2h on ambition. - Fune' 20. 
DETACHED OBSERVATIONS. ON AMBITION. 
For the Bee. 
Amartion isa pafsion at once so beneficial and de- 
structive to mankind, that I am astonifhed it has been 
so much overlooked by a set of men who are not afha- 
med to thrust volumes of speculations into the world, 
upon the origzm and import of that single word zdea. 
When two of our affections or pafsions conspire im 
aiming both at the same end; or, when stimulated to 
a certain degree, are productive of one and the same 
effect, even, although philosophers have distinguifhed 
them (and perhaps wisely) by different names, yet 
in the human mind they are inseparably linked to- 
gether, and the idea of the. one never fails to pro- 
duce that of the other; such is the case-with power 
and ambition, The one is (if I may use the exprefsion). 
of the same species with the other, or the same paf- 
sion, in different stages or degrees. As a farther proof” 
of this, if we attend carefully tothe youthful mind, 
when it is rising to maturity,, we will find the bud of 
ambition, with the stem of power, bursting forth at the 
same early period of life. In the throwing ofa stone, 
the school-boy’s ambition is roused to out-do his com- 
ety ; and his power gratified to see an effect pro- 
duced at a distance from himself.. In their small 
diversions, too, ambition, with its‘concomitant, power,. 
are easily discerned to be the leading objects. When 
the ambitious youth, at the head of his little army,. 
wants an enemy to cope with, the lower creation often. 
feels his power ; and’ upon them he exercises even, 
