object fometimes of a moderate sometimes of am intense paffion. The moderate paffion, admitting frequent reiteration without diminution, and occupying the mind without exhaufting it, becomes gradually stronger till it fettle in a habit. So true this is, that inftances are not wanting, of an ugly face, at firft difagreeable, afterward rendered indifferent by familiarity, and at the long run agreeable. On the other hand, confummate beauty, at the very first view, fills the mind fo as to admit no increase. Enjoyment in this cafe leffens the pleafure; and if often repeated, ends commonly in fatiety and disgust. Conftant experience fhows that the emotions created by great beauty become weaker by familiarity. The impreffions made fucceffively by fuch an object, ftrong at firft and leffening by degrees, conftitute a feries oppofite to that of the weak and increafing emotions, which grow into a specific habit. But the mind when accustomed to beauty, contracts a relish for it in general, though often repelled from particular objects by the pain of fatiety. Thus a generic habit is formed, of which inconftancy in love is the neceffary confequence. For a generic habit, comprehending every beautiful object, is an invincible obstruction to a specific habit, which is confined to one.

But a matter which is of great importance to the youth of both fexes, deferves more than a curfory view. Though the pleasant emotion of beauty differs widely from the corporeal appetite, yet both may concur upon the fame object. When this is the cafe, they inflame the imagination; and produce a very strong complex paffion †, which is incapable of increase, because the mind as to pleasure is limited rather more than as to

See chap. 2. part. 3.
See chap, 2. part. 4.

pain.

1

pain. Enjoyment in this cafe must be exquifite, and therefore more apt to produce fatiety than in any other cafe whatever. This is a never-failing effect, where confummate beauty on the one fide, meets with a warm imagination and great fenfibility on the other. What I am here explaining, is the naked truth without exaggeration. They must be infenfible upon whom this doctrine makes no impreffion; and it deferyes well to be pondered by the young and the amorous, who in forming a fociety which is not diffolvable, are too often blindly impelled by the animal pleasure merely, inflamed by beauty. It may indeed happen after this pleasure is gone, and go it muft with a swift pace, that a new connection is formed upon more dignified and more lafting principles. But this is a dangerous experiment. For even fuppofing good fense, good temper, and internal merit of every fort, which is a very favourable fuppofition, yet a new connection upon these qualifications is rarely formed. It generally or rather always happens, that fuch qualifications, the only folid foundation of an indiffoluble connection, are rendered altogether invisible by fatiety of enjoyment creating disgust.

One effect of cuftom different from any that hath been explained, must not be omitted, because it makes a great figure in human nature. Custom augments moderate pleafures, and diminishes those that are intenfe. It has a different effect with refpect to pain; for it blunts the edge of every fort of pain and diftrefs great and fmall. Uninterrupted mifery therefore is attended with one good effect. If its torments be inceffant, custom hardens us to bear them.

It is extremely curious, to remark the gradual changes that are made in forming habits. Moderate pleasures are augmented gradually by reiteration till they become habitual; and then are at

their height. But they are not long stationary; for from that point they gradually decay till they vanish altogether. The pain occafioned by the want of gratification, runs a very different course. This pain increases uniformly; and at last becomes extreme, when the pleasure of gratification is reduced to nothing.

That what we have we prize not to the worth,
Whiles we enjoy it; but being lack'd and lost,
Why then we rack the value; then we find
The virtue that poffeffion would not fhew us
Whilft it was ours.

Much ado about nothing, act 4. Sc. 2. The effect of custom with relation to a fpecific habit, is difplayed through all its varieties in the use of tobacco. The tafte of this plant is at firft extremely unpleafant. Our difguft leffens gradually till it vanifh altogether; at which period the plant is neither agreeable nor difagreeable. Continuing the ufe, we begin to relish it; and our relifh increafes by ufe till it come to its utmost extent. From this ftate it gradually decays, while the habit becomes ftronger and ftronger, and confequently the pain of want. The refult is, that when the habit has acquired its greatest vigor, the pleafure of gratification is gone. And hence it is, that we often fmoke and take fnuff habitually, without fo much as being confcious of the operation. We muft except gratification after the pain of want, because gratification in that cafe is at the height when the habit is ftrongeft. It is of the fame kind with the joy one feels upon being delivered from the rack, the caufe of which is explained above. This pleafure however is but occafionally the effect of habit; and however exquisite, is guarded

* Chap. 2. part 1, fect. 2.

guarded against as much as poffible, by preventing

want.

With regard to the pain of want, I can discover no difference betwixt a generic and specifie habit: the pain is the fame in both. But these habits differ widely with refpect to the positive pleasure. I have had occafion to obferve, that the pleasure of a specific habit decays gradually till it become imperceptible. Not fo the pleasure of a generic habit. So far as I can difcover, this pleafure fuffers little or no decay after it comes to its height. The variety of gratification preserves it entire. However it may be with other generic habits, the observation I am certain holds with respect to the pleasures of virtue and of knowledge. The pleasure of doing good has fuch an unbounded scope, and may be fo varioufly gratified, that it can never decay. Science is equally unbounded; and our appetite for knowledge has an ample range of gratification, where difcoveries are recommended by novelty, by variety, by utility, or by all of them.

Here is a large field of facts and experiments, and several phenomena unfolded, the causes of which have been occafionally fuggefted. The efficient cause of the power of cuftom over man, a fundamental point in the prefent chapter, has unhappily evaded my keeneft search; and now I am reduced to hold it an original branch of the human constitution, though I have no better reason for my opinion, than that I cannot refolve it into any other principle. But with refpect to the final caufe, a point of still greater importance, I promise myself more fuccefs. It cannot indeed have efcaped any thinking perfon, that the power of custom is a happy contrivance for our good. Exquifite pleasure produceth fatiety: moderate pleasure becomes ftronger by custom. Business is our province, and pleafure our relaxation only. Hence, fatiety is necef

fary

fary to check exquifite pleafures, which otherwise would ingrofs the mind, and unqualify us for bufiness. On the other hand, habitual increase of moderate pleasure, and even converfion of pain into pleafure, are admirably contrived for disappointing the malice of Fortune, and for reconciling us to whatever courfe of life may be our lot:

How ufe doth breed a habit in a man!
This fhadowy defert, unfrequented woods,
I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
Here I can fit alone, unfeen of any,

And to the nightingale's complaining notes
Tune my diftreffes, and record my woes.

Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 5. fc. 4.

The foregoing diftinction betwixt intense and moderate, holds in pleafure only, not in pain, every degree of which is foftened by time and cuftom. Custom is a catholicon for pain and distress of every fort; and of this regulation the final cause is fo evident as to require no illuftration.

Another final cause of custom will be highly relished by every perfon of humanity; and yet has in a great measure been overlooked. Cuftom hath a greater influence than any other known principle, to put the rich and poor upon a level. Weak pleasures, which fall to the fhare of the latter, become fortunately ftronger by cuftom; while voluptuous pleasures, the lot of the former, are continually lofing ground by fatiety. Men of fortune, who poffefs palaces, fumptuous gardens, rich fields, enjoy them less than paffengers do. The goods of Fortune are not unequally diftributed: the opulent poffefs what others enjoy.

And indeed, if it be the effect of habit to produce the pain of want in a high degree while there is little pleasure in enjoyment, a voluptuous Life is of all the leaft to be envied..

Those

who