Ihadheard，atParis，thattheinstitutionofMonsieurMaillardwasmanageduponwhatisvulgarlytermedthe“systemofsoothing“thatallpunishmentswereavoidedthatevenconfinementwasseldomresortedtothatthepatients，whilesecretlywatched，wereleftmuchapparentliberty，andthatmostofthemwerepermittedtoroamaboutthehouseandgroundsintheordinaryapparelofpersonsinrightmind。
　　Keepingtheseimpressionsinview，IwascautiousinwhatIsaidbeforetheyounglady；forIcouldnotbesurethatshewassane；
　　and，infact，therewasacertainrestlessbrilliancyabouthereyeswhichhalfledmetoimagineshewasnot。Iconfinedmyremarks，therefore，togeneraltopics，andtosuchasIthoughtwouldnotbedispleasingorexcitingeventoalunatic。SherepliedinaperfectlyrationalmannertoallthatIsaid；andevenheroriginalobservationsweremarkedwiththesoundestgoodsense，butalongacquaintancewiththemetaphysicsofmania，hadtaughtmetoputnofaithinsuchevidenceofsanity，andIcontinuedtopractise，throughouttheinterview，thecautionwithwhichIcommencedit。
　　Presentlyasmartfootmaninliverybroughtinatraywithfruit，wine，andotherrefreshments，ofwhichIpartook，theladysoonafterwardleavingtheroom。AsshedepartedIturnedmyeyesinaninquiringmannertowardmyhost。
　　“No。”hesaid，“oh，noamemberofmyfamilymyniece，andamostaccomplishedwoman。”
　　“Ibegathousandpardonsforthesuspicion。”Ireplied，“butofcourseyouwillknowhowtoexcuseme。TheexcellentadministrationofyouraffairshereiswellunderstoodinParis，andIthoughtitjustpossible，youknow-
　　“Yes，yessaynomoreorratheritismyselfwhoshouldthankyouforthecommendableprudenceyouhavedisplayed。Weseldomfindsomuchofforethoughtinyoungmen；and，morethanonce，someunhappycontre-tempshasoccurredinconsequenceofthoughtlessnessonthepartofourvisitors。Whilemyformersystemwasinoperation，andmypatientswerepermittedtheprivilegeofroamingtoandfroatwill，theywereoftenarousedtoadangerousfrenzybyinjudiciouspersonswhocalledtoinspectthehouse。HenceIwasobligedtoenforcearigidsystemofexclusion；andnoneobtainedaccesstothepremisesuponwhosediscretionIcouldnotrely。”
　　“Whileyourformersystemwasinoperation！”Isaid，repeatinghiswords“doIunderstandyou，then，tosaythatthe’soothingsystem’ofwhichIhaveheardsomuchisnolongerinforce？”
　　“Itisnow。”hereplied，“severalweekssincewehaveconcludedtorenounceitforever。”
　　“Indeed！youastonishme！”
　　“Wefoundit，sir。”hesaid，withasigh，“absolutelynecessarytoreturntotheoldusages。Thedangerofthesoothingsystemwas，atalltimes，appalling；anditsadvantageshavebeenmuchoverrated。I
　　believe，sir，thatinthishouseithasbeengivenafairtrial，ifeverinany。Wedideverythingthatrationalhumanitycouldsuggest。
　　Iamsorrythatyoucouldnothavepaidusavisitatanearlierperiod，thatyoumighthavejudgedforyourself。ButIpresumeyouareconversantwiththesoothingpracticewithitsdetails。”
　　“Notaltogether。WhatIhaveheardhasbeenatthirdorfourthhand。”
　　“Imaystatethesystem，then，ingeneralterms，asoneinwhichthepatientsweremenages-humored。Wecontradictednofancieswhichenteredthebrainsofthemad。Onthecontrary，wenotonlyindulgedbutencouragedthem；andmanyofourmostpermanentcureshavebeenthuseffected。Thereisnoargumentwhichsotouchesthefeeblereasonofthemadmanastheargumentumadabsurdum。Wehavehadmen，forexample，whofanciedthemselveschickens。Thecurewas，toinsistuponthethingasafacttoaccusethepatientofstupidityinnotsufficientlyperceivingittobeafactandthustorefusehimanyotherdietforaweekthanthatwhichproperlyappertainstoachicken。Inthismanneralittlecornandgravelweremadetoperformwonders。”
　　“Butwasthisspeciesofacquiescenceall？”
　　“Bynomeans。Weputmuchfaithinamusementsofasimplekind，suchasmusic，dancing，gymnasticexercisesgenerally，cards，certainclassesofbooks，andsoforth。Weaffectedtotreateachindividualasifforsomeordinaryphysicaldisorder，andtheword’lunacy’wasneveremployed。Agreatpointwastoseteachlunatictoguardtheactionsofalltheothers。Toreposeconfidenceintheunderstandingordiscretionofamadman，istogainhimbodyandsoul。Inthiswaywewereenabledtodispensewithanexpensivebodyofkeepers。”
