PHILOSOPHY, MORAL. 
^ver aie very great) ; for instance, lascivious 
conversation, whether expressed in obscene, 
or disguised under modest, phrases; also 
wanton songs, pictures, and books ; the 
writing, publisiiiug, and circulating of whicli, 
whether out of frolic, or for some pitiful 
profit, is productive of so extensive a mis- 
chief, from so mean a temptation, tliat few 
crimes, within the reach of private wicked- 
ness, have more to ans wer for, or less to 
plead in their owsi excuse. 
33. Tiiough the sexual desires are very 
strong, yet tliere is abundant reason to be- 
lieve that they are not originally mud! dis- 
proportionate to their end ; and that if due 
care were taken they would not arise in 
youth much before the proper time for this 
end. But the violence and unseasonable- 
ncss of these passions are so manifest in the 
generality of young persons, that one can- 
not but conclude the general education of 
youth to be grossly erroneous and pervert- 
ed : and this will appear very evident, in 
fact, upon examination. The diet of chil- 
dren and young persons is not sufficiently 
plain and sparing ; a proper regulation of 
which would lay a better foundation for 
health, and freedom fi oni diseases, and put 
some clieck upon these pa,s.5ions. They are 
brought up in efleminacy, and neglect of 
bodily exertion, which would materially 
assist to prepare both body and mind for 
the discipline ot life, and w'ould restrain the 
sexual passion. The due culture of the mind, 
especially in respect of religion, is very 
generally neglected ; so that the young are 
usually left without employment for their 
thoughts, and destitute of tlie chief armour, 
that of religions motives, whereby to oppose 
temptation. Lastly, the conversation which 
they hear, and the books which they are 
allowfed to read, are so corrupt, in this res- 
pect, that it is a matter of astonishment 
how a parent, who has any serious concern 
for his child, can avoid seeing the immediate 
destructive consequences, or think that any 
considerations relating to this world can be 
a balance to them. 
II. ESTIMATE OF THE PLEASURES OF 
IMACINATIOjr. 
(Philosophy, mental, § 73, 74.) 
34. It does not appear from actual expe- 
rience, that those who devote tliems(dves 
to the study of the polite arts, or of .science, 
or to any other pleasure of mere imagina- 
tion, as their chief end and aim, do attain 
any greater degree of happiness than the 
rest of the world. The fiequeut repetition 
of tliese pleasures cloys, as in other cases; 
and though the whole circle is extensive, 
yet no one can grasp the whole, and as a 
matter of fact few apply themselves to 
more than one or two considerable branches. 
—From the manner in which the feelings 
of imagination are usually generated and 
transferred upon their several objects, it 
might be expected that deformity would 
often be mixed with beauty, so as to pro- 
duce an unpleasing discordancy of opinion, 
even in the same individual ; and, as a mat- 
ter of fact, it is not uncommon for men, 
after a long and immoderate pursuit of onq 
class of beauty, natural or artificial, to de- 
viate into such by patJis and singularities, 
that the objects excite ratlier pain than plea- 
sure ; their limits for excellence being nar- 
row, and their rules absurd, and all that 
falls short of these being condemned by 
them as defoinied and monstrous. — Emi- 
nent votaries of this kind are generally re- 
markable for ignorance and imprudence in 
the common affairs of life, thus subjecting 
themselves to ridicule and contempt, and 
to real, great, and lasting inconvenieneies. 
— Vanity, moroseness, and envy, are too 
generally the concomitants of an over-ween- 
ing attention to the pursuit of these plea- 
sures. And scepticism in religious matters 
is too frequent an attendant here, wliich, if 
it could he supposed free from danger as 
to futurity, is at least very uncomfortable 
as to the present. The almost necessary 
consequence of such confined attention is, 
that too high a degree of impoi tance is given 
to the object, and the superiority which is 
supposed to he possessed in it, is supposed 
also to extend to other cases in w'hich the 
individual is perliaps uncommonly ignorant; 
and thus he either becomes dogmatical or 
sceptical ; qualities which, though appa- 
rently different from each other, are, in 
reality, to be considered as antecedent and 
consequent, dogmatism being frequently 
follow'ed by scepticism. And as religious 
knowleilge, to be properly cultivated, re- 
quires that tl’.e soil should be prepared by 
the benevolent and pious affections, and no 
kind of learning being of itself sufficient to 
give this preparation, if attention to tlio 
pursuit, of literature or of science be so 
inordinate as to suppress the growth of 
these affections,, religion itself will be 
treated as incomprehensible, absurd, un- 
certain, or incredible. — However, it is diffi- 
cult to repi tsent justly, what is the genuine 
conscipience of the, pursuit of the mere 
pleasures of the imagination, their votaiies 
