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Philofophical

Enquiry INTO THE

of our
F

Origin
O

Ideas

THE

SUBLIME
AND

BEAUTIFUL.

LONDON:
Printed for

R, and

J.

Dodsley,
LVII.

in Pall-mall,

M DCC

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2008 with funding from

Microsoft Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/enqphiljQSophicalOOburkrich

THE

PREFACE
rHE
duced him
enquiry.

author hopes

it

will not
to

be thought impertinent

fay

fomething of

the motives

which in^

to enter into the following

The matters which make

the

fubjedi of it

had formerly engaged a

great deal of his attention.

often

But he
lofs\

found himfelf greatly at a

he found that he

was far from hav^

exa5l theory
or

ing any thing like an

of our

pafjions^

a knowledge of
;

their genuine fources

he

found that

he could not reduce his notions to any

fixed

vi

The

PREFACE.
;

fixed or

conjijlent principles

and

he

had remarked^ that

the fame difficulties.

others lay

under

He

obferved that the ideas of the

fublime and beautiful were frequently

confounded ; and that both were indifcriminately applied to things greatly
differing^
diredily

and fometimes of natures oppofite. Even LonginuSy in

upon apart

his incomparable difcourfe

ofthisfubjeBy has comprehended things

extremely repugnant to each other y un-

der one common name of the Sublime.

T^he abufe
ftill

of the word Be2.ntyy has been

more generaly and attended with

worfe confequences.

Jlill

Such a confufon of ideas muft cer^

tainly render all our reafonings upon

fubjeBs of this kind extremely inaccu-'

rate

and

inconclufive.

Could this ad-

mit

The
tnit

PREFACE.
I imagined
diligent

vii
it

of any remedy ,

could only be

from a

exami"

nation of our pajfions

breafls
j

in

our own

from a

carefulfurvey of the

properties of things which

we find by
;

experience to influence thofe pajfions

andfrom a fiber
thofe properties

a?id attentive invejii^

gat ion of the laws of nature y by which

are capable of affeEiing

the bodyy
fions.

and thus of exciting our pafthis could be done^ it

If

was

imagined that the rules deducible from

fuch an enquiry anight be applied

the imitative artSy

to

and

to

whatever

elfe they concernedy without

much dif

Jiculty,

It is

four years now fince

this en^

quiry was finifhed\

during which
to

time the author found no caufe

make

any material alteration in

his theory.

He

viii

The

PREFACE.
do
\

He hasjhewn it tofome of his friends^

men of learning and candour^ who
not

think

it

wholly

unreafonable

and he now
the public^

ventures to lay it before

propofng

his

notions as

probable conjectures^
certain

not as things
;

and

indifputable

and if he

has any where expreffed himfelf more

poftivelyy it
tion.

was owing

to inatten-

The

THE

CONTENTS.
PART
SECT.
I.

I.

Novelty.
II.

page c

SECT. SECT. III.

and Pleafure

Pain and Pleafure

difference

The

3 between Paia

SECT.

IV.

Of Delight and
Joy and Grief

Pkafure, as

oppofed to each other

SECT. SECT.
SECT. SECT.
SECT.

V.
VI.

10

Of the PafTions which belong

I3

to Self-prefervation

VII.
VIII.

Of the Sublime Of the Paffions

The

13

which be14

long to Society

IX.

final caufe of the differ-

ence between the Paflions

belonging to

Self-prefervation, and thofe which regard

the Society of the Sexes.

J^

SECT.

CONTENTS.
S

E C T.

X.
XI.
XII.

Of

Beauty

17

SECT. SECT.

Society and Solitude

19

Sympathy, Imitation, and

21

Ambition

SECT. SECT.
SECT.

XIII.

Sympathy

ibid.

XIV.

The

effeds of

Sympathy

in the diftrefles of others

23
Tragedy

XV.
XVI.
XVII.

Of

the efFeas of

SECT. SECT. SECT. SECT. SECT. SECT.

Imitation

28

Ambition

30

XVIII.

The

Recapitulation 32

XIX.

33
34
ibid.

XX.

The fame XXI. The Conclufion

PART
SECT.
Sublime
I.

II.

Of

the Paffions caufed by the

41
11.

SECT. SECT. SECT.

Paffions

Terror
Obfcurity

42
43 betweea

Iir.

IV.

0(

the difference

Clearnefs and Obfcurity with regard to the

45

SECT.

CONTENTS.
SECT.
V.

The fame

fubjea continued

46

SECT. VI. Privation SECT. VII. Vaftnefs SECT. VIII. Infinity SECT. IX. The fame SECT. X. Succeffion
SECT.
SECT. SECT.
jeds

50
51

52
53
and
Uniformity

54
XI.

The

efFed of Succeffion and

Uniformity in Building
XII.
XIII.

56
in Building

Magnitude

58

Infinity in pleafing

Ob59 60
ibid.

SECT. SECT. SECT. SECT. SECT.

SECT. SECT. SECT. SECT.

XIV.

Difficulty

XV.
XVI.
XVII.

Magnificence

Light
Light in Building

6z
6j
as

XVIIL

Colour confidered

produdlive of the Sublime

64 [XVIIL] Sound and Loudnefs 65 XIX. Suddennefs 66

XX.
XXI.

Intermitting

The

cries

67 of Animals 68

SECT.

CONTENTS.
SECT.
XXIII.
Smell and Taftc. Bitters

and Stenches

69
Feeling,

SECT.

XXIV.

Pain

71

PART
S

III.

E C T.

I.

Of

Beauty

73

SECT.
SECT.
Beauty

II.

Proportion not the caufe of

Beauty in Vegetables
III.

74
76
fpecies

Proportion not the caufe of

in

Animals

SECT*

IV.

Proportion not the caufe of

Beauty in the human

78
81

SECT.

V.

Proportion further confidered

SECT.
Beauty

VI.

Fitnefs

not the caufe of

84
VII.

SECT.
SECT. SECT.
Beauty

The
The

real effefts of Fitnefs

86
VIII.
Recapitulation

90
91

IX.

Perfedion not the caufe of

SECT.
may be Mind

X.

How
to

far the idea

of Beauty of the

applied

the

qualities

^2

SECT.

CONTENTS.
SECT.
may
XI.

How
The

far the ideas

of Beauty

be applied to Virtue

94
Beauty

SECT.

XII.

real caufe of

95

SECT. XIII. Beautiful objeas fmall 96 SECT. XIV. Smoothnefs 98 SECT. XV. Gradual Variation 99 10 SECT. XVL Delicacy SECT. XVII. Beauty in Colour 102 SECT. XVIII. Recapitulation 103 SECT. XIX. The Phyfiognomy 104 SECT. XX. The Eye 105 SECT. XXI. Uglinefs 106 SECT. XXII. Grace 107 SECT. XXIII. Elegance and Specioufnefs
ibid.

SECT.

XXIV.

The Beautiful in Feeling

108

SECT. XXV. SECT. SECT. SECT.

XXVI.
XXVII.

The

Beautiful in Sounds

III
Continued.

112
1

Tafte and Smell

XXVIII.

The

Sublime

14 and

Beautiful compared

115

PART

CONTENTS.

PART
S E C T.
I.

IV.

Of

the efficient caufe of the

Sublime and Beautiful

117 120

SECT. SECT. SECT. SECT.

II.

AfTociation

III.

Caufe of Pain and Fear 121

Continued

IV.

124
Is

V.
VI.

How

the Sublime

produced

126

SECT.
Delight

How pain can

Exercife

be a caufe of

127
VII.
necefTary for the

SECT.
finer

Organs
VIII.

129

SECT.

Why

things not dangerous

1

fometimes produce a paffion like Terror

30

SECT.
S

IX.

Why vifual
Unity

Objeas of great
1

dimenfions are Sublime

E C T.
nefs

X.

why

requifite to

Vaft-

133

SECT. XI. SECT. 'XII.

milar

The artificial Infinite The vibrations muft

The
efFecls

134
be
fi1 36

SECT.

XIII.

of Succeffion
1

in vifual objeds explained

37

SECT.

CONTENTS.
SECT. SECT.
nature

XIV.

Locke's opinion concefnt-

ingdarknefs, confidered

140
terrible

XV.
XVI.
XVII.

Darknefs

by

its

own
142

SECT.
is

The
The

caufe

why

Darknefs

terrible

144
efFeds of Blacknefs

SECT. SECT.

145

XVIII.

The effefSls

of BIakne(s

moderated

148

SECT.
Love

XIX.

The

phyfical

caufe of

149

SECT.
ful

XX.
XXI.

Why

Smoothnefs

is

beau-

SECT. SECT. SECT.

tiful

Sweetnefs,

its

nature 152

XXII.
XXIII.

Sweetnefs relaxing 156

Variation,

why

beau-

158

SECT.
SECT.

XXIV,

Concerning

Smallnefs

160

XXVI.

Of

Colour

164

PART

CONTENTS.

PART
S

V.
167
efFea of Poetry,

E C T.

I.

SECT.
SECT.

II.

Of Words The common

not by raifing ideas of things

III.

168

General words before ideas

171

SECT. SECT.
SECT.
tive art

IV.

V.

1 73 Examples that Words may

1

The

efFea of

Words

afFea without raifmg images

75

VI.

Poetry not ftridly an imita-

179
VII.

SECT.
Paflions.

How Words

influence the

180

Phi-

Philofophical Enquiry

INTO THE Origin of our Ideas

O
F

T H E

Sublime and Beautiful.

PART
SECT.
I.

I.

m^

NOVELTY.

THE
with great

firft

and the fimpleft emotion

difcover in the
Curiofity.

'

which we
mind,
is

human^v

By

curiofity, I

mean whatever defire we have for, ever pleafure we take in novelty.

children perpetually running
place to hunt out fomething
eagernefs,

or what-

We

fee

from place to
;

new

they catch
little

and with very

choice, atwhatever
attention
is

comes before them; their engaged by every thing, becaufe

in that ftage of life,

every thing has,

the

charm of novelty to recommend it. But as thofe things which engage us merely by their
novelty,

cannot attach us for any length of

time.

On
;

the
is

SUBLIME
it's

time, curiofity
afFedlions
it
it

the moft fuperficial of all the

object perpetually
is
it

changes

has an appetite which

fatisfied
;

very {harp,

but

very eafily

and

has always an ap-

pearance of giddinefs,
Curiofity from
ciple
it's
;

reftleflhefs
is

and anxiety.

it's

nature

a very adtive prin-

it

quickly runs over the greateft part of

objedls,

and foon exhaufts the variety

which is commonly to be met with in nature; the fame things make frequent returns, and they return with lefs and lefs of any agreeable
efFecSl.

In (hort, the occurrences of

the time

we come to know

incapable of affecting

life, by would be the mind with any other

it

little,

fenfations than thofe of loathing and wearinefs^

if

many

things were not adapted to

affe(5l

the

mind by means of other powers

in ourfelves.

befides novelty

in them, and of other paflions befides curiofity

Thefe powers and

paflions fhallbe

confidered in their place.

powers
they

are,

But whatever thefe or upon what principle foever

it is

affedl:

the mind,

abfolutely neceflary

that they ihould not be exerted in thofe things

which a

daily

and vulgar ufe have brought

into a ftale unaffecSling familiarity.

Some

de-

gree of novelty muft be one of the materials in

every inftrument which works upon the mind;

and curiofity blends

our paflions.

itfelf

more or

lefs

with

alt

SECT.

and

BEAUTIFUL. SECT.
ir.

Pain

and

pleasure.

feems then necefiary towards moving the ITpafHons of advanced in Ufe to any
people
confiderable degree, that the objects defigned
for that purpofe,

befides their being in

fome

meafure new,

jQiould

be capable of exciting Pain and

pain or pleafure from other caufes.

pleafure are fimple ideas, incapable of definition.

People are not liable to be miftaken in

their feel ings,but they are very frequently wrong

in the names they give them, and in their reafon*

ings about them.

Many

people are of opinion,

that pain arifes neceflarily from the removal of

fome pleafure; as they think pleafure does from the ceafing or diminution of fome pain. For my part I am rather inclined to imagine,
that pain

and pleafure

in their

moft fimple

and natural manner of affeding, are each of a pofitive nature, and by no means neceflarily
dependent upon each other for their exiftence

The human mind

for the

is

often,

and I think

it

is

moft part, in a

ftate

neither of pain

nor pleafure,
ference.

which
I

I call

a ftate of indif-

When

am

carried

from
it

this ftate

into a ftate of adiual pleafure,

does not ap-

pear

On

the

SUBLIME
If in fuch a

pear neceflary that I (hould pafs through the

medium
ftate

of any fort of pain.

of indifference, or eafe, or tranquility,

it

or call

what you

pi eafe,

you were to be
;

fuddenly entertained with a concert of mufic

or fuppofe fome objeft of a fine fhape, and

bright and lively colours to be prefented before

you

or imagine your fmell

;

is

gratified

with

the fragrance of a rofe

previous thirft

or

if

without any

you were to drink of fome wine ; or to tafte of fome fweetmeat without being hungry ; in all the
pleafant kind of
feveral fenfes, of hearing, fmelling,

and
:

tafte-

ing,

you undoubtedly

find a pleafure

yet

if

I enquire into the flate

of your mind pre-

vious to thefe gratifications,

tell

me
;

you will hardly that they found you in any kind of

fatisfied thefe feveral fenfes

pain

or having
their

with
that

feveral

pleafures,

will

you

fay

any pain has fucceeded,

is

though the
of inor to

pleafure

abfolutely over

Suppofe on the

other hand,
diiference,

man

in the

fame

ftate

to receive a violent blow,

drink of fome bitter potion, or to have his

ears

found

wounded with fome harfli and grating here is no removal of pleafure ; and ;
is felt,

yet here

in

every fenfe which

It

is afFecSt-

ed, a pain very diftin|uifhable.

faid

may be
its

perhaps, that the pain in thefe cafes had

and

BEAU

T I F U L.

it's rife from the removal of that pleafurc which he enjoyed before, though that pleafure was of fo low a degree as to be perceived only

by the removal
fubtilty,
.

"but this

feems to

me

to

be a

that

is

not difcoverable in nature.

I

For

if,

previous to the pain,

I

do not

feel

any

adual pleafure,
only pleafure as
faid

have no reafon to judge

;

that any fuch thing ^xifts

it is felt.

fmce pleafure
I

is

The

fame may be

of pain, and with equal reafon.

can
as

never perfuade myfelf that pleafure and pain

are

mere

relations,
:

which can only

but
I

exift

they are contraftcd

think

can difcern

clearly that there are pofitive pains

fures,

and plea-

which do not

at all

depend upon each

other.

Nothing
in

is

feelings than this.

can diftinguifh
pleafure,

more certain to my own There is nothing which I my mind with more clearEvery one of
fort
eife.

nefs than the three ftates, of indifference, of

and of pain.
any
fit
;

thefe I
it's

can perceive without any

relation to

of idea of

thing

Caius
;

is

afis

flided with a

of the cholic
ftretch

this

man

adually in pain

Caius upon the rack,

;

he win
this pain

feel

much
or
is

greater pain
arife

but does

of the rack
?

from the removal of

fit

any pleafure
eonfjder

the

of the cholic a

pleafure or a pain juft as

it ?

we

are pleafed to

SECT.

On

the

SUBLIME
III.

SECT.
The
difference

between the removal of

PAIN

and

pofitive

PLEASURE.

WE
ceflarily

fhall carry this propofition yet a ftep

further.

We

fhall venture to propofe,

that pain and pleafure are not only, not ne-

dependent for their exiftence on their

that, in

mutual diminution or removal, but

reality, the

diminution or ceafmg of pleafure

;

does not operate like pofitive pain

and that
it's

the removal or diminution of pain, in

efFe6l

has very

little

refemblance to pofitive pleafure.*

will,

The

former of thefe propofitions be

believe,

much
;

more
it

readily
is

allowed

than the
fets us

latter

becaufe
it

very evident
it's
it

that pleafure,

when

has run

career,
us.

down
it is

very nearly where

found
;

Pleafure of every kind quickly

fatisfies

and

when
is

over,
fall

we

relapfe

into indifference,

or rather

we

into a foft tranquility,

which
former

tinged with the agreeable

colour of the

*
1.

Mr

Locke

(efTay

on human underflanding,
thinks that the removal or

2. c. 20. feft. 16.)

is

leflening of a pain

confidered and operates as a

pleafure, and the lof^ or diminifhing of pleafure as

a pain. It

is this

opinion which

we

confider here,

and

BEAUTIFUL.
I

^^

former fenfation.

own,

it

is

not at

firft

view
let us

fo apparent,

that the removal of a great

:

pain does not refemble pofttive pleafure

recolletSl

but

in

what

ftate

we have found
feverity

our minds upon efcaping fome imminent danger, or

on being

releafed

from the

of

fome

cruel pain.
if I

We have on
much

fuch occafions

found,

am

not

miftaken, the temper

of our minds in a tenor very remote from that

which
fure
;

attends the prefence of pofitive plea-

we

have found them

in a ftate of

much

fobriety, imprefTed with a fenfe of awe,

in a fort

of tranquility fhadowed with horror.

The

fafhion of the countenance and thegeftureofthe

body on fuch occafions isfocorrefpondent to this ftate of mind, that any perfon, a ftranger to the caufe of the appearance, would rather judge us under fome confternation, than in the
enjoyment of any thing
like pofitive pleafure,

^Oo]ct KCtlctKJelVa.^

AKKQV i^lKiTO
Qctij.Coi

J^i)(Jt,OV,

AvJ^^i

cKpyeta'

<^\yjA e(Xo^avjAi.
Iliad.

24.

j^s

when a wretch^

zvho con clous of his crime

his native clhne,

Purfuedfor murder from

All gazey all wonder !

fuji gainsfomefrontier^ breathlefs^pale^ amazed'.

B4

This

8
This

On

the

UEL

ME
man whom

ftriking appearance of the

Homer
terror

fuppofes to have juft efcaped an imfort

minent danger, the

fpecStators,

of mixt paflion of
affedls the

and furprize, with which he

paints very ftrongly the

manner in which we find ourfelves afFc6led upon occafions any way fimilar. For when we have fuffered from any violent emotion, the mind naturally continues in fomething like the fame condition, after the caufe which firft produced
it

has ceafed to operate

the tofling of the

;

fea remains after the ftorm

and when
all

this

remain of horror has entirely fubflded,

paflion,

the

which the accident

it;

raifed,

fubfides
it*s

along with

and the mind returns to

In

ufual ftate of indifference.

(I

fliort, pleafure,

mean any thing

from a
it's

either in the inward fenfa-

tion,

or in the outward appearance like pleapofitive caufe,) has never, I

fure

ima-

gine,

origin

from the removal of pain or

danger.

SECT.
Of

IV.

DELIGHT
T
fliall

and

PLEASURE,
that
is

as

oppofed to each other.

BU

we

therefore fay,
it's

the
al-

removal of pain or

diminution

ways

and

BEAUTIFUL.
painful
?

ways fimply
attended

or affirm that the ccfis always by no means.

fation or the leflening of pleafure

itfelf

with a pleafure
is

What I advance

no more than

this;

firft,

that

there arc pleafures and pains of a pofitive and

independent nature; and fecondly, that the

of pain does not bear a
pofitive pleafure to

feel-

ing which refults from the ceafing or diminution

fufficient
it

refemblance to

have

confidered as of the

fame nature, or to entitle it to be known by the fame name; and that upon the fame principle
the removal or qualification of pleafure has

no refemblance

to pofitive pain.

It is certain

that the former feeling

(the removal or
it

mofrom

deration of pain) has fomething in

diftrefling,

far

or difagreeable in

it's

nature.

This

feeling, in

many
;

cafes fo agreeable, but in all

fo different from pofitive pleafure, has

no name
it's

which
all

know

but that hinders not

be-

ing a very real one, and very different from

others.
it,

Whenever
I fhall call
it

have occafion to
;

fpeak of

Delight

and

I fhall

take the befl care I can,

to ufe that

no other
tion

fenfe.

am
it

fatisfied

word in the word is not

up a word

commonly
;

ufed in this appropriated fignifica-

but

thought

better to take
it's

already

known, and

to limit

fignification,

than to introduce a
perhaps

new one which would

well

not

incorporate fo

with the language.

10
guage.

On

the

SUBLIME
have prefumed to
if

I (hould never

at-

tempt the leaft alteration in our w^ords,

the

nature of the language, framed for the purpofes

of bufinefs rather than thofe of philofophy, and the nature of my fubje(5l that leads me out of the

common

track of difcourfe, did not in a

manufe of

ner neceflitate
this liberty

me

to
all

it.

I fhall

make

with

poflible caution.

As

make

ufe

of the word Delight

to exprefs the fen-

fation vi'hich

or danger

accompanies the removal of pain fo when I fpeak of pofitive pleafor

fure, I fhall

the moil part call

it

fimply

Pleafurc.

SECT,

v!

JOY
afFe6ls

and

GRIEF.
ceflation

muft be obferved, that the IT the mind three ways. pleafure

it

of
If

fimply ceafes, after having continued a prois

per time, the effect

indifference

if it

be

abruptly broken off, there enfues an uneafy

fenfe called difappointment
totally loft that there
is
j

if

the object be fo

no chance of enjoying it again, a paffion arifes in the mind, which Now there is none of thefe, is called grief. not even grief, which is the moft violent, that
I think has

any refemblance to

pofitive pain.

The

and

BEAUTIFUL.
who
;

n
it

The

perfon

grieves, fufFers his paffion to

grow upon him

pain,
for

he indulges

it,

he loves

but this never happens in the cafe of

a61:ual

which no man ever willingly endured

any confiderable time.

not io

That
far

grief fhould

be willingly endured, though

pleafing fenfation,
derftood.
It
is

from a fimply
be unit's

is

difficult to

the nature of grief to keep

obje6i- perpetually in it's

it's

eye, to prefent
all

it

in

moft pleafurable views, to repeat

it,

the

circumftances that attended

leaft

even to the

minutenefs, to go back to every particular

enjoyment, to dwell upon each, and to find

a thoufand

new
is

perfections in

all,

that

were
grief,

not fuinciently underftood before; in

thtpleafure
IHll

we

fufFer has
is

which

uppermoft ; and the afflidion no refemblance to abfolute pain, always odious, and which we enpoffible.

deavour to fhake off as foon as

The

Odyfiey of Homer, which abounds with fo many

natural and affe61:ing images,

has none more which Menelaus raifes of ftriking than thofe the calamitous fate of his friends, and his own

manner of feeling

it.

He owns

indeed, that

he often gives himfelf fome intermiffion from fuch melancholy reflections, but he obferves
too, that melancholy as they are, they give

him

pleafure.

12

On

the

SUBLIME

AAA. /^TM?

rretvl-ii oJ^v^iJLivof j^ cfc^sy&'j',

TlcLvoiJLcu

cu'],^^^ /g Jto^i K^vi^to yoioo.

Still in Jhort intervals of pleafing woe. Regardful of the friendly dues I owe^

to the glorious

dead^for ever dear^

Indulge the tribute of a grateful tear.

HoM. Od.

4.

On
is it

the other hand,

when we
are afFe(Sled

recover our

health,

when we

efcape an imminent danger,

with joy that

we
is

The

fenfe

on

thefe occafions

far

voluptuous fatisfadlion
fpc(5l

from that fmooth and which the aflured pro-

of pleafure beftows.

The

delight

which

arifes

from the modifications of pain, confefles

it

the ftock from whence

ftrong,

fprung, in

it's folid,

and fevere nature.

SECT.
Of
the
paflions

VI.

which belong to

SELF-

PRESERVATION.

MOST

of the ideas which are capable

of making a powerful impreffion on

the mind, whether fimply of Pain or Pleafure,

or

and

BEA

U T I F U L.
may

13
be re-

or of the modifications of thofe,

duced very nearly to thefe two heads, felffrefervation zndfociety'y to the ends of one or
the other of which
culated to anfwer.
all

our paflions
paflions

are cal-

The

cern felf-prefervation,
danger.
fill

which conturn moftly on pain or

and deaths

The
and

ideas o^ pain, ficknefs,

the
life

mind with ftrong emotions of horror

health,

but

though they put us in a

with pleafure, they

capacity of being

afFe6i:ed

make no
ment.

fuch impreflion by the fimple enjoypaflions therefore

The

which are con-

verfant about the prefervationof the individual,

turn chiefly on pain and danger, and ihey arc

the moft powerful of

all

the paflions.

SECT.
Of
the

vir.

SUBLIME.
fitted in

WHatever
cite*

is

any

fort

to ex-

the ideas of pain, and danger,

that

is

to fay,

whatever

is

in

any

fort terrible,

or

is

converfant about terrible objedls, or ope-

rates in a

manner analagous
;

to terror,
it is

is

fource of xh^ fublime

that

is,

produilivc
is

of the ftrongeft emotion which the mind

pable

ca-

of feeling.

When

danger or

pain
prefs

14

On
delight,

the S

UBL

M
;

prefs too nearly,

they are incapable of giving

terrible

any

and are fimply

but at

certain diftances,
tions,

and with certain modificabe,

they

may

and they are delightful,

as

we

every day experience.

The

caufe of

this I fhall

endeavour to inveftigate hereafter.

SECT.
Of

VIII.

the paffions which belong to

SOCIETY.

THE

other head under which I clafs our

is

paffions,

that of fociety^
forts,
i.

which may

be divided into two

fociety of the fexes, which anfwers the purpofes of propagation ; and next, that more general fociety y

The

which we have with men and with other

mals, and v/hich

anifaid

we may

in

feme

fort

be

to have even with the inanimate world.

The

paffions belonging to the prcfervation of the

individual, turn wholly

on pain and danger;

have their
;

thofe

which belong

to generation^

origin in gratifications and pleafures

fure

the plea-

mofl diredly belonging

lively chara<Ster,

to this purpofe is

of a

rapturous

and violent,
fenfe

and confefTedly the higheft pleafure of

fcarce

yet the abfence of this fo great an enjoyment,

amounts to an uneafmefs 2

and except
at

and

BEAUTIFUL.
do not think
in
it affe(Sts

15
at

at particular times, I
all.

When men

defcribe

what manner

they are afFedled by pain and danger; they do not dwell on the pleafure of health and
the comfort of fecurity, and then lament the
lofs

of thefe fatisfactions

the whole turns

which they you liften to the complaints of a forfaken lover, you obferve, that he infifts largely on the pleafures which he enjoyed,
atual pains and horrors

upon the

endure.

But

if

or hoped to enjoy, and on the perfedion of

the object: of his defires
is
;

it

is

the

lofs

which
vio-

always uppermoft in his mind.

effccSls

The

lent

produced by love, which has fomeig

times been even wrought up to madnefs,

no

obje<5lion

to the rule

which we feek to
it

eftablifh.

When men

have fufFered their ima-

ginations to be long affec):ed with any idea,

0 wholly engrofles them, as to fliut out

by de-

grees almoft every other, and to break

down

every partition of the mind which would confine

it.

Any

idea

is

fufficient for the

purpofe,

as

is

evident from the infinite variety of caufes

:

which give rife to madnefs but this at moft can only prove, that the paffion of love is capable of producing very extraordinary effecSls,

not

that

it's

extraordinary emotions
pofitive pain.

have any connection with

SECT.

16

On

the

SUBLIME
IX.

SECT.
The
final

caufe of the difference between tht

paffions belonging to

SELF-PRESER-

VATION,

and thofe which regard the

of the
caufe

SOCIETY

SEXES.
which

THE
ther
;

final

of the difference in

character between the paflions

regard felf-prefervation,

and thofe which are

directed to the multiplication of the fpecies>

will illuftrate the foregoing remarks yet fur-

and

it is,

I imagine,
it's

worthy of obferaccount.

vation even upon

own

As

the

performance of our duties of every kind delife, and the performing them with vigour and efficacy depends upon health,

pends upon

we

are very

ftrongly affected with whatever

;

threatens the deflrudtion of either

but as

we

were not made to scquiefcc in the fimple enjoyment of them

with any
real pleafure,

life
is

and health,
with that,

not attended

lefl fatisfied

we

fhould give up ourfelves to indolence and

inaction.

