refolving to disappoint all robbers for the future, he fupplied its place with an earthen lamp, of which he very peaceably kept poffeffion ever after. Among the ancients, the heroes in philofophy, as well as thofe in war and patriotifin, have a grandeur and force of fentiment, which aftonishes our narrow fouls, and is rafhly rejected as extravagant and fupernatural. They, in their turn, I allow, would have had equal reafon to confider as romantic and incredible, the degree of humanity, clemency, order, tranquillity, and other focial virtues, to which, in the administration of government, we have attained in modern times, had any been then able to have made a fair representation of them. Such is the compenfation, which nature, or rather education, has made in the diftribution of excellencies and virtues, in those different ages. The merit of Benevolence, arifing from its utility, and its tendency to promote the good of mankind, has been already explained, and is, no doubt, the fource of a confiderable part of that esteem, which is fo univerfally paid to it. But it will also be allowed, that the very foftnefs and tendernefs of the fentiment, its engaging endearments, its fond expreffions, its delicate attentions, and all that flow of mutual confidence and regard, which enters into a warm attachment of love and friendship: It will be allowed, I fay, that these feelings, being delightful in themselves, are neceffarily communicated to the fpectators, and melt them into the fame fondnefs and delicacy. The tear naturally starts in our eye on the apprehenfion of a warm fentiment of this nature: Our breast heaves, our heart is agitated, and every humane tender principle of our frame is fet in motion, and gives us the purest and most fatisfactory enjoyment. When When poets form defcriptions of Elyfian fields, where the bleffed inhabitants ftand in no need of each other's affiftance, they yet reprefent them as maintaining a conftant intercourfe of love and friendship, and footh our fancy with the pleafing image of these foft and gentle paffions. The idea of tender tranquillity in a paftoral Arcadia is agreeable from a like principle, as has been obferved above *. The Who would live amidst perpetual wrangling, and fcolding, and mutual reproaches? roughness and harfhness of these emotions difturb and displease us: We fuffer by contagion and fympathy; nor can we remain indifferent fpectators, even though certain, that no pernicious confequences would ever follow from fuch angry paffions. As a certain proof, that the whole merit of benevolence is not derived from its usefulness, we may observe, that, in a kind way of blame, we fay, a perfon is too good; when he exceeds his part in fociety, and carries his attention for others beyond the propor bounds. In like manner, we fay a man is too high-fpirited, too intrepid, too indifferent about fortune: Reproaches, which really, at bottom, imply more efteem than many panegyrics. Being accustomed to rate the merit and demerit of characters chiefly by their useful or pernicious tendencies, we cannot forbear applying the epithet of blame, when we difcover a fentiment, which rises to a degree, that is hurtful : But it may happen, at the fame time, that its noble elevation, or its engaging tenderness fo feizes the heart, as rather to encrease our friendship and concern for the perfont. * Sect. v. Part 2. X 2 The + Cheerfulness could scarce admit of blame from its excess, were The amours and attachments of Harry the IVth of France, during the civil wars of the league, frequently hurt his intereft and his caufe; but all the young, at least, and amorous, who can sympathize with the tender paffions, will allow, that this very weakness (for they will readily call it fuch) chiefly endears that hero, and interefts them in his fortunes. The exceffive bravery and refolute inflexibility of Charles the XIIth ruined his own country, and infefted all his neighbours; but have fuch fplendour and greatnefs in their appearance, as ftrike us with admiration; and they might, in fome degree, be even approved of, if they betrayed not fometimes too evident fymptoms of madness and disorder. The Athenians pretended to the firft invention of agriculture and of laws; and always valued themselves extremely on the benefit thereby procured to the whole race of mankind. They alfo boasted, and with reason, of their warlike enterprizes; particularly against thofe innumerable fleets and armies of Perfians, which invaded Greece during the reigns of Darius and Xerxes. But though there be no comparison, in point of utility, between these peaceful and military honours; yet we find, that the orators, who have writ fuch elaborate panegyrics on that famous city, have chiefly triumphed in difplaying the warlike atchievements. Lyfias, Thucydides, Plato, and Ifocrates difcover, all of them, the fame partiality; which, though condemned by calm reafon and reflection, appears fo natural in the mind of man. It were it not that diffolute mirth, without a proper cause or fubject, is a fure fymptom and characteristic of folly, and on that account difguftful. : It is obfervable, that the great charm of poetry confifts in lively pictures of the fublime paffions, magnanimity, courage, difdain of fortune; or those of the tender affections, love and friendfhip; which warm the heart, and diffufe over it fimilar fentiments and emotions. And though all kinds of paffion, even the most difagreeable, fuch as grief and anger, are obferved, when excited by poetry, to convey a fatisfaction, from a mechanism of nature, not eafy to be explained: Yet thofe more elevated or fofter affections have a peculiar influence, and please from more than one cause or principle. Not to mention, that they alone intereft us in the fortune of the perfons represented, or communicate any esteem and affection for their character. And can it poffibly be doubted, that this talent itself of poets, to move the paffions, this Pathetic and Sublime of fentiment, is a very confiderable merit; and being enhanced by its extreme rarity, may exalt the perfon poffeffed of it, above every character of the age in which he lives? The prudence, address, steadiness, and benign government of Auguftus, adorned with all the fplendour of his noble birth and imperial crown, render him but an unequal competitor for fame with Virgil, who lays nothing into the opposite scale but the divine beauties of his poetical genius. The very fenfibility to these beauties, or a Delicacy of tafte, is itself a beauty in any character; as conveying the pureft, the most durable, and moft innocent of all enjoyments. These are some inftances of the several species of merit, that are valued for the immediate pleafure, which they communicate to the perfon poffeffed of them. No views of utility or of future beneficial confequences enter into this fenti ment, ment of approbation; yet is it of a kind fimilar to that other fentiment, which arifes from views of a public or private utility. The fame focial fympathy, we may obferve, or fellow-feeling with human happiness or misery, gives rife to both; and this analogy, in all the parts of the present theory, may justly be regarded as a confirmation of it. SECT |