Inhaltsangabe
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1823 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER I. OF A TEMPERATE AND REGULAR LIFE. TT is universally agreed, that custom, with time, becomes a second nature, forcing men to use that, whether good or bad, to which they have been habituated: nay, we see habit, in many instances, gain an ascendancy over reason. This is so undeniably true, that,virtuous men, by conversing with the wicked, very often fall into the same vicious course of life. The contrary, likewise, we see sometimes happen; viz. that as good morals easily change to bad, so bad morals change again to good. For instance, let a wicked man, who was once D virtuous, keep company with a virtuous man, and he will again become virtuous; and this alteration can be attributed to nothing but the force of habit. Seeing many examples of this; and besides, considering that, in consequence of this great force of habit, two bad customs have got footing in Italy within a few years, even within my 6wn memory; the first, flattery and ceremoniousness, which some have most preposterously embraced; the second, intemperance; and that these vices,.like so many cruel monsters, leagued, as indeed they are, against mankind, have gradually prevailed so far as to rob civil life of its sincerity, the soul of its piety, and the body of its health; seeing and considering all this, I say, I have resolved to treat of the last of these vices, to prove that it is an abuse, in order to extirpate it if possible. As to the former, I am certain, that some great genius or another will soon undertake the task of exposing its deformity, and effectually suppressing it. Therefore, I firmly hope, that, before I die, I shall see these abuses conquered and driven out of Italy; and this country, of course, restored to its former laudable and virtuous customs. To come then to that a...
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