On
is

the other hand, the generation

a great purpofe, and
it

of mankind
quifite that

is

re-

men

fhould be animated to the

It
is
;

purfuit of

it

by fome great incentive

therefore attended with a very high pleafure

but as

it is

by no means defigned to be our conflant

ind

BEAUTIFUL.
it is

17

conftant bufinefs,

not

fit

that the abfence

of

this

pleafure fhould be attended with

pain.

any

remarkable

The
at all

difference

betweerl

men

and brutes

in this point,

feems to be re-

markable.

Men

are

times pretty equally

difpofed to the pleafures of love, becaufe they

are to be guided by reafon in the time and

manner of indulging them. Had any great pain arifen from the want of this fatisfadion,
reafon,
I

am

afraid,

would

find great diffiits office.

culties in the

performance of

But
fhare,
it is

who obey which their own

brutes

laws, in the execution of

reafon has but
;

little

have

their flated feafons

at fuch

times

not improbable that the fenfation from the

want

is

very troublefome,

becaufe the end

in

mufl be then anfwered, or be mifTed

only with
feafon.

many,

perhaps for ever, as the inclination returns

its

SECT.
Of

X.

BEAUTY.
which belongs
is

TH E
is

paffion

to genera-

tion,

merely as fuch,

luflonly; this

evident in brutes, whofe paffions are

more

unmixed,

and which purfue their purpofcs

more

dire(SHy than ours.

The

only diftindion
they

i8

On

the S

UBLIME
h
they ftick feverally
all

they obferve with regard to their mates,

that of fex.
It is true, that

to their own fpecies in preference to

others;

but
arife

this

preference,

I imagine,

does

not
find

from any

fenfe of beauty

which they

in their fpecies, as

Mr. Addifon

fuppofes, but

from a law of fome other kind to which they are fubjedl ; and this we may fairly conclude, from
their apparent

thofe objects to
ipecies
is

want of choice amongft which the barriers of their

But man, who

have confined them.

a creature adapted to a greater variety and

the idea of fome foetal qualities,

intricacy of relation, connects with the general paflion,

which

dire6l

and heighten the appetite which

he has in mals ; and

common
as

with

all

other

ani-

he

is

not defigned like them to

that he fhould have fomefix his

live at large,

it is fit

thing to create a preference, and

choice;
fenfible

and

this
;

in general fhould as

be fome

quality
erfully;

no other can

fo quickly,
it's

fo

pow-

or fo furely produce

efFedt.

The
which

objedi therefore of this

mixed

paflion

we
fex,

call love, is the beauty

of the fex.
it

Men
is
;

are carried to the fex in general, as

the

and by the

common law

of nature

but

they are attached to particulars by perfonal I call beauty a focial quality ; for beauty.

where

women and men, and

not only they,

but

ana
but

BEAUTIFUL^
animah give us a

19

when

other

fenfe of joy

and pleafure in beholding them,

are

(and there

many

that do To) they infpire us with fen-

timents of tendernefs and afFe6lion towards

their perfons
;

we

like to

have them near us,

and

we

enter willingly into a kind of relation

with them, unlefs

we

fhould have ftrong rea-

fons to the contrary.

many

cafes, this

But to what end, in was defigned, I am unable

fee

to difcover; for

no
fo

greater reafon for a

feveral

connection between

man and

animals

who
tirely

are attired

in

engaging a manner^

than between him and fome others

who
it

en-

want

this attration,

or poflefs

in a far

weaker degree.
vidence did not

But

it is

probable, that prothis diftinClion,

make even
diftincSlly

buC

with a view to fome great end, though

we

cannot perceive

what

it

is,

as his

wifdom
ways.

is

not our wifdom,

nor our ways his

SECT.
SOCIETY
and

XT.

SOLITUDE.
to fociety in

TH E
is

fecond branch of the focial paffions^

that

which adminifters
as
fociety,

general
fociety,

With
merely

regard to this, I obferve, that

without any particular

7.0

On

the S

UBLIME
no
pofitive plea*
;

ticular heightnings, gives us

fure in the enjoyment

fciitude,

but abfolute and entire

that

is,

the total and perpetual exis

clufion from

all fociety,

as great a pofitive

pain as can almoft be conceived.

Therefore
pain

in the balance between the pleafure of general

fociety^
is

and the pain of abfolute

focial

folitude,

the predominant idea.

But the

pleafure of

any particular

enjoyment,

outweighs

very confiderably the uneafmefs caufed by the

want of

that particular enjoyment

fo

that

the flrongeft fenfations relative to the habitudes of particular fociety^

pleafure.

are fenfations of

Good company,

lively converfations,

and the endearments of

friendfhip,

fill

the

mind with great pleafure ; a temporary folitude on the other hand, is itfelf agreeable. This may perhaps prove, that we are creatures dcfigned for contemplation as well as

adion
it's

fmce
;

folitude as well as fociety has

pleafures

as

from the former obfervathat an entire

life

tion

we may

difcern,

of fo-

litude contradidts the

purpofes of our being,

fmce death
terror.

itfelf is

fcarcely an idea of

more

SECT.

and

BEAUTIFUL. SECT. XII.

21

SYMPATHY, IMITATION, AMBITION.

and

UNDER

this

denomination of

fociety,

the paffions are of a complicated kind,

and branch out into a variety of forms agreeably to the great variety of ends they are to ferve in the great chain of fociety. The three
principal links in this chain zxcfympathy^ imitation^

and ambition.
'

SECT.

XIIL

SYMPATHY.
by the IT enter into
is

firft

of thefe paffions that

we

the concerns of others; that

as they are

we

are

moved

moved, and are

or fufFer.

never fufFered to be indifferent fpedlators of

almoft any thing yfhizh

men can do

For fympathy muft be confidered as a fort of fubftitution, by which vi^e are put into the place of another man, and afFcdled in a good
meafure as he
is

afFe6ted

fo that this paffion

may

either partake of the nature of

thofe

which regard felf-prefervation, and turning upon pain may be a fource of the fublime

or

42
or
it

On
may
turn

the S

UBLIME
ideas of pleafure,

upon

and

then, whatever has been faid of the focial af-

fedions, whether they regard fociety in general,

or only fame particular

It is

modes of it, may be

applicable here.
tliat

by

this principle chiefly

poetry, painting, and other affeding arts,

transfufe their paflions

from one breaft to ano-

ther,
light
felf.

and are often capable of grafting a de-

on wTetchednefs, mifery, and death

It is

it-

common
reality

obfervation, that objedls

which in the
gical

would

flioclc,

are in tra-

and fuch like reprefentations the fource

Ipecies of pleafure.

of a very high

This taken

as a faft, has been the caufe of

ing.

much

reafonat-

This

fatisfadion has been

commonly

tributed,

firft,

to the comfort

we

receive in
is

confidering that fo melancholy a ftory

no

more than
which we
nature,

a fiction

and next, to the conthe evils

it is

templation of our

own freedom from

I

fee rcprefented,

am

afraid

pradice much too

to

common
the

in inquiries

of this

attribute
arife

caufe

of

feelings
ftruc-

which merely

from the mechanical

ture of our bodies, or from the natural frame

and conftitution of our minds, to certain conclufions of the rcafoning faculty

on theobjecSls

prefentcd to us

for I

have fome reafon to apducing

prehend, that the influence of reafon in pro-

and

BEAUTIFUL.
is

23

ducing our paffions

five as is

nothing near fo exten-

commonly

believed.

SECT.
The
efFeas

XIV.
in

of

SYMPATHY
of others.
this point

the di-

ftrefles

TO
muft
by the

examine

concerning the ef-

fe6i of tragedy in a proper

manner,

we

previoufly confider,

how we
I

are affedied

feelings of our fellow creatures in cirdiftrefs.

cumftances of real

am

convinced

we

have a degree of delight, and that no fmall

in
;

one,
others

the real misfortunes

for let the afFedlion
if it

and pains of
it

be what

will in

appearance,
objects,
if

does not

make

us ihun fuch

approach them,

on the contrary it induces us to if it makes us dwell upon

them,

in this cafe I conceive

we

mufi:

have a

delight or pleafure of

fome

fpecies or other in

contemplating objedls of

this

kind.

Do we

not read the authentic

this nature

hiftories

of fcenes of

with as

much

pleafure as romances
?

or poems, where the incidents are fiditious

The

profperity of

no empire, nor the grancan

fo

deur of no king,
the'reading,

agreeably afFedl in

as the ruin of the ftate of

diftrefs

Ma-

cedon, and the

of

it's

C 4

unhappy prince. Such

24
[

On

the

UBLI

ME
in hiftory a$

Such a cataftrophe touches us

much as the deftrudion of Troy does in fable. Our delight in cafes of this kind, is very
greatly heightened,
cellent perfon
if

the fufferer be fome ex-

who

finks

under an unworthy

fortune.

Scipio and
;

characters

but

we

Cato are both virtuous are more deeply afFe(!^ed

to,

by the violent death of the one, and the ruin

of the great caufe he adhered of the other
for

than with the

deferved triumphs and uninterrupted profperity

;

terror

is

a paflion which
it

always produces delight when

too clofe, and pity
is

does notprefs

a paflion accompanied
it

with pleafure, becaufe

focial
affe(Stion.

arifes

from love and

are formed

Whenever we

by nature to any adive purpofe, the paflion which animates us to it, is attended with delight,

or a pleafure of fome kind, let the fub-

jel matter be

what

it

will

and

as

our Cre-

ator has defigned

we

fhould be united toger-

ther by fo ftrong a bond as that of fympathy,

he has

therefore twifted

along with

it

a pro^
;

portionable quantity of

this ingredient

and
of

always in the greateft proportion where our

fympathy
others.

is

moft wanted, in the

diftrefles

If this paffion

was fimply

painful,
all

we would
paiTion
j

fhun with the greateft care

perfons and places that could excite fuch a

as,

fome who are

fo far

gone

in indo^

lencc

and

BEAU
But the

T I F U L.
is
;

25

lence as not to endure any ftrong impreffion

adtually do.
cafe

widely different
there
is

with the greater part of mankind

no fpectacle we fo eagerly purfue, as that of fome uncommon and grievous calamity; fo

that whether the misfortune
is

before our eyes,

it
;

or whether they
hiftory,
it is
it

are

turned back to

in

always touches with delight

but

not an unmixed delight, but blended with

no

fmall uneafmefs.

The

delight

we

have in

fuch things, hinders us from fhunning fcenes

of mifery

and the pain

we

feel,

prompts us

to relieve ourfelves in relieving thofe

fer
;

who

fuf-

and

all this

antecedent to any reafoning,

^y an

inftindt that

works us to

its

own

pur-

pofes, without our concurrence.

SECT.
Of
the effeas of

XV,

TRAGEDY.
In imitated
is

IT
it is

is

thus in real calamities.

the only difference

diflreffes

the plea;

fure refulting from the effefts of imitation

for
it

never fo perfeft, but

we can
And

perceive

is

an imitation, and on that principle are

pleafed with
it.

fomewhat
cafes

indeed in fome

we

derive as

much

or more pleafure from

itfelf.

|hat fource than

from the thing

But then

I imagine

a6
I imagine

On

the

SUBLIME
is

we fhall be much miftaken if we attria de-

bute any confiderable part of our fatlsfadion in

tragedy to a confideration that tragedy
ceit,

and

its

reprefentations

no realities.

The
more

Acarerit approaches the reality, and the further

it

removes us from

all

idea of fidlion, the

perfe^ is its power.

k will,

But be its power of wh at kind it never approaches to what it reprefents.

to reprefent the

Chufe a day on which

fublime and
?.fi'e<3:ing

moft

tragedy which
;

we have;
fpare
;

appoint the moft favourite actors

coft

no

upon the fcenes and decorations

and when you have
collecSled

unite

the gresteft efforts of poetry, painting and

fic
;

mu-

your auditheir

ence, juft at the

moment when
let it

minds

are erel with expetation,

be reported
is

that a ftate criminal of high rank,

on the

point of being executed in the adjoining fquare

in a

moment the emptinefs

of the theatre would

demonftrate the comparative weaknefs of the

imitative arts, and proclaim the triumph of the
real fympathy.
I believe that this

notion of a

our having a fimple pain in the

that

reality, yet

delight in the reprefentation arifes from hence,

we do not fufficiently diftinguifh what we would by no means chufe to do, frohi what we fhould be eager enough to fee if it was once done. We delight in feeing things, which fo far from doing, our heartieft wifties would

and
be to

BEA

U T I F U L.
This noble
I believe

27

fee redrefled.

capital, the

pride of

England and of Europe,

fo ftrangely

no

man

is

wicked as to

defire to fee

deftroyed by a conflagration or an earthquake,

though he {hould be removed himfelf to the

greateft diftance

from the danger.

parts

But fup-

pofe fuch a fatal accident to have happened,

what numbers from

all

would croud to

behold the ruins, and amongft them

many

who would
fcen

have been content never to have

in
it's

London

glory

Nor

is it

either in

real or fi6i:itious diftreffes,

our immunity from

them which produces our delight ; in my own mind I can difcover nothing like it. I apprehend that this miftake is owing to a fort of fophifm, by which we are frequently impofed upon ; it arifes from our not diftinguifli'ing between what is indeed a neceflary condition to our doing or fufFering any thing, and what is the caiife of fome particular act. If a

man

kills

me

with a fword

it

is

a neceflary

condition to this that

we fhould have
j

been both
it

of us alive before the fadl

and yet

would

be abfurd to
creatures

fay, that

our being both living

his

was the caufe of

it is

crime and of my
it is

death.
neceflary

So

certain,
ftiould

that

abfolutely

my

life

be out of any im-

minent hazard before

can take a delight in

or

the fufferings of others, real or imaginary,

28

On

the

UBLIME
elfe
it is

or indeed in any thing

whatfoever.

from any caufe

a fophifm to ar-

But then

gue from thence, that

caufe of

this

immunity

is

the

my dehght either on thefe or on any occafions. No one can diftinguifh fuch a caufe
of fatisfacStion in his

own mind

I believe;

nay

when we do

any very acute pain, nor are expofed to any imminent danger of of our lives, we can feel for others, whilft we
not
fuiFer

fufFer ourfelves;

and often then moft when

affli6lion
;

we

are foftened by

we

fee

with
in

pity even diftrefles

which we would accept the place of our own.

SECT.
HE

XVI.

IMITATION.
nr^
fecond paffion belonging to fociety
if
is

imitation, or,
tating,

you

will, a defire of imiit.

and confequently a pleafure in

This

paffion arifes

from much the fame caufe with

fympathy.

For
to

as

fympathy

makes us take
and

a concern in whatever men

feel, fo this afFedli;

on prompts us
confequently

copy whatever they do

we have a

pleafure in imitating,

and in whatever belongs to imitation merely as it is fuch, without any intervention of the
reafoning faculty, but folely from our natural
confti-

and
conftitution,

BEAUTIFUL.

29

which providence has framed in

in
It

fuch a manner as to find either pleafure or delight according to the nature of the objel,

whatever regards the purpofes of our being.

is

more than by precept that we learn every thing ; and what we learn thus we acquire not only more efFe(Slually, but more This forms our manners, our pleafantly.
by imitation
far

opinions, our lives.

links of fociety
;

It is

one of the ftrongeft

it is

a fpecies of mutual
yield

com-

pliance

which

all

men

to

each other,
that

without conftraint to themfelves, and which

is

extremely flattering to

all.

Herein

it is

painting and
laid

many

other agreeable arts have

one of the principal foundations of their

fliall

power. I

here venture to lay

down

a rule,

which may inform us with a good degree of certainty when we are to attribute the power
of the
the
arts, to imitation,

or to our pleafure of

(kill

of the imitator merely, and

in

when

to

fympathy, or fome other caufe

conjuntlion

with

it.

When the obje6t reprefented in

is

poe-

try or painting

fuch, as
;

we

could have no

defire of feeing in reality

then I

may be fure

that

power in poetry or painting is owing of imitation, and to no caufe power the to thing itfelf. So it is with moft of in the operating the painters call Still life. In which the pieces
it's

thefe a cottage, a dunghill, the meaneft and moft

ordi-

30

Oft the S

UBLIME
when the objel of the we fhould run to
us with
rely

ordinary utenfils of the kitchen, are capable of

giving us pleafure. But
painting or
fee if real,

poem
let
it

is

fuch as

afFe6i:

what odd

fort

upon it, that the power of the poem or pidure is more owing
it

of fenfe

will,

we may

to the nature of the thing

itfelf

than to the

mere efFecSl: of imitation, or to a confideration of the fkill of the imitator however excellent.
Ariftotle has fpoken fo

much and

fo folidly

upon the force of imitation in his poetics, that it makes any further difcourfe upon this
fiibjedl

the

lefs

neceflary.

SECT.

XVII.

AMBITION.

AL T H O'
men
and each
could be
eternal circle,

imitation

is

one of the gre^

perfelion,

inftruments ufed by providence in bringit's

ing our nature towards

yet

if

gave themfelves up to imitation entirely,

follo^Vea the other,
it is

and

fo

on

in

an

eafy to fee that there never

any improvement amongft them.

as

Men

mufl remain
that they

brutes do, the fame at

tiiis

the end

are at

day,

and that

they were in the beginning of the world.

prevent this,

To
a
fenfc

God

has

planted in

man

and

BEAUTIFUL.

31
from

fenfe of ambition, and a fatisfa^lion arifing

the contemplation of his excelling his fellows

in fomething
It
is

deemed valuable amongft them.

that drives

this paflion

men

to all the

ways we
and

fee in ufe of flgnalizing themfelves,

that tends to

make whatever

ej^cites in

man
fant.

the idea of this diftindtion fo very pleaIt

has been fo ftrong as to

make
it

very

miferable

men

take comfort that they were

;

fupreme in mifery

and certain

is,

that

where we cannot
thing excellent,

diftinguifh ourfelves

by fomeor
this

we

begin to take a compla*

follies,
is
;

cency in fome fmgular infirmities, defeds of one kind or other. It

principle that flattery
is

on

fo prevalent
raifes

for flat-

tery

is

no more than wh^t

idea of a

in a man's

mind an
not.

preference which

he has

Now

whatever either on good or upon

raife

bad grounds tends to

man

in his

own
tri-

opinion, produces a fort of fwelling and

umph
mind
;

that

is

extremely grateful to the

human
than

and

this fwelling is

aever more per-

ceived, nor operates with

more
are

force,

when without danger

with
terrible objects, the

we

converfant

mind always claiming to itfelf fome part of the dignity and importance of the obje(3:s with which it is converfant ; hence proceeds what Longinus has
great-

obferved of that glorying and fenfe of inward

32

On

the

UBL1ME
fills

greatnefs, that always

the reader of fuch

paflages in poets and orators as are fublime

it is

what every man muft have upon fuch occafions.

felt in

himfelf

SECT.
The

XVIII.

RECAPITULATION.

draw the whole of what has been faid The paflions into a few diftindt points. turn on pain felf prefervation, belong to which
and danger
delightful
;

npO

they

are fimply painful

;

when
and

their caufes immediately afFe6t us

they are

when we have an
this delight
it

idea of pain

danger, without being a6tually in fuch circumftances

fure,
is
;

becaufe

turns

have not called pleaon pain, and becaufe it

pofitive

different

enough from any idea of

pleafure.

Whatever

excites

this

delight,

c^Wfuhlime.

The paflions

belonging to felf-pre-

fervation are the ftrongeft of all the paffions.

SECT.

and

B E A

UTI

L.

33

SECT.

XIX.

THE
is

fecond head to which the pailions arc

referred in relation to their final caufe,

fociety.
firft is,

There
this
luft
is
j

are

two

forts

of

focieties.

The

the fociety of fex.

The
it

pafTion

belonging to
a mixture of

called love, and

its

contains

obje6i
is

is

the beauty of

women.

The
all

other

the great fociety with

man and

other animals.
is

The pafHon
obje6l
all
is

fubit

fervient to this

called likewife love, but

lufl,

has no mixture of

and

its

beauty

which

is

name

I (hall

apply to

fuch qua-

lities in things as induce in us a fenfe of affecti-

on and

tendernefs, or

fome other

paflion the

moft nearly refembli ng thefe.

love has
its

The paflion
it

of
is,

rife

in

pofitlve pleafure;

like all things

which grow out of

pleafure,

capable of being mixed with a

eafmefs, that
is,

mode of units

when an

idea of

objei^

is

excited in the

mind with an

idea at the
lofl:
it.

fame

time of having irretrievably

This

mixed
becaufe
caufe

fenfe of pleafure I
it

have not called /><3/^,

pleafure, [and beits

turns

upon adlual
its

it is

both in

caufe and in moft of

effects of a nature altogether different.

SECT,

34?

On

the

SUBLIME
XX.

SECT.
The

fame.

NEXT

to the general paflion

we

have

for fociety, to a

choice in which

we

are directed by the pleafure

we

have in the

objedl, the particular paflion under this

head

called fympathy has the greateft extent.

The
is

nature of this paffion

is

to put us in the place

in,

of another in whatever circumftance he

and to
paffion

affect:

us in a like

manner

fo that this

may,

as the occafion requires, turn ei;

ther on pain or pleafure

fications

but with the modicafes in fedl. 1 1,

mentioned

in

fome

As

to imitation
faid.

and preference nothing more

need be

SECT.
The

XXI.

CONCLUSION.
me-

Believed that an attempt to range and

thodize fome of our moft leading paffions

would be a good preparative to an enquiry of the nature of that which is to be attempted in

the enfuing difcourfe.

The

paffions

have

mentioned

and

BEAUTIFUL.

35
it

mentioned are almoft the only ones which

fider

can be neceflary to our prefent defign to con^

;

though the variety of the paflions

is

great,
riety

and worthy

in every

branch of that va-

of an attentive inveftigation.

accurately

we

fearch into the

The mor^ human mind,

on the

the flronger traces

we
it.

every where find of his

If a difcourfe

Wifdom who made

as an

ufe of the parts of the body

may be
;

confidered

hymn

to the Creator

the ufe of the

paifions,

which

are the organs of the

mind,

cannot be barren ofpraife to him, norunpro-

dudive to ourfelves of that noble and uncommon

union of fcience, and admiration, which
contemplation of the works of
infinite
;

wifdom

alone can afford to a rational mind

ferring to

whilft re-

him whatever we
wifdom even

find of right, or

good,

or fair in ourfelves,

difcovering his

llrength and
nefs

in our

own weakthem

and

imperfe6lion,

honouring

where we difcover them clearly, and adoring their profundity where we are loft in our fearch,

we may
ted,

be inquifitive without impertinence, and elevated without pride ; we may be admitif I

may

dare to fay

fo, into

the counfels

of the Almighty by a confideration of his

works.

be the principal end of

This elevation of the mind ought ta all our ftudies, which

if

36
if they

On
do not
in
little

the S

UBLIME

very

fervice to us.

fome me^fure efFed, they are of But befides this great

purpofe, a confideration of the rationale of our

paffions feems to

me

very necefTary for

all

who

would
ples.

neral

',

them upon folid and fure princiIt is not enough to know them in geto afFedl: them after a delicate manner,
afFe(Sl

or to judge properly of any work defigned to

afFe<Sl

them,

we

(hould

know

the exa6t boun;

daries of their feveral jurifdi6tions

we

(hould

purfue them through

tions,

all their

variety of opera-

and pierce into the inmoft, and what might appear inacceflible parts of our nature,

^od latet arcana mn enarrabile fihra.

Without all
this it is poffible for

man

after i

confufed manner, fometimes to

fatisfy his
;,

own

mind of

the truth of his

work

but he never

can have a certain determinate rule to go by, nor can he ever make his proportions fufficiently clear to others.
painters,

Poets,
Vi^ho
arts,

and orators, and

cultivate

and

thofe

other
this

branches of the liberal

critical

have without

knowledge fucceeded well

and will fucceed

in their fe-

veral provinces,

artificers there are

as among ; many machines made and

CYcn invented

vt^ithout

any exad knowledge of

the

and

BEAUTIFUL^
and we are happy that
it is

37
It is, I

the principles they are governed by.

ight in practice ;

own, not uncommon to be wrong in theory and

1

fo.

Men
ple
;

often aft right from their feelings,

ill

who

afterwards reafon but

on them from princi-

but as

it is

impoflible to avoid an attempt at

fuch reafoning, and equally impofllble to pre-

vent

its

haying fome influence on our praftice,

furely
juft,

it is

worth taking fome pains to have

bafis
artifts

it

and founded on the

of fure experi-

ence.

The
relied

themfelves,

who might be
much oc-

moft done

on

here, have been too

;

cupied in the pradice

little,

the philofophers have

and what they have done, was

moftly with a view to their

fyftems
;

own

fchemes and
they

and as

for thofe called critics,

have generally fought the rule of the

the

arts in

wrong place
art

they fought

it

among poems,
and buildings.

piftures,

engravings,

flatues

But
art.

can never give the rules that make an

is,

This

believe,

the

reafon

why

artifts in

general, and poets principally, have

in fo

been confined
nature

narrow a
with fo

circle

they have

been rather imitators of one another than of

;

and

this

faithful

an uniforit is

mity, and to fo remote an antiquity, that

hard to fay

who

gave the

firft

model.

Critics
little

follow them, and therefore can do

as

guides.

38
guides.
I

On

the S

UBLI

ME
arts
is

can judge but poorly of any thing

it

whilft I meafure
itfelf.

by no other ftandard than

of the
in

The

true ftandard
;

every man's power

the commoneft,

and an eafy obfervation of fometimes of the meanefl

things in nature, will give the trueft lights,

where the
flights

greateft fagacity

and induftry that

fuch obfervation, mufl leave us in the

is

dark, or what

worfe, amufe and miflead us

it is

by

falfe lights.

In an enquiry,

almoft every

thing to be once in a right road. I

I have

am

fatisfied

done but

confidered in

by thefe obfervations themfelves, and I never fhould

little

have taken the pains to digeft them, much

if I

lefs

fhould I have ever ventured to publifh them,

was not convinced

that nothing tends

more
it

to the corruption of fcience than to fufFer

ftagnate.

to

Thefe waters mufl be troubled be-

fore they can exert their virtues.

A man who

works beyond the furface of things, though he may be wrong himfelf, yet clears the way
for others, and

may chance

to

make even

his

errors fubfervient to the caufe of truth.

In

the following parts, I fhall enquire what things

they are that caufe in us the afFedions of the

fublime and beautiful, as in this I have confidered the afFciSlions themfelves.
fire

I
this

only dedifcourfe

one favour 3 that no part of

may

and

BEAU
for I

T I F U L.
have not

39

fnay be judged of by
of the
pofed
reft
;

Itfelf,

and independently
dif-

am

fenfible I

my

materials to abide the teft of a cap-

tious controverfy, but of a fober and even for-

giving examination;
at
all

that they are not

;

armed

points for battle

but drefled

to vifit

thofe

who

are willing to give

peaceful ca^

trance to truth.

The

end of the

firft

Part.

(41

Philofophical Enquiry
J

NTO
of

Origin

THE our Ideas

O F T H E

Sublime and Beautiful,

PART.
S

IL

E C T. L
by the

Of the

paffion caufed

SUBLIME.
by the great and
Afto-

TH
nifliment
;

paffion caufed

fiibllme in nature^

when thofe caufes

is is

operate moft powerfully,

and aftonifliment
all its

that ftate of

the foul, in which

motions are fufpend-

cd, with fome degree of horror. * In this cafe

the mind
that
it

is fo entirely filled with its object, cannot entertain any other, nor by confequence reafon on that objed which em-

^ Part

I.

feft.

