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-It is perhaps known to most of those interested in the insane asylums, and insane of this country, that an amount of funds exceeding one hundred and thirty thousand dollars was secured last season, for the purpose of establishing an institution at Providence, R. I. A portion of this $30.000 was the legacy of a distinguished philanthropist Mr. Brown. -- Cyrus Butler Esq. gave $40.000, in view of which liberal contribution the institution was at once decided to bear his name, and the remaining portion was derived from smaller subscriptions of public bodies and private individuals. After the organization of a Board of Trustees, and under a very liberal and appropriate legislative charter, a tract of land consisting of about 120 acres, two or three miles from the city of Providence was purchased. This was formerly known as the "Grotto Farm," from a beautiful and romantic ravine which crosses it, and surpasses in capabilities of improvement as regards its landscape beauties, any similar position which the writer has seen. It comprises an elevated plain, covered with forest trees and flowering plants, projecting headlands into the Seekonk river, which is expanded into a wide frith or estuary apposite its whole eastern line. The Trustees, on commencing the usual examinations of other institutions with a view of determining the buildings which were required, were soon impressed with a doubt whether better plans, in in -sic- some respect, might not exist in Europe, where it was well known great attention had been paid within the last few years to the subject. It was obvious to them, that the institutions with us had been copied, essentially one from the preceeding, without important improvements, and it was not known that any individual, practically acquainted with the subject, had ever examined the institutions abroad, with this direct intention. With this feeling, and an honorable solicitude that, in applying the handsome amount of funds in their hands, the means of curing and relieving the insane should be advanced a step if possible, instead of remaining stationary, they resolved that the institutions abroad should be visited, during the winter, as their building operations could not be proceeded with before the spring, and applied to the Trustees of the Massachusetts General Hospital for permission to send Dr. Bell, the Physician of the M'c Lean asylum, who was understood to have some architectural and mechanical taste, on this mission. Consent was most freely accorded and the voyage was immediately undertaken. Dr. B. sailed early in Jan. last for London; after examining the various public and private metropolitan asylums, and the larger public ones to the south, he passed over to the continent -- remained a fortnight at Paris and its vicinity, and thence through Belgium, intending to visit the institutions on the Rhine. Receiving however such information as led him to the opinion that his short stay, would not be most profitably expended in that direction, he returned to England and visited a very considerable proportion of the most recent and best asylums in Great Britian -sic-. Amongst those, to which, as the most perfect and best designed, he gave the most particular attention, were the Surrey, Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Wakefield, the two at York, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast. Many of the earlier, and unimproved asylums were visited during the first part of his absence, but so little was found to remunerate him for the loss of time, that he devoted more of his attention afterwards to the details of such recently constructed edifices as were acknowledged to contain the most recent improvements.

The results of his observation were communicated in a Report to the Trustees of the Butler Hospital. from which the following abstract has been drawn, omitting most of the matters of minute details. It is designed to offer only such points as may be of service as general principles; the application of which must of course depend on the circumstances, extent, means, &c. of the institution which is to be constructed. The plan proposed is now in the hands of a competent architect for estimates and other practical points, and has not yet been actually determined upon. The intention is to proceed at once to carry forward the buildings.

It will be a gratification to those interested in the insane personally, as well as the science, to know that the Trustees have appointed Dr. Ray, for some years the head of the Maine Insane Hospital, and author of the work, (as well known and appreciated in Great Britain as at home,) on the "Medical Jurisprudence of Insanity," to the duties of Physician and Superintendant. Dr. R. has resigned his charge in Maine, and has seized the vacation occuring before the new institution can be completed to make a short visit to Europe, with a view to professional improvement.

Dr. Bell is full in his expressions of gratification at the truly fraternal manner in which he was every where received by the heads of the British institutions It was the same in degree and warmth as that which, thus far, the heads of our asylums have shown towards each other. No formal introduction was any where needed a mere statement of his pursuits and objects placed him at once on a footing of en old and intimate associate, and every kindness and facility was extended to him. His gratitude is due to so many, that space will not here permit his indulging in its expression.-+