Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-01
GENIUS AND INSANITY.
Dr. Arthur Macdonald Points Out SOM
striking Resemblance


~ Arthur Macdonald o! the bureau of edu-
cation delivered interesting talk before the
sn;hrcpolog;caI Society Tuesday night on
"oenius and insanity as Forms OF Amor
msli.,.''
pr Mac Donald said: Human beings may be
classified ia a general way into normal and alb
Normal. by abnormal Is mean: departure from
the normal While the term abnormal often
suggests unfavo-abIe tnical or sesthetical char
ar;eTistics. II is here employed with no such
reference. Thus a great refoTrner and great
criminal are both abnormal in the sense of di-
yerSirg much from tbs average or normal
mar.
HGrnau sb1orma,i:y nav be divided into
three general forms-insauitv, genius and
CRIME. The third form. crime" includes all
excessive degrees 81 wrong.
Assuming the natural history point OF view
nsa should be studied study all species
below him Ia an investigation, therefore. OF
insanity and gcnius we must. far possible,
eliminate al those ethical and Psthetical ideas
(bowever importantly that We have been accus-
toned TO associate with these terms. for an
empiracal study is concerned with facts rather
than with sentiments. emotions or ideals con-
nected with such facts
some alienists are OF the opinion that senius
is not only our abnormal but a diseased coudi-
ton Of the nervous system. Others not so
extreme, but all seem to think that the relation
between genius and insanity Il very intimate.
IL l. interesting 10 notice what geniuses think
% themselves NOltaire saws Heaven in form
ing us mixed our life with reason and insanity,
the elements CT imperfect being. They
compose every man. they form his essence.
Diderut saws: "Oh. how close the insane and
the genius touch. They are imprisoned or
tatues raised 10 them" Aristotle affrms
that under the influence OF con-
gestion Of the head there per-
sons who become poets. prophets and
sibyls. Lanartine spoke of the mental DIS
ense called geniua. Cato exclaimed before
committing Euiride; since when have /
shown signs 81 insanity. Schupeuhsner con-
fessed that when he composed his great work
be carried himself strangely. and was taken for
insane He said that men Of genius are often
like the insane. given To- continual agitation
George sand saws of herself that at about
seventeen she became deeply melancholy; that
laic- she tempted to suicide; that this
tenlj. tation was SO vivid. sudden AMI bizarre
that she considered 1t a species OF i" sanity.
ssRIKISG KEsEMBLASCEs.
However paradoxical such confessions may
seem a serious investigation wi! show striking
resemble noes betweea the highest mental
activity and diseased mind. Bat before enter
ing in.o further slider ations IL Will be neces
sarv ." give the opinions of the highest
a1thoritie- insanity.
schulz defines insanity n disease OF the
person resting mon and caused b. brain af
isc-io-. Arndt affrm- that orr manner Of
knowing. feeling as.d willing is differently de
vel1;.eI and shows Itself IA feeble or strong
constitutions a. nervous ness. weakness or in
sanity. or gift. talent or genius Every
meutn. dIsea-e il reaction Of the nervous sys-
TEN impaired by its nutrition, especially the
nutrition Of The brain
After citing further from authorities on alien
atiou DR. acDonald then proceeded TO a COM
parison Of insanity with genius. Precocitv is
symptom Of both genius and insanity. Dante
composed verses 81 niue. Ia-so and IiIrabeau
~ ten Conite. Noltaire and Pascal we're great
thinkers a. thirteen. Niebuhr at seven. JOna-
than Edwards and Bossuet and Pope at
twelve. Goethe before ten. Victor Hugo and
Feuelon AT fifteen. Handel and Beethoven
cOmrOsed at thirteen. Mozart gave concerts
At SIX. Raphael was renowned at fourteen.
some characteristics OF genius are originality.
egotism. vanity. indiscTstiOn and lack Of COM
mon sense; preeoci;y sterility. irritabiiity.
impetuosity. melancholy and susceptibility to
visions and dreams. These characteristics be-
long also to the insane.
some Of the fights of genius are most bril-
liant ard fascinating. Vet they are none the less
abnormal. and when this a5normaliiy reaches a
certain degree il become pathological
Thus Don Qrixote has wonderful ideas: lie is
an ardent soul with brilliant thoughts. superior
10 the opinions Of his contemporaries Yet he
renders no account Of real things he is IN the
everything in his dream: ne is without critical
spirit and has little balance.
Edgar Poe is full OF phantasy. Inventions.
original creations. extreme notions. regardless
OF critical spirit. Poe somewhat dipsO-
maniac. While his writings are remarkable.
vet they have elements similar 10 the wander
ings VI the insane.
CASES IRON HISTORY.
Socrates had Authorizations from his familiar
genius or demon Pansanias the Lacsedemon-
ian. after killing young slave. was torInented
until his death by spirit which pursued him
in all places and which rezeIabled his victim.
L1crstius WIS attacked with intermittent
mania He was fOrty-tour years of age when
lie put end 20 his life.
Charles ' had epileptir attack during his
worth. he s:ammerea. He retreated to a mon
sstery, where he had the singular phartasy of
celebrating bis OWE funeral rites IN his own
presence. His mother (Jane OF Castillo Was
insane and defOrraed; his grandfather (Ferdi-
nand OF Arga-Orl died a. the age of sixty-tvo
IN state o. profound melaEcEOlia.
Pe:sI the Great during infancy was subject
TO nervous attacks which de2ensrated mo
eyileYsy. One OF his sons had Authorizations
another cOnvulsiCns
Cesar was epileptic. Lime q precocic..s
gesius. had Uranium hydrocephatic in FORM
Re suffered from a stroke of paralysis. AT the
end Of one attack he haC forgotten his name
tie died IN state o. seniie demenla-
Pascal from blrtn til death suffered from
nervous troJblCS- II wear of age he fell
into 4 Eaguor. during which he could not see
water without maaiiestIng great cutbIrsts of
passion. ald still more peculiar be could not
bear ~ see his father and mother near one an
other In l6Z7 h had paralysis from his waist
down 50 that he could not walk without
cTutches; this condition continued three
months Daring his last hoIrs he was taken
with terrible cOny EisiOn-. IN which he died
The autopsy showed pecuiisTities-
MIcaei Angelo while painting The Last
Judgment feli FROM Eis sca:iod and receiy ell a
painful injury ia the leg. lie shu: himself up
sHi would no: see any one. Bacio Routini a
celebrated physician. came by accident to see
him he found al the doors closed. No one
responding. he went into the cellar and came un-
stairs he found NIctei Angelo ia ms room.
RESOLVED to le; himself die His friend the
physician. would not ,.aye h III lie brought
him oai 81 the peculiar frame of mind into
Which le had fallen.
Engilsh men o. letters who have become in
San or have had Esl. lcInaiI5Is and perulari:Ies
rynptomatic Of insanity are swift Johnson,
Covre-, SOuthey- shelley. Byron. Goldsmith
LAMB aud Pee.
Sui.i Was also cruel IN conduct but he was
hardly resp a-lbl-. a. h. INSANITY vas con-
genial Hi pa;Crr.-l uncle lost speech and
memory and died insane swift himself was
-otssw.iat errGt.c and Wild a. a university s'u-
dent He suffered At times from gitdinesS III
49, 90. IL