Thou art too flow to do thy master's bidding,
When I defire it too.

* I shall conclude these observations, by explaining more particularly, how the repulse of a ruling and habituated passion could dispose Imogen to despondency, and render her careless of life: In other words, what is the origin of despair; or, by what lamentable perverfion those, who are susceptible of the pleasures of life, and in situations capable of enjoying them, become dissatisfied, and rise from the feast prematurely.

Happiness depends upon the gratification of our defires and paffions. The happiness of Titus arose from the indulgence of a beneficent temper: Epaminondas reaped enjoyment from the love of his country. The love of fame was the source of Caefar's felicity: And the gratification of grovelling appetites gave delight to Vitellius. It has also been observed, that fome one paffion generally affumes a preeminence eminence in the mind, and not only predominates over other appetites and defires; but contends with reason, and is often victorious. In proportion as one paffion gains strength, the rest languish and are enfeebled. They are seldom exercised; their gratifications yield tranfient pleasure; they become of flight importance, are dispirited, and decay. Thus our happiness is attached to one ruling and ardent paffion. But our reasonings, concerning future events, are weak and short-fighted. We form schemes of felicity that can never be realized, and cherish affections that can never be gratified. If, therefore, the disappointed paffion has been long encouraged, if the gay visions of hope and imagination have long administered to its violence, if it is confirmed by habit in the temper and conftitution, if it has fuperseded the operations of other active principles, and so enervated their strength, its disappointment will be embittered; and forrow,

2

forrow, prevented by no other paffion, will prey, unabating, on the defolate abandoned spirit. We may also observe, that none are more liable to afflictions of this fort, than those to whom nature hath given extreme sensibility. Alive to every impreffion, their feelings are exquifite: They are eager in every pursuit: Their imaginations are vigorous, and well adapted to fire them. They live, for a time, in a ftate of anarchy, exposed to the inroads of every paffion; and, though possessed of fingular abilities, their conduct will be capricious. Glowing with the warmest affections, open, generous, and candid; yet, prone to inconstancy, they are incapable of lafting friendship. At length, by force of repeated indulgence, some one paffion becomes habitual, occupies the heart, seizes the understanding, and, impatient of refiftance or controul, weakens or extirpates every oppofing principle: Disappointment ensues: No paffion re

:

mains to administer comfort: And the original sensibility which promoted this difpofition, will render the mind more susceptible of anguish, and yield it a prey to despondency. We ought, therefore, to beware of limiting our felicity to the gratification of any individual passion. Nature, ever wife and provident, hath endowed us with capacities for various pleasures, and hath opened to us many fountains of happiness: Let no tyrannous paffion,

let no rigid doctrine deter thee; drink ' of the streams, be moderate, and be * grateful.'

FINIS.

BOOKS printed for J. MURRAY,

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OEMS chiefly rural. By William Richardson, Efq; Profeffor of Humanity in the University of Glasgow. Small Octavo, Price 2 s. 6d. in Boards.

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