gedy, were it really fet before us, would give the most unfeigned uneafinefs; though it be then the most effectual cure to languor and indolence. Monfieur FONTENELLE feems to have been fenfible of this difficulty; and accordingly attempts another folution of the phenomenon; at leaft makes fome addition to the theory above mentioned *. Pleasure and pain," fays he, which are two fen"timents fo different in themselves, differ not so much "in their caufe. From the inftance of tickling, it "appears, that the movement of pleasure, pushed a little "too far, becomes pain; and that the movement of "pain, a little moderated, becomes pleasure. Hence it "proceeds, that there is such a thing as a forrow, soft "and agreeable: It is a pain weakened and diminished. "The heart likes naturally to be moved and affected. "Melancholy objects fuit it, and even difaftrous and "forrowful, provided they are foftened by fome circum"ftance, It is certain, that, on the theatre, the re“presentation has almost the effect of reality; yet it has "not altogether that effect. However we may be hur"ried away by the fpectacle; whatever dominion the "senses and imagination may ufurp over the reason, "there ftill lurks at the bottom a certain idea of falfe"hood in the whole of what we fee. This idea, though "weak and difguifed, fuffices to diminish the pain which << we fuffer from the misfortunes of those whom we love, "and to reduce that affliction to fuch a pitch as converts "it into a pleasure. We weep for the misfortune of a "hero, to whom we are attached. In the fame inftant we comfort ourselves, by reflecting, that it is nothing but a fiction: And it is precifely that mixture of fen * Reflexions fur la poetique, § 364 "timents, "timents, which compofes an agreeable forrow, and "tears that delight us. But as that affliction, which is caufed by exterior and fenfible objects, is ftronger "than the confolation which arifes from an internal "reflection, they are the effects and fymptoms of sorrow, "that ought to predominate in the compofition." This folution feems juft and convincing; but perhaps it wants still some new addition, in order to make it anfwer fully the phenomenon, which we here examine. All the paffions, excited by eloquence, are agreeable in the highest degree, as well as thofe which are moved by painting and the theatre. The epilogues of CICERO are, on this account chiefly, the delight of every reader of tafte; and it is difficult to read fome of them without the deepest fympathy and forrow. His merit as an orator, no doubt, depends much on his fuccefs in this particular. When he had raised tears in his judges and all his audience, they were then the moft highly delighted, and expreffed the greatest fatisfaction with the pleader. The pathetic description of the butchery, made by VERRES of the SICILIAN captains, is a masterpiece of this kind: But I believe none will affirm, that the being present at a melancholy scene of that nature would afford any entertainment. Neither is the forrow here foftened by fiction: For the audience were convinced of the reality of every circumftance. What is it then, which in this cafe raises a pleafure from the bofom of uneasiness, fo to speak; and a pleasure, which still retains all the features and outward fymptoms of diftrefs and forrow? I answer: This extraordinary effect proceeds from that very cloquence, with which the melancholy fcene is reprefented. The genius required to paint objects in a lively manner, the art employed in collecting all the pathetic circumstances, the judgment displayed in dif pofing them; the exercife, I fay, of thefe noble talents, together with the force of expreffion, and beauty of oratorial numbers, diffuse the highest fatisfaction on the audience, and excite the most delightful movement's. By this means, the uneafinefs of the melancholy paffions is not only overpowered and effaced by fomething stronger of an oppofite kind; but the whole impulse of those paffions is converted into pleafure, and fwells the delight which the eloquence raifes in us. The fame force of oratory, employed on an uninterefting fubject, would not please half so much, or rather 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 fuch exquifite entertainment. The impulfe or vehemence, arifing from forrow, compassion, indignation, receives 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 nature. And the foul, being, at the same time, rouzed by paffion, and charmed by eloquence, feels on the whole a ftrong movement, which is altogether delightful. The fame principle takes place in tragedy; with this addition, that tragedy is an imitation, and imitation is always of itself agreeable. This circumstance serves still farther to smooth the motions of paffion, and convert the whole feeling into one uniform and ftrong enjoyment. Objects of the greatest terror and distress please in painting, and please more than the most beautiful objects, that appear calm and indifferent*. The affection, rouzing the mind, excites a large ftóck of spirit and vehemence; which is all transformed into pleasure by * See NOTE [N]. the force of the prevailing movement. It is thus the fiction of tragedy foftens the paffion, by an infufion of at new feeling, not merely by weakening or diminishing the forrow. You may by degrees weaken a real forrow, till it totally difappears; yet in none of its gradations will it ever give pleasure; except, perhaps, by accident, to a man funk under lethargic indolence, whom it rouzes from that languid state. To confirm this theory, it will be fufficient to produce other inftances, where the fubordinate movement is converted into the predominant, and gives force to it, though of a different, and even fometimes though of a contrary nature. Novelty naturally rouzes the mind, and attracts our attention; and the movements, which it causes, are always converted into any paffion, belonging to the object, and join their force to it. Whether an event excites joy or forrow, pride or fhame, anger or good-will, it is fure to produce a ftronger affection, when new or unufual. And though novelty of itself be agreeable, it enforces the painful, as well as agreeable paffions. Had you any intention to move a perfon extremely by the narration of any event, the best method of encreafing its effect would be artfully to delay informing him of it, and firft to excite his curiofity and impatience before you let him into the fecret. This is the artifice practifed by IAGO in the famous fcene of SHAKESPEARE; and every spectator is fenfible, that OTHELLO's jealoufy acquires additional force from his preceding impatience, and that the fubordinate paffion is here readily transformed into the predominant one. Difficulties encreafe paffions of every kind; and by rouzing our attention, and exciting our active powers, they they produce an emotion, which nourishes the prevailing affection. Parents commonly love that child moft, whofe fickly infirm frame of body has occafioned them the greatest pains, trouble, and anxiety in rearing him. The agreeable fentiment of affection here acquires force from fentiments of uneafinefs. Nothing endears fo much a friend as forrow for his death. The pleasure of his company has not fo powerful an influence. Jealoufy is a painful paffion; yet, without fome share of it, the agreeable affection of love has difficulty to subfift in its full force and violence. Abfence is also a great fource of complaint among lovers, and gives them the greatest uneafinefs: Yet nothing is more favourable to their mutual paffion than fhort intervals of that kind. And if long intervals often prove fatal, it is only because, through time, men are accustomed to them, and they ceafe to give uneafinefs. Jealoufy and abfence in love compofe the dolce piccante of the ITALIANS, which they fuppose so effential to all pleasure. There is a fine obfervation of the elder PLINY, which illuftrates the principle here infisted on. It is very remarkable, says he, that the last works of celebrated artists, which they left imperfect, are always the most prized, fuch as the IRIS of ARISTIDES, the TYNDARIDES of NicoMACHUS, the MEDEA of TIMOMACHUS, and the VENUS of APELLES. These are valued even above their finishe productions: The broken lineaments of the piece, and the halfformed idea of the painter are carefully fludied; and our very grief for that curious hand, which had been flopped by death, is an additional encrease to our pleasure †. Thefe Illud vero perquam rarum ac memoria dignum, etiam fuprema opera artificum, imperfectafque tabulas, ficut, IRIN ARISTIDIS, TYNDARIDAS · NICOMACHI 24 |