436 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



some in modern days never to ask 

 a favour of an epicure, till after his 

 meals ; and the ancients were not 

 unacquainted with the mollia tem- 

 pora fandi. Whatever chills and 

 . debilitates, disposes to timidity, ; 

 and local situations which are re- 

 tired and gloomy, are most con- 

 ducive to melancholy impressions. 

 Indeed so dependant is the state of 

 the mind upon that of the body, 

 that nothing can produce a consider- 

 able change in the latter, without 

 exciting pre-dispositions somewhat 

 analogous in the former. The food 

 which recruits the exhausted powers 

 of animal nature, exhilarates and 

 invigorates the mind ; the excess 

 which burdens the body, benumbs 

 the powers of the soul. The pain- 

 ful and comfortless sensations pro- 

 duced by flatulencies and indiges- 

 tions in hypochondriac tempera- 

 ments, have sometimes produced, 

 and sometimes been mistaken for 

 an anxious state of mind ; and the 

 medicines which relieve the one, 

 will administer comfort to the other. 

 The sensations of hunger, cold, fa- 

 tigue, &c. being disagreeable in 

 themselves, induce an uneasy rest- 

 less state of mind, and petulance of 

 temper. The state of the atmo- 

 sphere, peculiarities of climate, 

 seasons of the year, have their men- 

 tal influence; dispose to a cheerful 

 vivacity or gloominess of disposition 

 induce a languor or invigorate the 

 mental powers. The influence of 

 narcotics on the mind is universally 

 noticed. The exhilarating effect 

 of opiates, the extravagant wild- 

 ness, the pleasing delirium, with 

 whicli they aflfect the brain, the 

 Elysian pleasures they sometimes 

 communicate to the imagination, 

 and the consequent torpor and de- 

 bility diffused over the whole sys- 



tem, have been frequently remark- 

 ed. Under their stimulating influ- 

 ence, man has shewn himself equal to 

 undertakings which it was apparent 

 madness to attempt ; and the subse- 

 quent depression has marked him for 

 a coward. The effects of spiritous 

 and fermented liquors are no less 

 obvious, as every one has too fre- 

 quent an occasion to remark. 'J'hese 

 effects are observed to vary accord- 

 ing to the quality of the liquor, the 

 previous state of the subject's mind, 

 or the temperament of his body. 

 Some kinds of potations have a ten- 

 dency to induce a kind of pleasing 

 stupefaction ; so that if they do not 

 inspire new ideas, they seem to ren- 

 der the sot perfectly contented with 

 the few he possesses. These are 

 the frequent effects of malt liquors, 

 andthe ingredients mixed with them. 

 While otherliquors,asthe sparkling 

 champaigne, exhilarate the spirits to 

 an unusual degree, and promote a 

 flow of lively and witty ideas. Tem- 

 pers naturally warm and impetuous 

 are generally very litigious and 

 quarrelsome in their cups. Others 

 are rendered quarrelsome in a state 

 of intoxication, contrary to their 

 usual dispositions, through the dis- 

 agreeable irritation diffused over the 

 system by the unusual stimulus. 

 Some persons on the other hand, who 

 are surrounded with distracting 

 cares, or oppressed with extreme po- 

 verty, having for the instant drown- 

 ed thought and reflection in the be- 

 witching draught, which operates 

 like the waters of Lethe, they ob- 

 tain a temporary release from their 

 mental sufferings, and enjoy an ex- 

 traordinary and frantic flow of spirits 

 in the oblivion of their misery. 



Instances similar to the above are 

 infinitely numerous ; but these are 

 sufficient to illustrate the fact, that 



