NOR can any juft conclufion be drawn from the affections of the body, as in these the confequence is often folely imputable to a certain proportion of ftrength, in the cause that operates, to the present difpofition of the organs. But though I cannot find that in any uncompounded paffion the most remote degrees are productive of fuch contrary effects, I do not deny that when different paffions are blended, fome of them pleafing and fome painful, the pleasure or the pain of those which predominate, may, through the wonderful mechanifm* of our mental frame, be confiderably augmented by the mixture.

THE only truth which, as I hinted already, I can discover in the preceding hypothefis, is, that the mind in certain cafes avails itfelf of the notion of falfehood, in order to prevent the reprefentation or narrative from producing too ftrong an effect upon the imagination, and confequently to relieve itself from fuch an excess of paffion, as could not otherwise fail to be painful. But

The word mechanifm applied to the mind, ought not reafonably to give offence to any. I only use the term metaphori. cally for those effects in the operation of the mental faculties, produced in confequence of fuch fixed laws as are independent of the will. It hath here therefore no reference to the doctrine of the materialift, a fyftem which, in my opinion, is not only untenable, but abfurd.

let it be obferved, that this notion is not a neceffary concomitant of the pleasure that results from pity and other fuch affections, but is merely accidental. It was remarked above, that if the pathetic exceeds a certain measure, from being very pleasant it becomes very painful. Then the mind recurs to every expedient, and to disbelief amongst others, by which it may be enabled to difburden itself of what diftreffeth it. And indeed, whenever this recourse is had by any, it is a fure indication that, with regard to fuch, the poet, orator, or hiftorian, hath exceeded the proper measure.

BUT that this only holds when we are too deeply interested by the sympathetic forrow, will appear from the following confiderations: first, from the great pains often taken by writers (whofe defign is certainly not to fhock, but to please their readers) to make the most moving ftories they relate, be firmly believed: fecondly, from the tendency, nay fondness of the generality of mankind, to believe what moves them, and their averfeness, to be convinced that it is a fiction. This can refult only from the consciousnefs that, in ordinary cafes, difbelief, by weakening their pity, would diminish, instead of inVOL. I. creafing,

U

far

creafing, their pleasure. They must be very then from entertaining Fontenelle's notion, that it is neceffary to the producing of that pleasure; for we cannot well fufpect them of a plot against their own enjoyment: thirdly, and lastly, from the delight which we take in reading or hearing the moft tragical narrations of orators and hiftorians, of the reality of which we entertain no doubt; I might add, in revolving in our own minds, and in relating to others, difaftrous incidents, which have fallen within the compafs of our own knowledge, and as to which, confequently, we have an abfolute affurance of the fact.

PART III. The third hypothefis.

THE third hypothefis which I fhall produce on this fubject, is Mr. Hume's. Only it ought to be remarked previously, that he doth not propofe it as a full folution of the queftion, but rather as a fupplement to the former two, in the doctrine of both which, he, in a great measure, acquiefces. Take his theory in his own words. He begins with putting the question, “What is "it then, which, in this cafe," that is, when the forrow is not foftened by fiction, "raifes a pleafure from the bofom of uneafinefs, fo to fpeak;

"and

屋

and a pleasure, which ftill retains all the features and outward fymptoms of diftrefs and forrow? I anfwer: This extraordinary effect "proceeds from that very eloquence, with which "the melancholy feene is reprefented. The ge"nius required to paint objects in a lively manner, the art employed in collecting all the "thetic circumfiances, the judgment difplayed " in difpofing them; the exercife, I say, of these "noble talents, together with the force of ex

pa

preffion, and beauty of oratorial numbers, "diffufe the highest fatisfaction on the audience, "and excite the most delightful movements. "By this means, the uneafinefs of the melancholy

paffions is not only overpowered and effaced "by fomething ftronger of an opposite kind, "but the whole movement of those paffions is "converted into pleasure, and fwells the delight "which the eloquence raifes in us. The fame force of oratory employed on an uninteresting

fubject, would not please half fo much, or ra"ther would appear altogether ridiculous; and "the mind being left in abfolute calmnefs and indifference, would relish none of those beauties of imagination or expreffion, which, if "joined to paffion, give it such exquifite enter"tainment. The impulfe or vehemence arising U 2

"" from

"from forrow, compaffion, indignation, re"ceives a new direction from the fentiments of

beauty. The latter, being the predominant "emotion, feize the whole mind, and convert "the former into themselves, or at least tincture "them fo ftrongly, as totally to alter their na"ture and the foul being, at the fame time, "roufed by paffion, and charmed by eloquence, "feels on the whole a ftrong movement, which is altogether delightful."

I AM forry to fay, but truth compells me to acknowledge, that I have reaped no more fatisfaction from this account of the matter, than from those which preceded it. I could have wished indeed, that the author had been a little more explicit in his manner of expreffing himfelf; for I am not certain that I perfectly comprehend his meaning. At one time he seems only to intend to fay, that it is the purpose of eloquence, to the promoting of which, its tropes and figures are wonderfully adapted, to infuse into the mind of the hearer, fuch compaffion, forrow, indignation, and other paffions, as are, notwithstanding their original character when abstractly confidered, accompanied with pleasure. At another time it appears rather his defign to fignify,