of the Will over Sefifatm. 4^7 « 



fcdden coming in of a friend long iinfeen, or an 

 alarm for his fafety, if we favv him in the inftant 

 of danger, will equally fufpend corporeal feel- 

 ing. The tooth- ach fhall fly away, at the pre- 

 fen/e of the operator, or at the tidings of fome 

 happy event. A man, in the paroxyfms of ra^e, 

 Ihall be as infenfible to wounds and pain, as the 

 pious martyr at the (lake. 



But let us pafs on beyond the moment of 

 vehement excitation, and then, how great the 

 difference ! Among the paffions, we mufl", firfl-, 

 diftinguifti thofe which are of the longed conti- 

 nuance ; becaul'e thefe will produce the lono-eft, 

 and confequently the greateft, effefts. Anger 

 and fear are fhort-lived impulfes. And, when 

 their violence is fpent, they induce lano-uor 

 and depreffion. Hence, though fenfation may 

 be fufpended by them for a moment, it will 

 foon return with double pungency. On the 

 contrary, love, joy, and hope are paflions which 

 Five longer in the human breafl:, which leave 

 behind them a firm and animating feeling, and 

 which, therefore, may be expeded to produce 

 cffeds more lading and important. 



Again, we may didinguilh thofe padlons, 

 which center themfclvcs in a narrower, from 

 thofe which expand to a wider, circle — the fel- 

 fidi, from the generous and fublime. Thofe of 

 the former clafs, after their fird agitation, are fo 

 far from blunting the fenfe of pain, that they ir- 



jicate 



