er in respect to himself or others. One imagines, that he has no soul; another, that his body is gradually, but rapidly perishing; and a third, that he is converted into some other animal, or that he has been transformed into a plant. We are told in the Memoirs of Count Maurepas, that this last idea once took possession of the mind of one of the princes of Bourbon. So deeply was he infected with this notion, that he often went into his garden, and insisted on being watered in common with the plants around him. Some have imagined themselves to be transformed into glass, and others have fallen into the still stranger folly of imagining themselves dead.

As the characteristick of this disorder of the mind, as far as the emotions and passions are concerned, is that of repining and grief, the subjects of it are found to be peevish, as might be expected, and often irascible. Any delay in the gratification of their wishes, the slightest noise, trivial disappointments of whatever kind produce in them anger; and they are thus rendered somewhat uncomfortable companions even to their relations and friends.

§. 380. Of intermissions of hypochondriasis.

There are not only degrees in this mental malady, (sometimes merely a great depression, at others a combination of grief, and of perversion in the susceptibility of believing,) it is also characterized by occasional intermissions. An accidental remark, some sudden combination of ideas, a pleasant day, and various other causes are found to dissipate the gloom of the mind. In general the intervals of intermission are attended with a high flow of spirits, often corresponding to the previous extreme depression.--Few persons, who have not experienced it, have an adequate idea of the sufferings, which are endured by the unhappy subjects of this disease at its worst stage. The greatest bodily pains are light, when compared to them. There is nothing, which is a source of joy. Labours, and lacerations, and tortures would be welcomed, if they could tear. away the soul from the consciousness of its own griefs.

§. 381. Of the remedies of hypochondriasis.

The remedies of the mental disease under consideration divide themselves into two kinds. One species are those, which are intended to act directly upon the body, and which, therefore, are found fully detailed in medcal treatises. A statement of them cannot be expected here.--The other class of remedies are of an intellectual and moral nature. One of these is the successful diversion of the sufferer's thoughts from the particular subject, upon which he is most disposed to dwell. When the mind can

be elevated and torn away from that topick, whatever it may be, a speedy restoration has sometimes been known to follow. Another is an attempt to correct or alleviate moral impressions by the application of moral motives. If hypochondriasis arise from some supposed injury, it may be removed or at least alleviated, by suggestions tending to lessen the estimate of the amount of injury received. When the injury is very great and apparent, suggestions on the nature and duty of forgiveness are not without good effect. --As all his old associations of ideas have been, more or less, visited and tinctured by the sufferer's peculiar malady, efforts should be made to break them up and remove them from the mind, by changes in the objects, with which he is most conversant, by being introduced into new society, or by travelling. By these means his thoughts are likely to be diverted, not only from the particular subject, which has chiefly interested him; but a new impulse is given to the whole mind, which promises to interrupt and banish that fatal inertness, which had previously encumbered and prostrated it.

4. 382. The insanity of the passions.

We come now to some species of mental alienation, more formidable, than those hitherto mentioned. They are not chiefly limited in their effects to the subjects of them; but are sources of loss, danger, and injury to others. So much so, that it is always necessary to watch the per

sons afflicted, and often, not only to place them in lunatick asylums, but to confine them with chains.--Among the various species of this more decided and fearful derangement of the mind, we may first notice the insanity of the passions, otherwise called insanity or madness without delirium.—The assertion may be unexpected, that there is sometimes insanity, when the powers of perception are in full and just exercise, and when the mind has all its usual ability in comparing ideas, and in deducing conclusions. But numerous instances have proved it true.--This form of insanity is either continued; or is intermittent, and only breaks out at intervals. It causes no alteration in what are usually designated as the intellectual powers, in distinction from the affections. It perverts the passions solely, and the victim of it is borne forward to his purpose with a blind, but irresistible violence.

