sane."

"Upon what principle do you account for that?" asked the stranger. "To
me it would appear that the reverse of the proposition ought to hold
true."

"That may be," replied the other; "but no man can form a correct opinion
of insane persons who has not mingled with them, or had them under
his care. The contiguity of reason--I mean in the persons of those who
approach them--always exercises a dangerous influence upon lunatics; and
on this account, I sometimes place those who are less insane as keepers
upon such as are decidedly so."

"Does not that, sir, seem very like setting the blind to lead the
blind?"

"No," replied the other, with a heavy, I heartless laugh, "your analogy
fails; it is rather like setting a man with one eye to guide another who
has none."

"But why should not a man who has two guide him better?"

"Because the consciousness that there is but the one eye between both of
them, will make him proceed more cautiously."

"But that in the blind is an act of reason," replied the stranger,
"which cannot be applied to the insane, in whom reason is deficient."

"But where reason does not exist," said the doctor, "we must regulate
them by the passions."

"By the exercise of which passion do you gain the greatest ascendency
over them?" asked the stranger.

"By fear, of course. We can do nothing, at least very little, without
inspiring terror."

"Ah," thought the stranger, "I have now got the key to his
conduct!--But, sir," he added, "we never fear and love the same object
at the same time."

"True enough, sir," replied the ruffian; "but who could or ought to
calculate upon the attachment of a madman? Boys are corrected more
frequently than men, because their reason is not developed: and those
in whom it does not exist, or in whom it has been impaired, must be
subjected to the same discipline. Terror, besides, is the principle upon
which reason itself, and all society, are governed."

"But suppose I had a brother, now, or a relative, might I not hesitate
to place him in an establishment conducted on principles which I
condemn?"

"As to that, sir," replied the fellow, who, expecting a patient, feared
that he had gone too far, "our system is an adaptable one; at least, our
application of it varies according to circumstances. As our first object
is cure, we must necessarily allow ourselves considerable latitude
of experiment until we hit upon the right key. This being found, the
process of r