The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-02-06

especially ia delicate frames. death 10 ush-
cred IN BY consulsive movements which
look like the wrestling with saopprsssise
Enemy. But they are signs ol debility
and failing system. which have no rela-
lion 10 pain.
There Is moi any siinalinn in which
steady minds and sweet dispositions erinee
a greater superiority over The hasiy and
sensual part IL mankind; but selfeanunl
adapls itself 10 the ordinary exigenrics Of
life. and il surprised by evils with Hhirh
u has mol been accustomed 20 measure ils
strength. he 6rmesl nerve and the sunniesl
temper are overcome by the sudden vio-
lence Of The assault. Unless lhe nnder-
standing is affected. irriiabiIiiy and way
wardness constantly diminisl, when expe-
rIence has shown The wisdom and duiy Of
patience. and there soon springs up. silh
well-ordered minds. a generou. rivalry
between submission on The one hand. and
forbesrance on the other. From The hnur
that sin and death entered into The world.
IL was mercy that disease aud decay should
enter too. A sick-ro0m is school Of
virtue. whether we are spectators 4 The
mortality Of our dearest connections or are
expriencing aur own.
To he shot is The easiest mode OF Ter.
minaiing life; YET rapid as il is. the body
has leisure TO feel. and the mind 10 reaeci
In drowning. The struggles al the outset
are prompted by terror, not by pain; in
the majority ofInsiances pleasing languor
succeeds, without any sense # sufToca-
lion.
That 10 be frozen 10 death must be
frightful torture. many would consider
certain from their own experience Of the
effects OF cold. But here we fall into The
ususl error Of supposing iha, the suffering
will increase with the energy ofihe agent.
which could only be the ease if sensibil.
iiy remained The same. Intense cold
brings on speedy sleep. which fascinates
the senses. and fairly begulles men out Of
their lives.
The most curious example Of the SC.
dueiive power Of cold is TO be found in
the adventures Of The botanical party. who.
IN Cooks first voyage, were caugh, In a
snow-storm on Terra del Fuego. DR..
Solander. by birth Swede. and well ac-
quainied with the destructive deceils Of a
rigorous climate. admonished the COM
pany. in defiance Of lassiinde. 10 keep
moving on. "whoever." said he, sits
down will sleep--and whoeverslteps will
PERISH" The doctor spoke as sage,
bul he felt as man. In spite of The re-
mosirances Of those whom he had insiruc-
led and alarmed, he was The first To lie
down. The same was repeated thou
sand times in the retreat from Moscow.
Worse than the halter, axe, or wheel.
was The FIRE which. as typical oflh flames
Of hell.was employed in the blindness oI
theological fury TO consume the foremost
Of The pilgrims 10 heaven. The legs Of
Bishop Hooper were charred. and his bo-
dy scorched, before he was fully envelop.
din the fire. which a wind blew aside;
nor was il ill the pile had been twice re.
plenished that he bowed his head and
gave up tie ghost. A similar misfortune
attended Ridley. An excess Of fagois
hintered the flames ascending. and his ex.
lremiiies were in ashes when his b DIV
was unsinged. Ridley yielded slightly TO
the dictates Of nature, and struggled al The
height Of his protracted anguish. Hooper
remained immovable as The stake to which
he was chained. For three quarters oI
an hour his patience was proof against
the fury Of the flames, and he died al
length as qnieily as a child in its bed.
But the pain Of burning is Of fearful in
iensily. and The meek endurance Of these
heroes at the stake was The triumph Of
mind over The loriures Of The flesh.
The Head, the Hope, the Supporter
of those who gave their bodies 10 be
burnt. drank himself OF bilerer cup. Oh
all the devices Of cruel Imagination, cruci-
fixion is The masterpiece. Other pains
are sharper for time. but none are al
once so agonzing and so long. One ag.
gravalion. however, was wanting, which
owing 10 the want Of knowledge IN pain
iers. is still. we believe, commonly sup.
posed to have belonged TO The punish
men,. The weight of the body was
borne by ledge which projected from
the middle Of the upright beam. and not
by The hands and feet, which were pro-
bably found unequal to the strain. The
frailly of mans frame comes at last 10 be
its own defence; but enough remained 10
preserve The pre-eminence oftorture TO The
cross. The process Of mailing was ex.
quisile torment, and vet worse in what
ensued than in The actual infection. The
spikes ranked, The wounds inAamed. the
local injury produced a general fever. the
fever a most intolerable thirst; but the
misery Of miseries to the sufferer was,
while racked with agony, to be fastened
in position which did not permit him
even 10 wri,he. Every attempt TO relieve
the muscles. every instructive movement
of anguish. only served 10 drag the la
cerated flesh, and wake up new and acuter