When I first of all took it in my Head to write Dreams and Visions, I determin’d to Print nothing of that nature, which was not of my own Invention.  But several laborious Dreamers have of late communicated to me Works of this Nature, which, for their Reputations and my own, I have hitherto suppressed.  Had I printed every one that came to my Hands, my Book of Speculations would have been little else but a Book of Visions.  Some of my Correspondents have indeed been so very modest, as to offer at an Excuse for their not being in a Capacity to dream better.  I have by me, for example, the Dream of a young Gentleman not past Fifteen.  I have likewise by me the Dream of a Person of Quality, and another called the Lady’s Dream.  In these, and other Pieces of the same nature, it is suppos’d the usual Allowances will be made to the Age, Condition and Sex of the Dreamer.  To prevent this Inundation of Dreams, which daily flows in upon me, I shall apply to all Dreamers of Dreams, the Advice which Epictetus has couched, after his manner, in a very simple and concise Precept. Never tell thy Dreams, says that Philosopher, for tho’ thou thy self may’st take a Pleasure in telling thy Dream, another will take no Pleasure in hearing it.  After this short Preface, I must do Justice to two or three Visions which I have lately publish’d, and which I have owned to have been written by other Hands.  I shall add a Dream to these, which comes to me from Scotland, by one who declares himself of that Country, and for all I know may be second-sighted.  There is, indeed, something in it of the Spirit of John Bunyan; but at the same time a certain Sublime, which that Author was never master of.  I shall publish it, because I question not but it will fall in with the Taste of all my popular Readers, and amuse the Imaginations of those who are more profound; declaring at the same time, that this is the last Dream which I intend to publish this Season.

  SIR,

’I was last Sunday in the Evening led into a serious Reflection on the Reasonableness of Virtue, and great Folly of Vice, from an excellent Sermon I had heard that Afternoon in my Parish-Church.  Among other Observations, the Preacher shew’d us that the Temptations which the Tempter propos’d, were all on a Supposition, that we are either Madmen or Fools, or with an Intention to render us such; that in no other Affair we would suffer ourselves to be thus imposed upon, in a Case so plainly and clearly against our visible Interest.  His illustrations and Arguments carried so much Persuasion and Conviction with them, that they remained a considerable while fresh, and working in my Memory; till at last the Mind, fatigued with Thought, gave way to the forcible Oppressions of Slumber and Sleep, whilst Fancy, unwilling yet to drop the Subject, presented me with the following Vision.

’Methought I was just awoke out of a Sleep, that I could never remember the beginning