as a companion, a certain dwelling-place, certain amusements, &c.; or a particular species, such as coffee, mutton, or any particular food. But habit is not confined to these. A constant train of trifling diverfions, may form such a habit in the mind, as that it cannot be easy a moment without amusement. Variety in the objects prevents a habit as to any one in particular; but as the train is uniform with respect to amusement in general, the habit is formed accordingly; and this fort of habit may be denominated a generic habit, in oppofition to the former, which may be called a specific habit. A habit of a town-life, of country-sports, of folitude, of reading, or of business, where fufficiently varied, are instances of generic habits. It ought to be remarked, that every specific habit hath a mixture of the generic. The habit of one particular fort of food, makes the taste agreeable; and we are fond of this taste where-ever found. A man deprived of an habitual object, takes up with what most resembles it: deprived of tobacco, any bitter herb will do, rather than want. The habit of drinking punch,

makes wine a good resource. Auman ac customed to the sweet society and comforts of matrimony, being unhappily deprived of his beloved object, inclines the fooner to a fecond choice. In general, the quality which the most affects us in an habitual ob ject, produceth, when we are deprived of it, a strong appetite for that quality in any other object.

The reasons are affigned above, why the causes of intense pleasure become not readily habitual. But now I must observe, that these reasons conclude only against specific habits. With regard to any particular object that is the cause of a weak pleasure, a habit is formed by frequency and uniformity of reiteration, which in the case of an intense pleasure cannot obtain without fatiety and disguft. But it is remarkable, that fatiety and disgust have no effect, except as to that thing which occafions them. feit of honey produceth not a loathing of fugar; and intemperance with one woman, produceth no difrelish of the same pleasure with others. Hence it is easy to account for a generic habit in any strong pleasure. The

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The disgust of intemperance, is confined to the object by which it is producedam The delight we had in the gratification of the ape petite, inflames the imagination, and makes us, with avidity, search for the fame gratification in whatever other object it can be found. And thus frequency and uniformity in gratifying the same paffion upon dif ferent objects, produceth at the longrun a habit. In this manner, a man acquires an habitual delight in high and poignant fauces, rich dress, fine equipage, crowds of company, and in whatever is commonly termed pleasure. There concurs at the fame time to introduce this habit, a peculiarity obferved above, that reiteration of acts enlarges the capacity of the mind, to admit a more plentiful gratification than originally, with regard to frequency as well as quantity.

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Hence it appears, that though a specific habit can only take place in the cafe of a moderate pleasure, yet that a generic habit may be formed with respect to every fort of pleasure, moderate or immoderate, that can be gratified by a variety of objects indifferently. The only difference is, that any parVOL. II. ticular

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ticular object which causes a weak pleafure, runs naturally into a specific habit; whereas a particular object that causes an intense pleasure, is altogether incapable of fuch a habit. In a word, it is but in singular cases that a moderate pleasure produces a generic habit: an intense pleasure, on the other hand, cannot produce any other habit.

The appetites that respect the preservation and propagation of the species, are formed into habit in a peculiar manner. The time as well as measure of their gratification, are much under the power of custom; which, by introducing a change upon the body, occafions a proportional change in the appetites. Thus, if the body be gradually formed to a certain quantity of food at regular times, the appetite is regulated accordingly; and the appetite is again changed when a different habit of body is introduced by a different practice. Here it would seem, that the change is not made upon the mind, which is commonly the cafe in paffive habits, but only upon the body.

When rich food is brought down by ingredients of a plainer tafte, the compofition is fufceptible of a specific habit. Thus the sweet taste of sugar, rendered less poignant in a mixture, may, in course of time, produce a specific habit for fuch mixture. As moderate pleasures, by becoming more intenfe, tend to generic habits; so intense pleasures, by becoming more moderate, tend to specific habits.

The beauty of the human figure, by a special recommendation of nature, appears to us fupreme, amid the great variety of beauteous forms bestowed upon animals. The various degrees in which individuals enjoy this property, render it an object fometimes of a moderate sometimes of an intense paffion. The moderate paffion, admitting frequent reiteration without diminution, and occupying the mind without exhaufting it, becomes gradually stronger till it fettle in a habit. So true this is, that instances are not wanting, of an ugly face, at first disagreeable, afterward rendered indifferent by familiarity, and at the longrun agreeable. On the other hand, confummate beauty, at the very first view, fills the mind so as to admit no increase. En