It seems to be generally assumed that asylums were built large, either on the idea that they could be more cheaply constructed or that they could be maintained at less average weekly cost than small ones, but I doubt if such is the true reason of the growth of large asylums, or of the development into large of small ones. Convenience would appear more to have determined the size than any other consideration, a thing not to be wondered at if such large counties as Yorkshire, Surrey, and Middlesex are regarded, where the visiting committees of magistrates are largely taxed as to their time in attending institutions placed often at long distances from each other. But all these considerations of convenience ought to, and no doubt would, disappear if it were abundantly manifest that the outcry raised against large asylums as causing a higher death-rate, lower recovery rate, and heavier weekly charge could be substantiated.