Texture. In the latter Cafe, our Eyes would meet only with the fame Uniformity of Colour in every Object: In the former, we should be all Orators or Poets, all Philofophers, or all Blockheads. This would break in upon that beautiful and useful Variety, with which the Author of Nature has adorned the rational as well as the material Creation. There is in every Mind a Tendency, tho' perhaps differently inclined, to what is great and excellent. Happy they, who know their own peculiar Bent, who have been bleffed with Opportunities of giving it the proper Culture and Polish, and are not cramped or reftrained in the Liberty of fhewing and declaring it to others! There are many fortunate Concurrences, without which we cannot attain to any quickness of Tafte or Relifh for the Sublime:

I hope what has been faid will not be thought an improper Introduction to the following Treatise, in which (unless I am deceived) there is a juft Foundation for every Remark that has been made. The Author appears fublime in every View, not only in what he has written, but in the manner in which he acted, and the Bravery with which he died; by all acknowledged the Prince of Critics, and by no worse Judge tham Boileau, efteemed a Philofopher, worthy to be rank'd with Socrates and Cato.

LONGINUS

Y

nus, that when we read over together 2 Cecilius's Treatife on the Sublime, we thought it too mean for a Subject of that nature, that it is entirely defective in its principal Branches, and that confequently its Advantage (which ought to be the principal Aim of every Writer) would prove very small to the Readers. Besides, tho' in every Treatife upon any Science two Points are indifpenfably required; the first, that the Science, which is the Subject of it, be fully exB plain'd;

plain'd; the fecond (I mean in order of writing, fince in Excellence it is far the fuperior) that plain Directions be given, how and by what Method fuch Science may be attain'd; yet Cecilius, who brings a thousand Inftances to fhew what the Sublime is, as if his Readers were wholly ignorant of the matter, has omitted, as altogether unneceffary, the Method, which, judiciously obferved, might enable us to raise our natural Genius to any height of this Sublime. But perhaps, this Writer is not fo much to be blamed for his Omiffions, as commended for his good Defigns and earnest Endeavours. You indeed have laid your Commands upon me, to give you my Thoughts on this Sublime; let us then, in obedience to thofe Commands, confider, whether any thing can be drawn from my private Studies, for the fervice of 3 thofe, who write for the World, or speak in publick.

But I requeft you, my dear Friend, to give me your Opinion on whatever I advance, with that exactness, which is due to Truth, and that Sincerity, which is natural to yourself. For well did the Sage anfwer the Queftion, In what do we most resemble the Gods? when he replied, In doing Good and speaking Truth. But

* Pythagoras.

fince

fince I write, my dear Friend, to you, who are vers'd in ev'ry Branch of polite Learning, there will be little occafion to use many previous Words in proving, that the Sublime is a certain Eminence or Perfection of Language, and that the greatest Writers, both in Verse and Profe, have by this alone obtain❜d the Prize of Glory, and fill'd all Time with their Renown. For the Sublime not only perfuades, but even throws an Audience into Transport. The Marvellous always works with more furprizing Force, than that which barely perfuades or delights. In moft Cafes, it is wholly in our own Power, either to refift or yield to Perfuafion. But the Sublime, endued with Strength irrefiftible, ftrikes home, and triumphs over every Hearer. Dexterity of Invention, and good Order and Oeconomy in Compofition, are not to be difcerned from one or two Paffages, nor fcarcely fometimes from the whole Texture of a Difcourfe; but 4 the Sublime, when seasonably addreffed, with the rapid force of Lightning has borne down all before it, and fhewn at one ftroke the compacted Might of Genius. But these, and Truths like thefe, fo well known and familiar to himself, I am confident my dear Terentianus can undeniably prove by his own Practice.

SECTION II.

BUT we ought not to advance, before we clear the Point, whether or no there be any Art in the Sublime. For fome are entirely of opinion, that they are guilty of a great mistake, who would reduce it to the Rules of Art. "The Sublime (fay they) is born within us, " and is not to be learn'd by Precept. The "only Art to reach it, is, to have the Power "from Nature. And (as they reason) those "Effects, which fhould be purely natural, are "difpirited and weakened by the dry impo"verishing Rules of Art."

But I maintain, that the contrary might eafily appear, would they only reflect that 'tho' Nature for the most part challenges a fovereign and uncontroulable Power in the Pathetic and Sublime, yet fhe is not altogether lawless, but delights in a proper Regulation. That again— tho' fhe is the Foundation, and even the Source of all degrees of the Sublime, yet that Method is able to point out in the clearest manner the peculiar Tendencies of each, and to mark the proper Seasons, in which they ought to be inforced and applied. And furthat Flights of Grandeur are then in the utmost danger, when left at random to

ther

them