T7 ROM what has been ſaid in the . foregoing ſection, we may eaſily ſee, how far the application of beauty to virtue may be made with propriety. The general application of this qua- lity to virtue, has a ftrong tendency to confound our ideas of things; and it has given riſe to an infinite deal of whimſical theory; as the affixing the name of beauty to proportion, congrui- ty and perfection, as well as to quali- ties of things yet more remote from our natural ideas of it, and from one ano- ther, has tended to confound our ideas of beauty, and left us no ſtandard or rule to judge by, that was not even more uncertain and fallacious than our own fancies. This looſe and inaccurate manoy 42 ner and BEAUTIFUL, 209 ner of ſpeaking, has therefore miſled us both in the theory of taſte and of mo- rals; and induced us to remove the ſci- ence of our duties from their proper ba- fis, (our reaſon, our relations, and our neceſſities,) to reſt it upon foundations altogether viſionary and unſubſtantial.
SECT. XII. The real cauſe of BEAUTY, + AVING endeavoured to ſhew 1 what beauty is not, it remains that we ſhould examine, at leaſt with equal attention, in what it really conſiſts. Beauty is a thing much too affecting not to depend upon ſome poſitive quali- ties. And, ſince it is no creature of our reaſon, ſince it ſtrikes us without any reference to uſe, and even where no uſe at all can be diſcerned, ſince the order and method of nature is generally very different from our meaſures and * 210 On the SUBLIME proportions, we muſt conclude that beauty is, for the greater part, ſome quality in bodies, acting mechanically upon the human mind by the intervention of the ſenſes. We ought therefore to conſider at- tentively in what manner thoſe ſenſible qualities are diſpoſed, in ſuch things as by experience we find beautiful, or which excite in us the paſſion of love, or ſome e affection.
SECT. XIII. Beautiful abjecs all H E moſt obvious; paint ed pre- ſents itſelf to us in examining any objeck, is its extent or quantity. And what degree of extent prevails in bodies, that are held beautiful, may be gathered from the uſual manner of ex- preſſion concerning it. I am told that in moſt languages, the objects of love are 3 of under diminutive epithets.
I It I It and BEAUTIFUL. 211 It is fo in all the languages of which I have any knowledge. In Greek the wr, and other diminutive terms, are almoſt always the terms of affection and ten- derneſs. Theſe diminutives were com- monly added by the Greeks to the names of perſons with whom they con- verſed on terms of friendſhip and fami- larity. Though the Romans were a people of leſs quick and delicate feel - ings, yet they naturally lid into the leſ- ſening termination upon the ſame occa- fions. Anciently in the Engliſh lan- guage the diminiſhing ling was added to the names of perſons and things that were the objects of love. Some we rea few others. But to this day in ordi- nary converſation, it is uſual to add the _ endearing name of little to every thing we love; the French and Italians make uſe of theſe affectionate diminutives even more than we. In the animal creation, out of our own ſpecies, it is the ſmall 212 On the SUBLIME 212 On the SUBLIME we are inclined to be fond of; little birds, and ſome of the ſmaller kinds of beaſts. A great beautiful thing, is a manner of expreſſion ſcarcely ever uſed; but that of a great ugly thing, is very common. There is a wide difference between admiration and love. The ſub- lime, which is the cauſe of the former, always dwells on great objects, and ter- rible; the latter on ſmall ones, and plea- ſing; we ſubmit to what we admire, but we love what ſubmits to us; in one caſe we are forced, in the other we are flattered into compliance. In ſhort, the ideas of the ſublime and the beautiful ſtand on foundations ſo different, that it is hard, I had almoſt ſaid impoſſible, to think of reconciling them in the ſame ſubject, without conſiderably leſſening the effect of the one or the other upon the paſſions. So that attending to their quantity, beautiful r are compara- n ſmall. 1 2 and BEAUTIFUL. 213 SE © F. XIF% S MOOTHNE Ss.
