SPECTATOR'S LIBRARY.

PHYSIOLOGY,

A New View of Insanity. The Duality of the Mind, proved by the Structure, Functions, and Diseases of the Brain, and by the Pluenomena of Mental Derange- ment, and shown to be essential to Moral Responsibility. With an Appendix : 1. On the Influence of Religion on Insanity; 2. Conjectures on the Nature of the Mental Operations ; 3. On the Management of Lunatic Asylums. By A. L. Wigan, M D Longynan and Co.

FIRE ARTS,

Modern Painters : their superiority in the art of Landscape:painting to all the An- cient Masters, proved by Examples of the True. the Beautiful, and the Intellec- tual. from the Works of Modern Artists, especially from those of J. M. W. Turner. Esq., R.A. By a Graduate of Oxford. Second edition. ....Smith, Elder, and Co.

TRAVELS,

Algeria Past and Present. From Notes made during a personal Visit in 1843, and from the Works of Modern Historians, Travellers. Sze., Official Documents of the French Government, the Mernoires of the Corps of Savaus, 84c. &c. By J. II. Blo- feld, Esq Neerby. Notes on Northern Africa. the Sahara, and Soudan, in relation to the Ethnography, Languages, History. Political and Social Condition of the Natives of those Countries. By William B. Hodgson, late Consul of the United States near the Regency of Tunis Wiley and Putnam. Ftcnox. Anti-Coningsby ; or the New Generation grown Old. By an Embryo M.P In two volumes Newby.

DR. WIGAN'S DUALITY OF THE MIND.

THE object of Dr. WIGAN's work is to prove that the two hemi- spheres of the cerebrum or true brain are two organs, not different but double or dual, like the eyes, the hands, and so forth. And the Doctor holds, that although their action is united in a healthy and vigorous state, especially in the case of a well-trained person, yet that each brain is capable of receiving separate impressions, as the two hands may be differently occupied at once or we may see a dis- tinct object with each eye. To this alleged constitution of the brain Dr. WIGAN attributes many mental phwnomena. In fact, by means of it, he resolves all the puzzling moral and metaphysical questions that may arise between raving madness, and the sound mind of the well-constituted, well-educated, mathematical and classical scholar. The scholar exhibits both hemispheres of the brain, (or, in Dr. WIGAN's phrase,) both brains in a healthy state, the weaker brain in a perfect submission to the stronger ; in the raving maniac, without lucid intermission, he considers that both brains are completely diseased. All intermediate stages display, he conceives, a conflict more or less between the stronger and weaker or the healthy and diseased cerebrums. In the case of vast numbers whose consti- tution is sound, whose education has been good, and whose circum- stances are easy, the conflict may be rare or slight ; but the strug- gle is often going on with most men of nervous temperament, or of pursuits in which imagination predominates over rigid reality, or persons of bad habits, who are continually doing things they know to be wrong, and are sorry for when done. It is upon this principle Dr. WIGAN explains the difficulty which most of us have felt at some time or other of fixing the attention upon one subject ; the efforts we have to make, and often uselessly, to expel thoughts that will intrude themselves ; and the actions we frequently hear of as being unwillingly committed by the perpetrator, even at the time of their perpetration. On the theory of the double brain he also resolves many cases of gross hyprocrisy, detected at last to the wonder of the neighbourhood ; or sudden change of character in advancing life, when the respectable pattern man breaks out to the horror of his friends. The hypocrite, unable, or probably un- willing to try to resist the impulses of his diseased brain, has merely concealed his doings ; the other has actually subdued the instigations of his weaker brain by the power of the stronger, till disease or some subtile constitutional change has given the as- cendancy to the weaker organ. In the same way, Dr. WIGAN would resolve many phmnomena of the mind ; we believe we might say all, up to the insane who controls his weaker half upon all points save one, to the madman who carries on a double con- versation between his two brains—which conversations Dr. WIGAN seems to think would often show a continuous train of thought on one side, if they were analyzed.

