THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 367 



brain;" and of memory, "his seat and organ, the back part of the 

 brain." * This was the account of the faculties given by Arabian 



manded in Spain, and to have gained the battle of Waterloo ! yet at the same 

 time he was a clever and excellent servant, did his service at table and in the 

 house with great propriety. I saw him handing round at a table, where there 

 was a large party, every thing with perfect order and decency, so that no guest 

 could suspect his aberration. 



" There are other sorts of remarkable cases which prove that consciousness is 

 not always single. Mr. Combe (System of Phrenology, p. 108.) quotes from the 

 Medical Repository, the case of a Miss R., in the United States, who naturally 

 possessed a very good constitution, and arrived at adult age without having it 

 impaired by disease. She possessed an excellent capacity, and enjoyed fair 

 opportunities to acquire knowledge. Besides the domestic arts and social attain- 

 ments, she had improved her mind by reading and conversation, and was versed 

 in penmanship. Her memory was capacious, and stored with a copious stock of 

 ideas. Unexpectedly, and without any forewarning, she fell into a profound 

 sleep, which continued several hours beyond the ordinary term. On waking she 

 was discovered to have lost every trait of acquired knowledge. Her memory was a 

 tabula rasa. All vestiges both of words and things were obliterated and gone. 

 It was found necessary for her to learn every thing again. She even acquired, 

 by new efforts, the art of spelling, reading, writing, and calculating, arid gra- 

 dually became acquainted with the persons and objects around, like a being for 

 the first time brought into the world. In these exercises she made considerable 

 proficiency. But after a few months another fit of somnolency invaded her. On 

 rousing from it, she found herself restored to the state she was before the first 

 paroxysm, but was wholly ignorant of every event and occurrence that had be- 

 fallen her afterwards. The former condition of her existence she called the old 

 state, and the latter the new state ; and she is as unconscious of her double cha- 

 racter as two distinct persons are of their respective natures. During four years 

 and upwards, she had undergone periodical transitions from one of these states 

 to another. The alterations were always consequent upon a long and sound 

 sleep. In her old state she possessed all her original knowledge ; in her new 

 state, only what she acquired since. If a gentleman or lady be introduced to 

 her in the old state, or vice versa, and so of all other matters, to know them 

 satisfactorily, she must learn them in both states. In the old state she pos- 

 sesses fine powers of penmanship, while in the new she writes a poor awkward 

 hand; having not had time or means to become expert. In January, 1816, 

 both the la-of and her family were able to conduct affairs without embarrassment. 

 Bj quickly knowing whether she is in the old or new state, they regulate their 

 intercourse, * n J govern themselves accordingly. The Rev. Timothy Alden of 

 Meadville has di a wn up a history of this curious case. 



" I know the b,; stO ry of a noble family where a son had similar fits, accom- 



4 Anatomy of Melancholy, P. i. S. 1. Mem. 2. Subs. 7. 

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