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Literary
October 30, 1833
The Rhode Island Republican
Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
A moral essay from the N.Y. Free Inquirer denouncing drunkenness as a destructive force leading to crimes, family abuse, shame, and ruin, urging self-control despite inevitable remorse.
Clipping
OCR Quality
88%
Good
Full Text
From the N. Y. Free Inquirer
DRUNKENNESS EXEMPT
O Drink! Drink! thou art insidious and worst enemy!. Crimes are committed and recorded under thine influence! Vice is triumphant, and sensibility "pale with fear," cowers beneath the rod of iron.
Taste this wine or that—'tis good, very good.—Once more—no farther;—trust not the glass again. One draught thou becomest heated and another, and thy brain is on fire—and it is madness. Then art thou prepared to sally forth for the accomplishment of all wickedness.
I beseech you, the brute, nay, the brute beast, mad with drink tossed to and fro in the air as by the Gods; should his dearest friends tempt to remonstrate or prevail to desist from his diabolical—is maltreated. He meets so fair a being, one of the "angels of earth," reduced to her present deplorable condition by a debauchee and drunkard—not the gratification of his inclinations suffice? nay... the wretched outcast must be loaded with curses and imprecations.
But the "curtain drops"—no more of this vile monster is not satiated—misery and shame is not yet brimful; and the nearest inn is sought to add fuel to the fire. Too true, alas! appears a chance which sets description at defiance—a miserable mother or sister, or broken wife, who has watched with anxious impatience the arrival of this disgusting being, is amply repaid for her anxiety and care by the drunken fury ordering forth curses on the eyes of herself and her innocent children.
Foaming with rage, and madness, he seeks rest on that bed which he may never arise. Innocent sleep, so do the guilty—widely different the waking of the one from the other! (we mean in this world, for we know nothing of the next) to misery that to "peace of mind and conscience."
The aching head—the inflamed eyes—the fetid breath, accompanying a feeling of lassitude and uneasiness impossible to be described, are the constant attendants of the drunkard.
Every person but his pot companions shuns him as a pest—when business compels him to come in contact with others, the eye of integrity is terror to his mind.
"Tis vain—dearest friends reason and remonstrate, and they might as well whistle to the wind—the tragedy of yesterday, with its concomitant horrors, must be repeated.
He even loathes himself because convinced of his error—"he sees it with his eyes, he heareth it with his ears," but has no resolution—destruction cometh upon him like the wind, reducing him and his family to shame and a poor house.
DRUNKENNESS EXEMPT
O Drink! Drink! thou art insidious and worst enemy!. Crimes are committed and recorded under thine influence! Vice is triumphant, and sensibility "pale with fear," cowers beneath the rod of iron.
Taste this wine or that—'tis good, very good.—Once more—no farther;—trust not the glass again. One draught thou becomest heated and another, and thy brain is on fire—and it is madness. Then art thou prepared to sally forth for the accomplishment of all wickedness.
I beseech you, the brute, nay, the brute beast, mad with drink tossed to and fro in the air as by the Gods; should his dearest friends tempt to remonstrate or prevail to desist from his diabolical—is maltreated. He meets so fair a being, one of the "angels of earth," reduced to her present deplorable condition by a debauchee and drunkard—not the gratification of his inclinations suffice? nay... the wretched outcast must be loaded with curses and imprecations.
But the "curtain drops"—no more of this vile monster is not satiated—misery and shame is not yet brimful; and the nearest inn is sought to add fuel to the fire. Too true, alas! appears a chance which sets description at defiance—a miserable mother or sister, or broken wife, who has watched with anxious impatience the arrival of this disgusting being, is amply repaid for her anxiety and care by the drunken fury ordering forth curses on the eyes of herself and her innocent children.
Foaming with rage, and madness, he seeks rest on that bed which he may never arise. Innocent sleep, so do the guilty—widely different the waking of the one from the other! (we mean in this world, for we know nothing of the next) to misery that to "peace of mind and conscience."
The aching head—the inflamed eyes—the fetid breath, accompanying a feeling of lassitude and uneasiness impossible to be described, are the constant attendants of the drunkard.
Every person but his pot companions shuns him as a pest—when business compels him to come in contact with others, the eye of integrity is terror to his mind.
"Tis vain—dearest friends reason and remonstrate, and they might as well whistle to the wind—the tragedy of yesterday, with its concomitant horrors, must be repeated.
He even loathes himself because convinced of his error—"he sees it with his eyes, he heareth it with his ears," but has no resolution—destruction cometh upon him like the wind, reducing him and his family to shame and a poor house.
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Temperance
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Drunkenness
Vice
Temperance
Family Misery
Moral Warning
Intemperance
What entities or persons were involved?
From The N. Y. Free Inquirer
Literary Details
Title
Drunkenness Exempt
Author
From The N. Y. Free Inquirer
Key Lines
O Drink! Drink! Thou Art Insidious And Worst Enemy!. Crimes Are Committed And Recorded Under Thine Influence! Vice Is Triumphant, And Sensibility "Pale With Fear," Cowers Beneath The Rod Of Iron.
Taste This Wine Or That—'Tis Good, Very Good.—Once More—No Farther;—Trust Not The Glass Again.
The Aching Head—The Inflamed Eyes—The Fetid Breath, Accompanying A Feeling Of Lassitude And Uneasiness Impossible To Be Described, Are The Constant Attendants Of The Drunkard.
'Tis Vain—Dearest Friends Reason And Remonstrate, And They Might As Well Whistle To The Wind—The Tragedy Of Yesterday, With Its Concomitant Horrors, Must Be Repeated.
He Even Loathes Himself Because Convinced Of His Error—"He Sees It With His Eyes, He Heareth It With His Ears," But Has No Resolution—Destruction Cometh Upon Him Like The Wind, Reducing Him And His Family To Shame And A Poor House.