3,4, 7.
plo)rs

42
ploys
it.

On

the

SUBLIME
great

Hence arifes the

power of the

fublime, that far from being produced by them,

it

anticipates ourreafonings, and hurries us

irrefiftible force.
is
j

on

by an
eft

Aftonifliment,
its

as I

have faid,
degree

the

efFe<3:

of the fublime in

high-

the inferior efFeis ^re admiration,

reverence and refped.

SECT.

11,

TERROR,

NO
ing as
is

paffion fo efFelually robs -the

all its

mind

of

powers of adling and reafonoperates in a

pain.

fear.

For fear being an apprehenit

fion of pain or death,

ner that relembles alual

therefore
is terrible,

manWhatever
fight,

with

regard to

fublime

too,

whether

this caufe

of ter-

ror,

be endued with greatnefs of dimenfions

;

or not

for

it

is

impoffible

to look

on any

thing as

trifling,

or contemptible,

that

may

be

dangerous.

There

are

many

animals,

who

though

far

from being

large,

are yet ca-

pable of raifing ideas of the fublime, becaufe

they are confidered as objects of terror.
ferpents

As
all

and poifonous animals of almoft

i Part 4. fea. 3, 4, 5, 6.

kinds.

and
kinds.
if

BEAUTIFUL.

43

Even

to things of great dinienfions,

we annex any

adventitious idea of terror,

they become without comparifon greater.

An
cer-

even plain of a
tainly

vaft extent

on land,

is

plain

no mean may be as
;

idea

the profpel of fuch a

extenfive as a profpecSt of the

it

ocean

but can

ever

fill

the

thing fo great as the ocean

itfelf ?
is

ing to fevcral caufes, but

it

mind with any this is owowing to none

is

more than to thisj of no fmall terror.

that the ocean

an objed

SECT.

III.

OBSCURITY.

TO

make any

thing very terrible, obfcu-

rity

When we when we can accuftom

t feems in general to be necefTarv. know the full extent of any danger,

our eyes to
it,

a great

deal of the apprehenfion vanifhes.

will be fenfible of this,

Every one

who

confiders

how

greatly night adds to our dread,

in all cafes of

danger, and

how much the

notions of ghofts

and goblins, of which none can form clear

ideas, affecl

minds, which give credit to the concerning fuch

forts

popular
(

tales

of beings.

Part 4. fe<a. 14, 15, 16.

Thofe

44

On

the

UBL

ME
are found-

Thofe defpotic governments, which

upon the
paffion of fear,

ed on the paffions of men, and principally

keep their chief as

much
ligion.

as

may

be from the public eye.

The

policy has been the fame in

many

cafes of re-

Almoft

all

the heathen temples were

dark.

Even

in the

barbarous temples
they keep

of

the Americans at this day,

idol in a dark part of the hut,

their

which

is

confe-

crated to his worfliip.

For

this purpofe

too
the

the druids performed

all their

ceremonies in

the bofom of the darkeft woods, and in

ihade of the oldeft and moft fpreading oaks.

No
I

perfon feems to have underftood the fecret

terrible things, if

of heightening, or of fetting

may

ufe the expreflion, in their flrongeft

light

by the force of a judicious obfcurity, than

His defcription of Death in the
is

Milton.

fe-

cond book

admirably ftudied

; it is

aftonifh-

ing with what a gloomy pomp, with what a

fia^nificant

and expreflive uncertainty of ftrokes

finiflied

and colouring he has

the king of terrors.

the portrait of

The
Jfjhape

ether Jhape^

it might he called that Jhape

had none
;

Dijiinguijhahle^ in member^ joints or limb

Or fubjlance

might hi called that Jhadaw feemedy

Fur

and

BEAUTIFUL.
;
;

45
;

/V eachfeemed either
Fierce as tenfuries

hlack he Jlood as night

terrible as hell\

And Jhook
The
In

a deadly dart.

What feemed his head

on.

likenefs

of a kingly crown had

all
is

this

defcription
terrible,

dark,

uncertain,
laft

confufed,
degree,

and fublime to the

SECT.
Of the
difference

IV.

betwen

CLEARNESS

and

OBSCURITY
is

with regard to the paffions.

one thing IT make another

to

to

make an
it

idea clear, and

offering to the imagi-

nation.

If I

make

a drawing of a palace or 2
I prefent a

temple, or a landfcape,
idea of thofe objects
;

very clear

but then (allov,^ing for

is

the effect of imitation which

pi6i:ure

fomething)

my

can

at

moft

affedl

only as the palace,

temple, or landfcape would have affected in

the reality.

On the other

hand, the moft lively

give, raifesa

and fpirited verbal defcription I can

very obfcure and
but then
it is

imperfecSl: idea

of fuch obje6ls;

in

my power

to raife a ftronger

imotion by the defcription than I could do by

the beft painting.

evinces.

This experience conftantly

of conveying the
ajfe^ions

The proper manner

46
affeSflons

On
;

the

UBLIME
\i

of the mind from one to another,

there
is

by words

a great infufficlency in
;

all

other methods of communication

is

nay

fo far

a clearnefs of imagery from being abfolutejy

neceflary to an influence

upon the
all,

paflions, that

they

may be confulerably operated upon without

by certain founds
;

prefenting any image at

adapted to that purpofe

fufficient

of which

we

have a

proof in the acknowledged and of inftrumental mufic.

helps but
as
it is

pow^

crful efFeds

In reali-

ty a great

clearnefs

little

towards
fort

afFevB:ing the paflions,

in

fome

an

enemy

to all enthufiafms whatfoever.

SECT.
The
'IP
on,

V.
continued.

fame
are

fubjecSl

HERE
for

two

verfes in Horace's art of

poetry that fcem to contradict this opini-

which reafon
it

fliall

take a

Iittl

more

pains in clearing

up.

The verfes

are,

Segntus irritant animos dcmijfaper aures

^am qua: funt

On
this the

oculis

fuhje^fa fidelibus.

abbe du Bos founds a criticlfm,

wherein he gives painting the preference to

poetry in the article of

moving the

paflions

and

and

BEAUTIFUL.

47
I believe

and that on account principally of the greater

learnefs of the ideas it reprefents.

this excellent judge

was led into this miftake, (if it be a miftake) by his fyftem, to which he found it more conformable than I imagine it
will be found to experience. I know feveral

who

admire and love painting, and yet

who

regard

the objedls of their admiration in that art, with

coolnefs enough, in comparifon of that

warmth

with which they are animated by

pieces of poetry or rhethoric.

afFel:ing

Among the comon

their paffions.

mon
It
is

fort

of people,

never could perceive that

painting had

much

influence

true that the befl forts of painting, as well

as the beft forts of poetry, are not

much under-

moft certain, ftood in that fphere. that their paflions are very ftrongly roufed by a fanatic preacher, or by the ballads of Chevyit

But

is

chafe,

or the children in the wood,

little

and by

other

popular poems and tales that are

life.

current in that rank of

do not

know

of

any paintings, bad or good, that produce the

fame
rity,

efFe6l.

So that poetry with

all its

obfcu-

has a more general as well as a more

powerful dominion over the paflions than the

other
art.

And

I think

there are reafons in

nature

why
It

the obfcure idea,

when

properly

conveyed, (hould be more afFeding than the

clear.
is

our ignorance of things that

caufes

4S

On

the S

UBLIME

caufes all our admiration, and chiefly excites

our paflions.

Knowledge and acquaintance

little*

make
It
is

the moft ftriking caufes afFe6l but

thus with the vulgar,

as the vulgar in vs^hat

and all men are they do not underftand*

infinity, are

The ideas
there
fo
is

of eternity, and

among

the moft afFedting

we

have, and yet perhaps

nothing of which
as of infinity

we really underftand
eternity.

little,

and

We don't

any where meet a more fubllme defcription than this juftly celebrated one of Milton,
wherein he gives the portrait of Satan with a
dignity fo fuitable to the
fubje(Sl.

He above
Stood
like

the reft

Injhape and gefture proudly eminent

a tower

-y

his form

had yet

not

loft

All her original brightnefs^ nor appeared

Lefs than archangel ruirCd^ and
th* excefs

Ofglory

cured : as tvhen the fun obf

new

ris'n

Looks through the horizontal mifty air

Shorn of his beams

or from behind the moon twilight Jheds

In dim

eclipfe difaftrous
\

On

half the nations

and with fear of change

Perplexes monarchs.

Here

is

a'very noble picture

this poetical pldture confift

and in what does in images of a

mifts

tower, an archangel, the fun rifmg through

and

BEA

U T I F U L.

49

mifts, or in an eclipfe, the ruin of

monarchs,

and the revolutions of kingdoms.

is

The mind

hurried out of

itfelf,
;

by a croud of great

and confufed images

tKem,

which

afFe6t becaufe

they are crouded and confufed.

For
the

feparate

and you

lofe

much of
railed
;

greatnefs,
lofe the

and join them,

clearnefs.

and you
images

infallibly

The

by poetry are

always of this obfcure kind

ral the efFedls

though in gene-

of poetry, are by no means to be

attributed to the images

we

it raifes ; which point examine more at large hereafter. * But painting, with only the fuperadded plea-

ftiall

Aireof imitation, can only afFeil fimply by the

images

it

prefents

but even in painting a

judicious obfcurity in fome things contributes

to the efFeft of the picture
in
;

becaufe the images

thofe in

painting
;

are

exacSlIy fimilar to

nature

and in nature dark, confufed, un-

certain images have a greater

power on the

fancy to form the grander paflions than thofe

which

But are more clear and determinate. where and when this obfervation may be applied to pradice, and how far it fhall be extended, will be better deduced from the nature
of the
fubjedi:,

and from the occafion, than from

any

rules that

can be given.

* Part

5.

SECT,

50

On

the S

UBLIME
VI.

SECT.

PRIVATION,

ALL
Solitude

general privations are great, becaufe

all terrible
5

they are

Vacuity^ Darknefi^

and Silence, With what a fire of imagination, yet with what feverity of judgment,
has Virgil amafled
all

thefe

circumftances

where he knows that all the images of a tremendous dignity ought to be united, at the mouth of hell where before he unlocks the
I

fecrets

of the great deep, he feems to be feized

retire aftonifh-

with a religious horror, and to

ed at the boldnefs of his

own

defign,

Dii qutbus imperintn eji ammarum^umbraq\{Atr\it% \

Et

Chaos,

et

Phlegeton ! loca nod:e filentia late f

Sit mihi fas audita loqui ! fit numine vejiro

Pandere
Perque

res alta terra et caligine

merfas !

Ibant obfcuri, {oh fub no61:e, per

umbram,

dotnos dites vacuas, et inania regna,

Te fubt erroneous gcds ! whofe awful fway The gliding ghofis, and filent Jhades obey ; O Chaos hoar ! and Phlegethon profound f

Whofe folemn empireJlretches wide around %

Give

ana

BEAUTIFUL.
to tell
to difplay

51

Give fne, ye great tremendous powers, Give me your mighty fecrets

O/fcenes and wonders in the depths of hell \

From

thofe

black realms of darknefs tothiday.

Pitt.
Obfcure they went through dreary (hades that led
Along the
vfdiikc

dominions of the dead.

Dryden,

SECT.
V A
S

VIT.

TN

e"s

S.

GREATNESS f of dimenfion,
erful caufe of the fublime.

is

powis

This

too

evident, and the obfervation too

need any

illuftration

but

it

is

common, to not fo comgreatnels

mon,
tity,

to

confider

in

what ways

of dimenfion, vaftnefs of extent, or quanhas the moft ftriking efFed.

are ways,

For cerfliall

tainlyi there

and modes, wherepro-

in the

fame quantity of extenfion

efFedts

duce greater
in
others.

than
is

it

is

found to do
in length,

Extenfion

either

height, or depth.
leaft
;

Of thefe

the length ftrikes

an hundred yards of even ground will

never work fuch an efFe6l as a tower an hundred yards high, or a rock or mountain of

Part 4. fea. 9.

that

52

On
is

the
I

SUBLIME
am
apt to imagine likewifey
;

that altitude.
that height

le^ grand than depth

ftruck at looking

and that

we

are

more
;

down from a
an obje^ of
not very pofiforce in

precipice, than at looking

up

at

equal height
tive.

but of that I

am

perpendicular has

more

form^

ing the fublime, than an inclined plane; and

the
effects

of a rugged and broken furface

it
is

feem ftronger than where

poliihed.
It v/ould

fmooth and

carry us out of our

way

to enter into the caufe of thefe appearances

here

but certain

it is

they aiFord a large and

fruitful field

of fpeculation,

SEC T. VIII. INFINITY.

ANOTHER fource of the fublime,
finity'j
if
it

is

in-

does
laft.

not rather in
Infinity has

fome
a ten-

fort

belong to the
fill

mind with that fort of delightful horror, which is the moft genuine effect, and trueft teft of the fublime. There are fcarce any things which can become the obdency to
the
jels of our fenfes that are really,

and in their

own

nature

infinite.

But the eye not being

able to perceive the bounds of

many

things,

they feem to be infinite, and they produce the

fame

and

BEAUTIFUL.
they were really
if

53

fame

efFets as if

fo.

We are
any

deceived in the like manner,

the parts of

fome

large object, are fo continued to

indefinite

number, that the imagination meets

no check which may hinder its extending them

at pleafure,

SECT.
The

IX.

fame.

WHENEVER
quently, the

we

repeat any idea frefort

mind by a
after

of mechacaufe has
;

nifm repeats

it

long

the

firft

ceafed to operate *.

After whirling about

objedls about us

when we

fit

down, the

ftill

feem to whirl.
forge

After 9 long fucceflion of

noifes, as the fall of waters, or the beating

of

hammers, the hammers beat and the

firft

water roars in the imagination long after the founds have ceafed to zWe6t k; and they
die

away at

laft

perceptible.

If

by gradations which are (carcely you hold up a ftrait pole, with

your eye to one end,

it will feem extended to an almoft an incredible length. Place a num-

ber of uniform and equidiftant marks on this

pole, they will caufe the fame deception, and

* Part

4. fea.

12.

feem

54
feem

On

the

SUBLIME
without end.

multiplied

The

fenfes

ftrongly aiFcCted in

fome one manner, cannot

or adapt

quickly change their tenor,

felves to other things
;

themfirft

but they continue in

their old channel until the ftrength of the

mover

decays.

This

is

the reafon of an ap-

pearance very frequent in

madmen

that they

remain whole days and nights, fometimes whole

years,
in

the conftant repetition of fome re;

mark, fome complaint, or fong

ftruck powerfully
tion,

which having
imagina-

on

their difordered

in the beginning of their phrenfy, every

repetition

reinforces

it

with

new
it

ftrength

and the hurry of

the curb

their fpirits

unreftrained,
to the

of reafon continues

end

of their

lives.

SECT.
SUCCESSION
SUCCESSION
are
I.

X.

and

UNIFORMITY.
uniformity of
parts,
artificial infinite,

and

what
;

conftitute the

SucceJJion

which

is

requifite that the parts

may

be continued fo long, and in fuch a di-

reilion, as

by

their frequent impulfes

on the
an idea

fenfe to imprefs the imagination with

of their progrcfs beyond their adlual limits.

P4rt4.

fea

14.

2.

W-

and
2. Vniform'ity
;

BEAUTIFUL.
becaufe
If

55

the figure of the parts fhould be changed, the imagination at every change finds a check you are prefented at
;

every alteration with the termination of one

idea,

means

and the beginning of another ; by which that it becomes impoffible to continue uninterrupted progreffion, which alone can
kind of
to
artificial infinity,

ftamp on bounded objefts the character of

infinity.

It is in this

believe,

we

ought

look for the

eflTei^l:.

caufe

why

a rotund has fuch a noble

For

in a rotund,

whether

it

be a building or a

plantation,

you can no where fix a boundary ; turn which way you will, the fame object ftill feems to continue, and the imaginano
reft.

tion has

But the

parts

muft be unito give

form

as well as

circularly
;

difpofed,

this figure its full force

becaufe any differ-

ence, whether
figure, or

it

be in the difpofition,or in the

is

even in the colour of the parts,

highly prejudicial to the idea of infinity, which

every change muft check and interrupt,

at

every alteration

commencing
in the

new

feries.

X Mr. Addifon
in the rotund at

pleafures of the imagination, thinks

ing.

Spedators concerning the it is becaufe

one glance you fee half the buildThis I do not imagine to be the real caufe.

SECT.

56

On

the

UBLIME
XI.
uniformity in

SECT.
The
effe&.

of fucceflion and

BUILDING.

ON
form
counted

the fame principles of fucceflion and uniformity, the grand appearance

of the ancient heathen temples, which were generally oblong forms, with a range of uni^
pillars

on every

fide,

will be eafily ac-

for.

From

the

fame caufe
of the
ifles

be derived the grand

effect

in

may many
not fo
;

of our

own

old cathedrals.

The
to

form of a

crofs ufed in

fomc churches feems

it

me

eligible, as the parallelogram of the ancients

at leaft I imagine
outfide

is

not fo proper for the

For, fuppoflng the arms of the crofs

every

way

equal,

if

you ftand

in a dlredlion

parallel to

any of the

fide walls, or

colonnades,

inftead of a deception that

more extended than

length
;

it is,

makes the building you are cut off from

its

a confiderable part (tv/o thirds) of

a^ual
of

and

to

prevent

all

poflibllity

arm of the crofs taking a new diredion, makes a right angle with the beam,
progreflion, the

and thereby wholly turns the imagination from

the repetition of the former idea.

Or

fuppofe

the fpe6lator placed where he may take a direct

1

view

and

BEAU
?

T
;

L.

57

view of fuch
confequence

a building

what

will be the

the necefTary confequence muft

be, that a good part of the bafis of each angle,

formed by the
crofs,

interfecStion

of the arms of the

;

muft be inevitably

loft

the whole muft

;

of courfe alTume a broken unconne6led figure

the
lIo;hts

muft be unequal, here ftrong, and

there weak; without that noble gradation, which the perfpective always efFedls on parts
difpofed uninterruptedly in a right line.

Some

or

all

of thefe objections, will

in

lie

againft every

figure of a crofs,
it.

whatever view you take

in

exemplified

them

the

Greek

crofs

in

which

thefe faults appear the

moft ftrongly

all forts of nothing more prejudicial to the grandeur of buildings, than to

but they appear in fome degree in

crofles.

Indeed there

is

abound

in angles

a fault

obvious in very
thirft for
is

many

and owing to an inordinate

variety, which,

whenever
true tafte.

it

prevails,

fure to

leave very

little

SECT*.

58

On

the

SUBLIME
XIL

SECT.
Magnitude
in

BUILDING.
requifite
;

O the fublime in building, gfeatnefs of dimenfion feems

not
for

on a few
greats

parts, and thofe fmall, the imagination canrife

to any idea of infinity.

No

nefs in the
for the

manner can effecStually compenfate want of proper dimenfions. There is

into extravagant
its

no danger of drawing men

dcfigns

by

this rule
it.

it

carries

own

caution

along with
in
building

Becaufe too great] a length

the

deftroys
it

purpofe of greatto

nefs,

which

was intended
it

promote,
it

as the perfpedlive will leflen

in height as
it

gains in length,

and will bring

at laft to a

point

turning the whole figure into a fort of

the pooreft in
its

triangle,

efFe6l

of almoft

any
I

figure,

that can be prefented to the eye.

that colonnades

have ever obferved,

and

avenues of trees of a moderate length, were

without comparifon far grander, than

when
on

they were fuffered to run to immenfe diftances.

true artift (hould put a generous deceit

the fpedtators, and effect the nobleft defigns by

eafy methods.

Defigns that are vaft only by

are

their dimenfions,

always the fign of a

common

and

BEA

U T I F U L.
No
it

59

common
art

and low imagination.

work of
j

can be great, but as

is

deceives

to

be

otherwife

the prerogative of nature only.

fix

good eye will

cefllve length,

the

medium betwixt an ex-

or height, (for the fame ob-

je6lion lies againft both), and a fhort or broken

quantity

and perhaps

it

might be afcertained
it

to a tolerable degree of

exacSlnefs, if

was

my

purpofe to defcend far into the particulars of

any

art.

SECT.

XIII.

INFINITY

in pleafing

OBJECTS.

INFINITY,
much
as

though of another kind, caufes

of our pleafure in agreeable, as well

of our delight in fublime images.

is

The
;

fpring

the pleafanteft of the feafons

and

the young of moft animals, though far from

being compleatly fafhioned, afford a

agreeable fenfation than the full

more
;

grown

be-

caufe the imagination

is

entertained with the

promife of fomething more, and does not acquiefce in the prefent objecl of the fenfe.
unfinifhed fketches of drawing, I

In
beft

have (ecn

fomething which pleafed

finifhing
I
;

me

beyond the

and

this I believe

proceeds from the

have

juft

now

affigned.

K^ufe

SECT.

eo

On

the

UBLIME
XIV.

SECT.

DIFFICULTY.
* 4 MOTHER fource of greatnefs is Diffil\, culty. When any work feems to have
required immenfe force and labour to efFe6t
it,

the idea

is

grand.

Stonehenge, neither for

difpofition

nor ornament, has any thing adpiled each

mirable
fet

but thofe huge rude mafles of Hone,

on end, and

on other, turn the

mind on the immenfe force neceflary for fuch a work. Nay the rudenefs of the work incrcafes this caufe of grandeur,
as
;

it

excludes

the idea of

art,

and contrivance
fort

for dexterity
is

produces another

of eiFe(5 which

differ

rent enough from this.

SECT.

XV.

MAGNIFICENCE.
TlJfAgntjicence is likewife a fcource of the -^'^ fublime. A great profufion of any things

which

are fplendid or valuable in themfelves,is

magnificent.

The ftarry heaven, though it occurs

Part

4. fea. 4, 5, 6.

fo

r
E
gives

and

BEAUTIFUL.

6f

fo very frequently to our view,never fails to excite

an idea of grandeur. This cannot be owing to any thing in the ftars themfelves, feparately confidered. The number is certainly the caufe. The apparent diforder augments it, for the
appearance of care
is

highly contrary to our

Befides, the ftars lye

ideas of magnificence.

in fuch apparent confufion, as

make

it

impofli-

ble on ordinary occafions to reckon them.

This

them the advantage of a fort of infinity. In works of art, this kind of grandeur, which
confifts in multitude,
is

to be very cautioufly

admitted

becaufe,
is

firft,

a profufion of ex-

cellent things

not to be attained, or with

;

too great difEcolty

fecondly,
all

becaufe in
ufe,

many
fliould

cafes

it

would deftroy

which

be attended to in moft of the works of

;

art with the greateft care

and with regard to

it is

diforder in the difpofition,

to be confidered,

that unlefs you can produce an appearance of

infinity

by your
fort

diforder,

you

will

have

dif-

order only without magnificence.

There

are,

however, a
things,

of fireworks, and fome other

that in this

way

fucceed well,

and

are truly grand.

SECT.

62

On

the S

UBLIME
XVI.

SECT.

LIGHT.

HAVING
it

confidered extenfion, fo far a$

is

capable of ralfing ideas of great-^

nefs

colour

comes next under

light.

confideration*

All colours depend on

Light therefore
it>

ought previoufly to be examined, and with

its

oppofite, darknefs.

With

regard to light

to

make

it
it

a caufe capable of producing the

bare faculty of fhewing other
is

fublime,

muft be attended with fome circumits

ftances, befides

objeds.
to

Mere

light

too

common

a thing

make

a ftrong impreflion on the mind, and

without a flrong impreflion nothing can be

fublime.

But fuch
fenfe,
is

a light as that of the fun,

it

immediately exerted on the eye, as

over*

powers the
with great
lightning
is

a very great idea.

this,
if it

Light

of an inferior ftrength to
celerity, has the

moves
;

fame power

for

certainly

productive of grandeur,

which
of
its

it

owes

chiefly to the

extreme velocity

motion.

quick tranfition from light

to darknefs, or from darknefs to light, has

yet a greater effed.

But darknefs

is

more

produ(Slive of fublime ideas than light, as has

been fuggefted

in the fecond fedlion of this part.

SEC

T.

and

BEA

U T I F U L.
XVII.

63

SECT
Light in

BUILDINGlight
is

AS

the

management of
in

a matter
it is

of

importance

architecture,
this

worth enquiring,
edifices calculated

how far
I

remark

is

appliall

cable to that purpofe.

think then, that

to produce

an idea of the

fublime, ought rather to be dark and gloomy,

and

this for
itfelf

darknefs

two reafons ; the firft is, that on other occafions is known by

experience to have a greater efFe6t on the

paffions than light.

The

fecond

is,

that to

make an
it

objedt very ftriking,

we fhould make

as different as poflible from the objets with which we have been immediately converfant when therefore you enter a building, you can-

not pafs into a greater light than you had in

the open
lefs,

air ; to go into one fome few degrees can make only a trifling change ; but to

make

the tranfition thoroughly ftriking,

pafs

you
to as

ought to

from the
is

greateft light,

much

darknefs as

confiftent with the ufes of

architefture.

At

night

the

contrary
;

rule

will hold,

but for the very fame reafon

and

the more highly a

room

is

then illuminated,

the grander will the pailion be.

SECT.

6^

On

the

BL

ME

SECT.
COLOUR

XVIII.

confidered as produdive of the

SUBLIME.

AMONG
cheerful,

colours, fuch as are

foft,

or

(except perhaps

a ftrong red

which

is

cheerful) are unfit to produce grand

images.

An immenfe mountain
turf, is
;

covered with
this refped,
is

a fhining green

nothing in

to one dark and gloomy

the cloudy fky

;

more grand than the blue

hiftorical

and night more

fublime and folemn than day.

Therefore in

painting, a gay or gaudy drapery^

:

can never have a happy efFed

ings,

and

in buildis

when

the higheft degree of the fublime

intended, the materials and ornaments ought

neither to be white,

nor green, nor yellow,

nor blue, nor of a pale red, nor violet, nor

fpotted,

but of fad and fufcous colours, as

black, or brown, or deep purple, and the like.

Much

of gilding, mofaics, painting or ftatues,

little

contribute but

to the fublime.

This

rule

need not be put

in practice,

except where an
is
j

uniform degree of the moft ftriking fublimity

to be produced, and that in every particular
for
it

ought to be obferved, that

it

this

melanthe

choly khid ofgrcatnefs, though

be certainly

and

BEAUTIFUL.

^$
all forts

the higheft, ought not to be ftudled in

of ed

edifices,
;

in

where yet grandeur muft be ftudifuch cafes the fublimity muft be drawn

from the other fources ; with a ftri6t caution however againft any thing light and riant ; as
nothing fo efFeaually deadens the whole tafte
of the fublime.

SECT.

XVIII.

SOUND

and

LOUDNESS.

TH E
as in
rent.

eye

tion,

is not the only organ of fenfaby which a fublime paffion may be

produced. Sounds have a great power in thefe

moft other

paflions.

do not mean

words, becaufe words do not afFedl fimply by

their founds,

but by means altogether diffeis

Exceffive loudnefs alone

foul, to fufpend

fufficient to

overpower the
to
fill

its

adlion,

and

it

with

terror.

The

noife of vaft ca^

tara61:s,

raging ftorms, thunder, or artillery,

awakes a great and awful fenfation in the mind, though we can obferve no nicety or artifice in
thofe forts of mufic.

The
efFe<St

fhouting of multi;

tudes has a fimilar

ftrength

and by the fole

of the found, (o amazes and con-

founds the imagination, that in this ftaggering,

and hurry of the mind, thebeft eftablifh-

ed tempers can fcarcely forbear being born

down.

t6

On

the S

UBLIME
common
cry,

down, and joining

in the

and

common

refolution of the croud.

SECT.

XIX.

SUDDENNESS.

A
this
;

Sudden beginning, or fudden ceflation' of found of any conliderable force, has

the fame power.

