SHELF N° Charafterifticks O F Men, Manners, Opinions, Times.
In THREE VOLUMES.
By the Right Honourable ANTHONY, Earl of Shaftesbury.
The Fifth Edition.
Vo/. JU fculps; B IR MING HAM: Printed by John Baskerville, M.DCC.LXXIII.
Ou.
A Letter concerning Enthusiasm.
Sen/us Communis; an Effay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour.
Soliloquy, or Advice to an Author.
VOL. II.
An Inquiry concerning Virtue and Me- rit.
The Moralists; a Philofophical Rhap- fody.
VOL. III.
Miscellaneous Reflections on the faid Treatifes, and other critical Subjects.
A Notion of the Hiftorical Draught, or Tablature of the Judgment of Hercu- les.
VOLUME I.
A Letter concerning Enthusiasm.
Sen/us Communis; an Eflay on the Freedom of Wit and Humour.
Soliloquy, or Advice to an Author.
Printed in the Year M.DCG.XXVII.
.1 IT. I Ill PREFACE.
/F the Author of thefe united Tracts had been any Friend to Prefaces, he woud probably have made his Entrance after that manner ', in one or other of the Five Trea- tifes formerly publifid apart. But as to all Prefatory or Dedicatory Difcourfe, he has told us his Mind fujficiently, in that Trea- tife which he calls Soliloquy. Being f a- tisfyd however, that there are many Perform who efleem thefe Introductory Pieces as very effential in the Conflitution of a Work; he has thought fit, in behalf of his honefl Printer, iv PREFACE.
Printer, to Jubjlitute thefe Lines under the Title o/aPreface; and to declare, " That (according to his bejl Judgment and Au- c thority) thefe Presents ought to pafs, and be receivd, conflrud, and taken, as fa- tisfaflory in full, for all Preliminary Com- pofition, Dedication, diredl or indirect ' Application for Favour to the Publick, or ' to any private Patron, or Party whatso- ever: Nothing to the contrary appearing ' to him, from the fide of Truth, or Rea- ' fon". Witnefs his Hand, Jhis Fifth Day of December, 1710.
TREATISE I.
A CONCERNING ENTHUSIASM, T O Ridentem dicer e Verum Quidvetat? Hor. Sat. 1.
Printed firft in the Year M.DCC.VIIL LETTER, he, My Lord, NOW, you are return'd to and be- fore the Seafon comes which mufl en- gage you in the weightier Matters of State; if you care to be entertain'd a-while with a fort of idle Thoughts, fuch as pretend only to Amufement, and have no relation to Bufinefs or Affairs, you may call your Eye nightly on what you have before you; and if there be any thing inviting, you may read it over at your leifure, It I t has been an eftablifh'd Cuftom for Poets, at the entrance of their Work, to addrefs themfelves to fome Mufe: and this Practice of the Antients has gain'd fo much Repute, that even in our days we find it almoft conftantly imitated. I cannot but fancy however, that this Imitation, which paffes fo currently with other Judgments, muft at fome time or other have fluck a little with your Lordfhip; who is us'd to examine Things by a better Standard than that of Fafhion or the common Tafte.
* * You mud certainly have obferv'd our Poets under a remarkable Conftraint, when oblig'd to affume this Character: and you have won- derd, perhaps, why that Air of Enthufiafm, which fits fo gracefully with an Antient, fhou'd be fo fpiritlefs and aukard in a Modern. But as to this Doubt, your Lordfhip wou'd have foon refolvd your-felf: and it cou'd only ferve to bring a-crofs you a Reflection you have of- ten made, on many occafions befides; That Truth is the mqfl powerful thing in the Worlds fmce even Ficlion * it-felf muft be govern'd by it, and can only pleafe by its refemblance. The Appearance of Reality is neceffary to make any Paflion agreeably reprefented; and to be able to move others, we muft firft be mov'd ourfelves, or at leaft feem to be fo, up- on fome probable Grounds. Now what pofability Concerning EXTHU SIAS M. 5 fibility is there that a Modern, who is known never to have worfhip'd Apollo, or own'd any fuch Deity as the Mufes, fhou'd perfuade us to enter into his pretended Devotion, and move us by his feign'd Zeal in a Religion out of date? But as for the Antients, 'tis known they derivd both their Religion and Polity from the Mufes Art. How natural therefore mud it have appear'd in any, but efpecially a Poet of thofe times, to addrefs himfelf in Rap- tures of Devotion to thofe acknowledge Pa- troneffes of Wit and Science? Here the Poet might with probability feign an Extafy, tho he really felt none: and fuppofmg it to have been mere Affeclation, it wou'd look however like fomething natural, and coud not fail of pleafmg.
