ened judgment and experience of coming generations, and that any system which holds the present grasped by the dead hand of a former generation is a conspiracy against human liberty, human progress, human welfare.

DISCUSSION OF DR. WAYLAND'S PAPER.

The debate opened with the reading by the secretary, Mr. Sanborn, of a letter, which was introduced with the remark that a waiter from the neighborhood of Monticello, in recommending some Virginia claret to a guest, spoke of it as having been made on the land formerly owned by "old Colonel Jefferson of Albemarle." The person thus designated, said Mr. Sanborn, was one of those whose words on any subject would command attention, and who had several times expressed himself on this subject. He then read from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Earle, of Philadelphia, dated Monticello, Sept. 24, 1823

That our Creator made the earth for the use of the living, and not of the dead; that those who exist not can have no use nor rights in it, no authority or power over it; that one generation of men cannot foreclose or burden its use to another, which comes to it in their own right, and by the same divine beneficence; that a preceding generation cannot bind a succeeding one by its laws or contracts, these deriving their obligation from the will of the existing majority, and that majority being removed by death, another comes in its place, with a will equally free to make its own laws and contracts,—these are axioms so selfevident that no explanation can make them plainer; for he is not to be reasoned with who says that non-existence can control existence, or that nothing can move something. They are axioms, also, pregnant with salutary consequences. The laws of civil society, indeed, for the encouragement of industry, give the property of the parent to his family on his death, and, in most civilized countries, permit him to give it by testament to whom he pleases. And it is also found more convenient to suffer the laws to stand on our implied assent as if positively re-enacted, until the existing majority positively repeals them; but this does not lessen the right of that majority to repeal, whenever a change of circumstances or of will calls for it. Habit alone confounds civil practice with natural right.

Mr. Sanborn said that the occasion of this letter was the sending by Thomas Earle (who was a Philadelphia lawyer and an older brother of Dr. Pliny Earle, the veteran writer on insanity) to Thomas Jefferson of a pamphlet written by Mr. Earle, attacking the then recent Dartmouth College decision of Chief Justice Marshall. In his reply to the letter accompanying this pamphlet, "old Colonel Jefferson," then eighty years of age, reiterated certain well-known opinions of his, but had never condensed them into a form so concise as here.

Mr. KINGSBURY.-I believe Mr. Jefferson is dead, is he not? (Great laughter.)

Mr. SANBORN.- No doubt, but, as the stone-cutter's apprentice said on the tombstone of the shrill-voiced minister of his parish,

"Being dead, he yet squeaketh." Indeed, the voice of Mr. Jefferson, whether dead or alive, has a fuller tone than such a "nice derangement of epitaphs" would imply; and, where he compresses his argument into so small a compass as here, it is difficult to refute him. He believed that truth and good sense did not die with the utterer, but could be inherited without injury to any of the successors. As for bequests for religious uses, I will cite an authority which I am sure Mr. Kingsbury will not question,-Daniel Webster, arguing a will-case in Boston about 1823. Mr. Webster said that, when a Spanish grandee was dying, the priest stood at the foot of his bed, and said, "Is it your wish that all your estates in Andalusia should go to the Holy Church for the benefit of your soul?" The dying man bowed his head. "And is it your wish that all your estates in Castile should also go to the Holy Church?" The dying man bowed his head. At this point, the son of the dying testator thought it time to interpose. "Father, is it your wish that I should take your gold-headed cane and drive this priest out of the room?" The dying father bowed his head in token of assent; and it was done.

Rev. Dr. LAWSON, of Boston, was of the opinion that the number of foolish wills was not overestimated in the paper, and that the absurdities mentioned were appropriately cited; for people need something of that kind to open their eyes to the importance of necessary changes. He happened to be on a committee which received propositions for bequests to an educational institution, and he had seen a great many just as foolish as those quoted by Dr. Wayland. Dr. Lawson favored the idea of a man's giving away all the money he proposed to give during his lifetime, for then he could see that it was applied according to his wishes.

NOTE CONCERNING RICHARD WATTS.

As some injustice may be done to the memory of this good man, who meant well, whatever may be the result of his good intentions, we copy from the annals of Kent, and other sources, additional information concerning him :

Mr. Richard Watts, of Rochester, in Kent, by his will dated Aug. 22, 1579, ordered: "That, after the marriage or death of his wife, his principal dwelling house, called Satis, on Bully-hill, with its appurtenances and his plate and household furniture, should be sold; and, after some legacies paid thereout, the residue should be placed out at interest by the mayor and citizens of Rochester, for the perpetual support of an almshouse then erected and standing near the Market cross in Rochester, and that there should be added thereto six rooms, with a chimney in each, for the comfort and abiding of the poor within the city; and that there should be made therein convenient places for six good matrices or flock beds, and other good and sufficient furniture for poor travellers or wayfaring men to lodge in, being no common rogues nor proctors,

for no longer time than one night, unless sickness should detain them; and that the above-mentioned poor folk dwelling therein should keep themselves sweet and neat, and behave themselves civilly to the said poor travellers, each of whom at their first coming in should have fourpence, and should warm themselves at the fire of the poor, dwelling in the said house, if need be."

