He paints with the
left hand. There are several other fine things by him in the exhibition.
Maclise, another Irish artist, has a picture in the exhibition,
representing a dramatic author offering his piece to an actor. The story
is told in Gil Blas. It is a miracle of execution, though it has the fault
of hardness and too equal a distribution of light. I have no time to speak
more at large of this exhibition, and my letter is already too long.
This afternoon we sail for Liverpool.
Letter XXVI.
The Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell.
London, _July_ 28, 1845.
Since we came to England we have visited the Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell, in
the neighborhood of London. It is a large building, divided into numerous
apartments, with the plainest accommodations, for the insane poor of the
county of Middlesex. It is superintended by Dr. Conolly, who is most
admirably fitted for the place he fills, by his great humanity, sagacity,
and ingenuity.
I put these qualities together as necessary to each other. Mere humanity,
without tact and skill, would fail deplorably. The rude and coarse methods
of government which consist in severity, are the most obvious ones; they
suggest themselves to the dullest minds, and cost nothing but bodily
strength to put them in execution; the gentler methods require reflection,
knowledge, and dexterity.
