Page:The Harveian oration 1866.djvu/36

 ing to Pinel that he would fall a victim to his temerity.

Then did Pinel, by one courageous and decisive experiment, prove for ever the soothing influence of humanity and kindness. He began by releasing twelve of the madmen from their chains. How instructive are some of the details (x)! what a picture is that of the first who was unchained, the English captain, of whose history no one knew anything, except that he had been in chains for five and forty years. He was regarded as the most dangerous of all, for in a fit of fury he had killed one of his keepers with a single blow of his manacles. Pinel enters his cell alone, and addresses him calmly, "Captain, if I were to have your irons removed, and give you liberty to walk in the court, would you promise me to be reasonable and not to hurt anybody?" "I promise; but you are making game of me; they are too much afraid, and so are you." "I'm not afraid, for I've six men at hand to make me respected, if necessary; but take my word, I will give you your liberty, if you will let this waistcoat be put on you instead of the irons." The captain submits willingly, shrugging his shoulders, without