HE next property conſtantly ob- ſervable in ſuch objects is * Smooth- neſs. A quality fo eſſential to beauty, that I do not now recolle& any thing beautiful that is not ſmooth. In trees and flowers, ſmooth leaves are beauti- ful; ſmooth ſlopes of earth in gardens; ſmooth ſtreams in the landſcape; ſmooth coats of birds and beaſts in animal beau- ties; in fine women, ſmooth ſkins; and in ſeveral forts of ornamental furniture, ſmooth and poliſhed ſurfaces. A ver conſiderable part of the effect of beauty is owing to this quality; indeed the moſt conſiderable.: For take any beautiful object, and give it a broken and rugged ſurface, and however well formed it may be in other- e it n no 5 49 lopger.
214 On the SUBLIME longer. Whereas let it want ever fo many of the other conſtituents, if it wants not this, it becomes more pleaſing than. almoſt all the others without it. This ſeems to me ſo evident, that I am a good deal ſurpriſed, that none who have handled the ſubje& have made any mention of the quality of ſmoothneſs in the enumeration of thoſe that go to the forming of beauty. For indeed any ruggedneſs, any ſudden projection, any ſharp angle, is in the higheſt W con- e to * e | 1 are not compoſed of angular parts.
0 their parts never continue long in the fame right line. + They vary their direction every moment, * yup of | SIR and BEAUTIFUL. 2175 change under the eye by a deviation continually carrying on, but for whoſe beginning or end you will find it diffi- cult to. aſcertain a point. The view of a beautiful bird will illuſtrate this ob- ſervation. Here we ſee the head in- creaſing inſenſibly to the middle, from whence it leſſens gradually until it mixes with the neck; the neck loſes itſelf in a larger ſwell, which continues to the middle of the body, when the whole de- - creaſes again to the tail; the tail takes a new direction; but it ſoon varies its new courſe; it blends again with the other parts; and the line is perpetually changing, above, below, upon every ſide. In this deſcription I have before me the idea of a dove; it agrees very well with moſt] of the conditions of beauty. It is ſmooth and downy; its parts are (to uſe that expreſſion) | melted into one another; you are preſented with no ſudden protuberance through the elt, and yet the whole is conti- RED ©. < nually 216 On the SUBLIME nually changing. Obſerve that part of a beautiful woman where ſhe is perhaps the moſt beautiful, about the neck and breaſts; the ſmoothneſs; the ſoftneſs; the eaſy and inſenſible ſwell; the variety of the ſurface, which is never for the ſmalleſt ſpace the ſame; the deceitful maze, through which the unſteady eye ſlides giddily, without knowin g where to fix, or whither it is carried. Is not this a demonſtration of that change of ſurface continual and yet hardly percep- tible at any point which forms one of the great conſtituents of beauty? It gives me no ſmall pleaſure to find that I can ſtrengthen my theory in this point, by the opinion of the very ingenious Mr. Hogarth; whoſe idea of the line of beauty I take in general to be extreme- ly juſt. But the idea of variation, without attending fo accurately to the manner of the variation, has led him to conſider angular figures as beautiful; theſe figures, it is true, vary greatly; yet they enn 4 vary and BEAUTIFUL. 217 vary in a ſudden and broken manner; and I do not find any natural object which is angular, and at the ſame time beautiful. Indeed few natural objects are entirely an- gular. But I think thoſe which approach the moſt nearly to it, are the uglieſt. I muſt add too, that, fo far as T could ob- ſerve of nature, though the varied line is that alone in which complete beauty is found, yet there is no particular line which is always found in the moſt completely beautiful; and which is therefore beau- tiful in preference to all other lines. At leaſt I never could obſerve it..
F 218 On the SUBLIME LIT DELICACY.
