which is worst of all, desperation itself, continually tortures me. The truth is, never had mortal man such experience of God's anger and hatred against him as I have. The damned souls in hell endure not like misery, therefore I desire to die. Oh that some one would let out this weary soul! My state is worse than that of Cain and Judas." Yet the exciting cause of all these phrensies, was his recantation of his peculiar theological opinions from worldly considerations, for which opinions he had been previously conspicuous. Do not his references to his bodily sensations indicate that they were highly diseased? Is it compatible with the nature of real mental anguish, even of an ordinary kind, that the sufferer should describe it so eloquently? His sanity was indeed doubted by some intelligent observers at the time; but his ravings were considered by multitudes in that controversial age, as they are to this day-to have been a foretaste of the misery awaiting the apostate in a future state. 3. It must be inferred from the whole topic that much, to say the least, of what is now too commonly supposed to be preeminently a religious state of feeling, and the result of even divine agency, has a mere physical and even morbid origin; or to use the words of a fellow labourer in this department, that "the physical terrors of disease, the nervous anguish of a disordered brain full of scaring images, are absurdly held by many to be the actual sense and feeling of divine wrath, and the certain signs of complete repentance. But the influence of the body on the mind in such cases, and the consequent violent emotions, are too well known to be denied, except by those who know nothing of nature and its operations, and who choose to call everything supernatural which is unusual."* "It is also to be regretted, that many persons find it easier and even more agreeable to cultivate feelings of any kind, than to engage themselves in the close but noiseless study of the heart with its concealed impurities,-deliberate reflection on the great truths of religion and their reasonable grounds, due calculation of the gain or loss in our election between God and the present world, strict and incessant guard upon the conscience, the affections, and conduct, these are too often smothered by the overwhelming sensations of enthusiasm; yet these alone are indispensable to true repentance, and violent emotions and excitements make not any necessary or essential part of it."+ "The mind is, however, always disposed to strong emotions, and finds it more convenient to indulge than to explain them. It is loth to part with them, because it often has nothing with which to replace them. That spiritual instruction and guidance likewise is most welcome which gives least occupation to the thinking faculty, * Spalding, p. 115. + Page 262, &c. and withal is held to be the safest. Natural temperament, weakness and confusion of the mental powers, education, society, example, all contribute to the same effect." * I take courage from these confirmations of the preceding sentiments in this paper to avow my belief that what is called "popular preaching," too generally, owes its charms to its suitableness to the morbid susceptibilities of its admirers, and serves to alienate their hearts and minds still further from the practice of virtue, and from even the requisite attention to their temporal interests. The faithful and learned pastor will ever bear in mind the morbid condition of humanity, and avoid, above all things, awakening spurious remorse, agreeably to the memorable saying of ancient times, "sadness is the greatest enemy of God's servants;" and will accordingly shun the inculcation of superhuman attainments, artificial duties, giving romantic, loose, or inaccurate representations of repentance, and will patiently submit to the labour and self-denial which the observance of these precautions will involve, in regard of the most arduous part of his duties the adaptation of the multifarious contents of the Scriptures to the real wants and substantial interests of his fellow men. It is important for all persons to beware of supposititious duties, because when once the sense of obligation is established in regard of any sort of feeling or line of conduct whatever, the moral faculty takes that sense of obligation under its keeping, and unfortunately, in the case of too many minds and temperaments, is too apt to embrace an erroneous rule more tenaciously, and to enforce it more rigorously, than a rule that is "holy, just, and good." It now remains to offer some suggestions for the prevention and cure of spurious remorse. The obvious means of prevention is to make the development, and constant and inflexible exercise of the reason and judgment in regard of all subjects, the primary object of education, and to establish in the youthful mind a supreme regard to practical rectitude of both inward and outward action. Children, too, should never be subjected to the influence of enthusiastic preaching. From the services and offices of the Church of England no danger can arise, for they all seem fitted to prevent the creation of spurious remorse and of every other morbid feeling. It is also much to be wished that a knowledge of the evidences of natural and revealed religion were made a branch of education, and that the unrivalled works of Dr. Paley should be adopted as the text-book. Especially should the youthful mind be early imbued with a belief in the infinite goodness, mercy, * Spalding, p. 254. and reasonableness of the Creator in regard of all his dealings and intentions towards the human race, and of his requirements from them, and thoroughly enlightened respecting the provisions made by the atonement for the just and gracious exercise of these dispositions in the Deity towards the children of men; and carefully initiated into a firm and practical belief in the prevalence of confession of sins to God, as the immediate means of pardon and consolation.