Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

CHA P. III.

TH

SUICIDE.

HERE is no fubject in morality, in which the confideration of general confe quences is more neceffary than in this of fuicide. Particular and extreme cafes of fuicide may be imagined, and may arife, of which it would be difficult to affign the particular mifchief, or from that confideration alone to demonftrate the guilt; and these cases have been the chief occafion of confufion and doubtfulness in the quefti n: albeit this is no more than what is fometimes true of the most acknowledged vices. I could propofe many poffible cafes even of murder, which, if they were detached from the general rule, and governed by their own particular confequences alone, it would be no eafy undertaking to prove

criminal.

The true question in the argument is no other than this-May every man who chufes to destroy his life, innocently do fo? Limit, and diftinguish

YOL. II.

G

guish the subject as you can, it will come at last to this question.

For, fhall we fay that we are then at liberty to commit fuicide, when we find our continuance in life become useless to mankind? Any one, who pleases, may make himself useless; and melancholy minds are prone to think themfelves useless, when they really are not fo. Suppofe a law were promulged, allowing each private person to destroy every man he met, whose longer continuance in the world he judged to be ufelefs; who would not condemn the latitude of fuch a rule? Who does not perceive that it amounts to à permiffion to commit murder at pleafure? A fimilar rule, regulating the rights over our own lives, would be capable of the fame extenfion. Befide which, no one is useless for the purpose of this plea, but be who has loft every capacity and opportunity of being ufeful, together with the poffibility of recovering any degree of either; which is a state of fuch complete deftitution and defpair, as cannot, I believe, be predicated of any man living.

Or rather, shall we fay that to depart voluntarily out of life, is lawful for thofe alone who leave none to lament their death? If this confideration is to be taken into the account at

all,

all, the fubject of debate will be, not whether there are any to forrow for us, but whether their forrow for our death will exceed that which we fhould fuffer by continuing to live. Now this is a comparison of things fo indeterminate in their nature, capable of fo different a judgment, and concerning which the judgment will differ fo much, according to the ftate of the fpirits, or the preffure of any prefent anxiety, that it would vary little, in hypochondriacal conftitutions, from an unqualified licence to commit fuicide, whenever the diftreffes which men felt, or fancied, rofe high enough to overcome the pain and dread of death. Men are never tempted to deftroy themselves, but when under the oppreffion of fome grievous uneafinefs: the reftrictions of the rule, therefore, ought to apply to thefe cafes. But what effect can we look for from a rule, which propofes to weigh our own pain against that of another; the mifery that is felt, against that which is only conceived; and in fo corrupt a balance as the party's own diftempered imagi

nation?

In like manner, whatever other rule you affign, it will ultimately bring us to an indifcriminate toleration of fuicide, in all cafes in which there is danger of its being committed.

It remains, therefore, to enquire what would be the effect of fuch a toleration-evidently, the lofs of many lives to the community, of which fome might be useful or important; the affliction of many families, and the confternation of all; for mankind muft live in continual alarm for the fate of their friends and dearest relations, when the restraints of religion and morality are withdrawn; when every disgust, which is powerful: enough to tempt men to fuicide, fhall be deemed fufficient to juftify it; and when the follies and vices, as well as the inevitable calamities, of human life, fo often make existence a burthen.

A fecond confideration, and perfectly diftin& from the former, is this-By continuing in the world, and in the exercise of thofe virtues which remain within our power, we retain the opportunity of meliorating our condition in a future Rate. This argument, it is, true, does not in Arianefs prove fuicide to be a crime; but if is fupply a motive to diffuade us from committing It, it amounts to much the fame thing. Now there is no condition in human life which is not capable of fome virtue, active or paffive. Even piety and refignation under the fufferings to: which we are called, teftify a trust and acquiescence in the divine counfels, more acceptable, perhaps,

perhaps, than the most proftrate devotion; afford an edifying example to all who obferve them; and may hope for a recompence among the moft arduous of human virtues. These qualities are always in the power of the miferable; indeed of none but the miferable.

The two confiderations above ftated, belong to all cafes of fuicide whatever. Befide which general reasons, each cafe will be aggravated by its own proper and particular confequences; by the duties that are deferted; by the claims that are defrauded; by the lofs, affliction, or disgrace, which our death, or the manner of it, caufes to our family, kindred, or friends; by the occafion. we give to many to fufpect the fincerity of our moral and religious profeffions, and, together with ours, thofe of all others; by the reproach we draw upon our order, calling, or fect; in a word, by a great variety of evil confequences, attending upon peculiar fituations, with fome of other of which every actual cafe of fuicide is chargeable.

I refrain from the common topics of "de"ferting our poft," "throwing up our tiuft," "rushing uncalled into the prefence of our Maker," with fome others of the fame fort, not

[blocks in formation]
« ZurückWeiter »