1 18 LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 



tible of impressions by moral causes) so much, I 

 say, has this man's SENSIBILITY been increased by 

 bleeding, that a cross word is sufficient to make 

 him burst into tears. 



As moral SENSIBILITY is but the SENSIBILITY of 

 those parts of the system which are capable of being 

 impressed by moral causes, it follows that the 

 qualities of the mind will be, in a great measure, 

 regulated by the relative degrees of CONTRACTILITY 

 and SENSIBILITY in individuals. When the brain 

 and nervous system are but ill supplied with blood, 

 and that blood but feebly circulated, and therefore 

 imperfectly vivified, the SENSIBILITY to moral 

 causes or stimuli will be morbidly acute. Such a 

 person is easily and morbidly affected by causes to 

 which others are wholly insensible : a sudden loud 

 knock at the door, for instance, will make him start 

 almost from his seat. 



If you speak to him of a contingent evil, however 

 slight and remote, he views it through a mental 

 telescope, always applying that end of the instru- 

 ment to his eye which magnifies the object and 

 increases its proximity. If you speak of a con- 

 tingent good, the telescope is instantly 'reversed; and 

 he views it through the opposite end, which dimi- 

 nishes its value, lessens its probability, and renders 



