Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Texts
- The Rash Resolve: or, the Untimely Discovery
- Life’s Progress through the Passions: or, The Adventures of Natura
- LIFE'S PROGRESS THROUGH THE PASSIONS: INTRODUCTION
- Book the First
- BOOK the Second
- BOOK the Third
- CHAP. I Shews in what manner anger and revenge operate on the mind, and how ambition is capable of stifling both, in a remarkable instance, that private injuries, how great soever, may seem of no weight, when public grandeur requires they should be looked over
- CHAP. II Shews at what age men are most liable to the passion of grief: the impatience of human nature under affliction, and the necessity there is of exerting reason, to restrain the excesses it would otherwise occasion
- CHAP. III The struggles which different passions occasion in the human breast, are here exemplified, and that there is no one among them so strong, but may be extirpated by another, excepting revenge, which knows no period, but by gratification
- CHAP. IV Contains a further definition of revenge, its force, effects, and the chasm it leaves on the mind when once it ceases The tranquility of being entirely devoid of all passions; and the impossibility for the soul to remain in that state of inactivity is also shewn; with some remarks on human nature in general, when left to itself
- CHAP. V Contains a remarkable proof, that tho' the passions may operate with greater velocity and vehemence in youth, yet they are infi nitely more strong and permanent, when the person is arrived at maturity, and are then scarce ever eradicated. Love and friendship are then, and not till then, truly worthy of the names they bear; and that the one between those of diff erent sexes, is always the consequence of the other
- CHAP. VI How the most powerful emotions of the mind subside, and grow weaker in proportion as the strength of the body decays, is here exemplified; and that such passions as remain after a certain age, are not properly the incentives of nature but of example, long habitude, or ill humour
- Editorial Notes
- Silent Corrections
CHAP. I - Shews in what manner anger and revenge operate on the mind, and how ambition is capable of stifling both, in a remarkable instance, that private injuries, how great soever, may seem of no weight, when public grandeur requires they should be looked over
from BOOK the Third
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Texts
- The Rash Resolve: or, the Untimely Discovery
- Life’s Progress through the Passions: or, The Adventures of Natura
- LIFE'S PROGRESS THROUGH THE PASSIONS: INTRODUCTION
- Book the First
- BOOK the Second
- BOOK the Third
- CHAP. I Shews in what manner anger and revenge operate on the mind, and how ambition is capable of stifling both, in a remarkable instance, that private injuries, how great soever, may seem of no weight, when public grandeur requires they should be looked over
- CHAP. II Shews at what age men are most liable to the passion of grief: the impatience of human nature under affliction, and the necessity there is of exerting reason, to restrain the excesses it would otherwise occasion
- CHAP. III The struggles which different passions occasion in the human breast, are here exemplified, and that there is no one among them so strong, but may be extirpated by another, excepting revenge, which knows no period, but by gratification
- CHAP. IV Contains a further definition of revenge, its force, effects, and the chasm it leaves on the mind when once it ceases The tranquility of being entirely devoid of all passions; and the impossibility for the soul to remain in that state of inactivity is also shewn; with some remarks on human nature in general, when left to itself
- CHAP. V Contains a remarkable proof, that tho' the passions may operate with greater velocity and vehemence in youth, yet they are infi nitely more strong and permanent, when the person is arrived at maturity, and are then scarce ever eradicated. Love and friendship are then, and not till then, truly worthy of the names they bear; and that the one between those of diff erent sexes, is always the consequence of the other
- CHAP. VI How the most powerful emotions of the mind subside, and grow weaker in proportion as the strength of the body decays, is here exemplified; and that such passions as remain after a certain age, are not properly the incentives of nature but of example, long habitude, or ill humour
- Editorial Notes
- Silent Corrections
Summary
Nothing is so violent as anger in its first emotions, it takes the faculties by surprize, and rushes upon the soul like an impetuous torrent, bearing down all before it: its strength, however, is owing to its suddenness; for being raised by some new and unexpected accident or provocation, reason has no warning of its approach, and consequently is off her guard, and without any immediate power of acting: the sweetest, and most gentle disposition, is not always a sufficient defence for the mind, against the attacks of this furious passion, and may be hurried by it to deeds the most opposite to its own nature; but then as it is fierce, it is transient also; should its force continue, it would lose its name, and be no longer anger, but revenge; which, though the worst and most fiend-like propensity of a vicious inclination, is sometimes excited by circumstances, that seem in a great measure to alleviate the blackness of it: – repeated and unprovoked insults, friendship and love abused, injuries in our person, our fortune, or reputation, will sour the softest temper, and are apt to make us imagine it is an injustice to our selves, not to retaliate in kind, the ill treatment we receive. Religion, indeed, forbids us to take our own parts thus far, and philosophy teaches, that it is nobler to forgive, than punish wrongs; but every one is not so happy as to have either of these helps; and I do not find but those who boast both of them in the most superlative degree, stand in need of something more, to enable them to restrain this prevailing impulse; and that it is not so much to the precepts they receive from others, as to some dictates from within, that many people are indebted for the reputation of patience and forbearance.
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- The Rash Resolve and Life's Progressby Eliza Haywood, pp. 166 - 171Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014