Things that a Man has once set his Heart upon, will hardly be ever got
out of his Head, but Every Hint and Occasion will be putting him in mind
of ’em again. Ill Habits are not Easily Cur’d. ’Tis with almost All
People in cases of Fright or Distraction of Mind, as it was with our
Merchant Adventurers here. The Last Impression sticks Closest to us.
There was a Miserable Wretch in _Bedlam_ that had lost his Wits upon the
Firing of a Ship at Sea, and His Head was still running upon Fire and
Water; insomuch that the very Sight of either of them would put him into
an Outrageous Fury. Another that was Mad for Love, would be Beating his
Brains perpetually upon Anagrams and Sonnets. _Oliver’s Enthusiastick
Porter_, was directly _Bible-Mad_, and up to the Ears still in the _Dark
Prophets_, and the _Revelation_. In the Year 1658, When the _Original
Contracters_ were met in Council about Settling the Government, a very
good Poor Woman carried her Little Trunks and Boxes to _Weld-House_ for
Protection, for fear of the _Mobile_. The House was Rifled, and her
Trinkets went away with the Rest. Upon this Loss she fell _Idle-Headed_;
and to This very Day she stands like the _Bramble_ in the _Fable_, near
the place still, (where the Innocent Creature Lives) Catching of People
by the Coats, and Asking them about her Trunks and Boxes: _Pray_, says
she, _When shall I have my Things again? My Trunks are not come home
yet_, &c. The Doctrine upon the Whole is no more then This, That we are
not to set our Hearts upon the Things of This World; for All Emotions
of the Mind have somewhat in them of This Freak; and the only Way to be
Happy and Quiet, is to make all Contingencies Indifferent to us.