The prediction of the event, in cases of insanity, must be the result of accurate and extensive experience; and even then it will probably be a matter of very great uncertainty. The practitioner can only be led to suppose, that patients, of a particular description, will recover, from knowing that, under the same circumstances, a certain number have been actually restored to sanity of intellect. The practice of an individual, however active and industrious he may be, is insufficient to accumulate a stock of facts, necessary to form the ground of a regular and correct prognosis: it is therefore to be wished, that those, who exclusively confine themselves to this department of the profession, would occasionally communicate to the world the result of their observations. Physicians, attending generally to diseases, have not been reserved, in imparting to the public the amount of their labours and success: but, with regard to this disorder, those, who have devoted their whole attention to its treatment, have either been negligent, or cautious of giving information respecting it. Whenever the powers of the mind are concentrated to one object, we may naturally expect a more rapid progress in the attainment of knowledge: we have therefore only to lament the want of observations upon this subject, and endeavour to repair it. The records of Bethlem Hospital have afforded me some satisfactory information, though far from the whole of what I wished to obtain. From them, and my own observations, the prognosis of this disease is, with great diffidence, submitted to the reader. In our own climate, women are more frequently afflicted with insanity than men. Several persons, who superintend private mad-houses, have assured me, that the number of females brought in annually, considerably exceeds that of the males. From the year 1748 to 1794, comprizing a period of forty-six years, there have been admitted into Bethlem Hospital, 4832 women, and 4042 men.