"our practice. The three things just mentioned may af"ford inftances of it. Perception of danger is a natural "excitement of paffive fear and active caution: and by "being inured to danger, habits of the latter are gradually "wrought, at the fame time that the former gradually les fens. Perception of diftrefs in others, is a natural excite"ment paffively to pity, and actively to relieve it: but let (6 a man fet himself to attend to, inquire out, and relieve "diftreffed perfons, and he cannot but grow less and less "fenfibly affected with the various miferies of life with "which he must become acquainted; when yet, at the "fame time, benevolence, confidered not as a paffion, but "as a practical principle of action, will ftrengthen: and "whilft he paffively compaffionates the diftreffed less, he "will acquire a greater aptitude actively to affift and be"friend them. So alfo, at the fame time that the daily in"ftances of men's dying around us, give us daily a lefs "fenfible paffive feeling or apprehenfion of our own mor"tality, fuch inftances greatly contribute to the strengthen"ing a practical regard to it in ferious men; i. e. to form"ing a habit of acting with a constant view to it." BUTLER's Analogy, page 122. 3d edit. Strah in and Prefton, New-Street Square, London. THE END. |