggerated； or _vice versa_； according as signs are good。
Thus； if the dream symbol indicates wealth or fortune to the peasant；
his waking life may be gladdened by receiving or seeing a fifty…cent piece；
or finding assuring work； while the same symbol to a wealthy man would
mean many dollars； or a favorable turn in affairs。
It is the same in physical life。 A man may hear the sound of a wagon。
He cannot determine by the rattle of the wheels whether it is laden
with laundry； groceries or dry goods。 He may judge as to its size
and whether it is bearing a heavy or a light burden。 When it
objectifies he will be able to know its full import and not before。
So with dream symbols。 We may know they are fraught with evil or good；
as in the case of Pilate's wife； but we cannot tell their full meaning
until their reflections materialize before the objective sense。
Death is more frequently foretold by dream messages or visions；
as explained in another part of this chapter。
During sleep the will is suspended； leaving the mind often a prey
to its own fancy。 The slightest attack of an enemy may be foretold
by the unbridled imagination exaggerating the mental picture into
a monstrous shark or snake； when； indeed； a much less portentous
sign was cast from the dream mold。
A woman may see a serpent in waking life and through fright lose reason
or self…control。 She imagines it pursues her when in reality it is going
an opposite direction； in a like way dreams may be many times unreal。
The mind loses its reason or will in sleep； but a supersensitive
perception is awakened； and； as it regains consciousness from sleep；
the sound of a knock on the wall may be magnified into a pistol shot。
The sleeping mind is not only supersensitive as to existing external sounds
and light； but it frequently sees hours and days ahead of the waking mind。
Nor is this contradictory to the laws of nature。 The ant housed
in the depth of the earth； away from atmospheric changes；
knows of the approach of the harvest； and comes forth to lay
by his store。
In a like manner； the pet squirrel is a better barometer of the local weather
than the Weather Bureau。 With unerring foresight； when a wintry frown nowhere
mars the horizon； he is ab