Delaware weekly advertiser and farmer's journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1827-1828, 1828-05-01
APnPLExY.

The sudden deaths so frequent Of late years
among distinguished men, and persons in what
is termed high fife, have then cause very often
no doubt in luxurious and dissipated living OF
the dead who have prematurely fallen by excess
i've indulgence in eating and drinking, it is use
less to speak. But it is impossible to look
through our cities and among public men, with.
out feeling of strong repugnance at the exhi.
btion of gross indulgence which every where
prevails. It is by no means disreputable TO eat
four times as much as is necessary, and drink
brandy ard wine enough to preserve il; but il is
very dangerous. The consequences are every
day seen in the sudden blow up or popping off
of individuals who thus indulge themselves. -
What is the practice of most Of our countrymen
ofall grades and professions Is it not to take
a Htfle something before breakfast, especially if
travelling, or attending upon the Legislature, or
engaged at court, or in any other public hush
nessl Must not eleven O'Clock forenoon, be at.
tended too with brandy or gin cocktail: and if
eyer take any thing it is about this time in the
day-which means any time. Dinner of course
always apologies for brandy and water, and if
ever there is good time for bottle of wine il
is betweenfour and five when dinner is over
At the South the water is so warm il needs some
thing in 1t 10 make it go down good--in New
York II is so bad no one thinks Of drinking it
without brandy--and at the North it is too cold
for health without the same mixture Having
taken tea, and walked out square or two, some
hot whiskey punch is the sort lift is cold wealth
Ter, or if it is hot, cold punch is coelng-and
"thus runs the world away"
The drunkard is dirty, debased and beastly
enough, but agutton more SO, and when both
are united, "wbat consummation!" The only
consolation and the only hope Of man in such q
case, is, that some hot day he will blow up, the
torpedo will let ly. 1t was remark of the En-
peror Napoleon that he who eats the least all
ways eats too much; and there is no doubt oft
Especially it is true Of men employed at the
lighter avocations of life, or engaged in study or
professional business. Continually, therefore,
do we find such men falling by apoplexy, and
diseases affecting the action Of the heart or the
tone Of the stomach. They take none of that
exercise which renders the farmer robust and
gives energy to the digestive organs; and yet,
perhaps, they levour daily more food than a Ia.
boring man should, and that of a luxurious and in
digestible quality The muscles of such an one
become 1abbid, and hang upon the bones and
snews with'a feeble tenacity, the blood vessels
become weak and enlarged, and on some occa- |
sons of an overloaded, stimulated and irritated |
stomach, he is seen to fall suddenly upon his |
face! and dies so-eyen SOL
Incorporate and luxurious living is now an
evil among us, fixed and deep beyond eradica-
uon' societies and individuals and the press. |
may, indeed do something, but we despair of
seeing, by any effort that can be made, any gen.
eral or important reformation. The tide Of dis |
sipation is moving on, and it will continue to
swallow up its yearly. mighty congregation, un-
tai that all powerful agent in worldly affairs
fashion, shall make that Questionable which is |
now genteel. for it is among the fashionable, the
genteel, the middle and higher classes, that dis
sipation is most extensive, and with them rests |
the example and ALI powers, which is to ope |
rate upon the rest Of mankind. Continual and |
most alarming warnings are not sufficient to |
check indulgence in one who has long consulted |
his palate. He will continue to feed as though |
he were s'caf of the STALL" and ssfollow strong
drink, until wine infane" him. He cannot be |
reclaimed by any effort that can be made-his
fate is fixed, and he must be left to encounter it.
Rut there is field for every man who has
right feeling on this subject. and who knows the
luxury of total abstinence from all Intoxicating
drinks-in his own family-among his own chill
dren. There his example and his precepts,
rightly enforced, may leave an impression and
beDeft mankind, when the vices ofmankind no
longer claim his pity or excite his disgust.