The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-07-11
SEEsIBILITY.

PAINFUL and pleasuraole emotions are lnnnilely
various, Perhaps in the whole family q
man there are not two individuals whose
feelings are graduated by the same scale Of
likings and ayersions This diversity seems
to be equally natural and acquired, as much
the effect of education and accidental circum'
stances as of the original conformation OF
the sentient powers. Hence, although 1t ID
impracticable to change entirely the native
bias Of the sensibilities, yet so much are they
subject to the influence of early discipline,
that when they are calculated to produce in
furious consequences, either to individuals
or society, their pernicious tendency may be
much modified or altogether counteracted.
A large portion of the miseries and vices OF
mankind spring from the fountains of morbid
feeling, and if among the numerous unfortu-
nate beings whose feet have slidden from the
paths OF virtue into the broad road of crime,
there is one class which has
higher claims than all others upon
the sympathies and forbearsnce OF
society, surely II is that which can Justly as
cribe its guilty alterations to the impulses of
powerful and overwhelming sensbility.
The bosom quick to feel the slightest touches
Of pain or pleasure, has certainly stronger
plea for forgiveness or commisseration, when
swerving from the confines of rectitude,
under the influence of those mighty agents
of human action, than belong to the iron, or
marble heart which, while its feeling, are a
thousand degrees less intense, wanders
equally from the line of duty under the
same circumstances. 1t il, nevertheless,
true, that in the general estimate formed by
the world of the criminality of these two
classes Of offenders against virtue, they are
COMPOUNDED, and the same portion of ig-
nominy attaches to each while in cases cog
nizabe 10y statutory institutions they are
subjected to an equal measure Of punish
ment. None but those whom painful expe-
rience teaches can appreciate the countless
influences which act upon "the thrilling
iibres of tender soul" and there is no
standard of extenaating circumstances
adapted to the sensibilities by which the de-
grees of guilt can be aseertained,
and its appropriate quautum Of
infamy and punishment awarded.
Hence, the ardent, impetuous youth, whose
soul has ever shuddered at the idea of delib-
crate crime, and the inveterate felon, whose
head has withered and whose hands been
stained in the practice of cold-bloodel vii.
lainy, are often involved in the same public
censure, and visited with the same measure
of penal vengeance, for deeds externally sim
liar, committed under the operation of mo-
tiyes rs diverse as the dispositions of the
authors. A person Of exquisite feeling is ex.
posed to suffering from innumerable causes
which never inilict pang upon the less SEN
sitive bosom, Vulnerable Mt thousand
points, wherever he moves, his tender. breast
is wounded by the shafts of torture, thrown
from the hands of the careless and the cruel
the insoent and the malicious. This is true
of many gifted child Of genius. For it is
said that sensibility is the native cline of
genius, but as the region which nourishes
with kindly influence the luxuriant and fra.
grant plants of the glowing south is pecu-
liarly exposed to the invasions of the DESC
lating whirlwinds, so is that to the ravages
of the stormy passions. What generous
heart has not bled at the recital of the suffer-
ings and the doom ofthose hapless ''sons of
song" who have sunk into premature graves
the victims of their own misguided feelings
their over-weening sensibility Had We
time and space, we could mention many
of these sad destinies whose miseries--and in
a few cases even death--came from excessive
and worked sensbility. If, therefore, religion,
education, and proper respect and sympa
thy for the temper which predsposes to
such sutterings can gusrd against, or miti
gate them, surely it becomes the duty of
those who have the power to produce such
desirable result, to exercise it with untiring
vigilance. Let the infant mind that gives
indications of too much feeling be kept aloo
from scenes that would tend to increase it,
let it be kept from the perusal of tender tales,
tales either in prose or poetry, and never let
1t be tortured by the recital ofhclitious woes
To those hearts that bleed at every touch Of
rndeness, and whose susceptibility no power
can counteract, may every one be compass
sionate To protect the sensitive mind from
insult and violence, does more than free, it
from pain; it imparts to it positive.happi-
ness, and inspires glowing gratitude. In
common charity; then in common beneyo-
ence, we should deal tenderly with the un-
fortunate possessor of too great sensibility,
for at the very best, his or her path. will be
none of the ,smoothest; thorns. will prick at
every step, but we can, at least, cover few
of them with the flowers of kindness and for
bearance