a generic habit; but an intense pleasure 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 meafure of their gratification are much under the power of custom; which, by introducing a change upon the body, occafions a proportional change in the appetites. Thus, if the body be gradually formed to a certain quantity of food at ftated times, the appetite is regulated accordingly; 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 upon the body. When rich food is brought down by ingredients of a plainer tafte, the compofition is fufceptible of a specific habit. Thus the sweet taste of fugar, rendered lefs poignant in a mixture, may, in course of time, produce a fpecific habit for fuch mixture. As moderate pleasures, by becoming more intenfe, tend to generic habits; fo intense pleasures, by becoming more moderate, tend to specific habits. The beauty of the human figure, by a special recommendation of nature, appears to us fupreme, amid the great variety of beauteous forms bestowed upon animals. The various degrees in which individuals enjoy that property, render render it an object, fometimes of a moderate, fometimes of an intenfe paffion. The moderate paffion admitting frequent reiteration without diminution, and occupying the mind without exhausting it, turns gradually stronger till it becomes a habit. Nay, inftances are not wanting, of a face, at firft difagreeable, afterward rendered indifferent by familiarity, and at length agreeable by cuftom. On the other hand, confummate beauty, at the very first glance, fills the mind fo as to admit no increafe. Enjoyment leffens the pleasure *; and if often repeated, ends commonly in fatiety and difguft. The impreffions made by confummate beauty, in a gradual fucceffion from lively to faint, conftitute a series oppofite to that of faint impreffions waxing gradually more lively, till they produce 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: and 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 obftruction to a fpecific habit, which is confined to one. But a matter which is of great importance to the youth of both fexes, deserves more than a curfory view. Though the pleafant emotion of beauty differs See Chap. 2. Part 3. differs widely from the corporeal appetite, yet when both are directed to the fame object, they produce a very strong complex paffion*: enjoyment in that cafe muft be exquifite; and therefore more apt to produce fatiety, than in any other cafe whatever. This is a never-failing ef fect, where confummate beauty in the one party, meets with a warm imagination and great fenfibility in the other. What I am here explaining, is true without exaggeration; and they must be infenfible upon whom it makes no impreffion it deferves well to be pondered by the young and the amorous, who, in forming the matrimonial fociety, are too often blindly impelled by the animal pleasure merely, inflamed by beauty. It may indeed happen, after the 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 fenfe, good temper, and internal merit of every fort, yet a new connection upon fuch qualifications is rarely formed: it commonly, or rather always happens, that fuch qualifications, the only folid foundation of an indiffoluble connection, are rendered altogether invisible by fatiety of enjoyment creating disguft. One effect of cuftom, different from any that have been explained, must not be omitted, be * See Chap. 2. Part 4. caufe cause it makes a great figure in human nature: Though cuftom augments moderate pleasures, and leffens thofe that are intense, it has a different effect with respect to pain: for it blunts the edge of every fort of pain and diftrefs, faint or acute. Uninterrupted mifery, therefore, is attended with one good effect: if its torments be inceffant, custom hardens us to bear them. The changes made in forming habits, are curious. 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 want of gratification, runs a different courfe: it increases uniformly; and at laft becomes extreme, when the pleasure of gratification is reduced to nothing: It fo falls out, That what we have we prize not to the worth, Much ado about nothing, Act IV. Sc. 2. The effect of cuftom with relation to a specific habit, is difplayed through all its varieties in the ufe of tobacco. The tafte of that plant is at first extremely unpleasant: our difguft leffens gradually, till it vanish altogether; at which pe riod riod the tafte is neither agreeable nor difagreeable: continuing the use of the plant, we begin to relish it; and our relish improves by use, till it arrive at perfection: from that period it gradually decays, while the habit is in a ftate of increment, and confequently the pain of want. The refult is, that when the habit has acquired its greatest vigour, the relish is gone; and accordingly, we often fmoke and take fnuff habitually, without fo much as being confcious of the operation. We must except gratification after the pain of want; the pleasure of which gratification is the greateft when the habit is the moft vigorous; it is of the fame kind with the pleasure one feels upon being delivered from the rack, the cause of which is explained above *. This pleasure, however, is but occafionally the effect of habit; and however exquifite, is avoided as much as poffible because of the pain that precedes it. With regard to the pain of want, I can difcover no difference between a generic and a fpecific habit. But these habits differ widely with refpect to the pofitive pleasure: I have had occafion to obferve, that the pleasure of a fpecific habit decays gradually till it turn imperceptible; the pleasure of a generic habit, on the contrary, being fupported by variety of gratification, fuffers little or no decay after it comes VOL. I. D d to |