The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-11-17
From Hali's Journal of Health.
Disease and Snicide.

r.
s,ssnth century, perished by his own hand He
rhr to have lived for many years to come, to have
rhienei and pleased the world BY his writings
ring worked in the stone quarries for fifteen years
common laborer, a strength Of feonsttution and
rahIify Of endurance were secured to him, which
rhenseIves tended to long life. In addition, his
div frame made to last He was of medium
,.ht, and unusually broad sbouldered. An i'm
sse head on long body, with very short legs,
Es him most ungainly appearance, which
improved by immense tufts of red hair, and
eeriy notched whiskers- He had so broad brogue
q many Of his own countrymen were sometimes
zed to understand him. But the great mind of
aIand went prematurely out His life life
glory, but ne went down to the grave in cloud.
m continents, in the person of their men of learn
science and religion, with one accord yielded a
ling homage to the stone quarter of Comarty.
t withstanding ell that, s. he died as the fool
h'' not in the camness of christian serenity, but
kind of delirium tremens, In a storm of devils of
osu imagining.
thsse things are done in the green tree ,rhat
all be done in he dryl If men of might, of mind,
Of strong religious principle, after quarter of
htury Of active and notable usefulness, make their
in such hell of mind as Hugh Miller did, what
hrautee have you or 1 reader that we too may not
Ea 50 sad fate !,
This suicide has struck the civilized world with
Arment let turn so loud lesson to some
eial account What brought him to the verge of
destruction What impelled him TO leap into
eaarfal chasm If We can find out. then may
avoid the causes and escape the terrible end. The
Iy true biographer is God. He chronicles all the
hiking points with n sternly impartial pen. Hugh
er will in time be gloriied according to the pre-
hing fashion, But let US gather passing facts for
e while we may else time will obliterate them,
i the world lose the benefit Of them All whole
as Of large value.
Mr. Miller entered on literary life in good health
i With rugged constitution 4; he lost them both,
u lied ingioriously-BY LARGE sUPPERs AND LATE
FrEs-that tells the whole story He ate much,
eisei little, slept less These things persevered
will kill any man. .' He always made his sup
the principal meal of the day. is the record
Iaie Of him. a. He sat up till the morning hours,
banning his mental faculties to the highest possible
pnt, aud with brain thus on fire, laid down,
Et TO sleep, but to troubled dreams and horrid
z6ns Of the night. The morning found him unre-
shei, haggard and uneasy and with such mind
i such body, ne giried himself for another days
rk Under such circu instances. the body and the
sn we're thrown into a state of 'siTrifafion, med
hy speaking, in consequence Of which, the body
s not rested by repose, the mind not caimed by
esp, until at length the power OF sleep was lost,
aen madness came, and aiscays riH
In previous q umbers Of the Journal, We have re-
a'eily advised persons that inability to sleep was
safe Of great danger that it preceded insanity,
NJ that II imperative under the circumstances
af every thing like business study should be IN
Aaty abandoned, at wha'ever sacrifice. For SIX
seven years Mr. Miller had been conscious OF the
eeri0us effects which continued efforts and anxie-
: we're exe.tng his own mind and they lett
lnonly half n man and TO use his own words,
as could do only half rrork lcith double toll.
.hen he engaged in literary employments, he work
sHh abOrious special preparation, with throes
aeh tortured him during the process and then lett
No exhausted the victim of nervous depression ana
s'at'ou At one time he would sink into the deep-
aspondency, at another he would be the suoJect
ierri1c apprehensions. A friend once found him
The street armed like bandit, and came very
81 oeIng shot down. He usually slept with a load
revolver at his pillow and n broad-bladed dagger |
ear by, while at the head of his bed stood a huge
%ynore He lived in such dread of the midnight
''er and these apprehensions fixed, day and night,
ssep or awake and so vivid did they become, that
ne last night of his existence, they drove MN
u hs bel in horror, and after writing the follow
rs note to his wife, he sent bullet through MS
/ fRa-.zs Lxd;.
NJ brain hurns 1 must have walked = q fearful |
rses upon bear the horrible Thought
s. Of the Lord Jesus Chris, have mercy rp upon ss the
|"'7'aons grow ay dear wife, farewell.
What made wreck Of this great mind ninety
|.ae |e and half out of q hundred will say 1t was
aard study. +" close application, - g over mental
h. excessive working of the BRAIN ms Is
~ Judgment Of charity and the cloak OF pity ana
aisseration is thrown over the whole traDsaction
~ or the sake Of avoiding 50 terrific fate our
]. sle light of acknowledged physiological truths
ing mere theory to the winds.
me change from life Of bodily labor to one tnat
,S'entazy Is always attended with danger anu -
! 20 made with impunity. Under circumstances
a'y eot-door toll. the appetite for food acquires
<@eaexfum which carries it into weeks and months
ent life. That is, the appetite for food Is great
I'd. the actual wants Of the system. The person
zen eating every day, laying in store OF all /
~ % repair its wastes and meet the mex. cay - :