But perhaps, my Lord, there was a further My fiery in the cafe. Men, your Lord (hip knows, are wonderfully happy in a Faculty of deceiving themfelves, whenever they fet hear- tily about it; and a very fmall Foundation of any Paffion will ferve us, not only to a6l it well, but even to work our-felves into it be- yond our own reach. Thus, by a little Affec- tation in Love-Matters, and with the help of a Romance or Novel, a Boy of Fifteen, or a grave Man of Fifty, may be fure to grow a very natural Coxcomb, and feel the Belle Paf- Jwn in good earneft. A Man of tolerable Good- 6 A LETTER Good- 6 A LETTER Good-Nature, who happens to be a little piqu'd, may, by improving his Refentment, become a very Fury for Revenge. Even a good Chriftian, who wou'd needs be over- good, and thinks he can never believe enough, may, by a fmall Inclination well improv'd, extend his Faith fo largely, as to comprehend in it not only all Scriptural and Traditional Miracles, but a folid Syftem of Old-Wives Sto- rys. Were it needful, I cou d put your Lord- fhip in mind of an Eminent, Learned, and truly Chriftian Prelate you once knew, who coud have given you a full account of his Be- lief in Fairys. And this, methinks, may ferve to make appear, how far an antient Poet's Faith might poflibly have been rais'd, together with his Imagination.
But we Chriflians, who have fuch ample Faith our-felves, will allow nothing to poor Heathens. They mull be Infidels in every fenfe. We will not allow em to believe fo much as their own Religion; which we cry is too abfurd to have been credited by any befides the mere Vulgar. But if a Reverend Chriftian Prelate may be fo great a Volunteer in Faith, as beyond the ordinary Prescription of the Catholick Church, to believe in Fairys; why may not a Heathen Poet, in the ordinary way of his Religion, be allow'd to believe in Mufes?
Mufes?
. Concerning ENTHUSIASM, y Alufes? For thefe, your Lordfhip knows, were fo many Divine Perfons in the Heathen Creed, and were eflential in their Syftem of Theology. The Goddeffes had their Temples and Wor- ihip, the fame as the other Deitys: And to dis- believe the HolyJS'ine, or their Apollo, was the fame as to deny Jove himfelf; and muft have been efleem'd equally profane and atheiftical by the generality of fober Men. Now what a mighty advantage muft it have been to an an- tient Poet to be thus orthodox, and by the help of his Education, and a Good-will into the bargain, to work himfelf up to the Belief of a Divine Prefence and Heavenly Infpiration? It was never furely the bufinefs of Poets in thofe days to call Revelation in queftion, when it evidently made fo* well for their Art. On the contrary, they cou'd not fail to animate their Faith as much as poflible; when by a fingle Act of it, well inforc'd, they cou'd raife themfelves into fuch Angelical Company.