The

attention

is

roufed by
as
it

and the

faculties driven forward,

were, on their guard.

ilghts or founds

Whatever
tranfition

either

in

makes the

from one

extreme to the other eafy, caufes no terror, and confequently can be no caufe of greatnefs^

In every thing fudden and unexpedted, we are apt to ftart ; that is, we have a perception
of danger, and our nature roufes us to guard It may be obferved, that a fingle againft it.
found of fome ftrength, though but of (hort
duration,
efFedt.
if

repeated after intervals, has a grand

things are

Few

more awful than the

ftriking of a great clock,

when

the filence of

the night prevents the attention from being toq

much

fingle ftroke

The fame may be faid of a drum, repeated with paufes ; and of the fucceflive firing of cannon at a
diffipated.

on

diftance
fc(5lion

all

the efFedts mentioned in

this

have caufes very nearly alike.

SECT.

and

BEA
S

U T I F U L.

67

E E T. XX.

INTERMITTING.

AL O W,
though
lime. It
is

tremulous, intermitting found,

it

feems in fome refpedls oppofite

is

to that juft mentioned,

productive of the fubthis a little.

worth while to examine

The

fadi: itfelf

man*s

own

muft be determined by every experience, and refledlion only. I

have already obferved, that f night increafes our terror more perhaps than any thing elfe ; it
is

our nature, that,

when we do
it is,

not

know what
can
is
it,

may happen

to us, to fear the worft that

happen us ; and hence

fo terrible, that

that uncertainty

we

often feek to be rid of

at the hazard of a certain mifchief.

Now fome

low, confufed, uncertain founds, leave us in

the fame fearful anxiety concerning their caufes, that

no

light, or

an uncertain

light does

concerning the objedls that furround us.

^ale
Eft

per incertam lunam fub luce maligna

iter injilvis,

A faint Jljadow of uncertain

life

lights

Like as a lampj whofe

doth fade

away

+ Sea.

3.

Or

68

On

the

SUBLIME
cloudy night

Or as the moon cloathed with

affright.

Doth Jhewto him who walks in fear and great

Spenser.
appearing, and
is

But a
us,

light

now

now

leaving
terrible

and

fo off

and on,
;

even more
fort

than
cur,

total darknefs

and a

of uncertain

founds are,

when the neceflary

difpofitions

con-

more alarming than a

total filence.

SECT.
The
cries

xxr.

of

ANIMALS.
men, or any other aniit

SUCH
mals

founds as imitate the natural inar-

ticulate voices of

in pain or danger, are capable of convey;

ing great ideas

unlefs

be the well

known
ufed to

voice of fome creature, on which

we are

look with contempt.

The

angry tones of

wild beafts are equally capable of caufing a

great and awful fenfation*

Mine exaudiri gemitus^ iraque leonum

Vincla recufantum^ etfera fub noSie rudentum ^
Sitigerique fues,
at que in prefepihus urft

Sisvire
It

et forma:

magmrum

ululare luporum.

might fecm that thefe modulations of found

carry

fome connexion with the nature of the

things

and

BEAUTIFUL.
all

^9
animals,

things they reprefent, and are not merely arbitrary; becaufe the natural cries of

even of thofe annimals with

not been acquainted, never
felves fufficiently underftood
faid of language.

whom we
to
;

have

fail

makethemcannot be

this

The

modifications of found,

which may be produ6tive of the fublime, are Thofe I have mentioned, are almoft infinite. only a few inftances to fhew, on what principle they are all built.

SECT.
SMELL
and

XXIII.

and

TASTE. BITTERS STENCHES.

and Taftes^ have fome fhare
;

O'ME LLS^
one, weak
in
its

too, in ideas of greatne/s

but

it is

a fmall
its

nature,

and confined in

operations. I (hall only obferve, that

no fmells
is

or taftes can produce a grand fenfation, except

exceflive bitters, and intolerable ftenches. It

true, that thefe affedlions of the fmell andtafte,

when they are in their full

ly

force,

and leandirel-

upon the fenfory, are fimply painful, and accompanied with no fort of delight ; but when
they are moderated, as in a defcriptionor narrative, they become fources of the fublime as genuine as any other, and upon the very fame prin-

ciple of a moderated pain,

"

A up

of bitter*' nefs

70
*'
*'

On
;'*

the

UBLIME
cup of fortune ;'*
are all

nefs

to drain the Ijitter

the bitter apples of

Sodom." Thefe

ideas fuitableto afublime defcription.

Nor is this
where the

paflage of Virgil without fublimity,

ftench of the vapour in Albunea confpires fa

happily with the facred horror and gbominefs

of that prophetic

foreft.

At rex foUicitus monjlrorum

oracula fauni

Fatidici genhorh adity lucofque fub alt a

ConfuUt Albunea^ tmnorum quce maxima facro

Fontefonat
j

faevamq; exhalatopacaMephitim.

In the fixth book, and in a very fublime defcription, the poifonous

exhalation of Acheit

on

is

not forgot, nor does

at all

difagree
it is

with the other images amongft which

introduced.

Zpelunca "AX-zfuit^ vaftoque

immanis hlatu
tmpune
volantes.

Scrupea^ tuta lacu nigro, nemorumque tenebris

^amfuper baud ullcs poterant

Tendere

iter pennis^ talis k:ic halitus atris

Faucibus efFundens fupera ad convexa ferebat.

I have added thefe exam pies, becaufe fome friends,

to whofe judgment
if

defer

were of opinion, that

itfelf, it

the fentiment flood nakedly by

would
but

be fubjed at firfl view to burlefque and ridicule

irnd

BEAUTIFUL.'
arife

71
from

but

this I

imagine would principally

confidering the bitter nefs and flench in

com-

pany with mean and contemptible ideas, with which it muft be owned they are often united;
fuch

an

union degrades

the

fublime in
it is

all

one of the tefts by which the lublimity of an image is to be tt ied, not whether it becomes meaa

other inftances as well as in thofe. But

when
ther,

afibciated with

mean

ideas

but whefupported

when

united with images of an allowed

is

grandeur, the whole compofition

with dignity.
always great ;
able qualities,

Things which are terrible are but when thmgs poiTefs difagreeor fuch as have indeed fome deover-

gree of danger, but of a danger eafily

icome, they are merely odious as toads

fpiders,

and

SECT.

XXIV.

FEELING. PAIN.

OF

Feeling little

more can be

faid,
all

than
the

that the idea of bodily pain, in

the modes and degrees of labour, pain, anguifh, torment,

is

produ6live of the fublime

and nothing

elfe in this fenfe

can produce

it.

need not give here any frefh inftances, as thofe

given in the former
feUons abundantly
'

il-

F 4

luftrat

72

On

the

SUBLIME.
reality

luftrate a

remark, that in

wants only an

attention to nature, to be

made by every body.

caufes of the

Having thus run through the

fublime with reference to
firft

all

the fenfes,

my

obfervation,
;

(fe<3:.

7) will be found very

is

nearly true

that the fublime

an idea beit is

longing to felf-prefervation.
fore
its

That

there-

one of the moft afFeding we have. That

flrongeft emotion is an emotion of diftrefs, and that no f pofltive or abfolute pleafure belongs to it. Numberlefs examples befides

thofe mentioned, might be brought in fupport

of thefe truths, and

many

perhaps ufeful con?

fequences drawn from them.

Sedfugit intereayfugit irrevocabile tempus^

Singula

dum

capti circumve6famur amore.

Vide fea.

6.

part

i.

PART

Philofophical Enquiry
I

N T O T H
of our

Origin

Ideas

OF T H E

Sublime and Beautiful.

PART
Of

III.

BEAUTY.
SECT.
I.

IT

is

my

defign

to confider beauty
;

as

diftinguifhed

from the fublime

and in

the courfe of the enquiry,

how far
to this,

it is

confident with

it.

to examine But previous

we muft
I

take a fhort review of the

;

opinions already entertained of this quality

which
any

think are hardly to

;

be reduced to

fixed principles

becaufe

men

are ufed to
is

talk of beauty in a figurative

manner, that

to fay, in a

manner extremely

uncertain, and

indeterminate.

By

beauty I mean, that quality

74
lity

On

the

UBL

ME
it.

or thofe qualities in bodies by which they

caufe love, or fome paffion fimilar to

SECT.
Proportion not the caufe of

II.

BEA U TY

in

VEGETABLES.

BEAUTY
ing the matter,

is

ufually faid to confift in cer;

tain proportions of parts

I

on confider-

have great reafon to doubt,

at all

whether beauty be
proportion.

an idea belonging to

Proportion relates almoft wholly

to convenience, as every idea of order feems

to do
as
;

and

it

a creature

muft therefore be confidered of the underftanding, rather

than a primary caufe acting on the fenfes and imagination. It is not by the force of long attention and enquiry that we find any obje6l to
be beautiful
cerned
;

beauty
;

demands no
even the will

afliftance
is

from our reafoning

;

uncon-

the appearance of beauty as efFecSlu-

ally caufes

fome degree of love

fire

in

us, as the

application of ice or

produces the ideas of

heat or cold.

To

gain fomething like a fathis point

;

tisfadtory conclufion in

it

were
find

well to examine,
this quality

firfl,

in

what

things

we

of beauty; next, to fee whether

in

and
in thefe,

BEA

UTI
as

U L.

75

we

can find any aflignable propor-

tions, in fuch a

manner

ought to convince

us, that our idea of beauty refults

from them.
as
it

We
and

(hall confider this

pleafing power,

appears in vegetables, in the inferior animals,

in

man.

Turning our eyes

to the vege-

table creation,
tiful as

we find

nothing there fo beau-

flowers; but flowers are of almoft every

;

Ibrt

of fliape, and of every fort of difpofition

they are turned and fafhioned into an infinite

variety of forms
nifts
;

and from thefe forms, bota-

have given them their names, which are

almoft as various.

What

proportion do

we

difcover between the ftalks and the leaves of

flowers, or

between the leaves and the

piftils?

How

does the flender ftalk of the rofe agree

it

with the bulky head under which

but the rofe
is

bends

a beautiful flower
it

and can

we
tion

undertake to fay that

its
is

does not

owe a
grows
tree

great deal of
?

beauty even to that difpropora large flower, yet

;

the rofe

it

upon a
is

fmall fhrub
it

the flower of the apple

very fmall, and

grows upon a large

yet

the rofe and the apple bloflbm are both

beautiful, and the plants that bear

them

are

moft engagingly
difproportlon.

attired

notwithftanding this
is

What

by general confent

allowed to be a more beautiful object than an

orange tree, flourifbing at once with

its

leaves.
Its

y^
its

On

the
its

SUBLIME
fruit?

bloflbms, and

but

it is

in vain that

we

fearch here for any proportion

between

the height, the breadth, or any thing eKe con-

cerning the dimenfions of the whole, or concerning the relation of the particular parts
to each other.
I grant that

we may

obferve

in

many flowers, fomething

of a regular figure,

and of a methodical

difpofition of the leaves.

The
when
tains
tiful

rofe has fuch a figure and fuch a dipofiits

tion of

petals
is

but in an oblique view,

this figure

in a good meafure loft,

it

and

the order of the leaves confounded,

its

yet re-

beauty

the rofe

is
;

even more beauin the

before

it is full is

blown
formed

bud ; before
not the

this exadl: figure

and

this is

only
nefs,

inftance wherein

method and exa6lto the caufe of

the foul of proportion, are found rather

prejudicial

than ferviceable

beauty.

SECT.

III.

Proportion not the caufe of

BEAUTY ANIMALS.
buta
is full

in

'T'HAT
among

proportion has

fmall (hare in
as evident

the formation of beauty,

animals.

Here the

greateft variety of

fhapes, and difpofitions of parts are well fitted,

I
beautiful
it is.

and
fo excite this

BEAUTIFUL.
idea.

77

The

fwan, confefledly a

bird,

has a neck longer than the

reft of his body,

and but a very (hort

tail

is

this a beautiful proportion ?

But then what

fhall

we muft allow that we fay to the peareft

cock,

who
tail

has comparatively but a {hort neck,

with a

longer than the neck and the

?

of

the body taken together

How many

birds

are there that vary infinitely from each of thefe

ftandards, and from every other

which you

can

fix,

with proportions different, and often

!

diredly oppofite to each other

and yet

of thefe birds are extremely beautiful;

many when

upon confidering them we find nothing in anyone part that might determine us, a priori, to fay what the others ought to be, nor indeed to guefs any thing about them, but what experience might fhew to be full of difappointment and miftake. And with regard to the colours
either of birds or flowers,
for there
is

fome-

thing fimilar in the colouring of both,

whe-

ther they are confidered in their extenfion or

gradation,

there

is

nothing of

proportion

to be obferved.

Some

are of but one fingle

colour;

others have all the colours of the

;

rainbow
obferver
little

fome are of the primary colours,

;

others are of the mixt

in (hort,

an attentive
is

may

foon conclude, that there

as

of proportion in the colouring as in the

fhapes

7B

On

the S

UBLIME
Turn
next to beafts
;

ihapes of thefe objels.

examine the head of a

beautiful horfe

find

what proportion
each other;
proportions

that bears to his body,

and

to his limbs, and what relation thefe have to

and when you have

fettled thefe

as a ftandard of beauty,

then

take a dog or cat, or any other animal, and ex-

amine
their

how far

the fame proportions between

heads and their necks,

fo

between thofe
;

and the body, and

think

on, are found to hold

we may

fafely fay, that they differ in

every fpecies,

yet that there are individuals

'

found in a great

many

fpecies fo difFering, that

have a very ilriking beauty.

SECT,
the

IV.

Proportion not the caufe of

BEAUTY

iti

human
are

fpecies.

THERE
man
before
it

fome
that

parts

of the huobferved
;

body,

are

to

hold certain proportions to each other

but

can be proved, that

lies

the efficient
it

caufe

of beauty

in

thefe,

mufl

be

fhewn, that wherever thefe are found

the perfon to
I

exacSl,

whom

they belong

is

beautiful.

mean

in

the

efFedl:

produced on the view,

cither of

any member diftindlv confidered, or

of

I
from
it.

and

BEA

U T I F U L.
It

79
a

of the whole body together.

wife fhewn,

muft be like-

that thefe parts ftand in fuch

relation to each other, that the comparifon

between them may be eafdy made, and that

the afFedion of the mind

may

naturally refult

For

my

part, I

have at feveral times

very carefully examined

portions, and found

many

of thofe pro-

or altogether alike

them hold very nearly, in many fubjeds, which

from one another,

were not only very

different

but where one has been very beautiful, and

the other very remote from beauty.

With

re-

gard to the parts which are found fo proportioned, they are often fo remote from each

other, in fituation, nature, and office, that I

cannot
portion

fee

nor confequently

how they admit of any comparifon, how any efFe^l owing to procan refult from them. The neck, fay
it

they, in beautiful bodies fhould meafure with

the calf of the leg;

(hould likewife be twice

the circumference of the wrift.

And an

infi-

nity of obfervations of this kind to be found in

the writings,

and converfations of many. Thefe proportions are certainly to be found in handfome bodies. They are as certainly in
ugly ones, as any
try,

who
I

will take the pains to

may

find.

Nay,

do not know but they

may be
tiful.

leaft perfedi: in

fome of the mofl beaubeauty

How

are the partizans of proportional

86

Oh

the S

UBLIME

beauty agreed about the proportions of the

human body ? fome hold it to be feven heads others make it eight ; a Vaft difference ifi
fuch a fmall

number of

divifions

others take

other methods of eftimating the proportions^

and

all

with equal

fuccefs.

But

are thefe proall

portions exa6i:ly

the fame in
all

hand fome
fay

men

or are they at

the proportions found

will

in beautiful

women ? nobody

that

they are; yet both fexes are capable of beauty, but the female of the greateft, which I believer
tvill

hardly be attributed to the fuperior exadtthe fair fex.

nefs of proportion in

In fine^

take the head as the meafure of proportion in

any

fpecies

of animals,

as

in

men ;

and

having found what relation that bears to the

other parts, examine the beautiful animals of the winged ]and four-footed kinds by this rule;

and

it

will

ftandard

we have

fhew evidently what a chofen ; the fame

fallacious

will

hap-

pen
by.

if

you take any other

part of any other

animal whatfoever, as your rule to meafure

The
is

proportions of animals are relative

to the ufual form in which

this

we

fee

changed,
that

we
are

are fhocked in the

them ; if fame
not be

manner
contrary
denied,

we
if

when any
It

thing happens

to that

expectation.

muft

the

parts

of any

animal

are fo formed that they

do not well fupport

each

and

BE AUTIFUL.
efFe6l
is

8i
;

each other, the

difagreeable
is,

but to

have them fimply otherwife, that thenfome to one another,

not bur-

does not by any

means produce beauty.

SECT.

V.

Proportion further confidered.

NO W
fort

if it

be allowed, that almofl every

of form, and every manner of ar-

rangement
giue
it

ticular

is confiftent with beauty, I imaamouuts to a conceflion that no parBut if proportions are necelTary to it.

am
;

not miftaken, a great deal of the opi-

nions concerning proportion have arifen from

this

that deformity has been confidered as the

;

oppofite to beauty

and that the removal of

a miftake.

the former of thefe qualities gave birth to the

latter.

This
is

I believe

is

For de-

formity

oppofed, not to beauty, but to the

compleat,

common form.

If

one of the legs of

fomething

man be found man is deformed ;

of a

fhorter than the other, the

becaufe there

is

wanting to compleat the whole idea

we form

man

and

this

has the fame efFedt in

natural faults, as

maiming and mutilation proSo

if

duce

from accidents.
is

the
\

back

be

humped, the man

deformed

becaufe his

back

82

On

the S

UBLIME

back has an unufual figure, and what carries with it the idea of fome difeafc or misfortune fo if a man's neck be confiderably longer or
Ihorter than ufual,

that part, becaufe

we fay he is deformed in men are not commonly made

furely every hour's expe-

in that manner. rience

But

may
all

convince us, that a

man may have

neck of a
juft

his legs of an equal length, and refembling each

other in
flze,

refpe6ts,

and

his

and

his

back quite

ftrait,

without havperceivable

ing at the fame time

beauty.

the leaft

Deformity

arifes
;

from the want of

but the neceflary
is

the

common
I

proportions

refult

of their exiftence in any obje6t

fay

not

beauty.

the

common

proportions in

portions vary in

each fpecies of animals, becaufe thefe prothere can be all of them ;

abfolute proportion afligned

no

which conwords,

flitutes

an univerfal beauty
afligned,
all.

and a proportion
in other

which cannot be no proportion at

tural things

is,

But

if

proportion in na-

be relative to cuftom and ufe, the

nature of ufe and cuftom will (hew, that beauty,

which

is

a pofitive and powerful quality, canit.

not refult from

We

are fo wonderfuliy

formed, that at the fame time that

we

are

creatures vehementLy defirous of novelty,

we

are as ftrongly attached to habit and cuftom.

But

it

is

the nature of things which hold us

by

and

BEAUTIFUL.
little

83

by cuftom
are abfent.

to affeil us very

whilft

in pofTeflion of them, but ftrongly

I

we are when they

remember

to have frequented a

certain place, every day for a long time toge-

ther

and

I'

may

truly fay, that fo far

it,

from
uent,

finding pleafure in

that I v/as afFeded with

;

fort

of wearinefs and difgud

came,

I returned

without pleafure;

yet if by any means

I paffed
I

by the ufual time of

my

going thither,

was remarkably uneafy, and was not quiet till I had got into my old track. They who ufe
fnufF take
it

almoft without being fenfible that

they take

it,

and the acute fenfe of fmell

yet deprive
is

is

deadened
fo

fo as to feel hardly
;

any thing from

the fnufF-

fharp a ftimulus

taker of his box,

and he

the moft uneafy

mortal in the world.

ufual proportion in
fure to difguft,

So the want of the

other animals
is

men and

is

though

their prefence

by no
of

means any caufe of

beauty in the

real pleafure.

It is true,

that the proportions laid

down

as caufes

human body are

frequently found

in beautiful ones, becaufe they are generally

found in

all mankind ; but if it can be (hewn too that they are found without beauty, and that beauty frequently exifts without them,

and that this beauty, where it exifts, always can be alligned to other lefs equivocal caufes,
it will

natufally lead us to conclude, that pro-

prtion

g4

On
The

the

UBLIME
is

portion and beauty are not ideas of the fame

nature.
true oppofite to beauty
;

not

difproportion or deformity, but ugUnefs

it

and as

proceeds from caufes oppofite to thofe of

beauty,

pofitive

we

cannot confider

it

until

we come

to treat of that.

Between beauty

and ugllnefs there is a fort of mediocrity, in which the afligned proportions are moft com-

monly found, but

paflions.

this

has no efFedl upon the

SECT.

VI.

FITNESS not the caufe of BEAUTY.

JT
is

is

faid that the idea

of

utih'ty,

or of a
its

part's

being well adapted to anfwer

end,

the caufe of beauty,, or indeed beauty

is

itfelf.

This notion
experience.

clofely allied to the

former one

of proportion,

but furely never arofe from

at that rate,
its

For

the wedge-like

fnout of a fwine, with

tough cartilage at the

end,

its little

funk eyes, and the whole

its

make

fo well adapted to

offices

of digging, and
beautiful.

rooting,

would be extremely
bill

The
would

great bag hanging to the

of a pelican, a

thing

highly ufeful to this

as beautiful
in

animal,

be likewife
hcdgehos;,

our eyes.

The
aflaults

fo well fecured againft all

by

"^

ana
hy

BE A

UT

U L.

85

his prickly hide, or the

porcupine with his

would be then confidered as creatures of no fmall beauty. There are few animals, whofe parts are better contrived than thofe of a monkey, he has the hands of a man, joined to the fpringy limbs of a beaft ; and
mi/file quills,
is

admirably calculated for running, leaping,

and climbing: and yet there are few animals feem to us to have lefs beauty. To
grappling,

leave thefe foreign examples

if

beauty in our

own

was annexed to ufe, men would be much more lovely than women ; and
fpecies,

ftrength and agility

only beauties.

would be confidered as the But to call ftrength by the name of beauty, to have but one denomination for the qualities of a Venus and Hercufo totally different in almoft all refpe(3:s,
is

les,

furely a ftrange confufion of ideas, or abufe

of words.
gine,

The caufe of this

from
our

confufion, I ima-

proceeds

frequently

per-

ceiving the parts of the

bodies
to

human and other animal

and
;

be at once very beautiful,

very well adapted to their purpofes

are deceived

and

we

by a fophifm,
Is

which makes
only a concofly
;

us take that for a caufe which

mitant

this

is

the fophifm of the

great duft,

who
it.

imagined he
ftood upon

raifed a

becaufe he

the chariot that really raifed

liver, as

The' ftomach, the lungs, the

well as
other

86

On

the S

UBLIME

other parts,

are incomparably well adapted

;

to their purpofes

yet they are far Trom hav-

ing any beauty.

Again,

many

things

are

very beautiful, in vi^hich

cern any idea of ufe.

it is

impoffible to dif-

And I

appeal to the

firft

and moft natural

feelings

of mankind, whether

on beholding a beautiful eye, or a well-fafhioned mouth, or a well-turned leg, any ideas of

their being well fitted for feeing,

eating,

or

runnmg, ever prefent themfelves.

ufe
is it

What idea of
is

that flowers excite, the moft beautiful

?

part of the vegetable world

It

true,

that

the infinitely wife and good Creator has, of

his bounty, frequently joined beauty to thofe

things
this

which he has made

ufeful to us

but

does not prove that an idea of ufe and

beauty are the fame thing, or that they arc

any way dependent on each other.

SECT.
The
real efFeas of

VII.

FITNESS.
fit-

WH

EN

excluded proportion and

nefs

from any (hare in beauty,

did not by any

means intend
art.

to fay that they

dif-

were of no value, or that they ought to be

regarded in works of

Works
;

of art arc
it

the proper fphere of their power

and here

is

and
is

BEAUTIFUL.
v^^ith

S7

that they have their full efFedl.

Whenever
v^re

the vv^ifdom of our Creator intended that

fhould be afFeted

any thing, he did not

his

confide the execution of

defign to the

languid and precarious operation of our reafon

;

but he endued

it

with powers and pro-

perties

that prevent the underftanding,

w^ill,

and
fenfes

even the

which
is

feizing

upon the

and imagination, captivate the

underftanding
or to oppofe them.
It is

foul before the

ready either to join with them

by a long deduction
the adorable
dif-

and much
cover
in the

ftudy that

we difcover
works
it,
:

wifdom of God
it,

in his
is

when we
but in
its

the effedl

very different, not only

manner of acquiring

own

nature, from that which

ftrikes

us without

any preparation from the fublime or the beautiful.

How

different

is

the fatisfadion of an
the ufe of the mufcles

anatomift,

who

fc overs

and of the (kin,

of
the body,

the excellent contrivance

the one for the various

movements of

and the wonderful texture of the

well as inlet;

other, at once a general, covering and at once

a general outlet, as
ferent
feffes
is

how

dif-

this

from the affe6lion which pof-

an ordinary

man
and

at the fight of a deall

licate

fmooth

fkin,

the other parts of

beauty which require no inveftigation to be

perceived
?

In the former cafe,

whilft

we

look

88
look
iip

On
to
praife,

the S
the

UBLI

ME
admiration
it

Maker
;

with
the

and

the objedl

which caufes

may
very

be odious and
gination, that
artifice

diflafleful
its

latter

often fo touches us by

power on the imawe examine but little into the

of

its

contrivance, and

we

have need

of a ftrong

effort

of our reafon to difentangle

our minds from the allurements of the object

to a confideration of the

wifdom of

that

hand

which invented
as they proceed

fo

powerful a machine.

The

efFedl of proportion

and

fitnefs, at leafl: fo far

from a mere confideration of

produce approbation, the ac-

the

work

itfelf,

quiefcence of the underftanding, but not love,

nor any paflion of that

fpecies.

When wc

examine the ftrudure of a watch, when we

come

to

know

thoroughly the ufe of every

as

part of

it,

fatisfied

we

are with the fitnefs

of the whole,

we

are far

ceiving any thing like beauty

enough from perin the watchthe

in engraving,

work
.

itfelf;

but

let us

look on the cafe,

artift

labour of fome curious

with
a

little

or no idea of ufe,

we

fhall

have
ever

much

livelier idea

of beauty than
itfelf,

we

could have had from the watch

the mafter-piece of
faid,

though
I

Graham.

In beauty, as

the eifedl
;

is

previous to

any knowis

ledge of the ufe

ive

but to judge of proportion,

for

muft

know the end

which any work

defigned.

and
(Jefigned.

BEAUTIFUL.
Thus
there
is

89

According to the end the propor-

tion varies.

one proportion of a
j

tower, another ofanhoufe

one proportion of
another of a

a gallery, another of an hall,

chamber.
thefe,

To

judge of the proportions of

you muft
fenfe

be

firft

acquainted

with

the purpofes for

which they were defigned.

to be

Good
art.

and experience acting together,

is fit

find out

what

done in every work of

We
;

are rational creatures^ and in all our

to regard their end and pur-

works we ought
pofe

the gratification of any paflion,

how

innocent foever, ought only to be of fecondary confideration.

Herein

is

placed the real

power of fitnefs and proportion ; they operate on the underftanding confidering them, which approves the work and acquiefces in it.

The

paffions,

and the imagination which prinlittle

cipally raifes

them, have here very

appears in
its

to do.

When
nefs,

room

original
;

nakedlet
its

bare walls and a plain cieling

it

proportion be ever fo excellent,

little
;

pleafes very

a cold approbation
;

is

the utmoft

we

can reach
with
glafles,

much worfe

proportioned room,

elegant

mouldings and fine feftoons,

and other merely ornamental furniture,

the imagination revolt againft the
will pleafe

will

make
;

reafon

it

naked proportion of the

much more than the room which firfi:

the

90

On

the S

UBLIME
much
approved, as
its

the underilanding has Co

admirably

fitted

for

purpofes.

