1829.]

CALLED TO ANOTHER CAREER.

89

In early life I was passionately devoted to science, so much so, that I was almost disposed to pursue science to the exclusion of everything else. It passed away and I betook myself to literature, hoping that I should not only equal, but that I should rival many in mental accomplishments. Other things were before me, and other things passed away, because, do what I would, I was called to another career, and now I find myself at the end of a long life, not a philosopher, not an author, but simply an old man who has endeavoured to do his duty in that state of life to which it has pleased God to call him.

The first of the "other things" before him was an inquiry into the treatment of lunatics.

CHAPTER III.

1828-1833.

Treatment of Lunatics-State of the Lunacy Laws—Mr. Robert Gordon-First Important Speech in Parliament-Diary-Letter from Lord Bathurst— Appointed Commissioner in Lunacy-Investigation into State of Asylums -Efforts in Literature-Work for India-Bishop Heber-With the King -Works of Charity-Forgiveness-Scientific Pursuits-Family AffairsAstronomy and Sir James South-Catholic Disabilities-Foreshadowings of Future Career-Self-depreciation and Despondency-Robert SoutheyElected Member for Dorchester-Marries Emily, Daughter of the Fifth Earl Cowper-Successfully Contests Dorset-Election Expenses in 1831-Correspondence with Duke of Wellington-Petition Against the Dorset Election ---Pecuniary Embarrassments-Letter from Ernest, Duke of CumberlandA Second Triumph-Letter from Mr. Follett-Letters from Southey—Condition of the Working Classes-State of the Times-Sir Robert Peel's Policy -Cotton Supply and Manufacture-Progress of Inventions-Condition of the Lancashire Operatives-Child-Jobbers and Child Labour-The Apprentice System-Outline of Early Factory Legislation-Michael Thomas Sadler, M.P. for Newark-Newark Disfranchised-Mr. Sadler Loses his Seat in Parliament-Lord Ashley becomes Leader in the Factory Agitation-The Parting of the Ways-Correspondence with Lord Morpeth-Pays Tribute to Mr. Sadler and other Labourers-States his Views on the Factory System-Explains Principles on which the Agitation shall be ConductedLetter from Mr. J. R. McCulloch-Opposition of Master ManufacturersAddress of the Operatives of England and Scotland-Report of Commission of Inquiry-Introduces Bill to Limit Hours of Labour "for Women and Young Persons" to Ten Hours a Day-Opposition of Lord Althorp-Bill Defeated, but Principle Established that Labour and Education should be Combined.

THE treatment, or rather the maltreatment, of lunatics, was one of the pre-eminently bad features of the bad times in the early part of the present century. In the Middle Ages the insane had been canonised as saints,

burnt as heretics, or hanged as criminals, according to

the particular bias of their mental disorder. At a later date harmless madmen roamed the country and made sport for the people; but if only suspected of being dangerous, society, in terror, took the most cruel precautions for its own safety, with an utter disregard for the feelings of the unfortunates, or for their chances of recovery. Londoners out for a holiday paid their twopences to stroll through Bedlam and laugh at the poor lunatics; at another time the town was panic-stricken because the Lord George Gordon rioters threatened to let the madmen out of Bedlam.*

"In the early part of the present century," says one of the pioneers of enlightened treatment, "lunatics were kept constantly chained to walls in dark cells, and had nothing to lie upon but straw. but straw. The keepers visited them, whip in hand, and lashed them into obedience; they were also half-drowned in baths of surprise,' and in some cases semi-strangulation was resorted to. The 'baths of surprise' were so constructed that the patients in passing over a trap-door fell in; some patients were chained in wells, and the water made to rise until it reached their chins. One horrible contrivance was a rotatory chair in which patients were made to sit and were revolved at a frightful speed. The chair was in common use. Patients, women as well as men, were flogged at particular periods, chained and fastened to iron bars, and even confined in iron cages."†

* Letters of Horace Walpole.

"Lunacy; its Past and its Present," by Robert Gardiner Hill, F.S.A., p. 1.

Before describing the labours of Lord Ashley during a long series of years on behalf of these poor creatures, it will be well to set forth, very briefly, the state of the law at the time of his first connection with the subject, and the main features of antecedent legislation. Prior to the year 1808, the only Act of Parliament providing for the care of pauper lunatics was passed in 1744; it authorised any two Justices to apprehend them, and have them locked up and chained.* To protect society was the only aim of this Act; it provided for those who "are so far disordered in their senses that they may be too dangerous to be permitted to go abroad." In 1774, as the result of a Committee of Inquiry upon which Pitt and Fox, Lord North and Wilkes, and others had sat ten years before, an Act was passed to regulate private asylums, in which frightful abuses were prevalent. But this Act was so framed that it could accomplish nothing. Any one who chose could get a licence to keep an asylum, but though the College of Physicians could receive reports of abuses, they could do nothing further. In 1808, the accommodation for pauper lunatics received some attention from Parliament, and an Act was passed for the building of County Asylums, but during the ensuing twenty years only nine English counties did thus provide themselves.†

Meanwhile circumstances had arisen leading to important changes, both as regards public opinion and "Hist. of Insane," by D. H. Tuke, M.D., p. 98. + Ibid. 165.

1828.]

STATE OF LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

*

93

legislation. The Society of Friends had started, and successfully carried on, a "Retreat" at York, on humane principles, for insane members of their society. Attention was drawn to this enlightened experiment, and at the same time to the frightful abuses at a large asylum in the same city. These two antagonistic examples, thus shown side by side, led to beneficial results. After one or two futile attempts at legislation, the friends of reform procured a Committee of Inquiry, which sat during 1814 and 1815, and placed before the public a vast amount of information as to the course of practice in English mad- houses. In the review just referred to, the writer (Sydney Smith) apologises for the disgust he must cause his readers. by the horrible details he is compelled to quote. The result of the investigation at York was, that every officer in the place was dismissed, and a flood of light poured in upon the bars and chains and handcuffs, the filth and nakedness and misery that seemed to be regarded throughout the country as matters of course. The Committee reported in July, 1815, and in the following year the Commons passed a Bill for periodical inspections of asylums by magistrates, for the appointment of eight Lunacy Commissioners by the Secretary of State, and for the establishment of other safeguards against abuses. This Bill the Lords saw fit to throw

See "Early Hist. of the Retreat." S. Tuke, 1846. +"Hist. of York Lunatic Asylum." J. Gray.

+ Edinburgh Review, vol. xxviii., p. 433.

Hansard, vol. xxxix., 1974.