The Archbishop of Bordeaux attests the case of a young
ecclesiastic who was in the habit of getting up during the night
in a state of somnambulism, taking pen, ink, and paper, and
composing and writing sermons. When he had finished a page he
would read aloud what he had written and correct it. In order to
ascertain whether the somnambulist made any use of his eyes the
Archbishop held a piece of cardboard under his chin to prevent
his seeing the paper upon which he was writing. He continued to
write without being in the slightest degree incommoded. In this
state he also copied out pieces of music, and when it happened
that the words were written in too large characters and did not
stand over the corresponding notes he perceived his error,
blotted them out, and wrote them over again with great exactness.
Negretti, a sleep-walker, sometimes carried a candle about with
him as if to furnish him light in his employment, but when a
bottle was substituted he carried it, fancying that he had the
candle. Another somnambulist, Castelli, was found by Dr. Sloane
translating Italian and French and looking out words in his
dictionary. His candle was purposely extinguished, whereupon he
immediately began groping about, as if in the dark, and, although
other lighted candles were in the room, he did not resume his
occupation until he had relighted his candle at the fire.
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