\ 
1800. } On Infanity. 
The diforder and debility of body which 
this intemperance induces, will be likely 
to occafion a fympathetic debility and dil- 
order of the mind. 
The habitual indulgence of any pro- 
penfity in oppofition to the dictate of rea- 
fon, tends’ gradually to weaken, and at 
length to deftroy altogether, the influence 
of that faculty. 
The fenfibility conflantly goaded by ex- 
eeffive ftimuli cannot fail-in time to be 
thrown into a morbid ftate. _ 
The mental part of our frame feems to 
be affegted by over exertion, in the fame 
way as the mufcular; which we know, in 
confequence of it, often becomes either 
incapable of motion, as in paralyfis; or 
its motion, as in chorea, becomes inde- 
pendent of the will. 
It is remarkable, that the latter of thefe © 
difeafes fhould, in a variety of circum- 
ftances, bear a ftriking analogy to mania, 
Confant, irregular, and involuntary mo- 
tions of the body characterize the one; 
motions precifely- correfpondent of the 
mind conftitute the other. That form of 
infanity which has been’called melancholia 
may, in like mdnner, be compared to pa- 
ralyfis; where, although fenfibility con- 
tinue, it remains, in {pite of any effort of 
the will to move it, obdftinately mxed in 
the contemplation of one idea. 
The elevation of {pirits induced by fti- 
mulating liquors, is found to be fucceeded 
uniformly by depreffion. And although 
at firft the enlivening infiuence of wine is 
nearly equal to the depreffion which after- 
wards enfues; thefe effects appear, as the 
habit of ufing the ftimulus advances, to 
become difprovortionate to each other, the 
former gradually diminifhing, and the lat- 
ter every day growing greater. Hence 
melancholy, by encroachments almoft im- 
perceptible, acquires in time a complete 
afcendency over the mind, 
The preceding remark feems to be con- 
firmed by an obvious circumftance in the 
progrefs of habit in general. 
~ Moft a&tions, however pleafurable at 
firft, by a frequent repetition of them be- 
come indifferent.. That is, the pleafure 
connected with the performance of them 
diminithes, whilft the pain of abftaining 
increafes in the fame proportion. So that 
_ the relinquifhment of a habit is then found 
to be moft difficult and painful, when it 
has arrived at that pitch of inveteracy, as 
even to be unattended with confcioulnefs. 
Hence we learn the neceflity of regular 
intermiffions of enjoyment, in order to {e- 
¢ure its permanence. 
Zt is from haying worn out our ferfibi- 
7 f 
By Dr. Reid. 
343 
lity to happinefs at an early period of life, 
that we complain fo often of gloom and 
infipidity in the more advanced ftages of it. 
In thofe perfons who carry intoxication 
daily to fuch a pitch as induces a tempo- 
rary madnefs, it {tems likely that this 
ftate fhould from the force of habit become 
permanent. In thfs allowable inference 
trom what we know in ather inftances to 
be the effeét of cuftom, I'am confirmed by 
two cafes that have lately fallen under my 
obfervation of perfons who, in confe- 
quence of very frequent indulgence so. 
exces, retain, even during their fhort in- 
tervals of abftinence every external aD- 
pearance of inebriety. 
Although a fate ftriGtly deferving the 
name of mania frequently does not fol- 
low as the immediate confequence from a 
tranfgreffion of fobriety ; yet, as fuck 
tran{greffion in every inftance diminifhes 
the power of reafon, as welt as Sives an 
unnatural ftrength to all the paflions, and 
to that in particular-to which the conftity - 
tion is peculiarly prone, its tendency to 
produce at length a complete and obitinate 
diforder of the mental faculties mu be 
too evident to ftand in need of any farther 
proof or elucidation. | 
A common, but a much lefs frequent 
caufe of infanity, than that which I have 
already noticed, is the excefive exertion 
of the wutellectual faculties. - 
Although intemperate ftudy be not one 
of thofe modes of excefs, againft which i¢ 
is peculiarly incumbent to guard the youth 
of the prefent generation, there is no one, 
I am. convinced, from which more mif. 
chievous and dreadful confequences haye 
fometimes originated. Too often talents 
have been facrificed to acquijfitions, and 
knowledge purchafed at the expence of wz- 
der fianding. Literary gluttons may not 
untrequently be met with, who, intent only 
upon feeding a voracious appetite for books 
accumulate gradually a mafs of indisetted 
matter, which oppreffes, and in time de- 
ftroys altogether the power of intelleSual 
affimilation. The learning of fuch men 
lies a dead weight upon the mind 
which inftead of nourifhing its fubftance, 
or adding to its vigor, ferves only to Gin 
ftruct the freedom and to impede the ac- 
fivity of its operatiows. The mental eNl- 
largement which is thus produced, may be 
compared not to that natural and healthy 
growth which is attended by an increafe 
of ftrenoth, but to the morbid dilatation 
of a dropfy. ; : 
Had the too obftinate application to 
ftudy the eff-é& only of rendering mea 
more ftupid than they were originally con. 
fituted 
