Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

fubject. Thefe obfervations I fhall throw out loosely as they occur.

No action, right nor wrong, is indifferent even to a mere fpectator: if right, it infpires esteem; difguft, if wrong. But it is remarkable, that these emotions feldom are accompanied with defire: the abilities of man are limited, and he finds fufficient employment, in relieving the diftreffed, in requiting his benefactors, and in punishing those who wrong him, without moving out of his sphere for the benefit or chastisement of thofe with whom he has no connection.

If the good qualities of others raise my esteem, the fame qualities in myself muft produce a fimilar effect in a fuperior degree, upon account of the natural partiality every man hath for himfelf: and this increases felf-love. If these qualities be of a high rank, they produce a conviction of fuperiority, which excites me to affume fome fort of government over others. Mean qualities, on the other hand, produce in me a conviction of inferiority, which makes me fubmit to others. These convictions, diflributed among individuals by measure and proportion, may justly be esteemed the folid bafis of government; because upon them depend the natural fubmiffion of the many to the few, without which even the mildeft government would be in a violent ftate, and have a conftant tendency to diffolution.

No

[ocr errors]

No other branch of the human conftitution shows more visibly our deftination for fociety, nor tends more to our improvement, than appetite for fame or efteem: for as the whole conveniencies of life are derived from mutual aid and support in society, it ought to be a capital aim to fecure thefe conveniencies, by gaining the efteem and affection of others. Reafon, indeed, dictates that leffon: but reafon alone is not fufficient in a matter of fuch importance; and the appetite mentioned is a motive more powerful than reason, to be active in gaining esteem and affection. That appetite, at the fame time, is finely adjusted to the moral branch of our conftitution, by promoting all the moral virtues : for what means are there to attract love and esteem fo effectual as a virtuous courfe of life? if a man be just and beneficent, if he be temperate, modeft, and prudent, he will infallibly gain the esteem and love of all who know him.

Communication of paffion to related objects, is an illuftrious inftance of the care of Providence to extend focial connections as far as the limited nature of man can admit. That communication is fo far hurtful, as to spread the malevolent paffions beyond their natural bounds: but let it be remarked, that this unhappy effect regards favages only, who give way to malevolent paffions; for under the discipline of fociety, these paffions being fubdued, are in a good meafure eradicated; and in their place fucceed the

kindly

kindly affections, which, meeting with all encouragement, take poffeffion of the mind, and govern all our actions. In that condition, the progrefs of paffion along related objects, by spreading the kindly affections through a multitude of individuals, hath a glorious effect.

Nothing can be more entertaining to a rational mind, than the oeconomy of the human paffions, of which I have attempted to give some faint notion. It muft however be acknowledged, that our paffions, when they happen to fwell beyond proper limits, take on a lefs regular appearance: reafon may proclaim our duty, but the will, influenced by paffion, makes gratification always welcome. Hence the power of paffion, which, when in excefs, cannot be resisted but by the utmost fortitude of mind: it is bent upon gratification; and where proper objects are wanting, it clings to any object at hand without diftinction. Thus joy infpired by a fortunate event, is diffufed upon every perfon around by acts of benevolence; and refentment for an atrocious injury done by one out of reach, feizes the first object that occurs to vent itself upon. Those who believe in prophecies, even with the accomplishment; and a weak mind is disposed voluntarily to fulfil a prophecy, in order to gratify its wifh. Shakespear, whom no particle of human nature hath escaped, however remote from common obfervation, defcribes that weak. nefs :

VOL. I.

N

K. Henry

K. Henry. Doth any name particular belong
Unto that lodging where I firft did fwoon?
Warwick. 'Tis call'd Jerufalem, my Noble Lord.
K. Henry. Laud be to God! ev'n there my life muft
end,

It hath been prophesy'd to me many years,
I fhould not die but in Jerufalem,

Which vainly I fuppos'd the holy land.

But bear me to that chamber, there I'll lie:
In that Jerufalem fhall Henry die.

Second part, Henry IV. act 4. fc. laft.

I could not deny myself the amufement of the foregoing obfervation, tho' it doth not properly come under my plan. The irregularities of paffion proceeding from peculiar weaknesses and biaffes, I do not undertake to justify; and of these we have had many examples *. It is fufficient that paffions common to all, are made fubfervient to beneficent purposes. I fhall only observe, that, in a polished society, inftances of irregular passions are rare, and that their mif chief doth not extend far.

*Part 5. of the prefent chapter.

CHAP.

СНАР. III.

BEAUTY.

H

AVING difcourfed in general of emotions and paffions, I proceed to a more narrow inspection of fuch of them as ferve to unfold the principles of the fine arts. It is the province of a writer upon ethics, to give a full enumeration of all the paffions; and of each feparately to affign the nature, the caufe, the gratification, and the effects. But a treatise of ethics is not my province: I carry my view no farther than to the elements of criticism, in order to fhow, that the fine arts are a fubject of reafoning as wellas of tafte. An extenfive work would ill fuit a defign fo limited; and to confine this work within moderate bounds, the following plan may contribute. The obfervation made above, that things are the causes of emotions, by means of their properties and attributes *, furnisheth a hint for diftribution. Inftead of a painful and tedious examination of the feveral paffions and emotions, I purpofe to confine my inquiries to fuch attributes, relations, and circumstances, as in the fine arts are chiefly employed to raise

Chap. 2. part 1. fect. 1. first note.

N 2

agreeable

« VorigeDoorgaan »