Hence it is that this indisposition is generated.

For if other books contain neither characters, nor incidents, nor any of the high seasoning, or gross stimulants, which belong to novels they become insipid.
[Footnote 7: I have been told by a physician of the first eminence, that music and novels have done more to produce the sickly countenances and nervous habits of our highly educated females, than any other causes that can be assigned.

The excess of stimulus on the mind from the interesting and melting tales, that are peculiar to novels, affects the organs of the body, and relaxes the tone of the nerves, in the same manner as the melting tones of music have been described to act upon the constitution, after the sedentary employment, necessary for skill in that science, has injured it.] It is difficult to estimate the injury which is done to persons, by this last mentioned effect of novel-reading upon the mind.

For the contents of our best books consist usually of plain and sober narrative.

Works of this description give no extravagant representations of things, because their object is truth.