Life of W.T. Sapp, the world famous ossified man / written by himself ; a brief account of his life, condition and experience ; a book from which every man, woman and child in the land may learn a lesson of patience, cheerfulness and self reliance.
- Sapp, W. T., 1854-1997?
- Date:
- [1897?]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Life of W.T. Sapp, the world famous ossified man / written by himself ; a brief account of his life, condition and experience ; a book from which every man, woman and child in the land may learn a lesson of patience, cheerfulness and self reliance. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
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![body that is as useless to me, so for as motion is concerned, as if moulded from clay, I must patiently and perseveringly make my way through life as best I can, expecting to be released only when I pass from this body into the great be- yond. Yet I do not complain. My lot has been cast by the Almighty, and I am glad that I have courage enough to ac- cept it and make the best of it. Fate has indeed smitten me with a heavy hand—a hand that would perhaps have crushed the spirit in many, but I should be ashamed to think courage would allow me to shrink from its blows. The body has been vanquished, but the spirit stands defiant; physical strength has been conquered, but hope and cour- age have not deserted me, and with these as my companions, I will cheerfully follow the rough pathway through life that has been marked out for me by the Kuler of our destinies. I have been left in possession of all the senses and mental powers through which our pleasures are received, so that I am by no means entirely cutoff from the enjoyments of life. My unfortunate condition prohibits me from engaging in many pleasures indulged in by others, but fortunately has left me capable of taking in and enjoying those that are the most lasting and give us the keenest delight. My enjoy- ments are more limited in number, but just as intense in degree. I cannot enter so many paths of pleasure, but those that are left open to me are filled with just as many delights. I cannot exhaust myself in the whir] of the dizzy waltz, but the strains of the music fills my ears with its melody. I can- not wander into the gardens and fields and gather the beau- tiful flowers, but they are no less charming nor their fra- grance less sweet. I cannot climb to the dizzy heights of the mountain's peak, nor stand erect on the brink of Niaga- ra, but the eyes take in their grandeur and t/eauties, filling the soul with just as much delight. Though the body has](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21076121_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
