things in order, locked them up, and delivered the keys to the servant, with the declared intention of going on a journey the next day. The next morning she awoke with decided symptoms of insanity. She was under a course of treatment for that disease about two years, at her own dwelling. One morning, on awaking, she arose and dressed herself, went to the room of her servant, and demanded the keys. She imagined that she had just returned from her intended journey. From that moment her symptoms of insanity disappeared; she became perfectly well, and lived many years a consistent Christian.

Another lady, after a long period of deep religious gloom, fell a victim to the illusion that she had committed the unpardonable sin. On this point her mind became. perfectly insane. No reasoning could convince her, no light from heaven could irradiate the dark chamber of her mind. She knew that she was to be lost, and it was in vain to do any thing for her. She described the horrors of perdition with a boldness and power of imagery sel dom equalled, and concluded by saying, "This is all to be my portion."

A course of judicious medical treatment, with subsequent journeying and change of scenery and employment, dispelled the illusion and restored the mental balance. She is still living, a very devoted and useful Christian.

There is now, in one of our asylums, a man suffering under the idea that his soul is in perdition. Some years since he resisted very strong religious convictions, and at length became gloomy, and at last insane. Converse

with him on most other subjects, and he appears much as men do in sound mind; but the moment any allusion is made to his spiritual condition, he is in the greatest conceivable distress, declaring that the miseries of perdition have taken hold of him.

The prevention of such unhappy cases is to be found, not in putting religion aside, for the religious wants of man will rebel against this, and take occasion from it to induce the deeper gloom, but to bring Christianity to bear fully upon the mind, with all her healing and gracious power. If the mind is actually diseased, other

remedies should not be wanting. But the testimony of our most distinguished physicians, conversant with this subject, is decisive to the point, that such are the moral wants of the soul, that Christianity, contemplated in its true character and bearings, is among the most important of all means, both for the prevention and cure of insanity. Hence the reading of the Scriptures and a system of chaplaincy are becoming a part of the curative system of our lunatic asylums.

Other causes of insanity, such as gambling, frequent theatre-going, dissipating amusements continued late at night, jealousies and disappointments in matters of love, are familiar to most, and their prevention is obvious. In general, the saneness of our intellect is mostly at our own disposal; and a wise regard to the preventives of insanity might save thousands from that dreadful calamity into which they are rushing.

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER I.

states of the disease?

What is insanity? Wherein are dreaming and insanity alike? Remarks of Dr. Abercrombie? First particular in which dreaming and insanity differ? Second? What have some supposed respecting the higher What says Abercrombie? Answer to him? What is monomania? Examples? What is said of cases of decided monomania? How does insanity usually first discover itself? Explain. What importance to the fact that insanity advances slowly? Any exceptions to the fact? What is the peculiar character of insanity? What is said of insanity being characterized by stupor or increased activity of mind? Remarks? First mentioned cause of insanity? In what families is it especially noticed? Remarks? Second cause? Remarks? Prevention ? Third cause? How explained? Instance cited? Prevention? Fourth cause? Illustrations? What is said of highly ingenious minds? What has appeared from the statistics of asylums? Fifth cause? Example? Instance of another lady? Another instance? The prevention? To what point is the best medical testimony? Concluding remark?

CHAPTER II.

MESMERIC STATES.

In a recent distinguished work on Human Physiology, the learned author says, "It appears that the time has now come, when a tolerably definite opinion may be formed regarding a large number of the phenomena commonly included in the term mesmerism. Notwithstanding the exposures of various pretenders which have taken place from time to time, there remains a considerable mass of phenomena which cannot be so readily disposed of, and which appears to have as just a title to the attention of scientific physiologists as that which is possessed by any other class of well-ascertained facts." *

OPINIONS OF SCIENTIFIC MEN.

The most that is usually admitted on this subject by the more cautious men of science is, that a state of coma, more or less profound and peculiar, may be produced by titillation. That the gentle passage of one's hands over another's head, or any agreeable and soothing action upon the person, tends to compose the nervous system, and induce sleep, is within the experience of all. And it is observed that some are much more subject to such influ

*Principles of Human Physiology, by William B. Carpenter, M. D., F. R. S., F. G. S., Examiner in Physiology in the University of London, &c., &c., p. 731. This is the most recent and comprehensive work on physiology, comprising the best authorities and most important discoveries down to the present time.

ences than others. While persons of iron nerve can be scarcely affected in this way, persons of feeble nerve can sometimes be put to sleep with ease.

But even among persons the most sensitive, there is a wide difference; some being morbidly wakeful, others morbidly disposed to coma. This influence may be sometimes exerted without contact. By a gentle movement of the fingers, at a little distance from the head and arms of the patient, a kind of magnetic influ ence is made to pass from the operator upon him.

WHAT MESMERISM CLAIMS TO DO.

But modern mesmerism claims to do more. How much was actually done or claimed by him whose name it bears is a matter of some question, not important here. As advocated at the present time, it claims that mesmerizers acquire such power over some mesmerized persons, that the minds of the latter become, in their operations, identified with those of the former, so as to think, imagine, desire, love, hate, suffer, enjoy, choose only as the former will; and more than this, that the mesmerized subject may be put into what is called a clairvoyant state

a state in which he not only thinks and feels as he is willed to do, but actually sees and reveals distant objects and events, at the will of the mesmerizer. These are certainly very high claims; whether the foundation is broad enough to sustain them, must be left to the reader's judgment.

CONDITIONS OF PRODUCING THE MESMERIZED STATE.

It is claimed that one person may be put into the mesmerized state by another, under the following conditions:

1. The operator must sustain to the patient the relation of a positive to a negative; the potentiality pertaining to the former, the susceptibility to the latter.

2. The operator must concentrate his thoughts and

feelings, so as firmly to WILL the result, with the full expectation of securing it.

3. There must be an entire agreement between the parties, the will of the patient being entirely resigned to that of the operator.

4. The result may be facilitated by the gentle passage of the operator's hand over the head of the patient; but this is not essential, as the act is considered mostly mental.

5. No disturbing cause must be allowed to interrupt the process, but the free and full action of mind over mind must be allowed to take effect.

6. The first operation usually requires more time and effort to produce the result than is needed on subsequent occasions. The connection once established facilitates future results.

EFFECTS PRODUCED ON THE PATIENT.

The substance of most that I shall say under this head is taken from the Physiology of Dr. Carpenter, to whom, of course, belongs whatever of responsibility or of credit it may demand. The principal phenomena, which he regards as "having been veritably presented in a sufficient number of instances to entitle them to be considered as genuine and regular manifestations of the peculiar bodily and mental condition under discussion," are the following:

1. "A state of complete coma, or perfect insensibility, analogous in its mode of access and departure to that which is known as the hysteric coma, and, like it, usually distinguishable from the coma of cerebral oppression by a constant twinkling movement of the eyelids. In this condition, severe surgical operations may be performed without any consciousness on the part of the patient; and it is not unfrequently found that the state of torpor extends from the cerebrum and sensoria ganglia to the medulla oblongata, so that the respiratory movements become seriously interfered with, and a state of partial asphyxia supervenes." * These phenomena have been

* Physiology, p. 732.