days of misrule; namely, the morality-lowering, misery-deepening expedient of balancing, not only influence against influence, but wrong against wrong, monopoly against monopoly, in short, unjust actual money gain against unjust actual money loss, and deal out to all men, parties, and interests, equal justice fearlessly; that is to say, sweep away at once every monopoly, restriction on trade, interference with industry, or partial privilege whatsoever, and commute every tax, direct and indirect, for one direct tax on realized property. At the same time lending the arm of power, to the diffusion among all ranks and classes of men, of an education* calculated to lead the reasoning powers of every individual to recognise the Almighty purpose of creation to be the extension of felicity, by means of moral order, and to perceive the portion of that purpose, which it is the duty, and for the happiness of each, to co-operate with all in fulfilling. "To conclude, then, the philosophy of happiness may be defined; religion, morality, and legislation made one, by that good will to all which necessarily includes equal justice and active benevolence, and which is found, visibly revealed, in all the works of God. "And, as well might we sunder the living frame of man, and expect the several portions to perform their functions apart, as break this unity of the will of God, and hope the attainment of felicity, either temporal or eternal, from any less connected views of religious, moral, and social obligation. We much regret that we cannot do more than recommend the perusal of the twenty-one other chapters of which the volume consists, in which the sound, ethical, and essentially phrenological, views of the first chapter on the Philosophy of Happiness, are applied to settle many warmly contested social questions; such as the rights of the labouring and wealthcreating classes,-the sources of national wealth,--the cost to the nation of monopolies, protection, and forced production,— the bread monopoly,-the evils of indirect taxation,—the family monopoly, or law of primogeniture,-poor laws for Ireland,the appropriation clause in the Irish Church question,-power whether to be vested in the hands of the few or the many,pure representation,-hereditary legislation,-parliamentary duration, the ballot,-the responsibility of voting in parliament, &c. The author in all these discussions keeps steadily in view her principle of equal rights and good-will to all, and as she cannot take better guides, she sees her way clearly wherever she goes. On the whole, we warmly recommend this * Among means to this end, the establishment of the National Model School, recommended by Mr Smith in his "Suggestions on National Education," would be very beneficial. unpretending yet powerful volume to general attention. It is a valuable offering to the cause of the philosophy of benevolence, now begun to be treated by writers as a reality, in volumes which, like this, will displace much fine writing of the old metaphysicians and moralists. Above all, we would recommend the work to our "good sense" friends formerly alluded to, and congratulate them on so powerful an inroad on the Phrenological Monopoly. ARTICLE VII. WHAT ASYLUMS WERE, ARE, AND OUGHT TO BE; BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF FIVE LECTURES DELIVERED TO THE MANAGERS OF THE MONTROSE LUNATIC ASYLUM. By W. A. F. BROWNE, Surgeon- GREAT Social improvements seem destined to be attained only by successive efforts at different intervals of time. The public mind, exhausted by long-sustained exertion, ceases to take an interest in subjects on which it was formerly intent, and it is only after a long rest, after perhaps the lapse of years, that, urged on by the irresistible strength of slowly accumulated individual labours, it is again roused from its lethargy, and passes the gulf which separates it from the pilot-minds which have preceded it. In the progress of all institutions, in all the branches of human knowledge, whether religious, scientific, or political, stages are discernible, at each of which, perfection has been by some supposed to be attained, while others of more penetrating minds, looked upon it as but an additional step in the race; another resting place at which to acquire new vigour, to recommence the onward and apparently indefinite career of improve ment. In the history of the healing art, scarcely one of the successive ameliorations which have brought it to its present state of comparative perfection, is more remarkable or more gratifying to the philanthropic mind, than the "reformation" in the treatment of the insane, which may be said to have fairly commenced in this country about the year 1815. Before that time it was defective and barbarous to a degree which it is now very difficult for us to conceive. Judging from the results of cruelty and neglect, the public adopted the belief of the incurability of insanity, and even now a general impression of its intractability prevails. To those who still labour under this notion, we earnestly recommend the perusal of the third and fourth chapters of the interesting volume under review. They will there discover the causes of that apparent incurability, and find proof of its being amenable to rational and enlightened management, in the simple fact, that, in spite of the atrocious manner in which asylums were formerly conducted, cures were nevertheless far from uncommon; and perceiving, too, how greatly the number of cures has been increased by the obvious, but still imperfect improvements which have been adopted, they may form some conception of the success which may be expected from every future addition to the efficacy of our treatment. The medical reader may, perhaps, think that the harrowing details in the third chapter might have been spared; but he must recollect that, although the scenes described are familiar to him, and are now, we hope, gone for ever; they are not equally well known to the public, by whom, since the excitements occasioned by the parliamentary investigations, has to a considerable extent subsided, they have been almost entirely forgotten. We conceive, that any blame which now attaches to the management of asylums, must in a great degree be borne by the public, that portion of it in particular, which is intrusted with the funds, appropriated to the maintenance and improvement of these institutions. Neither can the relations of the insane be allowed to escape without a share of the blame. Already