One-fifth of this fund is now paid to St. Margaret's parish, and two-fifteenths to the parish of Stroud. The remaining two-thirds are in the use of the mayor and citizens of Rochester. In 1782 it amounted to near £500 a year. What is not needed for the almshouse or for the "poor travellers" is appropriated by the city of Rochester to their ordinary poor expenses. In 1771 the house was put in repair by the city. At that time the travellers were admitted there, and received lodging and entertainment according to the original design. In 1808 the travellers received their four groats each, on application to the mayor, but were not admitted into the house, as proposed. From Dickens's account, it appears that it was in 1855 administered as at first. For, although the inscription on the front of the house represents that they are entitled to entertainment and fourpence each, it is evident from the will itself that it was not intended that they should receive other food than what they could purchase, each with his fourpence.

The exclusion of proctors from the benefits of the will, together with persons known as common rogues, arose, it is said, from an experience of Mr. Watts, which gave him a strong prejudice against men in that line of the legal profession. He was travelling on the Continent and fell sick. He sent for a proctor, and directed him to make his will, which he did. Mr. Watts recovered, however, and, being able, therefore, to examine the will, found that the proctor had made over all the estates to himself, instead of giving them the direction intended. He thenceforward seems to have regarded proctors as uncommon rogues. It will be observed that his dwelling-house bore the name of Satis. It gained this name on occasion of a visit from Queen Elizabeth. At her departure he apologized to her for the smallness and inconvenience of his house. She replied by the single word Satis, and this became the name of the residence. The mansion on its site still bears that name.-F. B. S.

II. PAPERS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

I. INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION FOR THE DEFECTIVE

CLASSES.

In the absence of President Scovel and Mr. H. G. Wadlin, the chairman and secretary of the Department of Education, who had arranged to bring forward reports and promote a discussion on Manual Training, Dr. E. M. Gallaudet, president of the Deafmute College at Washington, opened a debate on "Industrial Education for the Defective Classes," by speaking of the manual training now given in schools for the deaf and the blind. He said that, owing to the difficulty of getting employment for these classes, it is necessary to establish shops for their instruction and employment in the several schools. The deaf-mutes in this country are self-supporting in a larger proportion than those in a normal condition. The same can be said as to temperance, morality, etc. This is because every deaf-mute has a chance to learn a trade, whereas, under the restrictive rules of the Trades-union, this is hard for the normally endowed classes. Many of the deaf-mutes are prosperous. This fact has a strong bearing on the wisdom of giving industrial education in all our schools. In Europe, the industrial education of deaf-mutes has often included art instruction, with excellent results. In France there are two or three eminent deaf sculptors. Labor-saving machines have not interfered with this education. To the credit of the trades-unions, they do not oppose the entry of these persons into their handicrafts. If they learn a trade and do not like it, they can easily acquire another; for they have been taught to apply themselves. He thought that, if industrial schools were introduced in the public education system, the youth would do better than at present.

Gen. BRINKERHOFF.*—The industrial employment of the insane both of women and of men, is a subject in which I have been very much interested for many years; and I am fully satisfied of its great value. In fact, the great advance in the care of the insane during the past ten years, which has resulted in the aboli

* For many years a member of the Ohio Board of State Charities.

tion of mechanical restraints in a large number of our State asylums, is due to the industrial employment of patients more than to all other causes combined. I have visited nearly all of the great asylums this side of the Rocky Mountains; and I always found the condition of the insane improved, pari passu, with their industrial employment.

I think the term hygienic, perhaps, is better than industrial; for the purpose of such employment is wholly hygienic, and not for profit; and yet, the more useful or profitable such employment is made, the better it is for the patient. In Ohio, where mechanical restraints are substantially eliminated from our State asylums, we have accomplished this result, in the main, by interesting our patients in some useful occupation. Of course, amusements are helpful; but industrial occupations are more helpful.

As a rule, it is found easier to interest male patients in active industries than female patients. At the Norristown Hospital, Pennsylvania, where seventy-five per cent. of the male patients are engaged in industrial employments, less than fifty of the female patients are thus occupied. One of the most successful institutions I have seen in the use of industrial occupations was the Hospital for Insane Criminals at Auburn, N.Y., lately under Dr. McDonald; but the patients were mostly men.

Probably the most successful asylum in this country, or in any other, in the industrial employment of the insane, is the Alabama Hospital at Tuskaloosa, under Dr. Peter Bryce; but, unlike other asylums, more females than males are thus employed. In fact, ninety per cent. of the female patients are engaged in industrial occupations, and fifty per cent. of male patients; and the beneficial results are correspondingly conspicuous. In order to be sure of my statements in this case, I recently wrote to Dr. Bryce; and, since my arrival at Saratoga, I have received his reply, which I will now read to you.

DR. BRYCE'S LETTER TO GENERAL BRINKERHOFF.

My dear General,- I am glad to learn from yours of the 17th inst., postmarked the 20th, that you may have something to say at the approaching Social Science meeting on "the training of insane women in domestic industry"; and I feel complimented that you should apply to me for facts and figures, with the pleasant affirmation that you think we are in advance of other hospitals in the employment of women.

There is nothing in the modern treatment of the insane of so