Dickens excels in the portrayal of humanity born and reared in poverty and disease.

David Copperfield, enduring Mr. Murdstone's cruel neglect, Florence Dombey pining for her father's love, the Marchioness starving upon cold potatoes, Tom and Louise Gradgrind, stuffed with facts and allowed no innocent amusement, and the waifs of Tom's-All-Alone dying from abject poverty and disease, are only a few of the sad-eyed children peering from the pages of Dickens and yearning for love and understanding.

He was, therefore, torn by a conflict between his emotions and reason, and he was thus eminently fitted to be the poetic exponent of what he calls "...this strange disease of modern life, With its sick hurry, its divided aims, Its heads o'ertaxed, its palsied hearts.

There was this difference also to be noted, that the loss in the one trade was generally by the weather or by accident, but in the other by cruel treatment or disease; and that they who went out in a declining state of health in the one, came home generally recovered; whereas they, who went out robust in the other, came home in a shattered condition.

The truth was, that, for the sake of exercise, these miserable wretches, loaded with chains and oppressed with disease, were forced to dance by the terror of the lash, and sometimes by the actual use of it.

It is often said that the common lot of old age is disease and weariness of life.

Disease is by no means essential to old age; especially where a really long span of years is to be attained; for as life goes on, the conditions of health and disorder tend to increasecrescente vita, crescit sanitas et morbus.

So the greatest boon that follows the attainment of extreme old age is euthanasia,an easy death, not ushered in by disease, and free from all pain and struggle.

I have observed, as a matter of fact, that it is only people who exceed the age of ninety who attain euthanasia,who die, that is to say, of no disease, apoplexy or convulsion, and pass away without agony of any sort; nay, who sometimes even show no pallor, but expire generally in a sitting attitude, and often after a meal,or, I may say, simply cease to live rather than die.

To come to one's end before the age of ninety, means to die of disease, in other words, prematurely.

If they die then, they die, like younger people, of disease; and disease is something abnormal.

If they die then, they die, like younger people, of disease; and disease is something abnormal.

It is only when they are between ninety and a hundred that people die of old age; die, I mean, without suffering from any disease, or showing any special signs of their condition, such as a struggle, death-rattle, convulsion, pallor,the absence of all which constitutes euthanasia.

That they should be in their right minds, because testaments extorted through the phrenzy of a disease, or dotage of old age, were not in reality the wills of the persons that made them. 6th.

theire hye blood A flatterye drawes toth lees, and more corrupte Then a disease thats kyllinge.

You wronge your fortunes and convert theire good Into a stronge disease.

So pray you tourne me then into an hospytall, I have a straunge disease.

Beleive't, my sycknes is like the disease Which runns styll in a blood, nay more extreame, For frends and kyndred bothe must feele my cursse: But what good man can well escape a cursse When Emperours, that should be absolute, Will take advyse from everye shyftinge sycophant? Gan.

F. Engel mentions a disease (mancha) which attacks the tree in America, beginning by destroying its roots.

The tree soon dies, and the disease spreads so rapidly that whole groves of cacao-trees utterly perish and are turned into pastures for cattle.

Even in the most favored localities, after a long season of prosperity, thousands of trees are destroyed in a single night by this disease, just as the harvest is about to take place.

with disease strike blind her eyes!

her breast and head and feet; With foul disease her strike, within the gate!"

Thus Anatu will strike thee with disease, Unless thou soon her anger shalt appease; And if thou warrest with such foes divine, The fires of death shall o'er thy kingdom shine.

From baldness and disease, this man Cleanse, make him whole, head, feet, and hands!