1'ASSION. 



tification of the impelling power proves ab- 

 surd and injurious ; from which it appears, 

 that love should, in the first instance, be 

 received merely as a hint, the propriety or 

 impropriety of which is to be examin- 

 ed by the test of reason, and cherished or 

 rejected according to her dictates. Love, 

 thus confirmed, is a blessing to the pos- 

 sessor, as it induces the exercise of every 

 amiable quality towards its object, con- 

 sequently, harmonizing and reconciling 

 the soul to independent occurrences. 

 The sensations of this passion are so 

 tranquil, that the features are but little 

 affected ; the eyes sparkle with vivacity, 

 when directed to the person admired, the 

 mouth gently opens, and a serene 

 smile is the only indication of influence 

 on the muscles. 



Hope necessarily arises from the indul- 

 gence of love, but it is a faithful attendant 

 of every other passion ; consequently, it 

 sometimes becomes criminal. Hope is a 

 compound of fear and desire. The per- 

 son under the influence of this companion 

 of every situation in life fixes his affections 

 or desires upon the attainment of some 

 favourite object or pursuit, and his mind 

 experiences the alternate pleasures and 

 pains of fruition and disappointment, as the 

 prospect of attainment or want of success 

 predominates. Indeed, every individual 

 may be said to exist from their infancy 

 in hope ; and we all die in hope of future 

 happiness, though the hopes of our lives 

 have too often been directed to the very 

 means of punishment, veiled under the 

 specious appearance of probable felicity. 

 Hope and expectation have the same ef- 

 fect upon the frame and features; the 

 heart palpitates, the countenance is en- 

 livened by a display of eagerness and 

 search for something invisible. 



Joy is the result of success in this ag- 

 gregate of self love, which is a passion, in 

 some instances, too violent for the strength, 

 and death or madness, and fainting, suc- 

 ceed, when it takes place before the mind 

 has been prepared to receive it. The 

 most extravagant and frantic actions dis- 

 tinguish those whose animal spirits are 

 in full vigour, and under little control, 

 when it takes sudden effect; and it is, 

 therefore, absolutely necessary to inform 

 such persons gradually of the benefit or 

 advantages they are about to experience. 

 Unutterable pleasure dances in the fea- 

 tures of those less agitated : they skip 

 and leap from place to place, laugh, re- 

 count rapidly prospects of future happi- 

 ness and intentions, and have been known 

 to melt into tears, Sugh are the conse- 



quences of immediate relief from impend- 

 ing danger, apprehended personally or 

 for friends, and extrication from pecunia- 

 ry difficulties. Happiness is the tranquil 

 attendant of joy, but never assumes the 

 sway till all the turbulent emotions are 

 subsided : then, indeed, the contempla- 

 tion of future good produces an ecstatic 

 sensation, which gradually passes into 

 gladness, contentment, and satisfaction, 

 the repose and completion of joy. 



Pride is one of the class of improper 

 passions, when indulged as the result of 

 some imaginary perfection ; but a con- 

 sciousness of superior worth, which ren- 

 ders the possesor too proud to act or say 

 any thing derogatory to the honour of 

 his rank and connections, is the only jus- 

 tifiable pride. The male or female, proud 

 of birth, of riches, elegance of person, 

 and those who are proud without any of 

 the advantages enumerated, are equally 

 ridiculous and contemptible ; such unfor- 

 tunate self-tormentors are jealous of eve- 

 ry occurrence, lest it should, in its con- 

 sequences, trench upon their own impor- 

 tance; they see and hear disrespect in 

 every movement and every sound that 

 is uttered, and, full of alarmed dignity, 

 the features are contracted into a* con- 

 temptuous threatening frown, the head is 

 thrown backward, the steps are measur- 

 ed, the hand waved, and they stalk into 

 retirement, where a thousand stinging 

 malicious reflections accompany and make 

 them miserable. 



Vanity is a near relative of pride ; but 

 this affection of the soul is generally, 

 though not always, personal. They who 

 are fortunate enough to possess superior 

 attractions of body and features, cannot 

 but be conscious of their claims to admi- 

 ration, which are willingly answered by 

 the public, when humility and modesty 

 attend them ; but vanity no sooner at- 

 tempts to point them out by the ridicu- 

 lous arts of dress, and. disposiiion of 

 countenance and limbs, than envy com- 

 mences her operations, and contrives to 

 excite laughter instead of applause. 

 Richness of the habit, affected smiles to 

 shew a fine set of teeth, and a strutting 

 mode of walking, are sure marks of vanity. 

 Modesty, the direct opposite of pride 

 and vanity, is sometimes carried to ex- 

 cess. The naUiral and acquired advan- 

 tages we possess ought ever to give a 

 tempered consequence to the front and 

 mein. The really modest person often 

 sinks into bashfulness, which is a most 

 troublesome though not a vicious com- 

 panion. To shrink from view and con- 



