facetious Talents and agreeable Humour, in whose Temperament,
Judgment, and Discretion, as before observ'd, are usually found in a
disproportionate Measure, are more inclin'd than others to Levity and
dissolute Manners: The same swiftness of Thought and sprightliness of
Imagination, that qualifies them for ingenious Conversation, Sports of
Fancy and Comick Writing, do likewise give them an exquisite Taste
of sensual Pleasures, and expose them to the prevailing Power of
Tempting, tho forbidden Enjoyments. The Passions and Appetites
of these Men, from the same Spring from whence they derive their
extraordinary Parts, that is, a Redundancy of warm and lively Spirits,
are more violent and impatient of Restraint, than those in a cooler
and less active Complexion, who however may be more eminent in the
superior Faculties of the Mind: Hence it will be no wonder, that while
their Propensions to Pleasure are much stronger, and their Reason much
weaker than those of other Men, they should be less able than others,
to resist the Allurements of criminal Delights; and this Remark is
confirm'd by daily Experience. How few of this facetious and comick
Species of Men, caress'd and applauded for their shining Parts and
witty Discourses, escape the Snares that encompass them, and preserve
their Vertue and Sobriety of Manners? It too often happens, that a
Man elevated above the rest by his uncommon Genius, is as much
distinguish'd by his extraordinary Immorality: And it would be well
if it stop'd here; but by degrees he often grows much worse, by adding
Impiety and Profaneness to Looseness of Manners: For being unable,
that is, having a moral Impotence of Will to restrain his evil
Propensions and govern his vicious Appetites, and finding his guilty
Enjoyments, attended with inward Uneasiness and unavoidable Remorse,
and being conscious that his irregular Life is inconsistent with
Safety and Happiness in a Future State; to remove the troublesome
Misgivings of his Mind from the Apprehensions of Guilt here, and rid