Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors][merged small]

" titude of camels and other beafts, loaden "with all forts of meat requifite either for fatiety or delicacy:" or have termed them,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

heaps of all forts of viands, that would "ferve as well to form an exquifite repaft, as "to gratify the niceft palate;" or rather, to comply with his humour of relating things exactly, "all that caterers and cooks could prepare, as nice and delicate."

cr

up

In the Sublime, we ought never to take with fordid and blemished terms, unless reduced to it by the most urgent neceffity. The dignity of our words ought always to be proportion'd to the dignity of our fentiments.

Here we should imitate the proceeding of nature in the human fabric, who has neither placed those parts, which it is indecent to mention, nor the vents of the excrements, in open view, but concealed them as much as is poffible, and " removed their channels (to make use of Xenophon's words *) to the greatest distance from the eyes," thereby to preserve the beauty of the animal entire and unblemished (3).

[ocr errors]

To

contexit atque abdidit. Cicero de Offic. p. 61, 62. Edit. Cockman.

To purfue this topic further, by a particular recital of whatever diminishes and impairs the Sublime, would be a needlefs tafk. We have already fhewn what methods elevate and enoble, and it is obvious to every one that their oppofites must lower and debase it.

[blocks in formation]

SOMETHING yet remains to be faid,

which, because it fuits well with

your inquifitive difpofition, I fhall not be averse to enlarge upon. It is not long fince a philosopher of my acquaintance difcourfed me in the fol lowing manner.

[ocr errors]

"It is (faid he) to me, as well as to many others, a just matter of furprise, how it comes to pass, that in the age we live, there are many genius's well-practifed in the arts "of eloquence and perfuafion, that can dif" course with dexterity and strength, and em"bellish their ftile in a very graceful manner, but none (or fo few, that they are next to

none

(1) We were born in fubjection, &c.—] The words in the original παιδομαθες δελείας δικαίας are differently interpreted, by perfons of great learning and fagacity. Madam Dacier has taken occafion to mention them in her notes

upon

c

none) who may be faid to be truly great "and fublime. The scarcity of such writers "is general throughout the world. May we "believe at laft, that there is folidity in that "trite observation, That democracy is the "nurse of true genius; that fine writers will "be found only in this fort of government, "with which they flourish and triumph, or “ decline and die? Liberty, it is faid, pro"duces fine fentiments in men of genius; it

[ocr errors]

invigorates their hopes, excites an honoura→ "ble emulation, and inspires an ambition and "thirst of excelling. And what is more, in "free ftates there are prizes to be gained, "which are worth difputing. So that by this

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

means, the natural faculties of the orators

are sharpen'd and polish'd by continual practice, and the liberty of their thoughts, "as it is reasonable to expect, fhines confpi"cuously out, in the liberty of their debates.

"But for our parts, (purfued he) (1) we "were born in fubjection, in lawful subjection, "it is true, to arbitrary government. Hence, "the

upon Terence. Her words are thefe: "In the last chapter « of Longinus, παιδομαθείς δελείας δικαίας, fignifies not, we are from our infancy used to a lawful government, but "to an eafy government, chargeable with neither tyranny

❝ nor

"the prevailing manners made too strong an impreffion on our infant minds, and the "infection was fucked in with the milk of

[ocr errors]

our nurses. We have never tafted liberty, "that copious and fertile fource of all that "is beautiful and of all that is great, and "hence are we nothing but pompous flatte

[ocr errors]

rers. It is from hence, that we may fee all "other qualifications displayed to perfection,

" in

"nor violence." Dr. Pearce is of a quite contrary opinion. "The word Sinaia (says he) does not fignify mild or eafy, "as fome think, but just and lawful vassalage, when kings "and rulers are poffeffed of a full power and authority over "their subjects: and we find Ifocrates ufes dpxǹ Sinaía (a "defpotical government) in this fenfe." The Doctor then gives his opinion, that "Longinus added this word, as well

as fome which follow, that his affection to the Roman 66 emperor might not be fufpected."

I have chosen to tranflate these words in the latter sense, which (with fubmiffion to the judgment of fo learned a lady) seems preferable to, and more natural than that, which Madam Dacier has given it. The critic (in the person of the philofopher, who fpeaks here) is accounting for the fcarcity of fublime writers; and avers democracy to be the nurse of genius, and the greatest encourager of Sublimity. The fact is evident from the republics of Greece and Rome. In Greece, Athens was moft democratical, and a state of the greatest liberty. And hence it was, that, according to the obfervation of Paterculus (l. i. near the end) "Eloquence "flourished in greater force and plenty in that city alone, "than in all Greece befides: infomuch that (fays he) tho"

"the

[ocr errors][merged small]

" in the minds of flaves; but never yet did 66 a flave become an orator.

His spirit being "effectually broke, the timorous vaffal will "ftill be uppermoft; the habit of fubjection continually overawes and beats down his genius. For, according to Homer,*

[ocr errors]

Jove fix'd it certain, that whatever day
Makes man a flave, takes half his worth away.

Mr. Pope. "Thus

"the bodies of the people were difperfed into other cities, "yèt you would think their genius to have been pent up "within the bare precincts of Athens." Pindar the Theban, as he afterwards owns, is the only exception to this remark. So the city of Rome was not only the feat of liberty and empire, but of true wit and exalted genius. The Roman power indeed out-lived the Roman liberty, but wit and genius could not long furvive it. What a high value ought we then to set upon liberty, fince without it, nothing great or fuitable to the dignity of human nature, can poffibly be produced! Slavery is the fetter of the tongue, the chain of the mind, as well as the body. It embitters life, fours and corrupts the paffions, damps the towering faculties implanted within us, and ftifles in the birth the feeds of every thing that is amiable, generous, and noble. Reason and Freedom are our own, and given to continue so. We are to use, but cannot refign them, without rebelling against him who gave them. The invaders of either ought to be refifted by the united force of all men, fince they incroach on the privileges we receive from God, and traverse the defigns of infinite goodness.

* Odyff, p. ver. 322.

P

(2) We

« AnteriorContinua »