Year: 1879

ed frame does not SHRINK from the nnal


touch of that decay which has already


insensibly loosened its hold upon life
Professional observers speak of cases in


which the fear of dying is active to the


last, as being extremely rare; it should


probably be considered as physical in


dication of vitality. For the same reason


perhaps, the fear of death is often com


paratively slight in early youth, before


the constitution has reached its full Wig


or, and before the habit of living has


been very firmly established. t the


same time, the very energy and buoyancy


of a perfectly vigorous physical organi-


zation help to dispel or to neutralize


painful impressions; SO that although


the idea of death may be more naturally


abhorrent to the strong than to the weak,


they may be less habitually oppressed by


the thoughts of it.


There also seems to be deep, though


obscure, connection between the wish


and the power to live. Physicians and


nurses have strange stories to tell of cases


in which strong motive for living has
seemed sufficient to recall patients from


the very grasp of death. Sometimes the


mere assurance, given with confident


manner but doubling heart, that recov-


cry is possible seems to give strength to


rally and may turn the scale in favor of
life. For this reason, amongst others,


medical men are generally extremely un-


willing to tell patients that there is no


hope. There are cases on record in


which such an announcement, though


voluntarily elected and met with perfect


apparent calmness, has seemed to sap


the strength in a moment and cause


sudden and rapid sinking. 1t is perhaps


some physical instinct of selfpreserva-


fIOn rathap than 0f


which makes some sick people so care


fully shun all opportunities for any such
communication. The curious physical
results of mental expectation make it
often most inexpedient for the sick to


know all that is known to others about


their state; and perhaps only those who
have lived long in sick rooms can fully


appreciate the blessing to the watchers
of having to do with a patient who neith-


er anxiously questions nor fears to hear
or to speak the plain truth, making it
clear that to him the question of life or
death is not one of overmastering i'm
portance. To be able, while the bodily
life is trembling in the balance, to look
beyond it in undisturbed serenity, is not
only to be in the condition most favora-
to health and happiness, it is to radiate
strength and courage to all around. And
some such influence, though in O more
diffused and less perceptible form, is ex-
ercised during health by those who do
not shrink from the prospect of death.


Perfect serenity in regard to death is
not to be attained by any effort of the
will, nor by any mere process of reason
ing; it is rather the result of a happy
combination of bodily and mental condi-
tions. The chief of these conditions, the
assured hope of a future beyond the
grave in comparison of which the bright
est earthly visions fade like candle be-
fore the dawn, is not given to all; and
in these days especially, it is for many
if not altogether blotted
out, by doubts and questionings which
can no longer be hidden from the multi
tude Even to those who most earnestly |
cling to the hope of Immortality it would |
seem that our troublous inheritance of
sympathy must cast many distressing
slde-llght upon prospects in which of old |
the faithful were able to take undisturb, |
ed delight. However this may be, the |
mere prospect of prolonged existence be-
yond the grave, apart from other reasons /
for joyful confidence must be taken rath-
er as enlarging the scope of our hopes
and of our fears than as necessarily al
tering the balance between them. Habit
ual hopefulness may color the prospect
beyond the grave with the same glowing
tints which it throws over this world, so
that in some cases the same cause which
makes life delightful makes death not
unwelcome. Such a state of mind,
though rare, is not unknown. But per-
haps perfect balance of feeling is more
readily to be found at lower level of



1t may be one of the natural compen
Fo,o 1o,x IL /@fI
vitality that, in thinking of death, the
idea Of rest predominates over that of
oss, SO that there is no alloy of pain in
The reflection that none of the troubles
Of this life can be more than passing
clouds; that for each one of US "the
Shadows sits and waits - that the bur-
len of life, however heavy, must drop off
1t last; and that none can say how near
10 anyone may be the final relief from all
is evils Weariness of mere existence is
/ heavy, and probably a very common,
secret burden; one which makes the
thought of annihilation more attractive
20 some of US than any celestial visions
Those who suffer from it would not wei
come the brightest prospects of heaven,
lnless they could hope first for long
'f the travelstains of the past.


This is feeling which is probably
most common in youth or old age, when
he ties to life are fewer than they are in
is prime, and when the past or the fu-
'ure may well look almost intolerably
ong to the wearied Imagination 1t may
De that in the miserable experience of
some sufferers this deep WEAKNESS of life
nay not exclude the fear of DEATH but
80 terrible a combination can scarcely be
either common or lasting Probably the
normal state of things is that in which
some degree of fear, or at least of reluct-
ance exists as pure instinct; rising and
falling with physical causes, ready to
give force to the terrors of conscience
and the cravings of affection, but held in
check by various considerations and con-
brolled by the WILL if not utterly sub
dued by trustful hope. In people of act
i've energetic temperament, with keen
to sensuous impressions,
one may sometimes observe that no
amount either of religious hope for an
other life, or of painful experience of
this, will overcome the constitu tional
shrinking from the anticipated rending
asunder of body and soul. They carry
the same feeling through sympathy into
their thoughts of the death of others,
which appears to be almost physically
to them, however obviously ac-
ceptable to the person chiefly concerned.
Such a state Of feeling is to those who do
not share it as unaccountable as it is evi-
dent. Looking at death calmly, as one
of the very few circumstances Of quite
universal experience, any vehement dis
inclination to it would seem to be inap-
as well as futile. But disincli- |
nation to some of its accidental circum-
stances is but too easily ineligible. This
JS nrnh0blV another why the |
shrinking from it often seems to increase
as youth is left behind The very young
cannot know how terrible thing sick
{ hc, tel nod