　　“Andyouhadnopunishmentsofanykind？”
　　“None。”
　　“Andyouneverconfinedyourpatients？”
　　“Veryrarely。Nowandthen，themaladyofsomeindividualgrowingtoacrisis，ortakingasuddenturnoffury，weconveyedhimtoasecretcell，lesthisdisordershouldinfecttherest，andtherekepthimuntilwecoulddismisshimtohisfriendsforwiththeragingmaniacwehavenothingtodo。Heisusuallyremovedtothepublichospitals。”
　　“Andyouhavenowchangedallthisandyouthinkforthebetter？”
　　“Decidedly。Thesystemhaditsdisadvantages，andevenitsdangers。
　　Itisnow，happily，explodedthroughoutalltheMaisonsdeSanteofFrance。”
　　“Iamverymuchsurprised。”Isaid，“atwhatyoutellme；forImadesurethat，atthismoment，noothermethodoftreatmentformaniaexistedinanyportionofthecountry。”
　　“Youareyoungyet，myfriend。”repliedmyhost，“butthetimewillarrivewhenyouwilllearntojudgeforyourselfofwhatisgoingonintheworld，withouttrustingtothegossipofothers。Believenothingyouhear，andonlyone-halfthatyousee。NowaboutourMaisonsdeSante，itisclearthatsomeignoramushasmisledyou。
　　Afterdinner，however，whenyouhavesufficientlyrecoveredfromthefatigueofyourride，Iwillbehappytotakeyouoverthehouse，andintroducetoyouasystemwhich，inmyopinion，andinthatofeveryonewhohaswitnesseditsoperation，isincomparablythemosteffectualasyetdevised。”
　　“Yourown？”Iinquired“oneofyourowninvention？”
　　“Iamproud。”hereplied，“toacknowledgethatitisatleastinsomemeasure。”
　　InthismannerIconversedwithMonsieurMaillardforanhourortwo，duringwhichheshowedmethegardensandconservatoriesoftheplace。
　　“Icannotletyouseemypatients。”hesaid，“justatpresent。Toasensitivemindthereisalwaysmoreorlessoftheshockinginsuchexhibitions；andIdonotwishtospoilyourappetitefordinner。Wewilldine。IcangiveyousomevealalaMenehoult，withcauliflowersinveloutesauceafterthataglassofClosdeVougeotthenyournerveswillbesufficientlysteadied。”
　　Atsix，dinnerwasannounced；andmyhostconductedmeintoalargesalleamanger，whereaverynumerouscompanywereassembled
　　twenty-fiveorthirtyinall。Theywere，apparently，peopleofrank-certainlyofhighbreedingalthoughtheirhabiliments，I
　　thought，wereextravagantlyrich，partakingsomewhattoomuchoftheostentatiousfineryoftheviellecour。Inoticedthatatleasttwo-thirdsoftheseguestswereladies；andsomeofthelatterwerebynomeansaccoutredinwhataParisianwouldconsidergoodtasteatthepresentday。Manyfemales，forexample，whoseagecouldnothavebeenlessthanseventywerebedeckedwithaprofusionofjewelry，suchasrings，bracelets，andearrings，andworetheirbosomsandarmsshamefullybare。Iobserved，too，thatveryfewofthedresseswerewellmadeor，atleast，thatveryfewofthemfittedthewearers。Inlookingabout，IdiscoveredtheinterestinggirltowhomMonsieurMaillardhadpresentedmeinthelittleparlor；butmysurprisewasgreattoseeherwearingahoopandfarthingale，withhigh-heeledshoes，andadirtycapofBrusselslace，somuchtoolargeforherthatitgaveherfacearidiculouslydiminutiveexpression。WhenIhadfirstseenher，shewasattired，mostbecomingly，indeepmourning。Therewasanairofoddity，inshort，aboutthedressofthewholeparty，which，atfirst，causedmetorecurtomyoriginalideaofthe“soothingsystem。”andtofancythatMonsieurMaillardhadbeenwillingtodeceivemeuntilafterdinner，thatImightexperiencenouncomfortablefeelingsduringtherepast，atfindingmyselfdiningwithlunatics；butIrememberedhavingbeeninformed，inParis，thatthesouthernprovincialistswereapeculiarlyeccentricpeople，withavastnumberofantiquatednotions；andthen，too，uponconversingwithseveralmembersofthecompany，myapprehensionswereimmediatelyandfullydispelled。
　　Thedining-roomitself，althoughperhapssufficientlycomfortableandofgooddimensions，hadnothingtoomuchofeleganceaboutit。Forexample，thefloorwasuncarpeted；inFrance，however，acarpetisfrequentlydispensedwith。Thewindows，too，werewithoutcurtains；
