ing him nicknames, and his failure to obtain "justice," he concluded he must take the law into his own hands. He collected

weapons and fortified his house. He issued a proclamation that any attempt to take him would result in swimming in blood. He was committed in consequence to the Morningside Insane Hospital, where he was under the care of Drs. Skae and MacKinnon for twenty years.

He frequently attempted to murder them, under circumstances evincing great deliberation, cunning and premeditation. He had much difficulty, he said, in restraining himself from rising in the hospital chapel and braining Dr. MacKinnon with a chair.

For months he occupied himself in the manufacture of a lead slungshot with which he struck his attendant on the head.

His delusion of persecution, it was later shown, arose from the fact that he could not gain a hearing for his extravagant invention including the discovery of perpetual motion. In this case there was the clearest evidence. of the error of the dictum that insane projects are never affected by outside circumstances, for this man, evidently a pious christian, was only prevented from braining Dr. MacKinnon in the hospital chapel by the sanctity of the place and occasion.

The cases I have cited demonstrate the four propositionslaid down and afford a full basis for concluding that the question of motive should be the last thing considered in the diag nosis of insanity in a criminal; since the insane may commit crimes seemingly from sane motives; since the insane may commit crimes due to a logical ratiocination, based on delusive conceptions; since he may commit crimes based on insane motives yet allege for the same seemingly sane motives; since even an imperative conception which urges a lunatic to immediate action may be interfered with by a healthy conception thus producing an apparent vacillation in the lunatic's conduct. In other words motive is not per se a valid evidence of sanity in a criminal.

Editorial Department.

NOTES OF TRAVEL.

CROSSING THE ATLANTIC-HAMBURG-DENMARK-NORWAY.

Having in former numbers of the TIMES given sketches at random, of travel in various countries, I will now go back and touch upon the voyage over, and the countries first visited. Thus will these notes preserve their desultory character; for I do not wish them to degenerate into a mere chronological journal.

The sea voyage will be touched upon merely, for, to an American it has now become a very common thing. One may almost as well describe a journey to New York or Boston, as to London or Paris.

On the 7th of June, 1884, we sailed from New York in the steamer Westphalia of the Hamburg line. It was a good German steamer, and as we had no bad weather to speak of, of course we had a jolly time; for the pleasure of an ocean trip, it is scarcely necessary to say, depends almost entirely upon the weather. I enjoyed very much the views in the English Channel, which was full of vessels of every description. Sometimes 100 sail could be counted, all in full view. The trip was not a rapid one. We were twelve days reaching Hamburg. The country on each side of the river, as we approached Hamburg, was handsome. Blankanose is a beautiful village, on the left bank as we go up the river. It is built in a thick grove. In approaching it from the road, the houses must be nearly all out of sight. But as the village is on the hill side, and the trees but little above the houses, the roofs could all be seen from the river. Being composed of slate, of a grayish color, they presented a lively contrast to the bright green of the foliage, and the whole seen in the evening, with the lights flashing out here and there through the leaves, formed a picture, at once unique, picturesque and beautiful—a refreshing relief to the eye, after gazing so many days upon the blue expanse of ocean.

About nine o'clock in the evening arrived at Hamburg, and was soon being driven, for the first time in my life, over the stony streets of a European City. Hamburg is a beautiful city, with trees of luxuriant verdure. The streets are narrow but very clean, and the city is well supplied with parks and bodies of water.

At the St. Petersburg Hotel, where I stopped, I ate a beef-steak that stiH lingers pleasantly in the recollection. Then visited the panorama of the battle of Worth, and the art gallery, and soon after made arrangements for continuing my journey.

Remaining but two days in Hamburg, I proceeded by rail to Keil, thence by boat to Korsor, on the south coast of Denmark, thence by rail again to Copenhagen. This last portion of the trip was all the way through a handsome country. The railroad runs through the heart of the peninsula, with seven branches extending toward the sea. The towns we passed were small, the trees were small, and the animals seemed small. This last appearance may have been caused partly by the vastness of the sea I had left so lately.

June 21, in the evening of the same day on which we had left Hamburg, arrived at Copenhagen, and put up at the Dagmar Hotel, which I can recommend. Intending to stay a number of weeks in this City, I looked about, and was so fortunate as to find a suite of legant rooms belonging to a Professor in the University, who was gone from the City, and which I occupied in his absence.

