A Treatise on the Plague and Yellow Fever: With an Appendix, containing histories of the plague at Athens in the time of the Peloponnesian War; at Constantinople in the time of Justinian; at London in 1665; at Marseilles in 1720Tytler, James
History
A Treatise on the Plague and Yellow Fever: With an Appendix, containing histories of the plague at Athens in the time of the Peloponnesian War; at Constantinople in the time of Justinian; at London in 1665; at Marseilles in 1720
Tytler, James
Plague -- Early works to 1800; Yellow fever -- Early works to 1800
Again, the human body is not made for the habitation of an infernal
spirit, but for one of a quite different character. The boisterous
passions of fury, discord and hatred ought never to disturb the
mind, which is made for the habitation of endless peace and joy. The
tumultuous passions are enemies to health; and this is so well known
to physicians that they are very careful to prevent their patients
from being any way ruffled or disturbed by violent passions. It is
true these passions act upon the rational soul, which we may suppose
to be distinct from that merely animal spirit, probably no other
than the electric fluid, which runs along the nerves; but experience
shows that each of these can act upon the other; a disorder in the
body, particularly in the nervous system, will sometimes disturb the
rational soul in such a manner as almost entirely to deprive it of
all its faculties; while on the other hand a violent commotion in the
rational soul may at once extinguish all the powers of life, as has
already been shown from Zimmerman. Now, let any one consider what
must be the sensations of those who engage in war. Whatever pity or
humanity may be pretended, it is evident that in the day of battle all
these sensations must give way to horror and fury on the part of the
conquerors, and terror and dismay on that of the vanquished. That these
passions never do entirely subside, is evident from the treatment of
conquered countries and conquered people. When Jenghiz Khan beheaded
his prisoners by hundreds of thousands, when Tamerlane pounded them in
mortars, when Khouli Khan caused those who offended him to be carried
from place to place, and a piece of flesh to be cut from their bodies
at each stage, what must have been the sensations of these miscreants,
and those whom they employed in such horrid scenes? On the other hand,
what must be the sensations of those who see their dearest relations
torn from them and slaughtered or treated even worse than if they were;
themselves driven from their peaceable abodes to wander like beasts,
while their cruel enemies exult in the miseries they have brought upon
them, and glory in doing all the mischief they can, and spreading
devastation as wide as possible? Thus, every passion, inimical to
health, must, on both sides, be carried to its utmost height; and if
these horrid scenes overspread a great part of the earth, for hundreds
of years together, is it any wonder that plagues should ensue? If man,
forgetting the dignity of his nature, converts the habitation assigned
him by his Maker into a kind of hell, and himself into a devil, can
we wonder that, in such circumstances, the spirit of life, originally
appointed for his use, should become to such a being the spirit of
death? Dr. Moseley seems to speak slightly of Helmont for assigning
_moral_ causes to fever; but if we consider the matter attentively it
will certainly be found that the moral conduct of the human race in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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