few weeks, though, at first,
he will, no doubt, find his spirits a little depressed, he will
ultimately overcome the habit, and will be rewarded by alacrity of
spirits, such as he never experiences under the most powerful action
of artificial stimulants.

I must not, however, forget to notice, that there is a nervous state,
or ennui, originating from a wrong direction of mental exertion,
which exhausts the excitability to a great degree, and brings on a
state of depression scarcely to be born.

When a person has by habit made his mind constantly dependent on
dissipation, on gaming, and on frivolous, but not inactive pursuits,
in order to produce pleasurable sensations, and at the same time
neglected that culture of the understanding which will enable him to
retire into himself with pleasure, and receive more enjoyment from
the exercise of this cultivated understanding than he does in the
most noisy, or fashionable circle of dissipation: I say, when there
is this vacancy of mind, whenever it is not engaged in such pursuits
as I have mentioned, a languor and weariness is experienced, which is
intolerable, and which prompts the person so circumstanced, to fly
continually to the only scenes which interest his mind. Hence, the
passion for gaming, in which the anxiety attending it causes an
interest in the mind, which takes off the dreadful languor
experienced, when it is not thus employed.

It is owing to wealth, admitting of indolence, and yielding to the
pursuit of transitory and unsatisfying amusements, or to that of
exhausting pleasures only, that the present times exhibit to us so
many instances of persons suffering under this state: it is a state
totally unknown to the poor, who labour for their daily bread, and to
those whose minds are actively employed in study or business. It can
only be cured by cultivating the understanding, and applying to some
art or science, which will engage and interest the attention. I have
received the thanks of many for recommending the study of philosophy,
and particularly of chemistry, to their attention. This affords a
rational and interesting pursuit, which, if entered into with ardour,
and if the person actually works, or makes experiments himself, he
will soon experience an enjoyment and an interest, such as he never
experienced at the gaming table, or at any other place of fashionable
amusement. Nay, I will venture to say, that all elegant amusements
will be enjoyed with much gr