Montesquieu, who, in his “Lettres Persanes,” written in the character of a Persian gentleman resident in Europe, speaks of Suicide with favour, yet does not mention it by this title; in the 74th letter he gives a complete apology for it. See also his “Esprit des Lois” for other remarks on the crime. To this author is due the credit or discredit of the observation that England is the classic land of Suicide.
Voltaire, in his “Commentaire sur L’esprit des Lois,” approves of suicide, and does make use of this term; but in others of his works he condemns it; in short, he appears to have been undecided in the matter. It is narrated of him, that he and a friend contemplated and decided one evening on committing the act, but Voltaire had altered his mind in the morning.
Madame de Stael, in her youth, wrote an Essay approving of Suicide; but, later in her life, wrote “Reflexions sur le Suicide,” 1813, in which she recanted many of her opinions. She remarks that some suicides are a matter of duty; such are the deaths in a forlorn hope on the battle field; others were honourable as those of Cato, Decius, Codrus, and Regulus. Again, she says, “to prefer death to guilt is a suicide of duty, and such were all martyrdoms.” She discards the doctrine that the suicide is a coward; he is a man who has conquered even “the fear of death.”
Rousseau, J. J., wished that it were permissible; He called it, however, “un vol fait au genre humain.” See Nouvelle Heloise. He is said by some authorities to have caused his own death by taking arsenic.
Lamartine condemns the practice (see his remarks on the death of Cato) in the “Cours de Litterature.”
Elias Regnault says, “It is for man the highest expression of his liberty.”
Falret, J. P., “C’est un acte de délire.”
Rivarol, Antoine, “L’orgueil est toujours plus près du suicide que du repentir.”
Chateaubriand, François A., “Les suicides sont toujours communs chez les peuples corrompus.”
La Luzerne, C. Guillaume, “La religion enleve au suicide l’excuse, le prétexte, la sécurité, que lui donne l’incredulité.”