An Essay on the Incubus, or Night-mare

A physician in the early eighteenth century grew weary of the unsettling experience of night‑mares and set out to investigate them with the limited tools of his time. He writes to a colonial governor, seeking patronage for a study that blends personal observation with a careful review of ancient medical writings. The essay opens with a candid confession of the author’s own sleepless afflictions, framing the work as both a personal quest and a public service.

The writer surveys the sparse references to night‑mares in classical sources, noting how earlier scholars dismissed the condition as a mere omen or supernatural visitation. He proposes that the phenomenon stems from a temporary stagnation of blood, a theory grounded in the emerging understanding of circulation. Throughout, he balances scholarly citations with vivid descriptions of the fleeting terror that grips sleepers, striving for clarity despite the inherently elusive nature of the subject.

While rooted in historical medical thought, the essay invites modern listeners to reflect on how early physicians grappled with the mysteries of the mind‑body connection. It offers a glimpse into the evolving language of pathology, reminding us that even centuries‑old curiosities can still echo in today’s discussions of sleep and anxiety.