Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-02-26
MENTAL MUMPs.


Willets, tho reverend lecturer, Mr.. Editor
you are aware, can serve up q feast OF fat
things, on almost any mental proposition, as
his late lecture on " Mental Dyspepsia, in our
city witnessed, and then Park Benjamin, no
less humorous and sparkling, can draw the
mental bOIr, with no less certainty OF sending
the quivering arrow to its desired centre. 1t
has been suggested to my mind, quite plump
and forcible, that it would be doing good SER
vice to our race and generation, to try and
procare tho services of one Of tho above elo-
quent disclaimers to give the citizens Of viii
mington and vicinity, 4 lecture on the !" Mumps
of Mind, or Mental Mumps," us it is named at
the head Of this note.
II may lie, Mr.. Editor, that many Of your
readers are not aware Of its alarming prevalence
and fatal tendency.
In the meantime, allow nc to sound the
alarum, that Science may awake and investi-
\ gate Its dangerous and contagious properties,
/ and that all may be nocolated" in due time,-
the young with rod-oii and adults with reason
/ and common sense, (for we take 1t, that no
adult will argue either reasonably, or sensiby,
| in favor of the necessity of suffering with this
disease, or dctestbe disorder.) The cholera,
the black tongue yellowicveris babyiSh, along
side this Prince of diseases oil the mind. Tho
patient mostly swells about the tonss of the
mind and suddenly becomes speeches. to tho
party giving the oifoaicG, for it must DO horne
in mind that those Mumps arc never developed
only by some alleged offence, imaginary or
real.
The most prominent symptoms are sullen-
ness, stubbOrnncss, mulislness, and speech
leSSncss. Should a word get out edgeways, it
has the tincture of sand stone, or the biting
OF s file; paperish, snappish, singing, smart
ing, taistering, saving the very mental nerves
asunder-a kind OF quiet type OF mental hydro
phobia, or madness gone to seed. The case of
IL man, and the wife of his bosom, not speaking
to one another for eight years, (Which you
mentioned in the Republican lately.) because
each had too much Spunk to speak tlrSt,-that
| is exactly secdy case of what mean by the
| Mental Mumps. 1t often lays hold of children.
| 1he parent Commands the child, but it is moi
| in keeping with Young Americas notions Of
Democracy, or equal rights, and answers,
p'on't, right heartily, or becomes the sulleI
victim Of these dreadful Mumps, instantcr
choking comes on, and it is with difficulty
pleasant word is uttered. Rod-0H should bt
applied freely and immediately, judicously ant
heartily laid On. These directions, in mos
cases strictly followed, will soon relieve tn,
! violent swelings and stoppages Of the voca
chaunel. A permanent cure in childhood
mostly stays cured, and saves the after man o
woman shame and disgrace.
| What is moro revolving to the moral sense
7 More hateful, to the minds eyer What NOR
Il
gray hairs going down TO tho grave, with en-
nifty feeding the nd,-thesc horrible Mump
dangling about the heart, rambling in his ver
Gull What greater curse to the social circle
ahan this moral poison-this miasma of death
ahis stagnant pool of bitter waters, breedin
Wards and kissing serpcnts, pent up hate, col
ruption, spleen, and murder in the end. Goo
tongues, we may have; but, alas these Mump
alake them useless. Are not such " led cap
sive by the devil at his will 2"
And now, reader, what fruitful harvest t
ii moral world would accrue, could this sim
OF mental iMquity be dried up. Brother ma
at Eother-sister at sister-parent at child
and even husband and wife at enmity Sue
bitter feeling, for some trfing cause, as not t
spt,ak for days, months, yea even years. Thin
of what have said, and see ii there is not
better way. Try the plan of rendering goo
for evil, and keep at 1t; and if you ever fec
the whitening curse Of the Mental Mumps again
just cast look at the River Delaware, and il
is mot on fire, will contract to burn it dry
with splatsra of the North Pole.
LOVER OF TRUTH.