N BY of robuſtneſs and frength "A. i very prejudicial to beauty. An appearance of delicacy, and even of fra- gility, is almoſt eſſential to it. Who- ever examines the vegetable or animal creation, will find this obſervation to be founded in nature. It is not the oak, buſt trees of the foreſt, which we con- ſider as beautiful; they are awful and majeſtic; they inſpire a ſort of reve- rence. It is the delicate myrtle, it is the orange, it is the almond, it is the jeſſamine, it is the vine, which we look 5 on as vegetable beauties. It is the flowery ſpecies, ſo remarkable for its weak- neſs and momentary duration, that gives us the livelieſt idea of beauty, and ele- gance. Among animals; the greyhound and BEAUTIFUL. 219 and BEAUTIFUL. 219 is more beautiful than the maſtiff; and the delicacy of a gennet, a barb,.or an Arabian horſe, is much more amiable than the ſtrength and ſtability of ſome horſes of war or carriage. I need here fay little of the fair ſex, where I believe the point will be eaſily allowed me. The beauty of women is conſiderably owing to their weakneſs, or delicacy, and 1s even enhanced by their timidity, a quality of mind analogous to it. I would not here be underſtood to fay,. that weakneſs betraying very bad health has any ſhare in beauty; but the ill ef- fe& of this is not becauſe it is weak- - nefs, but becauſe the ill ſtate of health which produces ſuch weakneſs alters the - other conditions of beauty; the parts in tach a caſe collapſe; the bright colour, the lumen purpureum juventæ is gone; and the fine variation is loſt in wrinkles, ſudden breaks, and right lines. ü SECT.
Zo On che SUBLIME 5 S CT. XVE: Beauty in COLOUR.
5 A S to the colours uſually found in beautiful bodies; it may be ſome- what difficult to aſcertain them, becauſe in the ſeveral parts of nature, there is an infinite variety. However, even in this variety, we may mark out ſome- thing on which to ſettle. Firſt, the colours of beautiful bodies muſt not be duſky or muddy, but clean and fair. Se- condly, they muſt not be of the ſtrong- eſt kind. Thoſe which ſeem moſt ap- propriated to beauty, are the milder of every ſort; light greens; ſoft blues; weak whites; pink reds; and violets. Thirdly, if the colours be ſtrong and vi- vid, they are always diverſified, and the object is never of one ſtrong colour; there are almoſt always ſuch a number of them (as in variegated flowers) that the *: ſtrength and BEAUTIFUL. 221 and BEAUTIFUL. 221 ſtrength and glare of each is conſidera- bly abated. In a fine complexion, there is not only ſome variety in the colour- ing, but the colours, neither the red nor the white are ſtrong and glaring. Beſides, they are mixed in ſuch a man- ner, and with ſuch gradations, that it is impoſſible to fix the bounds. On the fame principle it is, that the dubious colour in the necks and tails of peacocks, and about the heads of drakes, is ſo very agreeable. In reality, the beauty both of ſhape and colouring are as nearly re- lated, as we can well ſuppoſe it poſſible for things of ſuch different natures to be. | 222 On the SUBLIME SECT. XVIII. RECAPITULATION.
N the whole, the qualities "I beauty, as they are merely ſenſi- ble qualities, are the following. Firſt, to be comparatively ſmall. Secondly, to be ſmooth. Thirdly, to have a va- riety in the direction of the parts; but fourthly, to have thoſe parts not angu- lar, but melted as it were into each other. Fifthly, to be of a delicate frame, with- out any remarkable appearance of ſtrength. Sixthly, to have its colours clear and bright; but not very ſtrong and glaring. Seventhly, or if it ſhould have any gla- ring colour, to have it diverſified with others. Theſe are, I believe, the pro- perties on which beauty depends; pro- perties that operate by nature, and are leſs liable to be altered by caprice, or COn-— and BEAUTIFUL. 223 confounded by a diverſity of n than any others.
SE C T. XIX. The PHY SIOGNO MV.
HE Phyfognomy has a conſiderable ſhare in beauty, eſpecially in that of our own ſpecies. The manners give a certain determination to the coun» tenance, which being obſerved to cor- reſpond pretty regularly with them, is capable of joining the effect of certain agreeable qualities of the mind to thoſe of the body. So that to form a finiſhed human beauty, and to give it its full influence, the face muſt be expreſſive of ſuch gentle and amiable qualities, as cor- reſpond with the ſoftneſs, ſmoothneſs; and delicacy of the outward form.
