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appetites effential to the species, by a pain of the fame fort with that which habit produceth.

The pain of habit is lefs under our power, than any other pain for want of gratification. Hunger and thirst are more easily endured, especially at first, than an unusual intermiffion of any habitual pleasure. We often hear perfons declaring, they would forego fleep or food, rather than fnuff or or any other habitual trifle. We must not however conclude, that the gratification of an habitual appetite affords the fame delight with the gratification of one that is natural. Far from it: the pain of want only is greater.

The flow and reiterated acts that produce a habit, ftrengthen the mind to enjoy the habitual pleasure in greater quantity and more frequency than originally; and by this means a habit of intemperate gratification is often formed. After unbounded acts of intemperance, the habitual relish is foon restored, and the pain for want of enjoyment returns with fresh vigor.

The causes of the pleasant emotions hitherto in view, are either an individual, fuch

as

as a companion, a certain dwelling-place, certain amusements, &c.; or a particular fpecies, fuch as coffee, mutton, or any par→ ticular food. But habit is not confined to these. A conftant train of trifling diverfions, may form fuch a habit in the mind, as that it cannot be eafy a moment without amusement. Variety in the objects prevents a habit as to any one in particular; but as the train is uniform with respect to amusement in general, the habit is formed accordingly; and this fort of habit may be denominated a generic habit, in oppofition to the former, which may be called a specific habit. A habit of a town-life, of country-sports, of folitude, of reading, or of business, where fufficiently varied, are inftances of generic habits. It ought to be remarked, that every specific habit hath a mixture of the generic. The habit of one particular fort of food, makes the taste agreeable; and we are fond of this tafte where-ever found. A man deprived of an habitual object, takes up with what most resembles it: deprived of tobacco, any bitter herb will do, rather than want. The habit of drinking punch,

makes

makes wine a good refource. A man ac cultomed to the sweet society and comforts of matrimony, being unhappily deprived of his beloved object, inclines the fooner to a fecond choice. In general, the quality which the moft affects us in an habitual object, produceth, when we are deprived of it, a strong appetite for that quality in any other object.

The reasons are affigned above, why the causes of intense pleasure become not readi→ ly habitual. But now I must observe, that these reasons conclude only against specific habits. With regard to any particular object that is the cause of a weak pleasure, a habit is formed by frequency and uniformity of reiteration, which in the cafe of an intense pleasure cannot obtain without fatiety and difguft. But it is remarkable, that fatiety and disgust have no effect, except as to that thing which occafions them. A furfeit of honey produceth not a loathing of fugar; and intemperance with one woman, produceth no difrelish of the fame pleasure with others. Hence it is eafy to account for a generic habit in any strong pleasure.

The

The difgust of intemperance, is confined to the object by which it is produced. The delight we had in the gratification of the ap petite, inflames the imagination, and makes us, with avidity, fearch for the fame gratification in whatever other object it can be found. And thus frequency and uniformity in gratifying the fame paffion upon different objects, produceth at the longrun a habit. In this manner, a man acquires an habitual delight in high and poignant fauces, rich dress, fine equipage, crowds of company, and in whatever is commonly termed pleasure. There concurs at the fame time to introduce this habit, a peculiarity obferved above, that reiteration of acts enlarges the capacity of the mind, to admit a more plentiful gratification than originally, with regard to frequency as well as quantity.

Hence it appears, that though a fpecific habit can only take place in the cafe of a moderate pleasure, yet that a generic habit may be formed with respect to every sort of pleasure, moderate or immoderate, that can be gratified by a variety of objects indifferently. The only difference is, that any par

VOL. II.

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ticular

ticular object which caufes a weak pleasure, runs naturally into a specific habit; whereas a particular object that causes an intense pleasure, is altogether incapable of fuch a habit. In a word, it is but in fingular cafes that a moderate pleasure producés a generic habit: an intense pleasure, on the other hand, cannot produce any other habit.

The appetites that respect the preservation and propagation of the fpecies, are formed into habit in a peculiar manner. The time as well as measure of their gratification, are much under the power of cuftom; which, by introducing a change upon the body, oc cafions a proportional change in the appetites. Thus, if the body be gradually formed to a certain quantity of food at regu lar times, the appetite is regulated accor dingly; and the appetite is again changed when a different habit of body is introduced by a different practice. Here it would feem, that the change is not made upon the mind, which is commonly the cafe in paffive habits, but only upon the body.

When rich food is brought down by ingredients of a plainer tafte, the compofition

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