It is certain, that high play must produce nearly as much pain as pleasure even before the game is up, but when the last fatal die is cast, never does man endure such intense misery. In general the previous fear of losing must nearly balance the hope of winning, and where the stake is excessive, probably exceeds it; but when the cast is unlucky, and all is over, the suddenness of the transition from riches or competence to poverty, surprise at the new situation, and the galling idea that self alone is to blame, all combine to overwhelm the mind with agony. Nothing can prove more clearly this utter wretchedness than the fact, that gaming is the most common cause of suicide. The emotions produced by deep tragedy and pathetic tales are no doubt partly of a painful nature, and yet they are very much courted; but here the beauty of the language and the incidents, and the correct imitation of nature throw the balance greatly on the side of pleasure. Persons little alive to beauty often dislike tragedy. In countries where nearly all public worship consists in preaching, pulpit oratory is of course very highly prized; and clergymen who terrify their audience are generally more popular than those who deliver sensible but cold discourses. Such fiery preachers are there much run after, because they excite emotion, though, if their hearers were to bring home to themselves what is said, many ought to feel rather uncomfortable.

So great, indeed, is this longing for strong emotion, that for want of greater interests, we see people work themselves up into a sort of enthusiasm about small matters, about an actress, a singer, &c. Ils se font

We may

de l'enthousiasme, as the French say. remark this particularly in Paris and other capital cities, the resort of persons having no professed object in life, and where consequently the necessity for amusements is strongly felt. These amusements have their value, for the busy as well as the idle, though chiefly for the latter, and they give an outward appearance of gaiety, but if we go beyond the surface, they rather indicate a want of more solid felicity. Under the Greek Empire, where the lively spirit of the people could find no fit occupation, it vented itself in contests between the rival factions of the circus, which at one time convulsed the state and deluged the capital with blood.

I cannot help remarking in this place, how necessary it is to go to the real fountains of human happiness, in order to form correct judgments concerning various modes of life. When we know the essential elements, we can pronounce between the modes with some confidence; otherwise we may dispute for ever without arriving at any certain conclusion. The gaiety of the French, and the gravity of the English are frequently mistaken by superficial observers for happiness and unhappiness.

If it be true that we are constantly in quest of emotion, it follows that we ought to value a strong desire more than any other, because it is much more permanent. Many emotions are exceedingly fleeting

5 I have heard a singular saying, which, being in point, it may be worth while here to record. Paris est le seul endroit où l'on peut vivre sans bonheur.

in their nature, but this may endure for years, and animate life till its close.

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With the following maxims of Bacon we may sum the foregoing reflections :

"Qui sapit desiderium quærat: nam qui non aliquid insigniter appetit, ei omnia ingrata sunt et tædio plena."

"Non est melior ordinatio animi quam ex imperio affectus alicujus insignis."

II. Philosophers, moralists, and poets have united in extolling the pleasures of Hope. Now hope is nothing but desire, combined with belief in the probability of the attainment of its object. The belief may vary in every conceivable degree from a bare possibility to nearly absolute certainty, and the compound state of mind may receive different appellations accordingly, as it rises from a bare wish to hope, from hope to expectation, from expectation to confidence, but the essential elements of these three are still the same, and vary only in degree. In all, emotion is combined with relation; a desire with a judgment. Now in order that a desire may be either strong or permanent, it is necessary that it be united with such a belief, otherwise it merely passes through the mind and leaves no trace behind. We may feel a momentary wish for things quite beyond our reach, but no more; the impossibility of attainment stifles it almost in its birth. We do not hear of persons in the humbler walks of life falling in love with those far above them, though the converse is by no means uncommon. Therefore the difference of manners and tastes will not alone account for the fact. The pea

sant does not desire the wealth and station of the nobleman, nor the nobleman the splendor of a throne; but the one may long to become a little farmer, and the other to rise to a dukedom. If the throne be elective, as formerly in Poland, or liable to be upset by ambition, then indeed, the prize being supposed attainable, desire may arise and grow into hope. The more frequently, and the more recently a government has been overthrown, the more chance does there seem of another downfall, and on that account it really is less secure, for the wishes, and hence the projects of the restless are fostered by the probability. A minister is never so violently assailed as when he is supposed to be tottering; and being thought weak, he really is so. The most triumphant minister this country ever saw lived to see his opponents recede in despair. They almost ceased to wish for a fall of which they could see no prospect. The revolution of 1830 aroused the reformers of England, for they saw that reform was within their grasp, and every change, even the most radical, has since been more ardently wished, because it was thought possible. Those foes to innovation are the most far-seeing who resist it from the very first, for every novelty suggests and facilitates another by creating a belief that it may be realised.

We here see the reason of the great stress which the gospel lays upon faith. Without faith or belief there can be no hope, and without hope there is no religion.

As to the degree of belief necessary to keep alive desire, no general rule can be given, so much does it

vary in different individuals. Some require a very strong persuasion to sustain the wish and prompt to action, while others can desire and labour almost against hope. It may be remarked that the greater the natural tendency to desire in general, or to any one kind in particular, the less probability is required, and vice versâ. If a man be of an ardent character, a trifling faith will suffice, but if he be indolent, little short of certainty will do. Very frequently, no doubt, the strong desire creates a firm belief, but not always. When a wish continues for some time, it naturally suggests a train of corresponding thoughts, and leads the mind insensibly to those topics and arguments which favour the ruling emotion. Such is one of the most remarkable and important effects of this class of mental phenomena. They constitute directly by far the greater part of our happiness, and by swaying the intellect, they in fact govern the man. Emotion is the parent of attention, and hence of invention, and of all advancement in real knowledge. Our opinions are for ever exposed to its influence, secret though it be. If we feel strongly on any subject we must attend to it, if we attend we must think, and if we think we shall probably gain ideas be they right or wrong. So, if we wish strongly for any object, we are impelled to meditate upon it, and the wish alternating with thought, constantly tends to give a certain direction to the latter. Thus it is, that desire has so strong a power over our opinions, and inclines us to believe as probable our bright but airy visions. Still this effect is not universal, for persons there are aware of this law of their nature, and therefore on