KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



259 



and misgivings ! We did indeed here wit- 

 ness a sight — a sight that must make all 

 right-minded folk tremble. 



Some people, we are informed, attend this 

 place as they would attend a show of wild 

 beasts. They deride these poor sufferers - 

 ridicule them, and call their calamities " good 

 fun" to witness ! The lives of these people 

 are not yet run out ; let them beware lest 

 these acts of folly be visited on themselves 

 by a like calamity. We say it in all 

 kindness. 



Before taking our leave of the male ward, 

 we must acknowledge the great politeness 

 shown us by the attendant who accompanied 

 us throughout. Not a single question did 

 we ask, without obtaining a ready, kind, and 

 explicit answer. His open countenance wit- 

 nesses for him, what we saw confirmed as we 

 passed through the building — that he is just 

 the very man to be a favorite with the poor 

 creatures over whom he is appointed cus- 

 todian. We do not know his name. 



We must now take a cursory glance at 

 the Female Ward. It is well for us, that 

 we are not called upon to give any graphic 

 description of the objects associated in the 

 building. Our self-imposed task is general, 

 not particular. Sights saw we here, of which 

 even the remembrance makes the heart feel 

 sick. To gaze on a male idiot, is fearful ; 

 but to witness the ravages made by lunacy 

 on the fairer part of G-od's creation — oh ! 

 it is too terrible ; too dreadful to attempt to 

 describe. 



Here we were equally fortunate in obtain- 

 ing a kind, gentle, and most agreeable at- 

 tendant — one whose natural bearing and 

 courtesy cause her to be a general favorite 

 in the ward she represents. We mean Mrs. 

 Louch. By this lady's patient endurance 

 with us (for we were as inquisitive as she 

 was considerately condescending), we became 

 possessed of a multitude of pleasing facts. 

 We were told, on inquiring about certain 

 people whom we saw on our former visit — 

 whether they still lived, or whether they 

 were dead. Alas ! nearly all about whom 

 we sought information, were dead, and buried. 

 One woman, of a fine noble bearing, who 

 fancied she was " Queen of England," was, 

 when last we visited Hanwell, strong and 

 vigorous. She was no more. Another 

 woman who had read in Scripture, " if thine 

 eye offend thee, pluck it out" (and who had 

 plucked it out), she was dead ! The same 

 fate had removed many others. 



One interesting individual however, of 

 great age, who had enlisted our sympathy 

 from the intensity of her malady, still lived. 

 We did not inquire for her. We saw her. 

 On our former visit, we had given her some 

 barley-sugar. It had awakened some strange 

 chord in her memory. She had retired with 



it into a corner; and, summoning the wreck of 

 her mind, by a gigantic effort she had pro- 

 nounced the words — " BARL-ay THOOD-ar !" 

 We again tried the spell, on this second 

 visit of ours. The poor idiot took the 

 barley-sugar indeed, and tasted it ; but 

 alas ! the short extent of time had obli- 

 terated what little " memory" formerly lin- 

 gered in her withered brain. No answer got 

 we. We gazed on vacancy. We uttered 

 deliberately the word " sugar," and we ima- 

 gined — perhaps however incorrectly, that 

 there was an echoing cadence on the last 

 syllable ; it might be so. 



We took with us a goodly quantity of 

 barley-sugar ; for we love to alleviate human 

 sorrow. How easily may it be done in such 

 a case ! The eyes of many glistened at it. 

 Many readily accepted it, and called it by 

 its own proper name. One only, hesitat- 

 ingly took it ; and when our backs were 

 turned, she threw it after us. Her pride 

 was offended. " Pride," we may remark, is 

 the prevailing demon among these poor 

 suffering objects. They want to be thought 

 " somebody;" and failing to be recognised 

 as such, their violence knows no bounds. 



We did not quit this department of the 

 Asylum without carefully inspecting the 

 laundries and other offices, wherein the ser- 

 vices of the patients are all rendered avail- 

 able. They work when they like ; as little 

 as they like ; and as hard as they like. It is 

 quite voluntary. We saw them all at high 

 dinner ; and an interesting, though a me- 

 lancholy scene it was. Everything is per- 

 fectly clean, sweet, and wholesome ; and we 

 told^ the good-tempered housekeepers (all 

 " nice," experienced women, and most ex- 

 cellent creatures), we only wished we 

 might never be worse treated, and be as well 

 " waited upon." The wish continues.* 



The allowance of edible food is liberal. 

 Each man has too, his pint of beer daily ; 

 the women have one half- pint each. They 

 rise at 6 A. m., and retire at about 8, 

 p. M. They are noisy, more or less, 

 according to the weather. In summer, the 

 heat makes them obstreperous. On dark 

 days, too, they are noisy. When the sun is 

 out, they are comparatively quiet ; and of 

 course the Moon greatly rules their general 

 deportment. On the day of our visit, they 

 were very quiet. The sun shone brightly, 

 and the atmosphere was clear. Before 

 leaving, however, we heard certain outbreaks 

 that made us shudder ; and we witnessed in 



* The young person (her name is unknown 

 to us) who accompanied us over this ward, on 

 the occasion of our visit in 1849, had left. We 

 feel the more grateful to Mrs. Louch, for her 

 kindness in assisting us in our inquiries. Nothing 

 could exceed her attention — except perhaps our 

 inquisitiveness. — Ed. K. J. 