What

have here
tion,
is

faid

and before concerning propor-

furdly to neglecEi the Idea of ufe in the

by no means to perfuade people abworks

is

of art.
things,

It

only to (hew that thefe excellent

beauty and proportion, are not the

not that they (hould either of them be

fame

difregarded.

SECT.
The

VIII.

RECAPITULATION.
the

ON
parifon,

whole

if

fuch parts in

human

bodies as are found proportioned, were

likewlfe conftantly found beautiful, as they

ceruinly are not

or

if

they were fo fituated,

as that a pleafure

might flow from the com-

which they feldom are ; or if any were found, either in which animals, were always attendplants or ed with beauty, which never was the cafe; or if, where parts were well adapted to their purpofes, they were conftantly beautiful, and when no ufe appeared, there was no beauty, which is contrary to all experience ; we might
aflignable proportions

conclude, that beauty confifted in proportion

or

utility.

But fmce,
2

in all refpeds, the cafe

is

and
is

BEAUTIFUL.
;

91
that

quite otherwife

we may

be

fatlsfied,

beauty does not depend on thefe,

its

let

it

owe

origin to

what

elfe it will.

SECT.

IX.

Perfeaion not the caufe of

B E A U T Y,
notion
current^
;

THERE
Perfeaion
is

is

another

pretty clofely allied to the former

that

the conftituent caufe of beauty.

to extend

This opinion has been made

fo far
is

much
from

further than to fenfible obje(5tG.

But

in thefe,

perfection, confidered as fuch,

;

being the caufe of beauty

that this quality,

where

it is

higheft in the female fex, almoft

it

always carries with

imperfedion.
for

an idea of weaknefs and

Women are very fenfible of this;

lifp,

which reafon, they learn to

ficknefs.

to

tot-

ter in their

walk, to counterfeit weaknefs, and

In
all

even

this,

they are guided

by nature. Beauty in diftrefs is much the moft affecting beauty. Blufhing has little lefs power; and modefty in general, which is a
tacit

allowance of imperfe^ion.

Is itfelf

conthat

fidered as

an amiable quality,
Is fo.

and certainly
I

heightens every other that

it is

know,

in every body's mouth, that

love perfection.

This

is

to

we me a

ought to
fufficient

proof.

92

On

the

UBLIME
ought to love a fine

proof, that

it is

not the proper object of love.

Who

ever faid,

we

wo-

man, or even any of thefe beautiful animals, which pleafe us ? Here to be aft*e<Sted, there is no need of the concurrence of our will.

SECT.
How far
the idea of

X.

plied to the ^jualities of the

BE AUT Y may be ap* MIND.

in general lefs

NOR
virtues

is this

remark

appli-

cable to the qualities of the mind.

Thofe
than

which caufe admiration, and

Such
like.

are of the

fublimer kind,
Jove.
as

produce terror rather

fortitude,
juftice,

wifdom,

and the

by

Never was any man amiable Thofe which engage our hearts, which imprefs us with a
force of thefe qualities.
lovelinefs,

ienfe of

are the fofter

virtues

eafinefs of temper, compaffion, kindnefs

liberality
lefs
;

and

though certainly thofe

lefs dignity.

latter are ot

immediate and momentous concern to

and of

fociety,

But

it is

for that

reafon that they are fo amiable.

virtues turn

The

great

principally

ments, and troubles,

on dangers, punifliand are exercifed rather

in preventing the worft mifchiefs, than in dif-

penfing favours 5 and are therefore not lovely,

though

and

BEAU

T I F U L.
and
though

93

though highly venerable.

The fubordinate turn

indulgences;
inferior

on

reliefs,

gratifications,

and are therefore more

in dignity.

lovely,

Thofe

perfons

the hearts of moft people,

who creep into who are chofen as

and

the companions of their fofter hours,

their reliefs

from care and anxiety, are never

nor ftrong virrather the foft green of the foul
reft

perfons of fliining qualities,

tues.
It
is

on which we

our eyes, that are fatigued

objeiSfe.

with beholding more glaring

It is

worth obfcrving, how we feel ourfelves afFe<9:ed with reading the charaters of Caefar, and Cato, as they are fo finely drawn and contrafted

in
;

Saluft.

In

one,

the ignofcendo^

hrglundo

in the other, ni/ largiundo.

In one,
malts
to ad-

the mlferis perfugium\

in the other,

femiciem.
mire,

In the latter

we have much
him, but

much
him

to reverence, and perhaps

;

fomere-

thing to fear
ipe61:

we
;

refpe6t

we

at a diftance.

The former makes

us

familiar with

him

we love

him, and he leads

us whither he pleafes. to our

firft

To

draw things
;

clofer

and moft natural feelings

a remark

I will

add to
fe6tion

this

made upon
friend.

reading this
authority

by an ingenious

The

of a father,

fo ufeful to

our well-being, and

all

fo juftly venerable

upon

accounts, hinders

us from having that entire love for

him

that

we

94

dii the

StFB
melted

LIME
down
into the

we

have for our mothers, where the parental

is

authority

ahiioft

mo-

ther's fondnefs
rally

and indulgence. But

for
is

we

gene-

have a great love

this authority

our grandfathers,

in

whom
us,
it

from
lows

removed a degree and where the weaknefs of age melpar-

into fomething of a feminine

tiality.

SECT. XL
How
far the

idea of
to

BEA

UTY

may be

applied

V I R T U E.

FROM
going

-what has been faid in the fore-

the application of beauty to virtue

made with
of
this

we may eafily fee, how far may be propriety. The general application
fe<3:ion,

metaphorical quality to virtue,

has a

flrong
things

tendency to confound

our ideas of

and it has given rife to an infinite deal ; ofwhimfical theory; as the affixing the name of beauty to proportion, congruity and perfec-
tion,
as

well

as

to qualities of things yet

more remote from our

natural

ideas

of

it,

and from one another, has tended to confound our ideas of beauty, and left us no ftandard
or rule to judge by, that was not even
uncertain and fallacious than our

more

own

fancies.

SECT.

and

BEAUTIFUL.

95

SECT.
The
real caufe

XIL-

of

BEAUTY.
it

HAVING
beauty
is

endeavoured to fhew what

not,

remains that

we

ihould examine, at leaft with equal attention,

in

what

it

really conlifts
affe<Sting

for beauty

is

a thing

much
no
no

too

not to depend upon fome

pofitive qualities.

Now

certainly,
it

fmcc

it is

creature of our reafon, fmce

ftrikes

us

without any reference to ufe, and even where

ufe at ali

can be difcerned, iince the order

is

and method of nature

generally very difFe-

rcnt from our meafures and proportions,

we

muft conclude that beauty

part,

is,

for the greater

fome merely

fenfible

quality,

a^ng

mechanically upon the

tervention of the

human mind by the infenfes. And we ought therewhat manner

beautiful, or

fore to confider in

thofe fenfible

qualities are difpofed, in fuch things as

perience

we

find

by exwhich excite

in us the paffion of love, or

fome correlpond-

ent afFedion.

SECT.

96

On

the

U BLI

ME

SECT.

XIIL

Beautiful objels fmall.

THE
its

moft obvious point that prefents

us in examining any-bbjedl,
is

itfelf to

extent or quantity.

And what

degree of

extent prevails in bodies, that are held beautiful,

may be

gathered from the ufual manner

it.

of expreffion concerning

am

told that in

moft languages, the objects of love are fpoken of under diminutive epithets. It is fo in all
the languages of which I have any knowledge.
in

Greek the

toy,

and other diminutive terms,

are almoft always the terms of afFedtion and

tendernefs.

Thefe diminutives were commonly added by the fame people to the names of perfons with whom they converfed on terms
of friendfhip and
familiarity.
lefs

Though
flld

the

Romans were

a people of

quick and deinto the

licate feelings, yet

they naturally

lefTening termination

upon the fame occafions.

language the dito

Anciently

in

the Engllfti

miniftiing ling

was added
ftill,

the

names of

perfons or things that were the objects of love.

Some we

retain

as darling, (or little dear)

and a few others.

converfation,
it

But

to this day in ordinary

is

ufual to add the endearing

name

name

of

little

to every thing

we

love

the

French and

Italians

make ufe of thefe

more than we.

affedlion-

ate diminutives even

In the
it

animal creation, out of our

the fmall
birds,

own

fpecies,
of.

is

we are inclined to be
is
;

fond

Little

and fome of the fmaller kinds of beafts.

a

great beautiful thing,

manner of ex-

preflion fcarcely ever ufed

but that of a great

is very common. There is a wide between admiration and love. The fublime, which is the caufe of the former, always dwells on great objedls, and terrible;

ugly thing,
difference

the latter

on fmall ones, and pleafmg

we
in

fubmit to what
fubmits to us the other
;

we
in

admire

but

we

love

what

one cafe

we

are forced,

we

are flattered into compliance.

In

fhort, the ideas of the fublime

and the beauthat

it

tiful
is

ftand

on foundations

fo difl?erent,

hard, I had almofl: faid impoflible, to think

fubje<St,

of reconciling them in the fame

or the other upon the pailions.

withat-

out confiderably lefTening the efFedt of the one

So that

tending to their quantity, beautiful obje(^s are

comparatively fmall.

SECT.

98

On

the

SUBLIME
XIV.

SECT.

SMOOTHNESS.

TH E
lity fo

next property conftantly obfervable

is

in fuch objects
eflential

Smoothnefs.

qua-

to beauty, that I

do not

now

recolle6l

In

trees

any thing beautiful that is not fmooth. and flowers, fmooth leaves are beau-

fmooth flopes of earth in gardens ; fmooth ftreams in the landfcape ; fmooth coats of birds and beafts in animal beauties
tiful

in fine

women, fmooth

fkins

and in

feveral

forts of ornamental

furniture/mooth andpolifh-

ed furfaces.
cfFe6l of

very confiderable part of the

is

beauty

owing

to this quality

in-

For take any deed the moft confiderable. beautiful obje6l, and give it a broken and
rugged
ed
it

furface,
in

and however
other

well
it

formpleafes
fo

may be

refpedls,
let
it

no
not

longer.

Whereas

want ever
if it

many
moft
to

of the other conftituents,

it

wants

this,
all

the others without

becomes more pleafing than alThis feems it.

me

fo evident,

prifed, that

that I am a good deal furnone who have handled the fub-

Part 4. fea. 21.

je<a

and
jcO: have

BEA

U T I F U L;

59

made any mention of

the quality of

fmoothnefs in the enumeration of thofe that

go

to the forming of beauJty.

For indeed any

ruggednefs, any fudden projedlion, any (harp

angle
idea.

is

in the higheft degree contrary to that

SECT.
Gradual

XV.

VARIATION.
not
parts,
fo their parts
line,

BU T
They

as perfectly beautiful bodies are

compofcd of angular
vary their

never continue long in the fame right

dire6tion every

moment,

and they change under the eye by a deviation

continually carrying on,

but for whofe beit

ginning or end you will find

certain a point.

difficult to af-

The

view of a beautiful

bird will illuftrate this obfervation.

fee the

Here

we

head increafing infenfibly to the middle,

from whence it leflens gradually until it mixes with the neck ; the neck lofes itfelf in a larger fwell, which continues to the middle
of the body,
to the tail
;

when
the

the

whole decreafes again

tail

takes a

new

diredion

Part 5. fea. 23.

but

leo
but
it

On
foon

the S
its

UBL
new
;

ME
;

varies

courfe

it

blends
line
is

again with the other parts

and the

perpetually and infenfibly changing,

above,

below, upon every fide. In this defcription I have before me the idea of a dove ; it agrees
very well with moft of the conditions of beauty.
It
is

fmooth and downy

are

its

parts are (to ufe

that expreffion)

melted into one another;

you
is

prefented

with

no fudden protu-

berance through the whole, and yet the whole

continually changing. Obferve that part of a
beautiful
beautiful,

woman where fhe is

;

perhaps the moft

;

about the neck and breafts

the

fmoothnefs

the foftnefs ; the eafy and infen-

fible fwell; the variety

of the furface, which

;

is

never for the fmalleft fpace the fame

ceitful

the de-

Hides giddily, without

maze, through which the unfteady eye knowing where to fix,

it

or whither

is

carried.

Is

not this a demon-

ftration of that

change of furface continual

and yet hardly perceptible at any point which

forms one of the great conftituents of beauty
?

SECT.

and

BEAUTIFUL.
XVI.

loi

SECT.

DELICACY.

AN
of
fential

air

of robuftnefs and ftrength

is

veiy

prejudicial to beauty.

An

appearance
almoft efthe vege-

delicacy^

and even of
it.

fragility, is

to

Whoever examines

table or animal creation, will find this obfer-

vation to be founded in nature.

It is

not the

oak, the

afti,

or the elm, or

any of the
confider as
;

robuft trees of the foreft vs^hich

beautiful
;

we

they are awful and majeftic

they

infpire a fort of reverence.

It is the delicate

myrtle,
is

it

is

the orange,
it is

it is

the almond,

it

the jeflamine,

the vine,
It

which we look
is

on

as vegetable beauties.

the flowery

fpecies, fo

remarkable for

its

weaknefs and

momentary

duration, that gives us the livelieft

idea of beauty, and elegance.

Among animals
than the
amiable,

the greyhound
maftiff
;

is

more
is

beautiful

and the delicacy of a gennet, a barb,

or

an.

Arabian horfe,

much more

than the ftrength and

ftability

of fome horfes
little

of war or carriage. I need here fay

fair fex,

of the

where

believe the point will be eafily

allowed me.
iiderably

The

beauty of

women

is

con-

owing

to their weaknefs, or delicacy,

and

102
and
is

On

the

SUBLIME
a
to
it.

even enhanced by their timidity,

quality of

mind analogous

would not

here be underftood to fay, that weaknefs betraying very bad health has any fhare in beauty
;

but the

ill

efFed of this

is
ill

not becaufe
ftate

it is

weaknefs, but becaufe the

conditions of beauty
collapfe
;

of health

which produces fuch weaknefs

;

alters the other

the parts in fuch a cafe

the bright colour, the lumen purpu^

is

reum juventa
is

gone

and the

fine variation

loft in

wrinkles, fudden breaks, and right

lines.

SECT
Beauty in

XVIL

COLOUR.
may be fomewhat
infinite variety.
difficult

AS

to the colours ufually found in beautiful bodies

;

it

to afcertain them, becaufe in the feveral parts

of nature, there

is

an

ever, even in this variety,

Howwe may mark out

Firft,

fomething on which

to fettle.

the

colours of beautiful bodies muft not be dufky

or muddy, but clean and

fair.

Secondly, they

muft not be of the ftrongeft kind. Thofe which feem moft appropriated to beauty, are
the milder of every fort
blues
'y

light

greens

foft

weak whites 3 pink

reds

and

violets.

Thirdly,

and
Thirdly,
if

BEA

U T I F U L.

103

the colours be ftrong and vivid,

obje(Si:

they are always diverfified, and the

is

never of one ftrong colour

there are almoft

always fuch a number of them (as in variegated

Howers) that the ftrength and glare of each

confiderably abated.
there
is

is

In a fine complexion,

not only fome variety in the colour-

ing, but the colours, neither the red nor the

white are ftrong and glaring. Befides, they are

mixed

in fuch a
it is

manner, and with fuch graimpoilible to fix the bounds.

it

dations, that

On

the fame principle

is,

that the dubious

colour in the necks and

tails
is

of peacocks, and
fo very agreeable.

about the heads of drakes,

In
reality, the

beauty both of fliape and colour-

ing are as nearly related, as

pofe
it

we can

well fup-

poffible

for things of fuch different

natures to be.

SECT.

XVIII.

RECAPITULATION.

ON

the whole, the qualities of beauty, as

they are merely fenfible qualities, are

Firft, to

are the following.

be comparatively
Thirdly,
to
;

fmall. Secondly, to be fmooth.

have a variety in the direction of tho parts

but fourthly, to have thofe parts not angular,

but

104

On

the

SUBLIME.
Sixthly, to have
;

but melted as it were into each other. Fifthly, to be of a delicate frame, without any remarkable

appearance of ftrength.
colours clear and bright

its

but not very ftrong

if it
it

and glaring.
others.

Seventhly, or

{houldjhave

any glaring colour, to have

diverfified

with

on which beauty depends 5 properties that operate by nature, and are lefs liable to be altered by caprice, or confounded by a diverfity of
are, I believe, the properties
taftes,

Thefe

than any others,

SECT.
The

XIX.

PHYSIOGNOMY.
Phyfiogmmy has a confiderable fhare
our

THE
fpecies.

in beauty, efpecially in that of

own

The
to

mination to
ferved

manners give a certain deterthe countenance, which being obpretty

correfpond

regularly

with

them,

is

capable of joining the efFe6t of cer-

tain agreeable qualities of the

mind

10 thofe of

the body.

So that

to

form a
its full

flnifhed

human

beauty, and to

g^ive it

influence, the

face muft be exprefTive of fuch

gentle and
foft-

amiable qualities, as correfpond with the

nefs, fmoothncfs,

and delicacy of the outward

form.

SECT,

and

B E A

UT

L.

105

SECT.
The

XX.

EYE.

HAVE hitherto purpofely omitted to fpeak

of the Eye^ which has fo great a (hare in
as
It

the beauty of the animal creation,

did

not

fall fo

eafily

under the foregoing heads,

reducible to the fame prin-

though
ciples.

in fadl
I

it is

think then, that the beauty of the eye

in
its clearnefs ;

confifts, firft,

what

coloured

eye

fhall pleafe

mofl, depends a good deal on

particular fancies; but

none are pleafed with

an eye, whofe water (to ufe that term) is dull and muddy. * are pleafed with the eye in

We

this

view,

on the

principle

upon which we
glafs,

like

diamonds,
tranfparent

clear water,
fubftances.

and fuch
the
beauty,

like

Secondly,
to
its
;

motion of the eye contributes

continually fhiftlng
its
is is

by
a

diredtlon

but a flow

and languid motion

brifk

more

beautiful than
;

one

the latter

enlivening

the former
its

lovely.

Thirdly,

with regard to
it is

union

with the neighbouring parts,

to hold the
;

fame
it Is

rule that

is

given of other beautiful ones

not to

make

a ftrong deviation from the

Part 4. fea.

25;.

line

io6

On

the

UBLIME
nor to verge
Befides
all

line of the neighbouring parts;

into any exa6l geometrical figure.

this, the

eye afFedls, as

it is

expreffive of

fome

qualities of the

mind, and

its
;

principal
fo

generally arifes from this

that
is

power what we

have juft
iiere

faid

of the phyfiognomy

applicable

SECT.

XXI.

UGLINESS.
a perhaps appear IT mayof what we have before
like
tition
fort

of repe-

faid, to infift

here upon the nature of UgUnefs.

gine
it

As

ima-

to be in all refpedts the oppofite to thofe

qualities
ftituents

which we have laid down for the conBut though uglinefs be of beauty.
it is

the oppofite to beauty,

not the oppofite to

it is

proportion and

fitnefs.

For

pofHble that

a thing
tions,

may be
I

very ugly with any proporfitnefs to

and with a perfect

any

ufes.

Uglinefs

imagine likewife to be confiflcnt

enough with an idea of the fublime. But I would by no means infinuate that uglinefs
of
itfelf is

a fublime idea, unlefs united with

fuch qualities as excite a flrong terror.

SECT.

and

BEAUTIFUL.
SECT.
xxir.

107

GRACE.
f^Racefulnefs
is
;

an idea not very

it

different

^^

from beauty

confifts in
is

much

the fame

things. Gracefulnefs
pojlure and motion.

an idea belonging to be no appearance

In both thefe, to be grace-

ful, it is requifite that there

of difficulty J there of the body

;

is

required a fmall inflexion

parts, in

and a compofure of the

fuch a manner, as not to incumber each other,

nor to appear divided by

angles.

ftiarp

and fudden
that
is

In this eafe, this roundnefs, and deit is

licacy of attitude and motion,

all

the
its

magic of grace
body

confifls,

and what

called

je nefcai quoi, as will be

who

confiders

more obvious to any attentively the Venus de

Medicis, the Antlnous, or any flatue generally

allowed to be graceful in an high degree.

SECT.
ELEGANCE
and

XXIII.

SPECIOUSNESS.
is

WHEN
upon each

any body

compofed of

parts

fmooth and polllhed, without preffing

other, without Ihewing any rugged1

nels

io8

On

the

SUBLIME
at the

nefs or confufion,

and

fame time
it

afFe6tIt is

ing fome regular Jhape^ I call

clofely allied to the beautiful,
it

elegant.

only in
it

this regularity

from which however,

differing

as

makes

a very material diiFerence, in the

afFe(5lion

produced,

may

very well conftitute

I

another fpecies.
delicate

Under this head

object in nature,

rank thofe
as elegant

and regular works of

art, that imitate

no determinate
buildings,

and

pieces of furniture.

When

any
is

objc61:

partakes of the abovementioned

qualities, or of thofe

of beautiful bodies, and

;

withal of great dimenfions

it

is

full

as

remote from the idea of mere beauty.

\\.fine

I call

orfpecious,

SECT.
The
beautiful in

XXIV.

FEELING.
may be
through

TH
objefts,

foregoing defcription of beauty, fo

is

far as

taken in by the eye,

greatly illuftrated by defcribing the nature of

which produce a
I call

fimilar efFecSt

the touch. This

It correfponds

the beautiful in Feeling.

wonderfully with what caufes

pleafure
all

the fame

fpecies of

to

the fight.

There
are
all

is

a chain

in

our fenfations, they

of objedts, but
all

but different forts of feeling, calculated

to be affected

by various

forts

and
all to

BEAUTIFUL.
after the

109

be afFeded

fame manner.

AH
by Re-

bodies that are pleafant to the touchy are fo

the flightnefs of the refiftance they make.

fiftance
is

either to

motion along the

furface,
;

or to the prefTure of the parts on one another

if

the former
;

be

flight,
foft.
is

fmooth

if

the latter,

wc call the body, The chief pleafuxe

one or the other

we

receive by feeling,

in the

of thefe qualities ; and

if

there be a combination

of both,ourpleafure is greatly increafed. This is

fo plain, that
it is

rather more fit to ill uflrate other

itfelf by

things, than to be illuftrated

ple.

any exam-

The next fource of pleafure in this fenfe, as

is

in every other,

the continually prefenting

find that bodies

fomewhat new; and we

pleafant, or beautiful,

which
as

continually vary their furface, are much the moft

to the feeling,

any

one that

pleafes

may

experience.
is,

The
it

third

property in fuch objeds

furface continually varies
varies
it

that though the

its

diredion,

never

fuddenly.

The

application of

any
dif-

thing fudden, even though the impreffion itfelf

have

little

or nothing of violence,

is

agreeable.

The quick
ftart
;

application of a finger

little

notice,

warmer or makes us
it

colder than ufual, without

flight

tap

on the
effect:.

(houlder, not expedted, has the fame

Hence

is

that angular bodies,

bodies that

fuddenly

no
ford fo

On
little

the S

UBL

ME
Every
and

fuddenly vary the difelion of the outline, afpleafure to the feeling.

is
;

fuch change
in miniature

a fort of climbing or falling

fo that fquares, triangles,

other angular figures,

to the fight nor feeling.
his ftate of
riated,

are neither beautiful

Whoever compares
foft,

mind, on feeling

fmooth, va-

unangular bodies, with that in which

he

finds himfelf,

on the view of a

beautiful

objedl, will

perceive a very ftriking analogy

in the efFedts of both

; and which may go a good way towards difcovering their common

caufe.

Feeling and fight in this refpedt, dif-

fer in but a

few points.
fight;

The

touch takes in
is

the pleafure of foftnefs, which

not primarily

an object of

the fight on the other hand

comprehends colour,

which can hardly be

the touch
a
-,

made

perceptible to

the touch
idea of

again has the advantage in

new

pleafure refulting from a moderate degree of

warmth
is

but the eye triumphs in the infinite

its

extent and multiplicity of

objeds. But there

fuch a fimilitude in the plca(ures of thefe

that I

fenfes,

fible that

(as

it

is

am apt to fancy, if it were pofone might difcern colour by feeling, faid fome blind men have done) that
and the fame
difpofition

the fame colours,

of

colouring, which are found beautiful to the

fight,

and
fight,

BEAUTIFUL.
the other fenfe
;

xrx

would be found likewife moft grateful But fetting afide conjedures, to the touch.
let us pafs to

of hearing,

SECT.
The
beautiful in

XXV.

SOUNDS.
agree with

this fenfe we find an equal aptitude to be INaffedcd in a and delicate manner; and
foft

how

far fweet or beautiful founds

our defcriptions of beauty in other fenfes, th

experience of every one muft decide.

Milton

has defcribed this fpecies of mufic in one of

his juvenile

poems

*.

I need not fay that

Milton was perfedly well verfed in that art and had as fine an ear, with as happy a manner of expreffing the afFedlions of one fenfe by

metaphors taken from another, as any

that ever was.

man

The

defcription

is

as follows*

"-'And ever agalnji eating cares^ Lap me in foft Lydian airs ;

In
notes

with many a winding bout

O/" linked fweetnefs long

drawn

out

JVith wanton heed^ and giddy cunning,

*Ihe melting voice through

mazes running

II allegro,

Untwifl-

112

On

the

SUBLIME

Untwifting

all the chains that tye

The hidden foul of harmony.

Let us parallel

this

with the

foftnefs, the

wind-

ing furface, the unbroken continuance, the

eafy gradation of the beautiful in other things
;

and
with

all all

the diverllties of the feveral fcnfes,

their feveral affections,

will rather

help to throw lights from one another to finifh

one

clear, confident idea of the

it

whole, than
variety.

to obfcure

by

their intricacy

and

SECT. XXVL
Continued.

TO

the abovementioned defcription I

fliall

add one or two remarks.

The

firft is ;

that the beautiful in mufic will not bear that

loudnefs and flrength of founds, that

ufed to raife other paifions
;

may be

nor notes, which

;

are fhrill, or harfh, or deep

it

agrees beft

with fuch as are clear,

even,
that

fmooth, and
great variety,

weak.

The

fecond

is ;

and quick

tranfitions

from one meafure or tone Such f

tranfitions

to another,

are contrary to the genius of the

beautiful in mufic.
j-

often

I ne'er

am

merry,

when

hear fweet mufic.

Shakespear.
excite

and

BEAUTIFUL.
which
is

u^

excite mirth, or other fudden and tumultuous

paflions
;

but not that linking, that melting,

the characSleriftical
as
it

that languor,
efFedt of
fenfe.

the beautiful,

regards
is

every
in fadl

The

paflion excited

by beauty

nearer to a fpecies of melancholy, than to jollity

and mirth.
an

do not here mean to confpecies of notes, or tones,

fine mufic to

any one
art in

neither

is it

which

can fay
in this

any great
is,

fkill.

My fole defign

I have remark

to fettle a confiftent idea of beauty.

The

infinite variety

of the affections of the foul will

fuggeft to a good head, and fkilful ear, a variety of fuch founds,

as are fitted to raife

can be no prejudice to this, to clear and diftinguifh fome few particulars, that belong to the fame clafs, and are confiftent with
them.
It

each other, from the immenfe croud of different,

and fometimes
of thefe

contradictory

ideas,

that rank vulgarly under the ftandard of beauty.

And

it is

my

intention to

mark
the

fuch only of the leading points as fhew the

conformity of the fenfe of hearing, with

all

other fenfes in the article of their pleafures.

SECT,

114

On

the S

UBLIME
XXVII.

SECT.

