The role of the unconscious mind in forming first impressions of strangers is briefly considered in this paper. Such impressions are often noted to be more true than are later, more deliberate evaluations. It is the class of first impression epitomized in instant love or instant hate with which the author is most concerned. He suggests that the unconscious fits the stranger into a pre-existing dream in order to test the stranger's suitability for a particular role. The mind is seen as full of characters in search of players for the various parts. In neurosis, the inner drama and component characters remain fixed; with learning and growth, the drama and characters change. All this is seen as an aspect of the broader area of the involvement of the unconscious in functions of judgment and discrimination.