"die-to fleep-nay, perchance, to dream"--yes, there's the rub!-How great will be your furprise and terror fhould you be fuddenly roufed by that dream! When the thick mift is difpelled-when the day begins to dawn, and discovers you on the confines of that unknown country!-When THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS-But here let me ftop, for exhorting, and not preaching, is my province. To the divine it belongs to resume the fubject where I am obliged to drop it, and to expatiate on those higher arguments, which, with a trembling pen, I have scarcely ventured to fuggeft.

SECT. XXI.

OF OPIUM AND HEMLOCK.

IF a grain of opium be fwallowed by a perfon unused to such a strong ftimulus, all the vafcular fyftem in the body acts with greater energy, all the fecretions, and the abforption from those fecreted fluids, are increased in quantity, and much pleasure is introduced into the fyftem, independent of our ordinary train of thinking, which adds an additional ftimulus to that already too great.

After fome time the excitability becomes diminished in quantity, being expended by the great activity of the fyftem; and hence, when the ftimulus of the opium ceafes, the fibres will not obey their natural ftimuli, and a confequent torpor enfues, as is experienced by drunkards, who, on the day after a great excefs of fpirituous liquor, feel tremor, palpitation of the heart, head-ach, and general debility. During this torpor an accumulation of excitability in the exhaufted fibres takes place, which is so great, as to occafion a fecond over-exertion on the application even of the ordinary fimuli, and thus on unequal balance of the excitability and of the natural fimuli continues for two or three days, where the ftimulus employed has been violent in degree; and for weeks in fome fevers, from the ftimulus of contagious matters.

But

But if a fecond dofe of opium be exhibited before the fibres have regained their natural quantity of due excitability, its effects will be much lefs than the former, because the excitability is in part exhausted by the previous excefs of exertion. Hence all medicines repeated frequently gradually lose their effect. Thus aloetic purges lofe their efficacy by repetition; and opium and tobacco, if not taken beyond their ufual dofes, cease to stupify and intoxicate those who are habituated to their ufe.

But when a ftimulus is repeated at fuch difiant intervals of time, that the natural quantity of excitability becomes completely refiored in the acting fibres, it will then act with the fame energy as when first applied. Hence thofe who have lately accustomed themfelves to large doses of opium or aloes, by beginning with finall ones, and gradually increafing them and repeating them frequently; if they intermit the ufe of it for a few days only, muft begin again with as fmall a dofe as they took at first, otherwise they will experience the inconvenience of an over-dofe.

A lady labouring under a cancer of her breast, was advised to the ufe of cicuta (hemlock); and The accordingly got a quantity of it in powder, and weighed out the dofes of it for herfelf. She began with a small dofe; and feeling no fenfible effects from that, she went on increasing the quantity. By the time she had come to 60 grains, fhe

had

had taken the whole parcel fhe had got from the apothecary, and therefore fent to him for a fresh parcel of the powder. In the interim fhe had been advifed, that when she was to pass from one parcel to another, she should begin with a small dofe only; therefore, as she had taken 60 grains of the former, fhe fhould take 20 of the new parcel. But fuch was the effect of intermiffion, fays Dr. CULLEN, who relates this story in his Materia Medica, that these 20 grains had very nigh killed her. In 10 or 15 minutes fhe was affected with fickness, tremor, giddinefs, delirium, and convulfions. Happily for her the fickness proceeded to a vomiting, which threw up part or the whole of the powder, but notwithstanding this the delirium, and even the convulfions, continued many hours.

PRACTICAL

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

SECT. XXII.

OF THE CUSTOM OF TAKING LAUDANUM.

OPIUM is certainly the moft fovereign remedy in the materia medica, for eafing pain and procuring fleep, and alfo the most certain antifpafmodic yet known; but, like other powerful medicines, becomes highly noxious to the human constitution, and even mortal, when improperly administered.

The first effects of opium are like those of a ftrong, ftimulating cordial, but are foon fucceeded by univerfal languor or irresistible propenfity to fleep, attended with dreams of the most rapturous and enthusiastic kind. After thofe contrary effects are over, which are generally terminated by a profuse sweat, the body becomes cold and torpid; the mind penfive and defponding; the head is affected with ftupor, and the ftomach with fickness and naufea. Its liberal and long continued ufe has been obferved greatly to injure the brain and nerves, and to diminish their influence on the vital organs of the body. By its first effects, which are exhilarating, it excites a kind of temporary delirium, which diffipates and exhaufts the fpirits; and, by its fubfequent nar