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reat objection, however, to the theory that certain dreams have been intended to foreshadow real
events, is the circumstance that the instances of fulfillment are related, while the instances of non-fulfillment are forgotten. It is known that instances of the latter sort are very numerous, but what proportion they bear to instances of the former sort, is unknown; and while this is the case, it is impossible to form any sound opinion on the subject, so far as actual evidence is concerned. It must be remembered that in this case we are not dealing with a theory which will be disposed of if one undoubted negative instance be adduced. It is very difficult to draw the line between dreams of an impressive nature--such dreams as we might conceive to be sent by way of warning--and dreams not specially calculated to attract the dreamer's attention. A dream which appeared impressive when it occurred but was not fulfilled by the event, would be readily regarded, even by the dreamer himself, as not intended to convey any warning as to the future. The only way to form a just opinion would be to record each dream of au impressive nature, immediately after its occurrence, and to compare the number of cases in which such dreams are fulfilled with the number in which there is no fulfillment. Let us suppose that a certain class of dreams were selected for this purpose. Thus, let a society be formed, every member of which undertakes that whenever on the night preceding a journey he dreams of misfortune on the route, he will record his dream, with his ideas as to its impressiveness, before starting on his journey. A great number of such cases would soon be collected,
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