To this kind of antipathy, arising from a delicacy and extreme susceptibility of nerves, Dr Beattie avows him self, at one period of life, to have been subjected. The passage hi which he makes this acknowledgment, oc curs in his Elements of Moral Science, and is as follows: " We are sometimes conscious of strong dislike which we can hardly account for, and which to others, and to ourselves too perhaps, may appear capricious, or even ridiculous. This has been called antiluithy. Most peo ple feel it on seeing a crawling toad or serpent ; and such antipathy is useful, and therefore reasonable, be cause it contributes to our safety ; but whether it be owing to constitution, or to acquired habit, I cannot say, as I know not, whether a child, previously to advice or example, would be conscious of it. To certain kinds of food, as pork and cheese, sow people have an antipathy, which may be the effect associations, or perhaps it may be constitutional ; for I have heard of those who would grow sick if cheese were in the room, though they did not see it. I know men, both healthy and strong, who are uneasy when they touch velvet, or see another handling a piece of cork. And I remember, that, in my younger days, if my hand happened to be cold, I could not, without uneasiness, handle paper, or hear it rustle, or even hear its name mentioned. What could give rise to this I know not, but I am sure there was no affectation in the case. Of this ftapyrephobia I need not inform the reader I was cured long ago ; and I doubt not that such unaccountable infirmities might be in many, perhaps in most cases, got the better of, which, when it can be done, ought not to be neglected, as every thing is a source of inconvenience, which gives one the ap pearance of singularity, or makes one unnecessarily dependent on outward circumstances." (P. i. c. 2. 15.) The antipathy toertain kinds of food, as pork, cheese, &c. is much akin to that which arises from high ner vous sensibility, and is in fact nothing more than a cer tain weakness or delicacy of the stomach ; and these are the only kinds of repugnance that we can allow to be real, or original inherent antipathies : every other aver sion that has been commonly spoken of under this name, seems to be fairly ascribable either to fear, whether well or ill-founded, or to mere affectation. There are many persons who, from the desire of appearing extremely delicate, will affect antipathies among other singulari ties, to the no small molestation of themselves and others ; and who will scream at the sight of a spider, a caterpillar, a mouse, or even a frog, as if by the presence of such creatures their lives were endangered. These fictitious aversions, which arc not felt, but pretended, can with no propriety be called antipathies; they arc merely affected airs, which are assumed for the sake of appearing singularly refined, and of a constitution so ex quisitely sensible, as to require to be treated with pecu liar delicacy.
It is equally absurd to give the name of antipathy to that aversion which results from terror, whether well or ill-founded. The sheep has an antipathy to the wolf, because the wolf devours the sheep, and will pursue it wherever he meets it, just as the cat will the mouse, or the dog the cat. And that these aversions result from the apprehension of danger, rather than from any occult cause, is farther evinced by this, that habit and education will be sufficient to conquer them completely. Instances have repeatedly occurred, of dogs and cats becoming intimate companions and friends, when reared toge ther from their infancy ; and there are even examples of cats becoming the patrons and protectors of birds which have been brought up in their society, and of receiving in return very cordial caresses from those timid objects of their protection ; so powerful is the influence of habit and education, in opposition to instinct apparently the most insurmountable.
It appears to be entirely from terror that most people feel an antipathy at serpents, toads, and other reptiles. The toad is a very loathsome animal ; and although he is probably very harmless, his appearance is calculated to excite a considerable degree of apprehension. The same is the case with most of the reptile tribe ; and if the serpent be possessed of more natural beauty, we are still taught from our earliest infancy, that he is a venom ous creature, ready to sting or bite us to death. His hissing, and rapid gliding motion, conspire to increase the apprehension which his presence excites ; for what ever moves rapidly will excite some fear, if we are in doubt whether it be harmless. It is to this cause that we are inclined to ascribe the antipathy which many people have for a mouse, and also for a spider, animals too contemptible to be objects of serious apprehension. The antipathy against eels, which some people profess to feel, is sufficiently accounted for, by the resemblance of these animals to serpents, to which they arc in many respects similar. Cats are creatures, that, when provok ed, will bite and scratch very severely; they are there fore natural objects of alarm to the timorous ; and among the tales of the nursery, there are many of the mortal wounds inflicted by cats upon those who have irritated, or who have even incautiously fondled them. It is not therefore to be wondered at, that, among the prevailing apprehensions, known under the name of an tipathies, that to cats should make a conspicuous figure. As these animals have a strong and disagreeable smell, the person who suffers from this apprehension may very readily discover their presence in a room, although they should be completely hid from view ; and if, after a search, the cat makes her appearance, the belief in an tipathies will be not a little fortified by this apparent miracle.
We infer, therefore, that antipathies, in the sense of unaccountable aversions from occult causes, have no real existence in nature. Certain persons, from an over delicacy of nerves, will be disagreeably affected by many things which to the generality of mankind indiffer ent; but this cannot properly be called an aversion arising trom an occult cause. The antipathies to which this character has been annexed, are either mere legen dary tales. apprehensions. IN here there is a real cause of alarm, childish terror of imaginary danger, or an affect edly assumed repugnance for what is in itself an object rather of contempt than of fear. A good education will prevent the growth of the greater part of these trouble some and adventitious parts of the human constitution; and too much care cannot be taken in regulating the supposed antipathies of children, by familiarising them ith all kinds of objects, by exposing the fabulous stories concerning the hurtful qualities of many things, which are altogether harmless; and by teaching them to view, Arithout emotion, such as arc really dangerous, in con sequence of shelving the means of defence, and the methods of escaping their noxious influence. (m)