perfons gradually to the common occurrences of life, and to the occafional mention

This feems agreeable to the advice of Aretæus. Αταρ και εν τω παντι βιώχρη οξυθυμιων αργήτον εμποιειν. Aret. Cur. Diut. Morb. L. IV.

It is the opinion of fome eminent writers, that impreffions which act upon the fenfibility, are diminished by repetition; whereas thofe that act upon the irritability of the fyftem, are augmented. But I apprehend this depends in a great measure on the ftrength of the first impreffion, whether that be directed to the fenfible faculties, or merely to the animal organs. Purgative medicines lose their effects by repetition, and opium and tobacco, if not taken beyond their ufual dofes, cease to ftupify or intoxicate those who are habituated to their use. Our concern of mind ceafes in like manner, when the fame event recurs frequently. It is probable that butchers muft at first be ftruck with remorse at their first killing so many noble and harmless animals, but by cuftom this fenfation wears off, and the thing becomes a matter of course. The fame is true of fear. Those objects that at first fight affected our minds with awe and wonder, come at last to be scarcely regarded. A battle or a ftorm, however terrible at first, lofe much of their effect by custom and habit. On the other hand, when the first impreffion is very ftrong, and the effect produced very violent, a force or power, inferior to the original one, will produce the fame effect. Thus it has been remarked, that if a perfon, unaccustomed to the ufe of purgatives, was to

take

of fuch things, which, if not magnified by the relators, or dwelt on as meriting particu

take at a dofe fifteen grains of aloes, the fmartness of the operation would leave fuch a lafting impreffion, that an equal effect would afterwards be produced by one half, one' fourth, or even one-tenth, of the fame quantity; whereas, had the original dofe been only a grain and half, it might have been neceffary to increase it to ten or fifteen, in order to procure the effect defired. Had the man who first beheld with concern the flaughter of an ox, feen in place thereof an inhuman murder, he poffibly might not have been able to endure the killing a brute animal afterwards. It is related of Theodoric, the celebrated king of the Goths, that fome time after his unjustly putting to death Boetius and Symmachus, the head of a large fish was ferved up to table, which the unhappy monarch, confcious of, and repentant for his cruel treatment of thofe innocent and illuftrious perfons, figured to his diftracted imagination to be that of Symmachus, upbraiding him as it were with a ghaftly threatening countenance for his cruelty. This wrought fo powerfully upon his mind, that he was inftantly fo oppreffed with horror and amazement, as to render it neceffary to carry him from the table to his chamber, where the impreffion continued fo ftrong, as in a few days to put an end to his life. Our great poet Shakespear has finely depicted a fomewhat fimilar fituation.

A vacant place at the table fuggefts to the guilty mind of Macbeth his late crime, and his distracted

imagination

lar attention, will come in time to be difregarded, and their effects deftroyed. Instead of this it is but too ufual with parents to fofter the fenfibility of their children, efpecially females, to an unnatural degree, by officious attention to remove every thing that can give the leaft interruption to pleasure, or even awake the mind to it natural and neceffary exertions. An Araçağıa of the understanding and mind, and a Mergoñadeia of the will, feems to be the modern, as well as ancient fceptical fyftem of polite life, and appears to be scarcely lefs injurious to the body than to the mind, by the effeminating effects it produces upon both.

d

Affectation contributes its share to enhance thefe complaints. An unnatural and morbid fenfibility is often encouraged under the idea

imagination fills it with the person who had been the object of his cruelty, exhibiting at the fame time every horrid circumftance that had attended the commiffion of that atrocious deed.

d Φαμεν δε αχρι νυν τέλος είναι του Σκεπτικου την εν τοις καλα δόξαν α ας αξίαν, και εν τοις κατηναγκασμέ VOLS METRIOTA Dav. Sext. Emp. L. I. C. 12. τοις μετριοπαθειαν.

of

of delicacy and tender feeling, and even fickness itself is fometimes feigned, as being imagined (however falfely) a mark of a difpofition of this kind. But if we examine human nature more accurately, we shall find that the liberal and truly amiable virtues of humanity and benevolence, are much more frequently found in perfons of a steady mind and temper, who have experienced variety of fortune, than in those who have paffed their lives in an uniform courfe of luxurious indulgence, which always generates selfish and mean ideas and fentiments.

It is the remark of an eminent moralift, that men who have met with an uniform compliance with their will, are inclined to cruelty and severity. A mixture of adverse, with profperous fortune, is, he observes, neceffary, in order to infpire humanity and pity.

GENUS

TH

GENUS LXVI.

MELANCHOLIA.

HE diftinguishing character of this diforder, is an attachment of the mind to one object, concerning which the reason is defective, whilft in general, it is perfect in what respects other fubjects.

It is obvious that there must be here a large fcope for the management of the mind. and paffions. The point to be aimed at feems. to be, to interrupt the attention of the mind to its accustomed object, and to introduce variety of matter upon which it may exercise itfelf. This, however, requires the greatest caution and delicacy in the execution. Moft melancholic perfons are jealous of being efteemed to be fuch, and have generally a great opinion of their own wisdom and fagacity, and are apt to hold very cheap the common amusements of life, especially those eonnected with focial intercourfe and company, especially as they are inclined to think themfelves neglected and defpifed by the world.

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