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from the shore to a nouse during the storm, I carried her in my arms about half the way, she being too cold and wearied to walk. They were well wrapped up in blankets, but I had nothing but my cloak, and got two of my fingers frozen. You can better conceive than I can express, how strangely I felt when reason first told me I was in the cabin of a vessel; and when I knew, from the pitching and tossing, that that vessel was on the ocean. I am in hopes of meeting with some vessel bound homeward; and, if I cannot return in her, to send this letter. If we speak no vessel in which I can return, I shall probably take passage immediately after arriving in Liverpool. Till then, I leave all other incidents connected with this almost incredible loss of reason. I do not doubt that study was the cause, and thus are all my hopes of going through college blasted for I should not dare to make a second attempt. But I think nothing of that. I am lost in wonder that such a journey should have been performed in safety in such a singular absence of mind; and to think too that I even went through all, without ever losing my money, is most strange. My preservation appears indeed miraculous-but I know not what to say. How thankful should I be to the Great Being who has guided and directed my wanderings-thankful! 't is too tame a word. Words cannot express my feelings, and I leave all, for the contemplation almost overwhelms me."

Mr. Frothingham has since returned, and confirms the whole account. "Would that his well-meant but mistaken zeal in study (says the editor) might be the means of saving many now in danger from a restilt not less fatal to future plans, and of preserving others from that partial mania-that predominance of the body over mind, which we believe gives rise to not a few of the follies, and errors, and faults, of sedentary men. We will only add, as an example of a result more deadly, from a similar imprudence, that one of the most diligent and promising students of an institution, returned to his room after a long tour on foot, in perfect health, and, as he imagined, with a stock laid up on which he might draw. He sat down closely to study. The blood thus accumulated, which rushed to Mr. Froth

ingham's brain, in this case burst forth in a profuse discharge from the lungs; and, after years spent in struggling, by the aid of a fine constitution, against the diseases and the effects of study, he fell, in the midst of the brightest prospects of usefulness, a victim to his hasty efforts to be a scholar. Would not a thorough knowledge of physiology preserve both sexes from incalculable evil?"

The very singular case of Mr. Frothing. ham, described above, suggests, both to the philosopher and the divine, a variety of interesting reflections in reference to the action of mind on the corporeal functions, and to the goodness and care of a superintending Provi dence. He must have travelled more than two hundred miles by land and water, before he found himself in Montreal; and, as he could not be supposed to have taken the nearest road to that city, perhaps he may have travelled more than double that distance, and crossed several lakes and rivers which abound in the territory through which he passed. He must have inquired for lodgings, paid for victuals, found out the different ferries where he behoved to cross, and all, without being conscious where he was, or what was his object. With regard to the effect of study on the functions of the body and mind, I have every reason to believe, that those studies which are most abstruse, such as the ancient languages, metaphysics, and the higher branches of pure mathematics, when closely pursued, have the greatest tendency to injure the organic functions, and the mental powers; while natural and civil history, geography, astronomy, and the other physical sciences, being conversant about sensible objects, will seldom produce such effects, when prosecuted with judgment and moderation; so that those studies which are in reality most useful, will be found in few instances injurious either to the animal or mental powers. Mr. Frothingham was deeply absorbed in the study of Latin grammar when his mental aberration was induced. Were he to refrain from such abstract studies, and apply himself with moderation to the more interesting departments of natural science, I should have no fear of the return of his former insanity.

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ON THE SIN AND THE EVILS

ог

COVETOUSNESS;

AND THE

HAPPY EFFECTS WHICH WOULD FLOW

FROM A SPIRIT OF

CHRISTIAN BENEFICENCE.

ILLUSTRATED BY

▲ VARIETY OF FACTS, SELECTED FROM SACRED AND CIVIL HISTORY AND OTHER DOCUMENTS.

BY THOMAS DICK, LL. D.,

AUTHOR OF THE "CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER,"—" PHILOSOPHY OF Religion,' 11-0
"PHILOSOPHY OF A FUTURE STATE," ""IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIETY BY THE
DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE," "THE MENTAL ILLUMINATION
AND MORAL IMPROVEMENT OF MANKIND," etc. etc.

HARTFORD:

PUBLISHED BY A. C. GOODMAN & CO.

1850.

PREFACE.

THE subject of the following treatise, considered in all its aspects, is one which has an important bearing on the happiness and improvement both of Christian and Civil society. Impressed with a deep conviction of this truth, the author intended, some time ago, to address his fellow-men on the subject; but other engagements prevented him from entering on the consideration of the several topics connected with it, till about the month of August last, when a Prize, to be given for the best Essay on the subject, was announced in some of our religious periodicals. Being then engaged in conducting his work "On the Mental Illumination of Mankind," &c., through the press, and in various other avocations, he could not find leisure to finish the Essay within the time prescribed in the advertisement. It was, however, sent some time afterwards, and returned unopened, on the ground, "that the carriage and porterage of it were not paid ;" and had it not been for a particular circumstance, the package might have been lost, as there was no intimation on its exterior as to whom it should be addressed and returned. These circumstances the author was disposed to consider as little short of an exemplification of Covetousness—the very evil which the Essays advertised for were intended to counteract. For, although a hundred Essays had been sent, the carriage of which was two shillings each, the whole sum thus expended would not have amounted to above £10-which could only be a trivial sum to the individuals who offered the Prize. And equity required, that those who had been at the expense of paper and quills, and who had devoted a certain portion of their time to the subject, in compliance with the request of those gentlemen, should have been freed from the expense of carriage, especially when no intimation of this circumstance was contained in the announcement. But we too frequently find, that it is much easier to laud a virtue than to practise it, and to denounce a vicious principle than to act in opposition to it.

The Essay is now presented to the public by the Author, on his own responsibility, as he originally intended, in the hope that it may not be altogether inefficient, in counteracting the principle of Covetousness, and stimulating the Christian to those noble acts of Beneficence by which physical and moral evil may be prevented, religious society improved, and the world enlightened and regenerated. Having been composed in the course of four or five months, and in the midst of many interruptions and avocations, it is hoped, the critical reader will candidly overlook any slight inaccuracies it may contain.

Should any pecuniary emolument be derived from the sale of this volume, the greater portion of it will be devoted to the purpose of social and religious improvement.

BROUGHTY FERRY, Dear DUNDEE,

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