have medical men, both attached and unattached to asylums, testified not only their willingness, but their ardent desire, to assist in the furtherance of the system of treatment. The chief obstacle seems to have been the difficulty of convincing those under whose control they are required to act, of the necessity of the various improvements. Another impediment of not less magnitude, has been the want of a cordial co-operation on the part of the relations of the insane. The difficulty of inducing them to consent to the removal to asylums, and the early employment of effectual treatment, in short, to recognise the existence of disease, has been often insisted on in practical works. Less has, however, been said of the frequent necessity of their co-operation during the progress of the malady. In some cases they persist in intruding on the patient when their presence is certain to be fraught with evil consequences, but much more frequently the patient is left in a state of utter desertion, when intercourse with sane individuals might be of the most essential service. Mr. Browne has laboured, we think with success, to put what we know in the various divisions of the subject into a shape, attractive at once to unprofessional and professional persons. In this he has acted with much good sense, as he will thus be more successful in reaching and impressing correct ideas on the minds of those on whom the important trust of regulating asylums, and the condition of the insane, whether in asylum or not, has been devolved. By the opportunities which he possesses, as medical superintendent of a public asylum, Mr Browne is well qualified for the task which he has undertaken. Of the acuteness with which he can examine the intricacies of mental affections, our readers are already able to judge from several excellent papers by him, which have appeared in former numbers of this Journal; and, in particular, a series on religious insanity, the illustrations of which were derived from patients in the institution now under his care. To our readers it will also be a recommendation, that the doctrines contained in these lectures have been based, as far as possible, on the principles of Phrenology. On this point we shall lay before our readers Mr Browne's own remarks. 66 "A large portion of the volume refers to the past, and is necessarily occupied with historical details: that portion which refers to the future I have as scrupulously as was practicable collected and collated from the writings and opinions of others: and when presenting a synoptical view of the different forms under which mental disease may appear, I was indebted rather to the science upon the principles of which that arrangement was founded, than to any peculiar views or philosophical analysis of my own. To those who are acquainted with the doctrines of Phrenology, the extent of my obligations in this particular case, and throughout the work, will be readily recognized; and to those who are still ignorant of these doctrines, I have to offer the assurance that Insanity can neither be understood nor described, nor treated by the aid of any other philosophy. I have long entertained this opinion: I have for many years put it to the test of experiment, and I now wish to record it as my deli. berate conviction. While, however, I have constantly availed myself of the principles, I have avoided the phraseology of the science, first, because my original auditors were not, and my readers may not be phrenologists; and, secondly, and chiefly, because my object was not to advocate or promote particular truths, but to employ and apply these in the elucidation of the object in view, and thereby to place in as clear, and conclusive, and acceptable a manner as possible, the noble cause which I have undertaken." The In his first lecture, Mr Browne enters into an examination of the preliminary questions of the nature, causes, and definition of insanity, and the classification of its different species. connection of insanity with the brain is shortly explained, and the attempts to include all its different varieties within the narrow limits of a definition reprobated; and believing an accurate description of the different kinds of insanity to be of much more practical value, Mr Browne proceeds to lay before the reader the leading features of these. In most of the nosological arrangements which have been made, the chief defects have been either their cumbrous minuteness and fine-spun distinctions, or their vague generality. The first attempt to form a regular nosological table on phrenological principles, so far as we are aware, is that of Mr Browne. It appears to include all the species generally met with, each of which will be immediately referred by the phrenological reader to its appropriate cerebral seat; but there are phenomena which it is still difficult, by any method of analysis, to refer to their organic causes. The following is THE AUTHOR'S ARRANGEMENT. I. Idiocy. Non-development of faculties. 1. Gradation. Non-development of all the powers. 2. 3. 4. A propensity or affection developed. II. Fatuity. Obliteration of Faculties. 1. Partial. 2. Complete. III. Monomania. Derangement of one or more faculties. 1. Satyriasis. SECTION I. 2. Homicidal and destructive. 3. Proud. 4. Vain. 5. Timid. 6. Cunning and suspicious. 7. Religious and superstitious. 8. Desponding and suicidal. 9. Imaginative. 10. Avaricious. 11. Benevolent or affectionate. SECTION II. 12. Incapability of perceiving relation of ideas. 13. Incapability of perceiving relation of external things. 14. Incapability of perceiving qualities of external objects. IV. Mania. Derangement of all the faculties. 1. Mania with increased activity. 2. Mania with diminished activity. The remarks on the third division, monomania, are interesting, and illustrate the doctrine which so much pains has been taken to inculcate; that the same fundamental faculty may form the leading characteristic of individuals widely distinguished by their actions. A question of much importance at the present time is, whether insanity has increased with the progress of civilization. This question has been much agitated of late years, and much alarm excited in the breasts of those who entertain the hope that civilization will banish many of the evils which have hitherto afflicted mankind. It is difficult, amidst many conflicting statements, and in the absence of positive data, to form an opinion; but it seems certain, that, although many accounts of the in |