PHILOSOPHY, MENTAL. 
pavt be resolved into the first cause, the de- 
gree of vividness of the connected ideas ; but 
in part it must be considered as separate. 
Where there are associations of a contrary 
tendency, the production of tlie new asso- 
ciation implies tlie destruction of the old 
one ; and hence it is that persons who have 
passed the prime of life fell it so exceed- 
ingly difficult to acquire new associations 
which are in opposition to those long form- 
ed. Hence it is that all those improper 
biases of thought and feeling which oppose 
the best regulation of thought and feeling, 
should be carefully shunned ; ail those asso- 
ciations carefully prevented which lead the 
mind away from God and duty, or which 
simply check the reception of those which 
accord with the dictates of religion. They 
do more than directly injure by their own 
existence ; they injure also, and this in no 
small degree, by preventing the formation 
of those associations which directly prompt 
to the course which duty points out. 
34. An acquaintance with these princi- 
ples leads us to the direct method of con- 
linning associations which are essential to 
our w'ell-being ; suppose, for instance, the 
connection of a regard to the will of God, 
with our conduct, we should endeavour to 
connect as much as possible those pleasur- 
able feelings which have a tendency to 
strengthen the links of union, w'e should 
cultivate the connection by frequently and 
continually bringing it into action, and we 
should carefully cultivate those related 
states of mind which have a tendency to 
foster and strengthen the connection. To 
avoid weakening it we should be careful 
not to associate any contrary trains of ideas 
(for instance, we should never attach feel- 
ings of ridicule with any thing connected 
with religion), and should carefully avoid 
those breaks in the association which will 
follow neglect in its cultivation. And it is 
a most satisfactory idea that if vicious asso- 
ciations may be formed so strongly as to lie 
beyond the power of the individual to anni- 
hilate them ; virtuous associations may also 
be formed so strong and permanent as to 
bid defiance to time and to temptation. 
These shall survive the wreck of nature, 
and shall adorn the mental fabric when this 
world, and all its sorrows and enjoyments, 
shall be no more. 
2. Disunion of Connections. 
35. As connections are necessarily form- 
ed, and frequently without any volition on 
the part of the individual, by the before 
mentioned circumstances, it is another very 
important taw of the associative power that 
these connections are not indestructible.^ 
We observe then that an association may be 
destroyed either by the formation of other 
contrary associations, or by the repetition 
of it being in some way or other prevented. 
Thus, for instance, if we wish to destroy the 
assooi.ition by which we have attached 
ideas of merit to those spurious ideas of 
courage which lead a man to sacrifice the 
life of a fellow man, and perhaps the happi- 
ness of several, to the dictates of offended 
honour, our aim must be to associate all the 
dreadful consequences of his conduct with 
the conduct itself; to call to mind the 
injury to society resulting from tlie viola- 
tion of its laws and the deprivation of an 
useful member ; the injury resulting to the 
connections of the individual from the 
cruel breach made in their peace and among 
their means of happiness ; the injury to 
the individual himself by hastening him un- 
prepared into the presence of his Maker, 
with this additional act to answer for : 
even the injury to the avenger, by culti- 
vating the feelings of resentment, by loosen- 
ing the restraints of passion, may be added 
to the already numerous evils resulting from 
this exercise of private revenge. These 
frequently brought into view would destroy 
the incorrect association which we had 
formed ; would associate demerit instead of 
merit with the conduct of the duellist ; and 
attach the idea of merit strongly tojiim who 
nobly resisted the opinion of the world of 
honour, and declined obediettce to the 
laws which it imposes, where those laws 
were in contradiction to the laws of his con- 
science and of his God. — So, in numerous 
other instances, where an association unfor- 
tunately exists in the mind unfavourable to 
the formation or exercise of good disposi- 
tions, it may be weakened gradually in- 
deed, but certainly weakened, and at last 
destroyed by the steady culture of opposite 
associations. That conduct to which pious 
benevolence prompts, may acquire so at- 
tractive an appearance, that ideas of dif- 
ficulty, of pain, of ridicule, which may have 
been attached to it, and which may have 
impeded its exercise, will gradually give 
way to those which the divine approbation 
affords, of present peace and future happi- 
ness. — But there is not always time for this 
slow procedure. It may be necessary for 
individual happiness, that tlie baneful as- 
sociation should be destroyed without one 
repetition of it to confirm its power. To 
the general culture of opposite associations 
must then be added a steady careful pre- 