* I earnestly dissuade parents from allowing indiscriminate religious reading to their children. Among the works to be placed in the parental index prohibitory, I find myself compelled by my convictions to name Doddridge's "Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul," Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," and all other works which describe and inculcate a certain religious process as necessary or even as desirable to be undergone, because children are often induced by the perusal of such works to force their feelings into a conformity with the representations they read; and because, "by such overstrained efforts, the mind is sure to lose its proper balance in some degree; and other contemplations are set aside, which would be of far more extensive and lasting benefit." + The cure of the morbid physical and religious phenomena of Remorse, whenever apparent, depends primarily on the patient's restoration to bodily health and strength by those means indicated by his physical condition. During an appropriate course of medicine and diet, the acetate of morphia, unless forbidden by the especial circumstances of the case, is useful as an occasional sedative, until the healthy action of the viscera and brain can, by other means, be established. Mental remedies, or arguments addressed to the mind, will only be available in proportion as physical improvement advances. It seems advisable, as Dr. Feuchtersleben remarks with regard to any "fixed idea," for the attendants and friends "not to enter into it, by letting it pass unnoticed, and not appearing to think it worth while to refute it, or, when it can be done, pretending not to have heard or understood the patient;" or, in the case of morbid remorse, to change its direction by inspiring confidence in the infinite mercy of God. Should pride, which not unusually attends this, as well as other forms of insanity, be suspected, it may be useful to lower the patient's undue self-importance by some such an expostulation as Elihu, misappropriately however, addressed to Job.§ Solitude and darkness should be avoided, and "occupation of the soberest kind, alternated with cheerful recreation, out of doors, and in a bracing atmosphere, must aid the direct religious + Spalding, p. 261. 1 John i. 8, 9. § Job xxxv. 5–7. Pages 346, 347. instruction which may be practicable."* Since, too, spurious remorse is like some other diseases, periodical, its natural intervals and decline should be embraced as the most favourable opportunities for the employment of preventive means. The cure may be assisted by gradually drawing off the mind's attention from the feelings, and engaging it in the more active duties of life, and especially those duties which awaken a rational sense of self-interest. I subjoin below, more at length, the title of a work already quoted, of great value on the general subject.† ART. IV.-NOTES OF A VISIT TO THE PUBLIC LUNATIC ASYLUMS OF SCOTLAND. BY JOHN WEBSTER, M.D., F.R.S., AND F.R.C.P., Physician to the Scottish Hospital, &c. IN former numbers of the "Psychological Journal," I communicated an account of various visits made to public asylums for the insane in France, which were repeated during subsequent years, although not published, from entertaining the opinion that, any additional data then collected would have too much resembled previous statements, to make them sufficiently interesting. Last autumn, my sphere of observation was changed. Then I visited Scotland, in order to inspect different institutions for lunatics in that part of the empire: as well to obtain correct information respecting their organization and management, as also to compare these national establishments with asylums of other countries. Believing an outline of my proceedings may prove acceptable, I would therefore remark that six public institutions were examined, namely, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, Montrose, and Aberdeen: upon each of which I propose giving a brief notice, wherein it will be my object to detail facts, rather than to enunciate opinions, so that readers may thereby be enabled to form their own conclusions, regarding the different establishments thus brought under review. However, before adverting to any of the institutions abovementioned, some notice of the laws applicable to lunatics in North Britain will not seem inappropriate, especially to members of the medical profession resident in England: many of whom, perhaps, may not be fully cognizant of the legal enactments *Feuchtersleben, p. 347. "Thoughts on the Value of the Feelings in Religion," by Joachim Spalding, a Dignitary of the Consistory of Berlin in the last century. Translated from the German by Arthur B. Evans, A. M., Rector of Colne Rogers, &c. London. 1827. respecting insane persons, and the administration of asylums throughout Scotland. With the view of enabling psychological jurists to study this important subject more minutely than could be given by any cursory statement on the present occasion, I would observe that the following Acts of Parliament, recently passed in reference to the insane, may be consulted advantageously; since, by these statutes Scottish lunatic establishments, or madhouses, according to parliamentary phraseology— but which improper designation ought to be revised-are now regulated: whilst "fatuous or furious persons, or lunatics,” are taken care of and treated throughout the country. The Acts now referred to are,-1st, the 55th of George III., cap. 69; 2nd, the 9th of George IV., cap. 34; and 3rd, the 4th and 5th of Victoria, cap. 60, each of which will repay perusal. Considering it unnecessary to discuss at any length the various clauses of the above enactments, I would for the present observe that, no person can be received into any public hospital or asylum for the insane in Scotland, without a warrant from the sheriff of the county, or his substitute: upon the petition of some relative or friend of the lunatic, which specifically states the party named therein "is in such a state of mental derangement as to require treatment in a lunatic asylum." This document must be accompanied by the certificate of some legally-qualified medical practitioner, who declares, on soul and conscience, that, to the best of his belief and knowledge, the patient designated is insane, and a proper person for admission. Where no legally-qualified medical practitioner can be procured to put his name to the required certificate, it will then be sufficient if signed by any medical man of character whom the sheriff may think proper to employ: not being the medical officer of the asylum to which it is proposed to send the lunatic. Such are the chief formalities, requisite prior to the reception of a lunatic patient into any licensed house; but in reference to private individuals who take charge of single maniacs, it is enacted by the 9th of George IV., that no person shall receive into his exclusive care and maintenance, except a relative, any one insane patient, without first having an order, and certificate signed by two medical practitioners: a copy of which the party receiving such single lunatic must transmit to the sheriff of the county in which he resides, within five days after the party's reception, accompanied by a statement correctly designating the parish wherein the house is situated, and also the name of its occupier. Afterwards, annually, on or within seven days of the 1st of January, a certificate must be transmitted to the sheriff, signed by two physicians or surgeons, describing the then state of such insane person; and lastly, should the party die, or be |