304 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ing an increase of but from 14 to 18 per year during the same 

 period. This result is probably due to a great extent to the influ- 

 ence of the Catholic priesthood, for it is the Koman Church, above 

 all others, that has firmly " fix'd its canon 'gainst self -slaughter." 



On account of the more settled social condition of England the 

 statistics of that country do not show the same alarming increase 

 as those of France, Germany, and Austria, but the regularity of 

 the number for each five years, from 1855 to 1875 — viz., from 1855 

 to 1860, 65 ; from 1860 to 1865, 66 ; from 1865 to 1870, 67 ; and from 

 1870 to 1875, 66 — supports in a remarkable degree the statement 

 made by Buckle that, " when the social conditions do not undergo 

 any marked change, we find year by year the same proportion of 

 persons putting an end to their existence, so that we are able to 

 predict, within a very small limit of error, the number of volun- 

 tary deaths for each ensuing period." 



Both Profs. Bertillion and Morselli express some doubt as to 

 the reliability of their statistics showing an increase in the United 

 States on account of its rapidly increasing population ; but any 

 one who will pay attention to the subject will be convinced, I am 

 sure, that a marked increase is annually taking place ; and there 

 are many reasons why it should be so. Our country is young, 

 social changes are rapid, and the struggle for wealth is severe. In 

 brief, we are living in what is justly called a " fast age." The 

 modern youth " consumes in an hour, by useless brilliancy, the oil 

 of the lamp which should burn throughout the night," and soon 

 finds that the infirmities of age have supplanted the vigor of 

 youth ; the business man who to-day is at the very height of pros- 

 perity, by some rash speculation becomes a bankrupt to-morrow ; 

 the professional man, who is ambitious of distinction, does not 

 rest when the sun goes down, but prolongs his work far into the 

 quiet hours of night. In fact, almost every one is madly pursuing 

 either pleasure, wealth, or fame, and, under such circumstances, is 

 it a wonder that often an overpowering sense of ennui and disgust 

 of life occurs, or that the delicate structure of the brain breaks 

 down, impelling the unfortunate victim to seek rest in the suicide's 

 dishonored grave ? 



Besides dissipation, reverses of fortune and overwork, love, 

 jealousy, and remorse play an important part in the etiology of 

 self-destruction. Marc Antony fell upon his sword and killed 

 himself because he believed that Cleopatra had played him false ; 

 and she, overcome by remorse and grief, placed the asp to her 

 breast that it might " the knot intrinsicate of life untie," and thus 

 unite her in the grave with him whose absence filled her life with 

 woe ; and the same motives which, thirty years before the birth 

 of Christ, made Antony and Egypt's queen " a- weary of the sun," 

 rule just as powerfully to-day in modern hearts. 





