Sometimes they content themselves with writing and printing their vagaries, and make no attempt to diffuse them among the public, though they assume that the latter must be acquainted with them. In these writings, apart from their morbid prolixity, let it be noted that the aim is either futile, or absurd, or in complete contradiction with their social position and previous culture. Thus two physicians write on hypothetic geometry and astrology; a surgeon, a veterinary surgeon and an obstetric practitioner, on aerial navigation; a captain on rural economy; a sergeant on therapeutics; and a cook on high political questions. A theologian writes a treatise on menstrua, a carter on theology. Two porters are the authors of tragedies, and a custom-house officer of a work on sociology. As to the subjects chosen, an examination of 186 insane books in my collection gives the following result: 51 deal with Personal Topics 36 are works on Medicine 27 “ “ Philosophy 25 contain Lamentations 7 are Dramatic 7 “ Religious 6 “ Poetry 4 are on Astronomy 4 “ “ Physics 4 “ “ Politics 4 “ “ Political Economy 3 “ “ Rural “ 2 “ “ Veterinary Medicine 2 “ “ Literature 2 “ “ Mathematics 1 is on Grammar 1 “ a Dictionary --- 186 I do not count miscellaneous works, such as controversial treatises, essays on mechanics, studies in magnetism, funeral orations, eccentric theological works, researches in literary history, proclamations, matrimonial advertisements, &c. Some statistics compiled by Philomneste give a list of such books known in Europe, which are thus classified: Theology 82 Prophecy (esoteric mysticism) 44 Philosophy 36 Politics 28 Poetry and Drama 9 Languages and Grammar 8 Erotic Literature 5 Hieroglyphics 3 Astronomy 2 Aeronautics 2 Chemistry 1 Physics 1 Zoology 1 Strategy 1 Chronology 1 Hygiene 1 Pedagogy 1 Archæology 1 While poetry prevails among the insane, theology and prophecy predominate in the mattoids, and so on in diminishing proportions for the more abstract, uncertain and incomplete sciences, as we see by the scarcity of the naturalists and mathematicians. It is well to note the small number of atheists--three only, amid such a swarm of theologians and philosophers (162). Spiritualism, on the other hand, is so much in favour, that Philomneste gave up the task of cataloguing the works which treated of it.