( iv } 
on the dwellings of induftry and temperance... Proteus-like they affume 
every thape, and often baffle the beit phyficians. Their baneful effect 
on the mind requires the ferious attention of legillators, divines,. and 
moral philofophers: I have myfelf often feen their amazing influence on 
‘religious fentiments. When extreme, they derange the whole fyftem;. 
obfcure the inteleéts, bewilder the imagination; prevent the natural or-. 
der and operation of all the paffions: the foul vibrates between apathy 
and morbid fenfibility:. the hates when fhe fhould love; and grieves when 
fhe ought to rejoice: the refembles.a difordered clock, that after a long 
filence chimes till you are tired, and often inftead of one ftrikes twelve— 
Thefe extremes are indeed rare; but the more general. degrees are {till 
analogous, and produce a great fum of evil. 
Slight rheumatic pains are almoft epidemic in fome feafons of the 
year. Yet, thefe are fcarcely worth mentioning in comparifon to the 
fevere fits that affliét a great number of perfons, even in the earlier parts 
of life, growing more frequent and violent with age;. not feldom attend- 
ed with. lamenefs, and contraétion of limbs.. . . 
Fever and ague is here, as in other countries, the plague of marfhy 
and fenny fituations, but what is fingular, it alfo vifits the borders of 
limpid ftreams.. The lefler degree of it generally called dumb ague, is 
not rare in the moft falubrious places during the months of Septem- 
ber and.O@tober.. Through ali the low one from north to fouth 
this difeafe rages in a variety. of hideous forms; and chiefly doth the fu- 
ry guartan with livid hue, haggard looks, and trembling fkeleton-limbs, 
embitter the life of multitudes: I have known many to linger under it 
for years, and become fo, difpirited, as not even to feek any remedy. 
It is a foul fource of many other. difeafes; often terminating in deadly 
dropfies and confumptions. 
Premature lofs of teeth is in many refpeéts a fevere misfortune. By 
impairing maitication, and confequently digeftion, it difpofes for many 
diforders. It injures the pronunciation; and is a particular difadvan- 
tage in a great republic, where fo many citizens are public fpeakers. 
It expofes the mouth and throat to cold, and various accidents.. It di-- 
minifhes the pleafure of eating, which is a real though not fublime,. 
pleafure of life; and which I have heard fome perfons very emphatically 
repret. Finally, it is a mortifying ftroke to beauty; and as fuch deep- 
ly felt by the fair fex! Indeed that man mutt be a ftoic, who can wich- 
out pity behold a blooming maiden of eighteen afflicted by this infirmity 
of 
