sight. Accordingly, his walks are limited to a garden terrace, in which he moves backward and forward, habitually.

In appetite he is moderate. Though fond of stimulants, he readily allows himself to be limited to the daily use of two glasses of wine. He is grateful for the kindly treatment which he receives from the gentleman, at whose house he resides, and, apparently, is attached to him.

The mixture of strength and weakness in this singular case gives ample room for delicate and well-balanced treatment of it.

The rules generally applicable to the treatment of idiocy do not demand an elaborate statement. Morally, they are such as benevolence and good sense would dictate, in regard to the weakness and the follies of human nature: in a medical point of view, they should be founded on a strict observance of the laws of temperament, with one general consideration, that idiocy is an asthenic state, and contra indicates depletion.

The researches of morbid anatomy have hitherto failed to shed light on the pathology of mental disease. In idiocy, we are seldom without evidence that some structural affection of the brain has probably occurred. It is often prefaced by convulsions;

sometimes it is the sequel of epilepsy. While these circumstances afford slender aid to our treatment of the disease, it is needless to add, that they deprive us of the faint hope, which debility of intellect sometimes allows, that a curative process may be adopted.

Such is the hopelessness of congenital imbecility, and such must be the hopelessness of the acquired imbecility of démence, when produced by intense overaction of thought and feeling, or by dissipation, and vicious habits.

The paralysing influence, which attends this class of phenomena may, however, operate with less intensity of mischief: it is of extreme importance that this fact should be recognized, before time, or neglect, or improper treatment has rendered them irremoveable. The following case occurs in Sir William Ellis's late work: it enforces the above caution with a better example than any which my own experience suggests; and with it I will conclude this interesting branch of my subject.

"T. T., about fifty years of age, was found wandering in the street, and sent to the house of correction as a vagrant. He was perfectly unconscious of every thing round him, and appeared

idiotic. In this state, he was sent to the asylum. Though grey-headed, and looking much older than he really was, he had still the remains of a fine person. He was upwards of six feet high, with a countenance and form of head presenting a striking contrast with his imbecile state of mind. He was in good bodily health, and free from all appearance of disease, except a small ulcer on his leg. He was placed among the idiotic patients, and was apparently sinking into the last stage of fatuity. All the information that could be obtained respecting him was, that he had been a soldier. I attempted, day after day, to induce him to enter into conversation, but in vain. I have been a soldier,' was the most he would say. Many weeks elapsed without any improvement taking place, and his case was considered quite hopeless. A change for the better took place very suddenly. Without any previous conversation with any one, he requested the keeper to give him a sheet of paper, on which he wrote the following letter.

"Madam,

66 6

"I feel myself completely at a loss for an apology, which would in any way justify the liberty which I am taking. Not personally

known to you, I feel a great awkwardness of addressing you, particularly in the character of a petitioner.

.

"I know not, indeed, whether I can do better than state the circumstances which have induced me to adopt this measure.

"Some time ago, driven by the greatest distress, I addressed myself to your husband, hoping that, in consideration of our former intimacy, he would have afforded me some assistance. I remained a fortnight in London, without receiving any answer; indeed, I have no means of knowing whether this letter reached him. Since that time, I have been a miserable wanderer through the country, without friends and without shelter. Such has been the severity of my sufferings, that my intellects became unhinged, and I am indebted to the charity of this establishment for the continuance of my wretched existence, and the prospect of being once again enabled to mix in society. Whether either the one or the other will be beneficial, I have my doubts. When discharged from this house, I have no prospect but of again becoming a wretched wanderer, without resource, and destitute of friends. The prospect is truly deplorable; and yet such, in a short time, must be my fate.

L

"These, Madam, are the melancholy circumstances which have induced me to endeavour to interest you in my fate, a measure which I never should have adopted, if I had not been fearful of a letter to your husband sharing the same fate as the last.

"I will not intrude farther on your time, than merely entreating you to pardon me for the liberty which I have taken, assuring yourself that nothing but the most severe distress and despair could have driven me to it. - Should your humanity be so far interested, as to induce you to afford me any assistance, believe me, it will be most thankfully and gratefully received." "

To this letter no answer was received: another letter was then written by the patient to a gentleman, who very kindly assisted him. This letter, also, is given by Sir W. Ellis. I shall not, however, transcribe it, as it is written in the same style, and with the same feeling as the above, and throws no farther light upon the writer's character.

It appeared, on inquiry, that this gentleman had received a liberal education; that he had been brought up in expectation of having a very large fortune; but that the relative, on whom he depended, died poor. That he had, however, pro