The relief of the brain, by the escape of this blood, is of deeper interest to science than the mere romancer may imagine. Sir Samuel Romilly was for a moment, I believe, in a state of sanity, when blood had flowed from the divided vessels of his throat; for he attempted, it appeared, to stop its flow by thrusting the towel with some force into the wound. So diseases of the heart, by keeping the black blood in the brain, predispose to dreaming. During the age of terror in France, organic diseases of the heart and _cases of mania_ were most prevalent. I may for a moment indulge in analogies regarding this arrest of the blood. Cases of inflammation of the ear are often seen in confirmed maniacs (the _helix_ being usually the part most inflamed), and _black_ blood often oozes from the part. M. Calmeil considers _chronic phlegmasia_ of the brain as the cause of insanity, the derangement itself being, as it were, _the moral result_ or disease, and the organic changes or proximate cause the _physical_ disease; both being but the _sequelæ_, or consequence of inflammation. A boy, the servant of a medical friend (Mr. A——), was, some years ago, placed under my care for fever, with delirium. About the acme of his disorder the impetuosity of the blood in the vessels of the head was such as to project his ears prominently forwards, like those of a satyr, or, as the gossips thought, rather of a demon. Yet all this subsided _as the fever waned_. Yet, believe me, I draw a decided distinction between mania and dreaming; though the phenomena may sometimes bear resemblance. In one essential point they differ; that the _transient_ illusion is not manifested, except _during slumber_, or a state closely analogous to it, when the senses are languid, or asleep. It is true, however, the maniac will, on his recovery, often _dream of the subject of his insanity_, yet insanity is more exemplified by _action_, the dream being usually _passive_. The predisposition to insanity is often, too, _hereditary_, so that the slightest moral influence, imperceptible perhaps to the physician, may incite such a mind to madness; for where there is _no_ predisposition, that is, a perfect integrity of brain, a right judgment is evinced even under the potent influence of the passions. As the condition of insanity, so the illusive vision, does not always primarily depend on _medullary_ disease; there are primary moral as well as physical causes. But even the exertion of thought, which the ultra spiritualist may term an immaterial faculty, is attended by increased action on the matter of the brain. The organ of mind will, if diseased, (though not always,) produce deranged actions. Yet it is equally true, if even a sound brain be _badly instructed_, and its passion uncontrolled, insanity may ensue; not however without quickly, I believe _immediately_, inducing structural change.