The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-04-12

IHE NATURAL HISTORY OF DBAIH--DI' Deh-
net Dowler, SO well known in this city, has written
a philosophical essay on this subject. He first ex-
amines the certain critsria of death. He evidently
is not believer in the horrible stories of premature
nterment. The most interesting part Of the pam
phet is that in which he attempts to prove that the
act of death is not itself painful. This rs certainly
a most agreeable theory, and we hope to find it
correct, some day or other. 1t is to this fear of pain
that Gluck, the German poet, audes in bis Address
TO Death:
81 cannot doF all human fear!
l know the greeting Is severe
To this poor shell of clay;
E,Ssos.s Es, GS%s S 1,sv 9s9t4 ~ +, G sfgs his
I would I were awaJ!"
We give several of those noted instances selected
by DR.. Dowler
"There is much evidence extant showing that
death is often unattended with sewers suffering
Boileau, the post while in the agony, did not APP
pear TO suffsr IIe saluted friend that entered
his room good day, and adeH-a very long adleu
and instantly exored. The poet Fontenelle, just
before he died, SAID that he had no pain only
little difficulty in keeping up llfe.
"G0ethe, Mt the age Of 81, died at Weimar,
March 22d, 1892, without any apparent suffering
few minutes before his death, he called for VIII
ting materials that he might express Is delight at
the arrival Of spring III had strength to hold
/ pen,' said Dr. William Hunter, during the agony,
! would write how easy and delightful i Is TO dr.
H this e DYING said the niece Of Newton, il Is
| pleasant thing TO die If this be dying, said
| Lady Glenarchy, ii is the easiest thing imagn:
| able.' thought dying had been more difficult,
| said Louis XIV. when htander-hy remarked
| of Dr. WollasIon that his mind was gone, the ex-
| piriug philosopher made a signal for paper and
pencil, wrote down some figures, and cast them
fsThe poet Keats, who as his biographers affirm
and as his epiiaph indicates, died of malicieul
| criticism, playfully remarked in the agony fee
1 the flowers growing over me- Wnether TINS kihe
| of death comes under the head OF efthdndslG, I
moi easy to determine. In my own practice, hsv
| seen two almost instantaneous deaths, without
| struggle, from moral causes. 1t is said that ID
| John Hunter intimated, on leaving home, that if
discussion which awaited him at the hospital, too
] an angry turn, it would prove his death; 60
Z league gave him the lie; the coarse word verihe
y, the prophecy, and he expired almost immediatel
a in an adjoining ROOM"
o. The death Of Mr. Calhoun seems to bear out I'll
~ theory. He died calmly and composedly, Jr
from pain and in The full possession Of all his fact
ties His face after death perfectly iife-like
> Now, this could never be the case if The act
pzl., 4, rvs s..,,, :.
ZEN soul is fed, all I,-a- ~. la.,h i.
~T quenhy free from pain.
~ Eckerman closes his Conversations with Goeth
IS by this description of his &c dead body:
e "The morning after Goethes deari, --,,lan
- ing seized to look yet again upon
earthly garment His faithful servant, Freder
M opened for me the chamber in which he !;
out: Stretched upon his back, he reposed as il
: sleep; profound peace and security reigned in
p. features OF his noble, diRnifed coun tenance
~ mighty brow seemed yet the dwelling-p place
y thought. | wished for lock of his hair, but rev
ence prevented me from cutting it off. The bo
80 lay naked only wrapped in white sheet lar
r. r. pieces of ice had been placed around, to keep
his fresh long possible Frederic drew aside I
sy sheet, and was astonished at Ike divine msgni
y =. cence Of the form. The breast was powerf
'es broad, and arched the limbs FULL and softly nv
cuar the feet elegant and of the most perectshap
nowhere on the whole body trace either Of fat
of leanness and decay; perfect man lay in gre
n, beauty before me and the rapture which the sig
caused made me forget for moment, that the in
a mortal spirit had left such abode. laid n
(, hand on his heart-there deep sence-aI
L. turned away to give free vent to my tears"