A System, called the cottage system, has of late years been attracting the attention of many of those interested in the construction of our lunatic asylums. The careful study of the requirements of the insane, which distinguishes many of the beautiful structures recently erected by the English counties has succeeded in producing what may be regarded as nearly the perfection of our present system; and unless it can be shown that an arrangement based on entirely new principles ought to be adopted, there remains little to be done in the way of improvement. Every proposal, therefore, which suggests a new principle of construction deserves the serious consideration of our profession; and the cottage system has been so highly commended by many respectable authorities that an examination of its merits will not be unacceptable to the readers of the Journal. The following pages are intended to be devoted to this object, as well as to the consideration of how much, if any, of the peculiarities of the system should be adopted in future arrangements for the accommodation of the insane; whether it should be adopted in place of our present system, engrafted upon it, or rejected altogether as unsuitable or impracticable.