A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Dix, Dorothea L.
DIX, DOROTHEA L.,
Was born in America, and passed her childhood and youth in Boston, or its vicinity. She was an apt scholar, and began early to make her talents useful. Gathering around her in the home of her grandmother, an excellent and respectable lady, a select school of young girls, to whom she was less like a teacher than a loving elder sister, gaining their confidence and leading them on with her in the way of improvement, Miss Dix became known by her virtues, and won her way to public esteem. At this time she cultivated her literary taste, and prepared several books; the first, published in Boston, 1829, entitled "The Garland of Flora," is proof of that genuine love of flowers and of poetry which marks the delicately-toned mind, disciplined by reflection, as well as study. Miss Dix afterwards prepared a number of books for children, among which were "Conversations about Common Things," "Alice and Ruth," "Evening Hours," and several others. Her name was not given to any of her works, but we allude to them here to show that a refined literary taste and genius are compatible with the most active philanthropy, even when compelled to seek its objects through researches that are both painful and terrible.
The declining health of Miss Dix made a change necessary; and as, by the decease of a relative, she had been left sufficiently provided for to render her own exertions unnecessary for herself, she gave up her school in 1834 and came to Europe. In Liverpool she was confined by a long and dangerous illness, but, notwithstanding her weak condition, she gained, while here, much valuable information, particularly about charitable institutions. In 1837 she returned to Boston, and soon commenced visiting the Poor-House and Houses of Refuge for the unfortunate. She also became interested for the boys in the Naval Asylum. Then she went to the Prisons and Lunatic Asylums; everywhere seeking to ameliorate suffering and instruct the ignorant In this course of benevolence she was encouraged by her particular friend, and, we believe, pastor, the Rev. William E. Channing, D.D., of whose two children she had at one time been the governess. For about ten years, or since 1841, Miss Dix has given her thoughts, time, and influence to ameliorate the condition of poor lunatics, and to persuade the public to furnish suitable asylums; also to improve the moral discipline of prisons and places of confinement for criminals. For this purpose she has visited every state in the Union (except, perhaps one) this side of the Rocky Mountains; travelling, probably, a number of miles which would three times circle the globe. Every where seeking out intelligent and benevolent men, she has endeavoured to infuse into their hearts the enthusiasm that kindled her own. Visiting the poor-houses, the prisons, the places of confinement for the insane, she has learned their condition, pleaded their cause, and materially incited the exertions of individuals and legislative bodies to provide suitable asylums for this suffering class. In founding the state hospitals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, and North Carolina, her exertions were of much importance by preparing the public mind to sympathize with this peculiar walk of charity. But Miss Dix did not stop at this point. In her enthusiasm she sees only two classes of people—the insane and the sane; the one to do, the other to be done for; so she carried her cares to Congress, and, in the sessions of 1848-9, presented a memorial asking an appropriation of five millions of acres of the public domain to endow hospitals for the indigent insane The grant was not made, and she again appeared in Washington in 1850, renewing her application, but increasing the amount of land required to ten millions of acres. A favourable report was made; a bill was framed, passed the House, but was lost in the Senate for want of time.
But on her applications to many of the States, Miss Dix has been successful, and indeed she has a peculiar gift of winning success. The secret of her power is her earnest zeal, and her untiring industry. She acquires a thorough knowledge of her subject. She draws up her papers with unequalled skill. We have before us two of her Memorials—one presented at Harrisburg, the other at Washington. They are models for the study of whoever would prepare petitions to a public body of men. So clearly does she set forth the object, and arrange the arguments in favour of her plan, that the Committee to whom it is referred, adopt her Memorial as their own Report. The advantage this gives of success is wonderful. In framing her Memorials, she follows the manner commended by Sterne—takes single cases of suffering—paints pictures at which the heart is so moved that the understanding loses its power, and yields to the idea that no misery is so terrible as that of a raving maniac! He is a drunkard, perhaps, who has sacrificed his time, property, and health, to his sensual appetites. He has wilfully destroyed his own mind; yet he must be provided for at public expense—not merely with every necessary—but with comforts, luxuries; the means of instruction, and even amusements; while his broken-hearted wife, his beggared children are left to the hardest poverty, to struggle on as they may without sympathy or relief! Is it not a charity, as necessary as noble, to provide the means of support, instruction, and improvement, for that hungry, ragged, but sane group of innocent beings, who may be preserved from temptation, and thus made useful members of society; as it is to restore consciousness to a soul so embruted in sin, that it cannot, by human agency, be recovered from its fall?
But Miss Dix only sees the insane, and those who follow her reasonings, or rather descriptions, are almost if not altogether persuaded she is right. Then she is gentle in manners, and has a remarkable sweet voice; wonderful instances are told of its power, not only over the lunatic, but over the learned. She goes herself to the places where Legislators meet, and pleads with those who have the control of public matters. Thus she is engaged, in season and out of season, in one cause, to her the most important of all—and she succeeds. Her example is a remarkable proof of the power of disinterested zeal concentrated on one purpose.