A short account of the progress made in building the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum.

Date:
[1812]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A short account of the progress made in building the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN BUILDING THE EDINBURGH LUNATIC ASYLUM. (From the Scots Magazinefor March 1812.) HPHE building of two of the wings I of the Lunatic Asylum of Edinburgh is now far advanced; and, there is reason to hope, that some parts of this extensive under- taking will be opened for the recep- tion of unfortunate maniacs in less than twelve months. Some time ago, the Presbytery of Edinburgh unanimously agreed to recommend it to all the ministers within their bounds to make a col- lection at the doors of their respec- tive churches, for carrying on this building; and, on Sunday the 8th of March last, a collection was made, at the doors of many places of public worship in the city of Edinburgh, for this necessary and benevolent purpose. This intend- ed collection was intimated from the pulpits, on Sunday the 1st March ; and many of the clergy re- commended this charitable esta- blishment to their congregations in the strongest terms. We are in- formed, that one respectable cler- gyman, after reading the represen- tation from the Managers of the asylum, addressed his hearers near- ly in the following words— “ My Dear Friends—I shall not detain you at present with any te- dious exhortation. It is one great object of the instructions which you hear from your established pastors, to form you to ‘ that charity which is the fulfilling of the law, and the bond of perfectness and your con- duct hitherto hath given us no cause to complain that ( we have run in vain, arid laboured in vain.’ “ The institution for which I plead at present is intended to alle- viate and remedy a species of di- stress, the most deplorable to which in this imperfect state we are liable. “ I appeal to your own hearts, while I look around this numerous assembly; I ask you all in succes- sion, Whether, excepting the mise- ry which arises from conscious guilt, there is another species of distress which you would more earnestly in- treat the Almighty to avert from yourselves, and from all who are dear to you. “ I need not wait for a reply. I know it is your earnest prayer, that, whatever else may befal you^ whe- ther poverty or pain, or sickness or death, it may please the Lord, even to the last, to preserve to you the exercise of your reason, which is the image of himself within you. “ If this then be a prayer which you would offer up for yourselves and your friends, pity the condition of those for whom I now request your charity ; and come to the house of God, to testify your gra- titude to him, for his goodness to you, by showing kindness to some of the most wretched of his off- spring.’’ This short, but energetic, address had probably a good effect on many of the hearers. And, we are not without hopes, that it will also have some influence on many readers. We subjoin a list of subscriptions lately received by Mr Bonar, Banker, Royal Exchange, Treasu- rer to the Asylum. And, as exam- ple goes even farther than precept, it is to be hoped that this also will have a good effect. SUBSCRIPTIONS .