Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary - Faculty of Social Sciences

ESSAYS.ESSAY I.-OfPART I.the Delicacy of Taste and Passiort.SOME People are subject to a certain delicacy of passion,which makes them extremely sensible to all the accidents oflife, and gives them a lively joy upon every prosperous event, aswell as a piercing grief, when they meet with misfortunes andadversity. Favours and good offices easily engage their friendship; while the srriallest injury provokes their resentment.Any honour or mark of distinction elevates them above measure; but they are as sensibly touched with contempt. Peopleof this character have, no doubt, more lively enjoyments, aswell as more pungent sorrows, than men of cool and sedatetempers : But, I believe, when every thing is balanced, thereis no one, who would not rather be of the latter character,were he entirely master of his own disposition. Good or illfortune is very little at our disposal: And when a person,that has this sensibility of temper, meets with any misfortune,his sorrow or resentment takes entire possession of him, anddeprives him of all relish ill the common occurrences of life ;the right enjoyment of which forms the chief part of ourhappiness. Great pleasures are much less frequent thangreat pains; so that a sensible temper must meet with fewertrials in the fornler way than in the latter. Not to mention,that men of such lively passions are apt to be transportedbeyond all bounds of pr~~cleiice and discretion, and to takefalse steps in t'he conduct of life, which are often irretrievable.Thcrc is a rlelicucy qj' lusta observable in sorne ~ C I I which ,