The proofs offered by Dr. WIGAN of his views are various. Some are drawn from analogy,—as the general duality of the frame in eyes, limbs, and other organs ; and the dual or double character of the germ of the brain in the fcetus. Others are derived from the anatomy or morbid anatomy of the brain : of which the most cogent are, the numerous instances of the mind remaining clear and apparently entire to the last, when one hemisphere of the brain has been destroyed or is in such a state of structural altera- tion that a healthy function was impossible ; whilst it is main- tained by anatomists, in the words of Mr. SOLLY, "that there are no cases on record in which the mental faculties have remained un- disturbed when the disorganization has extended to both sides of the brain." Other of Dr. WIGAN'S arguments are inferences drawn from mental phenomena; which cannot, however, be re- ceived as proofs, (at least in the present state of the question,) though they may stand as probable speculations. The last class of reasons are derived from the writings of eminent medical authors, who have treated on the subject of the mind,—as Dr. Co- HOLLY, Dr. HOLLAND ; and it is certainly singular to see how closely they often run upon Dr. WIGAN'S view, but stop short of it, or, in his words, create "a stumblingblock instead of a bridge." • This is very curiously the case with Dr. HOLLAND; to whom the book is dedicated. In his Medical Notes and Reflections, that cele- brated physician observes—

"It has been a familiar remark, that in certain states of mental derangement,

as well as in some cases of hysteria, which border closely upon it, there appear, as it were, two minds; one tending to correct by more just perceptions, feelings, and volitions, the aberrations of the other, and the relative power of the two influences varying at different times.' " At this paint I concluded that the author had arrived at the same result as myself; his previous arguments having so logically led to it : when, to my great surprise, he suddenly turns away from the direct path, and proceeds as follows- "' Admitting the general truth of this description, as attested by many and curious examples, the fact may be explained in some cases by the coexistence before the mind [the mind I when be has just shown that there are two] of real and unreal objects of sense, each successively the object of belief ; a pie.. non:tenon possibly itself depending on the doubleness of the brain, and of the parts ministering to perception, though we cannot obtain any certain proof that such is the case. But this explanation will not adequately apply to the .instances where complete trains of thought are perverted or deranged, while others are preserved in sufficiently natural course to become a sort of watch on the former.'" The practical conclusions Dr. WIGAN would draw from his alleged discovery are not so fully handled as his arguments of proof. Indeed, they do not from their nature admit of so elaborate a de- tail, depending much upon individual application, even if the duality of the mind was established. They are, however, twofold— educational and medical. In the educational part, we are to strengthen in youth the healthier mind by proper studies and train- ing : but as nothing specific is as yet deduced, it really amounts to little more than " train up a child in the way he should go." In the medical phase, Dr. WIGAN would direct attention to the bodily state of the patient in all cases of eccentricity or apprehended in- sanity, to discover if possible the latent disorders which may be in- flaming the brain. In these conclusions, however, Dr. WIGAN stops short of some phrenologists ; holding criminals responsible until they can clearly be pronounced insane. He also considers that the control of one brain by the other is very different from the control of our propensities and passions by the understanding and moral sentiments ; as, we assume, many men seem badly disposed au initio, and have a unity of mind in the practice of vice. The Doctor also admits, that although many cases of incipient " madness spelt with a b" could be cured by restraint and treatment, when the change in the character is first taking place, yet that the present state of the law will rarely allow of such means being resorted to.

To those who make a trade of jesting, Dr. WIGAN's idea of

" the duality of the mind" offers jokes almost ready-made. It is an obvious smartness to advise a suitor to whisper into the inflam- mable brain, or a petitioner of any kind to get on the weak side. The author is equally obnoxious to fun by the manner in which he occasionally overrides his hobby,—undertaking any thing with his dual principle : and his book is undoubtedly faulty in a logical point of view, by the way in which he presses facts into his service that really have little connexion with the conclusion sought to be established, as well as by assuming as certain things which cannot from their nature rise beyond inference. Dr. WIGAN, however, has advanced enough to recommend his view to the consideration of the metaphysical anatomist and physician—the only persons who can favourably pursue the theory by comparing the last charac- teristics of the mind with the appearance of the brain after death.

