regular perufal of it laborious and fatiguing, it was conceived that a felection of its principal parts might be made to form not only an entertaining, but an instructive volume. In attempting, however, to carry this idea into effect, it was found, to use the author's own expreffion, “impoffible "to bring fo large a veffel into fo fmall "a creek," without in fome degree changing its form, as well as reducing its fize, and leaving much of its very excellent materials behind. To reconftruct a new work with old materials, is always difficult, and frequently dangerous: the attempt, however, has been made in the following pages; but with what fuccess the public must determine. The volume, compared with its great original, is a mere boat,

formed

formed with a few planks, taken here and there from the body of its parent veffel, differently rigged and ornamented, and accommodated rather for parties of pleasure than purposes of business; but so trimmed, it is hoped, as to be capable of fhewing to its paffengers, the fuperior pleasures that are to be experienced on the calm and unruffled furface of a virtuous life; while it exhibits to their view, the terrifying dangers of that turbulent ocean which, agitated by the ftorms of Paffion, and the winds of Vice, dashes with rude and raging violence along its furrounding fhores, The volume, in short, to drop the metaphor, is intended to convince youth of both fexes, that a life abandoned to an intemperate pursuit of pleasure, how

ever pleasing it may at firft appear, deftroys the fenfe of rational enjoyment, deadens the faculties of the mind, weakens the functions of the body, corrupts both the moral and intellectual fyftem, creates a difgufting apathy and langour, and ends at laft in Habitual Melancholy: That the romantic attachment of the fexes, which is denominated Heroic Love, indangers the interefts of virtue, destroys those sentiments on which alone THE CONJUGAL UNION can be fafely formed; leads at firft to disappointment and vexation, and ends at laft in certain mifery: and that ATHEISM, IDOLATRY, SUPERSTITION, INFIDELITY, and every other erroneous fpecies of devotion, beguile their followers into the deepeft fnares of vice,

afflict

a wounded confcience can infpire, an at laft fink them into the loweft abyf of defpair. But while it defcribes th poifons, it adminifters the antidote by fhewing, not aufterely, but in lively and pleasant manner, that healt of body, and perfect ferenity of min may, amidst all the pleasures, and un der all the adverfities and viciffitud of life, be completely preferved by life devoted to the practice of REA VIRTUE and TRUE RELIGION.

AS IT PROCEEDS FROM

HA BIT-LOVE-RELIGION.

WITH ITS RESPECTIVE

KINDS, CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES,

AND.

CURES.

ME

CHAPTER THE FIRST.

INTRODUCTION.

ELANCHOLY proceeds either from the difpofition or the habit. The fpecies of melancholy which proceeds from the disposition, is merely a temporary depreffion of the spirits, which goes and comes upon every small occafion of sorrow, sickness, need, fear, grief, care, difcontent, trouble, paffion, or other perturbation of the mind, and caufes fuch a degree of anguish or vexation, as diminishes or deftroys the common fenfations of pleasure. In this imper

fect

acceptation of the term, a person who is in any degree ill difpofed, dat, fad, four, folitary, mopish, or otherwise moved or dejected, is faid to be MELANCHOLY: and, indeed, from this species of the disease no human creature is en