Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/329

 GOOCH. him — I tried to think of something else, but in vain. I shut my eyes, and began to forget my- self, when, whether I was awake or asleep, or between both, I cannot tell — but suddenly I felt two bony hands grasp my ancles, and pull me down the bed ; if it had been real it could not have been more distinct. For some time, how long J cannot tell, I almost fainted with terror, but when I came to myself, I began to observe how I was placed : if what I had felt had been a reality, I must have been pulled halfway out of the bed, but I found myself lying with my head on my pillow, and my body in the same place and atti- tude as when I shut my eyes to go to sleep. At this moment this is the only proof which 1 have that it was not a reahty, but a dream." An accidental acquaintance with a gentleman of the name of Harley, which took place at this time, had a great and lasting influence on Gooch's character. Mr. Harley was about thirty years of age, and nearly blind ; he was fond of reading, and from the state of his eyes dependent upon others for his literary enjoyments. His studies were miscellaneous — history, chemistry, some- times medicine, and very often metaphysics. Gooch used to pass most of his evenings in read- ing aloud to Mr. Harley. Amongst the books so read were Bishop Berkeley's Works, Hartley, and Hume's Essays. Mr. Harley used to discuss the subjects of their reading with his young friend, and being a man of acute intellect, he called into action those faculties of mind in which Gooch was by nature most gifted. At a com- paratively early age he became accustomed to X 2