Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-11-02

paradise, look into my desolatlon, and be
made to understand what dreary thing
il is, when a man shall feel himself going
down precipice with open eyes and a
passive will-to see his destruction and
have no power 10 stop it, and ye, 10 feel
il all the way emanating from himself ;
to perceive all goodness emptied cut OF
him, and yet not be able 10 forget time
when it was otherwise; TO bear about the
piteous spectacle ofhis own selfruins -
could he see my fevered eye, teverish
with last nights drinking, and ieverish-
ly looking for this nights repetition OF
the folly; could he feel the body OF the
death out of which cry hourly, with
leebler and feeb!er ou,cry, TO be deliver
edit were enough to make him dash
the sparkling beverage to the earth IN all
the pride of its nansilDg temptation"
so, il wish could transport me back
to those days of youth, when draught
from the next clear spring could Stake
any heats which summer suns and youth
full exercise had power to stir up in the
blood, how gladly would ! return to thee,
pure element, the drink OF children, and
OF the child-like holy hermit, In my
dreams | can sometimes fancy thy cool
reireshment purling over my burning
tongue. But my waking, stomach REJECTS
it. That which reireshes innocence on
| " makes me sick and faint.
"Twelve years ago l was possessed Of
Ia hao TIRE ri. md |
was never strong, but l think my consti-
tuition (for weak one) was as happily
exempt from the tendency to any mala-
dy as it was possible to be. scarce
knew what it was to all any thing. Now,
except when | am losing myself in sea
of drink, am never free from those UNI
easy sensations in head and stomach,
which are SO much worse TO bear than
any definite pains or aches" .s.
"At tina, time | was seldom in bed
after six in the morning. ! awoke re-
freshed, and seldom without some mer-
ry thoughts in ray head, or some piece
Of song to welcome the new born day.
Now the first feeling which besets me,
after stretching out the hours of re.nem-
brsnce to their last possible extent, is a
forecast OF the wearisome day that lies
before me, wilha secret wish that could
have laid on still, OR never awakened"
81 can hardly think" says Sir Tho
mas Brown, "thcre was ever any scared
into heaven;'' he felt more tempted by
the joys Of heaven than terrified by the
sufTerings OF hell. DR.. Reid advises that
in eDdeayoring to reform drnnkard we
shall tempt him by picturing the sweets
OF temperance, rather than terrify him by
the miseries of perseverance in his ha-
bits. He recommends sudden in pre-
ference to gradual weaving.
{" The habit OF indulgence in wine is
not more pcrnicious than it is obstinate
and tenacious in It's hold, when once il
has forced itself upon the constitution.
1t is not to be conquered by half mea-
sures; no compromise with it is allow
able; the victory over it, in order to be
permanent, must be perfect; as long as
there turks relict Of it in the frame,
there is, danger of arclapse Of this moral
malady, from which there seldom is, as
from physical disorders, gradual con-
yalescence. The man who has been the
slave of intemperancc must renounce
her altogether. or she will insensibly re-
sumo her dsspotic power. With such
mistress, if he seriously mean to dis
card her, he must indulge himself in no
dalliance or delay. He must not allow
his lips taste Of her former fascination"
"Webb, the celebrated walker, who
was remarkable Tor ,igor both of body
and mind, drank nothing bu, water. He
was one day Recommending his regimen
to friend who loved wine, and urged
him with great earnes,ncss to quit
course Of luxury, by which his health and
his intellects would be equally destroy
ed. The gentleman appeared to be con-
WINGED, and told him that he would con
form to his counsel, though he though
he could not change his course OF life a
once, but would leave off strong liquors
by degrees. By degrees! (exclaimed
the other with indignation) if you should
unhappily fall into the fire, would vow
caution your servants to pull you out by
degrees %
But there are topers Of opium as well
as Of wine. A late fashionable physi-
clan used to carry in his pocket gold
box of quarter grain opium pills, which
he would offer to nervous person as we
offer our snuff-box. Those who take
opium without medical advice, and wins
are more numerous than is commonly
believed, consist Of several classes -
ist. Nervous invaIids, who bnbi,ually,
at least frequently resort to i. to quiet
that tremulous susceptibility, which so
dis,resses them. 2dly. The poor who