...I thought that I found myself naked, and laid at length in the niche of a catacomb, among the dust of the dead, which resembled damp snuff, or moistened bark, in colour and consistency.

What was worse, I was clasped in the arms of a living skeleton, which endeavoured to break in my ribs by its grasp. Grief is as intense in dreams as in reality, but we can bear horrors in sleep which would certainly deprive us of our waking senses, if not of life. I struggled with the body of this Death, and at the same time called for help.

The sexton heard my cries, for I heard him approaching to ascertain the cause. This made the skeleton renew his efforts to crush my bones, while I worked upon his with the same intent.

My attempts to cry aloud disturbed Edith, and she awoke me from this singularly frightful dream, which left me with a sensation in both sides, as if they had been bruised.

--Robert Southey--

EDITOR'S NOTES

• Southey did not title his dreams; "Rib-crusher" is strictly my title of convenience.
• This nightmare appears so intense as to have left physical traces. Such dreams are rare (I recall having only two out of 30,000 recorded) but they do happen--see below. How greatly can dream experiences affect the body? Unknown.

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