no control whatever. Let us not be deterred from advancing to the end of our tether, and examining every thing in the little circle to which it bounds us, because there is an unlimited space beyond it which we are not permitted to traverse, and the nature of which we are utterly unable to conceive.

It is not, then, the condition of the mental faculties which gives rise to insanity; it is the condition of the mental faculties which constitutes insanity; and, except in so far as the tracing the particular chain of ideas may lead us to an accessible organ, whose derangement gave rise to them, there seems no object whatever in making a distinction between the different forms of mental derangement. It is not one specific form of bodily disorder or disease which gives rise to one specific form of mental disturbance. The corporeal disorder disturbs the reason, and the form of the hallucination is an object of only futile curiosity; it does not in the least guide us in the treatment, except in so far as it indicates the nature of the bodily disease, or the organ specially affected.

If the nature of the hallucination decided the nature of the cause-the moral cause,-then the proper treatment of some of the forms of insanity would be by reasoning with the patient, and convincing him of his delusion by arguments shewing its wickedness or absurdity. No one, I should think, ever adopted this mode twice; yet it seems, at the first glance, so natural and so consistent with common sense, that any man without experience of insanity would be excusable for trying it once. A very little reflection would shew the incongruity of attempting to rectify the disordered state of an organ by the disordered exercise of that organ.

L

You appeal to pure reason, because pure reason does not exist to appeal to. The absurdity is evident. If the arguments you use be good and effectual, then they are unnecessary, since, if the patient be capable of understanding, comprehending, and acting upon them, the patient is not mad.

It is difficult, however, for those who are unfamiliar with mental derangement to abstain from attempts to convince the insane of their errors; and I have seen very wise persons occupied in thus pushing against the side of the boat they are sitting in, in order to push it and this, after they have listened with apparent conviction to the arguments above stated. Those who are experienced in the matter see the absurdity, and know the futility of the attempt, and are inclined to affect acquiescence in the vagaries of the lunatic, rather than to reason with him.

on;

There is, however, one form, or, I should rather say, one degree or stage of insanity, where argument avails something; and that is where the healthy brain is just beginning to waver in its convictions as to the reality of the delusions of its brother; where there is yet selfcommand when a motive is presented, and the sound organ requires to have its convictions confirmed by something external; where, for example, the state of conscious delusion is slowly passing into that of unconscious delusion, or the disorder of one brain beginning to pass into the other; a strong appeal made to the reasoning powers of the sound brain, will, in such cases, sometimes induce and enable it to resume the reins it was just laying down in despair. The endeavour to overcome the delusions by which we are persecuted (and which we know to be delusions), is among

the most heroic of human efforts, and it is rare that the attempt is successful, unless aided by a feeling of piety and submission.

In this case, as in that of young ladies, to which I have alluded, it is of importance to keep away all books of controversial divinity; indeed, all religious books which touch on dogmas or articles of faith; for, if some point of mystery happen to catch the attention of the unsound brain, it is like a spark among gunpowder, and all self-control is at once destroyed. Piety cannot be too much cultivated, or religion too carefully avoided. I use the word piety in the sense of quiet reverence for the Deity, acting as a ruling principle of moral conduct, and religion as a set of observances, ceremonies, and dogmas, for the guidance of the world, under a body of men set apart to inculcate piety and submission to the will of God. It is the result (piety) which should be impressed on a man in this position of equivocal intellect, the means (religion) is for the guidance of the healthy minded. I therefore urge conversation with a person judiciously pious, and careful avoidance of religious books. The omission of this distinction produces incalculable mischief, as every physician familiar with the insane must have witnessed.

I have, however, entered more fully into this subject elsewhere, and perhaps have indulged in too close a repetition of the arguments. The subject deserves to be dwelt on.

CHAPTER XIII.

TWO

PROCESSES CARRIED ON TOGETHER.-COUNTING STEPS-OBJECTIONS TO THE EXPLANATION.THE ANIMAL IS CREATED DUAL AT FIRST GRADUALLY JOINED MORAL RESPONSIBILITY. -CONSIDERATIONS ON PHRENOLOGY.DIFFERENCES IN FORM AND TEXTURE AT THE BASE OF THE BRAIN.

IF we attentively observe any person engaged in a mechanical employment, as spinning, sewing, or other occupation requiring but little attention, from the habit having been so long and thoroughly acquired, we shall find perhaps that they are at the same time singing or talking to an acquaintance. It is not till the art has become perfectly familiar, that this is possible; in the beginning it requires the attention of both brainsthat is, study; but we know that, however rapid the process of spinning or sewing, each separate step of it is accompanied by a separate volition. If I write my name, it is true I do it so rapidly, and with so little mental effort, that the act seems to be purely mechanical, and to require no aid from the mind: but any one who will consider the matter, must see that in the formation of the capital letter L, for example, I have to bear in mind that I must carry my pen upwards sloping to the right, must lean but lightly on the paper-must, on arriving at a certain height, turn to the left and form an arch-then, bring the line down at a different angle, with heavier pressure, must produce a peculiar curve to the right, till I arrive at a certain point, then direct my pen to the left again,

taking care not to make an acute angle at the spot where the curves are reversed, and so on. All this before I have got half through a single letter, although the whole signature occupies only a few seconds. George IV., and many persons whom I have known, could go on making a succession of signatures with great rapidity, all the while conversing on a subject of importance, or telling a story of deep interest; but suppose a knot in the thread with the spinner or sewer, or a hair in the pen of the writer, anything to require even the momentary attention of the two brains, and one process or the other, the singing or the spinning, the narrative or the signing, instantly stops. I have noticed this in innumerable instances, and can explain it no otherwise than on the supposition that the two brains are occupied on the two distinct subjects. One is calling to mind the words and tune of the song, and guiding the numerous organs of the voice in their execution of them, while the other is directing the process of spinning or sewing; but the moment a difficulty occurs, either in the mechanical operation or in the memory of the words, attention is required: the two thinking organs must employ themselves on the same subject, and the two synchronous acts become incompatible till that difficulty is removed. I fancy-but this I put forth as pure hypothesis, and ask no assent, although convinced of it myself-I fancy that, when the occupation is resumed, the two brains transpose their labour, and that this is one of the reasons of the relief found from slight occasional interruptions. The power of directing two trains of thought at the same time has been often attributed to great men. Conquerors, kings, and high ministers, dictating to two