mentioned is the emotion of regard or respect, which, in its simplest form, at least, we exercise towards the great mass of our fellow-beings. The mere fact that they are creatures of God, and are possessed of intellectual and moral powers like our own, is deemed sufficient to lay the foundation of the exercise of this feeling towards them.

When we observe in any individuals marked traits of mental excellence, as wisdom, truth, and justice, especially when these traits are expanded and exalted by great age, the feeling of respect which we exercise in ordinary cases is heightened into reverence. Every country can boast of a few such men, the just objects of the deepened regard of reverence; and the eyes of successive generations have been turned with the same deep feelings towards those who are scattered along in various places in the long tract of history.

When the reverence or veneration is free from every inferior intermixture; in other words, when the object of it is regarded as without weakness, and possessed of every possible perfection, it then becomes adoration; a homage of the soul so pure and exalted that it properly belongs only to the Supreme Being. The wisdom of the wisest men is often perplexed with errors; the goodness of the best of men is marred by occasional infirmities; how much deeper, therefore, and purer, and more elevated, will be our sentiments of veneration, when directed towards Him whose wisdom never fails, and who is not only just and kind in his administrations, but the original and inexhaustible source of beneficence and rectitude!

We conclude here the examination of the Emotions. We would not pretend that this part of our sentient nature has been fully explored in the views which have been taken; but would hope that so much has been said as to throw some satisfactory light upon it, and to leave us at liberty to turn to another class of subjects.

THE SENSIBILITIES.

PART FIRST

NATURAL OR PATHEMATIC SENSIBILITIES.

NATURAL OR PATHEMATIC SENTIMENTS.

CLASS SECOND

THE DESIRES.

CHAPTER I.

NATURE OF DESIRES.

301. Of the prevalence of desire in this department o the mind. We now proceed to enter upon a separate portion of the Natural or Pathematic Sensibilities, distinguished from that which has hitherto received our attention by the possession of its appropriate nature, and by-sustaining its distinct and appropriate relations. The characteristic element of this region of the Natural Sensibilities, that which in fact constitutes the basis of its existence, is the state of mind, distinct from all others, which we denominate DESIRE. This state of mind not only stands at the threshold of the department which we now enter upon, but diffuses abroad its influence, and runs through, and gives a character to, all the subordinate divisions into which this part of the Pathematic nature will be found to resolve itself. No appetite, no propensity, or affection exists in fact, nor can we suppose it possible for them to exist, exclusively of any intermixture of the ingredient of DESIRE.—It is for this reason that we denominate this portion of the sensitive nature Desires, as we called the other Emotions; and as we sometimes speak of the EMOTIVE sensibilities, so we might, with no impropriety, speak of the DESIROUS or DESIRING sensibilities.

§ 302. The nature of desires known from corsciousness.

AS DESIRES Occupy so prominent a place in those principles of the mind which we now propose to give some account of, it is proper to delay here, in order briefly to attempt some explanation of their nature. And, in doing this, we are obliged, in the first place, to repeat the remark already often made, that we must turn the acts of the mind inward upon itself, and consult the intimations of our own consciousness. We do not suppose that any definition of desire, inasmuch as it is obviously a simple state of the mind, could possibly throw any such light

upon it as to preclude the necessity of an internal reference. It is the light of the mind, if we will but turn our eyes to behold it, and that alone, which can truly indicate what may be called the essentiality of its nature.-At the same time, while we must obviously consult consciousness for a knowledge of its distinctive character, we may probably render our conceptions of it more distinct and perfect, by considering some of the circumstances or incidents of its origin, and some of the relations it sustains.

§ 303. Of the place of desires in relation to other mental states It is important to possess a well-settled and definite idea of the place of Desires, considered in relation to other mental states; especially as a thorough understanding of this point throws light upon the important subject of the philosophy of the Will.-(1.) And the first remark to be made here is, that desires never follow, in direct and immediate sequence, to intellections or the cognitive acts of the mind. There is a distinct department or portion of the mind, located, if we may be permitted to use that expression, between the intellect and the mental states under consideration. It requires no further proof than the simple statement itself when we say that we never desire a thing, simply because we perceive it or have a knowledge of it. The mere perception of a thing is of itself no adequate reason why we should make the thing an object of pursuit. There must obviously be some intermediate state of the mind, existing as the proximate and causative occasion of desires, viz., an emotion. Accordingly, the prerequisite condition to desire is some antecedent feeling, generally of a pleasurable nature, which intervenes between the desire, and the perception or knowledge of the desired object.

(2.) In illustration of what has been said, it is the fact, that, whenever we desire the presence or possession of an object, it is because we are in some way pleased with it. Whenever, on the other hand, we desire its removal from our presence, it is because we are in some way displeased with it. And these expressions, indicative of pleasure or displeasure, obviously involve the existence of that distinct state of the mind which we denominate an