TASTE

and

SMELL.
is

'"p HIS general agreement of the fenfes

ye

more evident on minutely

thofe of tafte and fmell.

confidering

We

metaphorically

apply the idea of fweetnefs to fights,

and

founds

but as the qualities ofbodies by which

fitted to excite either pleafure

they are

or pain

in thefe fenfes, are not fo obvious as they are

in the others,

we

(hall refer
is

an explanation
to confider the
it

of their analogy, which

that part, wherein

a very clofe one, ta

we come

common
all
fitted

efficient caufe
I

of beauty as

regards

the fenfes.

do not think any thing better to cftablifli a clear and fettled idea of
than
this

vifual beauty,

way

of examining the
;

fimilar pleafures of other fenfes

is
is is

for

one part
that

fometimes clear in one of the

fenfes,

more obfcure

in another

and where there

a clear concurrence of
certainty fpeak of

more
this

all, we may with any one of them. By

means, they bear witnefs to each other ;

is,

nature

as

it

were, fcrutinized

and

we

report nothing of her, but

what we receive

from her

own

information,

SECT.

and

BEAUTIFUL.
XXVIIL

US

SECT.
The

Sublime and Beautiful compared.

clofing this general

ON
pare
it

view of beauty,

it

naturally occurs, that

we

fliould
this

with the fublime

and in

comcom-

parifon there appears a remarkable contraft.

For fublime objeds

fions,

are vaft in their

dimen-

beautiful

ones

comparatively fmall

beauty fhould be fmooth, and poliflied ; the

great, rugged

and negligent; beauty fhould

line,

fhun the right

fibly
;

yet deviate from

it

infen-

the great in

many

cafes loves the right

it

line,

and when

it

deviates,

often

makes a
gloomy;
arc

ftrong deviation;
fcure
;

beauty fhould not be ob-

the great ought to be dark and

beauty fhould be light and delicate; the great

ought to be

folid,

and even maffive.

They

indeed ideas of a very different nature, one

being founded on pain, the other on pleafure;

and however they

may

vary afterwards from

the direct nature of their caufes, yet thefe

caufes keep up an eternal
diftin<5lion

between

them, a

diflindtion never to
it is

be forgotten by any

whofe

bufinefs

to afFe6t the paflions.

The

end of the Third Part*

Philofophical Enquiry
I

NTO T H
of our

Origin

Ideas

O F T H E

Sublime and Beautiful.

PART
SECT.
Of
and

IV.
I.

the efficient caufe of the S

UBLIME

BEAUTIFUL.
I fay, I intend to enquire

WHEN
be able to explain,

into the efficient caufe of fubli-

mlty and beauty,

underftood to fay, that I can

would not be
to the ul-

come

timate caufe. I do not pretend that I (hall ever

why certain afFedlions of the

body produce fuch a diftin6l 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 fliew this to be impoffible.

I

But

ii8
But

On

the

SUBLIME

we can difcover what afmind produce certain emotions of the body ; and what diftindl feelings and qualities of body fhall produce certain
I conceive, if

fections of the

determinate pailions in the mind,

others, I fancy a

and no
;

great deal will be done

fomething

not

unufeful

towards a

diftin6t

knowledge of our

paffions, fo far at leaft as

we

have them

at prefent
is

under our confidebelieve,

ration.

This
ftill

all, I

we can
be

do.

If we could advance a ftep farther,

difficulties
ftill

would

remain,

as

we

fhould
caufe.

equally diftant from the

firft

When
it

Newton
tion,

firft

difcovered the property of attrac-

and

fettled its

laws, he found

ferved

very well to explain feveral of the moft re-

markable phaenomena
could confider

in nature

but yet with

reference to the general fyftem of things,

attracSlIon

he

but as an

efFedl,

whofe caufe at that time he did not attempt But when he afterwards began to to trace. account for it by a fubtle elaftic aether, this
great

man

(if in fo

great a

man

it

be not im-

pious to difcover any thing like a blemifli)

feemcd to have quitted

his ufual cautious

man-

ner of philofophifing; fmce, perhaps, allowing

all

that has been advanced

fufficiently

on
It

this fubjet to

be
5is

proved, I think
as
it

leaves us with

roany

difficulties

found us.

That
great

and

BEAUTIFUL.
God

119

great chain of caufes, which linking one to

another even to the throne of

liimfelf,

can never be unravelled by any induftry of When we go but one ftep beyond the ours.
immediately fenfible qualities of things,

go out of our depth.

a faint ftruggle, that

we we do after, is but fhews we are in an eleAll

us.

ment, that does not belong to

So that

when

I fpeak

of caufe, and

efficient caufe, I

only mean, certain afFedlions of the mind, that caufe certain changes in the body ; or 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

would enwhat manner this power operated, without attempting to fhew why it operated in this manner ; or if I were to exit

fay

was caufed by

gravity, and I

deavour to fhew

after

plain the

efFecSls

of bodies ftriking one another

percuffion, I fhould

by the common laws of

not endeavour to explain

how motion

itfelf is

communicated.

SECT,

120

On

the S

UBLIME
IL

SECT.

ASSOCIATION.
IT
Is

no

fmall bar in the

way of our enqui-

ries into the caufes

of the paffions, that the

occafion of

many

of them are given, and that

their governing motions are imprefied at a time

when we have
at a time of

not capacity torefledl on them;

all forts

which

of

memory

is

worn

out of our minds.

afFedt us in

For befides fuch thino-s as various manners according to their

natural powers, there are afTociations

at that early feafon,

made
very

which we
diftinguifii

find

it

hard afterwards to
efFeds.

from natural

Not

antipathies

to mention the unaccountable which we find in many perfons,

we
fire

all

fteep

find it impoflible to remember when a became more terrible than a plain ; or or water more dreadful than a clod of
;

earth

though

all

thefe

are very probably

from experience, or arifing from the premonitions of others ; and fome of them imprefied, in all likelihood, pretty
either conclufions
late.

But

as

it

muft be allowed that many

for that purpofe,

things zffe6i us after a certain manner, not by

any natural powers they have

but by aflbciation
;

fo

it

would be abfurd on
the

and
tlie

BEAUTIFUL.

121

other hand, to fay that nothing afFe6ls us

;

otherwife
originally

fince Tome things muft have been and naturally agreeable or difagreeaf-

able,

from which the others derive their

;

fociated pow^ers
Jittle

and

it

would be,

fancy, to

purpofe to look for the caufes of our pafin aflbciation,

until

llons

we

fail

of them

it\

the natural properties of things,

SECT.
Caufe of

III.

PAIN

and

FEAR.
Is

IHave
not only

before obferved, f that whatever

to caufe terror,
;

qualified

is

a foundation
I add, that

capable of the fublime

t^lefe,

to

which

but

many

things from

which

we

cannot probably
efFe(Sl:,

apprehend any danger

becaufe they operate in a
obferved too,
that

have a fimilar
fimilar

manner.

whatever produces pleafure, pofitive and original pleafure,

is fit

to

have beauty engrafted

on

it.

Therefore, to clear up the nature of

it

thefe qualities,

may

be neceflary to explain

the nature of pain and pleafure on which they

depend.

A man who
;

fufFers

under violent
fccr

bodily pain

(I fuppofe the

moft violent,

Part

I.

fea. 8.

Part i. fed. 10.

caufe

121
caufe the
I fay a

On
man
in

the

SUBLIME
the

efFecSl

may be

more obvious.}
fet,

pain has his teeth

his eye-

brows are violently contra6led,

is

his forehead

wrinkled, his eyes are dragged inwards, and

great vehemence, his hair ftands
is

rolled with

an end, the voice

or terror, which

forced out in (hort flirieks

totters.

and groans, and the whole fabric

is

Fear

an apprehenfion of pain

or death, exhibits exadlly the fame efFeds, approaching in violence to thofe jufl mentioned
in proportion

to the nearnefs of the caufe,

and the weaknefs of the fubjecSt. This is not only fo in the human fpecies, but I have more than once obferved in dogs, under an apprehenfion of punifhment,
that they have writhif

ed their bodies, and yelped, and howled, as

they had adually
felt

the blows.

From hence
upon the

I conclude that pain,

and

fear, a6l

the fame parts of the body, and in the fame

manner, though fomewhat differing in degree. That pain and fear confift in an unnatural
tenfion of the nerves
;

that this

is

fometimes
into an ex-

accompanied

with

an

unnatural ftrength,

which fometimes fuddenly changes

traordinary weaknefs
;

that thefe

efFecSts

often

come on
ivith

alternately,

and fometimes mixed

is

each other.

This

the nature of all

convullivx agitations, efpecially in weaker fubje6ts.

and
jc<^s,

BEAU

T I F U L.
liable
fear.

12 j

which are the moft

between pain and

to the fc-

vereft impreflions of pain

and

The
is,

only
that

difference

terror,

on the mind, by the intervention of the body ; whereas

things which caufe pain operate
things that caufe terror generally
afFe<Sl

the

bodily organs by the operation of the

fuggefting the danger
;

mind

but both agreeing,

either primarily, or fecondarily, in producing

a tenfion, contraction, or violent emotion of

the nerves f . thing elfe ; for

They
it

agree likewife in every

appears ver}^ clearly to

from

this, as

well as from

many

other

ples, that

when

the body

is

difpofed,

me, examby any

means whatfoever, to fuch emotions, as it would acquire by the means of a certain paffion
;

it

will

of

itfelf

excite fomething very

like that paflion in the

mind.

do not here enter into the queftion debated phyfiologifts,whether pain be the efFeft of a Either contradion, or a tenfion of the nerves.

among

will ferve

my

purpofe J for by tenfion, I mean no

more than

a violent pulling of the fibres,

in

which

compofe any mufcle or membrane,

whatever

way

this is

done.

SECT.

124

On

the

UBLIME
IV.

E C T.

Continued.

TO
rious

this

purpofe

Mr. Spon,

in the

Re-

cherches d' Antiquite, gives us a cuthe celebrated phyfiognomift

this

flory of

Campanella;

man,

it

feems, had not

only made very accurate obfervations on hu-

man

faces, but vi^as very

expert in

mimickinto

ing fuch,

as

were
a

any

way remarkable.
to

When

he had

mind

penetrate

the inclinations of thofe he had to deal with,

he compofed

his face,

his

gefture,

and his

whole body,
amine

as nearly as

he could into the ex-

a6l fimilitude of the perfon he intended to ex;

and then carefully obferved what turn

fays

of mind he feemed to acquire by this chansie.

So

that,

my
if

author, he was able to enter

into the difpofitions and thoughts of people, as

efFedually as

very men.

he had been changed into the have often obferved, that on

geftures, of angry,

mimicking the looks and

involuntarily found
paffion

or placid, or frighted, or daring men, I have

my mind
I

turned to that

whofe appearance
;

endeavoured
it is

to

imitate

nay, I

am

convinced

hard to

avoid

it;

though one ftrove to feparate the

paflion

and

BEAUTIFUL*

12.5)

Our paflion from its correfpondent geftures. minds and bodies are fo clofely and intimately connected, that one is incapable of pain or
pleafure without the other.

Campanella, of
fo

whom we
ftra(St

have been fpeaking, could

ab-

his attention

from any
pain

fuiFerings of hi$
it-

body, that he was able to endure the rack

felf

without

much

and in

lefler

pains,

every body muft have obferved, that

when we
elfe,
;

can employ our attention on any thing

the pain has been for a time fufpended

the other hand,

is

if

on by any means the body

as

indifpofed to perform fuch geftures, or to

be ftimulated into fuch emotions

ufually produces in
it ;

any paffion

that pailion itfelf nevei*

can

arife,

though

its
;

caufe fhould be never fo

it

ftrongly in adion
ly mental,

though

fhould be mere-

and immediately

afFecSling

none of

the fenfes.

As an
fpite

opiate, or fpirituous liquors

fhall fufpcnd

the operation of grief, or fear,

or anger, in
trary,

of

all

our efforts to the conin the

it

and

this

by inducing

body a

dif-

pofition contrary to that

which

receives

from

thefe paffions.

SECT.

126

On

the S

UBLIME
V.
is

SECT.
How
the Sublime

produced*

HAVING

confidered terror as producing

an unnatural tenfion and certain violent emotions of the nerves ; it eafily follows, from

what we have juft

faid, that

whatever

is fitted

to produce fuch a tenfion, muft be producStive of

apaffion fimilar to terror ||, and confequently muft be a fource of the fublime, though it fhould have no idea of danger conne<5led with
it.

So

that

little

remains towards (hewing the

caufe of the fublime, but to fhew that the inftances

we gave

of

it,

in the fecond part, are

of

fuch things, as are

this fort

fitted

by nature to produce

of tenfion, either by the primary ope-

ration of the

mind or the body.

With

regard

to fuch things as afFe6l by the aflibciated idea

of danger, there can be no doubt but that they

produce terror, and aft by fome modification

of that paflion
;

and that
can as
built

terror,

when

fulfici-

ently violent, raifes the emotions of the body

juft mentioned,
if
little

be doubted.
objeft

the fublime
it,

is

on

terror, or

But fome paf;

iion like

which has pain

for

its

it is

prevloufly proper to enquire

how any

fpecies
fo

of delight can be derived from a caufe

I Part 2. fca. 2,

ap-

parently

and

BEAUTIFUL
it.

127
bevery

parently contrary to
caufe,
as I

I fay,

delight^
it
is

have often remarked,

its

evidently different in

caufe,

and in

its

own

nature, from adual and pofitive pleafure.

SECT.
How

VI.

pain can be a caufe of delight.

PROVIDENCE has
a ftate of
reft

fo ordered

it,

that
it

and ina6lion, however

may
cies
;

flatter

fome
it

principle of indolence in us,

(hould be produ(5live of
that

many

inconvenien-

fhould generate fuch diforders, as

may
our

force us to have recourfe to

fome labour,

as a thing abfolutely requifite to

lives

make

us pafs
for the

with tolerable

fatisfa<Sl:ion ^

nature of
bodies to

reft is to fufFer all

the parts of our

fall into fuch a relaxation, as not only difables the members from performing

their functions,

but takes away that vigour

towards the performing the
fecretions.

which
natural

is

requifite

and necefiary

At the

fame time, that in this languid inacSlive ftate, the nerves are more liabk to the moft horrid
convulfions, than

when

they are fufficiently

braced and ftrengthened.

je6i:ion, defpair,

Melancholy, deand often felf-murder, is the

things

confequence of the gloomy view v/e take of

xa8

Oft the

SUBLIME
The beft
5 is

things in this relaxed ftate of body.

remedy

for all thefe evils

is

exercife or labour

and labour
mufcles
confifts

a furmounting of diffculttes^ an

exertion of the
;

contradting

and

as fuch refembles pain,

power of the which

in every

in tenfion or

contraction,
is

thing but degree.

fite

Labour

not only requifit

to preferve the coarfer organs in a ftate

it is

for their functions, but

equally neceflary

to thefe finer and

more

delicate organs,

on

which, and by which, the imagination, and Since perhaps the other mental powers, a6l.
it is

probable, that not only the inferior parts

foul, as the

of the

pafHons are called, but the

underftanding

itfclf

makes

ufe of

fome
\

fine

corporeal inflruments in its operations

though

what they are, and where they but fomewhat hard to fettle
:

are,

may be
it
;

that

does
that

make

ufe of fuch, appears

from hence

a long exercife of the mental powers induces

a remarkable laflitude of the whole body
;

and

on the other hand,

that great bodily labour,

or pain, weakens, and fometimes adlually deftroys the mental faculties.

Now,

as a

due

exercife

Is

efTcntial to the coarfe

mufcular parts
this

of the conftitution, and that without

fing they

rou-

would become languid, and

difeafed,

and clogged with heterogeneous and hurtful

matter
J

the very fame rule holds with re-

card

and

BEAUTIFUL.
;

129

gard to the former

to have

order, they muft be fhaken and

them in proper worked to a

proper degree.

SECT.
EXERCISE
neceflary

VII,

for the finer organs.

AS common
pain,
is

labour,

which

is

mode of

the exercife of the grofler, a

is

mode of terror
of the fyftem
j

the exercife of the finer parts

if

and

a certain

mode of pain

is

of fuch a nature as to at upon the eye or the

ear, as they are the

moll delicate organs,

if

it

approaches more nearly to that which has a

mental caufe.

In

all thefe cafes,

the pain

and

terror are fo modified as not to be adlually

;

noxious

if

the pain
is

is

not carried to violence,

and the terror

not converfant about the preperfon, as thefe

fine,

fent deftrudion of the

tions clear the parts,

emo-

whether

or grofs,

of a dangerous and troublefome incumbrance,

they are capable of producing
delight
5

not

pleafure, but a fort of delightful horror, a fort

of tranquility tinged with terror

which

as it

belongs to felf-prcfervation
eft

is

one of theftrongis

of all the pafiions.

2. fed.

Its

object

the fublime J.

1 Part

Its

130

On

the

SUBLIME
;

Its higheft

degree I call ajiomjhment

the fub-

ordinate degrees are awe, reverence, and refpel, which by the very etymology of the words (hew from what fource they are derived, and how they ftand diftinguifhed from pofitive

pleafure.

SECT.
Why things
like

VIII.

not dangerous produce a paflion

TERROR.
or of pain,
is

4 Mode of

terror,

always
terror,

/\

the caufe of the fublime.

For

or aflbciated danger,
tion
is,

the foregoing explicaIt will

I believe, fufEcient.

require

fomething more

trouble to fhew,

that fuch

examples, as I have given of the fublime in the fecond part, are capable of producing a

mode of pain, and

and

of being thus allied to terror,

to be accounted for
firft

on the fame

principles.

And

of fuch objeds as are great in their

I

dimenfions,

fpeak of vifual objedls.

Part. a. feft* 2.

Part

I.

fea. 7.

SECT.

and

BEAU
S

T I F U L;

131

E C T. XL
]

Why

vifual

objels of great dimenfions are

Sublime.

VISION
pi6lure

is

performed by having a

formed

by the rays of

light

which in one
laft

are reflected from the obje6t, painted

piece, inftantaneoufly,

on the retina, or Or, according to others, there is but one point of any objedt painted on the eye in fuch a manner as to be perceived at once ; but by moving the eye, we gather up with great celerity, the fenervous part of the eye.
veral parts of the objeft,
fo as to

form one

uniform piece.
lowed,
it

If the former opinion be al-

will

be confidered, that a body of

all

great dimenfions,* though

the light

refle<Sl

ed from

it

fhould ftrike the eye in one inftant;

its extent we muft fuppofe formed of a vaft number of diftincSt points, every one of which, or the ray from every one,

yet with regard to

it

makes an

impreflion on the retina. So that, though the image of one point fhould caufe

but a fmall tenfion of

ther,

this

and another, and another

2. fea. 7.

membrane, anoftroke, muft

* Part

in

13*
in their
til it

On

the S

UBLIME
;

progrefs caufe a very great one, un-

arrives at laft to the higheft degree

and
all

the Vi^hole capacity of the eye, vibrating in

its parts

muft approach near to the nature of

what
it,

caufes pain, and confequently muft pro-

duce an idea of the fublime.

guifhable at once

Or

if

we
is

take

that one point only of an object

;

diftin-

the matter will

amount
it

nearly

to the

fame thing,

or rather

will

make
is

the origin of ihe fublime from greatnefs

of dimenfion yet clearer.

For

if

but one point

obferved at once, the eye muft travcrfe the

vaft fpacc of fuch bodies with great quicknefs,

and confequently the

fine nerves

and mufcles

deftined to the motion of that part muft be very

much ftrained and their great fenfibility muft make them the more afFecSled by it. Befides, it
;

fignifies juft

nothing to the effed produced, wheits

ther a
its

body has

parts connected

impreffion at once;

or

and makes making but one

it

imprefHon of a point
fucceiTion of the fame,

at a time,

caufes a

or others, fo quickly,
united
;

as to

make them feem

as

is

evident

from the

common

effedl of

whirling about a
;

lighted torch or piece of

wood

which
fire.

if

done

with celerity, feems a circle of

SECT.

and

BEAUTIFUL. SECT. X.
why

133

UNITY
T
1

requifite to vaftnefs.

may
all

be

objecS^ed to this theory, that the

eye generally receives an equal number of

rays at

times, and that therefore a great

afFecSt it

objedt cannot

by the number of rays,

more than
But

that variety of objeds

it

which the
an equal

eye muft always difcern whilft

remains open.

to this I anfwer, that admitting

number of
minous
yet
if

rays, or an equal quantity of lu-

particles to ftrike the eye at all times,

thefe rays frequently vary their nature, to blue,

now

now to

red, and fo on, or their

as to a

manner of termination

number of petty

fquares, triangles, or the like, at every change,

whether of colour or fhape, the organ has a fort

of relaxation or
tenfion, that fpecies of labour

to

which prevents that which is allied pain, and caufes the fublime. For the fum
reft,

total

of things of various kinds,

though

it

ihould equal the

number of the uniform

one entire objed:,
is

parts

compofmg fome
qual in
It
is

not ebodies.

its

effedl

upon the organs of our

next to
'y

reft in all things,

to vary our la-

bour

and

it is

not fo only in our labours, but

Befides this,
there
is

in our ftudies.

a very

ftrong reafon for the difference.

The mind
in

K3

134

Oh

the

SUBLIME
;

In reality hardly ever can attend diligently to

more than one

be
little,

thing at a time
is little,

if this

thing

the effect

and a number of

other
tion
;

little

objects cannot engage the attenis

the mind

the

objeiSi:;

and what

bounded by the bounds of is not attended to, and

what does
effedl;

notexift, are

much

the fame in the

this

but the eye or the mind (for in

is

cafe there

no

difference) in great uniform

ob-,

jects does not readily arrive at their

bounds
;

it

has no

reft,
is

whilft

it

contemplates them

the

image

much

the fame every where.

its

So

that every thing great by

ceflarily be,

quantity muft ne-

one, fimple and entire.

SECT.
The
artificial

XI.

INFINITE.
artificial infinite;

WE
and that
in

have obferved,that a fpecies of great-

nefs arifes

from the

this confifts in
:

an uniform fucccflion
like

of great parts

we

obferved too, that the fame

uniform fucceflion had a

Butbecaufe the
efFeiSs

power

in founds.

of many things are clearer

one of the
all

fenfes

than in another, and that

illuftrate

they

bear an analogy to, and

I fhall

one

another;

begin with this power in

founds, as the caufe of the fublimity from fucceflion

and
ccffion
is

BEAUTIFUL.
more obvious
I
ftiall

135

rather

in the fenfe of
all

hearing.
ferve,

And

here once for

ob-

that an inveftigation

of the natural
paflions, befides

and mechanical caufes of our

the curiofity of the
fubje61:,

gives, if they are

difcovered, a double ftrength and luftre to

rules

any
the

we

deliver

on fuch

matters.

When
it

ear receives

any flmple found,

is

ftruck

by a fingle pulfe of the air, which makes the ear-drum and the other membranous parts vibrate according to the nature and fpecies of

the ftroke. If the ftroke be ftrong, the organ of

hearing

fufFers

ia

confiderable degree of tenfion.

;

If the ftroke be repeated pretty foon after

repetition caufes
ftroke.

the

And

it

an expectation of another muft be obferved, that

caufes a tenfion.

expectation

itfelf

This

is

apparent in

many

animals, who,

when they
roufe

prepare for hearing any found,

felves,

themhere

and prick up their ears

of the founds
is

fo that

the effedl

confiderably aug-

mented by a new auxiliary, the expectation. But though after a number of ftrokes, we cxpeCl
ftill

more, not being able

to afcertain the

exaCl time of their arrival,

when

they arrive,

they produce

a fort of furprife, which in-

creafes this tenfion yet further.

For, I have
I

obferved, that

when
(as

at

any time

have wait-

ed very earneftly for fome found, that return-

ed at intervals,

the fucceffive firing of

cannon

136

On

the

SUBLIME.
fully expelled the return

cannon) though I
the found,
ftart

of

when
;

it

came,

it

always made

mc
it.

little

the ear-drum fufFered a convul-

fion,

and the whole body confented with

tenfion of the part

The
itfelf,

thus

increafing at

every blow, by the united forces of the ftroke

the expectation, and the furprife,
it

is

worked up
the fublime
pain.

to fuch a pitch as to be capable of

;

it is

brought juft to the verge of

the caufe has ceafed
-,

Even when

the

organs of hearing being often fucceffively ftruck

in a fmiilar

manner,
for

continue to vibrate in
;

that

manner

fome time longer

this is

an

additional help to the greatnefs of the efFeft.

SECT.
The

XII.

vibrations muft be fimilar.

BUT
and
it

if

the vibration be not fimilar at

it

every imprcffion,

can never be carried

beyond the number of aClual impreflions ; for move any body, as a pendulum, in one way,
will continue to ofcillate in

an arch of

the fame circle, until the

it reft
;

known
it

caufes
in

make
in
it

but

if

after firft putting

motion
becaufe

one

direction,

you pufh
firft

it

into another,
;

can
it it
j

never reafTume the

direction

can never move

itfelf,

and confequently
laft

can have but the cffed of that

motion

whereas.

and
whereas,
it

B E A
If

UT

L.

137

in the
it

fame direction you al upon

will defcribe a greater arch,

feveral times,

and move a longer time.

SECT.
The
efFeds

XIII.

of

SUCCESSION

in vlfual

objects explained,

we can comprehend clearly how things IF operate upon one of our fenfes there can
j

be very

little difficulty

in conceiving in
reft.

what

manner they

afFecSl

the

To

fay

a great

deal therefore

tions of every fenfe,

upon the correfponding affecwould tend rather to fathan to throw

that
it ;

tigue us

by an
light

ufelefs repetition,

any new
ple

upon the fubjecSt, by and diffufe manner of treating

am-

but as

in this difcourfe

we
it

chiefly attach ourfelves to

the fublime, as

affeds the eye,

we

fhall

confider particularly
fition

why

a fucceffive difpo-

of uniform parts in the fame right line

ihould be fublime,* and upon what principle it

is

enabled to

make a comparatively fmall quan-

tity

of matter fo difpofed produce a grander

effe61:,

than a

much
;

larger quantity difpofed in

another manner.
general notions

To

avoid the perplexity of

before our eyes a

let us fet

colonnade of uniform
Part 2. fea. 10.

pillars

planted in a right

lines

138
line
;

On
let

the

SUBLIME
a

us take our ftand, in fuch

man^
In

ner, that the eye

may

(hoot along this colon-

nade, for

it

has

its

beft efFedi: in this view.

it is

our prefent

fituation

plain, that the rays

from the
itfelf.

firft

round

pillar will caufe in the

eye a

vibration of that fpecies; an image of the pillar

The
it ;

pillar

immediately fucceeding in-

creafes

that

which follows renews and en;

forces the impreffion

each in

its

order as

it

fuccecds, repeats impulfe after impulfe, and

flroke after ftroke, until the eye long exercifed

in one particular

way cannot
it

lofe that obje6t

immediately
this

and being violently roufed by

prefents the

continued agitation,

with a grand or fublime conception.

ftead of viewing a rank of uniform
let us fuppofe,

mind But inpillars

that they fucceed each other, a

alternately. In this cafe
firft

round and a fquare one

perifhes as foon as

the vibration caufed by the

it is

round

pillar

formed; and one of quite

its

another
place
;

fort

(the fquare) diredlly occupies

which however it refigns as quickly to the round one ; and thus the eye proceeds, alternately, taking up one image and laying down
another, as long as the building
continues.
at

From whence
as
it

it is

obvious, that

the laft

pillar, the impreffion is as far

from continuing

was

at the very firft;

becaufe in hS:, the

fenfory can receive no d ift ind impreffion but from

the

and
the
laft ;

BEAU
it

T I F U L.
itfelf

139
refume ^ of
ori-

and

can never of

diflimilar impreffion: befides, every variation

the obje<Sl

is

a reft and relaxation to the

;

gans of fight

and thefe
produce
as

reliefs

prevent that

violent emotion fo necefTary to produce the

fublime.

