Thoughts on Instinctive Impulses (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1810. Excerpt: ... of a cat of the order of St. Dominick Imogen was inconsolable. The Abbess sternly reproved her, for her sinful weakness." "One must love something" said the weeping novice. Where is the necessity? said the Abbess coolly. Here said the novice pressing her right hand to her heart, and raising her soul illumined eyes to heaven, with an expression that seemed to say "and from thee, oh my heavenly father, have I received it." Celestial happiness, whcn'cr she stoops To visit earth, one shrine the goddess finds, And one alone, to make her sweet amends For absent heav'n the bosom of a friend; Nature in zeal for human amity, Denies or damps an undivided joy, Joy is an import, joy is an exchange--Delight intense, is taken by rebound--Reverberated pleasures fire the breast, Ye fortune cofferers ye powers of wealth, Can gold gain friendship? impudence of hope, Love and love only is the loan for love-Poor is the friendless master of the world. Antipathy is benignly given to us, that we may shun the society of the cruel and of all those who are unjust--but we ought slowly to admit dislikes, and carefully to investigate whether they are founded on facts or false prejudices. An unusual aversion to what is generally approved of, such as a mince pie, a leg of mutton, cheese, wine, &c. is termed an antipathy, physicians cannot account for this, and it can only be attributed to a peculiar organization. This virtuous instinctive disapprobation of the wicked, has been too often worked upon by designing persons to the persecution of good men, and to the suppression of all those emotions which would restrain us from atrocious violences--hypocrites have availed themselves of this passion to inflame nations to commit the most frenzied murders. The neighbour who has worshipped h...