LECTURE II 93 



the inferior propensities. It is admitted 

 that we may possess organs, which, never- 

 theless, may be inactive, from natural tor- 

 por or want of education. General obser- 

 vation and experience proclaim, that sus- 

 ceptibility is the chief incentive to action, 

 that it is the source of genius ; and that 

 the character of man greatly depends upon 

 his education and habits. We educate our 

 faculties ; what is at first accomplished with 

 difficulty, by repetition is easily performed, 

 and becomes more perfect and established 

 by habit. Trains of perceptions and 

 thoughts also become firmly concatenated, 

 and occur in succession. Even our feelings 

 undergo the same kind of education and 

 establishment. Casual feelings of good- 

 will, by repetition, strengthen and produce 

 lasting friendship ; whilst trivial sensations 

 of disgust, in like manner, may occasion 

 inveterate hatred. When the remembrance 

 of our perceptions recurs, they are often 

 concatenated with other perceptions, modi- 

 fied by reflections, and associated with feel- 

 ings ; and it is by means of the repetition 

 of such trains of perceptions, thoughts. 