How much the Imagination of fuch a Pre- fence muft exalt a Genius, we may obferve merely from the Influence which an ordinary Prefence has over Men. Our Modern Wits are moreorlefs rais'd by the Opinion they have of their Company, and the Idea they form to themfelves of the Perfons to whom they make their AddrefTes. A common Actor of the Stage Vol. I. B will A LETTER will inform us how much a full Audience of the Better Sort exalts him above the com- mon pitch. And you, my Lord, who are the noblefl Aclor, and of the nobleft Part affign'd to any Mortal on this earthly Stage, when you are acling for Liberty and Mankind; does not the publick Prefence, that of your Friends, and the Well-wifhers to your Caufe, add fomething to your Thought and Genius? Or is that Sub- lime of Reafon, and that Power of Eloquence, which you difcover in publick, no more than what you are equally Mailer of, in private; and can command at any time, alone, or with in- different Company, or in any eafy or cool hour? This indeed were more Godlike; but ordinary Humanity, I think, reaches not fo high.
For my own part, my Lord, I have really fo much need of fome confiderable Prefence or Company to raife my Thoughts on any oc- calion, that when alone, I mufl endeavour by Strength of Fancy to fupply this want; and in default of a Mufe, mud inquire out fome Great Man of a more than ordinary Genius, whofe imagin'd Prefence may infpire me with more than what I feel at ordinary hours. And thus, my Lord, have I chofen to addrefs my- felf to your Lordfhip; tho without fubfcribing my Name: allowing you as a Stranger, the full liberty of reading no more than what you mav Concerning ENTHUSIASM. 9 may have a fancy for; but referving to my- felf the privilege of imagining you read all, with particular notice, as a Friend, and one whom I may juftiflabiy treat with the Intimacy and Freedom which follows.
SECT. II.
IF the knowing well how to expofe any In- firmity or Vice were a fufficient Security for the Virtue which is contrary, how excel- lent an Age might we be prefum'd to live in t Never was there in our Nation a time known, when Folly and Extravagance of every kind were more fharply infpecled, or more wittily ridicul'd. And one might hope at leafl from this good Symptom, that our Age was in no de- clining ftate; fince whatever our Diftempers are, we (land fo well affeclcd to our Remedys. To bear the being told of Faults, is in private Perfons the bell token of Amendment. 'Tis feldom that a Publick is thus difposd. For where Jealoufy of State, or the ill Lives of the Great People, or any other Caufe is powerful enough to reftrain the. Freedom ofCenfure in any part, it in efTecl: deftroys the Benefit of it in the whole. There can be no impartial and free Cenfure of Manners where any peculiar Cuitom or National Opinion is fet apart, and not only exempted from Criticifm, but even flatter'd with the higher! Art. 'Tis only in a free Na.
B 2 tion B 2 tion tion, fuch as ours, that Impofture has no Pri- vilege; and that neither the Credit of a Court, the power of a Nobility, nor the Awefulnefs of a Church can give her Protection, or hin- der her from being arraign'd in every Shape and Appearance, Tis true, this liberty may feem to run too far. We may perhaps be faid to make ill ufe of it. So every one will fay, when he himfelf is touch'd, and his Opinion freely examin'd. But who fliall be Judge of luhat may be freely examin'd, and tuhat may not? Where Liberty may be us'd; and where it may not? What Remedy fhall we prefcribe to this in General? Can there be a better than from that Liberty it-felf which is complain'd of? If Men are vitious, petulant or abufive; the Magiftrate may correct them: But if they reafon ill, 'tis Reafon lull mud teach 'em to do better. Juftnefs ofThought and Style, Refine- ment in Manners good Breeding, and Polite- nefs of every kind, can come only from the Trial and Experience of what is beft. Let but the Search go freely on, and the right Meafure of every thing will foon be found. Whatever Humour has got the Hart, if it be unnatural, it cannot hold; and the Ridicule, if ill plac'd at firft, will certainly fall at lafl where it deferves.
