, 1874-04-04

Under this captlon the Popular Science
Monthly gives translation Of brilliant essay
by Fernand Papillon in tho Reuuo des Deu1
Mondes. 1t toachos, by procopt and example,
tho disturbing influence OF tho passions on the
mind aud body. Lovo gives nervous iutonsity
to momory and imagination in regard to tho
loved object. ALBERT saw acted before bis eyos
tho wel1-known story OF d decrepit crono's
recognizing in tho young and handsome body
dug out from an old coal-mine tho lovor whohnd
boon buried alive half d century before. tis
idle to dwell on tho influence of love On tic i'm.
agination. Every lovo-letter bears witnoss to
IT, Melancholy wears different disguiaos. When
1t 10 violent, It ripens from passion into dis
oaso, and kills. Philosophio sadness ia the lot,
Papi1ion says, Of every man who "philosophi-
ca11y comtomplatos Destiny" II Bpripge from
tho feeling that tho longing for tho idoal cannot
be gratifed. Goethe exempliaos 1t. Tho moro
common melancholy, rising from disappoint-
mont, loss Of money, fruit1osa ambition, etc., ia
moro active than tho philosophers sorrow, and
often cauaoB death. Durors wifo bothered him
to death. Koplor died Of aorrow. Diaappoint-
mont in love hna killed women and mon. Mel
nncholy is the main cause OF suicide. papillon
locates tho instinct Of self-preseryation, which
the desire to die must overcome, in a certain
part OF tho brain, and hence concludes that mol
anoholy Affects that particular portion Of the
oerobrum. On tho other hand DR.. Brown.Bo-
guard does not think that sufficient data oxistg
to warrant tho declaration that any emotion is
located In definite part of tho brain. Anger is
great man-killer. ANY strong faoling, often
repeated, exorts bad influence on health. This
influence may also be caused, in it's entirety, by
momontary excitement. Two young men quar-
relied and drew their swords. Suddenly one Of
them turned yellow. Tho other was scared and
dropped his weapon. The former bud boon
seized with violent attack Of iaundice
A priest turned yellow. in like manner, when
mud dog ran Mt him. Tho stomach is yory easily
affected by tho foolinga. "In tinloa OF opidomio
or Of civil war, and in nil Bocial conjunotures
when any extraordinary peril threatons tho
masses, dyspepsia becomes more frequent and
Assumes moro SERIOUS aspect" The recent
War, then, may bo responsible for tho present
prevalence of our national disease.
Passions aro contagious. Dad passions are
perhaps moro contagious than tho good. M. |
Prosper Despine has shown, by collating a
very large number Of inasancos that when IN |
account Of crime with dramatic surroundings
is publiahed aud attraots general attention, g |
certain number Of crimes liko It will he COM
1nitted within certain timo. No murder can
long DO peculiar. It is initiated too soon. N. |
Despino wished to forbid popular prints to pub
1gh accounts Of criminal doels This would bo
m impossibility, but thoro is no doubt that tho
press haa groRt and an unappreoiatcd rosponsl-
billty in this mattor Tho story OF orimo has
4 wonderful fascination to some minds. It |
fairly bowitches thom. The legal history Of |
tho last few years offers at loaHt ono curious |
proof OF this. A Captain was accused Of
scuttling bis vosaol. Soma sailors sworo that |
they saw him do 40. Their testimony waa no.
ticed to be almost verbal transcript OF the do
soription in ncado's Foul play' OF tho souttling
OF tho ship. It was shown that tho aailora had |
road thtB book constantly during the voyage and |
lad talked over the possibility Of such q doed,
and that thoy could not possibly have seen tho |
Captain, as they sworo they did, from the koy-
hole through which they sworo thoy looked. |
Judge aud jury aoted on the theory that tho |