Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1836-03-15

wAseh Il 10 ia,el.cs. the homsa intellect hss long
souehi o. finr aside psmbcflces have eeen ihe 7
fsncdol theor,cs. whieh science hes promulgea'
scauilfci ~ the fairy hort.wofk 81 winse', aud as
vain II - rcmsikAbs, that 81 ell those disorders
TO shich the human frame 10 liable. ihis interesting
mslsdy has received the least practical aneou"h'
Tn. close, philosopher he's indeed, hrooded long
I'D deeply over the mysteries 81 disordered mind;
aud from time 10 time. has thfown forth he 'aga-
nee 10 the world hrd 80 in the twilight ages OF
our race, did men Of mighiy powers surround them
selves ~ilh sicnb,cs, and eruoibles, and Tetcf,s,
and fl,ier away their energies in fru,iess search
for the alshshest the siiroy ritz and the phiioso-
pl.ets stone AID IL what avail was II TO the mass
Of rssnkind Speculation and theory may tickle
the fancy Ike the Phsnsc.s Of Jodes their out
~atd aspect may be excellent to he eye, and unex'
cepti0asble to the mind but II unattended by an
sciise and practical bsnesolenee. may be hlly com
pared TO the same Phsrisecs 10 their true and odi-
Gus character. In the genuine apostle OF humanity
We recognize not only the dignhed bcspng OF
Locke, but also the kindly attitude Of a Howard
The forms 10 which insanity is accustomed to
prcsen, itself are varied but under all it's Protean
shapes, II still remains the most fearful Of human
msIsdies. AT one time we behold the lofty intel
leci stcrmed in the very citadel Of its strength and
With conyulsed. but puweress effort, struggling IN
the grasp Of the arch heBd commissioned TO ts ru-
IA while at another. Reason is not utterly hurled
from her throne, but beside her sits haggard Dis
traction holding her victim quskiog upon Its verge.
Now we behold the migh,lest intellcc, degraded
into fstuity, or wound up to delirium and then
even the loyehest mind bows IN submission to the
tyrsnt
/ IS l4t,h has hn. afa1
in tho literary world, and one which yet remains to
be decided. whether weak or powerful in,elIccts,
the ignorant highly cultivated are more strongly
predlsposed to mental arrangement. The axiom
Of the old Roman Poet will admit no great genius
free frum dash ofinsanity; and if we listen the
opinion of distinguished Psychologist Of the las,
century, we are 10 believe that weak minds
cure from it's fatal visitation. This doctrine derives
no little support from the celebrated distinction
Locke has drawn, between faulty and madness -
Bot upon this point, how terribly distinct is .he
testimony of fact How many are the instances
recorded in the obituary Of genius of the despotism
OF tins Illuminating disorder, over all the ennobng
attributes Of humanity And where in all the wild
regions Of romance, may we behold an object more
affecting, more truly pitiable than powerful in
tellect the prey of insanity with all its elements
convulsed, combined. and Earring and yet, through
the chaotic gloom the wild havoc of frenzy, exhb-
iting gmpses Of symmetry and loneliness like
the beautiful fragments of some ruined structure
mouldering in lonely desolation. but still displaying
The excellent chseling Of the artist.
Most terrible are the devastations of insanity in
an intellect, distinguished by it's activity Where
a powerful Imagination is predominant feature of
the mind, and this excited to delirum, tramples on
the unpractised powers Of reason, the raging flame
often bazes forth in terrific paroxism of mania,
consuming every vestge of the intellectual fabric,
and leaving the body desolate, tenantless, wreck;
"A scott jest, by-word, through the world -
The death-angcl flaps his broad wings over man
kind, in no form terrific. that of insanity. The
mysterious blow is struck, and the mind which but
yesterday proudly elevated itself above the ranks If
L,cn, today is brought down to the level of the
meanest capacity; presenting a melancholy spec
tacle of the might of intellect, sinking into the sui
len, smouldering ashes of mania.
Under such appalling combinations of moral and
intellectual suffering, prostrating the proioundest
energies of humanity, who can estimate the tre-
mendous responsibility of those to whom the human
mind is entrusted! Who can contemplate such
fearful phenomena, without feeling all the pride of
intellect confounded 1t is a mournful spectacle
but one which has been often witnessed in the mar
;yrs Of literary gcry and is it strange that frai
| humanity should sink, at length, under the nces
SAINT workings Of powerful intellect, IT'S but
step, We told. which separates the fervor of en-
thusiasm from the rawlings of manla: and how often
do we behold the gifted children of genius toterinp
on the verge of destruction.
DR.. Johnson, the giant of English Literature, i.
well known to have expressed peculiar oorror o
insanity, though moro than suspected of the NAL
dy, IN one Of it's forms. oh God ailict my
body With what tortures thou wilt, but spare my
| reason Where is he who loius not with this
great man in such petition p Tasso, the sweet
poet of Italy. in the delirium of fancy communed
with celestial spirit gliding upon sunbeam;
while the pious Psschal absorbed in holy meditation
often started in horror from his chair, ct the vision
of fiery gulf yswning at his side. Maebranche
the philosopher and divine heard the voice OF God
distinctly within him. Even Luther, archsplrit Of
the sixteenth century, communed like Socrates
With demons. And Cowper; VINO that has a soul to
feel or mind 10 appreciate. that hsllow ed nspir-
alton Of genius who that has heart TO bleed in
sympathy with the low, sad music of suffering hu.
mainly forgets the smlabe, the highly gfted, The
unhappy Cowper The secret ofCowpers misery
We discover IN revelation. which By noon-day
vision, he believed TO have been made known 10
him that be wBs gully Of the 'uupardonsble sin