two Figures. The one is supposed to be Happiness, the Daughter of Virtue and Moderation; the other the Emblem of human Life courting her Embrace, whom she never fails to carefs with mutual Affection, when conducted by her celestial Parents. You expected only a fugitive Pleasure, as the Recompence of your Perfeverance, but are now in Poffeffion of a permanent one, that will attend you through Life with unchangeable Fidelity. ESSAY ESSAY II. On the PowWER of HABIT. A Agro in corde fenefcit. Juv. MONG the many ingenious Effays, that have been written upon Education, it has often furprised me, not to find a greater Strefs laid upon the Danger of contracting ill Habits, which, once acquired, furvive the Paffions which originally created them, and even govern Reason herself, after thofe rebellious Subjects have been brought to Obedience. Some modern Authors, who have very justly gained an immortal Reputation by their other Writings, have either totally neglected this important Point, or flightly difcuffed it, as a thing little neceffary, and fubftituted Phyfical Prescriptions for the Management of the Body, instead of Moral Precepts for the Improvement of the Mind. But even among others, who have more judiciously treated this Subject, and have attended folely to the Cultiva tion of the Understanding, too little Care has been had to the early Management of the Heart, and especially to infpireit with a neceffary Caution against the Enchantments of Habit. I dare fay, there is no one but fees, even in the fmall Circle of his Acquaintance, either the ridiculous or mifchievous Effects of it; which, tho' perhaps cafually contracted, yet nourifhed by Time, firft gains by Degrees a a Familiarity with the Breaft, and at length uncontrollably ufurps a defpotick Power over Head and Heart. In Children, therefore, whofe Minds, like Wax, are fubject to the flighteft Impreffions, every Action fhould carefully be observed, and, if frequently repeated (as the Repetition of an Action is the tacit Approbation of it) it is the principal Duty of a Parent to find out the Source, and encourage, or restrain the Inclination, as it agrees with, or deviates from, Virtue. Antiquity affords two most beautiful Reprefentations of the Nature of Virtue and vicious Pleafure, and of all the mental Attendants on both. The one is PRODIcus's Fable of the Choice of HERCULES, told told by SOCRATES in the Memorabilia of XENOPHON: The other a Description of a mythological Picture, in the Temple of SATURN, invented by CEBES, the Theban, the Difciple of SOCRATES. The former paints VIRTUE and PLEASURE in their proper Colours, the latter informs us how we are often deceived by their fallacious Appearances; and by perfonalizing the Affections of the Mind, brings the whole Court, as it were, of both, before our Eyes, and then inftructs us how to fhun the Delufions of the one, and follow the Society of the other to the Seat of Happiness. Upon these two Plans I have formed a third, on the irrefiftible Force of Habit, which I look upon as a proper Supplement to both. If it gives either Delight or Inftruction to the Reader, his Praise is due to PRODICUS, to whom I am indebted, tho' not for the Invention, yet totally for the allegorical Design of the Fable. I call, therefore, on him, as LUCRETIUS did heretofore on his Mafter EPICURUS. Te fequor, o Graiæ gentis decus, inque tuis nunc Non Non ita certandi cupidus, quam propter amorem, HIEROPHILUS, an ancient King of Egypt, in whofe Reign hieroglyphical Learning arrived at its utmoft Perfection, thro' which the Youth of the Kingdom were inftructed in the Myfteries of their Religion, and the focial Duties of Morality, had a Son, named EUETHES, 2 Prince naturally of the most humane and benevolent Difpofition; but being indued at the fame time with fuch violent Paffions, as generally accompany great Minds, he was often in his Infancy, ere Reason had affumed her Empire, precipitated by them into an habitual Fondness for those things, that would have proved deftructive to his Happiness, and a like Difrelish for Others, that were moft conducive to it. This unhappy Temper, no doubt, gave great Uneafinefs to his tender Father, who was not only adored by his Subjects for an impartial Distribution of Juftice, and courted by neighbouring Potentates for his profound Skill in Politicks as a Monarch, but admired by all the World for his pure Knowledge of Religion |