LONGINUS

ON THE

SUBLIM E.

SECTION

I.

OU remember, (1) my dear Terentianus, that when we read over together (2) Cecilius's treatife on the Sublime, we thought it too mean for a subject of that nature,

(1) Who this Terentianus, or Pofthumius Terentianus, was, to whom the author addreffes this Treatife, is not poffible to be discovered, nor is it of any great importance. But it appears, from fome paffages in the fequel of this work, that he was a young Roman, a person of a bright genius, an elegant tafte, and a particular friend to Longinus. What he fays of him, I'm confident, was spoken with fincerity more than complaifance, fince Longinus must have difdained to flatter, like a modern dedicator.

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(2) Cecilius was a Sicilian rhetorician. He lived under Auguftus, and was contemporary with Dionyfius of Halicarnaffus,

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nature, that it is entirely defective in its principal branches, and that confequently its advantage (which ought to be the principal aim of every writer) would prove very small to the readers. Befides, tho' in every treatise upon any science two points are indifpenfably required; the first, that the science, which is the fubject of it, be fully explain'd; the fecond (I mean in order of writing, fince in excellence it is far the fuperior) that plain directions be given, how and by what method fuch science may be attain'd; yet Cecilius, who brings a thousand inftances to fhew what the Sublime is, as if his readers were wholly ignorant of the matter, has omitted, as altogether unneceffary, the method, which, judiciously observed, might enable us to raise our natural genius to any height of this Sublime. But perhaps, this writer is not fo much to be blamed for his omiffions, as commended for his good defigns and earneft endeavours. You indeed have laid your commands upon me, to give you my thoughts on this Sublime; let us then, in obedience to those commands, confider, whether any thing can be drawn from

carnaffus, with whom he contracted a very close friendship. He is thought to have been the firft, who wrote on the Sublime.

(3) Thofe

from my private ftudies, for the service of (3) those who write for the world, or speak in public.

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But I request you, my dear friend, to give me your opinion on whatever I advance, with that exactness, which is due to truth, and that fincerity, which is natural to yourself. For well did the fage anfwer the question, In! what do we moft refemble the Gods? when he replied, In doing good and fpeaking truth. But fince I write, my dear friend, to you, who are vers'd in every branch of polite learning, there will be little occafion to use many previous words in proving, that the Sublime is a certain eminence or perfection of language, and that the greateft writers, both in verfe and profe, have by this alone obtain❜d the prize of glory, and fill'd all time with their renown. For the Sublime not only perfuades, but even throws an audience into transport. The Marvellous always works with more furprifing force, than that which barely perfuades or delights. In most cases, it is wholly in our own power, either to refift or yield to perfuafion. But the Sublime, endued with strength

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(3) Those who write for the world, or speak in public.] I take all this to be implied in the original word πολιτικοῖς. Pythagoras.

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(4) The

irrefiftible, ftrikes home, and triumphs over every hearer. Dexterity of invention, and good order and oeconomy in compofition, are not to be difcerned from one or two paffages, nor scarcely fometimes from the whole texture of a difcourfe; but (4) the Sublime, when feasonably addreffed, with the rapid force of lightning has borne down all before it, and shewn at one ftroke the compacted might of genius. But these, and truths like these, fo well known and familiar to himself, I am confident my dear Terentianus can undeniably prove by his own practice.

SECT

(4) The Sublime, when seasonably addressed, &c.] This sentence is inimitably fine in the original. Dr. Pearce has an ingenious observation upon it. "It is not eafy (fays he) "to determine, whether the precepts of Longinus, or his "example, be moft to be observed and followed in the "course of this work, fince his ftile is poffeffed of all the

Sublimity of his fubject. Accordingly, in this paffage, to "express the power of the Sublime, he has made use of "his words, with all the art and propriety imaginable. "Another writer would have faid Sapope and vdeixvutal, "but this had been too dull and languid. Our author uses "the preterperfect tense, the better to express the power "and rapidity, with which fublimity of discourse strikes the "minds of its hearers. It is like lightning (fays our author) "because you can no more look upon this, when present, "than you can upon the flash of that. Befides, the ftruc"ture of the words in the clofe of the fentence is admirable. "They run along, and are hurried in the celerity of short ❝ vowels.

BUT we ought not to advance, before we clear the point, whether or no there be any Art in the Sublime (1). For fome are entirely of opinion, that they are guilty of a great mistake, who would reduce it to the rules of art. "The Sublime (say they) is born within us, and is not to be learned by precept. "The only art to reach it, is, to have. the "power from nature. And (as they reason) "thofe effects, which fhould be purely na

tural,

vowels. They reprefent to the life the rapid motion, either of Lightning, or the Sublime."

(1) In all the editions is added Bálss or the profound: a perplexing expreffion, and which perhaps gave rise to a treatife on the Bathos. It was purpofely omitted in the tranflation, for this plain substantial reason, because I could not make sense of it. I have fince been favoured with a fight of the learned Dr. Tonftal's conjectural emendations on this author, and here for Bálss he readeth wals. The minute alteration of a single letter enlighteneth and cleareth the whole paffage: the context, the whole tenor of the piece, justifieth the emendation. I beg leave therefore to give the following new verfion of the paffage." But we "ought not to advance, before we clear the point, whether "or no there be any art in the Sublime or the Pathetic. "For fome are entirely of opinion, that they are guilty of

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a great mistake, who would reduce them to the rules of "art. Thefe high attainments (fay they) are born within