To

therefore a

perfed:

grandeur in fuch things

we have been men-

tioning, there fhould be a perfedl fimplicity,

anabfolute uniformity in difpolition, fhape and

colouring.

and uniformity
bare
v/'Al

Upon this principle it may be afked,

;

of fucceffion
vs^hy

a long

fhould not be a more fublime obje6t

fince the fucceffion
is no way no check

than a colonnade
interrupted
;

fince the eye meets

fince nothing

A long bare wall

objecSt as a

more uniform can be conceived ? is certainly not fo grand an

not altogether
difficult to

colonnade of the fame length and

account
a naked

height.

It is

for this difference.

When we look at

wall, from the evennefs of the object, the eye

runs along
ly at
its

its

whole fpace, and

;

arrives quick-

termination
interrupt

the eye meets nothing

its

which may

progrefs

but then
it

it

meets nothing which

may

detain

a proper
effect.

time to produce a very great and lafting

view of a bare wall, if it be of a gr^at height and length, is undoubtedly grand but
:

The

this

is

only one idea, and not a repetition of

;

Jtmllar ideas

it is

therefore great, not fo

much
upoQ

140 upon the

vajlnefs.

On

the

SUBLIME

upon that of But we are not fo powerfully afFe6ted with any one impulfe, unlefs it be one of a
principle of infinity^ as

prodigious force, as

we

are with a fucceflion

of limilar impulfes
fenfory

becaufe the nerves of the

do not

(if I

may

ufe the expreflion)

acquire a habit of repeating the fame feeling

in fuch a
its

manner
is

as to continue
;

it

longer than
the eiFeds

caufe
I

in a6lion

befides,

all

which

have attributed to expedlation and

fe6t.

furprife in

ii.

can have no place in a

bare wall.

SECT.
Locke's

XIV.
darknefs,

opinion concerning
confidered.

IT hot

is

Mr. Locke's

opinion, that darknefs

is

naturally an idea of terror; and that,

light
is

though an exceflive
troublefome.

painful to the fenfe,

is

that the greateft excefs of darknefs

no ways
having

He

obferves indeed in another

place, that a nurfe or

old

woman

once aflbciated the ideas of ghofts and goblins

with that of darknefs

night ever after

becomes
tion.

painful and horrible to the imagina-

The

authority of this great

doubtlefs as great, as that of any

man is man can be,

and

and
and
it

BEAUTIFUL.
*

i^i

feems to ftand in the

way of our gene;

ral principle.

We

have confidered darknefs

and

as a caufe of the

fublime

we

have'all

along confidered the fublime as depending on

fome modification of pain or terror j fo that, if darknefs be no way painful or terrible to any, who have not had their minds early
tainted with fuperftitions,
it

can be no fource
all

of the fublime to them. But with

to fuch an authority
aflbciation of a
;

deference

it

feems to me, that an

ciation

more general nature 5 an aflbwhich takes in all mankind may make

terrible
;

darknefs

for in utter darknefs,

it

is

know in what degree of Mety we ftand ; we are ignorant of the objeds that furround us; we may every moment ftrike againft fome dangerous obftru<Slion we may fall down a precipice the iirft ftep we take and if any enemy approach, we know not
impoflible to
;

in

cafe

what quarter to defend ourfelves ; in fuch a ftrength is no fure proted^ion ; wifdom

a6i:

can only

by guefs

the boldeft are ftagelfe

gered, and he

who would pray for nothing

is

tov/ards his defence,

forced to pray for light.

* Part

2.

fed. 3.

As

i43t

On
it is

the

UBL

ME

As
furely

to the aflbciation of ghofts and goblins

more
fit

natural to think, that dark-

nefs being originally an idea of terror, was

chofen as a
tations,

fcene for fuch terrible reprefen-

than that fuch rcprefentations have

made
very
fort
;

darknefs terrible.

eafily Hides into

The mind of man an error of the former

all

but

it

is

very hard to imagine, that an

times, and in

idea Co univerfally terrible in

all countries, as

darknefs has been, could poffet

fibly

have been owing to a

fo precarious.

of idle
trivial,

ftories,

or to any caufe of a nature fo

and of

an operation

SECT.
PERHAPS

XV.

DARKNESS terrible by its own nature.

it

may

appear on enquiry, that

blacknefs and darknefs are in

fome de-

gree painful by their natural operation, inde-

pendent of any aflbciations whatfoever. I muft

obferve, that the ideas of darknefs and blacknefs are

much

the fame, and that they differ

only in
idea.

blacknefs is a more Mr. Chefeldcn has given us a

this, that

confined very cublind,

rious ftory of a boy,

who had been born

and continued
teen years old

fo until
;

he was thirteen or fourfor a cataratS^,

he was then couched

and
tara<Et,

BEA

tr

T I F U L.

143
his

by which operation he received

fight.

Among many
firft

remarkable particulars
perceptions, and judg-

that attended his

ments on
that the
it

vifual objects,

Chefelden

tells

us,

firft

time the boy faw a black object

gave him great uneafinefs

after,

time

and that fomc ; upon accidentally feeing a negro

ftruck with great horror at

woman, he was
the
fight.

The

horror,

in this

cafe,

can

fcarcely be fuppofed to arife

tion.

from any

alTocia-

The boy appears by

and
:

the account to be
fenfible for

particularly obferving,
his age

one of
if

and therefore,
felt at

it is

probable,
firft

the

great uneafinefs he

the

fight of black

had

arifen

from

its

connexion with any other

difagreeable

ideas,
it.

he would have obferved

and mentioned
fe6t

For an

idea, difagreeable
its
ill

only by aflbciation, has the caufe of

ef-

on the
;

paffions evident

enough
it is

at the firft

impreffion

in ordinary cafes,
;

indeed fre^

quently

loft

but this

is,

becaufe the original

early,

aflbciation

was made very

and the conIn our

fequent impreffion repeated

inftance, there

often.

was no time for fuch an habit; and there is no reafon to think, that the ill effets of black on his imagination were more owing to its connexion with any difagreeable ideas, than that the good eiFed^s of more
cheerful colours were derived from their con-

nexion

144

On

the S

UBLIME
They had
their natural

nexion with pleafing ones.

probably their
ration.
efFecSs

both ope-

from

SECT.
The
caufe

XVI.
is terrible.

why

DARKNES S
to
in fuch a

may be worth while IT darknefs can operate

to caufe pain
thofe nerves,
It
;

examine,

how
as

manner

that

is,

to produce a tenfion in
fight.

which form the organs of

that
ftill

may be

obferved,

as

we

recede
it,

from the

light,
is

nature has fo contrived

that the pupil

iris,

enlarged by the retiring of the

in proportion to

our
it

recefs.

Now
light;

in-

{lead of declining

from

but a

little,

fuppofe
it

that
is

we withdraw
iris
is

entirely

from the

reafonable to think, that the expanfion of

the

proportionably greater,
darknefs

and that
to be fo

this part

may by great

come
;

expanded, as to ftretch the nerves that compofe

it

far

beyond

their natural tone

and by

this

means
tenfion

to produce a painful fenfation.

it

Such a

feems there certainly

;

is,

whilft

we

are

involved in darknefs

for in fuch a ftate whilft

the eye remains open,

nifus

there
as

is

a continual

to

receive

light,

appears

by the
feem

flaflies,

and luminous appearances which often

and

BEA

UT

U L.

145

feem in thefe circumftances to play before it ; and which can be nothing but the effc6t of
fpafms, produced by
its

own

efforts in purfuit

of

its

objed

for

many

other ftrong impulfes

will produce the idea of light in the eye, befides the fubftance of light
itfelf,

as

we

ex-

perience on

many

occafions.
ill

It

may

perhaps

be obje6led, that the

effects

of darknefs or

blacknefs feem rather mental than corporeal 5 and I own it is true, that they do fo ; and fo

do

all

thofe that depend

on the

afFe6lions
ill

of

the finer parts of our fyftem.

The

elFedls

of bad weather appear often no other wife, than in a melancholy and dejedion of fpirits, though
without doubt, in
fufFer firll,

this cafe,

the bodily organs

and the mind through thefe organs.

SECT.
The
effeas of

XVIT.

BLACKNESS.
;

BLacknefs
therefore

is it

but a partial darknefs

derives

and

fome

of its

powers from

being mixed
bodies.

and furrounded with coloured In its own nature, it cannot be conBlack bodies, refleling
fight,

fidered as a colour.

none, or but a few rays, with regard to

are but as

among

the

many vacant objects we view.

fo

fpaces

difperfcd

When

the eye
light

146
lights

On

the S

UBLIME

on one of thefe vacuities, after having been kept in feme degree of tenfion by the
it,

play of the adjacent colours upon

ly
falls

it

fuddenit

into a relaxation

out of which

as

fuddenly recovers by a convulfive fpring.

illuftrate this
;

To

let us confider, that

intend to

fit

on a

chair,

and

find

when we it much
is

lower than was expected, the fhock

violent
;

very

much more

violent than

could be

thought from

fo flight a fall as

the difference

between one chair and another can poflibly make. Or if, after defccnding a flight of ftairs,

we
is

attempt inadvertently to take another

fl:ep

in the

manner of the former ones, the fhock

;

extreamly rude and difagreeable

art,

and by

no

can

we

caufe fuch a fhock by the fame

means, when

we exped
that this
is

and prepare for

I I

it.

When

I fay,

owing

to having the

change made contrary to expedation;

do not

mean folely, when likcwife, that when any organ

fome time
vulfive
affected in

the;w ind expedls.

mean
is

offenfc

for

fome one manner,

is

if it

be

fuddenly affected otherwife there enfues a con-

motion

fuch a convulfion as

caufed

when any thin^ happens againft the expedlance of the mind. And though it may appear flrange
that fuch a change as produces a relaxation,

Ihould immediately produce a fudden convulfion

;

it

is

yet mofl certainly fo, and fo in all

the

and
the fenfes.
relaxation
;

BEAUTIFUL.
Every one knows that
and that
to bring
filence,

147
is

fleep

where nothing
adion,
is

kfeeps the organs of hearing in

in

general

fitteft

when

a fort

on this relaxation ; yet of murmuring founds difpofe a

that
is,

man
the

to fleep, let thcfe founds ceafe fuddenly,

;

and the -perfon immediately awakes

parts

are

braced up fuddenly,
I

and he

awakes.
felf,

This
I

have often experienced

my-

and

have heard the fame from obferv-

ing perfons.

In like manner,
fudden darknefs
time,

if

a perfon in

broad day light were falling afleep, to introduce

would

prevent

his fleep for that

though filence and

darknefs in themfelves, and not fuddenly introduced, are very favourable to

it.

This I knew
but I

only by conjecture on the analogy of the fenfes

when

I firft digefled thefe obfervations

it.

have fmce experienced

And I have often ex-

perienced, and fo have a thoufand others ; that on the firft declining towards fleep, we have

been fuddenly awaked with a moft violent ftart ; and that this ftart was generally preceded by a fort of dream of our falling
a precipice
arife
;
:

down

whence does

this ftrange

motion

but from the too fudden relaxation of

the body,

ture reftores

which by fome mechanifm in naitfelf by as quick and vigorous an

exertion of the contrading

cles
?

power of the muftion;

the dream

itfelf is

caufed by this relaxa-

148
tion
;

On
and
it

the
is

SUBLIME
The
parts re-

of too uniform nature to be

attributed to any other caufe.

lax foo fuddenly,

falling
this
;

which

is

in the nature of

and

this accident

of the body induces

image

in the
ftate

mind.

When we

are in a
all

confirmed

of health and vigour, as

lefs

changes are then

violent with us,

we can
fenfa-

feldom complain of
tion.

this difagreeable

SECT.
The
efFeas of

XVIII.

BLACKNESS moderated.
the efFeds of black be pain-

TH O U G H
always continue
every thing.

ful originally,
fo.

we muft
Cuftom

not think they

reconciles us to

After

we have been

ufed to the

fight of black objedls, tlie terror abates, and the

fmoothnefs or

gloffinefs or

fome agreeable acci-

dent of bodies fo coloured, foftens in fome meafure the horror

and flernnefs of their original

nature
fion

yet the nature of the original imprefcontinues.

ftill

Black will always have

it,

fomcthing melancholy in
fory will aiways find the

becaufe the fenit

change to
or
if it

from

other colours too violent

occupy the

darknefs

whole compafs of the fight, it will then be and what was faid of darknefs, will ; be applicable here. I do not purpofe to go
into

and
into
all

BEA

U T I F U L.

149

that might be faid

to illuflrate this

theory of the efFeds of light and darknefs

neither will I

examine

all

the different efFedls

produced by the various

obfervations have
I conceive
all

modifications and
If the foregoing
in nature,

mixtures of thefe two caufes.

any foundation

them very fufficient to account for the phasnomena that can arife from all the

combinations of black with other colours.

ry objection, would be an endlefs labour.

To

enter into every particular, or to anfwer eve-

We

have only followed the moft leading roads and we fhall obferve the fame conduit in our
enquiry into the caufe of beauty.

SECT.
The

XIX.

phyfical caufe of

LOV

E.

WHEN we
as

have before us fuch objedls

excite love

and complacency, the

far as I

body

is

afFeled, fo

could obferve,

much
are

in the following

manner.
fide
;

The

head
roll

reclines fomething

on one

the eyelids

more
is

clofed than ufual,

and the eyes

gently with an inclination to the objedl, the

mouth

little

opened, and the breath drawn

flowly, with

now
is

and then a low figh

the
fall

whole body

compofed, and the hands

idly

150
idly to

On

the

SUBLIME
All this
is

the fides.

accompanied
proportioned

with an inward fenfe of melting and languor.

Thefe appearances
fenfibility in

are always

to the degree of beauty in the objecSl,

and of

the obferver.

And

this gradation

from the highefl pitch of beauty and fenfibility, even to the loweft of mediocrity and indifference, and their correfpondent effects, ought
to be kept in view,
elfe

this defcription will

it it

feem exaggerated, which

certainly
is

is

not.

But from
fible

this defcription

almoft impof-

not to conclude, that beauty ads by re-

laxing the folidsof the whole fyftem.

are
all

There
;

the appearances of fuch a relaxation

and a relaxation fomcwhat below the natural

tone feems to
tive pleafure.

me

to be the caufe of

all

pofi-

This

will, I conceive,
if

appear

beyond any reafonable doubt,

that fuch things as

we can (hew

we have

already obferved

to be the genuine conftituents of beauty, have

each of them feparately taken a natural ten-

dency to relax the

fibres.

And

if it

be allowed

us, that the appearance of the

human body,

when
on,

all thefe

properties are united together

before the fenfory, further favours this opini-

we may

venture, I believe, to conclude,

is

that the pafTion called love

relaxation.

produced by

this

ing,

By the fame method of reafonwhich Ave have ufed in the enquiry into
the

and

BEAUTIFUL.
we may
by caufing a relaxation

151
Hkewife
in the
;

thecaufes of the fublime,

conclude, that as a beautiful object prefented

to the
fenfe,

body, produces the paffion of love in the mind

fo if by

any means the paffion

fliould firft

have

its origin in

the mind, a relaxation of the outwill as certainly enfuein a degree

ward organs

proportioned to the caufe.

SECT.

XX.
is

Why SMOOTHNESS
to explain IT beauty, that
is

beautiful.

the true caufe of vifual

I call in the affiftance

it

of the

other fenfes.

If

appears

tha.t fmoothnefs is

principal caufe of pleafure to the touch, tafle,

fmell, and hearing,
it

will be eafily admitted

efpecially as
this

a conftituent of vifual beauty,

we

have before fhewn, that

quality
all

is

found almoft without exception in

that are by general

bodies

confent held

beautiful.

Now

with refped to the fenfe oifieling^ there

can be no doubt that bodies which are rough and

angular, roufe and vellicate the parts, caufing a
fenfe of pain,

which

confifts in the violent ten-

iion or contraction of the mufcular fibres.

On

the contrary, the application of fmooth bodies

relax
5

gentle ftroking with a fmooth hand al-

lays

152

On

the

UBLIME
and
rela\'es

lays violent pains and cramps,

the fufFering parts from their unnatural tenfion

and

it

has therefore very often no

mean

ef-

fe6t in

removing fwel lings and obftru6^ions.

is

The
foft,

fenfe of feeling

highly gratified
laid,

whh
and
vi^ay

fmooth bodies.
that
is,

A
is

bed fmoothly
the refiftance
is

where

every

inconfiderable,

a great luxury, difpofing to

an univerfal relaxation, and inducing beyond any thing elfc, that fpecies of it called
fleep.

SECT.
SWEETNESS,

XXI.
its

nature.

NOR
ation.

is it

only in the touch, that fmooth

bodies caufc pofitive pleafure by relax-

In the fmell and

tafte,

we

find all

things agreeable to

commonly

called

which are fweet, to be of a fmooth naand

all

them,

ture, and that they

their refpclive
fider the tafte.

evidently tend to relax

fenfories.

Let us
is

firrt

con-

Since

it

moft eafy to en-

quire into the property of liquids, and fince

all

things feem to

want

a fluid vehicle to

make

them

taftcd at all, I intend rather to confider

the liquid than the folid parts of our food.

The

vehicles of all taftes aje ivaUr

and oiL

And

and

BEAU

T I F U L.
Is

153
fait,

And what
or
its

determines the tafle

fome
its

^vhich afFe6ls varioufly according to

nature,

manner of being combined with other

things.

Water and

oil

fimply confidered are

tafte.

capable of giving fome pleafure to the

Water, when
colourlefs,
cold to

fimple,

is

infipid,

inodorous,

and fmooth,

it is

found

when

not

be a great refolver of fpafms, and lu;

bricator of the fibres

this

owes

to

its

fmoothnefs.

power it probably For as fluidity de-

pends, according to the moft general opinion,

hefion of the

on the roundnefs, fmoothnefs, and weak cocomponent parts of any body

and
as

water adts merely as a fimple

its

fluid,

it

follows, that the caufe of

fluidity is

like-

wife the caufe of

its

relaxing quality ; namely,

its

the fmoothnefs
parts.

and flippery texture of

fimple,

The
too,

other fluid vehicle of taftes

is

is oil.

This

when
talle.

fomewhat

infipid,

inodorous,

colourlefs,
It is

and fmooth

to

the

touch and

fmoother than water,

and
is in

in

many

cafes yet

more

relaxing.

Oil
the

fome degree pleafant

tafte,

to the eye,
it is.

touch and the

is

infipid as

not fo grateful, which I

not fo

Water do not know on

Suppofe

what

principle to account for, other than that

is

that water

foft

and fmooth.

that to this oil or water

quantity of a fpecific

fait,

were added a certain which had a power of

putting

T54

On

the

SUBLIME
;

ting the nervous papillae of the tongue into a

gentle vibratory motion

diflblved in
it.

as

fuppofe fugar
oil,

The

fmoothnefs of the
fait,

and

the vibratory power of the

caufe the fenfe

we
is

call fweetnefs.

In

all

fweet bodies, fugar,

different

or a fubftance very
conftantly found

little
;

from fugar,
fait

every fpecies of
its

ex-

amined by the microfcope has

regular, invariable form.

own

diftincS:,
is

That of
If

nitre

a
;

pointed oblong

that of fea fait an exaft cube

that of fugar a perfect globe.

tried

you have
as the

how fmooth

globular bodies,

marbles with which boys amufe themfelves,

have

afFedled the touch

when

they are rolled

backward and forward and over one another, you will eafily conceive how fweetnefs, which
confifts in
tafte
;

fait

of fuch nature, afFeds the

for a fingle globe,

though fomewhat
its

pleafant to the feeling, by the regularity of

form, and the fomewhat too fudden deviation

of
its

parts

from a right

line,

is

nothing near
to

fo pleafant to the touch

as

feveral globes,

where the hand gently

another
if
;

rifes to
is

one and

falls

and

this pleafure

greatly increafed

the globes are in motion,

;

and Aiding over

difpofition of the

one another
wearinefs,

for this foft variety prevents that

which the uniform

feveral globes

would otherwife produce. Thus

though

in fweet liquors, the parts of the fluid vehicle

and

BEA

UT

U L.

155

though moft probably round, are yet (o minute as to concealthe figure of their component
parts

from the
;

nlceft inquifition of the

micro-

fcope

and confequently being

fort

fo exceffively

minute, they have a

the
tafte,

of

flat

fimplicity to

refembhng

the
;

effeds of plain
for if a

fmooth bodies

to the touch

compofed of round
be both to the

parts exceffively fmall,

body be and

packed pretty clofely together, the furface wiM

fight

and touch as
It
is

if it

were
from

nearly plain and fmcoth.

clear

their unveiling their figure to the microfcope,

that the particles

of fugar are confiderably

larger than thofe of water or oil, and confe-

quently that their efFeds from their roundnefs

will be

more

diftincSl

vous

papillae of that nice

and palpable to the nerorgan the tongue

they will induce that fenfe called fweetnels,

which

in a weak,

manner we
in

difcover in oil,
;

and in a yet weaker

they arc, water and

water

for infipid as

oil

are In

fome degree
to

fweet; and
things of

it

may

be obferved, that infipid

all

kinds approach

more nearly

the nature of fweetnefs than to that of any

other

tafte.

SECT,

IS6

On

the

SUBLIME
XXII.
relaxing.

SECT.

SWEETNESS
fenfes

we have remarked, that the other INfmooth ought things are relaxing. Now
it

to appear that fweet things, which are the

fmooth of

tafte, are

relaxing too.
is

Thi.t

fweet

things are generally fo

fuch, efpecially thofe

evident, becaufe all

oily,

which are moft

taken frequently or in a large quantity, very

much
taftes,

enfeeble the tone of the ftomach. Sweet

fmells,

which bear a great

affinity to f^ycet

relax very remarkably.

The
;

fmell of

flowers difpofes people to drowfinefs

and

this

relaxing

efFecSt is

further apparent from the pre-

judice which people of weak nerves receive from

their ufc.
It

were worth while

to

examine,

whether
fait are

taftes

of this kind, fweet ones, taftes

that are caufed by fmooth oils and a relaxing

not the originally pleafant

taftes.

For

ni^y which
at>all

ufe has rendered fuch,

firft.

were not

agreeable at

The way

to

examine

this is,

to try what nature has originally pro-

vided for us, which fhe has undoubtedly

originally pleafant
fion. Alilk
is
:

made

and

to analyfe this provi-

the

firft

fupport of our childhood.

The component

parts of this are water, oil,

and

and and a
fort

BEAUTIFUL.
fait called

157
the fugar
a great

of a very fweet
All thefe

of milk.

when blended have

fmoothnefs to the tafte,

and a relaxing quality

to the Ikin.
is fruit,

The

next thing children covet

and of
;

fruits, thofe principally

which

and every one knows that the fweetnefs of fruit is caufed by a fubtle oil and
are fweet

fuch a

fait as

that mentioned in the laft fedion.

Afterwards, cuftom, habit, the defire of novelty,

and a thoufand other caufes,

rate,

fo

mix, adulte-

and change our palates, that

reafon

we

can no
about

longer

with

any

fatisfation

them.
obferve

Before
;

we

quit this article

we muft

that as fmooth things are, as fuch,

agreeable to the tafte, and are found of a re; fo on the other hand, things which are found by experience to be of a

laxing quality

ftrengthening quality, and

fit

to brace the fibres,

are almoft univerfally rough and pungent to the

tafte,

and in many cafes rough even to the

touch.

We often apply the quality

fenfes,

of fweet-

nefs, metaphorically, to vifual objeds.

For

the better carrying on this remarkable analogy

of the

we may

here call fweetnefs the

beautiful pf the tafte.

SECT.

158

On

the S

BL

ME

SECT.
V A R I A T I O N,

XXIII.

why

beautiful.

ANOTHER
tiful

principal property of beauis,

objeds

that the line of their

its

parts
it

is

continually varying
it

direftion

but
it

varies

by a very
it

infenfible deviation,

never varies

fo quickly as to furprife, or
its

by

the fliarpnefs of

angle to caufe any twitch-

ing or convulfion of the optic nerve. Nothing

long continued

in the

fame manner, nothing

;

very fuddenly varied can be beautiful

becaufe

both are oppofite to that agreeable relaxation^

which
It
is

is

th6 charadbriftic effeS: of beauty.

all

thus in
is

the fenfes.

motion in a
to

l-ight line,

that

manner of moving next

a very gentle defcent, in which

leaft refiftance,

we meet

the

yet

it

is

not that manner ot

moving, which next

the lead.
there
is

to a defcent, wearies us
;

Reft certainly tends to relax

a fpecies of
reft
;

yet

motion which relaxes

more than
a
rifing

a gentle ofcillatory motion,

and

falling.

Rocking
;

fets

children to
is

ileep better than abfolute reft

there

indeed

fcarce any thing at that age, which gives

pleafure than to be gently lifted

more

up and down
with

the

manner of playing which a

their nurfes ufc

and

BEAUTIFUL
this very fufficiently.

159

with children, and the weighing and Twinging

ufed afterwards by themfelves as a favourite a-

mufement, evince

Moft

people muft have obferved the fort of fcnfe they

have had, on being

coach , on a fmooth
declivities.

fwiftly

drawn

in an eafy

turf,

with grad ual afcents and

This
arid

will give a better idea of the

point out its probable caufc better than almoft any thing elfe. the
beautiful,

On

contrary

when one

is

hurried over a rough,

felt

rocky, broken road, the pain

by

thefe

fudden inequalities fliews

feelings

why

fimilar fights,

and founds, are

fo contrary to

beauex-

ty

and with regard to the feeling,

it is

actly the

fame

in

its

effect,

or very nearly the

fame, whether, for inftance, I

or whether fuch a body

move my hand
fliape,

along the furface of a body of a certain

is

moved along

my

hand.

But

to bring this analogy of the fenfes

;

home

to the eye

if

a body prefented to that

furface that the rays

fenfe has fuch a

waving
it

of light refle6ied from

weakeft, which

are in

a continual

infenfiWe deviation from the ftrongeft to the

is

always the cafe in a furface

in

it muft be exa6tly fimilar on the eye and touch ; one of which operates on it diredlly, on the other

gradually unequal,
its

efFe6l

indiredly.
if

And

this

body

will

be beautiful
continued.

the lines

which compofe

its

furface are not

i6(>

On
vv^eary

the

UBLIME
manner
that

continued, even fo varied, in a

may

or diifipate the attention.

SECT.
Concerning

XXI.

SMALLNESS.
may
arife

TO
its

avoid a famenefs vi^hich

from the too frequent repetition of the

illuftrations of the

fame reafonings, and of

fa.mc nature, I
vi^ill

not enter very minutely into

it

every particular that regards beauty, as

is

founded on the difpofition of

quantity
itfelf.

its

quantity, or

In fpcaking of the magniis

tude of bodies there

great uncertainty, be-

caufe the ideas of great and fmall, are terms

almoft entirely
objects,

relative to the fpecies of the

infinite.
It
is

which are

true,

that

having once fixed the fpecies of any objedl,

and the dimenfions common

of that fpecies,
ftandard
thcfe

in the individuals

we may
fall

obfcrve fome that

exceed, and fome that

:

fhort of the ordinary

which

greatly exceed,
itfelf

are

by

that excefs, provided the fpecies

be not than

very fmall,
beautiful
;

rather

great

and

terrible

but as in the animal world, and in

a good meafure in the vegetable world likewife, the qualities that conftitute beauty

may

poiTibly be united to thijigs of greater dimenfions

and
fions
;

BEAUTIFUL.
I

i6i

when

they are fo united they conftitute

a {pedes fomething different both from thefub-

lime and beautiful, which

ed Fine
',

have before

call-

but this kind I imagine has not fuch

a power on the paffions, either as vaft bodies

have which are endued with the correfpondent

qualities of the fublime
;

or as the qualities of
in a fmall objecSl.

beauty have when united

the fpoils of beauty,
lieved
;

The

afFedlion produced by large bodies adorned with

is

a tenfion continually re-

which approaches nearer to the nature of mediocrity. But if J were to fay how I find myfelf aiFedled upon fuch occafions, I
Ihould fay, that the fublime fufFers
lefs

by be-

ing united to fome of the qualities of beauty,

than beauty does by being joined to greatnefs of

quantity, or any other properties of the fublime.

