PASSION. 
pnted or doubted for a moment, rvlien it is 
remembered, that the first operation of tiie 
infant mind is love. The infant recognises 
its parent, and smiles with inexpressible 
delight upon her face ; the smile is returned 
with tenfold interest, and thus commences 
life and the passions. Were this fact held 
in constant recollection, the latter would 
be kept in just subordination, instead of 
being encouraged to defeat the intentions 
of the divinity. 
Upon examining the features of a hand- 
some child a few weeks after its birth, when 
in the act of fondling its mother, and that 
of the latter at the same instant, it wall be 
found that nature has made the human spe- 
cies in a most exquisite mould indeed. On 
one hand, perfect innocence has full posses- 
sion of the face ; on the other, recent ill- 
ness, a disregard of external affairs and 
present happiness, has restored perfeet con- 
tent. Exquisite picture of perfection ! how 
much is it to be regretted, that perverse- 
ness has made it transient. Encouraged as 
these our first propensities sometimes are, 
we find the parent attentive and anxious, in- 
structing with eagerness, correcting witii 
gentleness ; the offspring venerating, ad- 
miring, and emulating ; and all is happiness, 
complacency, and content. Placid and 
regular lines throughout the countenance 
point out those happy mortals for imita- 
tion, the muscles are never strained and 
distorted, and the painter is at a loss how 
to express the repose and benevolence he 
essays to copy. 
Love, in another sense, descends one step 
from the above exalted station, and be- 
comes difficult to be defined. Youth fre- 
quently feel a passion for their opposite 
sexes, founded upon an inexplicable emo- 
tion of the soul, which seems blinded and 
incapable of discrimination. In this case 
it is an impulse without stability, as it fre- 
quently happens that the gratification of 
the impelling power proves absurd and in- 
jurious ; 'Vom which it appears, that love 
should, in the first instance, be received 
merely as a hint, the propriety or impro- 
priety of which is to be examined by the 
test of reason, and cherished or rejected 
according to her dictates. Love, thus con- 
firmed, is a blessing to the possessor, as it 
induces the exercise of every amiable qua 
lity towards its object, consequently, har- 
monizing and reconciling the soul to inde- 
pendent occurrences. The sensations of 
this passion are so tranquil, that the fea- 
tures are but little affected j the eyes .spar- 
kle 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 some- 
times becomes criminal. Hope is a com- 
pound of fear and desird. The person under 
the influence of this companion of every situ- 
ation in life fixes his affections or desjres upon 
the attainment of some favourite object or 
pursuit, and his mind experiences the alter- 
nate pleasures and pains of fruition and dis- 
appointment, 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 effect upon the franre 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 aggre- 
gate of self love, which is a passion, in 
some instances, too violent for the strength, 
and death or madness, and fainting succeed, 
when it takes place before the mind has 
been prepared to receive it. The most ex- 
travagant and frantic actions distinguish 
those whose animal spirits are in full vigour, 
and under little control, when it takes sud- 
den 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 features of those less agitated ; they 
skip and leap from place to place, laugh, 
recount rapidly prospects of future happi- 
ness and intentions, and have been known 
to melt into tears. Such are the conse- 
quences of immediate relief from impending 
danger, apprehended personally or for 
friends, and extrication from pecuniary dif- 
ficulties. Happiness is the tranquil attend- 
ant of joy, but never assumes the sway till 
all the turbulent emotions are subsided; 
then, indeed, the contemplation 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 pas- 
sions, when indulged as the result of some 
imaginary perfection ; but a consciousness 
