Dr. Falconer on the Influence , &c. 
27 i 
jQn Enquiry concerning the Influence of the 
Scenery of a Country on the Manners of 
its Inhabitants. By William Falconer, 
M. D. F. R. S. Read October 23, 1782. 
I T is an ancient maxirfi in Philofophy, aftri* 
buted to Ariftotle, and generally acquiesced 
in, That all mental ideas were primarily fug- 
gefted, by fenfible objedts* through the medium 
of the fenfes. Whether this opinion be univer- 
fally true, is not here meant to be difcuffed 
but, that external objedts influence our actions 
and condudt, and even diredt our fpeculative 
fentiments, is too evident to bear difpute. 
Animated beings, and, far above the reft, the 
human fpecies, are the moft powerful in pro¬ 
ducing thefe effedts. We are naturally led to 
adopt the pafilons, and, to a certain degree, to 
imitate the charadter of thofe, to whofc com¬ 
pany and converfation we are daily habituated; 
and this difpofition is fo potent, that even error 
and prejudice are often introduced, and almoft 
voluntarily entertained, by thofe, whofe charadler 
and underftanding, in other inftances, fhould 
feem to afford the mod complete feeupity againft 
fuch examples of human frailty. 
' A lefs 
