The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-06-10
Fr0ns the Home Journal.
TALES OF THE SOUTH.
bl 4 SUU HIM MIN
A True Adventure in a Lunatic Asylum
BY A SOUTHERN MAN

Dl a SOO MAN
A True Adventure in a Lunatic Asylum.
l have decided passion for the study
of insanity. In all its forms end in eve
ry dcgree-from the crcpuscular z leam
of receding or returning reason to the to-
tai eclipse or the restoration of the facul-
ties-it presents subject of thrilling and
startling interest. The phenomena of
mind iu normal state, grand and wonder
ful as they are, lo>e like the glories Of the
visible creation, much of their impress
sivencss ty familiarity. Ia ourselves and
Ia others, we see its activities and capa-
bilities displayed, aud immagine that We
comprehend its mysteries. This empiri-
cal philosophy, superficial and meagre
though it be, bluurs the appetite ii most
persons for speculation upon the same ex
hibitious of intellect. They behold the
form and hear the voice Of the mystic
Memnon, but care not to inquire by what
mechanism its marvellous uttorances are
produced.
But the mind In ruins, as it is a less
frequent so also is it far more impress
i've spectacle. The barriers Of conveD-
tiouali>m AMI policy, which hedge in the
sane Intellect, aud obscure its manifesto
tions, are removed bS insanity, and we
arc permitted to study the primitive e!e.
mcuts of our intellectual and emotional
nature in state, 30 to speak, of conpar-
stiye uucity. The deductions OF this
Eortid analysis must, Of course, be cor
rected by indactious from the pheuoGe-
ua of sound miud, to be either valuable
or reliable.
Hence with some taste for uetapLysi-
cal studies, | resort to fanatic asylums,
as the ph y>iciau does Q ho.pital~, to learn
from the irregularities of diseased intel
lect the laws aud conditions Of intei:cc'u-
al health. In ti:is way have collected
some curioa4 statistics ia relation to ~
sanity, aud have occasionally met with
strange adventures.
La the summer of ls5- | visited a lu
matte asylum located in one of our South
ern States. As it was founded and pat
roDized By the State, it was Oh large
scale both as to acco mod ations and the
number of It's inmates The policy Of the
Institution not being restrictive, the neis b.
boring States contributed their fuli quota
of uufortunates to fil its cells. Every
stage aud almost every type Of insanity
we're to be found amoHs the INN ates.--
The Gerce madman uttcriug blank iusaa-
ities, aud ready to re01 alike himself or
his kecycr*; the mild monomon9c, alter
uately under the domiuiou of halluclna
ton aud Of reason; the phrensied lover
Frightening or darkenius beneath the iul-
asinary suilcs or frown2 Of lis mistress;
the bewiIdereI miscr, heaping up bits OF
paper and rags, and g!oatlng over them
as piles of gold; the Lazy uiartinet, mar
shailiug his phantom squadrons upon the
field of bis prison floor; the victims OF cV-
cry vice, the betrayed Of ercry virtue,
were there in sufficient nuUbers to exhib-
it the varying shades in the ascending or
derccu ding line Of th,ir respective ab6er-
rstions.
The main building of the asylum was
inmcn,cly large, aud was crowned at the
sun nit with a sort Of tower or place
of look out, which rose to a considerable
rive structure. In other respects, t6erc
was nothing worthy of special remark in
the ltyIe or plan of the edifice'
Having satisfactory letters of iDtroduc-
ton to the superintendent, | was received
and treated with much civiiity and kind
ness during the whole of my visit. lie
gave me every facility for personal OBJ
rervatioD, and Impaired much informa-
tion as 10 the history and peculiarities Of
the more remarkable cases. During my
ranbles over the grounds, or through the
apartments of the institution, was ac-
companied most usually BY the superln-
tendent himself. and occasionally by otn-
CT officers of the asy uu. After week $
iucessant visiting, | became almost domes-
ticated, aud was permitted to pursue my
observations and perambulatlons compar-
atively alone 1t was indeed, to be alone,
to stroll unaccompanied through the
chambers of the mighty edifce, and iis-
ten to the bablings of the darkened beings
who tenauted its cells.
Ooe day, soon after my entrance upon
the main floor of the asylum, gentleman,
whom had not before seeD, came up and
accosted ue in familiar and most friend
ly manner. He was fashionably, even
elegantly dressed, of large size. and po-
sessed sinewy development OF nerve
and muscle, which indicated great act'V,
ity and strength. HE eyes were full and
lustrous, and bis features decidedly IN
tellectual in both contour and expression.
Making a polite inclination of his bead
towards me, be said !:
ga stranger, ! presume, come to see
the euriosities of the asylum, or, perhaps,
TO visit some unfortunate friend or rela'