Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-11-13


third day, and this was to me a new state
Of mind. That state of disease, in which
partial derangeme mt is mixed with n con-
seriousness generally sound, and n sensi-''
blity preter-naturally excited, should
suppose the most distressing Of all its
forms. AT the same time that | was un-
able to recognize my friends, l was in
formed that my memory was more than
ordinarily exact and retentive, and that
repeated whole passages in the different
languages, which | knew, with entire
accuracy. ] recited, without losing or
mispiacing a word, a whole passage of
poetry, which l could not so repeat after
had recovered my health. The late
lamented Professor Fisher, of New Ha-,
ven, has made Il statement on this point,
drawn from his own experience Of the
influence OF mental excitement, by dis
ease in recovering lost trains Of thought:
said he, "To whatever subject hap
pened to direct my thoughts, my mind
was crowded with ideas upon it. My
ideas flowed with Il rapidty which was
prodigious, and the faculties Of memory
and association were wonde riully raised
| could render different languages into
English, and English into Hebrew, with
fluency, which ! was never before or
since master Of. During this whole pc
Rod Of poor health, | never felt the least
pain or fatigue Of body, though ! was
employed III the most intense media
tons."
/ 1t has been remarked, in number Of
, instances, by persons who have been on
the point Of drowning, but have been re-
suscl,ated, that the operations of their
minds, were peculiarly quickened.--
! There was such wonderful activity Of
the mental principle, that the whole pas,
lic, with lis thousand minute incidents,
| has simultaneously passed before them,
and been viewed as in Il mirror. Scenes
and situations long gone by, and asso-
' ciates, who had not been seen for years,
and perhaps buried, came rushing in up
: on :he field of intellectual vision, in all
, the activity and dlstinctness Of real eyis.
tence. In moment of time, when the
soul was on the point of starting away
8 from the body forever, millions Of ac-
; tons, millions Of thoughts and feelings,
. have been recoIected, and made to pass
in review. In how many instances,
compared with the whole number of per-
sons, thus revived, after being taken out
! of the water, this peculiar state Of mind
may have existed, il is not in our power
to say. That it has existed in some ca
ses, Is certain. know Of two persons
! now living, both highly distipg uished fo'
, mental vigor and GOODNESS Of judgment
. who have related to me that they had, a
', the very point, when they supposed
themselves sinking into the arms OF death
IN drowning state, a perfect recollec
ton of every item of their past history
> that the map of their life was spread ou
: before them, and the whole was seen, a
> it were, by u single glance.
:, Another instance in point, is found II
- the singular history of an illiterate young
:, woman. In catholic town, in Germa
u ny, a servant girl was seized with a ner
, vous fever, during which she was con
:, stanlly talking Geek, Latin and lie
= brew, with much promptitude and cor
. rectness. The case attracted much al
= tention, but as no explanation could for
long time be given, although inquire
were made for that purpose, in dltieret
families where she had resided. Throug
n the zeal, however, and PHILOSOPHERS
'" spirit of young physician, all the ne
ccssary information was at length obtain
;! ed. The woman was Of poor parents
J and at nine years Of age, had been kino
Il, ly taken to be raised by an old prote.
hn of 4 sf
: He was a very learned man, being M
- only great Hebraist, bat acquainte
:" also with the Rabiuical writer's, I'll
g Greek and Latin Fathers, sc. Th
~ passages which had been taken down
Ao the delirious rawlings of the young womal
were found by the ply ysician, precise
TO agree with passages in some books
'n' those languages which had formerly b.
longed to him. But these facts we
not full explanation Of the case.
ay appeared on further inquiry, THAT the p
Il triarchal protestant had been in the ha
he it, for many years, 0: walking up al
ost down a passage in his house, into whi
&C. the kitchen door opened, and reading
himself with loud voice, out Of his
tai vorite books. This attracted the noti
an Of the poor girl, whom he had taken in
MS his family the passages made an il
oil preston on her memory, and many yea
'p- afterwards, when her body was rack
IAN with pain, and her brain burning wi
tn fever, they were vividly restored to h
wv, recollection, and were uttered in I
err way which has been mentioned" No
I'm. the laws Of association cannot, Of the
sen selves. create thought neither can
IN I, A. - -. 4 - ~. - ..,.