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■^^i
THE
COLLECTED WORKS OF WILLIAM HAZLITT
IN TWELVE VOLUMES
VOLUME SEVEN
AH rigAf
(
1 ^. i i \ ■ , , ^ ■ r
.• t-. ■ : ;■ V . ; ^
I ' ■■.- r.
't \ ' I ..'
:L^..':.ii. i Hii.;,!!'s ,- <"■'■ ■
.; ■% \ -iVh,
THE COLLECTED WORKS OF
WILLIAM .HAZLITT
EDITED BY A. R. WALLER AND ARNOLD GLOVER
WITH AN INTRODOCTION BY
W. E. HENLEY
The Plain Speaker.
Essay on the Principles
of Human Action
Etc.
1903
LONDON: J. M. DENT (3* CO. McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO.: NEW YORK
32^.6
5¥5^960
t.
Edinl.aib : PtiiiMd by T. and A. Cohitasi.b
CONTENTS
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
AN ESSAY ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
REMARKS ON THE SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIDS
NOTES
5
1>S
414
479
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Voi»ni. : A
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Tlu Flm Sft*itr : Ofimern nt Booiif itf Af, amit TAiMgif ippured uctnyiiuiiulf in 1826 in two nlumu (9 x 5} iocbci}, pabliibed by Henry CoUnini, New Batlingtan Street, Tkc impriat behind both titte-pi(u i> ' London 1 Printed by Thomu DiviMin, Whitefriir* ' ; bnt thit it the end of the lecond mlnme ii 'LoDdan; Printed by J. Nichali ud Son, Pirlument Street.' A lilt of ' Intereiting Worki, JuH publithed by Hcniy Colbarn,* ■! the end of the work contiini u iDnonncemenE of ' The Spiiiu of the Afe . . . The Second Edition, with Addition!' (ke voL ir. p. 186, Bibliographial Note to Tit Sfirit tf t^ Agif.
In the edition which wu pnblithcd in 1S51, edited by bi> Mn, the Biujp entitled * On x Portriit of 1 Lady, by Vandyke ' i* not included 1 it wu truu- ferred to ' Criticifmi on Art,'
In the preeent iine the Etuyi have been numbered conKcutively 1 in the originel two-volnine edition the * Second Serie* ' began with BMiy I. ' On the JJuilificationi Neceuuy to Succeu id Life.'
See alu BibliogiipMal Note to Tail* Tali,
CONTENTS
ESSAY I.
rAM On the Proie-^tyle of Poeti ..... 5
ESSAY II. On Drtanu ...... .17
ESSAY ni. Od the CoDTtmtioii of Author* ..... 34
ESSAY IV. The tune Subject continued . . . , , 35
ESSAY V, ^ On Reutm and Imagination . . . . . 44 ,^
ESSAY VL On Application to Studf ...... jj
y ESSAY vn.
■* 'On Loodonen and Country People . . . 66 i^
ESSAY VIII. On the Spirit of Obligationi ..... 78
ESSAY IX. On the Old Age of Attiiti ..... IS
[/ ESSAY X.
4* On Envy (A IXak^e) . . . . , • 97 "
ESSAY XL
On Sitting for one'i Picture ..... 107
^ ESSAY xn.
''^ Whether Geniui ii conidoui of its Powen f . . 117 b-
^ ESSAY XUI.
>ir On the Pleamre of Hating ..... 117 t.
ESSAY XIV. On Dr. Spunheim'i Theory . .137
ESSAY XV. ^ On Egotiim ....... IJ7
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY XVL
Hot ud Cold 169
BSSAYXVn. The New School of Refotin (A IKalogac betmn a RadomEit
and a Sendmentaliit) ..... 179
ESSAY xrm.
y,/ Ob the QuaMcitioni ntotmuf to Sucgcm hi lift . 195 ^^
ESSAY ZIZ.
Od the Look of > Gentlenu ..... 109
ESSAY XZ.
On Readuig OU Booki ...... xao
ESSAY ZZL
4Kt/ On Penonal Chuacter ...... ajo r
ESSAY zxn.
