becomes not only infufficient, but impertinent? ferving only to divert the attention, and interrupt the course of the paffions.

It may feem, perhaps, that the force of a Latin expreffion cannot be afcertained from reflections of this fort, but must be gathered from citations of particular paffages. And this indeed is true with regard to the peculiarities of the language. But the question before us is of a different kind. It is a queftion of philosophy rather than criticism: as depending on those differences of ideas, which are marked by fimilar forms of expreffion in all languages."

102. SI VIS ME FLERE, DOLENDUM EST PRIMUM IPSI TIBI:] Tragedy, as [c] one said, who had a heart to feel its tendereft emotions, fhewed forth the ulcers that are covered with tiffue. In order to awaken and call forth in the fpectator all thofe fympathies, which naturally await on the lively exhibition of fuch a scene, the writer muft have a foul tuned to the most exquifite fenfibility, and fufceptible of the fame vibrations from his own created images, which are known to shake the fufferer in real life. This is fo uncommon a pitch of humanity, that it is no wonder, fo few have fucceeded in this trying part of the drama. Euripides, of all the antients,

[c] Sir Philip Sidney.

hád

lad moft of this fympathetic tenderness in his nature, and accordingly we find him without a rival in this praife. Τραγικώτατος τῶν ποιητῶν, says Aristotle of him [ept want. n. ¡y'.] and to the fame purpose another great critic, In affecti bus cum omnibus mirus, tum in iis, qui MISERATIONE conftant, facile præcipuus. Quint. 1. x. C. 1.] They, who apply themselves to express the pitiable ExEELvov in tragedy, would do well to examine their own hearts by this rule, before they prefume to practise upon those of others. See, further, this remark applied by Cicero to the subject of oratory, and enforced with his usual elegance and good fenfe. [1. ii. c. 45. De oratore.]

103.- -TUNC TUA ME INFORTUNIA LAEDENT.] This is expreffed with accuracy. Yet the truth is, The more we are hurt with reprefentations of this fort, the more we are pleased with them. Whence arifes this ftrange pleafure? The queftion hath been frequently asked, and various anfwers have been given to it.

But of all the folutions of this famous difficulty, that which we have juft now received from Mr. Hume, is by far the most curious.

VOL. I.

H

His

His account in fhort is, "That the force of "imagination, the energy of expreffion, the "power of numbers, the charms of imitation, ❝are all naturally of themselves delightful to "the mind; that these fentiments of beauty, "being the predominant emotions, feize the "whole mind, and convert the uneasy melan"choly paffions into themselves. In a word, "that the sentiments of beauty, excited by a

66

good tragedy, are the fuperior prevailing "movements, and transform the fubordinate "impreffions arifing from grief, compassion, in"dignation and terror, into one uniform and 66 ftrong enjoyment." [See four Differtations by D. Hume, Efq; p. 185, &c.]

I have but two objections to this ingenious theory. ONE is, that it fuppofes the impreffion of grief or terror, exeited by a well-written tragedy, to be weaker than that which arifes from our obfervation of the faculties of the writer, the power of numbers, and imitation. Which to me is much the fame thing as faying, That the fight of a precipice hanging over our heads makes a fainter impreffion on the eye, than the fhrubs and wild flowers with which it happens to be covered. The fact is fo far otherwife, that, if the tragedy be well-written, I will

venture

venture to fay, the faculties of the writer, the charms of poetry, or even the thought of imitation, never come into the fpectator's head. But he may feel the effect of them, it will be faid, for all that. True: But unluckily the whole effect of these things is (and that was my OTHER objection) to deepen the impreffions of grief and terror. They are out of place, and altogether impertinent, if they contribute to any other end. So that to fay, The impreffion of grief and terror from a tragic ftory, ftrong as it is in itself, and made ftill ftronger by the art of the poet, is a weaker impreffion, than the mere pleasure arifing from that art, is methinks to account for one mystery by another ten times greater, and to make the poet a verier magician than Horace ever intended to reprefent Kim.

This ingenious folution then, being fo evidently founded on the fuppofition of a false fact, deserves no further notice. As to the difficulty itself, the following hints may, perhaps, enable the reader, in fome measure, to account for it.

1. It is not to be doubted but that we love to have our attention raised, and our curiofity gratified. So far the ABBE' DU Bos' system may be admitted.

2. The reprefentation, however distressful, is still seen to be a representation. We find our hearts affected, and even pained, by a good H 2 tragedy.

tragedy. But we inftantly recollect that the fcene is fictitious; and the recollection not only abates our uneafinefs, but diffufes a fecret joy upon the mind, in the discovery we make that the occafion of our uneafiness is not real. Juft as our awaking from a frightful dream, and fometimes a fecret consciousness of the illufion during the dream itself, is attended with pleasure. That fo much of M. DE FONTENELLE's notion must be admitted, is clear, because children, who take the fufferings on the ftage for realities, are fo afflicted by them that they do not care to repeat the experiment.

But ftill, all this is by no means a full account of the matter. For,

3. It should be confidered, that ALL the uneafy paffions, in the very time that we are diftreffed by them, nay, though the occafions be inftant and real, have a fecret complacency mixed with them. It feems as if providence, in compaffion to human feeling, had, together with our forrows, infufed a kind of balm into the mind, to temper and qualify, as it were, these bitter ingredients. But,

4. Befides this general provifion, the nature of the peculiar paffions, excited by tragedy, is such as, in a more eminent degree, muft produce pleasure. For what are thefe, but indignation at profperous vice, or the commiferation of fuf