That mental emotions, whether producing any alteration in the physical condition of the individual, or not, occasion various degrees of insanity, is proved by experience. The French revolution, during its execrable phases, offered a wide and fertile field of observation on this subject; and the various events that marked those fearful times were certainly well calculated to affect any brain capable of becoming deranged. The following results of these observations are curious: "Among the lunatics confined at Bicetre," says Pinel, "during the third year of the Republic, I observed that the exciting causes of their maladies, in a great majority of cases, were extremely vivid affections of the mind; such as ungovernable or disappointed ambition, religious fanaticism, profound chagrin, and unfortunate love. Out of one hundred and thirteen madmen with whose history I took pains to make myself acquainted, thirty-four were reduced to this state by domestic misfortunes, twenty-four by obstacles to matrimonial union, thirty by political events, and twenty-five by religious fanaticism. Those were chiefly affected who belonged to professions in which the imagination is unceasingly or ardently engaged, and not controlled in its excitement by the exercise of the tamer functions of the understanding, which are more susceptible of satiety and fatigue. Hence the Bicetre registers were chiefly filled from the professions of priests, artists, painters, sculptors, poets, and musicians, while they contained no instances of persons whose line of life demands a predominant exercise of the judging faculty,--not one naturalist, physician, chemist, or geometrician." The following is a return of the supposed moral causes of insanity observed in the Salpetriere. In the years 1811 and 1812 Domestic affliction 105 Disappointed love 46 Political events 14 Fanaticism 8 Fright 38 Jealousy 18 Anger 16 Misfortunes in circumstances 77 Offended vanity 1 --- Total 323 In Mr. Esquirol's private establishment during the same period: Domestic affliction 31 Disappointed love 25 Political events 32 Fanaticism 1 Fright 8 Jealousy 14 Misfortunes 14 Offended vanity 16 Baffled ambition 12 Intense study 13 Misanthropy 2 --- Total 168