enough to make him dash the sparkling beverage to the earth in all the pride of its mantling temptation."*

In repeated instances persons, whose desire for intoxicating articles has become inordinately strong, have gone to keepers of penitentiaries and other prisons, and earnestly entreated for admission, on the ground that nothing short of strict seclusion within their massy walls would secure them against the ruinous indulgence of their appetite." The use of strong drink" (says Dr. Rush, Diseases of the Mind, chap. x.) "is at first the effect of free agency. From habit it takes place from necessity. That this is the case, I infer from persons who are inordinately devoted to the use of ardent spirits being irreclaimable, by all the considerations which domestic obligations, friendship, reputation, property, and sometimes even by those which religion and the love of life can suggest to them. An instance of insensibility to the last, in an habitual drunkard, occurred some years ago in Philadelphia. When strongly urged by one of his friends to leave off drinking, he said, 'Were a keg of rum in one corner of a room, and were a cannon constantly discharging balls between me and it, I could not refrain from passing before that cannon, in order to get at the rum.'"

§ 170. Further notices on the disorder of the

Appetites.

Before leaving this subject we wish to recur a * London Quarterly Review, vol. xvii., p. 120.

moment to some remarks of Mr. Stewart in regard to the Appetites. He says they may be distinguished by the three following things: (1.) They take their rise from the body, and are common to men with the brutes. (2.) They are not constant, but occasional. (3.) They are accompanied with an uneasy sensation, which is strong or weak, in proportion to the strength or weakness of the Appetite.

He then goes on to state that our Appetites are » three in number, viz., HUNGER, THIRST, AND THE APPETITE OF SEX.- -What has been said will sufficiently illustrate, in consequence of the close analogy between them, the disordered action of the first two, although the statements given had particular relation to the irregularities of the Appetite of thirst.

The Appetite of Sex, also, is susceptible of an unrestrained and inordinate action, not only indicating insanity in the specific principle or Appetite itself, but resulting in a disorganization and insanity of other parts of the mind. On this subject, as this Treatise is designed for general reading, we do not propose to dwell. It will be enough to say, that very melancholy instances of the operations and effects of this disordered Appetite are found in many writers on Insanity, to which we hope the reader will excuse us for referring him.-(See, among other Works, Rush on the Diseases of the Mind, ch. xviii.)

CHAPTER II.

DISORDERED ACTION OF THE PROPENSITIES.

(1.) PROPENSITY OF SELF-PRESERVation.

§ 171. General remarks on the Propensities. As we proceed in the examination of the Natural or Pathematic Sensibilities, we meet with certain modifications or forms of Desire which, as they are different from the Appetites, require a distinct consideration. These distinct principles, which are known as the propensive principles or Propensities, differ from the Appetites, FIRST, in the circumstance that they are much less dependant for their existence and exercise upon the condition of the body; and, SECONDLY, because, in that comparative estimation which is naturally attached to the different active principles of our nature, they confessedly hold a higher rank. At the same time they evidently, in the graduation of our regard, fall below the Affections, besides being distinguished from them in other respects. And hence they may be regarded as holding a sort of intermediate place between the Appetites on the one hand, and the Affections on the other.

Among the leading or more important of the Propensities may be enumerated the principle of Self

preservation, or the desire of continued existence; Curiosity, or the desire of knowledge; Sociality, or the desire of society; Self-love, or the desire of happiness; the desire of Esteem; Imitativeness, or the propensity to imitate; and some others. All these, it will be noticed, are modifications of Desire; and yet there is reason to believe that a pleasant emotion, in view of the object towards which the desire is directed, is the preparatory condition or basis of the existence of the desire. And not only this, it is possible at least that the emotion may continue subsequently (as is the fact in the Affections) to exist in connexion with the desires; constituting, in this manner, the ground of their continuance, as well as the ground or condition of their origin. But these are points which may properly and safely be left to mental philosophers.

What we have to say here is, that the various Propensities which have been mentioned (and whatever others may properly come under the denomination of Propensities) are susceptible of irregularity, from the lowest degree of disorder to the higher form of Insanity.

§ 172. Disordered action of the principle of Selfpreservation.

In the prosecution of this part of our subject, we begin, as it is one which would naturally present itself first for our consideration, with the propensive principle of Self-preservation, or what may be designated, in other terms, as the natural desire of a continuance of existence. This principle, like the

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others of the same class, although not generally in so marked a degree, will sometimes manifest itself under such circumstances, and in such a manner, as obviously to show that its action is not a natural, regular, or healthy action. Persons under the influence of the disordered action of the principle which is connected with the preservation of life multiply, as they would be naturally disposed to do, images of danger and terror which have no existence, nor likeness of existence, except in their own disordered minds. They not only see perils which are invisible to others, but are led to take a multitude of precautions which, in the estimation of those around them, are altogether unnecessary, and even ridiculous.

Pinel, under the head of Melancholy, mentions a case which may be considered as illustrating this subject: "A distinguished military officer" (he says), "after fifty years of active service in the cavalry, was attacked with disease. It commenced by his experiencing vivid emotions from the slightest causes; if, for example, he heard any disease spoken of, he immediately believed himself to be attacked by it; if any one was mentioned as deranged in intellect, he imagined himself insane, and retired into his chamber full of melancholy thoughts and inquietude. Everything became for him a subject of fear and alarm. If he entered into a house, he was afraid that the floor would fall and precipitate him amid its ruins. He could not pass a bridge without ter→ ror, unless impelled by the sentiment of honour for the purpose of fighting."*

* Pinal, as quoted in Combe's Phrenology, Boston ed., p. 241.