thought, that if the subject be really grave, it will not appear ludicrous even in this fantastic dress. I am, however, far from recommending it in any serious performance. On the contrary, the discordance betwixt the thought and expression must be disagreeable; witness the following specimen.

He hath abandoned his physicians, Madam, under whose practices he hath persecuted time with hope: and finds no other advantage in the process, but only the losing of hope by time.

All's well that ends well, act 1. fc. 1.

K. Henry. O my poor kingdom, fick with civil blows! When that my care could not with-hold thy riots, What wilt thou do when riot is thy care?

Second part, K. Henry IV.

A smart repartee may be confidered as a species of wit. A certain petulant Greek, objecting to Anacharsis that he was a Scythian: True, says Anacharsis, my country disgraces me, but you disgrace your country.

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81

CHAP. XIV.

Custom and Habit.

Nquiring into the nature of man as a sensitive being, and finding him af

fected in a high degree with novelty. would any one conjecture that he is equally affected with custom? Yet these frequently take place, not only in the fame person, but even with relation to the same subject: when new, it is inchanting; familiarity renders it indifferent; and custom, after a longer familiarity, makes it again defirable. Human nature, diverfified with many and various springs of action, is wonderfully, and, indulging the expreffion, intricately constructed.

Custom hath such influence upon many of our feelings, by warping and varying them, that we must attend to its operations if we would be acquainted with human naVOL. II.

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ture.s. This subject, in itself obscure, has been much neglected; and to give a com plete analysis of it will be no eafy tafk. I pretend only to touch it cursorily; hoping, however, that what is here laid down, will dispose more diligent inquirers to attempt further discoveries....... I am sing

Custom respects the action, habit the actor. By custom we mean, a frequent reiteration of the fame act; and by habit, the effect that custom has on the mind or body. This effect may be either active, witness the dexterity produced by custom in performing certain exercises; or paffive, as when, by custom, a peculiar connection is formed betwixt a man and fome agreeable object, which acquires thereby a greater power to raise emotions in him than it hath naturally. Active habits come not under the present undertaking; and therefore I confine myself to those that are paffive.

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This subject is thorny and intricate. Some pleasures are fortified by custom; and yet

custom begets familiarity, and consequently

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indifference

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indifference *. In many instances, satiety and difgust are the consequences of reitera tion. Again, though custom blunts the edge of distress and of pain; yet the want of any thing to which we have long been ac customed, is a fort of torture. A clue to guide us through all the intricacies of this labyrinth, would be an acceptable present.

Whatever be the cause, it is an established fact, that we are much influenced by custom. It hath an effect upon our pleafures, upon our actions, and even upon our thoughts and sentiments. Habit makes no figure during the vivacity of youth; in middle age it gains ground; and in old age it governs without control. In that period of life, generally speaking, we eat at a certain hour, take exercise at a certain hour, go to reft at a certain hour, all by the direction of habit. Nay a particular feat, table, bed, comes to be essential. And a habit in 2.

* If all the year were playing holidays,

To sport would be as tedious as to work:

But when they feldom come, they wish'd-for come,

And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.

First part, Henry IV. act 1. fc. 3

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any of these, cannot be contradicted without uneasiness.

Any flight or moderate pleasure frequently reiterated for a long time, forms a connection betwixt us and the thing that causes the pleasure. This connection, termed habit, has the effect to raise our defire or appetite for that thing when it returns not as usual. During the course of enjoyment, the pleasure grows insensibly stronger till a habit be established; at which time the pleasure is at its height. It continues not however stationary. The fame customary reiteration which carried it to its height, brings it down again by insensible degrees, even lower than it was at first. But of this circumstance afterward. What at present we have in view, is to prove by experiments, that those things which at first are but moderately agreeable, are the aptest to become habitual. Spirituous liquors, at first scarce agreeable, readily produce an habitual appetite; and custom prevails so far, as even to make us fond of things originally disagreeable, such as coffee, afsa-fœtida, and tobacco,