Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-12-27
CHAGRIN AND SUICIDE.

The love of appreciation, which is closely con
nectei with the love Of society, is generally the
strongest of our passions and is that by which the
lower passions are restrained within the limits of
common decorum. 1t is the disappointment of this
passion, or chagrn, which most frequently disposes
to suicide Mans hell is The feeling of solitude or
the dread of being despsed and if his associates
cast him out OF their pale, or appear completely to
excunmunicate him from their sympaihes he
seems as if at once possessed by Satan Should
this wounding of his proud desire deprive him of all
hope OF restoration, TO the heart at least Of some
one being who can love him in spite of his faults
he will rush unbidden into the darkness of another
world, the apprehension of which is less terrible to
him than the loneliness in which he suffers So
common Is this catastrophe, that it appears like the
result of the natural law of the guilty mind. when
unacquanted with divine truth, and unsustaned bv
the hopeful consciousness of spiritual and eternal
life Hence heathenism and nidelity have always
approved selffnurder as the proper remedy of ex-
IRENE veXation.
Ii we may credi. report, it would appear that
mere animals also impeed by the same feeling
under similar circumstances thus it is related in
the Travels and Adventures of Monsieur Violet.
The truth OF which is avouched by Capt. Marryat.
that he horses, that had been tyrannized over
by other horses, and treated By the whole herd as
outcasts, commit suicide. When tired of their paya
life, they walk round and round some arre tree as
II TO ascertain the degree Of hardness required mea
sure their distance, and darling with furious speed
against it, fracture their skulls and thus get rid of
life and oppression together. He says that SPUR
rels sometimes prosecute one among their number
I'LL he destroys himself and he states that zone
day while we were watching this outcastofa a squir-
rel. we detected young one slowly creeping thro'
The adjoining shrubs he had in his mouth Il rIpe
fruit, at every moment he would stop and look If
he were watched, just as if he feared Detection
AT last he arrived near the parla, or outcast and
deposited Before him his Offering 10 misery and old
age. We watched this spectacle with feeIinrs
which could hot describe there was such show
I of meek gratitude on the one side, and happiness
on the other, just as if he enjoyed his oo3d action
Ihey were, however, perceived by the other SOUR
relS, who sprung by dozens upon them the vnunu
one with two bounds escaped, the other submitted
to his fate rose. al the squirrels vanished ex
/ cept the victim; but that time contrary TO his ho
bits, he left the shrub and slowly advanced TO the
bank of the river, and assembled a tree. 4 minnie
atterward, we observed him at the very extremity
OF branch projecting over tie rapid waters. and
we heard his Planye shrek. # was his farewell
I 10 life and misery" This story will serve rs u
parable expressive of human conduct-but one Il.
nong multitude runs the risk of showing kind
ness 10 me outcast, while the rest bent upon
driving the wretched to destruction.
The association between neglect. i'll usarc. dc
spondency and suicide is Of great practical impor-
lance, especially IN relation TO those who suffer from,
the teTrors ct that most awful maadv religious de
SPAR. which usually commences with secluson.
and state the reverse Of sefcomplacency con
joined with strong affection insu1icienty regarded.
$ Happy IS u II the suicidal catastrophe be ayered
by such failure of some organ or function Of the
body as shall arrest the ambitious, the wayward
or the lonely spirit even with the stroke OF death
but more blessed still to find association with calm
and loving minds. and, like Kke White, to take
admCnlsiment from the uncertainty and ccmrara-
tive worthlessnesS Of this worlds h0nos and attach
mems, 10 prepare for the untiring activities of q
nOJeT state.
Come, Disappointment come
Though from hopes summit hurled.
still rigid nurse thou art forgiven
For thou severe, wort sent from heaven,
To- can me from the world
10 turn mine eye
From vanity,
And point TO scenes oflfc, that never, die.
Dr. .Hoorc on "1be Soul and Ire Bodg."