[2] Some doubts are entertained whether Dr. Boord was physician to King Henry the eighth, but he was certainly a fellow of the College.
[3] Apprehension of sensations. This is perhaps only an endeavour to explain the thing, by the thing, or producing words of similar import with different sounds. Junius, speaking of the word hand (as derived from the gothic Handus) says, “Quidam olim deduxerunt vocabulum ab antiquo verbo HENDO, Capio: unde Prehendo, APPREHENDO, &c.”—Gothicum Glossarium, p. 188. Professor Ihre conceives it equally probable that the old latin word hendo may have had a northern origin. “Id vero non possum, quin addam, oppidó mihi probabile fieri, ipsammet hanc vocem latio olim peregrinam non fuisse, quod quippe augurar ex derivato HENDO, capio, unde prehendo cum derivatis pullularunt.”—Glossarium Sviogothicum. tom. i. p. 778.
[4] Quere. Why should the most active characteristics of our nature be termed Passions? The word seems properly employed in Passion week, the period commemorative of Christ’s suffering or Passion. But we are said to fly, or fall into a passion, and then passion gets the better of us. For the softer sex we conceive the most delicate, refined, and honorable passion, yet every one allows the dreadful consequences which ensue from an indulgence of our passions, and most persons agree that passion, carried to excess, constitutes madness—we live in a world of metaphor.
[5] In many instances, although it is far from being general, pain of the head, and throbbing of its arteries precede an attack of insanity; sometimes giddiness is complained of as a precursory symptom. Those who have been several times disordered, are now and then sensible of the approaching return of their malady. Some have stated, a sense of working in the head, and also in the intestines, as if they were in a state of fermentation. Others observe that they do not seem to possess their natural feelings, but they all agree that they feel confused from the sudden and rapid intrusion of unconnected thoughts.
[6] To illustrate how necessarily our sensations, or ideas must become confused, when their succession is too rapid, the relation of some experiments on that subject will sufficiently conduce.
“But by the able assistance of Mr. Herschel, I am in a condition to give some approximation, at least, towards ascertaining the velocity of our audible sensations. For having, by means of a clock, produced sounds, which succeeded each other with such rapidity, that the intervals between each of them were (as far as could be judged) the smallest posible; he found he could evidently distinguish one hundred and sixty of them to flow in a second of time. Now as each interval must in this case be reckoned as a sensation likewise, as it might be filled up with a sound thereby making it a continued one; it follows, that we are capable of entertaining at least three hundred and twenty audible sensations in that period of time.”—Vide a Treatise on Time, by W. Watson, Jun. M. D. F. R. S. 8vo, 1785, page 32.
[7] The late Dr. Johnson was remarkably distinguished by certain peculiarities of action when his mind was deeply engaged. Sir Joshua Reynolds was of opinion “that it proceeded from a habit he had indulged himself in, of accompanying his thoughts with certain untoward actions.” “One instance of his absence, and particularity as it is characteristic of the man, may be worth relating. When he and I took a journey into the West, we visited the late Mr. Banks, of Dorsetshire; the conversation turning upon pictures, which Johnson could not well see, he retired to a corner of the room, stretching out his right leg as far as he could reach before him, then bringing up his left leg, and stretching his right still further on. The old gentleman observing him, went up to him, and in a very courteous manner assured him, that though it was not a new house, the flooring was perfectly safe. The Doctor started from his reverie like a person waked out of his sleep, but spoke not a word.”—Boswell’s Life of Dr. Johnson, vol. i. p. 76. In the same work other of his tricks are recorded, as talking to himself, measuring his steps in a mysterious manner, half whistling, clucking like a hen, rubbing his left knee, &c. Many sensible persons, with whom I am now acquainted, when particularly thoughtful, discover strange bodily motions, of which they are by no means conscious at the time.
[8] This gritty matter, subjected to chemical examination, was found to be phosphat of lime.
[9] This appearance I have found frequently to occur in maniacs who have suffered a violent paroxysm of considerable duration: and in such cases, when there has been an opportunity of inspecting the contents of the cranium after death, water has been found between the dura mater and tunica arachnoidea.
[10] Morbid Anatomy, page 304.