Pinel mentions a mechanick in the Asylum, BICETRE, who was subject to this form of insanity. It was intermittent. He knew, when the paroxysms of passions were coming on, and even gave warnings to those, who were exposed to its ffects, to make their escape. His powers of correctly judging remained unshaken in the commission of the most violent and outrageous acts. He saw clearly their impropriety, but was unable to restrain himself; and after the cessation of the paroxysms, was often filled with the deepest grief.

§. 383. Singular instance of this form of insanity.

At the time of the French Revolution, a band of soldiers violently entered the above mentioned Asylum, under pretence of liberating certain victims, whom they asserted to have been unjustly confined there by the tyrannical authority of the French monarchs. They marched in arms from one cell to another, passing such, as were evidently insane. At last they came to a maniack, bound in chains, who arrested their attention." Is it not shameful (said he,) that I should be bound in chains, and confounded with madmen? It is an instance of the most

flagrant injustice."--He conjured the soldiers to terminate such oppression, and to become his liberators. The soldiers called for the governor of the Asylum, and presenting their sabres to his breast, demanded an explanation of his conduct in confining this man. The governor endeavoured to reason with them; he assured them, there are instances of madnesss, where there is no delirium, no failure of the reasoning powers; but to no purpose. The soldiers released the maniack, shouting, Vive la Republique. The sight of so many armed men, and their shouting suddenly brought on the ungovernable paroxysm. The madman flew upon his liberators; wrested his sabre from the nearest soldier, and commenced an indiscriminate attack. The soldiers, more convinced by their wounds and their apprehensions of danger, than by milder forms of argument, were glad to return him to the protection of the Asylum.

4. 384. Sometimes induced by early excessive indulgence.

This form of insanity appears in some instances to have a natural origin, like some of the cases of idiotism. That uncontrollable violence of the passions, which is its characteristick, is developed in the early periods of childhood, and ⚫ indicates the existence of some inherent evil in the mental organization. In other instances, it does not make its appearance in early life, but is superinduced by long continued and excessive indulgence.--A child is found to have a violent temper; his parents, in the excess of a weak attachment, indulge his impetuosity; his passsions gain strength; the will becomes subservient to them; and at last he is justly looked upon, as equally dangerous with any other maniack, and is consigned for safe keeping to a hospital. It may be laid down as a truth, confirmed by what we know of our intellectual tendencies, also by many facts on record, that all persons, whose passions are permitted to run on without restraint, are rapidly approaching the state of most deplorable mental alienation. It is not the indulgence of one passion merely, to which the remark applies, but all.The form of insanity, to which the re

--

marks in this, and the two preceding sections, have relation, is otherwise known, as insanity of the WILL. But they are the same thing; with correct views of the mind, we cannot separate them. We always find the will, the mental choice or determination, coinciding with the preponderating motives. Inasmuch, therefore, as we have already seen, that nothing has, or can have the character of a motive, independently of the affections, it follows, that there is no act of the will, independently of a particular state of the affections, that is, of the passions. Consequently, the insanity of the affections or passions involves, and implies insanity of the will.

f. 385. Of insanity with delirium.

The insanity of the passions was characterized as insanity without delirium. We apply the term, delirium, as marking the species of mental alienation, when there is some derangement of what are distinctively termed the intellectual powers. In cases of delirium, the powers of perception, memory, imagination, reasoning, belief, &c. are all perverted. Not, however, in all instances in the same degree; and in some cases, the perversion and derangement extend only to a part of these susceptibilities, and perhaps only to one. It is generally characteristick of delirious insanity, that it is attended with nervous excitement. The insane person is animated with strong emotions and passions, sometimes tending to great despondency, at others to gaiety or fury.

§. 386. Of perception in cases of delirious insanity.

In delirious insanity there is often a derangement of the powers of perception. The senses of taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight may be all affected; but particularly the sense of sight.--In visual perception, all objects at first seem to touch the eye. Our estimate of distance by the sight isnot an original, but an acquired perception. What we term perception of distance, therefore, always presupposes certain preceding acts of the mind. But in delirious insanity the power of judging is, in a great meas