IT appears necessary to explain the somewhat abrupt commencement of this
Essay on Classification. It was written, and even a great part of it
printed, as a continuation of my defence in the case of Allen _v._
Dutton; but during the progress of printing, I soon became weary of this
defensive attitude; and I also soon discovered, that so far from the
ex-parte and perfectly false statements which were reported of the trial
having any injurious influence, they rapidly expedited my success.
Thanks to the zeal and exertion of all those friends who were anxious to
counteract the effect which these falsehoods were calculated to make
against me; they spoke from personal experience, and with all the ardour
which gratitude and justice could inspire.
The design, therefore, of publishing it as a part and continuation of my
defence, was gladly abandoned. Many of the first sheets, however,
containing no improper allusion to this case, remain: I mention this,
because it accounts for that which might otherwise appear an abrupt
commencement, especially to those who have not previously read that
defence. On this account, I shall bind up that defence, (without
additional expense) at the end of this Essay, for those who may wish to
have this connexion before them. It is necessary, also, to inform the
reader of the origin of this Essay, for another reason, in order that he
may understand (and I trust, also, under such circumstances, he will
excuse) why there is so much personal minuteness in describing our system
of procedure and exertions, which could not, and would not, otherwise,
have been obtruded on the public.
But if, after being thus justified and compelled to come forth in my
defence, the matter should be found useful, either to myself or mankind,
it would be foolish affectation to seem to feel shame and regret by too
anxiously apologising and explaining the origin and consequent peculiar
complexion of this publication, or of those which may follow in regular
succession. And it is a truth, that it has increased my zeal and
strengthened my resolve to prosecute that most useful of all studies, the
study of mind,—its errors and diseases, with, I trust, so ardent a love
of the truth, that I earnestly pray I may be enabled to trace every error
to its source; for so much does the ground appear to me to be untrodden,
that I pray also, that opportunity, life, health, and encouragement may
be given me to complete the work I have to do, that, however slender my
talents may be, I may yet feel that they have not been given me
altogether in vain.
In explaining in this Essay all the plans necessary to the moral and
physical purposes of an efficient system of Classification, I have had
slightly to introduce many cases and subjects to illustrate my present
purpose; and feeling that I had not done them or myself justice, I have
said, on these occasions, I shall hereafter treat this case or subject
more amply in that part of the work in which they will be more directly
and specifically introduced.
Having thus incidently introduced many subjects without their being under
any specific head or title, I shall, to enable the reader to form some
conception of the matter, give in the contents something like a minute
dissection of the whole.
From all this, and also from what I say in my former work on Insanity, as
well as in Allen _v._ Dutton, it will be seen that I have been induced
to give pledge after pledge so repeatedly, that it becomes a serious
matter, “partaking of the nature of a solemn obligation;” if, therefore,
I fail to exert myself to redeem these pledges, I cannot have the excuse
of those who promise without even intending to perform.
In the preliminary remarks of Allen _v._ Dutton, I say at the conclusion,
“I find I must do even more than this, (meaning the defence); for my
defence would still be imperfect without a short statement of my views on
the insane. For this purpose, I propose to write the following Essays: