Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-06-21
roo mucH MENTAL LABOR.

is very likely to be followed by a cor
responding loss Of power in that organ.
The cases Of Schiller, Byron and Bal
FAC were contrasted with those of
Goethe and Scott, to illustrate the evil
effects of ~overworking the brain.
There is now to be added to them one
more-that Of the lamented Charles
Dickens-and. as In the cases Of the
great mel before mentioned, rs we'll
as in those of Mozart and Weber,
Burns. Keats, Klrke, White and Shelley,
the world is Il great loser. How much
larger a quantity of delicious music
and poetry we should have been enjoy
ing for years past had these men econ
omized their mental forces! In the
case Of Mr.. Dickens, it is we'll known
that he had had warnings for some
time past that he was overtaxing his
brain, and his physicians had advised
him to allow himself more relaxation,
and even to desist from work until the
threatening symptoms had dlsap-
peared; but he did pot give sufficient
attention to this advice. And, although
he had been writing almost necessarily
for thirty-six years, and had produced
n series Of delightful works, which
form a small library in themselves, yet
we find him a short time previous to
his death engaged in editing All the
Year Round, writing occasionally for
that periodical, going about ~lecturing,
composing another novel, taking an
active part In other affairs requiring
study, and very frequently presiding
at public dinners and speaking at
meetings on great occasions. Besides
all this, lie kept up an active cores
pondence by letter with various
friends, kept open house, was a dill
gent reader Of periodicals and new
books, and assisted in the management
OF two or three societies, mainly estab-
lished by himself, for the benefit Of
literary persons and Of actors. Is it,
then, surprising that his brain gave
way under this high pressure? When
we recall to memory the number OF
eminent men of the present generation
who have succumbed to the tension Of
the mental faculties which modern
public life seems to exact, can any one
fail to have anxieties for those who are
still living? Thackeray was found
dead in his bed, having had no previ-
ous illness. Buckle suddenly found
his brain losing its power, and fastened
to foreign scenes to relieve it from the
strain; but it was too late, and he died
at Damascus, eXclaiming, my book
my book" Cavour, the great states
man Of Italy, her savior and the
founder Of her modern nationality,
died very much in the same way that
Dickens did. Golden shortened his
life by his incessant political and Par
liamentary labors, and went abroad
but to die. So many Of our W coun-
trymen have fallen overworked. So
did Brunei and Stephenson, the great
engineers, who beth tried to dispense
with sleep as much as possible, and
were In consequence laid to rest in an
early grave. Macauley is another in
stance of this uncomfortable appetite
for work and for being continually
before the public. Sir George c. Lewis
was a close student of classic antiquity
and history all the time he was fulfill
ing his duties as a Cabinet Minister
and a member of Parliament. He,
too, was cut off in his prime. Yet we
find the present Prime Minister OF
England following in his footsteps,
and inditing "Homeric Studies" while
framing the measures for the disestab'
lishment of the Irish Church and i'm
proving the tenure Of land In Ireland.
He appears not to have needed the
warning conveyed in the case Of his
colleague. John Bright, who has so
overtaSked his brain as to be forced to
abstain from all mental eXertion, and
1t is doubtful if he will ever regain his
former vigor. Count Bismarck has
been advised by his physicians to retire
for a time into private lite ; and Spur
geon, whose labors in preaching and
teaching have been he~rculean, has
received the same advice. If they will
not be wise In time, the death Of any
one of these four distinguished men
may be looked for at no distant date.