ion is in finding out the way to keep the Child's Spirit easy,
active and free; and yet, at the same time, to restrain him from many
things he has a mind to, and to draw him to things which are uneasy to
him." Even with the more violent and vociferous maniacs, it will be
found best to approach them with mild and soft persuasion. Every pains
should be taken to excite in the patient's mind a desire of esteem.
Though this may not be sufficiently powerful to enable them to resist
the strong irregular tendency of their disease; yet, _when properly
cultivated_, it may lead many to struggle to overcome and conceal their
morbid propensities, or at least, to confine their deviations within
such bounds as do not make them obnoxious to those about them. This
struggle is highly beneficial to the patient; by strengthening his mind,
and conducing to a salutary habit of self-restraint, an object, no
doubt, of the greatest importance to the care of insanity by _moral
means_.

It frequently occurs, that one mark of insanity is a fixed false
conception, and a total incapacity of reasoning. In _such_ cases, it is
generally advisable to avoid reasoning[24] with them, as it irritates
and rivets their false perception more strongly on the mind. On this
account, every means ought to be taken to seduce the mind from unhappy
and favourite musings; and particularly with melancholic patients; they
should freely partake of bodily exercises, walking, riding,
conversations, innocent sports, and a variety of other amusements; they
should be gratified with birds, deer, rabbits, etc. Of all the modes by
which maniacs may be induced to restrain themselves, regular employment
is perhaps the most efficacious; and those kind of employments are to be
preferred, both on a moral and physical account, which are accompanied
by considerable bodily action, most agreeable to the patient, and most
opposite to the illusions of his disease.

In short the patient should be always treated as much like a rational
being as the state of his mind will possibly allow. In order that he may
display his knowledge to the best advantage, such topics should be
introduced as will be most likely to interest him; if he is a mechanic
or an agriculturalist, he should be asked questions relating to his art,
and consulted upon any occasion in which his knowledge may be useful.
These considerations are undoubtedly very material, as they regard the
comforts of insane persons; but they ar