The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-07-20
CHARLOTTE, N. c., TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1858.
THE EFFECTS OF AUTHORSHIP ON
THE MIND AND HAPPINESS.

Two OF the most TelnafkaDe anu EIeApec
suicides of modern times have been committed by
literary men, in the full blast of mental occupa-
ton. We allude to the extraordinary deaths of
Hugh Miller aud Henry W. Herbert. In some
respects there was great contrast between the
two men. The first was emphatically and emf
nently religious man. In fact it was over
earnest desire to vindicate what he considered
some Of the reconciling truths between the Book
Of Genesis and geology, that finally, having over
tasked his mental energies drove him to that hor-
ror~of great darkness which utterly detnroned his
reason, and led him to that act which was without
any outward cause, and abhorrent to all his most
settled principles.
Tn the other case there were several outward
circumstances to help to account for the deed
But when it is remembered that Mr. Herbert
speaks of himself as one of the most wretched of
men, as being for twenty-sx years without friends
or fortune, or country, there is plenty of evidence
to show that morbidly sensitive aud wretched
state Of mind underlying all, and producing now
hercuean feats of mental labor, and now that utter
relaxation and want of nerve and faith to meet
emergencies which is, as we apprehend, the really
greatest of all dangers arising from literary life.
The two gentlemen whose names we have men
toned were also from opposite walks of life by
birth and early education-Hugh Miller stone
cutter, barely taught to read; Herbert, the Of
literary cereymen, Dean and Right Honor
able, in whose veins flowed the blood of Percy and
Pembroke. lie himself was a graduate of Eton
and Of Cambridge, with every advantage that birth
and the best education could bestow. Yet here
their situations were more apparently than really
dssimilar, for Hugh Miller became distinguished
on the stones of the field as Herbert on ancient
learning, history and those fashionable field sports
in which the aristocracy Of England delight.
But in other respects there strong similar
ty in these men, both in the circumstances of their
IL I II
authors-not mere copylsts and compilers of other
mems ideas, but writers of original and strong
thoughts rapidly thrown off, but exhibiting the
very highest qualities of vigorous mental force and
Imagination Most of their works were what the
farmers would call scOurgiag crop, exhaustive in
the highest degree of the mind, and written with
great energy and beauty Of style. Both were men
of an originally fine constitution. We vividly
member the remarkably well built and manly form
of Henry W. Herbert, as he leaped from the box
seat Of stage-coach to present letter of intro
duction to near relative and friend. He was
then about thirty, just about to be married to his
first wife, lady Of the highest responsibility and
connexions, in high spirits, and with manliness,
frankness, and penteness of address that, through
its great simplicity and eaSe, would have won him
entrance any where.
Both were singularly fond of playing with all
sorts of deadly weapons good shots with pistol
about them Both had overworked themselves by
excessive fits of writing until depression of spr-
it's seems to have succeeded, bringing upon them
frenzy Of desperation and dispair s.
Both wrote letters showing that the act was in
one sense pren1editated, while both in their last
writings showed that intense present suffering rob-
bed them of the sustaining sense of the future,
without beclouding their intellectual conscious
ness of it. And both, at about the same hour of
tbo MIC nd tho tor
minated their existence.
The occasions Of most apparent causes for such
acts are not always the most rrdl causes. Other
things may have operated and did operate beyond
doubt in this last case; bnt the utter exhaustion
arising from over mental effort in imaginary and
intellectual efforts, leaving the will too poweress
and exhausted to contend with the difficulties of
simple existence in real life was one great cause
lying at the bottom of both acts. 1t was the only
cause in Hugh Nicrs case.
The literary lives in ideal rOrld--a
most unnatural life. Give him his garret, his ink
stand, and his book, and he has world within
himself world of delight in which he can escape
all calamity for the time being. But, when utter
ly exhausted by this kind Of life, he avakes to the
body and finds trouble on every side from little
neglects, or whms or errors. His mental power
being all exhausted, he readily sinks into dspair.
His ftiH in every thing, except some one present
and pressing sometimes quite imaginary, is gone.
In Hugh Mller's case, it might be said, and
was said, "See the effects Of being overlDuch right
eous. Had he only relaxed, and hunted, and sport
ed, and taken violent fits Of exercise to atone to
his body for those of mental work, all had been
we'll Had he only eaten more and drank more
freely and mirthfuly, it had not been thus" This
could not be said i'll the latter case The relaxa-
ton was extreme and exhaustive as the mental
work. But both in different ways, failed to seek
to obtain that quietule which more gently
laxing life would have given. Could both have
lived more Immediately in communion with wife
and children, quiet farm, both might have
been alive now and happy.-I'hH Ledger.
Henry A. Wise, Jr., son of Gov. Wise, says the
Virginia Herald was ordained Minister at the
Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary, near
Alexandria on Friday the I'd inst -aaa.e&
EMINENT CLERGYMAN DEAD.-The Phila-
delphia papers announce the death Of the Rev. DIR.
Janeway, one of the most eminent Presbyterian
clergyman in the country. tk
RGz~ A subscriber living near Lebanon, Te.,
informs that a negro woman, living in his
bo fo,,,. ,nars of oo,a