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Illustrations Of Insanity, Furnished By Letters Of The Insane

Creator: n/a
Date: April 1847
Publication: American Journal of Insanity
Source: Available at selected libraries

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You desired to know about my health. I suffer at times, but you need not fear respecting that, I am protected, and know you are. I have suffered without sympathy, other than the Spirit that knew of my suffering many times, because those around me knew not of my suffering, as also I have enjoyed that others did not participate with me, not knowing of my happiness. Be comforted, dear children, do not sorrow for me, I am desiring to be content in whatever situation I am placed. I think sorrow will be ended upon the earth.

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Your affectionate mother,

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The following letter was written by an aged man, who has been deranged three years. He represents a class found in most Lunatic Asylums, who are often pleasant and sociable, shrewd in their remarks, and sometimes rational, but who in consequence of disease seem to have lost all power of self control, and upon the slightest provocation, and sometimes without any, become excited, violent, and abusive. They will talk or write themselves into a paroxysm of ungovernable fury in a few minutes -- are ever demanding their liberty, and desirous of stating their grievances. Shakespeare has described such a character in King Lear.

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Utica Asylum, Insane as they say, Feb. 1847.

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To Dr. Brigham, Dear Sir -- This is from one that is a friend to all. You have treated me nearly two years with the greatest politeness but that is not liberty. You know there is no confining a free thinker, I have been styled that and am perfectly willing that the world of mankind should enjoy their own opinions and I mine. I never tried to injure on any one in their reputation, and am very sure that I shall not undertake slander in my old age. You are I presume a man of some talents, but there is one man that you have been near two years trying to find out and are as far in the back ground as ever, and now if you will give that man his liberty he will give sufficient bail never to trouble you again and will never grudge you your splendor. I am a man who lives in the free air of liberty. The reason that I write this to you is that I do not know who are my friends. I have always studied to do well and like the hare in the fable suspected no harm, but I find my mistake and now my liberty depends on you. I make my supplication and hope your princely power will not be offended. If I have found grace in your sight, say so; and if not prepare your guillotine and your victim is ready. As some eminent writer says, what is life without liberty, not worth possessing; now you certainly know how crazy I am, and I will give you my honor that I will not deny anything I have done nor retract anything for all you Doctors, Lawyers, Priests and Ladies pretty; nor for all your sanctity and all your esquires and all your prayers, and all your great stone building and brick wings and flower pots and carpets and golden gods. I defy them all. The chicken is in the egg before it is hatched and if it is a game cock it will come out a game cock. I am under such excitement, what shall I do, and no God to flee to, but the God of nature, like Napoleon Bonaparte when he entered the city and exclaimed a sea of fire.

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Dr. Brigham if you will make a journey to the west where I have lived, you will find men who know something; but your journeys seem to be the other way, to Albany. The courtiers are always hanging about Courts and dangling to get some of the crumbs that fall from their master's table.

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I am an illiterate old man and did not fetch a trunk here neither a watch or any fine clothes, but I have been faithful and industrious, and am greatly obliged to you for your indulgence.

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The succeeding and closing letter was written by an estimable and intelligent man who became deranged from ill health and excessive study of abstruse subjects. When he wrote the letter he had been deranged about three weeks. He recovered in three months and has been well since, now more than three years.

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Utica,1843.

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I have discovered that the mineral waters at Saratoga, constitute the most powerful generating or nourishing principles in the human family, of any compound either in a solid or liquid form ever instituted by the Creator of this great and glorious globe which we inhabit. And that the natural evolutionary powers of the Congress Spring, (as it is called) in an exhausted receiver or pipe would be twenty five degrees according to what I am impressed with the belief should be the modern thermometrical temperature, and that when they have thus arisen to this state of altitude, their virtues would be concentrated so that they would form all that the Creator designed in his wisdom, power, and goodness should be meted to his creature man. I am impressed that the high Rock Spring, was to have risen to that height by which those virtues could have been concentrated in it. But owing to his own supreme direction, or to a supernatural cause, it was permitted to be smothered for the benefit of a future and more enlightened generation. The virtue of these waters are supposed to have been injured somewhat by the influence of local cause. The Congress Spring is on a level with the City Hall in New York, but when elevated into the reservoir to be hereafter described, it can be conducted to the observatory in New York, for the benefit of the nations. I declare as I have been impressed by demonstrations that between two known principles, truth must be established, I declare also that this globe is to assume her proper state of gravitation, according to the design of the Creator, and that New York is to be the highest place on the globe. Having the sun for the centre of attraction, as the only power to affect the earth. Farther, that the enlightened are to partake of the quintessence state of this water, and that man is to draw his sustenance from this water it being such aliment as he in his wisdom will direct. The enlightened part of men are to be constituted very superior beings.

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