I Have often wonder'd to fee Men of Senfe fo mightily alarm'd at the approach of any.
thing Concerning ENTHUSIASM, n thing like Ridicule on certain Subjects; as if they miftrufted their own Judgment. For what Ridicule can lie againfl Reafon? Or how can any one of the lean Junnefs of Thought en- dure a Ridicule wrong plac'd? Nothing is more ridiculous than this it-felf. The Vulgar, in- deed, may fwallow any fordid Jeft, any mere Drollery or Buffoonery; but it mud be a finer and a truer Wit which takes with the Men of Senfe and Breeding. How comes it to pafs then, that we appear fuch Cowards in reafon- ing, and are fo afraid to ftand the Tejl of Ri- dicule? O! fay we, the Subjects are too grave. Perhaps fo: but let us fee firft whe- ther they are really grave or no: for in the manner we may conceive 'em, they may per- adventure be very grave and weighty in our Imagination; but very ridiculous and imper- tinent in their own nature. Gravity is of the very Efience of Impofture. It does not only make us miftake other things, but is apt per- petually almoft to miftake it-felf. For even in common Behaviour, how hard is it for the grave Character to keep long out of the limits of the formal one? We can never be too grave, if we can be aifur'd we are really what we fup- pofe. And we can never too much honour or revere any thing for grave; if we are aftur'd the Thing is grave, as we apprehend it. The main Point, is to know always true Gravity from the ' B 3 falfe: ' B 3 falfe: falfe: and this can only be, by carrying the Rule constantly with us, and freely applying it not only to the Things about us, but to our-felves. For if unhappily we lofe the Meafure in our- felves, we fhall foon lofe it in every thing be- fides. Now what Rule or Meafure is there in the World, except in the confidering of the real Temper of Things, to find which are truly fe- rious and which ridiculous? And how can this be done, unlefs by * applying the Ridicule, to fee whether it will bear? But if we fear to apply this Rule in any thing, what Security can we have againft the Impofture of Forma- lity in all things? We have allow'd our-felves to be FormaUJls in one Point; and the fame Formality may rule us as it pleafes in all other.
'Tis not in every Difpofition that we are capacitated to judge of things. We muft be- forehand judge of our own Temper, and accord- ingly of other things which fall under our Judgment. But we muft never more pretend to judge of things, or of our Temper in judging them, when we have given up our preliminary Right of Judgment, and under a Prefumption of Gravity, have allow'd our-felves to be raoft ridiculous, and to admire profoundly the molt ridiculous things in nature, at leaft for ought we know. For having refolv'd never to try, we can never be fure * Infra, pag. Gi, 74.
Concerning ENTHUSIASM. i3 * Ridiculum acri Fortius et melius magnas plerumque fecat res.
This, my Lord, I may fafely aver, is fo true in itfelf, and fo well known for Truth by the cun- ning Formali/ls o£ the Age, that they can better bear to have their Impoftures rail'd at, with all the Bitternefs and Vehemence imaginable, than to have them touch'd ever fo gently in this other way. They know very well, that as Modes and Fafhions, fo Opinions, tho ever fo ridiculous, are kept up by Solemnity: and that thofe formal Notions which grew up pro- bably in an ill Mood, and have been conceiv'd in fober Sadnefs, are never to be remov'd but in a fober kind of Chearfulnefs, and by a more eafy and pleafant way of Thought. There is a Melancholy which accompanies all Enthufiafm. Be it Love or Religion (for there areEnthufiafms in both) nothing can put a flop to the grow- ing mifchief of either, till the Melancholy be remov'd, and the Mind at liberty to hear what can be faid againfl the Ridiculoufnefs of an Extreme in either way.
It was heretofore the Wifdom of fome wife Nations, to let People be Fools as much as they pleas'd, and never to punifh ferioufly what de- B 4 ierv'd ferv'd only to be laugh'd at, and was, after all, bed curd by that innocent Remedy. There are certain Humours in Mankind, which of neceffity muff have vent. The Human Mind and Body are both of 'em naturally fubjec"l to Commotions: and as there are ftrange Fer- ments in the Blood, which in many Bodys oc- cafion an extraordinary Discharge; fo in Rea- fon too, there are heterogeneous Particles which mud be thrown off by Fermentation. Shou'd Phyficians endeavour abfolutely to allay thofe Ferments of the Body, and ftrike in the Hu- mours which difcover themfelves in fuch Erup- tions, they might, inftead of making a Cure, bid fair perhaps to raife a Plague, and turn a Spring-Ague or an Autumn-Surfeit into an epi- demical malignant Fever. They are certain- ly as ill Phyficians in the Body -Politick, who wou'd needs be tampering with thefe mental Eruptions; and under the fpecious pretence of healing this Itch of Superftition, and faving Souls from the Contagion of Enthufiafm, fhou'd fet all Nature in an uproar, and turn a few in- nocent Carbuncles into an Inflammation and mortal Gangrene.
