achievements.  Attributing   the   fertile   germ  of   their
creation  to involuntary  processes,  as  if  it  were a  gift
from some source of  intelligence other  than  their own,
they pay respectful tribute  to inspiration. Dreams, often
the medium of such inspiration, have enlightened artists,
philosophers and scientists.
     Mozart, Schumann  and  Wagner all had dreams which
provided  some  portion of  their work. The same can  be
said   of  Dante,  Voltaire,  Tolstoy,  Poe  and   Scott. We
know  from Goethe that Faust, and  from Stevenson  that
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, originated in dreams.  But it is
not  only  to literary  works  that  dreams contribute. The
essence   of  Descartes'  philosophy  came  to  him  in  a
dream. Dreams were the well-spring of certain important
discoveries  in   the sciences. In  physiology  it   was  the
discovery of the chemical basis of nerve conductivity. In
chemistry it  was  the formula  for  the  benzene  ring.  In
physics  it was  the  common  model  for  the  atom.  And
Einstein,  who  himself   kept  note-paper  by  his  bed  to
record  his  dreams,  maintained  that  such  intuitions  as
dreams  provide   were   indispensable   for   fundamental
insights into nature.
     We may well  ask, what is  the source  for  the evident
creative potential of dreams?  Perhaps it  is  that  dreams
have   access   to   long—forgotten    memories   and   to
perceptions which  were  originally  only  vaguely  noted.
Perhaps   it   is   that    dreams    combine    elements   of
experience   in   novel  fashions,  using   bizarre  imagery
and/or powerful  symbols. It  is  not  only  the  especially
gifted few, the creative geniuses, who find  that  they can
sometimes be outdone by their dreams. We  all have  had
dreams  which  seem  to surpass our daytime talents. Our
experience  tells  us,  then,  that  dreams  bear  a  creative
potential for everyone.

Dreams Challenge Our Memory

    Although the existence of dreams  is  a  psychological
reality, they typically defy direct observation.  It  should
come   as   no   surprise   that   because   their   realm   is

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