Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis II 1921 1.djvu/122

 1 14 COI.I.ECTIVE REVIEWS

latent wish of the preceding day as fulfilled by the help of an unconscious wish" (21, S. 251).

The failure, frequent even in analytic circles, to recognise this state of affairs lies in this, that it may very generally be neglected in practice. Not only in the interpretation of the dreams of the healthy, but in any analytic activity we are liable to be interested as a general rule only in the preconscious idca.s, which are capable equally of making use of the dream-form as at other times of expressing themselves in the free flow of thought w in some slip of behaviour. "Effort is usually only directed towards breaking up the dream form, and replacing it by the latent thought.s, out o' which the dream has come, in their proper connections" (21, S.250). In view of the prevalent ignorance of the essence of the Freudian wish theory, it would be ri matter of congratulation that Freud has lately again (22) undertaken a more penetrating exploration of this region, if it were not for the feeling that these new elucidations will not materially assist those who where not capable of accepting the earlier ones. This "Metap.sychologische Erg.'lnzung zur Traum- lehre" aims at shaping out and inten.sifying the lines of di.scussion laid down in Section VII of the "Traumdeutung" on the structure and function of the mental apparatus. Freud takes a.s a starting point the concept of regression fundamental for any understanding of dream-formation, and di.stingui.shes three kind^ o( it: {a) a toxica} regression in the sense of tlie developed scheme of the W system, (b) a temporal regression, in .so far as it is concerned with a harking back to older psychic forms, and (c) a formal regression, ifprimi- ' tive methods of expression and representation replace the usual methods. All three kinds of regression are however at ba.se one, and in mo.st cases coincide, for the temporally «jlder is equally the more primitive formally, and a more immediate object of perception in the psychic topical system" (23, S. 409). Of the temporal re- gressions there arc again two to be distingui.shed: "that of the ego- development and that of the libido-development. The latter achieves dunng sleep the restoration oi ihc primitive narcissism'^, the former the stage of halluncinatory wish-gratification" (22).

The popular "wish-fulfilment" is properly .speaking to be under- stood psychologically as this hallucinatory wi.sh-gratification. The primitive narcissism is disturbed by certain system charges which arrest its vitality also during sleep. It endeavours to defend itsell ' Italics are the author's.