SE CF 224 On che SUBLIME s E C T. XX. The EM E. HAVE hitherto purpoſely omitted A. to ſpeak of the Eye, which has fo great a ſhare in the beauty of the animal creation, as it did not fall fo eaſily under the foregoing heads, though in fact it is reducible to the ſame principles.
Ickhink then, chat the beauty of the eye conſiſts, firſt, in its clear neſe; what cohured eye ſhall pleaſe, moſt, depends a good deal on particular fancies; but none are pleaſed with an eye, whoſe water (to uſe that term) is dull and muddy. * We are pleaſed with the eye in this view, on the principle upon which we like diamonds, clear water, glaſs, and ſuch like tranſparent ſubſtances. Secondly, the motion of the eye contributes to its beauty, by continually ſhifting its di- Part 4. ſect. 25. | 7 rection; and BEAUTIFUL 225 rection; but a ſlow and languid motion is more beautiful than a briſk one; the latter is enlivening; the former lovely. Thirdly, with regard to the union of the eye with the neighbouring parts, it is to hold the ſame rule that is given of other beauti- ful ones; it is not to make à ſtrong de- viation from the line of the neighbouring parts; nor to verge into any exact geometrical figure. Beſides all this, the eye affects, as it is expreſſive of ſome qualities of the mind, and its principal power generally ariſes from this; ſo that what we have juſt ſaid of the Phyſiog- nomy 1s 720 here.
SE CT. XXI. UGLINESS, 1 1＋ may bs appear like a fort of repetition of what we have before aid, to infiſt here upon the nature of Uglmeſs. As J imagine it to be in all re- 5 Q. ſpects 226 On the SUBLIME ſpects the oppoſite to thoſe qualities which we have laid down for the con- ſtituents of beauty. But though uglineſs be the oppoſite to beauty, it is not the oppoſite to proportion and fitneſs. For it is poſſible that a thing may be very ugly with any proportions, and with a perfect fitneſs to any uſes. Uglineſs I imagine likewiſe to be conſiſtent enough with an idea of the ſublime. But I would by no means infinuate that uglineſs of itſelf is a ſublime idea, unleſs united with ſuch qualities as excite a ſtrong terror. es toy [4 I SECT. XXII.
GRACE.
G Focefulnef is an idea not very diffe- rent from beauty; it conſiſts in much the ſame things. Gracefulneſs is an idea belonging to poſture and motion. In both theſe, to be graceful, it is requi- ſite ind BEAUTIFUL. 227 fite that there be no appearance of diffi» culty; there is required a ſmall inflexion of the body; and a compoſure of the | parts, in ſuch a manner, as not to in- = cumber each other, nor to appear divi- | ded by ſharp. and ſudden angles. In this eaſe, this roundneſs, this delicacy of attitude and motion, it is that all the magic of grace conſiſts, and what is called its je ne ſcai quoi; as will be obvious to any obſerver who conſiders attentively the Venus de Medicis, the Antinous, or any ſtatue generally allows ed to be graceful in an high degree.
8 EC T. XXL ELEGANCE and SPECIOUSNESS.
WEE any bony is compoſed of parts ſmooth and poliſhed, with- out preſſing upon each other, without ſhewing any ruggedneſs or confuſion, and at the ſame time affecting ſome re- K gular 228 On the SUBLIME gular ſhape, I call it elegant. It is cloſe- by allied to the beautiful, differing; from it only in this regwlarity; which how- ever, as' it makes a very material diffe- rence, in the affection produced, may very well conſtitute another ſpecies. Un- der this head I rank thoſe delicate and regular works of art, that imitate no de- terminate object in nature, as elegant buildin gs, and pieces of furniture. When any object partakes of the abovemention- ed qualities, or of thoſe of beautiful bodies, and is withal of great dimen- fions; it is full as remote from the idea of mere beauty. I call it ine or ſpe- F10US.
SECT.
and BEAUTIFUL. 229 S ECT. XXIV.
