330 DISEASES Class III. i. 2. 29. 



ny more from his own obfervation ; he will perceive that all 

 extraordinary exertions of voluntary action in confequence of 

 fome falfe idea or hallucination, which ftrongly affects us, may 

 philofophically, though not popularly, be termed an infanity ; 

 he will then be liable to divide thefe voluntary exertions into 

 difagreeable, pernicious, deteftable, or into meritorious, delecta- 

 ble, and even amiable, infanities. And will laftly be induced 

 to conceive, that a good education confifts in the art of produc- 

 ing fuch happy hallucinations of ideas, as may be followed by 

 fuch voluntary exertions, as may be termed meritorious or ami- 

 able infanities. 



The old man of the mountain in Syria, who governed a fmall 

 nation of people called Affaffines, is recorded thus to have edu- 

 cated thofe of his army who were defigned to affaffmate the 

 princes with whom he was at war. A young man of natural 

 activity was chofen for the purpofe, and thrown into a deep 

 fleep by opium mixed with his food •, he was then carried into 

 a garden made to reprefent the paradife of Mahomet, with flow- 

 ers of great beauty and fragrance, fruits of delicious flavour, and 

 beautiful Houries beckoning him into the (hades. After a 

 while, on being a fecond time ftupified with opium, the young 

 enthufiaft was reconveyed to his apartment ; and on the next day 

 was affured by a prieft, that he was defigned for fome great ex- 

 ploit, and that by obeying the commands of their prince, im- 

 mortal happinefs awaited him. 



Hence it is eafy to collect how the firft impreflions made on 

 us by accidental circumftances in our infancy continue through 

 life to bias our affections, or miflead our judgments. One of 

 my acquaintance can trace the origin of his own energies of ac- 

 tion from fome fuch remote fources, which juftifies the obferva- 

 tion of M. Rouffeau, that the feeds of future virtues or vices 

 are oftener fown by the mother than the tutor. 





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