We cannot close this chapter without remarking on the satisfactory change of sentiment which has taken place in regard to this deplorable class. There may be times when, desiring to see "the survival of the fittest," we may be tempted to wish that idiots and imbeciles were stamped out of society. But, as Mr. Darwin has somewhere said, there is a compensation for the continued existence of so pitiable a population in our midst, in the circumstance that our sympathies are called forth on their behalf; a commentary on the precept that those who are strong should help the weak. The change in feeling above mentioned cannot be more strongly illustrated than by imagining for a moment that, at the present day, any leading divine should give utterance to the following sentiments uttered by the great German Reformer. "Idiots," says he, "are men in whom devils have established themselves, and all the physicians who heal these infirmities as though they proceeded from natural causes are ignorant blockheads, who know nothing about the power of the demon. Eight years ago, I myself saw a child of this kind which had no human parents, but had proceeded from the devil. He was twelve years of age, and in outward form exactly resembled ordinary children.... But if any one touched him, he yelled out like a mad creature, and with a peculiar sort of scream. I said to the princes of Anhalt, with whom I was at the time, '_If I had the ordering of things here, I would have that child thrown into the Moldau, at the risk of being held its murderer._' But the Elector of Saxony and the princes were not of my opinion in the matter." ADDENDUM. Mr. Millard has prepared the following tabular statement, which shows at a glance the information a reader is likely to require in recommending asylums for this unfortunate class. ASYLUMS FOR IDIOTS AND IMBECILES. ------------+---------------+---------------+------------------------- Name and | Cases | How | Conditions, place. | admitted. | admitted. | remarks, etc. ------------+---------------+---------------+------------------------- METROPOLITAN| | | PAUPER | | | ASYLUMS: | | | Leavesden, }|Adult idiots, |Through the }| Herts. }|imbeciles and |boards of }|Residence in Middlesex. Caterham, }|harmless |guardians. }| Surrey. }|lunatics. | }| | | | Darenth, |Youthful idiots| Ditto. | Ditto. Dartford, |and imbeciles. | | Kent. | | | VOLUNTARY INSTITUTIONS FOR IDIOTS AND IMBECILES.