The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-05-15
STRANGE BUT TRUE.


Among the terrible phenomena connect
ed with the vice of intemperance the one
most to be dreaded is that least spoken of by
temperance advocates; | allude to the delu-
sion the unhappy victim of this vice is very
frequently under-that he is haunted by a
phantom, whose mission it is to prevent his
return to the paths of sobriety. And this
omission on the part of the temperance
advocates is the more remarkable as the
delusion is very common among habits:al
drunkards. In fact there is scarcely ply
sician of lunatic asylum in England who
has not had one or more cases of the kind
under his notice.
This delusion has also feature of interest
about it distinct from its psychological phe-
nOmena. 1t frequently so much resembles
the medieval tales of individuals who had
sold themselves to the fend, and afterwards
repenting of their bargain had endeavored
Intellectually to break it, that one is almost
tempted to believe that dipsomania, imagined
by our forefathers to be demoniacal posses
sion, was a very common mistake in the
middle ages.
Admitting this to be the case, it would be
n singular study to trace out how many
poor wretches have suffered at the stake for
imaginary crimes connected with sorcery,
which after all were merely the effects of
habitual drunkenness bringing on this pecul-
lar phase of insanity.
The particular phenomenon I aIIude to as
common in the middle ages as we'll as in the
present day is that the victim of drunkenness
ina gines that phantom appears to him
whenever he attempts to recede from his
bargain with the evil one, or, according to
our modern ideas, to return to the paths of
sobriety, and, pertinaciously following him,
drives the unhappy wretch to continue his
habit till it forces him into the grave. So
close did the affinity between the m edi9val
tales and the present drunkards phantom
appear to me that determined to make n
collection of the latter cases in order at some
convenient season to bring them under the
notice of the public so as to add one more
effort, and perhaps as fruitless as the many
that have already been made, to stem the
increasing misery occasioned by the vice of
drunkenness. Circumstances, however, Oc-
Cured which obliged me to delay the publi-
cation of the whole collection. One among
the number, which may be taken as sam
pie of the rest, l now bring under the notice
nf the reader.
Some thirty years since there resided Mt
Y, fourishing city in the north of
Italy, an English gentleman whom | will
designate by the name of Smith, admitting
that for obvious reasons it is an assumed one.
At the time of my making his acquaintance
he was between twenty-five and thirty years
of age, of middle height, and although not
decidedly handsome had a very intelligent
| cast of countenance. He was well educated,
| had naturally courteous manners, and was
| generous and charitable.
With all Smiths good qualities he had
one beSetting fault, which went far to neu-
traIize his many virtues; or, to tell the strict
| truth. he was confirmed drunkard. He
had AGO uired the habit in England, and in
italy. where he was under little suhjection
to his family, it increased in intensity.
One Of the results of this failing was that
If shut him out from the better class OF
Italian society, by whom intemperance is
| iustly considered as filthy and degrading
vice; while many of the worst portion of
the Italian young men n the city collected
round him. tempted by his great hberality
and unbounded hospitality to ignore his
faults. or, rather, they encouraged him in
them, they profting to a great extent by his
| failing. 1t is only justice to Smith, how
/ ever. to state that his senses were not entire
" deadened to the degrading course of life
Ec vas leading. Naturally gentlemanly and