AFFECTING SCENES;

BEING

PASSAGES FROM THE DIARY

OF

A PHYSICIAN.

"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of
fools is in the house of mirth."-Eccl. vii. 4.

5444

NEW-YORK:

PUBLISHED BY J. & J. HARPER, 82 CLIFF-ST.

Sold by Collins & Hannay, Collins & Co., G. & C. & H. Carvill, White,
Gallaher, & White, O. A. Roorbach, E. Bliss, and C. S Francis ;-
ALBANY, O. Steele, and Little & Cummings;-PHILADELPHIA, John
Grigg, Towar & Hogan, E. L. Carey & A. Hart, T. Desilver, jr., and
U. Hunt;- BOSTON, Richardson, Lord, & Holbrook, Carter, Hendee,
& Babcock, and Hilliard, Gray, & Co.;-BALTIMORE, W. & J. Neal,
J. Jewett, and Cushing & Sons.

1831.

LENOX LIBRARY

NEW YORK

PREFACE,

BY THE AMERICAN PUBLISHERS.

IT is one of the maxims of inspired wisdom, that "it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men,—and the living will lay it to his heart." The lessons taught from the bed of the dying are not easily forgotten. The sympathies of our nature awaken intense interest towards those who are evidently departing from the scenes of human frailties and sufferings to a world which knows no change. We feel that they have no longer any motive to mislead or deceive us, and we listen to them as we would to the teachings of an oracle. Their near approach to the world of spirits seems to invest them with a keener insight into the realities of this world. With a quickness of apprehension which belongs only to this portion of our existence, the whole history of a life is brought in review almost in a moment. Selfdeception has now lost its power; and every action stands forth in its own undisguised shape. Standing on this awful point, which separates time. from eternity, they speak in a manner which the experience of ages has deemed to be prophetic as to the future, and which all must regard as the highest testimony concerning the past.