By pistol. By hanging.
Between 10 and 20 years of age. 61 68
"20—30" 283 51
"30—40" 182 94
"40—50" 150 188
"50—60" 161 256
"60—70" 126 235
"70—80" 35 108
"80—90" 2
1000 1000

In classing 9000 cases of suicide which happened in Paris between the years 1796 and 1830, Dr. Schlegel concludes that what he terms the “philosophic suicide,” is that which is perpetrated after deliberation, during the night or shortly before sunrise; whilst when it is not the result of premeditation, it occurs during the day.

The choice between shooting and hanging may be accounted for on the same grounds. A young man, in a fit of frantic passion, from disappointed love, or losses at play, will probably, on his return home, seize a pistol and blow out his brains; whereas hanging needs reflection and some preparation and precaution, which would alone suffice to bring a reflective creature to a proper sense of his folly, unless predetermined to destroy himself by “philosophic suicide.”

It appears in these accounts that suicide in France has greatly increased since the revolution. The average number during the last forty-two years being 409⅚, the number in Paris being 1639 annually. Dr. Schlegel informs us that there exists a society in Paris called, “Society of the Friends of Suicide.” It consists of twelve members, and a lot is cast annually to decide which of them is to destroy himself in the presence of the others. Certain qualifications and testimonials were required before a candidate could be admitted into this amiable club:

1. He must prove himself a man of honour.

2. He must have experienced the injustice of mankind, been injured by a dear friend, or betrayed by a mistress or a wife.

3. He must have experienced, for some considerable time, a miserable vacuity of soul, and a discontent with every thing in the world.

This association reminds me of a ball that was established in Paris after the reign of terror, called Le Bal des Victimes, to which no person could be admitted unless they had had a near relation guillotined.

Dr. Schlegel has also given the following statistical table of the proportion of suicides to various populations—both as regarding counties and principal cities:

Countries. Proportion of
suicides
to population.
Sweden 1 in 92,375
The Milanais 1...72,570
Russia, 1819-1820 1...36,860
—— 1824-1827 1...34,246
Prussia 1...14,224
Saxony 1...8,446
St. Petersburg 1...416
London, 18th century 1...10,572
—— 19th century 1...21,491
Paris 1...2,215
Geneva 1...3,714
Berlin, 1788-1797 1...23,066
—— 1798-1807 1...12,917
—— 1813-1822 1...3,312
Hamburg 1...4,800
Leipzig 1...3,143
Milan 1...1,821
Naples 1...27,230
New York 1...9,474
Baltimore 1...15,696
Philadelphia 1...20,000