GEN. II. SPEC. I. y E. ento nicum Saperbiæ. Ungovernable pride. Why subject to more his office, his honour, or his religion: and he is hence open to more numerous mortifications, and is in fact more frequently mortified than the mere egotist. Examples of a deranged mind from ungovernable pride are to be found in every rank of life; but as those in the loftiest have the of intoxication most frequently offered to them, and drink deepest of its contents, it is here, among kings, and courtiers, and prime ministers, and commanders, that we are to look for the most striking instances of this malady. Many a crown won by good fortune, and which Where prin- might have been preserved by moderation, has been lost by the delirium of pride and vain-glory; of which the Exempli- history of Demetrius of Macedonia furnishes us with one numerous mortifica tions than self-conceit? cipally to be found. fied. Pride of humility what? Exemplified. Prudential advice of Seneca. of the most memorable examples: who, in his disgraceful fall, was obliged to abandon, among the other idols of his heart, the unfinished robe which was to have hung over his shoulders, containing a magnificent embroidery of the sun, the moon, and all the stars of heaven, designed to have represented him as the sovereign lord of the whole. There is, however, another kind of madmen, to adopt the words of Butler*, opposite to these, "that are insensibly mad and know nothing of it; such as affect to contemn all praise and glory, and think themselves most free when they are most mad: a company of cynics, such as monks, hermits, and anchorites, that contemn the world, contemn themselves, contemn all titles, honours, offices, and yet in that contempt are more proud than any man living. They are proud in humility, proud in that they are not proud. They go in sheep's russet, many great men that might maintain themselves in cloth of gold, and seem to be dejected; humble by the outward carriage, when as inwardly they are swollen full of pride, arrogancy, and self-conceit. And therefore Seneca adviseth his friend Lucilius in his attire and gesture, his outward actions especially, to avoid all such things as are * Anat. of Melanch. Part. 1. Sect. ii. Vol. 1. p. 189. GEN. II. SPEC. I. nicum Su. Ungovernperbiæ. able pride. E. ento nicum Why more dangerous to the unthan either derstanding of the preceding. most notable in themselves; as a ragged attire, hirsute head, horrid beard, contempt of money, coarse lodging, E. entoand whatever leads to fame that opposite way" *. When the passion of pride is united with that of ardent desire after something beyond us and above us, it constitutes the next feeling of AMBITION: and hence this also is an inflating emotion, a tympany of the mind, and Gloria may be called prospective vanity, as pride is relative famis. Ungovernvanity, and self-conceit personal. It is the more dangerous able ambito the understanding in consequence of the double force tion. with which it overpowers the judgement: and hence the Description. slave of inordinate ambition is far more restless, and in a far higher degree of excitement, than the slave of either of the other two kinds of vanity; and as being dependent upon a greater number of contingencies, he is most of all open to reverses and downfalls. Examples are not necessary, and would be a waste of time. Whenever the stimulant ideas or thoughts that are connected with any one of this train of passions pass over the mind, the blood, as is justly observed by Sir A. Crichton, rushes with impetuosity to the head, the sentient principle is secreted in preternatural quantity, and the excitement is at last so often renewed, and increases to such a degree, as to occasion an impetuous and permanent delirium. But when the expectations and high desires, which pride or vanity naturally suggest, are blasted; when these passions are assailed by poverty, neglect, contempt, and hatred, and are unequal to the contest, they now and then terminate in despondency or settled melancholy +. But if such be a frequent effect of the stirring passions of a pleasureable kind; it is not difficult to conceive that those accompanied with pain, as the passion of ANGER, and all its compounds, suspicion, revenge, and especially jealousy, must make a much wider inroad upon the domain of a well-ordered mind, and introduce confusion and derange ⚫ Epist. v. † Of Mental Derangement, Book III, Ch. 11. Cases so common as to render examples unneces sary. Still more in disap pointment. ductive of despond dangerous and pro ency.. E. entocundiæ. Ungovern nicum Ira able anger. GEN. I. SPEC. I. 1 E. ento nicum Ira cundiæ. Ungovern able anger, and its compounds. More mis chievous in their result than the emotions. ment. Nor is the effect confined to the head; for a stimulus thus violent affects the entire system, and, as we have already observed, has a peculiar sympathetic influence on the liver; producing in many instances a very diseased secretion of bile, and altering it in a very short period not only in its quantity but in its quality. At the same time, every vessel is exhausted of its irritability, and the whole strength is so prostrated, as occasionally to lead on to obstinate faintings, convulsions, and death. The exprespleasureable sions and gestures are always violent and offensive, and are similar to