Page images
PDF
EPUB

renewed. Hunger and thirst are two of our natural appetites; their importance to our prefervation is obvious; brutes have them as well as we; and the fame remarks that are here made on the one may with a little variation be made on the other. Hunger is a complex fenfation, and implies two things quite different from each other, an uneafy feeling, and a defire of food. In very young infants it is at first only an uneafy feeling; which, however, prompts the little animal instinctively to fuck and fwallow fuch nourishment as comes in his and without which he must inevitably perish. Afterwards, when experience has taught him, that the uneafy feeling is to be removed by food, the one fuggests. the other to his mind, and hunger becomes in him the fame complex feeling as in us. In the choice of food, the feveral species of irrational animals are guided, by instinct chiefly, to that which is most suitable to their nature and in this refpect their inftinct is fometimes less fallible than human reason. The mariner in a defert island is fhy of eating thofe unknown fruits, how

way,

1

1

ever delectable to fight and fmell, which
are not marked with the pecking of birds.
275. Before we cease to be infants, our
reafon informs us that food is indispen-
fable;
but through the whole of life appe-
tite continues to be neceffary, to remind
us of our natural wants, and the proper
time of fupplying them: for as nourish-
ment becomes more needful, appetite grows
more clamorous; till at laft it calls off our
attention from every thing else, whether
business or amufement; and, if the grati-
fication be still with-held, terminates in
delirium and death. Hunger and thirst
are the strongest of all our appetites, being
the most essential to our preservation: it is
generally owing to criminal indulgence,
when any other appetite acquires unrea-
sonable strength.-In obeying the natural
call of appetite, in eating when hungry or
drinking when thirsty, there is neither vir-
tue nor vice; unless by fo doing we inten-
tionally promote fome good purpose, or
violate fome duty. But rightly to manage
our appetites, fo as to keep them in due
fubordination to reafon, is a chief

part

of

virtue;

virtue; as the unlimited or licentious indulgence of them degrades our nature, and perverts all our rational faculties.

276. Reft after motion is effential to life, as well as food after fafting; and, when reft becomes neceffary, nature gives the fenfation, of weariness; which, like hunger and 'thirst, comes at laft to be irresistible, is made up of an uneafy feeling and a defire of a certain object, goes off on being gratified, and after a certain interval returns. But we must not call wearinefs an appetite, nor is it commonly called fo. Appetite prompts to action, weariness to rest; appetite rifes though no action have preceded, wearinefs follows action as the effect follows the caufe. We have a fort of appetite for action in general: it may be called activity; and, when exceffive or troublefome to others, is termed restleffnefs. For, as action is neceffary to our welfare both in mind and body, our conftitution would be defective, if we had not fomething to ftimulate to action, independently on the dictates of reafon. This activity is very confpicuous in children; who, as foon as

[blocks in formation]

they have got the faculty and habit of moving their limbs, and long before they can be faid to have the use of reafon, are, when in health and awake, almoft continually in motion. It is, however, through the whole of life, fo neceffary, that without it there can be no happiness. To a perfon of a found conftitution idleness is mifery: if long continued, it impairs, and at last destroys, the vigour of both the foul and the body.

277. It were well for man, if he had no appetites but thofe that nature gave him; for they are but few; and they are all beneficial, not only by miniftering to his prefervation and comfort, but also by roufing him to industry and other laudable exertions. But of unnatural or artificial арpetites, if they may be called appetites, which man creates for himself, there is no end; and the more he acquires of thefe, the more he is dependent, and the more liable to want and wretchednefs. It behoves us therefore, as we value our own peace, and the dignity of our nature, to guard against them. Some of the propen

[ocr errors]

fities now alluded to may no doubt have been occafioned in part by disease of body, or distress of mind; but they are in general owing to idlenefs and affectation, or to a foolish defire of imitating fashionable abfurdity. They are not all criminal, but they all have a tendency to debase us; and by fome of them men have made themfelves disagreeable, ufelefs, contemptible, and even a nuifance in fociety. When I mention tobacco, ftrong liquors, opiates, gluttony, and gaming, it will be known what I mean by unnatural appetite, and acknowledged that I have not characterised it too feverely.

SECT. IV.

The Subject continued.

Paffions and Affections.

278. THE word Passion properly means Suffering; but is feldöm used in

that fenfe, except when we fpeak of our

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »