472 r>?'. Barnes on the Power 



ordained, that where the moral influence of pain 

 cannot be enjoyed, its anguifh fhall not be 

 endured. 



Violent pafTions, of every kind, during their 

 continuance, produce this cffedV, of fheathing the 

 pungency of fenfation. Fear, and hope, joy, 

 and forrow, when ftrongly excited, equally bring 

 on a temporary infenfibility : fo that a perfon 

 fhall receive blov/s or wounds, without feelins: 

 them. How plainly does this appear in children,, 

 who, in anger, or in play, will endure un- 

 moved, what would otherv/ife be felt with the 

 moft exquifite keennefs ? In fome places, the 

 common exprefTions of forrow are, to beat the 

 head, to tear the hair, and in Otaheite to ftrike 

 Iharks teeth deep into their fle{b, thus infliding 

 wounds, the marks of which appear with in- 

 delible impreffion. 



But though all the pafTions have equally a 

 benumbing power, whilfl: their paroxyfms con- 

 tinue, yet the eftecls produced by them afterwards 

 on the fydem, with refpe6t to the acutenefs of 

 fenfation, are widely different. Some pafiions 

 deprefs the mind, weaken the tone of the fpirits, 

 and render them feelingly alive to every touch. 

 Thus, fear, and forrow, after their firfl: violence 

 is fpent, unbrace the nerves, give acutenefs to 

 pain, and often convert indifpofition into difeafe, 

 and anguifli into agony. Other pafiions, on 

 the contrary, induce a firmnefs, a tenfion, a 



vigour 