　　theshutters，beingshut，weresecurelyfastenedwithironbars，applieddiagonally，afterthefashionofourordinaryshop-shutters。
　　Theapartment，Iobserved，formed，initself，awingofthechateau，andthusthewindowswereonthreesidesoftheparallelogram，thedoorbeingattheother。Therewerenolessthantenwindowsinall。
　　Thetablewassuperblysetout。Itwasloadedwithplate，andmorethanloadedwithdelicacies。Theprofusionwasabsolutelybarbaric。
　　ThereweremeatsenoughtohavefeastedtheAnakim。Never，inallmylife，hadIwitnessedsolavish，sowastefulanexpenditureofthegoodthingsoflife。Thereseemedverylittletaste，however，inthearrangements；andmyeyes，accustomedtoquietlights，weresadlyoffendedbytheprodigiousglareofamultitudeofwaxcandles，which，insilvercandelabra，weredepositeduponthetable，andallabouttheroom，whereveritwaspossibletofindaplace。Therewereseveralactiveservantsinattendance；and，uponalargetable，atthefartherendoftheapartment，wereseatedsevenoreightpeoplewithfiddles，fifes，trombones，andadrum。Thesefellowsannoyedmeverymuch，atintervals，duringtherepast，byaninfinitevarietyofnoises，whichwereintendedformusic，andwhichappearedtoaffordmuchentertainmenttoallpresent，withtheexceptionofmyself。
　　Uponthewhole，IcouldnothelpthinkingthattherewasmuchofthebizarreabouteverythingIsawbutthentheworldismadeupofallkindsofpersons，withallmodesofthought，andallsortsofconventionalcustoms。Ihadtravelled，too，somuch，astobequiteanadeptattheniladmirari；soItookmyseatverycoollyattherighthandofmyhost，and，havinganexcellentappetite，didjusticetothegoodcheersetbeforeme。
　　Theconversation，inthemeantime，wasspiritedandgeneral。Theladies，asusual，talkedagreatdeal。Isoonfoundthatnearlyallthecompanywerewelleducated；andmyhostwasaworldofgood-humoredanecdoteinhimself。HeseemedquitewillingtospeakofhispositionassuperintendentofaMaisondeSante；and，indeed，thetopicoflunacywas，muchtomysurprise，afavoriteonewithallpresent。Agreatmanyamusingstoriesweretold，havingreferencetothewhimsofthepatients。
　　“Wehadafellowhereonce。”saidafatlittlegentleman，whosatatmyright，“afellowthatfanciedhimselfatea-pot；andbytheway，isitnotespeciallysingularhowoftenthisparticularcrotchethasenteredthebrainofthelunatic？ThereisscarcelyaninsaneasyluminFrancewhichcannotsupplyahumantea-pot。OurgentlemanwasaBritanniawaretea-pot，andwascarefultopolishhimselfeverymorningwithbuckskinandwhiting。”
　　“Andthen。”saidatallmanjustopposite，“wehadhere，notlongago，apersonwhohadtakenitintohisheadthathewasadonkey
　　whichallegoricallyspeaking，youwillsay，wasquitetrue。Hewasatroublesomepatient；andwehadmuchadotokeephimwithinbounds。
　　Foralongtimehewouldeatnothingbutthistles；butofthisideawesooncuredhimbyinsistinguponhiseatingnothingelse。Thenhewasperpetuallykickingouthisheels-so-so-“
　　“Mr。DeKock！Iwillthankyoutobehaveyourself！”hereinterruptedanoldlady，whosatnexttothespeaker。“Pleasekeepyourfeettoyourself！Youhavespoiledmybrocade！Isitnecessary，pray，toillustratearemarkinsopracticalastyle？Ourfriendherecansurelycomprehendyouwithoutallthis。Uponmyword，youarenearlyasgreatadonkeyasthepoorunfortunateimaginedhimself。Youractingisverynatural，asIlive。”
　　“Millepardons！Ma’m’selle！”repliedMonsieurDeKock，thusaddressed“athousandpardons！Ihadnointentionofoffending。Ma’m’selleLaplaceMonsieurDeKockwilldohimselfthehonoroftakingwinewithyou。”
　　HereMonsieurDeKockbowedlow，kissedhishandwithmuchceremony，andtookwinewithMa’m’selleLaplace。
　　“Allowme，monami。”nowsaidMonsieurMaillard，addressingmyself，“allowmetosendyouamorselofthisvealalaSt。Menhoultyouwillfinditparticularlyfine。”
　　Atthisinstantthreesturdywaitershadjustsucceededindepositingsafelyuponthetableanenormousdish，ortrencher，containingwhatIsupposedtobethe“monstrumhorrendum，informe，ingens，cuilumenademptum。”Acloserscrutinyassuredme，however，thatitwasonlyasmallcalfroastedwhole，andsetuponitsknees，withanappleinitsmouth，asistheEnglishfashionofdressingahare。