Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-05-04

rates two instances of death produced by
Imagination. Burton says. in his Anatomy
of Melancholy, Imagination Is the
medium diferens of passions, by whose
means they work, and produce many times
prodigious efftc l have heard of one
that coming by chance in company of him,
that was thought to be sick of the plague
(Which was not SOY, fell down suddenly
dead. Another was sick of the plague,
with conceit One, seeing his fellow let
blood, fell down in a swoon. Another fell
down dead seeing but man hanged"
Montague wrote: / am one of those who
are most sensible of the power of imagina
ton. A perpetual cough in another tickles
my throat. | take possession of the dis
ease and look on, and do not at all wonder
that fancy should give fevers, and some
times kill such as allow of too much scope
and are too willing to entertain it." 1t is
through means of the Imagination that
quacks work what are sometimes seeming
ly astonishing cures. While in the back
woods of Van Vert County, Ohio, in the
winter of 1856, we were pointed out several
children who, their parents declared, were
cured of scrofula, in this manner: An au-
ger-hole Was made in an elm tree. A lock of
hair, cut as near as possible from the top
| of the head of the sufferer, was placed in
this hole, and plug inserted. When the
bark grew over the scrofula disappeared"
| This was the common "cure" in that re-
gion for scrofulous affections. From these,
| and numerous other illustrations which
might be cited, we may learn how very
easy it is to make ourselves sick, through
mere fancy and conceit, aud how impor-
tant it is that the Imagination should be
employed on she side of health.
The exercise of the will has very much
to do in determining our Physical condi-
ton. Many persons with weak constitu-
tions, but strong wills, have STAYED off sick
ness, year in and year out, when others
with less resolution would have settled in
to habitual invalids. So bent was Cardinal
Richelieu upon carrying out his colossal
schemes that he Systematically ignored his
physical ailments, and to persuade the peo-
pie that he was well, frequently rode out
before them in military dress, with huge
red feather in his cap, and sword dan
Cling by his side. John Randolph and
Alexander Stephens are signal examples
of what strong will can accomplish,
though Joined to feeble body. Many in
stances are reported of persons who have
recovered from physical maladies through
the power of the will, when medicines
failed. Mr.. Walker, author of the Original,
| tells US that ION one occasion he deter
mined to be well, and he was So" Exas-
| perated at the eagerness of mis- people to
hurry him to the tomb, Louis XIV. ordered
| his death bed, he "rouged his pale and
| haggard cheeks, wigged his thin locks
padded his skeleton limbs" and, dressing
himself in the juvenile costume of earlier
years, mounted magnificent charger and
participated in the military pageant at
Marty, which drew people from all parts
OF Europe to witness it. Muley Moluc,
the Moorish chieftan, on being told that
his army was hotly engaged with the Por-
| tuguese, hastily sprang from pallet OF
straw, broke through his attendants, who
were watching for his death, and placing
himself at the head of his troops, won a
crushing victory, and then laid down and
expired.
Determined not to yield to the common
enemy, Fontenelle leaped from his couch
at the age OF ninety eight, and proceeding
to royal ball, led the dance. A few years
ago Methodist missionary from the
Church South to China, was soiourning in
Knoxville for short time, during visit
home. The family of Parson Brownlow
sent Tor him to go and see that eccentric
; individual, observing that he was near hi:
end, and they were somewhat anxious con
cernlng his spiritual condition Accedins
at once to the request, the missionary wa:
shown up stairs to the parsons room. TIL,
latter lay upon his back, his eyes beins
closed, and his limbs ris id. Apparently
his end was near. Taking hold of hi
hand, the missionary said-we repeat tn,
incident as he related it to us" Parson
your friends think you are going to die
and are solicitous concerning your spirltna
condition. l have come to talk with you.
No sooner had these words dropped, thai
the sick man bolted upright in bed, ant
turning his eyes fiercely on the missionary
exclaimed /: You can go and tell m,
family not to be anxious about me or mi
souls salvation. / shall live for twent,
years yet to fight the hard-shell Baptist
and the Democrats" The thought of hav
ing to abandon his long continued warfar
seemed to nerve him to make fresl
struggle for life. From that moment h
began to recover, and in few weeks
time was restored to his accustomed health
We could, were it necessary, name othe
; instances, hardly less striking, of indi
viduals who have prolonged their live
through their determination not to die
Hearth and Home.