I had a pleasant stay in Copenhagen, and improved the time in extending my acquaintance with Danish literature. While here had an interview with Herr Sverdrup, the Prime Minister of Norway. He could not speak the English language, but was considerate enough to speak his own slowly, I asked him the question direct, if he thought there would ever be a republican form of government in Norway. He' did not give a direct answer, but proceeded with a full history of events leading up the situa tion at that time, his object being to show that the Government was then imbued with republican principles, and that the grade of republicanism represented by the Government was, at least for the time being, satisfactory to the people.

I was on my way to attend the expected trial of Bjornson at Christiania, for dexamation of the King. Upon arriving at Copenhagen, was informed that a compromise had been effected between the liberal and conservative parties, one condition or incident of which was, Bjornson's discharg It is but just to him, however, to say, that he was no party to this compro

mise, but ever afterward denounced it.

The relations between the King of Denmark, Christian IX, and his parliament, were at that time much strained, and had been for years. The chief cause, or at least the one upon the surface, was his refusal to dismiss his prime minister, who was very distasteful to the lower house. The Legislative Assembly of Denmark consists of two bodies; the lower, the Folkething, had at that time 101 members, elected by the people. An elector must be 30 years of age. There was no property qualification, except that the elector must not be insolvent, and must have a domicil of his own. About one seventh of the people are voters.

The Landsthing consisted of 66 members. 12 were appointed by the King. The others were elected by the people indirectly. That is to say the electors were elected. There were different classes of first electors, this part of the system, being somewhat complicated.. The qualification depends upon the amount of taxation, and in the cities, on the amount-of income. In the City of Copenhagen, there are two classes of voters. One class is the same as the electors of the Folkething. The other must have an annual income of 3,000 crowns; (about $840.)

The Supreme Court consisted of 13 members, who were appointed by the King, The judges of the lower court were appointed in the same way. The salary of the supreme judges was 8,000 kronors; (about $2,240.) They were appointed for life, except that the King could retire them after they had become 60 years of age.

All the judicial, proceedings in the lower courts were in writing. In the Supreme Court only was there oral argument. There are three grades of courts-courts of the first, second and third Instance; but in Copenhagen only two. The Superior Court or Court of Second Instance, was held by five judges, sitting together. Their system of law is not the civil law of the continent, nor the common law of England, since it is as old as that or older. The same principles of right and justice underlie it, and upon these the advocate falls back, upon failure of adjudicated case or legislative enactment. The latest complete codification of the laws is that of 1683, under Christian V.

Copenhagen is a handsome city, and was then being built up rapidly in some quarters, in the modern style of architecture.

On the 6th of August, 1884, I took the steamer "Dronning Looise“ (Queen Louisa-she was queen of Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway) for Christiania. This trip was in every way pleasant and agreeable. The weather was fine, and the sea exceptionally calm. Much of the time the

first day, we were in sight of Denmark.

Early the next morning we approached the coast of Norway. Here are the bold and rocky mountains, with scanty timber, and fringed on the sea with neat villages, the houses of which are nearly all painted white. Every house, however old, appears to have been newly painted within two or three years..

About twelve o'clock we came in sight of Christiania. We had been for some time steaming along through "Christiania Fjord." Now we are in the midst of the Fjord, and as we approach Christiania, one of the most beautiful sights is presented that I ever beheld.

All around, the view is bounded by mountains of a rolling appearance, rearing their huge backs in such a manner as well might countenance the tradition that giants lay sleeping beneath them. In the intermediate distance, rocky islands, on some of which are the houses of fishermen. The weather is clear and beautiful, but there is a slight, hazy mist over all, through which the bright rays of the sun are struggling for recognition, giving a dreamy splendor to the scene.

C. B. W.

IN MEMORIAM.

WILLIAM BRACKETT.

Horace says, that even Time himself cannot deprive us of pleasures. once enjoyed. This was a favorite quotation of the poet by him whose name stands at the head of this article; and as the recollection comes back to the mind there come with it a host of pleasant memories of my old friend, my business partner, and for many years my intimate companion. William Brackett was a man who will be long and pleasantly remembered by whose who knew him, and the most pleasantly and affectionately by those who knew him best.

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He was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, New York, in 1820. He was educated at Harvard College, Class of 1843, and in the Harvard Law School. Blessed by nature with rare mental endowments, these were disciplined by a thorough education, and enriched by stores of classical learning.

He practiced law in Avon, New York, where he was a partner of W. H. C. Hosmer, the poet. He went to Rock Island in 1848, and in 1850, formed