The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-14
Lie Wasted.

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Valuable lives are often thrown away
lost-through ignorance Ct some Of the sim
plest truths OF nature, or errors Of Judgment
| ID matter where errors become crime
J Some of the best and wisest and greatest men
of our race have persisted from the world, in
consequence Of what might be considered
carelessness, recklessuoss, or an ignorance
which is amazing as found IL minds like theirs
The immediate cause OF Lord Bacon death
was sleeping In damp bed. Any old woman,
who didn't know B from bulls foot would
have had more sense than that. Yet it was the
fatal error OF the greatest mind Of his age and
generation
Washington Irving, whose name is so
loved and honored aud revered, FASTENED his
death by taking the advice of fool, Instead
of his physician. Abbot Lawrence the dnan-
cier and the philanthropist, brought on his
last illness by an inJudiclous change of cloth
ing.
Rachel, the greatest tragic actress Of her
time, took a cold which carried her to her
grave, by riding from New York to Boston in
cars not sufficiently warmed, on bitter cold
winters night, Immediately after perform
ancc, which had heated up her whole system,
far beyond its natural standard.-J. Addison
Alexander, for whom it is claimed that he
was the best Bible scholar living, and that he
had powers of mind not equacd IN his day,
died in the very prime Of life, because, hav,
ing feeling almost bordering on contempt for
physicians, he allowed his mortal malady to
prey upon him secretly and the day ne died
he Thought he was going to get well. Be-
cause he knew nothing about disease, he con-
Guided, with all his Respondent intellect, that
men who had made 1t q lifelong study, knew
nothing about it. The magnificent deduction
cost MIN his life. And now another name
comes up to our notice, IN the same connection,
as Illustrating the fact that the greatest minds
are capable OF toIlies most amazing. The
philosopher, the scholar, the soldier and the
| Christian, were all blended in the name Of
Professor Mitchell, the great astronomer, the
gallant soldier and reslstless general. His
was the greatest loss to the nation, UP to this
hour OF the contest, and yet his life was liter
ally thrown away, by his own nconslderate
act by doing deliberately what we would
suppose the comm0nest mind IN the nation
would have regarded as exceedingly danger
Gus and it is named here to benefit the living,
without prejudice to the honored and lamented
dead. Gen. Mitchell was attacked with symp-
toms Of yellow fever his physician acted
promptly, and labored to restore the functions
oftho skin, to cause perspiraton, which every
professional man acknowledges to be the turn
log point for life in that disease. 1t was
eventually brought about to the unspeakable
Joy OF his medical attendant, DR.. Thomas 7.
Smiley, at II NJ, October %, 1862; but
when he returned, two hours later, his patient
had been attacked with chill, the pulse went
up from IS to 100, the General having got up
and ordered his bed changed, while in this
perspiring condition. Delirium set in, and
he died, the attending surgeon leaving this
record - am OF the opinion that had
Gen. Mitchell remained in bed, and kept the
skin in good condition, he would without
doubt have recovered. Halls Journal of
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