[7] The late Dr. Johnson was remarkably distinguished by certain peculiarities of action when his mind was deeply engaged. Sir Joshua Reynolds was of opinion "that it proceeded from a habit he had indulged himself in, of accompanying his thoughts with certain untoward actions." "One instance of his absence, and particularity as it is characteristic of the man, may be worth relating. When he and I took a journey into the West, we visited the late Mr. Banks, of Dorsetshire; the conversation turning upon pictures, which Johnson could not well see, he retired to a corner of the room, stretching out his right leg as far as he could reach before him, then bringing up his left leg, and stretching his right still further on. The old gentleman observing him, went up to him, and in a very courteous manner assured him, that though it was not a new house, the flooring was perfectly safe. The Doctor started from his reverie like a person waked out of his sleep, but spoke not a word."--_Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson, vol. i. p. 76._ In the same work other of his tricks are recorded, as talking to himself, measuring his steps in a mysterious manner, half whistling, clucking like a hen, rubbing his left knee, &c. Many sensible persons, with whom I am now acquainted, when particularly thoughtful, discover strange bodily motions, of which they are by no means conscious at the time. [8] This gritty matter, subjected to chemical examination, was found to be _phosphat of lime_. [9] This appearance I have found frequently to occur in maniacs who have suffered a violent paroxysm of considerable duration: and in such cases, when there has been an opportunity of inspecting the contents of the cranium after death, water has been found between the dura mater and tunica arachnoidea. [10] Morbid Anatomy, page 304. [11] Mr. Fourcroy does not appear to have given any particular attention to this fluid. He says, "Cette humeur ne parait pas differer de celle qui mouille toutes les parois membraneuses du corps humain en general, et dont j'ai deja parle. C'est un liquide mucoso gelatineux, plus ou moins albumineux, et contenant _quelques matieres salines_."--_Systeme des Connoisances Chimiques, 8vo. tom. ix. p. 303._ [12] It may be remarked, that all children in the early attempts at language, speak of themselves and others in the third person, and never employ the pronoun; they likewise never use connectives, or the inflections of verbs, until they begin to acquire some knowledge of numbers. Beyond this rude state our patient never advanced.