Robert G. Ingersoll.
SUICIDE A SIN.
* New York Journal, 1805. An Interview.
Question. Do you think that what you have written about suicide has caused people to take their lives?
Answer. No, I do not. People do not kill themselves because of the ideas of others. They are the victims of misfortune.
Question. What do you consider the chief cause of suicide?
Answer. There are many causes. Some individuals are crossed in love, others are bankrupt in estate or reputation, still others are diseased in body and frequently in mind. There are a thousand and one causes that lead up to the final act.
Question. Do you consider that nationality plays a part in these tragedies?
Answer. No, it is a question of individuals. There are those whose sorrows are greater than they can bear. These sufferers seek the peace of death.
Question. Do you, then, advise suicide?