Most people, myself included, often dream about an element of fantasy or desire in reality. Dreams are interesting because sometimes they are so vivid and very intense that when you wake up you can't tell if they are real. People dreamed about things they wished would happen or had already happened. “Dream Children: A Reverie”, written by Charles Lamb, an English essayist, talks about a dream he had in his essay. This essay was first published in 1823 as a collection in “Essays of Elia”. Brander Matthews, the first professor of dramatic literature in the United States, talks about Lamb and his essay “Dream Children: A Reverie.” “Lamb is the heir of the eighteenth-century essayist, but with a richer imagination… he is an essayist rather than a narrator… he could dream dreams as other poets did: and here is one…” When I first read this essay, I had a hard time reading and understanding it. It was shocking to me that the author actually wrote a four-page essay about a stupid dream he had in the middle of the day sitting in his chair. It was difficult to understand what Charles Lamb is trying to tell readers and his essay didn't make any sense to me until I read biographies such as “The Life of Charles Lamb” by Edward Verrall Lucas and “Charles Lamb” by Thomas Craddock. , about his life and career. A “Dream Children: A Reverie” begins with Charles Lamb telling readers about his adorable children Alice and John and their great-grandmother, Mrs. Field. As I read this essay, it was hard for me to realize that I was reading about his dream or fantasy until the end of the essay where he wakes up and says "we are not Alice's, nor yours, nor are we children." at all... we are nothing; less than nothing and dreams” (Lopate172). Even though…half of the paper…Ames Elia) was gone forever.”(Lopate172). This essay is basically about the manifestation of Charles Lamb wanting to marry Ann Simmons, have children, and meet his loving grandmother and his older brother John L. It is amazing that without ever having children, Lamb knew how children react to certain events and experiences. By precisely describing the physical movements of his children, he manages to capture the attention of readers and make them believe that his fictional characters are real. Works Cited Craddock, Thomas. Charleston: BiblioBazaar, 2009. The Art of the Personal Essay. Lucas, Edward Verral Lamb. Memphis: Books LLC, 2009.Matthews, Brander.Notes for Children of Dreams; A Reverie. 22 March.2011 .