Memoirs of the Society instituted at Amsterdam in favour of drowned persons. For the years 1767-1771 / Translated from the original. By Thomas Cogan.

  • Thomas Cogan
Date:
1773
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Memoirs of the Society instituted at Amsterdam in favour of drowned persons. For the years 1767-1771 / Translated from the original. By Thomas Cogan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    as are their own executioners, fufpending themfelves fiom bed-poRs,beams in the chamber, or hooks in the wall, where they have fcarcely height or room enough to execute theirhor- rid purpofe, they may be confidered in a fimilar fituation with the drowned, and might, doubtlefs, be reRored by fimilar mea- fures. What pleafure muff it afford to every compafiionate bofom, to be inflrumental in recalling a miferable creature, precipitating itfelf into eternity by its own guilt, which guilt has neverthelefs this alleviation, that it was occasioned by its wretchednefs ! Were we, I fay, to eRimate the number of lives loR by thefe three caufes united, we fhould find, perhaps, that they equalled, if they did not greatly exceed, that of drowned perrons in Holland. I believe it would be unneceffary to attempt to convince the public of the utility of fuch a plan; yet I fear, that no reafons which / could urge would come with force enough to aroufe any body of people to put it into execution. How¬ ever, 1 cannot forbear expreffing my warmefi hopes that our rnagiftrates, emulating the examples given them by the ma¬ gi Rrates of moft ot the provinces and cities in the Nether¬ lands, of Hamburgh, Venue, and alfo the Emprefs fhueen, tb.Q hmprefs of Rujjia, and the King of France, would direct their attention into this channel ; and that they would con- defcend to reward with honours, or pecuniary advantages, fuch as have been fuccefsfully arduous in refioring fuhje&s to the Rate. Surely, the fame policy which watches over the pi efervation ofahare, or a partridge, and fets a value upon a. dog, cannot be negledhul of the life of a man, as if it was not equal in value to either ; or that, in imitation of the city of Hamburgh, fome of our learned focieties, formed to encourage thofe arts, and reward thefe improvements in knowledge which are iubfervisnt to the conveniences or refined enjoy¬ ments of life, will confider the moR aRonifhing and ufeful art, that of fanning up the fame of life as it is extinguijhing, to be within the limits of their infiitution. WhilR the nu¬ merous cafes before us afford an agreeable amufement to the curious and philofophic mind, they muff finely infpire a more exalted pleafure into the benevolent, when they prdent us with frefh inRances how much an mvefiigation of the Jaws pf nature are conducive to general utility: or Rial] I wifb, that thofe individuals^ whom Providence has bleffed with wealth.
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