MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 



435 



When the object manifests extra- 

 ordinary benevolence ; when im- 

 measurable extent of wisdom and 

 goodness direct power to execute 

 their purpose and incalculable ad- 

 vantages are the issue of their united 

 operations, admiration swells into 

 delectable astonishment, and our 

 conscious incapacity to fathom is 

 an augmentation of enjoyment. 



Nature of Pre-disposing Causes, 

 from the same. 



ALL the above causes which 

 operate so powerfully upon 

 the mind, and impress it with such 

 a diversity or contrariety of sensa- 

 tions, have still a degree of unifor- 

 mity in their mode of action. We 

 may still suppose that the same indi- 

 ^'idual placed under their immedi- 

 ate influence, would always enter- 

 tain similar ideas and receive simi- 

 lar impressions. But this is not 

 always the case. Certain circum- 

 stances create such a pre-disposition 

 within us, that we shall at different 

 seasons be very differently affected 

 by the same object, both respecting 

 the kind of passion or affection ex- 

 cited, and the degree of power it 

 may exercise over us ; and they 

 constitute that state of mind, which 

 we frequently desci'ibe, by being in 

 the humour, or not in the humour. 

 The circumstances to which we 

 now refer, exert their primary effect 

 upon the corporeal or nervous sys- 

 tem, render that more susceptible 

 of impressions at one time than 

 another, dispose it to be very dif- 

 feren tly affected by the same objects ; 

 and through its channel, to affect 

 the state of our minds concerning 

 them. 



These observations relate to the 



power of what the medical world 

 has termed the non-naturals, which 

 exert as great an influence over 

 the dispositions of the mind, as they 

 are productive of salutary or morbid 

 pre-d ispositions respecting the body. 

 All those circumstances, for exam- 

 ple, which are calculated to in- 

 vigorate the frame, and rouse it 

 from a state of indolence and in- 

 activity, necessarily communicate a 

 correspondent vigour to the mind, 

 by which it becomes more adapted 

 to receive impressions of a certain 

 class, and to be more powerfully 

 influenced by particular circumstan- 

 ces and qualities in objects than at 

 the preceding period. Such are the 

 manifest effects of refreshing sleep 

 to fatigued and exhaust^ed natures, 

 of invigorating viands, of cheerful 

 weather, &c. Whatever produces 

 an uneasy sensation in the corporeal 

 system is apt to render the mind 

 peevish and fretful, and dispose it 

 to be much more powerfully affect- 

 ed than usual by incidents of a dis- 

 agreeable nature; such aslosses, dis- 

 appointme/its, the improper conduct 

 ofothers,&c. It has been frequent- 

 ly noticed by practitioners, that 

 patients are much more fretful and 

 impatient in a state of conval- 

 escence than during the most severe 

 periods of their disease. The re- 

 turning powers of sensation make 

 them feel the state of the disordered 

 frame more minutely than during 

 the oppressive state of the disease ; 

 and their comfortless sensations 

 communicatean unusual fretfulness 

 to the temper. Again, those things 

 which heat and irritate to a con- 

 siderable degree, foster all turbulent 

 and irritable passions; while those 

 which diffuse a pleasing sensation 

 over the system, dispose to benevo- 

 lence and goodwill . 1 1 is a maximwith 

 F f 2 



