The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-11-14

" Hsoh Wild great calmnesS ami goo
sense, admitting II the objections to sue
an apostolic undertaking as that TO whic
lie was urged, both from Scripture and frol
his own peculiar deficiency of power an
talents, but pleading the impulse of sci
satlon as clear and strong, and, TO his mine
as real as he had ever felt. But it was re
I piled hat there were other consideration
/ combined with the whole system and han
mony of nature. whirh ought to have great
! or authority with II rational mind than an
single and individual impression of sense
which evidently violates its general order
The correspondence came to this Issue a
last. that, as he agreed with the church a.
she now exists, in most of her doctrines
and especially in the moral precepts of re
lgion, he should begin his course by incul
eating only those principles on which nj
were agreed, and if he found the promise o
his vision verified in his returning strength
and successful eloquence, he would ter
have sufficient encouragement to proceed
further. He actually came TO New Yorb
with the intention of putting this expert
ment into execution, but died in that city
shortly after his landing. He published one
discourse Introductory TO the design.
DR.. Rush has recorded numerous instan-
ces of partial mental arrangement from by
porhondriasis, chiefly from his own know
ledge, such rs the following. A sea cap
tain believed that he had wolf in his liver;
others that they are converted into an ami
NAL Of another species, such as a goose, a
dog, a cat, hare, a COW. and the like.
One imagined that he was once calf, and
mentions thename of the butcher that killed
him. and the stall in the Philadelphia mar
ket. on which his flesh was sold, previously
to his animating his present body. One he
lleved that he had no soul. Another that
he is transformed into plant, and insisted
on being watered in common with all the
plants around him in the garden. Another
that his body was transformed into glass
The celebrated Cowper suffered much an
gush from complaints of a similar nature,
arising from hypochondriac affection.
Among the causes of nervous affection
and diseased Imagination are those of sed-
entary habits and free use of strong tea
The following instances were communicate
ed by my friend the Rev. Mr.. K.
The late Rev. Mr.. F. Of Ipswich, who
was very sedentary, spent most of his time
in his study without exercise, and his health
became impaired. He imagined for some
time before his death. that he was actually
dead. | saw him in this state of mind,
walking his chamber in extreme agitation
To the question. how he could suffer so
much, if actually dead, he answered, that
his own spirit was departed, and that an
other spirit had taken possession of his
body.
A gentleman in Boston once told the first
President Adams, that he had become
strangely timid, that he. dared not keep the
side walks, but walked in the middle of the
street, being constantly apprehensive that
The tiles on the houses would fall on his head.
The President asked him if he made a
Tree use OF tea, and being answers in inc
affirmative, he recommended to him to use
it more sparingly and he would probably
be benefited by the change. By pursuing
this advice, he WAS relieved, and was soon
able 10 return to the side walks without fear
A gentleman from Salem, sailing from
the South to Massachusetts, while under
the influence of nervous affection, imagined
that he saw a man in the water near the
ship, who was drowning. Conceiving that
he might save his life. he was in the very
act of leaping into the sea for that purpose,
but was happily prevented by those on deck.
He afterwards recovered his health and
had perfect recollection of his feelings on
that occasion. He had no idea of destroy
ing himself, but would have persisted had
he not been prevented. Instances Of a sim
liar nature hive probably occurred, in which
lives have been lost in consequence of such
delusion.
1t is said that Mr.. Murdoch, the member
Of the Vermont Legislature, who recently
committed suicide, imagined HIMSELF TO be
DR.. Cleaveland, who was under sentence of
death. Mr.. Murdoch attempted 10 speak
when Cleavelnnd's case was before the
legislature, but was so much agitated that
he could hot speak, and was taken from the
House by his friends. Under this strong
impression of his being DR.. Cleaveland, he
killed himself to avoid the doom of the law.
This event would make thrilling chapter
in Sir Walter SCOTS history of Demonolo-
gy and Witchcraft.