Year: 1875

TO SANITY AND HEALTH-HIs LETTER.


From the indianapolis Journal, Oct. 81


INDIANA HOSPITAL FoR THE INSANE


Oct A. 1879
TO THE EDITOR or THE JouRSAL:-


AS am about 70 discharge Hon Robert Dale Owen
from hospital ana return HIM to the world RESTORED
have thought best 70 offer TO the public through Tue
Journal, the accompanying letter from Mr.. owen 70
myself as better introduction and guarantee o men
tai integrity than any assurance Of recovery which
could give. Mr. Owen goes hence 10 his old home,
New Harmony where he will continue for time TO
''rest from his labors' under advice; but | see no
reason now why he should not after time, resume
his work, with all Of the ygor and ability incident 70
his age and habits Of Ills life. Very respectfully


0RPHEUS EVERTS.


INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. l. 1875.
Ny DEAR sR-Now that you have consented that
shall in week or two, leave this institution, In which
! have spent not few pleasant and profitable days,
allow me TO address to you few observations shg-
gested by the circumstances in which have recently
been placed


When my children, actuated by single desire for
their fathers welfare, and acting under the advice Of
Older persons, brought me here, not prepared to
say that they did an injudcous thing In cases
the boldes is also the wsest policy IL is true that
when distinguished of letters of my acquaint-
ance working for the Harpers, found at last that lie
had overtasked his brains and nerves it was not
deemed necessary to seclude him, as have been Sc.
cluded from the world my incomngs and outgoings,
and all my habits regulated and governed far rs
practicable, by the will of others-he simply soafed
about las he himself aterward expressed to mel for
year or more warned when he occasionally returned
to his DESK that the time for resumption had not yet
arrived.


But come Of a race strong willed sanguine whal
somewhat impetuous, and in my heroic treatment
may have been more needed than in his


Napoleon Bonaparte was in the habit Of judging men
and measures by their success not bad test upon the
whole, and II is certain that have not only got rid of
all dyspeptlc symptoms whatever, but Wy physical
health having very essentially improved during my
stay here, lind myself much more tranquil-less
cituble than when | placed under your care.
so far as IL may have given pain uneasness TO many
dear and kind friends, in this country and in Europe,
who, not knowing the exact state OF my case, may
have imagined my condition TO DO lingering II not
hopeless


No man. under circumstances such as NINE can be a
competent judge of his own past condition; yet it
seems TO me taking, | think, dispassonate view Of
what has happened), that my condition not dissm-
liar to that of the friend alluded TO aboveexhauson
of brain and nerve force by overwork at first, and
until what felt to be arbitrary restraint tended to
irritation


l do not forget however, that have inherited
probably from my good father, mental tendency
toward overhopoulness under which probabilities
possibilities assume the aspect of certaintes, the
element of time not beng sufficiently taken into
count and have observed that this tendency shows
itself in me, especially after illness Now had
ing the month Of May last, at the Dansvile IN. Y y
Waercure severe illness, beginning with fever con-
fnng me to bed for eleven days, and causing me TO
lose seventeen pounds in weight in the course Of
twenty days 1t the only really illness that
have had for more than fifty years. The other great
sickness OF my lie occurring when was only ten or
twelve years old you Will find described and its results
stated in my little volume of autobiography entitled,
Threading My Way, pages 1928. But my recovery
to good health in the last instance has been rapid
than in the first extending through four ye months
only, instead of a year.


Bulwer, who ought TO know, says well:-"Therc is
nothing more saluary TO active men than occasional
intervals of repose-when look within instead of
without, and examine almost insensbly what have
done-what we capable of DOING


have had proof during the three months of my resi-
dence in this hospital that the above remark is just
have much in the place. also that furnished
rial for thought, and have learned much that will
benefit in the future, and, hope, have gained many
friends in class which | had rarely until now, had
such opportunity of studying


seem, also TO have made gain by my secluslon hero
in the way OF reputation II wishes to be wen
spoken OF by those who had hitherto sighted
proved him, he had better either die suffer a tempo
rary civic death by confinement in unatic asylum.
De mOrtus nil niSi boRum-we speak with tender
favor of the dead This has been amply illustrated by
the many newspaper notices of myself which have
fallen under my observation since inmate of this in
stitution. trust that entering the world again
shall give for retracton OF these good opin-
ions OF the press kindly volunteered while tempo
rary secluded


In conclusion l wish to say, for every reasonable
aleviaton of my confinement while subject to your
care and authority, shall debt OF gratitude
to your self and to every member OF your family am
my dear sir faithfully yours,


ROBERT DALE OWEN
To oRPHEUs EvERTs, NJ d., Superintendent Of the
Indiana Hospital for the Insane.