the art of interpreting dreams, or a method of foretelling future events by means of dreams. The word is formed from the Greek ἰνέας, a dream, and κρίνειν, from κρίσις, judgment. Some call it oneirocritica, and derive it from ἰνέας, a dream, and κρίσις, I possess, or I command. It appears from several passages of Scripture, that, under the Jewish dispensation, there was such a thing as foretelling future events by dreams; but then a particular gift or revelation was expressly required for that purpose. Hence it has been inferred, that dreams are really significative, and forebode something to come; and all that is wanting amongst us is the oneirocritica, or the art of knowing what they foreshow. Yet it is the opinion of many that dreams are mere chimeras, bearing indeed some relation to what has passed, but none at all to what is to come. As to the case of Joseph, it was possible for God, who knew all things, to discover to him what still remained hidden in the womb of fate; and to introduce that disclosure, he might take the occasion of a dream.