ns: so finding I
could not sleep, I got up again; but as I could not fly from myself, all
the art I could use with myself was but in vain to obtain me any quiet.

In the height of my distress I had recourse to prayer, with no small
benefit; begging that if it pleased not the Almighty Power to remove
the object of my fears, at least to resolve my doubts about them, and to
render them rather helpful than hurtful to me. I hereupon, as I always
did on such occasions, found myself much more placid and easy, and began
to hope the best, till I had almost persuaded myself that I was out of
danger; and then laying myself down, I rested very sweetly till I was
awakened by the impulse of the following dream.

Methought I was in Cornwall, at my wife's aunt's; and inquiring after
her and my children, the old gentlewoman informed me, both my wife
and children had been dead some time, and that my wife, before her
departure, desired her (that is, her aunt) immediately upon my arrival
to tell me she was only gone to the lake, where I should be sure to see
her, and be happy with her ever after. I then, as I fancied, ran to
the lake to find her. In my passage she stopped me, crying, "Whither so
fast, Peter? I am your wife, your Patty." Methought I did not know her,
she was so altered; but observing her voice, and looking more wistfully
at her, she appeared to me as the most beautiful creature I ever
beheld. I then went to seize her in my arms; but the hurry of my spirits
awakened me.

When I got up, I kept at home, not caring even to look out at my door.
My dream ran strangely in my head, and I had now nothing but Patty in my
mind. "Oh!" cries I, "how happy could I be with her, though I had only
her in this solitude. Oh! that this was but a reality, and not a dream."
And indeed, though it was but a dream, I could scarce refrain from
running to the lake to meet my Patty. But then I checked my folly, and
reasoned myself into some degree of temper again. However, I could not
forbear crying out, "What, nobody to converse with! Nobody to assist,
comfort, or counsel me! This is a melancholy situation indeed." Thus I
ran on lamenting till I was almost weary, when on a sudden I again
heard the voices. "Hark!" says I, "here they come again. Well, I am now
resolved to face them, come life, come death! It is not to be alone I
thus dread; but to have company about me, and not know who or what, is
death to me worse than I can suffer from them, be th