l energies of
the most powerful of her subjects. At other times the body gains the
ascendency, and lays prostrate before her the mightiest of human
intellects. Instances illustrative of both propositions are of daily
occurrence. It has been said of Sophocles, that being desirous of
proving that at an advanced age he was in full possession of his
intellectual faculties, he composed a tragedy, was crowned, and died
through joy. The same thing happened to Philippides, the comic writer.
M. Juventius Thalma, on being told that a triumph had been decreed to
him for having subdued Corsica, fell down dead before the altar at which
he was offering up his thanksgiving. Zimmerman, in his work on
Experience in Physic, has related the circumstance of a worthy family in
Holland being reduced to indigence; the elder brother passed over to the
East Indies, acquired considerable fortune there, and returning home
presented his sister with the richest jewel: the young woman, at this
unexpected change of fortune became motionless and died. The famous
Forquet died on being told that Louis XIV. had restored him to his
liberty. It is also related of Diodorus Chronos, who was considered as
the most subtle logician of the time of Ptolemy Soter, that Stilbo one
day in the presence of the king, proposed a question to him, to which he
was unable to reply. The king, willing to cover him with shame,
pronounced only one part of his name, and called him _ovos_, ass,
instead of Chronos. Diodorus was so much affected at this as to die soon
afterwards.

Perhaps there is not a more remarkable instance on record showing, in a
melancholy though forcible light, the dominion of mind over the material
frame, than the circumstances which attended the death of John Hunter.
This distinguished surgeon and physiologist died in a fit of enraged
passion; and, what is somewhat extraordinary, he had often predicted
that such excitement would prove fatal to him. He died at St. George's
Hospital, Oct. 16, 1793, under these circumstances: being there in the
exercise of his official duty as surgeon, he had a warm dispute with Dr.
Pearson, on a professional subject; upon which he said, "I must retire,
for I feel an agitation which will be fatal to me if I increase it." He
immediately withdrew into an adjoining room; but Dr. Pearson, not being
willing to give up his argument, followed him, which so annoyed Hunter,
that he vehemently exclaimed, "You have followed me on purpos