We read * in Hiftory that Pan, when he accompany'd Bacchus in an Expedition to the Indies, found means to ftrike a Terror thro' i a Concerning EXTH U SI AS M. 15 a Hoft of Enemys, by the help of a fmall Com- pany, whole Clamors he manag'd to good ad- vantage among the echoing Rocks and Caverns of a woody Vale. The hoarfe bellowing of the Caves, join'd to the hideous afpeel of fuch dark and defart Places, rais'd fuch a Horror in the Enemy, that in this (late their Imagination help'd 'em to hear Voices, and doubtlefs to fee Forms too, which were more than Human: whilft the Uncertainty of what they fear'd made their Fear yet greater, and fpread it fader by implicit Looks than any Narration cou'd con- vey it. And this was what in after-times Men calld a Panic k. The Story indeed gives a good Hint of the nature of this Paflion, which can hardly be without fome mixture of Enthufiafm, and Horrors of a fuperftitious kind.
One may with good reafon call every Paf- fion Panick which is rais'd in a* Multitude, and convey'd by Afpecl:, or as it were by Con- tact or Sympathy. Thus popular Fury may be call'd Panick, when the Rage of the People, as we have fometimes known, has put them beyond themfelves; efpecially where * Religi- on has had to do. And in this ftate their very Looks are infectious. The Fury flies from Face to Face: and the Difeafe is no foon- er feen than caught. They who in a better * Infra, p. 43. and VOL. III. p. 66. in the Notes.
Situation Situation of Mind have beheld a Multitude under the power of this Paffion, have own'd that they faw in the Countenances of Men fomething more ghaftly and terrible than at other times is exprefsd on the mod paflionate occafion. Such force has * Society in ill, as well as in good Paflions: and fo much flronger any Affection is for being Jocial and communica- tive.
Thus, my Lord, there are many Panicks in Mankind, befides merely that of Fear. And thus is Religion alfo Panick; when Enthufiafm of any kind gets up; as oft, on melancholy oc- canons, it will. For Vapours naturally rife; and in bad times efpecially, when the Spirits of Men are low, as either in publick Calami- tys,.or during the Unwholefomnefs of Air or Diet, or when Convulfions happen in Nature, Storms, Earthquakes, or other amazing Prodi- gys: at this feafon the Panick mult needs run high, and the Magiflrate of neceffity give way to it.; For to apply a ferious Remedy, and bring the Sword, or Fafces, as a Cure, mud make the Cafe more melancholy, and increafe the very Caufe of the Diftemper. To forbid Mens natural Fears, and to endeavour the over- powering them by other Fears, mud needs be a mofl unnatural Method. The Magiflrate, if * Infra, p. no, kc. and VOL. II. p. ioo, 106, &c. 127, 8cc.
he Concerning ENTHUSIASM 17 he be any Artift, fhou'd have a gentler hand; and inftead of Cauilicks, Incifions, and Ampu- tations, fhou'd be ufmg the fofteft Balms; and with a kind Sympathy entering into the Con- cern of the People, and taking, as it were, their Paffion upon him, fhou'd, when he has footh'd and fatisfy'd it, endeavour, by chearful ways, to divert and heal it.
