Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1879 — Authors and Diseases. [ARTICLE]

Authors and Diseases.

It has been said that Taylor’s disease was hardly understood by the physicians, aud it is not even now clear whether it was dropsy or disease of the kidneys. This leads t<) a brief reference to authorS aifd diseases, and by looking at the history of the former we shall find that they generally enjoy good health and live to the average of human life. Shakespeare died of a fever, arid his life terminated on his fifty-second birthday. Tradition says that the disease was brought on by a drinking bout, on the Occasion of a visit from Ben Jonson. “They had a merrie meeting and drank too hard, for Shakespeare died of afeavour there contracted.” Such, at least, is the record. Pope died of a general decline, being then fifty-six. It is surprising how so weak a frame endured even to this age, for he speaks of his life as a “long disease.” Goldsmith died of fever aggravated by a severe local ailment. Johnson Was old and was a sufierer ftom dropsy. Addison was intemperate in his latter days, Mid this brought on a dropsy. Milton, though not an old wan, died like one worn out with the trials and tofts of life. He is the first author who is mentioned as

smoking a pipe, which he found a solace during the weary hours of blindness and old age. Fielding died in middle life, of a decline; produced by fast llVing. Gibbons’ disease was hernia, pf long standing and aggravated character, terminating in dropsy. Byron died of fever, Shelley and Falconer were lost at sea. Southey died of paralysis of mind and body, and so did Scott Wordsworth lived to see fourscore, and died on the 23d of April, the day and month which marked both the birth and death of Shakespeare. Irving died of disease of the heart, having for the last year of his life been a great sufferer. Keats, Kirk White and Pollock died of consumption, and each early in life— Burns was broken down by poverty, toil and strong drink, and died at middle age. Coleridge had a very strong constitution, which enabled him to enaure the effect of opium, and he lived to the approach of old age. Tom Moore died like Scott, in a state of mental and bodily prostration. Chatterton and Hugh Miller committed suicide. Edward Everett died of a severe cold. Bryant was prostrated after making a speech, and never recovered. Our poets have generally attained long life, as illustrated by the instances of Bryant, Charles Sprague and Halleck, to whom will yet be added Longfellow and Whittier.— N. Y. Cor. Troy (N. Y.) Times.