those of maniacal rage; the eyes are red and inflamed, the countenance is flushed, swollen, and distorted, and the person is ungovernable. Such was the case in 1392 with Charles VI. of France, who, being violently incensed against the Duke of Bretagne, and burning with a spirit of malice and revenge, could neither eat, drink, nor sleep for many days together, and at length became furiously mad as he was riding on horseback, drawing his sword, and striking promiscuously every one who approached him. The disease fixed upon his intellect and accompanied him to his death. Violent and extensive corporeal effects. Exemplified. E. entonicum Ze lotypiæ. able jea In JEALOUSY, as in ambition, there is a combination of irritating passions, and the combination is still more comUngovern- plicated; for it is a compound of suspicion, hatred, eager desire of revenge, occasionally intermixed with love. To hot climates it appears to be endemic, and there is not perhaps an castern dynasty that does not offer numerous examples of its sanguinary phrensy, and diabolical career. lousy. Description. Remedial means. Principally moral discipline: It is not often, however, that any of the varieties-of this species terminate in permanent insanity, although the case of Charles VI. of France forms an exception to the general rule. As moral treatment appears to be of more benefit in the preceding genus than medical, it is almost the only treatment that can be recommended in ungovernable passion; though the violence of the excitement should unquestionably be reduced by venesection and purgatives. After this, time and perfect quiet must be chiefly depended upon yet judicious conversation, and more especially a judicious choice of subjects may accomplish much. A deaf ear is generally turned to the GEN. II. cum. ed excite ment. and especially a reverse of condition in fortune. precepts of the moralist, but if attention can be obtained SPEC. I. for them, Epictetus and Mason's Self-knowledge, PasEmpathecal's Thoughts and Lord Bacon's Essays, will furnish ma entonivaluable remedies; and so also, and of a much more pow- Empassionerful operation, will the still better penned ethics of a book which in every Christian country should be upper- Treatment. most in the mind without any suggestion. Moral castigation, however, if not too sudden or severe, is that which generally works most effectually; and few madmen of this kind have been able to meet a serious reverse of fortune or condition in life without being the better for it, if not destroyed by its first shock. Self-conceit, which is a mere product of self-ignorance, is best removed by an acquaintance with the world, and especially with men of real talents and genius, in which sphere the man who labours under it will soonest learn his own emptiness, and the means of remedying this defect. And hence the advantage of a public education over a private one; in which talents are brought into a fair competition with talents, and every one learns to appreciate his powers, not by the standard of his own vanity, but by the stamp of merit that has passed the mint. SPECIES II. EMPATHEMA ATONICUM. Empassioned Depression. THE PREDOMINANT PASSION ACCOMPANIED WITH DIMI- GEN. II. THE mental emotions productive of these effects are at least as numerous as those which harass the frame by in- SPEC. II. All these emotions excite some corporeal symptoms in common. a E. atonicum Desiderii. or Its direc tion vari ous: and its ope y Anxietudinis. Mæroris. Anxiety. Heart-ache. As increased sensorial excitement produces various symptoms in common, whatever be the nature of the governing passion at the time there; are also various symptoms common to decreased sensorial excitement under each of these depressing passions: as a greater or less degree of torpor in every irritable part, especially in the circulating and absorbent systems; whence paleness of the countenance, coldness of the extremities, a contraction and shrinking of the skin, and general surface of the body: a retardation and smallness of the pulse, want of appetite, deficiency of muscular force, and a sense of languor which overspreads the whole frame. The ardent desire which is distinguished by the name of LONGING, is directed towards objects of various kinds Ungovern that are absent, and equally relate to places and persons. able longing It is a painful and exhausting emotion, as compounded of hope, love and fear, and peculiarly agitates the præcordia: and hence the striking and beautiful apophthegm of the wise man, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick." It is felt by children at a distance from home, and who are eager to return to the embraces of their parents; by foreigners who have a strong and inextinguishable love for their country, and are anxious to return to the scenes and the companions of former times: and by the youthful pair who have vowed an eternal attachment, and are sure that they cannot live without each other, but whose union is opposed by bars that are felt to be insurmountproducing able. And hence the present variety includes the three modifications of HOME-SICKNESS, COUNTRY-SICKNESS, and LOVE-SICKNESS. The first is for the most part transitory; the second, the heimwehr of the Germans, has some ration in all periods of life : home-sick ness; countrysickness; and lovesickness. |