The beautiful in FEE LI NG.
HE foregoing deſcription of beauty, ſo far as is taken in by the eye, may be greatly illuſtrated by deſcribing | the nature of objects, which produce a ſimilar effect through the touch. This I call the beautiful in Feeling. It corre- {ponds wonderfully with what cauſes the ſame ſpecies of pleaſure to the fight. There is a chain in all our ſenſations; they are all but different ſorts of feel- ing, calculated to be affected by vari- ous ſorts of objects, but all to be affect- ed after the ſame manner. All bodies that are pleaſant to the touch, are ſo by the ſlightneſs of the reſiſtance they make. Reſiſtance is either to motion along the furface, or to the preſſure of the parts on one another; if the former be ſlight, we call the body, ſmooth; if the latter, .
230 On the SUBLIME ſoft. The chief pleaſure we receive by feeling, is in the one or the other of theſe qualities; and if there be a combi- nation of both, our pleaſure i is greatly in- creaſed. This is ſo plain, that it is ra- ther more fit to illuſtrate other things, than to be illuſtrated itſelf by any ex- ample. The next ſource of pleaſure i in this ſenſe, as in every other, is the conti- nually preſenting ſomewhat new; and we find that bodies which continually vary their ſurface, are much the moſt pleaſant, ar beautiful, to the feeling, as any one that pleaſes may experience. The third property in ſuch objects is, that thaugh the ſurface continually va- nes its direction, it never varies it ſud- denly, The application of. any thing ſudden, even though the impreſſion it- ſelf have little or nothing of violence, 1s diſagreeable. The quick application of a finger a little warmer or colder than uſual, without notice, makes us ſtart; a Ni ht tap on the ſhoulder, not expect- — and BEAUTIFUL. 231 ed, has the ſame effect. Hence it is that angular bodies, bodies that ſudden- ly vary the direction of the outline, af- ford ſo little pleaſure to the feeling. Every ſuch change is a ſort of climbing or falling in miniature; ſo that ſquares, triangles, and other angular figures, are neither beautiful to the ſight nor feeling. Whoever compares his Nate of mind, on feeling ſoft, ſmooth, variated, unangular bodies, with that in- which he finds himſelf, on the view of a beautiful object, will perceive a very ſtriking ana- logy in the effects of both; and which may go a good way towards diſcovering their common cauſe. Feeling and fight | in this reſpect, differ in but a few points.
The touch takes in the pleaſure of ſoft- neſs, which is not primarily an object of ſight; the fight on the pther hand comprehends colour, which can hardly be made perceptible to the touch; the touch again has the advantage in a new idea of A reſulting from a modews rate 232 On the SUBLIME rate degree of warmth; but the eye tri- umphs in the infinite extent and mul- tiplicity of its objects. But there is ſuch a ſimilitude in the pleaſures of theſe ſenſes, that I am apt to fancy, if it were poſſible that ane might diſcern colour by teeling, (as it is ſaid ſome blind men have done) that the fame colours, and the ſame diſpoſition of colouring, which are found beautiful to the fight, would be found likewiſe moſt grateful to the touch. But ſetting aſide conjectures, let us paſs to the other ſenſe; of hearing.
s E CT. XXV. The beautiful in SOUNDS, IN this ſenſe we find an equal apti- - tude to be affected in a ſoft and de- licate manner; and how far ſweet or beautiful ſounds agree with our de- {criptions of beauty in other ſenſes, the experience of every one muſt decide. 3 Milton and BEAUTIFUL. 233 Milton has deſcribed this ſpecies of mu- fic in one of his juvenile poems.“ 1 need not ſay that Milton was perfectly well verſed in that art; and that no man had a finer ear, with a happier manner of expreſſing the affections of one ſenſe by metaphors taken from another. mp deſcription is as follows, And ever againſt eating cares, Lap me in ſoft Lydian airs; In notes with many a winding bout * Of linked ſweetneſs long drawn out; With wanton heed, and giddy cunning, The melting voice through mazes running; Untwiſting all the chains that ye | The hidden foul of harmony. | | Let us parallel this with the ſoftneſs, the winding ſurface, the unbroken continuance, the eaſy gradation of the beauti- ful in other ous. ol; and all the diverſi- * II alle» Sro.
