Transcribed from the [1837] John Taylor edition by DavidPrice,
ESSAY
ON
THE CLASSIFICATION OF
THE
INSANE.
BY
M. ALLEN, M.D.
MEMBER OF THE ROYALMEDICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH, AND OF THE
MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON;CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE
METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, AND OFTHE PHRENOLOGICAL SOCIETIES
OF LONDON AND EDINBURGH; HONORARY MEMBEROF THE LITERARY
AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETIES OF LEEDS,HULL, AND WAKEFIELD, &C.
“Thou shalt notbreak the bruised reed.”—Is.
“The care of the human mindis the most noble branch ofmedicine.”—Grotius.
LONDON:
JOHN TAYLOR, UPPERGOWER-STREET.
p.iiiPREFACE.
It appears necessary to explain thesomewhat abrupt commencement of this Essay onClassification. It was written, and even a great part of itprinted, as a continuation of my defence in the case of Allenv. Dutton; but during the progress of printing, I soonbecame weary of this defensive attitude; and I also soondiscovered, that so far from the ex-parte and perfectly falsestatements which were reported of the trial having any injuriousinfluence, they rapidly expedited my success. Thanks to thezeal and exertion of all those friends who were anxious tocounteract the effect which these falsehoods were calculated tomake against me; they spoke from personal experience, and withall the ardour which gratitude and justice could inspire.
The design, therefore, of publishing it as a part andcontinuation of my defence, was gladly abandoned. Many ofthe first sheets, however, containing no improper allusion tothis case, p.ivremain: I mention this, because it accounts for thatwhich might otherwise appear an abrupt commencement, especiallyto those who have not previously read that defence. On thisaccount, I shall bind up that defence, (without additionalexpense) at the end of this Essay, for those who may wish to havethis connexion before them. It is necessary, also, toinform the reader of the origin of this Essay, for anotherreason, in order that he may understand (and I trust, also, undersuch circumstances, he will excuse) why there is so much personalminuteness in describing our system of procedure and exertions,which could not, and would not, otherwise, have been obtruded onthe public.
But if, after being thus justified and compelled to come forthin my defence, the matter should be found useful, either tomyself or mankind, it would be foolish affectation to seem tofeel shame and regret by too anxiously apologising and explainingthe origin and consequent peculiar complexion of thispublication, or of those which may follow in regularsuccession. And it is a truth, that it has increased myzeal and strengthened my resolve to prosecute that most useful ofall studies, the stud