On People of Senie ...... S43
ESSAY xjcm. Od AatiquJ^ ....... 152
ESSAY XXIV. On the Difference between Wridng and Speaking xSx
y ESSAY XXV.
yr On a Portrait of aa Engliih Ladj, bjr Yandjke . 180 .-
ESSAY XIVI. On Nonl^ and Fanuliuitj ..... 194
ESSAY xxvn.
On OU Engliih Writer* and Speaken . . . jii
ESSAY xxvm.
Madame Paita and MademoiieUe Man .... 3*4
ESSAY XXIX. Sir Walter Scott, Rwane, and Shakeqiear . . - 31^
, / ESSAY XXX.
"^'^ On Depth and Superfioalitj . . . •34^"
ESSAY ZXXI.
' [/ On Rcipectable Pe^le . . 360 -
ESSAY xxxn.
On Jeaknuy and spleen of Pai»r , . • • ■ %H
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY I
OH THE PROSE-rnrLE OF POETS
*Do]PM K*d vrtintt If you tine, iron ilof *trir 111 I'
I KATE but ao bdifTcrrat opinioo of ihe ptoKitylc of poeu : not thil it t( DOt sometimct good, oay, txccllcot ; but it b Dcvet the bcttu, aod geacrally the worse from the habit of wrilisg rcrce. PoctB i.!t wiofted uunult, tad axi cleare the lif, like biids, with ea*e to thenttclvet and ddiahi to the beholdcc* g but like thaic ■ fdthcrcd, two-legged tbiogii' when tbey light upon the ground of ptute kod tnatter-of'fact, chev wcm not to have the tame luc of their ftru
WhM ia ■ little extraordinary, there ii a wau of rbytimtu tnd cadence in what tbey wriic wiOiout the help of metrical nilet. Like periona who have bwo accuotomcd to no^ to munc, they are at > loM ID ibe ab*ence of the bibitual accompaniment and guide to their judg- ment. Their «tyle halt«, totter*, » looie, diijointcd, and without cxpn«H*e piuae* or rapid movements. The rocaturcd cadence and regular ling-tuHg of rhyme or blank reric have destroyed, u it were, their Utoral car for the mere character iatic banuony which ought to (obnilt between the tound and the *cnae. I tbould almost gueii the Author of Wavciley to be a writer of ambttng ver«es from, the deniliory TaciIIatioo and want of lirmoeM Jo the march of hii Kyle. There ii neiihet momaUum nor elsnticity in it j I mean at to the tart, or ctTcct upon the ear. He has improved tince io hi« other works : to be rare, he bat had mcticc nougb *. Poets either get into this incohercoi, undetermioea, shuffling style, made up of ' unbleamcg flats and sharpi,' of unaccountable atart* and poiucs, of doubthJ odt^ and cods, flirted about like nrawa in a gunt of wind ; or, to avoid it and
> I> it Dot * colUlml proof tbsl Sir Wtlui iioK it ibe Author of WiTCTltf, ihu cm tiaee Ukm N«nti lK|in to ispcir, hit Mbk ku beco tUtot, liU ibe pabUotioa e( KaUdo»-Hm i
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
steady thoiuelvM, mount into a luttainMl and mcsiium] proie (like the traoilation of Ottian'i PocniR, or (ome pirti of StiAfrnbury'i Cbiractrrittict] which it more odious nill, uid hi b.id at being at »ca in a calm. Dr. Johnwn's style ({snicduly io liis Rambler,) ii oot free from the last objection. There ia a tune in it, a mechanical recunence of the tame t'lM and lill in ihe ckuaes of his Kntencei, iodejjendent of any lelerence to the meaning of the text, or progrcN or inflection of the aeRM. There in the alternate roll of his cumbrous cargo of word* ; hi* periods complete iheit rcToluiions at certain stated intervale, let the matter be longer or shorter, rough or smooth, round or s^tiaret diiferent or the same. This monotonous and balanced mode of composition may be compaji-d to tlut specie* of portrait-painting which premled about a century ago, in which each face was caat in a regular and preconceived mould. The eye-browa were arched malhcmalically a* if with a pair of compauc*, and the distances between the noK and mouth, the forehead and chin, determined according to a 'foregone conclusion,' and tlie feature* of the identical tndiridual were afterward* accommodated to them, how tbev could ! '
