An actor on the stage may be guilty of bombaft as well as an author in his clofet; a certain manner of acting, which is grand when fupported by dignity in the fentiment and force in the expreffion, is ridiculous where the fentiment is mean, and the expreffion flat.

This chapter fhall be clofed with fome observations. When the fublime is carried to its due height, and circumfcribed within proper bounds, it enchants the mind, and raises the most delightful of all emotions: the reader, engroffed by a fublime object, feels himself raised as it were to a higher rank. Confidering that effect, it is not wonderful that the hiftory of conquerors and heroes, fhould be univerfally the favourite entertainment. And this fairly accounts for what I once erroneously fufpected to be a wrong bias originally in human nature; which is, that the groffeft acts of oppreffion and injuftice fcarce blemish the character of a great conqueror: we, nevertheless, warmly efpoufe his intereft, accompany him in his exploits, and are anxious for his fuccefs the splendour and enthusiasm of the hero transfufed into the readers, elevate their minds far above the rules of juftice, and render them in a great measure infenfible of the wrongs that are committed:

For in those days might only shall be admir'd,
And valour and heroic virtue call'd;

To overcome in battle, and fubdue

Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite

Manslaughter,

Manflaughter, shall be held the highest pitch
Of human glory, and for glory done

Of triumph, to be ftyl'd great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, gods, and fons of gods
Destroyers rightlier call'd, and plagues of men.
Thus fame fhall be atchiev'd, renown on earth,
And what moft merits fame in filence hid.

Milton, b. 11.

The irregular influence of grandeur reaches alfo to other matters: however good, honeft, or useful, a man may be, he is not fo much refpected as is one of a more elevated character, though of lefs integrity; nor do the misfortunes of the former affect us fo much as thofe of the latter. And I add, because it cannot be disguised, that the remorfe which attends breach of engagement, is in a great measure proportioned to the figure that the injured perfon makes the vows and proteftations of lovers are an illuftrious example; for these commonly are little regarded when made to women of inferior rank.

CHAP.

CHAP. V.

MOTION AND FORCE.

THA

HAT motion is agreeable to the eye without relation to purpose or defign, may appear from the amusement it gives to infants: juvenile exercises are relished chiefly on that ac

count.

If a body in motion be agreeable, one will be apt to conclude that at reft it must be disagreeable but we learn from experience, that this would be a rafh conclufion. Reft is one of thofe circumstances that are neither agreeable nor disagreeable, being viewed with perfect indifferency. And happy is it for mankind to have the matter fo ordered; if reft were agreeable, it would difincline us to motion, by which all things are performed: if it were disagreeable, it would be a fource of perpetual uneafinefs; for the bulk of the things we see, appear to be at reft. A fimilar inftance of designing wisdom I have had occafion to explain, in oppofing grandeur to littlenefs, and elevation to lowness of place *. Even in the fimpleft matters, the finger of God is confpicuous: the happy adjustment of the internal nature of man to

* See Chap. 4.

his

his external circumftances, difplayed in the inftances here given, is indeed admirable.

Motion is agreeable in all its varieties of quickness and flowness; but motion long continued admits fome exceptions. That degree of continued motion which correfponds to the natural course of our perceptions, is the moft agreeable. The quickest motion is for an inftant delightful; but foon appears to be too rapid it becomes painful by forcibly accelerating the course of our perceptions. Slow continued motion becomes difagreeable from an oppofite caufe, that it retards the natural course of our perceptions *.

There are other varieties in motion, befide quickness and flowness, that make it more or lefs agreeable regular motion is preferred before what is irregular; witnefs the motion of the planets in orbits nearly circular: the motion of the comets in orbits lefs regular, is lefs agreeable.

Motion uniformly accelerated, resembling an afcending feries of numbers, is more agreeable than when uniformly retarded: motion upward is agreeable, by tendency to elevation. What then fhall we fay of downward motion regularly accelerated by the force of gravity, compared with upward motion regularly retarded by the fame force? Which of thefe is the moft agreeable? This question is not eafily folved.

Motion

* This will be explained more fully afterward, ch. 9.

Motion in a straight line is agreeable but we prefer undulating motion, as of waves, of a flame, of a ship under fail; fuch motion is more free, and alfo more natural. Hence the beauty of a ferpentine river.

The eafy and fliding motion of a fluid, from the lubricity of its parts, is agreeable upon that account: but the agreeableness chiefly depends on the following circumftance, that the motion is perceived, not as of one body, but as of an endless number moving together with order and regularity. Poets ftruck with that beauty, draw more images from fluids in motion than from folids.

Force is of two kinds; one quiefcent, and one exerted in motion. The former, dead weight for example, must be laid afide; for a body at reft is not, by that circumftance, either agreeable or disagreeable. Moving force only is my province; and, though it is not feparable from motion, yet by the power of abstraction, either of them may be confidered independent of the other. Both of them are agreeable, because both of them include activity. It is agreeable to fee a thing move: to fee it moved, as when it is dragged or pushed along, is neither agreeable nor difagreeable, more than when at reft. It is agreeable to fee a thing exert force; but it makes not the thing either agreeable or difagreeable, to fee force exerted upon it.

Though