This was antient Policy: and hence (as a notable * Author of our Nation expreffes it) 'tis neceffary a People fhou'd have a Publick Leading in Religion. For to deny the Magif- trate a Worfhip, or take away a National Church, is as mere Enthufiafm as the Notion which fets up Perfecution. For why fhou'd there not be publick Walks, as well as pri- vate Gardens? Why not publick Librarys, as well as private Education and Home-Tutors? But to prefcribe bounds to Fancy and Specu- lation, to regulate Mens Apprehenfions and re- ligious Beliefs or Fears, to fupprefs by Violence the natural Paffion of Enthufiafm, or to endea- vour to afcertain it, or reduce it to one Spe- cies, or bring it under any one Modification, is in truth no better Senfe, nor deferves a bet- ter Characler, than what the t Comedian de- clares of the like Projecl in the Affair of Love — ■ HA RRIXGTO JV. f Ter. Eun. Ail i. Sc. i.
— Xihilo — Nihilo plus a gas Quam fides operam ut cum ratione infanias.
Not only the Vifionarys and EnthufiafU of all kinds were tolerated, your Lordlhip knows, by the Antients; but on the other fide, Philofophy had as free a courfe, and was per- mitted as a Balance againll Superitition. And whilft fome Seels, fuch as the Pythagorian and latter Platonick, join'd in with the Superitition and Enthufiafm of the Times; the Epicurean, the Acadcmick, and others, were allow'd to ufe all the Force of Wit and Raillery againll it. And thus matters were happily balanc'd; Rea- fon had fair Play; Learning and Science flou- rifh'd. Wonderful was the Harmony and Temper which arofe from all thefe Contra- rietys. Thus Superitition and Enthufiafm were mildly treated; and being let alone, they never rag'd to that degree as to occafion Bloodfhed, Wars, Perfecutions and Devaluations in the World. But a new fort of Policy, which ex- tends it-felf to another World, and confiders the future Lives and Happinefs of Men rather than the prefent, has made us leap the Bounds of natural Humanity; and out of a fuper- natural Charity, has taught us the way of plaguing one another mod devoutly. It has rais'd an ""Antipathy which no temporal Intereft Concerning ENTHUSIASM, ig tereft cou'd ever do; and entail'd upon us a mutual Hatred to all Eternity. And now Uni- formity in Opinion (a hopeful Projecl!) is look'd on as the only Expedient againft this Evil. The faving of Souls is now the heroick Paffion of exalted Spirits; and is become in a manner the chief Care of the Magifirate, and the very End of Government it-felf.
If Magiflracy fliou'd vouchfafe to interpofe thus much in other Sciences, I am afraid we ihou'd have as bad Logick, as bad Mathema- ticks, and in every kind as bad Philofophy, as we often have Divinity, in Countrys where a precife Orthodoxy is fettled by Law. 'Tis a hard matter for a Government to fettle Wit. If it does but keep us fober and honeft, 'tis likely we fhall have as much Ability in our fpiritual as in our temporal Affairs: and if we can but be trufted, we fhall have Wit enough to fave our-felves, when no Prejudice lies in the way. But if Honefty and Wit be infufficient for this faving Work, 'tis in vain for the Magiflrate to meddle with it: fince if he be ever fo virtuous or wife, he may be as foon miftaken as another Man. I am hire the only way to fave Mens Senfe, or preferve Wit at all in the World, is to give Liberty to Wit. Now Wit can never have its Liberty, where the Freedom of Raillery is taken away: For againft 20 A LETTER againfl ferious Extravagances and fplenetick Humours there is no other Remedy than this.
We have indeed full Power over all other Modifications of Spleen. We may treat other Enthufiafms as we pleafe. We may ridicule Love, or Gallantry, or Knight-Errantry to the utmoft; and we find, that in thefe latter days of Wit, the. Humour of this kind, which was once fo prevalent, is pretty well declin'd. The Crufades, the refcuing of Holy Lands, andfuch devout Gallantrys are in lefs requeft than for- merly: But if fomething of this militant Religi- on, fomething of this Soul-refcuing Spirit, and Saint-Errantry prevails full, we need not won- der, when we confider in how folemn a man- ner we treat this Diftemper, and how prepof- teroufly we go about to cure Enthufiafm.
