PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

licence to (';o111mj~ suicide, \\·hene,-er the distresaes
which men feIt or fanci~d, rOl\e high enough to overcome
the pain and dread of death. Men are never
tempted to destroy them :;elves, but when under the oppression
of some grievous uneasiness. The restrictions
of the rule, therefore, ought to apply to these cases.
But \vhat effect can \ve lo~k for from a rule, \vhich
proposes to weigh our own pain against that of anoth~
er ; the misery that is felt, against that which is on~
ly conceived; =!nd in so corrupt a balance as the partv's
o~~ln .T ll;~tpm '-4h,,;.... J._ I" D '"- rL
_U 1 im"'~natl·on _ "'~l •?
J £ U
In like manner'J whateyer other rule you assign, it
,vitI ultimately bring us to an indiscriminate toleration
of suicide, in all cases in which there is danger
of its being committed .
. It renlains, therefore, to enquire ,vhat \\"Duld be
the effect of such a toleratioIl-evideIltlv, the loss of
.J
many lives to the community, of which some might
be useful or important ; the aflliction of many families,
and the ccnsternatiori of all ; for mankind must live
in contiol1?1 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morality are withdrawn; when every disgust, which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 suicide, shall be
deemed sufficient to justify it; and when the follies
al1d vices, as weI: as tIle inevitable calamities of hUe
man life, so often nla]re existence a burthen.
A second consideration, and perfectly distinct fronl
the former, is this. By continuing in the \l'orld,
and in the exercise of those virtues which remain
\vithin our power, we retain the opportunity of
meliorating -our condition in a future state. This argument,
if is true, does not in strictness prove suicide
to be a crillle; but if it sup?ly a moti~e to disstlaOe
us frl)m conlmitting it, it amounts to much
the same thing. Now there is no candition in bu·
lnan life \Vllich is llot capab!e elf seIne ~;irtue, active
()r passi\~e. Even piety and rcsigllatioll ul1der the
:;ufferings to which we are called, te~tify a trust and
acquiescence in th~ dlvinc COilnscls, more acceptabk;,