life, feeble and unable to affift ourselves, we depend entirely upon others; we are conftantly in fociety; and, of course, if we are affected by any violent emotions, we are accustomed to utter them. Confequently, by force of affociation and habit, when they return exceffive on any future occafion, impatient of restraint, they will not be arrested by reflection, but vent themselves as they were wont. We may obferve, in confirmation of this remark, that children are often prone to foliloquy : And fo are men of lively paffions. In children, the affociation is vigorous and entire In men of lively paffions, habits are more tenacious than with men of a cooler temperament. When the contending principles are of equal energy, our emotions are uttered in broken and incoherent fentences, and the difordered state of our mind is expreffed by interrupted geftures, abfence of attention, and an agitated demeanour.

3

Banquo, Look how our partner's rapt.

La. Mach. Your face, my Thane, is as a book,
where men

May read ftrange matters. To beguile the time,
Look like the time.

But, when the inward diforder proceeds from the violence of paffion, unoppofed by internal feelings, and thwarted only by external circumftances, anxious for fuccefs, doubtful concerning the means, delivered from oppofing principles, and capable of reflecting, without abhorrence, on intended injury, our foliloquies, if we are difpofed to them, are more coherent. Macbeth, reasoning anxiously concerning the confequences of his defign, reflecting on the opinions of mankind, on the hatred and infamy he muft incur, and on the refentment he muft encounter, overcome by fear, relinquishes his undertaking.

If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly: If the affaffination
Could tramel up the confequence, and catch
With his furceafe, fuccefs; that but this blow

Might

Might be the Be-all and the End-all bere,
But bere: upon this bank and fhoal of time:
We'd jump the life to come.-But, in these cases,
We ftill have judgment bere; that we but teach
Bloody inftructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: This even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poifon'd chalice
To our own lips. He's here in double truft:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his hoft,
Who fhould against his murth'rer fhut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Befides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties fo meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead, like angels, trumpet-tongu’d, against
The deep damnation of his taking off :
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blaft, or heavens cherubin, hors'd
Upon the fightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in ev'ry eye;

That tears fhall drown the wind.

We will proceed no further in this business:

He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought

Golden opinions from all forts of people,

Which fhould be worn now in their newest glofs,
Not caft afide fo foon.

Thus, the irregular paffion is again repulfed: Yet fymptoms of the decay of

virtue

virtue are manifeft. Immediate inftinctive averfion, in cafes of cenfure, accompanies the decifions of our moral faculty: And thofe who are deterred from crimes, merely by the dread of punishment, and a regard to the opinions of mankind, betray a vitiated and depraved conftitution *. The lively feelings, opposed to ambition, unable, by the vivacity of their first impreffion, to extirpate the habit, languish, and are enfeebled. The irregular paffion, like the perfevering Fabius, gathers ftrength by delay: the virtuous principle, like the gallant, but unfupported Hannibal, fuffers diminution, even by fuccefs. Thus, it is manifeft, that the contest between the obftinacy of an habituated paffion, and the vehemence of an animated feeling, is unequal; and that there is infinite danger even in the apparently innocent and imaginary indulgence

* Tu nihil admittes in te formidine poenae ; Sit fpes fallendi, mifcebis facra profanis.

HOR.

of

of a selfish paffion. The harmony of the internal fyftem is nicely adjufted; and the exceffive tenfion or relaxation of any of the parts produces irregular and difcordant

tones.

A

The opinions of mankind are variable: For nations and communities, no less than individuals, are liable to prejudice. Particular emergencies and prepoffeffions miflead the judgment; and we applaud, at one time, what we blame at another. fyftem of conduct, founded on the opinion of others, is, therefore, unftable, inconfiftent, and often vitious. Macbeth, confidering the affaffination of Duncan as a deed deferving punifhment, is deterred from his enterprize; but, reflecting upon it as an event which he defired, but durft not accomplish, his courage is queftioned, and his honour impeached. When the fense of honour is corrupted, virtue expires, Influenced by fatal prejudices, and, flattering himself with the hope of impunity,

he