[ 3^ 



and provide that an inert ftate fhould be irkfome and unfriendly 

 both to the body and mind ; adivity, merely and fimply as fuch,. 

 a fource of enjoyment and vigour to both. 



The habitual exercife of his powers being thus congenial to 

 to man, and effential to the well-being both of the individual 

 and of fociety, it is to be obferved that tragical incidents moft 

 powerfully tend to excite the aflivity of the mind, by calling forth 

 the various emotions of fear, pity, furprife, indignation and 

 forrow. The magic power of fidion places us in fituations more 

 affeding and interefting, inore fraught with energies of the foul, 

 than thofe which commonly prefent themfelves in the calm and 

 level current of private life and domeftic occurrences, where the 

 viGrflitudes of fortune are lefs rapid, and the exccffes of guilt 

 and virtue are equally rare with the extremities of mifery or 

 happinefs. 



From whence does deep play derive its fafcinating power? 

 Are We to attribute the fpirit of gaming to avarice? far from it; 

 many of the perfons who are moft ftrongly poffefTed and infatuated 

 by this propenfity, fhrw, on other occafions, a total difregard 

 of money. The fudden viciffitudes of fortune, the hopes and 

 fears attendant on deep play, occupy the mind, fill it with agi- 

 tation in which it delights, and banifii that dead calm of fixed 

 repofe which is fo burthenfome and oppreffive to our nature. 



Why do fuch numbers croud to an execution ? Is it from a 

 fpirit of inherent cruelty that prompts the fpedators to view 



with. 



