How the most powerful emotions of the _mind_ subside, and grow weaker
in proportion as the strength of the _body_ decays, is here
exemplified; and that such passions as remain after a certain age, are
not properly the incentives of nature but of example, long habitude,
or ill humour, Page 224.




LIFE's
PROGRESS
THROUGH THE
PASSIONS.


INTRODUCTION.

I have often heard it observed by the readers of biography, that the
characters are generally too high painted; and that the _good_ or
_bad_ qualities of the person pretended to be faithfully represented,
are displayed in stronger colours than are to be found in nature. To
this the lovers of hyperbole reply, that _virtue_ cannot be drawn too
beautiful, nor _vice_ too deformed, in order to excite in us an
ambition of imitating the _one_, and a horror at the thoughts of
becoming any way like the _other_.--The argument at first, indeed,
seems to have some weight, as there is nothing, not even precept
itself, which so greatly contributes whether to rectify or improve the
mind, as the prevalence of example: but then it ought to be
considered, that if the pattern laid down before us, is so altogether
angelic, as to render it impossible to be copied, emulation will be in