* ties it [ {1 y; 234 On the SUBLIME ties of the ſeveral ſenſes, with all their ſeveral affections, will rather help to throw lights from one another to finiſh one clear, conſiſtent idea of the whole, than to obſcure it by their intricacy and variety.
To the 8 deſcription I ſhall add one or two remarks. The firſt is; that the beautiful in muſic will not bear that loudneſs and ſtrength of ſounds, which may be uſed to raiſe other paſſions; nor notes, which are ſhrill, or harſh, or deep; it agrees beſt with ſuch as are clear, even, ſmooth, and weak. The ſecond is; that great variety, and quick tranſitions from one meaſure or tone to another, are contrary to the genius of the beautiful in muſic. Such + tranſi- tions often excite mirth, or other ſud- den and tumultuous paſſions; but not that linking, that melting, that languor, which is the characteriſtical effect of the + I neer am merry, when I hear ſweet muſic. SHAKESPEAR.
k beau» and BEAUTIFUL. 23g beautiful, as it regards every ſenſe. The paſſion excited by beauty is in fact nearer to a ſpecies of melancholy, than to jollity and mirth. I do not here mean to con- fine muſic to any one ſpecies of notes, or tones, neither 1 is it an art in which I can fay I have any great ſkill. My fole deſign, in this remark is, to ſettle a conſiſtent idea of beauty. The infinite variety of the affections of the ſoul will ſuggeſt to a good head, and ſkilful ear, a variety of ſuch ſounds, as are fitted to raiſe them. It can be no prejudice to this, to clear and diſtinguiſh ſome few particulars, that belong to the ſame claſs, and are conſiſtent with each other, from the immenſe croud of different, | and ſometimes contradictory ideas, that rank vulgarly under the ſtandard of beauty. And of theſe it is my intention to mark ſuch only of the leading points as ſhew the conformity of the ſenſe of hearing, with all the other ſenſes in the article of their pleaſures.
SECT, 236 On the SUBLIME ST OT Nei. TASTE and SMELL.
HIS general agreement of the 2K fenſes is yet more evident on minutely conſidering thoſe of taſte and ſmell. We metaphorically apply the idea of ſweetneſs to fights, and ſounds; but as the qualities of bodies by which they are fitted to excite either pleaſure or pain in theſe ſenſes, are not ſo obvi- ous as they are in the others, we ſhall refer an explanation of their analogy, which 1s a very cloſe one, to that part, wherein we come to conſider the com- mon efficient cauſe of beauty as it re- gards all the ſenſes. I do not think any thing better fitted to eſtabliſh a clear and ſettled idea of viſual beauty, than this way of examining the fimilar pleaſures of other ſenſes; for one part is ſome- times clear in one of the ſenſes, that 1s 4 more and BEAUTIFUL. 2 37 more obſcure in another; and where there is a clear concurrence of all, we may with more certainty ſpeak of any one of them. By this means, they bear witneſs to each other; nature is, as it were, ſcrutinized; and we report no- thing of her, but what we receive from her o own information.
