The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-12-06
SUDDEN DEATH.

An intimate friend of the late Iachariah
Chandler relates that the deceased Senator
had often, in recent years, expressed 4 wish
TO die just as he was eventually carried off
suddenly and without pain. Henry c.
Carey, who died in Philadelphia recently,
at the age of eighty-threc, had been, to use
his own expression, tired of life " for many
years, and looked forward to painless and
sudden death as the greatest boon that could
be vouchsafed to him at the close of his long
and active career He once said that sit
made his mouth water" to hear 4 man OF
advanced years dropping dead i'll the streets.
The celebrated DR.. Arbuthnot rated euthana-
STA as the kindest wish which his friends
could entertain in his behalf. The express
sions on this subject, which reach the public,
undoubtedly bear very small proportion TO
the thoughts and desires which are secretly
cherished. To most people, even of adj
vanced years, and to many in the ratio of
advancing years, even the thought of death
in any shape is abhorrent. Some of the
most eminent men Of the Fundamentally
Dr.. johnson, for instance-have lived in
robust health for years with the thought of
death ever present to their minds rs a sort
Of bfoodng terror. Where the subject is
nationally discussed, however, as in the
cases lust noted, we think the advantages
are clearly on the side of those who prefer
s.ddeu death to a prolonged dying. For
illustration we may compare the death of
with ha lunth of
Chandler, among statesmen, and that Of
Dean Swift or Walter Scott with the death
of William NJ. Thackeray or Charles Dick
ems among literary nen. In the history of
our politics, there is nothing sadder than
Morton's slow and assured decay-lying for
months on 4 couch which medical science
knew to be his couch of drath--the mind as
clear and as active as ever, but forcdoomed
to sink from day to day to the tragic end so
fittingly indicated by the great mans last
words, II am dying; am worn out
Compared with Morton, how fortunate was
Chandler in the special manner of his death
passing away peacefully as into sleep
and dream. In the literary characters we
striking, and in our Judgment quite rs favor
able to Dickens and Thackeray, and quite
as mournfnl as to Swift and Scott. Dick
ems passed away after a few hours Of uncon-
seriousness following an apoplectic attack; it
was painless and quiet death, like so many
which his own graphic pen had described.
Thackeray died just like Chandler, Il cere-
bral attack coming upon him in the night
and taking him away without warning.
Swift and Scott fingered long in a state of
mental ruin-both dying from the top,
like an old tree" as the former had tear
fully fore;old would he his own fate.
Among the ancient Greeks, and, indeed,
| among later people, lingering or painful
death was SO much feared and dreaded that
euthanasia was actively practiced as well as
| ardently hoped for That is to say, people
who were afflicted with incurable disease
encouraged to end with poison life which
would otherwise end in practracted torture.
The Church prays for deliverapce from
sudden death, but only from sudden death
as Il synonym for violent death, CHASING
| Il with battle and murder, in triple appeal.
| The mere fact of suddenneSs in the form OF
death is not - thing to be prayed against by
Christians, except in the light Of UMPIRE
paredness, and against this condition the
New Testament is full of doubts as to the
efficacy of special preparation in the imme.
diate view of death. When sudden death
is spoken of any where as thing to be de-
sired, ii is. of course, meant only in n COM
parative sense, to he qualified by the copdi-
ton of certainty. The certainty of death
must first be proved or admitted, and the
choice must I've between a long period of suf
fering aud no period of suffering,
In discussing a question like this, 1t i:
impossible 10 avoid consideration of the de
sirable duration of human life-how long ,
person can live and yet be said to enjoy life
or III what period, in tho unobstructed cours
of nature, life ceases to be enjoyable. Man,
have attempted to selve this problem, bu