the heart, degrade the mind, and prepare the man for every species of crime-and for suicide, the last and worst-than all the intoxicating draughts, opiates, and stimulants, which appetite or avarice have invented. The grand cause of infidelity is a bad life.'-BP. BURNETT.

21

CHAP. II.

THE GRADUAL ADVANCES TO SUICIDE EXEMPLIFIED.

A sensual unreflecting life is big

With monstrous births, and SUICIDE, to crown
The black infernal brood.'

YOUNG.

Causes of Suicide-The mysterious Movements of the human Mind-The gradual Advances to this Crime, and its exciting Causes exhibited in the History of Mr. Geo. Furneaux, who shot himself at White Conduit House, September 19, 1821His providential Preservation—Its moral Effect upon his Mind and Conduct-His Advice to all impetuous Youth, and the agitated in Mind.

THE Causes of suicide are multiform and various.

The usual primary occasions of suicide are themselves highly criminal; they are such as these: the want of godly fear; irreligious companions and habits; atheistical principles, and neglect of religious observations and duties; pride; disappointment of romantic schemes; indulged vexations; the frequent exhibition of examples of suicide, and its almost justification at our public theatres; the

daily record of recent cases in our newspapers; some secret sin, which time may expose; sometimes a malicious desire to make others miserable; revenge on others for supposed injuries; the unfaithfulness of others to their solemn engagements. In respect to this last cause, multitudes of men will have a most dreadful account to render to the common Father of all.'

'But, if every man who has defrauded his master, or committed any other crime, and fears its just punishment-if every man who has fallen from an eminence, and met with some mortification to his pride, or is likely to meet it—if every man who has lost a wife, or the friendship of a wife--if every woman who has lost a husband, or an expected husbandif every man who finds he has made a bad bargain -if every man in debt and distress were to dismiss his spirit to the vast, untried, untrodden eternity our land would indeed be an Aceldama, a field of blood. Our nation, if God's preventing mercy did not interpose, would become worse than savage, destitute of all those ties of love and friendship, and confidence, that now in a great measure are the cements of society.'

It generally happens that a variety of predisposing causes precede the dreadful deed of suicide. I shall illustrate this from a detailed example of a gentle

who was won

man, only twenty-two years of age, drously preserved, and who is now living, adoring that mercy which rescued him from the horrid crime and all its tremendous consequences.

The history of the human mind, so far as its internal movements are concerned which prompt to outward deeds, is very curious, surprising, and worthy of investigation.

If the history of every individual who has stepped out of the usual path of ordinary life and attracted public gaze, so far as regards the internal movements of his mind, were written, it would be far more philosophical, interesting, and improving, than many of the narratives of mere facts which surprise and entertain the world.

The following narrative is a plain detail of the several steps and stages, in mind and conduct, by which a youth of twenty-two was seduced, beguiled, prompted, and pushed forward by his own heart, his evil companions, and Satan's influence, to raise his hand against his own life, and to fire a pistol through his head. It is intended as a commemoration of the providential interposition which rescued him from so great a death,' as a grateful endeavour on his part to make bis own example a warning to sinners and an encouragement to peni

tents, and as a monumental trophy of the goodness of Almighty God.

The attempt to perpetrate the dreadful deed was related in all newspapers of that week subsequent to September 19, 1821. The Morning Chronicle contained the following:

Dreadful Attempt at Suicide.-Wednesday evening, Mr. Furneaux, a young gentleman connected with a respectable family in the neighbourhood of Clerkenwell, made a desperate attempt to destroy himself.

. It appears that Mr. Furneaux, who is twentytwo years of age, unknown to his family, had formed a strong attachment to a young lady, which was disapproved by his father, who forbad the banns.

Wednesday evening he went to White Conduit House, wrote a letter to the young lady, the object of his affections, and sent the waiter to deliver it to her. Soon afterwards she arrived, in the company of a female friend: he met them at the door, ushered them up stairs, and requested them to accept of some nègus, which they assented to, and he said he would go and order it: he went down stairs, but, instead of ordering the negus, he went into the middle of the road, placed a pistol to his head, and discharged the contents, by which part of the left