8 E c T. XXVII.
The Sublime and Beautiful compared, | N yg this —__ view of beauty, it naturally occurs, that we ſhould compare it with the ſublime; and in this compariſon there appears a remarkable contraſt. For ſublime oh- jects are vaſt in their dimenſions, beau- tiful ones comparatively ſmall; beauty ſhould be ſmooth, and poliſhed; the great, rugged and negligent; beauty ſhould ſhun: the right line, yet deviate from it inſenſibly; the great in many caſes 238 On the SUBLIME eaſes loves the right line, and when it deviates, it often makes a ſtrong devia- tion; beauty ſhould not be obſcure; the great ought to be dark and gloomy; beauty ſhould be light and delicate; the great ought to be ſolid; and even maſ- five. They are indeed ideas of a very different nature, one being founded on pain, the other on pleaſure; and how- ever they may vary afterwards from the direct nature of their cauſes, yet theſe cauſes keep up an eternal diſtinction be- tween them, a diſtinction never to be forgotten by any whoſe buſineſs it is to affect the paſſions. In the infinite va- tiety of natural combinations we muſt expect to find the qualities of things the moſt remote imaginable from each other united in the fame object. We muſt expect alſo to find combinations of the ſame kind in the works of art. But when we conſider the power of an object upon our paſſions, we muſt know that when any thing is intended to affect the mind by the force of ſome predominant property, the affection produced is like to be the more uniform and perfect, if all the other properties or qualities of the object be of the fame nature, and tend- ing to the ſame deſign as the principal; If black, and white blend, ſoften, and unite, A thouſand ways, are there no black and white?
If the qualities of the ſublime and beau- tiful are ſometimes found united, does this prove, that they are the ſame, does it prove, that they are any way allied, does it prove even that they are not op- polite and contradictory? Black and white may ſoften, may blend, but they -- are not therefore the ſame. Nor when they are ſo ſoftened and blended with each other, or with different colours, is the power of black as black, or of white as white, ſo ſtrong as when each ſtands The end of the Third Part.
— —— x tl Philoſophical Enquiry "IT THR” OrIGiN of our LC TEES SUBLIME and BrauUTIFUL. eat Pe Iv.
Of the efficient Cult of the SUBLIME and BEAUTIFUL.
into the efficient cauſe of ſub- limity and beauty, I would not be des to ſay, that I can come to the ultimate cauſe. I do not pretend that I ſhall ever be able to explain, why certain affections of the body produce R ſuch HEN I fay, I intend to enquire 242 On the SUBEIME ſach a diſtin& emotion of mind, and no other; or why the body is at all affected by the mind, or the mind by the body. A little thought will ſhew this to be im- poſſible. But I conceive, if we can diſ- cover what affections of the mind pro- duce certain emotions of the body-; and what diſtin& feelings and qualities of body ſhall produce certain determinate paſſions in the mind, and no others, I fancy a great deal will be done; ſome- thing not unuſeful towards a diſtinct knowledge of our paſſions, ſo far at leaſt as we have them at preſent under our conſideration. This is all, I believe, we can do. If we could advance a ſtep far- ther, difficulties would ſtill remain, as we ſhould be ſtill equally diſtant from the firſt cauſe. When Newton firſt difgover- ed the property of attraction, and ſettled its laws, he found it ſerved very well to ex- plain ſeveral of the moſt remarkable phe- nomena in nature; but yet with reference to e 8 * of things, he could conſider and BEAUTIFUL. 243 confider attraction but as an effect, whoſe cauſe at that time he did not attempt to trace. But when he afterwards began to account for it by a ſubtle elaſtic zther, this great man (if in fo great a man it be not impious to diſcover any thing like a blemiſh) ſeemed to have quitted his uſual cautious manner of philoſophiſing; ſince, perhaps, allowing all that has been ad- vanced on this ſubject to be ſufficiently proyed, I think it leaves us with as many difficulties as it found us. That great chain of cauſes, which linking one to another even to the throne of God him- ſelf, can never be unravelled by any in- duſtry of ours. When we go but one ſtep beyond the immediately ſenſible qualities of things, we go out of our depth. All we do after, is but a faint ſtruggle, that ſhews we are in an element which does: not belong to us. So that when I ſpeak of cauſe, and efficient cauſe, I only mean, certain affections of the mind, that a n changes in the body; or R2 certain 4 1 1 il TH iy if { — «. CCI DI # 244 On the SUBLIME certain powers and properties in bodies, that work a change in the mind. As if I were to explain the motion of a body falling to the ground, I would ſay it was cauſed by gravity, and I would endeavour to ſhew after what manner this power operated, without attempting to ſhew why it operated in this manner; or if 1 were to explain the effects of bodies ſtriking one another by the common laws of percuſſion, I ſhould not endeavour to explain how motion itſelf is communi- FRO” Tas x Er. II.
