Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-01-11


of "The Art of prolongng Life '-in press by Tick
nor, Reed & Fields:
No kind of fear is attended with more unhappi-
ness than the far Of death lie VINO is suhjec' ~ ~
breads something which is totally unavoidable, ana
AGAINST which we can never be moment secure
He enjoys pleasure with trembling and Anxiety ne
denies himself everything, because everything may
be the vehicle of death and by this everlasting aP
nrehension of losing life he loses it in reality. NO
one who feared death ever attained to great age:
Lore life and fear not death! is command OF
prophecy the only true frame OF life to become nap
Nv and old for whoever fears death may bld 1afs-
we'll To happiness 70 him enjoyment IS pure
every pleasure is poisoned with the idea OF death !;
he is always like maletactor pursued; the enemy
is continually at his heels and yet there arc an I'M
mense number of people who arc not able to DANISH
from them this disease of the mind. For the bcne-
fit of these shall here lay down rules which,
though they may not display much metaphysical
acutencss, can recommend as good representatives.
against the fear of death and which know by eA-
pcriencc to have been eiiectual.
l. Let man make himself familiar with the idea
of DEATH lie alone, in my opinion, is happy, who
has often and in SO undauntcd a manner, looked
this unavoidable enemy III the face that oy long
custom it has at length become to him matter oil
indifference. How much do those deceive them
selves who imagine they have found, in banishIng
the thoughts of DEATH the best remedy for the fear
of it. Before they aware, amidst the most lively
enjoyment will this idea rush upon them, and de-
range them the more, the less they are acquainted
with it. In word, call those alone fortunate
mcnt of Joy they can think of death without being
depressed; and my readers may believe me, for L
assert it on my OWN experience, that by often dwell
ling upon this idea, and modcrating itsappcaranccs,
shall at length acquire wonderful indifference
respecting it.
Let US only turn attention to soldiers, sailors
and miners. Where shall we find men more con-
tented and happy, more susceptible of every Joy
And for what reason Because, by their continual
approach to DEATH they have learned to despsc it..
He who no longer fears death is alone free there IS
nothing else that tter his senses, disturb HIM,
render him unhappy. His soul is filled with ex-
altrd and which strengthens the
vital power and which is the eforc, apositve means
of removing this fear.
This custom is attended also with conconi-
tant circumstances which are undoubtedly of no
little importance. 1t is an excellent help to enable
one to continue honest and virtuous On every oc-
cusion of doubt, when the question arises whether
action be right wrong, let man think only
on the last hour of his life and ask himself wouldst
thou then do so wilt thon then wish to have acted
so? Innocence is certainly that happy state, that
enjoyment of life which can enable to think ON
death without terror. If man harbor cnmity OF re-
vengc against another; if he entertain wish of a
vcngng injury done to him, let him only reflect
on that hour and the state III which his thoughts
will then be, and engage that his ideas of cnmty
and revenge will Immediately f,rsake him. The
is, that, by thus changing the theatre of &C
ton all those little selfish objects by which
usually guided are removed everything at once ap-
pears in its proper point of view under its just pro-
portion the deception vanishcs and nothing remains
but what is real.
I'd. Many fear death much less than the opera
ton of dying. People mere form the most singular
conception of the last struggle the separation of the
soul from the body and the like But this is all void
of foundation. No man certainly felt what
death is and as insensiby as we enter into lifc c.
qualy insensbly do leave it. The beginning
and the end here united. My proofs fol-
lows: First, men can have sensation of dying !;
for to die means nothing than to lose the vital
power; and it is the vital power by which the soul
communicates sensation to the body. In proportion
the vital power increases, lose the power of
sensation, and of consciousness and cannot lose
life without at the time rather before los
ing vital sensation, which requires the assistance
of the tenderest organs
We arc taught also by experience that all those
whoever passed through the first stage of DEATH and
again brought to life, unanimously asserted
that they felt nothing of dying but sunk at in
a stale of inscnsibility. Let not be led into mis-
take by the conyusive throbs the rattling in the
throat, and the apparent pangs of death, which
observed in many persons when in dying state.
These symptoms painful only to the spectator,
and not to the dying, who not sensible of them.
The case here is the if one, from the dread
full contortions of person in epeptic fit, should
form conclusion respecting his internal feelings.
From what affects us much, he suffers nothing
The DIsTINGUISIED DEAD 1858. N. Felix Ara
go, the French Savan Oct1; Gen Sir +. Adam, Brit