The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1838-08-16
From the Friesd.
THE LAST DAYS OF THOMAS
PAINE.

PAINE.
A dsath.bed : de,ee,Or Of the heart. Young
Il 10 stated by Hsrodotus. that when
Crpsus. king Of Lydia, the wealshies.
monarch OF his time, was visited by So
Ion. the Vain-slorious monarch asked his
philosnphic guest. whom he considered
ths happisss MN! Scion. in reply, re-
fered TO moral, obscure. but yirtuous
characters. who. having lived useluIly.
died lamen.ed and honored. Cresus APP
pesring ss loss 10 understand why So
Ion should prefer the condiuon Of private
individuals TO that oI one 50 eminent and
wealthy 40 himself, the philosopher in
formed him that il was impossible 10
judgs Of aHy mans happiness before his
death. Characters and events were, he
conceived. only to be estimated BY their
end. n we adopt the opinion OF the Gree
clan philosopher. we shall necessarily
conclude, that miserable indeed is the life
Of an in6del.
We might imagine that those who have
adopted the opinions Of snli-chrislisn
writer's. would be ready To abandon their
guides viii horror and dismay. when
,hsy discovered them, a. the approach of
death, shrinking with the creates. posi-
BE terror from the prospect Of fuluriiy.
II the philosophy Of in6deliiy will not
support those master minds which may
be presumed To have fortified themselves
most securely against the approaches Of
supersiI;ious fear, when they find The
shadows Of the evening spreading over
oil their earthly glory. certainly those
minor spirits which adop, their principles
with liale examination, and disbeiieve The
doctrines Of the gospel from mere credu-
lily. can have Ilule reason 10 expect sup.
port IN their closing hours. We might
suppose. therefore, that those who have
inbIbed the poison Of infdelily from such
writers as Foltsire. Hume, and Paine,
would be among the mos, forward TO re-
nounce their doctrines and expose the
horrors Of their closing moments. when
they saw the practical effects OF such
opinions illustrated by the closing mo-
ments Of those advocates OF inideliiy.
ie' we do not find the disciples OF these
deluded and delusive writers ever giving
minute and candid account OF their lead.
ere.
From the statements OF Adam Smith.
u would appear as though David Hume
hsd approached the confines of life with
@e same 'hough,Iess Ievi,y respecting his
eternal Interests, as he had manifested
curing his life. Sillimsn, however. upon
s"ng The neighborhood in which his
iss' Gays were spent, few years AFTER
"srus' appears 10 have received stale
men'' oenFed from his nurse, which
SHOWS 'ha. the philosophy as we'll as the
Ie'h! oil Hume, deserved him when the
maj moment came; and that, however
hghhy ne seemed to look upon death.
when II was at little distance, he at last
died in horror.
, With regard tn Thomas Paine. i, has.
i believe been generally supposed that,
as he lived. so he died, a confirmed Leist.
III: inhiel writings are still circulated.
aho are admitted BY those who agree with
tneif doctrine, as the uncoa,rsd,c,eJ oni.
mons Of their author.
u Is. however. fact. and one which
'hr world ought u know, tha, he expires
sed. near his close, the mos, decided dis.
appreciation Of those WRITINGS Awoman
Friend. who visited hrm several times a
l''tie before his death. and contributed 10
has wants, Informed the writer of this ar
"ele that his mind was ia tue grsap.,