ö O IAT 10 N.
TT is e ne bot bn the way af: 6 our enquiry into the cauſe of our paſſions, that the occaſion of many of them are given, and that their governing motions are communicated at a time when we have not capacity to e on them; at 8 8 1 de time and BEAUTIFUL: 245 a time of which all ſort of memory is worn out of our minds. For beſides ſuch things as affect us in various manners ac- cording to their natural powers, there are aſſociations made at that early ſeaſon, which we find it very hard afterwards to _ diſtinguiſh from natural effects. Not to mention the unaccountable antipathies which we find in many perſons, we all find it impoſſible to remember when a ſteep became more terrible than a plain; or fire or water more dreadful than a clod of earth; though all theſe are very probably either concluſions from expe- rience, or ariſing from the premonitions of others; and ſome of them impreſſed, in all likelihood, pretty late. But as it muſt be allowed that many things affect us after a certain manner, not by any natural powers they have for that purpoſe, but by aſſociation; ſo it would be abſurd on the other hand, to ſay that all things affect muſt have been originally and naturally "M4" agreeable 246 On the SUBLIME agrecable or diſagreeable, from which the others derive their aſſociated powers; and it would be, I fancy, to little pur- poſe to look for the cauſe of our paſſions in aſſociation, until we fail of it in the natural properties of things.
SA r. Gb er PAIN and FE AR.
Have before obſerved, * that whatever is qualified to cauſe terror, is a foun- dation capable of the ſublime; to which I add, that not only theſe, but many things from which we cannot probably apprehend any danger have a ſimilar ef- fea, becauſe they operate in a fimilar manner. I obſerved too, that I what- ever produces pleaſure, poſitive and ori- ginal pleaſure, is fit to have beauty ennature of theſe dente, it may be neand BEAUTIFUL. 247 ceſſary to explain the nature of pain and pleaſure on which they depend. A man who ſuffers under violent bodily pain; (I ſuppoſe the moſt violent, becauſe the effect may be the more obvious.) I ſay a man in great pain has his teeth ſet, his eye-brows are violently contracted, His forchead is wrinkled, his eyes are _ dragged inwards, and rolled with great vehemence, his hair ſtands an end, the voice/is forced out in ſhort ſhrieks and groans, and the whole fabric totters. Fear or terror, which is an apprehen- fion of pain or death, exhibits exactly the ſame effects, approaching in violence to thoſe juſt mentioned in proportion to the nearneſs of the cauſe, and the weak - neſs of the ſubject. This is not only ſo in the human ſpecies, but I have more than once obſerved in dogs, under an apprehenſion of puniſhment, that they have writhed their bodies, and yelped, and howled, as if they had actually Flt the blows. From hence I conclude 5 R 4 that 248 On the SUBLIME that pain, and fear, act upon the ſame parts of the body, and in the ſame man- ner, though ſomewhat differing in de- gree. That pain and fear conſiſt in an unnatural tenſion of the nerves; that this is ſometimes accompanied with an unnatural ſtrength, which ſometimes ſuddenly changes into an extraordinary weakneſs; that theſe effects often come on alternately, and are ſometimes mixed with each other. This is the nature of all convulſive agitations, eſpecially in weaker ſubjects, which are the moſt liable to the ſevereſt impreſſions of pain and fear. The only difference between pain and terror, is, that things which cauſe pain operate on the mind, by the intervention of the body; whereas things that cauſe terror generally affect the bodily organs by the operation of the mind ſuggeſting the danger; but both agreeing, either primarily, or ſeconda- rily, in producing a tenſion, contra- ction, or violent emotion of the b f nerves, nerves, they agree likewiſe in every thing elſe. For it appears very clearly to me, from this, as well as from many other examples, that when the body is diſpoſed, by any means. whatſoever, to ſuch emotions as it would acquire by the means of a certain paſſion; it will of itſelf excite ſomething very like * _ in te. mind.
Continued.