Dear Sir,
The privilege of long acquaintance, and a sufficient experience of thekindness of your disposition, might be an adequate inducement todedicate the following pages to your notice. To this offering, I amhowever impelled by motives, which boast a higher descent, and moreenlightened character:—an admiration of your superior talents, and theadaptation of those excellent endowments, to the advancement andhappiness[Pg iv] of the human race,—and by which you have been enabled
The subjects to which I now solicit the permission of prefixing yourname, were once your favourite study; and I am induced to consider yourprofound researches into the nature and constitution of the humanintellect, as the basis of that high reputation, you now so deservedlymaintain among the wise and dignified of your contemporaries.
I am, Dear Sir,
with respect, esteem,
and the kindest feelings,
Your very obedient servant,
JOHN HASLAM.
The indulgence of the public has been already extended to several workswhich I have submitted to its decision on the subject of Insanity; andthe same favourable interpretation is now solicited for the presentperformance,—which attempts the more difficult investigation of SoundMind. In treating of Mental Derangement, I became very early sensible,that a competent knowledge of the faculties and operations of theIntellect in its healthy state, was indispensably[Pg vi] necessary to him, whoprofessed to describe its disorders:—that in order to define theaberrations, the standard should be fixed. There was indeed no lack oftheories and systems of Metaphysic; and although they essentiallydiffered, many possessed the highest reputation. Amidst this distractionof conflicting opinions, which no mediator could adequatelyreconcile,—without daring to contend with a host of discrepancies, orpresuming to demolish the lofty edifices which scholastic Pneumatologyhad reared,—I determined to throw off the shackles of authority, andthink for myself. For it was evident, on the freehold ground ofliterature, that there is "ample room and verge enough" for every man tobuild his own tenement;—and[Pg vii] the present construction is too lowly tointercept another's prospect, and without those ornaments that mightprovoke the jealousy, or challenge the rivalship of surrounding inhabitants.
The mind of every rational person may be considered as an elaboratory,wherein he may conduct psychological experiments:—he is enabled toanalyze his own acquirement,—and if he b