insane. From this attack he appeared to recover, and also to lose his jealous feelings. In a short time a relapse occurred, the delirious phenomena of which he again surmounted. It was observed, however, that he remained with a gloomy and suspicious aspect, after the subsidence of the disease, and his ancient jealousy occasionally showed itself. His suspicions now, however, appeared to direct themselves to the state of his house, on his return to which, after an absence of some duration, he asked his wife to accompany him to his wine cellar, that he might ascertain its being in order. As they do not return out of the cellar, his sisterin-law goes down after them: and on her also staying, a maid-servant follows, but instantly returns, in extreme horror. She had found her two young mistresses murdered, and only saved her own life by a prompt retreat. The murderer is found in a delirious state, intrenched behind some casks of wine; a razor near him. He is taken to an establishment, and, after a confinement of some months, dismissed as cured!

"He next establishes himself at Paris with a mistress; and re-enters into business. The tendency to commit murder returns, as might be expected; and he endangers her life. She escapes, however; he is replaced at an establishment, and

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dies, in a few days, in a state of violent delirium."

Now here we have a long-continued state of jealous excitement in a mind predisposed to this passion, and supplied with food for it even by his affections. On this, insanity supervenes. The savage impulses natural to jealousy now develope themselves, uncontrolled, and they proceed to those results, which they tend to, when the will is suspended, in minds unfurnished with the countervailing tendencies or principles.

Persons, in whom the murderous orgasm is developed previous to insanity, that is, before their power of self-control has been abolished, have sometimes been able to warn the objects of their destructive inclinations of their danger, and enable them to fly from it. This circumstance is noticed by Dr. Combe, whose speculations, and those of the phrenologists generally, on the subject of the homicidal propensity, are full of valuable matter.

CHAPTER VIII.

Mental treatment of Insanity considered relatively to its causes.-Prevention of Insanity.-Religious considerations ;-difficulties in ascertaining character;-unintentional deceit practised in this point ;-real co-existence of qualities supposed incompatible.—Choice of profession considered ;-rules for preserving mental health amid professional pursuits;-importance of uniting unprofessional pursuits;-treatment of insanity in its three stages.

HAVING finished this outline of the mental pathology of insanity, it remains, that we should apply the conclusion, which we have arrived at, to the prevention and cure of the disease.

This distinction is a convenient one. Though, in truth, the remarks, which we have to make on the first head, involve truths important also in regard to the second.

Those rules of education, which are generally most conducive to the well-being of the human mind, become essentially important, when the tendencies of the individuals lead us to anticipate insanity.

Virtuous principles should be strengthened; vicious tendencies should be supplanted in favour of the cognate virtuous tendencies. For a just theory of morals will suggest to us the fact, that our vices spring from impulses, to which education may ordinarily give a very different character.

The importance of the first suggestion, namely, the erecting principles of action, is extreme in relation to the insanely predisposed. For such persons are, as we have observed, ordinarily indecisive and regretful. But a general principle on any given subject supplies steadiness of purpose to the former, and controls the re-actions of the latter by summoning to the aid of each party the satisfaction, which men always feel in being able to assign a reason for their conduct. Even the bad, if their vices have been erected into principles, are so far less liable to insanity, than men of virtuous tendencies, but of casual and uncertain impulses.

A high and enlightened religious feeling is, I believe, the best safeguard of the human mind against the invasion of this complaint.

It strengthens the tendency to hope, and supersedes those anxious regrets, which we have described as unsettling the influence of the will. The connection between religious associations and

insanity is not very justly appreciated. The apprehension of mischievous excitement, as arising from them, applies only to the actual presence of insanity; and is then only so far true, as the disease may happen to have been occasioned by wild and ill-regulated views on this subject. Religion, as dealing with the most important considerations, must, like any other very interesting subject of our hopes and fears, be liable to disturb the mind. But religion has rarely disturbed that mind, before which it has been brought rightly and wisely in early life and during the process of education. Some doctrines imputed to our faith by teachers, whom I must consider as ill-advised, have certainly a most dangerous tendency in this respect. I allude here particularly to the doctrines of election and sensible regeneration. If the tree be known by its fruit, assuredly those doctrines cannot have flowed from the Divine Author, to whom they are rashly imputed.

We have already noticed errors of management, which apply equally to the prevention and the cure of insanity, in regard to the important doctrine of repentance; when the structure of the individual mind happens to have been overlooked, and the patient is stimulated, who requires to be regulated and directed.