Bating some passages of surplusage or almost useless verbiage, "

The Duality of the Mind may be described as a collection of striking cases of morbid anatomy, connected with brain disease, as well as of singular instances of insanity and mental aberration. With these subjects are interspersed many anecdotes and remarks connected with the manners and feelings of mankind, such as a retired phy- sician may be supposed to have picked up in the course of a long and varied practice ; and these are told with the pleasant garrulity of threescore, though often with that force of style which arises from vividness of impression and earnestness of purpose. The theory, however, is not much indebted to Dr. WIGAN for the man- ner of its exposition ; which is overloaded with extraneous matter, and even with extraneous topics, marking the old gentleman to whom composition and the arrangement of a controverted subject are new employments. Some of these errors the author candidly acknowledges in the preface.

"There are occasional negligences [says he] which ought to have been

avoided, and tautology that in offending the ear is not compensated by addi- tional force and clearness. There are also some errors in the succession of the paragraphs and chapters, and repetitions of inferences which had been already drawn and established.

"The last fault, however, is not always unintentional: whenever the facts, arguments, and illustrations, seemed to lead naturally to the conclusion, I have not hesitated to proceed to it at once, although aware that, in other chapters of the book, I had already drawn the same inferences, perhaps in the same terms, from dissimilar facts, imparallel arguments, and totally different illus- trations.

" I know by experience, that works of this kind are rarely read consecutively,

and therefore do not trust to the desultory reader the task of drawing the con- clusion from the whole collocation of evidence. The few men of science who may carefully peruse the book from titlepage to colophon, will, I hope, see enough to convince them that the defects arise rather from an unpractised pen, than from ignorance of the subject, or of the proper mode of treating it, did time and leisure admit of recasting the whole. Should the public be sufficiently interested by the novelty and importance of the theory to call for a second edition, I will endeavour to remove them."

There may be some some truth in what Dr. WIGAN advances

respecting the general reader ; but we think the surest way is to make the best book possible, and compactness in scientific ex- position is one of the means. A good deal of the volume, however, has no direct bearing upon the question proposed to be established; though, as these passages sometimes furnish the most amusing parts, we shall take our extracts indiscriminately. The following is from a chapter devoted to the subject of over-education, especially in precocious children.

WILLIAM PITT AT BELL.assrs.

Knowing these things, having witnessed the miserable consequences, I could not read the correspondence between William Pitt and his father without a feeling allied to terror. Never did man go so near to destroy the intellect of his son by over-excitement as that arrogant, unreasonable and imperious, and

much overrated man, the great Earl of Chatham, as he is called. " Courage, my eon," said he, in one of his letters, when the poor lad was complaining of the enormous variety of topics urged on his attention; " Courage, my boy; remember there is only the Cyclopredia to learn." William Pitt was very near falling a sacrifice to his father's ambition. Great as were his talents, I do not doubt that they would have been much greater had they been more slowly cultivated; and he might then have attained the ordinary term of human life, instead of his brain wearing out his body at so early an age. To see him, as I have done, come into Bellamy's after the excitement of debate, in a state of collapse, that with his uncouth countenance gave the air of insanity, swallow a steak without mastication, and drink a bottle of port wine almost at a draught, and be then barely wound up to the level of ordinary impulse—repeat this process twice, or, I believe, even three times in the course of the night— was a frightful example of over-cultivation of brain before it had attained its fall development. So much had its excitability been exhausted by premature and excessive moral stimuli, that, when his ambition was sated, it was in- capable of even keeping itself in action without the physical stimulants I have spoken of. Men called the sad exhibition the triumph of mind over matter : I call it the contest of brain and body, where victory is obtained at the sacrifice of life.

FEIGNED MADNESS READILY DETECTED.

