Hotfpur. I will, that's flat:

He faid, he would not ransom Mortimer;
Forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer :
But I will find him when he lies afleep,
And in his ear I'll holla Mortimer!

Nay, I will have a ftarling taught to speak
Nothing but Mortimer, and give it him,
To keep his anger still in motion.

Worcester. Hear you, coufin, a word.
Hotspur. All ftudies here I folemnly defy,'
Save how to gall and pinch this Bolingbroke:
And that fame fword-and-buckler Prince of Wales,
(But that I think his father loves him not,
And would be glad he met with some mischance),
I'd have him poison'd with a pot of ale.

Worcester. Farewel, my kinfman, I will talk to you When you are better temper'd to attend.

Firft part, Henry IV. at 1. fc. 4.

Having view'd a train of perceptions as directed by nature, and the variations it is fufceptible of from different neceffary causes, we proceed to examine how far it is fubjected to will; for that this faculty hath fome influence, more or less, is obferved above. And firft, the rate of fucceffion may be retarded by infifting upon one object, and propelled by difmiffing another before its time. But fuch voluntary mutations in the natural courfe of fucceffion, have limits that cannot be extended by the most painful efforts: which will appear from confidering, that the mind circumfcribed in its capacity, cannot, at

the

the fame inftant, admit many perceptions; and when replete, that it hath not place for new perceptions, till others be removed; confequently that a voluntary change of perceptions cannot be instantaneous, as the time it requires fets bounds to the velocity of fucceffion. On the other hand, the power we have to arreft a flying perception, is equally limited: and the reafon is, that the longer we detain any perception, the more difficulty we find in the operation; till, the difficulty becoming unfurmountable, we are forc'd to quit our hold, and to permit the train to take its ufual course.

The power we have over this train as to uniformity and variety, is in fome cafes very great, in others very little. A train fo far as compofed of perceptions of external objects, depends entirely on the place we occupy, and admits not. more nor less variety but by change of place. A train compofed of ideas of memory, is ftill lefs under our power; because we cannot at will call up any idea that is not connected with the train * But a train of ideas fuggefted by reading, may be varied at will, provided we have books in ftore.

This power which nature hath given us over our train of perceptions, may be greatly strengthened by proper difcipline, and by an early application to bufinefs. Its improved ftrength is re markable in those who have a genius for the ma

See chap. I.

thematics:

thematics: nor less remarkable in perfons devoted to religious exercifes, who pafs whole days in contemplation, and impofe upon themfelves long and fevere penances. It is not to be conceived, what length a habit of activity in affairs will carry fome men. Let a ftranger, or let any perfon to whom the fight is not familiar, attend the chancellor of Great Britain through the labours but of one day, during a feffion of parliament how great will be his aftonishment! what multiplicity of law-bufinefs, what deep thinking, and what elaborate application to matters of government! The train of perceptions must in this great man be accelerated far beyond the ordinary courfe of nature: yet no confusion nor hurry; but in every article the greatest order and accuracy. Such is the force of habit. How happy is man, to have the command of a principle of action, that can elevate him so far above the ordinary condition of humanity! *

We are now ripe for confidering a train of perceptions, with respect to pleasure and pain: and to this fpeculation we must give peculiar attention, because it ferves to explain the effects that uniformity and variety have upon the mind. A man is always in a pleasant state of mind, when his perceptions flow in their natural courfe: he feels himself free, light, and eafy, especially after any forcible acceleration or retardation.

This chapter was compofed in the year 1753.

On

the

the other hand, the accelerating or retarding the natural courfe, excites a pain, which, though fcarcely felt in fmall removes, becomes confiderable toward the extremes. An averfion to fix on any fingle object for a long time, or to take in a multiplicity of objects in a fhort time, is remarkable in children; and equally fo in men unaccustomed to bufinefs: a man languishes when the fucceffion is very flow; and, if he grow not impatient, is apt to fall afleep: during a rapid fucceffion, he hath a feeling as if his head were turning round; he is fatigued, and his pain refembles that of wearinefs after bodily labour.

But a moderate courfe will not fatisfy the mind, unless the perceptions be alfo diverfified number without variety is not fufficient to constitute a pleasant train. In comparing a few objects, uniformity is agreeable; but the frequent reiteration of uniform objects becomes difagreeable: one tires of a scene that is not diverfified; and foon feels a fort of unnatural restraint, when confined within a narrow range, whether occafioned by a retarded fucceffion or by too great uniformity. An excefs in variety is, on the other hand, fatiguing: which is perceptible even in a train compofed of related perceptions; much more where the perceptions being unrelated, gain not admittance without effort; for this effort, though fcarce perceptible in a single instance, becomes by frequent reiteration exceeding painful. Whatever be the caufe, the

fact

fact is certain, that a man never finds himself more at ease, than when his perceptions fucceed each other with a certain degree, not only of velocity, but also of variety. The pleasure that arifes from a train of connected ideas, is remarkable in a reverie; especially where the imagination interpofes, and is active in coining new ideas, which is done with wonderful facility: one must be senfible, that the ferenity and ease of the mind in this state, makes a great part of the enjoyment. The cafe is different where external objects enter into the train; for thefe, making their appearance without any order, and without any connection fave that of contiguity, form a train of perceptions that may be extremely uniform or extremely diverfified; which, for oppofite reafons, are both of them painful.

To alter, by an act of Will, that degree of variety which nature requires, is not less painful, than to alter that degree of velocity which it requires. Contemplation, when the mind is long attached to one fubject, becomes painful by reftraining the free range of perception: curiofity, and the profpect of advantage from useful difcoveries, may fortify one to bear this pain but it is deeply felt by the bulk of mankind, and produceth in them an averfion to all abstract sciences. In any profeffion or calling, a train of operation that is fimple, and reiterated without intermiffion, makes the operator languish, and lofe his vigour : he complains neither of too great labour, nor of

too