Preface.

THE author of the celebrated work, intitled "The Anatomy of Melancholy," has, in its several divisions, respectively shewn, that an inordinate pursuit of the common pleasures of life, an unrestrained indulgence of the affections of the heart, and a mistaken notion of our duties towards God, become, when carried to excess, not only the bane of virtue, and, of course, the destruction of earthly happiness, but the principal causes of that preternatural fermentation of the brain, which in time breaks down the mental beam, and precipitates the unhappy sufferers into the gulphs of melancholy, madness, or despair. He has not, how

ever, left the patients to linger under these maladies without hope of relief, but, while he traces the several causes from which they flow, has, like a kind physician, pointed out the means by which they may be prevented or cured; by shewing that the pleasures of life, to be truly enjoyed, must be guided by Temperance; that the affections of the heart to produce felicity, must spring from a Chaste Mind; and that the adoration of God, to warrant a hope of eternal happiness, must be the effluence of Christian Piety. "It is certainly of the highest importance," says a celebrated moralist, 66 that, in the common concerns of life, the mind should maintain its sovereignty over its own motions and affections, which tend, in general, to impair the health of the body, to destroy the vigour of the soul, to cast clouds of the thickest darkness over the judgment and understanding, and to wrest them violently from the principles of

reason and the paths of duty; that the Passion of Love should be so wisely managed and moderated by the powers of reason, as not to fix itself upon an improper object, procure base or unworthy fuel for its flame, prevent, in its enjoyments, the discharge of other duties, or degenerate into disquietude or disease; and that, among the opinions which it highly concerns all persons to settle and embrace, the chief are those which relate to the adoration of the Almighty; the practice of the true Religion being the only foundation of that sweet tranquillity, and acquiesence of mind, which Man inwardly enjoys; and the very fence and bulwark of that probity which he is bound to exercise towards his fellowcreatures." These are the doctrines which it seems the object of "The Anatomy of Melancholy" to inculcate but the author, in performing this task, having, to a certain degree, so overwhelmed the strong

sense, pointed wit, happy illustrations, bold metaphors, and humorous observations, which his work contains, with long though ingenious digressions, multitudes of quotations, frequent repetitions, and other extraneous or superabundant matter, as to render the regular perusal of it laborious and fatiguing, it was conceived that a selection of its principal parts might be made to form not only an entertaining, but an instructive volume. In attempting, however, to carry this idea into effect, it was found, to use the author's own expression," impossible to bring so large a vessel into so small a creek," without in some degree changing its form, as well as reducing its size, and leaving much of its very excellent materials behind. To reconstruct a new work with old materials, is always difficult, and frequently dangerous: the attempt, however, has been made in the following pages; but