EMOTIONS. 267 



muscles act in spite of the will, as in cases of cramp, locked-jaw, <fcc. 

 In the first, it is a state of mind produced by the senses which produces 

 involuntary actions ; but in the second it appears to be the mind falling 

 into them of its own accord. 



On Fear. 



' Pear' is a fixed or absolute principle in the minds of animals, but 

 never in proportion to the real or apparent dangers ; therefore in most 

 animals it becomes a relative term. In the human species it is allowed 

 to act in a less degree upon its original principle ; it generally becomes 

 so connected with some acquired principle as to be ruled by it ; there- 

 fore it is as the quantity of danger, and apparent inutility of that danger ; 

 so that it would seem to be in an inverse proportion to the inutility of 

 the hazard. Thus, take any cause for fear under different circumstances ; 

 one where the natural fear is allowed to act, and another where it is 

 either heightened or corrected by the imagination ; the degrees of fear 

 will vary : the first or natural fear will be in a mean degree ; in the other 

 it will be either increased or diminished. 



A brave man of good sense will endure any pain, or the chance of it, 

 in a good cause ; while the same pain, or chance of it, in a bad or even 

 indifferent cause will make him a coward or make him shudder. The 

 same thing holds good in animals in general ; only with fewer varieties, 

 these being in proportion to the other varieties of actions. A dog 

 is bold, although in considerable apparent danger when hungry, and 

 food is by him, but a coward, perhaps, if without these circumstances. 

 A cock fights better on his own dunghill than in a strange place. 



Is fear a perfect and distinct state of mind ? Does it ever exist but 

 in a doubtful state of mind ? Is it not a union of hope and despair ? 

 for whenever hope is gone, fear diminishes. Is it not an anticipation of 

 evil, and the less an animal has the power of anticipation, the less fear 

 he has? Dr. Dodd would seem to prove this 1 . 



The dull look in the eye in grief is mostly owing to the position of 

 the eyelids. I can give a dead man almost any look. 



On Superstition. 

 All innovations on established systems that depend more on a belief 

 than real knowledge (such as religion), arise rather from a weakness of 

 mind than a fault in the system. Everything new carries a greater 

 weight with it, and makes a deeper impression on a weak mind. 



1 [He was executed June 27th, 1777, which affords some clue to the date of this 

 MS. He showed much fear of death, and intense anxiety to escape the capital 

 punishment while intercession was making for him ; but he rose at once to a state 

 of fortitude and resignation when all hope of mercy was closed.] 



