Chapter Drac to Driver of D by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Dreams. Amongst the ancient Gaels the leader of the army was often determined by dreams or visions in the night. The different candidates retired “each to his hill of ghosts,” to pass the night, and he to whom a vision appeared was appointed the leader.

Selma’s king [Fingal] looked around. In his presence we rose in arms. But who should lift the shield—for all had claimed the war? The night came down. We strode in silence, each to his hill of ghosts, that spirits might descend in our dreams to mark us for the field. We struck the shield of the dead. We raised the hum of songs. We called thrice the ghosts of our fathers. We laid us down for dreams.—Ossian: Cathlin of Clutha.

Dreams. The Indians believe all dreams to be revelations, sometimes made by the familiar genius, and sometimes by the “inner or divine soul.” An Indian, having dreamt that his finger was cut off, had it really cut off the next day—Charlevoix: Journal of a Voyage to North America.

Dreamer (The Immortal), John Bunyan, whose Pilgrim’s Progress is said by him to be a dream (1628–1688).

The pretence of a dream was one of the most common devices of mediæval romance, as, for example, the Romance of the Rose and Piers Plowman, both in the fourteenth century.

Dreary (Wat), alias Brown Will, one of Macheath’s gang of thieves. He is described by Peachum as “an irregular dog, with an underhand way of disposing of his goods” (act i. sc. 1).—Gay: The Beggar’s Opera (1727).

Drink used by actors, orators, etc.—

Braham, bottled porter.

Catley (Miss), linseed tea and madeira.

Cooke (G. F.), everything drinkable.

Emery, brandy-and-water (cold).

Gladstone (W. E.), an egg beaten up in sherry.

Henderson, gum arabic and sherry.

Incledon, madeira.

Jordan (Mrs.), calves’-foot jelly dissolved in warm sherry.

Kean (Edmund), beef-tea for breakfast, cold brandy.

Lewis, mulled wine (with oysters).

Oxberry, tea.

Smith (William), coffee.

Wood (Mrs.), draught porter.

J. Kemble took opium.

Drink. “I drink the air,” says Ariel, meaning “I will fly with great speed.”

In Henry IV. we have “devour the way,” meaning the same thing.