I here gladly close these personal remarks, which have been forced from me, for self is a subject which it is seldom wise and always dangerous to introduce. It only remains to notice another peculiarity in this essay, which is, that of having introduced some animadversions on legislators whose minds are not sufficiently pure or comprehensive to enable them to avoid the common error of overlooking general principles, and not to presume to judge and draw conclusions from the hasty, partial, and erroneous views they have acquired on the subject on which they legislate. This has often led to, or been combined with, that great selfish view of making themselves and their property the chief good, not considering the real objects of legislative care, nor “that life is more than meat, and the body more than raiment.” This it is which has corrupted all our laws, especially our criminal code, which was a system of legal murder, not justice, and a perfect scandal to the nation. The same faults are visible in all they have done for the poor insane. They have given an undue and exclusive consideration to property and to the few extreme and violent cases; treating them and _all who have the care of them as criminals_. To live amongst them, appears to be deemed a crime, for which neither goodness nor talent can atone. All which must, in various ways, have an injurious influence. To banish these errors is to better the treatment of the insane. This conviction is my excuse for introducing the subject, and which makes me anxious to prove, from experience, that such extreme cases hardly have any existence at all under a proper system of treatment; and, that at all events, this liberal treatment materially lessens the horror and danger usually conceived to attend these places. Insanity is, no doubt, a terrible visitation; but why should we allow a false and unreasonable horror to increase it? and why should we thus sever our sympathy from a disease which more than any other requires it? The medicinal virtues of the fruits of charity are best proved amongst them. Grant that the disease arises from some remote or proximate ill-directed mental states. Why should we have more horror of insanity, than many other consequences of ill-regulated minds? To me, the foul ward of some large public Hospital, is incomparably more horrible and loathsome. Such direct consequences of wickedness present the object before us in an aspect that makes it difficult for us to exercise any feelings of commiseration towards them. Not so the insane. But these are views, however, into the consideration of which I shall not enter in this place; but I mention or rather hint at the diseases of other organs, for the purpose of asserting that the reality and appearance of the miserable state of the insane is not so shocking as people imagine; but that still I allow it is an awful visitation.