The case is the same in other subjects.

The straining of the imagination always hinders the regular flowing of the passions and sentiments.

A tragic poet, that would represent his heroes as very ingenious and witty in their misfortunes, would never touch the passions.

As the emotions of the soul prevent any subtile reasoning and reflection, so these latter actions of the mind are equally prejudicial to the former.

The mind, as well as the body, seems to be endowed with a certain precise degree of force and activity, which it never employs in one action, but at the expense of all the rest.