VESANIJE. 521 



insanity, I must go on to consider them under the two heads of 

 Mania and Melancholia : and though I am sensible that these 

 two genera do not comprehend the whole of the species of in- 

 sanity, I am not clear in assigning the other species which may 

 not be comprehended under those titles. I shall, however, en- 

 deavour, on proper occasions as I go along, to point them out 

 as well as I can. 



CHAP. II. OF MANIA, OR MADNESS. 



MDLVIII. The circumstances which I have mentioned 

 above in MDXXXV., as constituting delirium in general, do 

 more especially belong to that kind of it which I shall treat of 

 here under the title of MANIA. 



There is sometimes a false perception or imagination of things 

 present that are not ; but this is not a constant, nor even a fre- 

 quent attendant of the disease. The false judgment is of re- 

 lations long before laid up in the memory. It very often turns 

 upon one single subject : but more commonly the mind rambles 

 from one subject to another with an equally false judgment 

 concerning the most part of them ; and as at the same time there 

 is commonly a false association, this increases the confusion of 

 ideas, and therefore the false judgments. What for the most 

 part more especially distinguishes the disease, is a hurry of 

 mind, in pursuing any thing like a train of thought, and in 

 running from one train of thought to another. Maniacal per- 

 sons are in general very irascible ; but what more particularly pro- 

 duces their angry emotions is, that their false judgments lead 

 to some action which is always pushed with impetuosity and 

 violence ; when this is interrupted or restrained, they break out 

 into violent anger and furious violence against every person 

 near them, and upon every thing that stands in the way of their 

 impetuous will. The false judgment often turns upon a mis- 

 taken opinion of some injury supposed to have been formerly 

 received, or now supposed to be intended : and it is remarkable, 

 that such an opinion is often with respect to their former dearest 

 friends and relations ; and therefore their resentment and anger 



