promoted, and the bounds of focial virtue. enlarged. 152. When one takes a view of the arts that flourish in fociety, one is apt to wonder at two things; firft, their vast num-ber and mutual fubferviency; and secondly, that men fhould be found who voluntarily make choice of one or other of all the employments neceffary in civilifed life. This confideration affords a proof of the extreme pliablenefs of the human mind, as well as of the goodness of Providence. For, though some profeffions and trades are of low efteem, we find, that in every condition honeft industry, with contentment, may be happy. Let us therefore learn to fet a proper value on all the ufeful arts of life, and on all thofe who practise them with integrity and industry. 153. The imagination is fubject to certain diforders, which may be comprehended under the oppofite extremes of Levity and Melancholy. Levity produces thoughtleffness, vanity, and contempt of others. Whatever therefore tends to make men confiderate and humble may be propofed as a remedy for this disease, or rather as a means of preventing it. Habits of confideration may be acquired by studying history, geometry, and those parts of philofophy which lead to the observation of life and manners.-Perfons in danger from this difeafe fhould be kept at a distance from flattery and novels, and taught, that honesty and attention to business are in every station refpectable, and that contempt and mifery never fail to attend a life of idleness or fantastic ambition. The company of thofe who are wiser and better than they, will also be of great and peculiar benefit to perfons of this character: and fome experience of adversity may be very ferviceable in promoting that knowledge of one's felf, and that fellow-feeling for others, which reprefs vanity, by producing confideration and a lowly mind. 154. The practice of turning every thing into joke and ridicule is a dangerous levity of imagination. Wit and humour, when natural, are very useful and very pleafing. But that studied and habitual jocularity, which I here speak of, and which fome people people affect, makes one a disagreeable and tiresome companion. It generally arises from vanity; it renders conversation unprofitable, and too often immoral; and it gradually perverts the understanding, both of those who practise it, and of those who take pleasure in hearing it. Our serious concerns demand our first attention: wit, humour, and merriment, may be used in the way of relaxation, but are not the bufinefs for which we were fent into this world. 155. An imagination difordered by Melancholy is one of the greatest calamities incident to human nature. In order to prevent it, we ought by all means to avoid idleness, and lead an active life; to be temperate and focial; to cherish every chearful affection, as good nature, good humour, patience, forgiveness, piety, humility, and benevolence, by all which the health of both the mind and body is effectually promoted; and to check the gloomy paffions of anger, revenge, pride, fufpicion, jealoufy, mifanthropy, exceffive anxiety, and immoderate forrow, which are all pro ductive 1 ductive of misery and disease both mental and corporeal. They, who are in danger from a melancholy imagination, will do well to study nothing but what is amufing and practical; to abstain from tragical narratives, controverfy, and law-fuits, which wear out the spirits to no purpose; to use moderation in study, as in every thing else; and to have recourfe every day, more or less according to circumftances, to bodily exercise, innocent amusement, fresh air, and chearful company. To guard against fuperftition and enthufiafm, by forming right notions of God's adorable nature and providence; and to avoid, as one would the peftilence, all books and all converfations that are likely to infuse impious, irreligious, or immoral opinions, is the duty, not of those only whose minds are oppreffed with melancholy, but of all mankind without exception. SECT. SECT. VIII. of Dreaming. 156. THAT may be very useful, of which we cannot difcover the ufe: and Dreams, though we know little of their nature, may yet be of great importance in our conftitution. Moft of the few unconnected remarks that follow are offered as mere conjecture; for it would be vain to attempt to treat this fubject in a scientific manner.-Moft men dream, but all do not; and fometimes we dream more than at other times. In dreams we mistake ideas of imagination for real things. But when awake, and in our perfect mind, we never miftake a reality for a dream. Realities are perceived intuitively. We cannot prove by argument, that we are now awake; for we know of nothing more evident to prove it by: and it is effential to every proof to be clearer than that which is to be proved, But it is impoffible for us to doubt of our 1 |