There

is

fomething

fo over-ruling in
all

infpires us

with awe, in

things

whatever which belong

elfe

ever fo remotely to terror, that nothing

fland in their prefence.

can

There lie the qualities of

;

beauty either dead and unoperative

or at moil

exerted to mollify th^ rigour and fternnefs of

the terror, which

is

the natural concomitant

of greatnefs. Befides the extraordinary great in

every fpecies, the oppofite to
this,

the dwarfifh

and diminutive ought to be confidered.

llenefs,

Lit-

merely as fuch, has nothing contrary to

the idea of beauty.

The humming bird both

in

i62
in fhape

On

the

SUBLIME
yields to
it is

and colouring

winged
nefs.

fpecies,

of which
is

the leaft

none of the ; and

which when
(if

perhaps his beauty

enhanced by his fmallever)

But

there are animals,

they are extremely fmall are rarely

beautiful.

There
in

is

a dwarfifh fize of
is

men

and women, which

grofs

almoft conllantly (o

and maffive

comparifon of their height,

that

they prefent us with a very difagree-

able image.

But

if

man was

found not

above two or three

a perfon to have

feet high,
all

fuppofing fuch

the parts of his body

fize,

of a delicacy fuitablc to fuch a

wife endued with the
beautiful bodies
;

and other-

common qualities of other am pretty well convinced

;

that a perfon of fuch a ftature might well be

confidcrcd as beautiful

might be the object

might give us very pleafing ideas on viewing him. The only thing which could poflibly interpofc to check this pleafure is, that
of love
;

fuch creatures, however formed, are unufual,

and are often therefore confidered

monftrous.

as

fomething
contrary
fuppofc a
let

The

large'

and gigantic, though

is

very compatible with the fubllme,

to the beautiful.

It Is impoflible to

giant to be the object of love.

When we

our imaginations loofe

ranny, cruelty,

in romance,the.ldeas

we

naturally annex to that fize are thofe of tyinjuftice,

and every thing horrid

and
rid

BEAUTIFUL.

163

and abominable.

We paint the giant ra-

vaging the country, plundering the innocent

and afterwards gorging himfelf with fuch are Polyphemus, bis half-Hving fiefli
traveller,
:

Cacus, and others,

who make

fuch a figure in

romances

and heroic poems.

The

event
is

we
all

attend to with the greateft fatisfadtion

their defeat

and death.
that the

do not remember in

that multitude of deaths with

is filled,

Iliad

fall

which the of any man remarkappear that the aunature,ever intend-

able for his great ftature and flrength touches

us witH pity

nor docs

it

thor,ro well read in

human

ed

it

fhould.

It is

Simoifius in the foft

bloom
trem;

of youth, torn from his parents,

ble for a courage fo
it is
ill

who

fuited to his ftrength

another hurried by war from the

;

new emand a

braces of his bride

young, and

fair,

novice to the
timely
fate.

field,

who

melts us by his un-

Achilles, in fpite of the

many
great

qualities of beauty

which Homer has beftow-

ed on his outward form, and the

virtues with

many
his

which he has adorned

It

mind,
be ob-

can never make us love him.

ferved, that

may

Homer

has given the Trojans,

whofe
virtues

fate

he has defigned to excite our comitiore

panion, infinitely

of

the,'

amiable

focial

than he has diflributed

among

his

Greeks.

With

regard to the Trojans, the

paflioii

i64
paffion

On

the S

BL
is

ME
pity
;

he chufes to
;

raife

a paflion
if I

founded on love
ble.

and thefe
by

lejfery

and

may

fay, domcftic virtues, are

far the

moft amiafar their

But he has made the Greeks

and military
councils of Priam are

fuperiors in the politic

virtues.

The
far

weak
;

the arms

of He6lor comparatively feeble

his

courage

below that of Achilles.

Yet we love

Priam more than Agamemnon, and Hedlor more than his conqueror Achilles. Admiration
is

the paflion which

Home? would

excite in
it

favour of the Greeks, and he has done

by

beftowing on them the virtues which have but

little

to

do with

love.

This

fhort digreffion is

perhaps not wholly befide our purpofe, where

our bufinefs
the

is

to fliew, that obje6ls of great

dimenfions are

incompatible

with

beauty,

more incompatible
if
is

as they are- greater;

fail

whereas the fmall,

this failure

ever they

of beauty,
fize.

not to be attributed to their

SECT.
Of

XXVI.

COLOUR.
but I conceive
the
to

WITH
is

regard to colour, the difquifition

almofl infinite;

the principles laid

down

in

beginning
for

of

this

part

are

fufficient

account

the

an(t

BEAUTIFUL.
all,

165
for the

the effedts of them

agreeable effect

as well as

of traniparent bodies,

whe-

ther fluid or folid.

Suppofe

look at a bottle

of

muddy

liquor, of a blue or red colour, the

blue or red rays cannot pafs clearly to the eye,

but are fuddenly and unequally flopped by the

intervention of
little

opaque bodies, which

without preparation change the idea, and change

it too into one difagreeable in its own nature, conformable to the principles laid down in
fe<5l.

24.

But when the ray

palles

without

fuch oppofition through the glafs or liquor,

when

the glafs or liquor

is

are quite tranfpa-

rent, the light

fomething foftened in the

it

pafTage,
as light;

which makes

more agreeable even

all

and the liquor reflecting

it

the rays

of

its

proper colour evenly^

has fuch an ef-

on the eye, as fmooth opaque bodies have on the eye and touch. So that the pleafure here is compounded of the foftnefs of the tranffecSt

mitted, and the evennefs of the refle6led light.

This

pleafure

may be

heightened by the
if

com-

mon

principles in other things,

glafs

the fliape

of the

which holds the tranfparent liquor

be fo judicioufly varied, as to prefent the colour

gradually and interchangeably weakened and

ftrengthened with

all

that variety

which judg-

ment

in affairs of this nature fhall fuggefl.

all

On
jl9

a review of

that has been faid of the efFedts,

i66

On

the

SUBLIME
;

as well as the caufes of both

it

will appear,

that the fublime and beautiful

are built

on

principles very different, and that their affections are as different

its
:

the great has terror for

it is

bafis

which, when

modified, caufes
I

that emotion in

the mind, which

have called

aftonifhment

the beautiful

is

founded on

mere

politive pleafure,

and excites in the foul

called
love.

that feeling,
caufes have
part.

which

is

Their

made

the fubjedt of this fourth

The

end of the Fourth Part.

and

BEAUTIFUL.

167

Philofophical Enquiry

INTO THE Origin of our Ideas

O F T H E

Sublime and Beautiful.

PART
SECT.
Of

V.
I.

O R D

S.

NATURAL
and certain confequent

things afFea us,

the laws of that connexion,

providence has eftablifhed

by which between

certain motions and configurations of bodies,

feelings in our minds.

Painting afFe6ts in the fame manner, but with

the fuperadded pleafure of imitation
;

archi-

tedure afFcds by the laws of nature, and the

law of reafon
praifed

from which

latter refult the

rules of proportion,

which make a work to be or cenfured, in the whole or in fome

part.

i68
part,
is

On
when
is
;

the

SUBLIME
it

the end for which

or

not properly anfwered.

they feem to
different

was defigned But as to

a
in

words

me

to

afFed us in

manner very

from that

are affeded by natural things,

which we or by painting

or architedure ; yet words have as confidcrable

a fhare in exciting ideas of beauty and of the

fublime as any of thefe, and fometimes a
greater than any of

much

quiry into

them ; therefore an enthe manner by which they excite

is

fuch emotions

far

from being unneceiTary in

a difcourfe of this kind.

SECT.
The common
by
effed of

II.

O E T R Y,

not

raifing ideas of things.

THE common
words
affect the

notion of the

power of
that they

poetry and eloquence, as well as that of

in ordinary converfation,
is ;

mind by

raifing In

it

ideas of thofe

things for which cuftom has appointed

ftand.
it

them

to

To

examine the truth of

forts

this notion,

may

be requifite to obferve that words

;

may

be divided into three

as reprefent

the

firft

are fuch

many fimple

ideas united by nature

to form

fome one determinate compofition, as man, horfe, tree, caflle, ^'c. Thefe I call
aggregate

and

BEAUTIFUL.

i6^

aggregate words.
for

The fecond, are they that ftand

fome one fimple idea of fuch compofitions and no more, agred, blue, round, fquare, and
the like
;

thefe I call ftmple ahjira^ words.

The

third, are thofe,

which are formed by an

concerning them,
as

union, an arbitrary union of both the others,

and of various

relations

in greater or lefler degrees of complexity,

virtue,

honour, perfuafion, magiftrate, and the

like

thefe I call compounded abjiraif words.

I

Words,
clafled

am

fenfible, arc

capable of being
diftinctions
;

into

more curious

but

thefe

feem to be natural, and enough

;

for

our

purpofe
in

and they are difpofed in that order

which they are commonly taught, ajid in which the mind gets the ideas they are fubftiI fhail begin

tuted for.

with the third

fort

of

words

compound

abftradis, fuch as virtue,

;

honour, perfuafion, docility

convinced, that whatever

of thefe

am

power they may have on the paflions, they do not derive it from any reprefentation raifed in the mind of
the things for which they ftand.
tions, they are not real effcnces,

As compofiand hardly
body, I be-

caufe, I think, any real ideas.

lieve,

No

immediately on hearing the founds,

honour, conceives any pre-

virtue, liberty, or
cife

notion of the particular modes of action

and thinking, together with the mixt and

fimplc

170

On

the

SUBLIME
them

fimple ideas, and the feveral relations of

for

which thefe words are fubftitutcd ; neither has he any general idea, compounded
of them
confufed,
;

for if

he had, then fome of thofe

particular ones, though indiftindt perhaps,

and

might come foon to be perceived.

take
it, is

But

this, I

hardly ever the cafe.

For

put yourfelf upon analyfing one of thefe words,

ral

and you muft reduce it from one fet of genewords to another, and then into the fimple
abftra6i:s

and aggregates,

in

much

longer

feries

than

may

be

at firft

imagined, before any

real idea

emerges to

light,

and before you

firft

come

to difcover

any thing

like the
;

prin-

ciples of fuch compofitions

and when you

is

have made fuch a difcovery of the original

ideas,
loft.

the efFe6t of the compofition

utterly
is

A train

of thinking of this fort,

much
it

too long to be purfued in the ordinary

converfation, nor
is it

ways of
mere

at all

neceflary that

ihould.

Such words are

;

in reality but

founds

but they are founds, which being ufed

on particular occafions, wherein we receive fome good, or fufPer fome evil, or fee others
afFedled with

good or

evil,

or that

we

hear

applied to other interefting things or events,

and which being applied in fuch a variety of

cafes that

by habit to what things they belong, they produce in the mind,

readily

we know

when-

and

BEAUTIFUL.
are

171

whenever

they

afterwards

mentioned,

effects fimilar to thofe of their occafions.

The
their

founds being often ufed without reference to

any
firft

particular occafion, and carrying

ilill

impreffions,

they at

laft utterly lofe

their

connection with the particular occafions that

gave

rife

to

them

yet the found without any-

annexed notion continues to operate as before.

SECT.
General words before

III.

IDEAS.
that moft general

MR. Locke
his

has fomewhere obferved with

ufual fagacity,

words, thofe belonging to virtue

and vice,

good and
particular

evil, efpecially, are

taught before the

modes of action
prefented to the

to

long are

which they bemind ; and with

them, the love of the one, and the abhorrence

of the other
fo ductile,
;

for the

minds of children are

that a nurfe, or any perfon about a

child,

by feeming pleafed or difpleafed with any thing, or even any word, may give the

difpofition of the child a fimilar turn.

When
life

afterwards, the feveral occurrences in

to be applied to thefe words
is
;

come
of
is

and that which

pleafant often appears

under the

name

evil i

and what

is

difagreeable to nature

called

172
called

On

the

SUBLIM
;

good and virtuous

a ftrange confufion

of ideas and afFe6tions

arifes in the

minds of

many

and an appearance of no fmall con-

tradidion
acSlions.

between

their

notions and

their
virtue,

There

are

many, who love

and
this

and w^ho

deteft vice,

not from hypo-

crify or'afFecStation,

Vi^ho
ill

notwithftanding this
vi^ickedly in par;

very frequently adt

ticulars

and

w^ithout the leaft remorfe

becaufe

thefe particular occafions never came into view,

when
fo

the paflions on the fide of virtue were

afFe6ied by certain words heated by the breath of others ; and for
it is

warmly

originally

this reafon,

hard to repeat certain

fets

of

words, though owned by themfelves unoperative,

without being

in

fome degree

afFedlcdi

efpecially if a

warm

and affecting tone of voice

accompanies them, as fuppofe,

Wife^ valiant y generous^ good and great*

Thefe words, by having no

to be

application, ought

unoperative

but

monly
fions.

facred to great

when words comoccafions are ufed, we

are afFedted by

them even without the occa-

When

rally fo

words which have been geneapplied are put together without any
or in fuch a

rational view,

manner that they

is

do not

rightly agree with each other, the ftile

and
is

BEAUTIFUL.
And
fenfe
it

173

called bombaft.

requires in feveral

cafes

much good

and experience to be
neglected,

guarded againft the force of fuch language

becaufe the more that propriety
the greater
is

number of

thefe afFeding

words

may

be taken into the fervlce, and the greater

variety

may

be indulged in combining them.

SECT.
The
efFea of

IV.

WORDS.
of
arife in the

IF

words have

all

their pofiible extent

power, three

efFedts
firft is,

mind of

the hearer.

The

the found-, the fecond, the thing

the pi^ure,
fignified

or reprefentation of
;

by the found

the third

is,

the affec^

tion of the foul

produced by one or by both

of the foregoing.
of which

Compounded abJhaSf words,

produce the

we
laft

have been fpeaking, (honour,

and the
of thefe
like,)
firft

juftice, liberty,

and the
fecond.

efl^*e(Si:s,

but not the

Simple ahJlraHs,

are yfed to fignify

fqme one fimple idea without much adverting to others which may chance to attend it, as blue, green, hot, cold, and the like; thefe
are capable of afFeding
pofes of words
caflle, horfc,
;

all

three of the pur-

as the aggregate

words, man,
dc2;rec.

&c. are in a yet higher

""But

174
But
I

On
am

the

SUBLIME
from
be-

of opinion, that the moil: general efthefe words, does not arife

fed even of

their forming pidures

of the feveral things

;

they would reprefent in the imagination

caufe on a very diligent examination of

my

own mind,
theirs,
I

and getting others to confider

find

do not

that
is

once in twenty

times any fuch pi<Sture

it ts,

formed, and

when
ef-

there

is

moft commonly a particular

fort of the imagination for that purpofe.

But

the aggregate words operate as I faid of the

compound
image

abftra6ts,

not by prefenting any

but by having from ufc
that

to the

mind,

the fame efFed:

their original has

on being mentioned,

when

it is

feen.
this

Suppofe
effcO:.

we were to read a pafTage to " The river Danube rifes in a

mountainous
principalities,
foil

moift

and

in the

heart of
fro
it

Germany,
and
into

where winding too and

waters feveral

until turning into Auflria

it

leaving the walls of Vienna

pafies

Hungary ; there with a vaft flood augmented by the Saave and the Drave it quits Chriften-

dom, and
tries

rolling through the barbarous

coun-

which border on Tartary, it enters by many mouths into the Black fea." In this de-

fcription
tains,

many things are mentioned, as mouncities,

rivers,

the fea, &c.

fee

But

let

any body examine himfejf, and

whether he
has

and

BEA

UTI

L.

175

has had imprefled on his

imagination

any
foil,

pictures of a river, mountain, watery

Germany, &c. Indeed

verfation, to

it is

impoflible, in the

rapidity and quick fuccellion of words in con-

have ideas both of the found of

;

the word,
fides,

and of the thing reprefented

be-

fo

fome words cxprefling real eflences, are mixed with others of a general and nomiit is

nal import, that

impracSlicable- to

jump
mannor
is

from

fenfe to thought,

from particulars to gein fuch a

life ;

nerals,

Irom things to words,

ner as to anfwer the purpofe^ of

it

neceffary that

we

fhould.

E C T.

V.

Examples

that

WORDS

may

afFedl:

with-

out raifing

IMAGES.
by words from

Find,

it

very hard to perfuade feveral that

their paffioiis are affe61:ed ideas

j

whence they have no

converfation

and yet harder to

underftood

convince them, that in the ordinary courfe of

we
we

are

fufficiently

without raifing any images of the things concerning which

fpeak.
It

feems to be an

odd fubjec^ of difpute with any man, whether he has ideas

iirft

in his

mind or
in

not.
his

Of this
own

at

view, every man,

forum,

ought

176

On
appear,

the

SUBLIME
as

ought to judge without appeal. But ftrange

it

may

we

are often at a lofs to

what
liave

ideas

we have
at all

of things, or

know whether we
It

any ideas

upon fome
Since
I

fubje6ls.

even requires fome attention to be thoroughly

fatisfied

on

this

head.

wrote thefe
hear

papers I found two very flriking inftances of the poflibility there

is,

that a

man may

words without having any idea of the things

which they
in a

reprefent,

and yet afterwards be

capable of returning them to others, combined

new way,

and with great propriety, en-

ergy and inftrulion.

that of
birth.

The

iirfl:

inftance,

is

Mr. Blacklock,

a poet blind from his

Few men

blefled

with the moft per-

fect fight
fpirit

can defcribe vifual objeds with more

this blind

and juflnefs than

man

which
is

cannot poflibly be owing to his having

a clearer

conception of the things he defcribes than

common

to other

perfons.

Mr. Spence,

in

an elegant preface which he has written to the works of this poet,reafons very ingenioufly,and I imagine for the mofl part very rightly upon the
caufe of this extraordinary

phenomenon; but I

cannot altogether agree with him, that fome

improprieties in language and thought which

occur in thefe poems have arifen from the

blind poet's impere6l conception of vifual ob-

jedb,

firice

fuch

improprieties,

and much
greater,

and
greater,

BE AUTIFUL.

177

may be

found in writers even of an

higher clafs than

Mr. Blacklock, and who,

is

notwithftanding, poflefTed the faculty of feeing

in
as
its full

perfedion. Here
afFe6led

a poet doubtlefs
defcriptions as
is

much

by

his

own
;

any

that reads

them can be

and yet he

af-

fected with

this ftrong

enthufiafm by things of

which he neither has, nor can poflibly have any idea further than that of a bare found ; and why may not thofe who read his works be afFe(5led in the fame manner that he was, with as little of any real ideas of the things
defcribed?

The

fecond inftance

is

of

Mr.

Saunderfon, profeflbr of mathematics in the

univerfity of

Cambridge.

This learned man

had acquired great knowledge in natural philofophy, in aftronomy, and whatever fcienccs
depend upon mathematical
the moft extraordinary,
fkilL

What was

and the moft to my purpofe, he gave excellent lecStures upon light

and colours ; and
this

man taught others the thenot.

ory of thofe ideas which they had, and which

he himfelf undoubtedly had

is,

But the truth

them-

that the

words

red, blue, green, anfwered to

him

as well as the ideas of the colours

-y

felves

for the ideas of greater or lefler degrees

of refrangibility being applied to thefe words,

and the blind

man

being inftru6ted in what

other refpeds they were found to agree or to

difagree.

lyS
difagree,

On
it

the

SUBLIME
him
to reafon

was
if
it

as eafy for

upon

the words as

he had been

fully mafter of the

ideas, indeed

muft be owned he could make

no new

difcoveries in the

way

of experiment.

He did nothing but what we do'every day in common difcourfe. When I wrote this laft
fentence, and
ufed the words every day
I

and

common

difcourfe^

had no images
;

in

my
men
ima-

mind of any

fucceffion of time
;

nor of
I

in conference with each other

nor do

gine that the reader will have any fuch ideas

on reading
had

it.

Neither

when

fpoke of red,

blue, and green, as well as of refrangibility;

I thefe feveral colours,

or the rays of light

there di-

paifing into a different

medium, and
I

verted from their courfe, painted before

me in

the

way of

images.

know

very well that

the mind pofTcfles a fiiculty of raifing fuch images at pleafure

;

but then an

ad

of the will

is

necefl'ary to this;

and

in ordinary converfatioii

or reading
all is

it is

very rarely that any image at

excited in the mind. If I fay,

to Italy next

Yet I

" I fhall go fummer," I am well underftood. believe no body has by this painted in his

imagination the exaft figure of the fpeaker

pafling

by land or by water, or both 5 fomehorfeback, fometimes in a carriage; on times

all

with
Icfs

the particulars of the journey.

Still

has he any idea of

Italy, the country to

which

and

BEAUTIFUL.
;
'

179

which
the

propofcd to go

or of the greennefs of

fields,

the ripening of the fruits, and the the air, with the change to this

warmth of
from a
for

different feafon,

which are the

ideas

which the woxAfummer is fubftituted ; but leaft of all has he any image from the word next ; for this word ftands for the idea of

many fummers, with the exclufion one and furely the man who fays
:

of

all

but

next

fum"

mer^ has no images of fuch a fucceffion, and

fuch an exclufion.
thofe ideas
ftra6t,

In fhort,

it is

not only of
called
all

which are commonly and of which no image at

ab-

can be

formed,
that

but even of particular real *beings,

converfe without having any idea of
in the imagination
;

we

them excited
tainly appear

as will cer-

on a

diligent ejc^amination of our

own

minds.

SECT.
PO ETRY
not
ftriftly

VI.
an imitative

art.

HENCE we may
taken in
it's

obfer^'^e

that poetry,
fenfe,

moft general

cannot
de-

with
tion.

ftri(St

propriety be called an art of imita-

It is

indeed an imitation fo far as

it

fcribes the manners and pafHons of men, which their words can exprefs j where anhni mo-

ius

i8o

On
j

the

UBLI

ME
it is firicSlIy
is

ius effert interprete lingua.

There

imitation

and

all

merely dramatic poetry

defcriptive poetry

of

this

fort.

But

operates

chiefly

hy fuhjiituti on ; by the means of founds,

realities.

.which by cuftom have the efFe6l of

Nothing

is

an imitation further than

fort

as

it

re-

fembles fome other thing;

and words unr

doubtedly have no
ideas for

of refemblance to the

which they

fland.

SECT.
How

VI.

WORDS
as

influence the paffions.

NO W,
otherwife
;

words

afl^c6t,

not by any oriit

ginal power, but by reprefentation,

their

might be fuppofed, that

for

influence over
it is

the paflions /hould be but light; yet

quite

we

find

by experience that eloas capable,

quence and poetry are

nay indeed

much more
nature

capable of making deep and lively

impreifions than any other arts, and even than

itfclf
iii

very

many

cafes.

And

this

arifes chiefly

from thefe three caufes.

and that

Firft,

that

we

take an extraordinary part in the paf-

fions of others,

we

are eafily afFe6led

and brought into fympathy by any tokens which are (hewn of them ; and there are no
tokens which can exprcfs
all

the circumllances

of

and

BEAU

T I F U L.
words
;

i8i
a

of moft paflions

(o fully as

(o that if

perfon fpeaks upon any fubjet, he can not

only convey the

the
it.

fubjecSl to
is

you, but likewife

manner
Certain

in
it

which he
is,

himfelf afFeted by

that the influence of moft

is

things

on our

paflions

not fo

much from

the things themfelves,

concerning them
very

from our opinions and thefe again depend

as

much on
;

the opinions of other

men, conSe-

veyable for the moft part by words only.

condly

there are

many

things of a very afin the

fecting nature,
reality,

which can feldom occur

but the words which reprefent them

often do ; and thus they have an opportunity of making a deep impreflion and taking root
in the mind, whilft the idea of the reality
tranfient
;

was

and to fome perhaps never really oc-

curred in any fhape, to

whom

it

is

notwith-

flanding very afFedting, as war, death, famine,

&c. Befides, many ideas have never been at all prefented to the fenfes of any men but by words,
as

God,

angels, devils, heaven and hell, all of

which have however a great influence over the paflions. Thirdly ; by words we have it in our power to make fuch combinations as we cannot pofllbly do otherwife. By this power of combining

we can,

by the addition of well-chofen

circumftances, give a
fimple objed.

new

life

and force

to the

In painting

we may

reprefent

any

i82
any
grve

On
it

the

SUBLIME
pleafe
;

fine figure

we

but

we

never can
it

thofe enlivening touches

which

may

receive from words.

To

reprefent an ancrd

in a piiSture, you can only draw a beautiful young man winged ; but what painting can

furnifh out

any thing

To

grand as the addition

of one word,
is

"

the angel of the

LordV^

It

true, I

have here no clear idea, but thefe

mind more than the fenfible which is all I contend for. A picture of Priam dragged to the altar's foot, and there murdered, if it were well executed would undoubtedly be very moving ; but there
afFe6l the

words

image

did,

are very aggravating circumftances, which

it

could never reprefent.

Sanguhie fcedaniem quos ipfe facraverat

ignes.

As

a further inftance, let us confider thofe

lines of Aiilton,

where he

defcribes the

tra-

vels of the fallen an2;els throudi their difmal

habitation.

'

O^er many a dark and dreary vale

ihey pafs'd^ and many a region dolorous.

O'er many a frozen^ many a fiery Alp.

Ricks^cavesjakes^fens^bogs^dens and/hades ofdeath.

A univerfe cf death.
Here

and

BEAUTIFUL.

183

Here

is

difplayed the force of union in

Rocks, caves, lakes, dens, bogs, fens andJJiades

effect, if

which yet would lofe the greatefl part of their they were not the
Rocks, caves, lakes, dens, bogs, fens andjhades-^

of death.
This idea or
raifes a
it
is

affedllon caufed

by

word, which

nothing but a word could annex to the others,

very great degree of the fublime
yet higher by
;

and

raifed

i'

univerfe of death.'"

what follows, a Here are again two

;

ideas

not prefentible but by language

and

an union of them great and amazing beyond

conception.
this paflage

Whoever
afFe<5i:ing
it

attentively

confiders
all

of Milton, and indeed

of the

beft and

mod

defcriptions of poetry,

will find, that

its

does not in general produce

end by raifing the images of things, but by

excite by other inftruments.

exciting a paflion fimilar to that which real

objects

And

in

proportion as words of a fublirne efFe6t, or

words which are ufed to exprefs the objects of love and tendernefs, are joined in a maoner
found by experience the beft for thefe purpofcsj 'in that

proportion the

mod

perfevS

kinds

tg4

On
It

the

SUBLIME.
all its

kinds of the fublime and beautiful are formed

in poetry.

compafTes
It

other ends in a

manner analogous.
from the
beautiful
fertility

might be

expeded
I

of the fubjedt, that

it

(hould

confider poetry as

regards the fublime and

;

more

at large

but

it

muft be ob-

ferved that this matter has been handled by

many

authors before.

It

was not

my

defign

to enter into the criticifm of the fublime and

beautiful in

any

art,

but to attempt to lay

down
tain,

fuch principles as
to
diftinguifli^

may

tend to afcerfort

and to form a

of

ftandard for

them ; which purpofes I thought might be bed efFetEled by an enquiry into' the
properties of fuch things in nature as raife

love and aftoniihment in us; and in what

manner they operated

iions.

to produce thefe paf-

Words were

only fo far to be confiprinciple they

dered, as to

(hew upon what

were capable of being the

thefe natural things, and by

reprefentatives of

what powers they

were able
ftrongly.

to afFet us often as ftrongly as things

in nature do,

and fometimes much more

FINIS.

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