§ 17. The Drama. The successful dramatic Writer catches the ideas, and imitates the language of every passion, emotion, and affection, in their different stages and degrees. His professed object is to suppose a diversity of characters, and to support them with a correspondent train of ideas; to inspire them with predilections and aversions; or call forth particular passions and affections, according to the situations in which he has placed them. His hopes of success depend on the closeness of the imitation; and success itself consists in being able to interest the heart, by exciting affections and emotions similar to those which would be felt by the reader or spectator, were he an immediate witness to similar scenes, in real life. The complete Actor possesses the happy talent of expressing, by manner, the state of mind represented by his author. He adopts what modern orators reject. He attempts to give force to pertinent ideas and language, by imitative tones, gestures, and countenance. These he varies, according to the versatile state of those who are tossed upon the billows of passion, agitated by some contending emotions, or under the more permanent influence of particular affections. In theatrical exhibitions there is a conspiracy to delude the imagination; and all the powers of sympathy are called forth to produce the effect. By appropriate dresses, the persons of the actors are lost in the characters they assume; and correspondent scenery points out the very spot of action. The spectator leaves every idea of real life at the door of entrance, and voluntarily yields himself up to the pleasing delusion. He finds himself in a new world. He is transported, in an instant, into distant regions and remote ages, and feels in fiction all the force of truth. He laughs at mimic folly, sincerely weeps at artificial misery, is inspired with horror and indignation at imaginary baseness, and is in an ecstacy of joy at counterfeit happiness! § 18. Pre-disposing Causes. All the above causes, which operate so powerfully upon the mind, and impress it with such a diversity or contrariety of sensations, have still a degree of uniformity in their mode of action. We may still suppose that the same Individual, placed under their immediate influence, would always entertain similar ideas, and receive similar impressions. But this is not always the case. Certain circumstances create such a pre-disposition within us, that we shall, at different seasons, be very differently affected by the same object, both respecting the kind of passion or affection excited, and the degree of power it may exercise over us and they constitute that state of mind, which we frequently describe by being in the humour, or not in the humour. The circumstances to which we now refer, exert their primary effect upon the corporeal or nervous system, render that more susceptible of impressions, at one time than another; dispose it to be very differently affected by the same objects; and through its channel, to affect the state of our minds concerning them. These observations relate to the power of what the medical world has termed the nonnaturals, which exert as great an influence over the dispositions of the mind, as they are productive of salutary or morbid pre-dispositions respecting the body. All those circumstances, for example, which are calculated to invigorate the frame, and rouse it from a state of indolence and inactivity, necessarily communicate a correspondent vigour to the Mind, by which it becomes more adapted to receive impressions of a certain class, and to be more powerfully influenced by particular circumstances and qualities in objects, than at the preceding period. Such are the manifest effects of refreshing sleep to fatigued and exhausted natures, -of invigorating viands,-of cheerful weather, &c. Whatever produces an uneasy sensation in the corporeal system, is apt to render the Mind peevish and fretful, and dispose it to be more powerfully affected than usual, by incidents of a disagreeable nature; such as losses, disappointments, the improper conduct of others, &c. It has been frequently noticed by practitioners, that patients are much more fretful and impatient in a state of convalescence, than they were during the severer periods of their disease. Their returning powers of sensation, make them feel the state of the disordered frame, more minutely than during the oppressive state of the desease; and their comfortless sensation communicates an unusual fretfulness to the temper. Again, those things which heat and irritate to a considerable degree, foster all turbulent and irritable passions; while those which diffuse a pleasing sensation over the system, dispose to benevolence and good-will. It is a maxim with some, in modern days, never to ask a favour of an epicure, till after his meals; and the Ancients were not unacquainted with the mollia tempora fandi. Whatever chills and debilitates, disposes to timidity; and local situations which are retired and gloomy, are most conducive to melancholy impressions. Indeed, so dependent is the state of the Mind upon that of the body, that nothing can produce a considerable change in the latter, without exciting pre-dispositions, somewhat analogous, in the former. The food which recruits the exhausted powers of animal nature, exhilarates and invigorates the Mind: the excess which burdens the body, benumbs the powers of the soul. The painful and comfortless sensations produced by flatulencies and indigestions, in hypocondriac temperaments, have sometimes produced, and sometimes been mistaken for an anxious state of Mind; and the medicines which relieve the one will administer comfort to the other. The sensations of hunger, cold, fatigue, &c. being disagreeable in themselves, induce a painful restlessness in the disposition, and great petulance of temper. The state of the atmosphere, peculiarities of climate, seasons of the year, have their mental influence. They dispose to a cheerful vivacity or gloominess of disposi tion; induce a languor, or invigorate the men tal powers. The influence of Narcotics upon |