218 ON THE EFFECTS OF CERTAIN MENTAL 



apply it. A person confined for that form of mental derangement 

 which we considered in the last lecture as amenomania, or gay me- 

 lancholy, fancied the asylum in which he was confined his own, 

 and he contrived to account for all that seemed inconsistent with 

 his imaginary right of property. There were many patients in it, 

 but that was owing to the benevolence of his nature, which made 

 him love to see the relief of distress. He went little, or rather 

 never, abroad, but then his habits were of a domestic and rather 

 sedentary character. He did not see much company, but he daily 

 received visits from the first characters in the renowned medical 

 school of the city, and he could not, therefore, be much in want of 

 society. With so many supposed comforts around him — with so 

 many visions of wealth and splendour — one thing alone disturbed 

 the peace of the poor optimist, and would, indeed, have confounded 

 most " bons vivans." "He was curious," he said, "in his table, 

 choice in his selection of cooks, had every day three regular courses 

 and a dessert ; and yet, somehow or other, everything he ate tasted 

 of porridge. This dilemma could be no great wonder to the friend 

 to whom it was related, who knew that the poor lunatic ate no- 

 thing but this simple aliment at any of his meals."* His eyes 

 were made the fools of his other senses, spreading before his delud- 

 ed vision a splendid banquet, whilst the taste remained true to 

 nature, and spoiled all his ideal dainties by not taking part in the 

 deception. 



There are certain states of mind in which we are carried, in our 

 ideas, beyond the ordinary routine of thought and the influence of 

 customary impression. This may arise from many sources — it may 

 be caused by certain medicinal or morbid agents, as opium, nitrous 

 oxide, and febrile miasma. But that to which I now allude is not 

 produced by any of these ; it is a condition of mind the consequence 

 of great excitement, when, on the eve of some great enterprise—- 

 of some literary undertaking — about the success of which we are 

 uncertain, the senses, though wandering over the forms of out- 

 ward objects, take little cognizance of their presence. The mind, 

 at these periods, throws no part of its being into the actions 

 of the senses ; they are inert and powerless. The whole mental 

 faculties are concentrated about the one great object of our anxiety. 

 There are many persons in whom this state of mental concentration 

 is habitual. When alone, from the activity and vigour of their 

 fancies, some novel idea soon intrudes, becomes cherished and isolated. 



* Letters on Demonologij and Witchcraft, by Sir W. Scott. 