The best actor that ever lived would be detected in an hour's examination by a medical man of moderate experience and ordinary sagacity. Having been several times placed in this situation, I know the facility of detecting such as- sumption; it is much greater than that of detecting the real illness of a soldier who dislikes the compound nitre powder and leaden pills of the battle-field, or of the man drawn for the militia and claiming the benefit of some defect or disease as a ground of exemption. In both these cases there is sometimes serious difficulty, which, when decided against the applicant, leaves on the mind a very painful dread of having committed an injustice : but in fictitious insanity there is no such doubt ; every one attempting the deception overdoes the character; he only knows the grosser outlines of such cases, and in his attempt to fill them up he often reverses the shadows, it is, besides, impossible to keep up the character when the muscles of the face become fatigued ; and if closely watched, and his attention suddenly called to another subject, he has not the madman's rapidity of transition ; before there is time for consideration and decision, he has let fall the mask and is detected. Even the sullen look of melancholic requires a painful effort of the muscles of the face which cannot be long kept up voluntarily. There is, I think, no danger whatever of success in any such attempt at deception, if the case be referred, as it ought to be, not to insulated individuals, but to a medical jury—conducting the examination in their own way in private, and not in the present absurd mode of cross-exami- nation in public before men necessarily ignorant—not merely ignorant of the best mode of ascertaining the fact, but wanting even the rudiments of that preliminary knowledge which is a small but essential part of the investigation ; and besides, ignorant of the habits, modes, and peculiarities of mental aberra- tion. The judge and counsel are generally almost as incompetent on these sub- jects as the jury, and quite as incapable of an enlightened decision.

We formerly remarked upon the late Sir HENRY HALroan's suc- cessful trial ot SHAKSPERE'S test of madness. Dr. WIGAN thinks it the only true one in very difficult eases. "The difficulty of recalling a train of thought is, I believe, one of the in- variable accompaniments of insanity, for it is an act in which both brains are concerned. Shakspeare, who seems to have known by a kind of intuition what it takes other men enormous mental labour to acquire, makes Hamlet say- ' bring me to the test,

And I the matter will reword, which madness Would gambol from.' I cannot remember to have seen a single instance of insanity, however slight, and however incognizable by any but an experienced medical man, where the patient, after relating a short history of his complaints, physical, moral, or social, could, on being requested to repeat the narrative, follow the same series; to repeat the same words, even with the united correctness of a sane person,

is, I believe, always impossible in the very mildest case of insanity. The point a here this inability begins, however difficult to ascertain exactly, has always seemed to me the point at which strict responsibility for our actions ceases, and the exercise of restraint by others becomes a right and a duty."

To the principle of the dual brain our author attributes the power possessed by lunatics of concealing their delusions ; though the effort is so painful that it is seldom long-continued.

" In the case of positive insanity of one brain, the trouble of controlling it by the other may be, and most frequently is, a painful effort, only to be under- taken through the influence of some strong motive, as, for example, that of obtaining liberty. Such a man can for a time wind himself up, as it were, and determine that the notions of the disordered brain shall not be manifested. Many instances are on record similar to that told by Pine!, where an inmate of the Bicetre, having stood a long cross-examination, and given every mark of restored reason, signed his name to the paper authoriz:ng his discharge Jesus Christ, and then went off into all the vagaries connected with that delusion. In the phraseology of the gentleman whose case is related in an early part of this work, he had 'held himself tight' during the examination, in order to attain his object ; this once accomplished, he 'let himself down' again, and, if even conscious of his delusion, could not control it. I have observed with such persons that it requires a considerable time to wind themselves up to the pitch of complete self-control, and that the effort is a painful tension of the mind. When thrown off their guard by any accidental remark, or worn out by the length of the examination, they let themselves go, and cannot gather themselves up again without preparation. Lord Erskine relates the story of a man who brought an action against Dr. Munro for confining him without cause. He underwent the moat rigid examination by the counsel for the de- fendant without discovering any appearance of insanity, till a gentleman asked him about a princess with whom he corresponded in cherry-juice, and be be- came instantly insane. This was in Westminster; and by the strange anoma- lies of law he was enabled to bring another action in the city of London, when he bad so completely wound himself up to the sticking-place,' that it was quite impossible to elicit the slightest evidence of insanity, and the cause of justice was only obtained by permission to record the evidence taken in West- minster. Another similar case is related by Lord Erskine, which was detected by addressing the patient as the Saviour of the World; till he heard which he bad given perfectly rational answers during many hours of cross-examination. Another case occurred at Edinburgh, where a gentleman, under a process similar to our writ of lunacy, was about to be dismissed for lack of proot; when a witness, who had been detained till the last moment by an accident, came into court and asked him what news from the planet Saturn ; he instantly re- lapsed into incoherence, and gave evident proofs of insanity."