m 



wonted seosationsi; unless the object of these passions has 

 the happy art of adding to the stimuJus, by tjae mixture of 

 some novel ingredient. 



But with or without the excitement, the habit progres- 

 sively strengthens ; while the organs become more and more 

 insensible of its existence. For example : poison itself taken 

 into the stomach in quantities too small to injure the health, 

 and gradually augmented, affects the constitution as little as 

 its ordinary food ; and habit renders that viscus so familiaris- 

 ed to its effects, that it would require a great and sudden in- 

 crease of the quantity, to destroy its powers or endanger 

 life. In like manner the muscles, inured to any particular 

 action, as sweeping the strings or gliding over the keys of 

 a musical instrument, discharge their functions unbidden, 

 and with the rapidity of lightening. And this surprising vo- 

 lubility of execution excites no attention, nor requires the 

 slightest exertion of will, unless interrupted by some novel 

 occurrence, as when a person accustomed to perform alone, 

 undertakes to play in concert j or excelling on one instru- 

 ment only, attempts to thrum on another. It is not other- 

 wise with the passions. The emotions of love gradually sub- 

 side. The mind habituated to their impressions no longer 

 swells into tumult; yet all the tender offices of affection 

 follow each other spontaneously and unobserved, because 

 they have become too natural to require the interference of 

 the attention or will. But when some unexpected proof of 

 sensibility and fondness touches a responsive string, we feel 