I Can hardly forbear fancying, that if we had a fort of Inquifition, or formal Court of Judicature, with grave Officers and Judges, erecled to reftrain Poetical Licence, and in general to fupprefs that Fancy and Humour of Verfification; but in particular that moft extravagant Paflion of Love, as it is fet out by- Poets, in its Heathenifh Drefs of Venus's and Cupids: if the Poets, as Ringleaders and Teachers of this Herefy, were, under grievous Penaltys, forbid to enchant the People by their vein vein Concerning ENTHUSIASM. 21 vein of Rhyming; and if the People, on the other fide, were, under proportionable Penal- tys, forbid to hearken to any fuch Charm, or lend their Attention to any Love-Tale, fo much as in a Play, a Novel, or a Ballad; we might perhaps fee a new Arcadia arifmg out of this heavy Persecution: Old People and Young would be feiz'd with a verfrfying Spirit: We fhou'd have Field-Conventicles of Lovers and Poets: Forefts wou'd be fill'd with romantick Shepherds and ShepherdelTes; and Rocks re- found with Echoes of Hymns and Praifes of- fer'd to the Powers of Love. We might indeed have a fair Chance, by this Management, to bring back the whole Train of Heathen Gods, and fetour cold Northern Ifland burning with as many Altars to Venus and Apollo, as were formerly in Cyprus, Delos, or any of thofe warmer Grecian Climates.
SECT. III.
BU T, my Lord, you may perhaps wonder, that having been drawn into fuch a fe- rious Subjecl as Religion, I fhou'd forget my felf fo far as to give way to Raillery and Hu- mour. I muft own, my Lord, 'tis not merely thro' Chance that this has happen'd. To fay truth, I hardly care fo much as to think on this 22 ALE T T E R this Subject, much lefs to write on it, without endeavouring to put my-felf in as good Hu- mour as is pomble. People indeed, who can endure no middle Temper, but are all Air and Humour, know little of the Doubts and Scru- ples of Religion, and are fafe from any imme- diate Influence of devoid Melancholy or Enthu- Jiqfm; which requires more Deliberation and thoughtful Practice to fix it-felf in a Temper, and grow habitual. But be the Habit what it will; to be deliverd of it at fo fcd a Cod as Inconfideratenefs, or Madnefs, is what I wou'd never wifh to be my Lot. I had rather (land all Adventures with Religion, than endeavour to get rid of the Thoughts of it by Diverfion. All I contend for, is to think of it in a right Humour: and that this sroes more than half- way towards thinking rightly of it, is what I fhall endeavour to demonftrate.
Good Humour is not only the bed Se- curity againft Enthit/iafm, but the belt Founda- tion of Piety and true Religion: For if right Thoughts and worthy Apprehenfions of the Supreme Being, are fundamental to all true Worfhip and Adoration; 'tis more than pro- bable, that we (hall never mifcarry in this re- fpecl:, except thro' ill Humour only. Nothing befide ill Humour, either natural or forc'd, can bring a Man to think ferioully that the World Concerning ENTHUSIASM 23 World is govern'd by any devilifh or malici- ous Power. I very much queftion whether any thing, befides ill Humour, can be the Caufe of Atheifm. For there are fo many Argu- ments to perfuade a Man in Humour, that, in the main, all things are kindly and well dif- pos'd, that one wou'd think it impoflible for him to be fo far out of conceit with Affairs, as to imagine they all ran at adventures; and that the World, as venerable and wife a Face as it carry'd, had neither Senfe nor Mean- ing in it. This however I am perfuaded of, that nothing befides ill Humour can give us dreadful or ill Thoughts of a Supreme Mana- ger. Nothing can perfuade us of Sullennefs or Sournefs in fuch a Being, befides the aclual fore-feeling of fomewhat of this kind within our-felves: and if we are afraid of brinQ-ing good Humour into Religion, or thinking with Freedom and Pleafantnefs on fuch a Subject as God; 'tis becaufe we conceive the Subject fo like our-felves, and can hardly have a No- tion of Majejiy and Greatnefs, without Statelinefs and Morojenefs accompanying it.