rlofne Tooke uaed to maintain that no ooe could write a good ^o*e style, who was not accustomed to expre** himself mvd voce, or to talk in company. He argued that thin wat the fault of Addison'* prose, and that its imooth, equable uniformity, and want of ^arpoett j and spirit, aro»e from hi* not having familiuriied his ear to tlie aound of his own mice, or it Icait only aniong friends and admirer*, where there was but little colliiion, dramatic Sucluation, or ludden coniraticiy of opinion to provoke aoimjied diicutiiion, and give birth to diiferent intonations and lively transitions of speech. His style (in this view of it) waa not indented, nor did it project from the surface. There was no tUtu laid on one word more than another — it did not hurry on or stop short, or sink or iwell with the occasion .- it wa* throughout ci^ually insipid, flowing, and harmonious, and had the elfect of a studied Kcitatioo rather ihan of a natural di*courte. This would not have happened (to thr Member for Old Sarum contended) had Addisoa laid himself out to ar^uc at his club, or to speak in public i for thea I hi* ear would have c-iught the necessary modulations of sound arising out of the feeling of the moment, and lie would have ttansferred them unconsciously to paper. Much might be aaid on both aide* of ihi* <lueatioii * : but Mr. Tooke waa himself an unintentional confirmation
' Set (he Portnili of Kntllcr, Itidiirfltoi], ind athcn.
' CoMtnitii wu BOI 1 Ulkn, though he blurlcil out hi* good ihlngi new snd thro ; fct hil tt^lc i> (ly mil volubk rnnu||U. Pojr n%i ilia 9 iilFnl mtn ; in.1 his pioH is limi^i snd cvntlrjincil, and hia vcr*t in^lioinif Io Ihr monnlonnus.
ON THE PROSE-STYLE OF POETS
of hb own ar^mccti ; Tor the lone of hi* written compo«ition* i* n flat 2nd unrsitcd a* his manner of ipciking wat hud and dry. Of thv poet it is uid by »omc ooc, that
'He muimura by ihc running brooks A muiic iwcrlcr thin their nvrn.'
Go the coDirary, th« cclebnccd person jtut alluded to might be uld
riD grind the woiencM bctwceo his teeth, which he atterwAxdi com-
nttled to pap^i vul thtew out cnuts to the critics, or bon-mois to the
lEIecton of Wetttninater {lu we tLiow bonei to the dog«,J without
'|]lcring a mnticle, and without the cmalle«t tremuloumeti ot Toice or
tye ' ! I certainly so f»r agree with the ibote theory a» to conceive
that DO ityte it worth a farthing that in not calculated to be read out,
or that is not allied to tptrited conversation : but I at the lame time
think the process of modulation and inllectioa may be ()uitc at complete,
or more m, without the external enunciatioo i and that an author had
better try the effect of hii Kntencei on his stomach than on bin ear.
He may be deceived by the last, not by the lirtc. No person, I
|iBiagicic> can dictate a good style ; or tpoui his own compositions with
npuntty. In the former case, he will lioundcr on before the vxne
or words arc ready, sooner than suspend hii voice in air ; and in the
Uitcf, he can supply what intonation he pleaies, without consiJung
his readers. Parliamentary speeches somciimcs read well aloud ( but
we do not find, when such persons sit down to write, that the prosc-
^■lylc of public speakers and great orators is the bctt, matt naniTBl, or
' vined oral) others. It ha* almost always either a profestional twang,
■ mecbuica] rounding off, or else is stunted and unequal. Charles
Fox was the most rapid and even bvrriiJ of speakers ; but his written
style lulls and cneps alowty along the ground*. — A speaker is
' As ■ liniulir eumplc d( ttttdiactt of nuvei, Mt. Tooks oa oat ocfsiton hid goi upon the Isblc it i public (Jinnrr to return ttumki for hit hcallh having b*tn dtink. lit hrM i hump" of irior in hia hinil, but he wH rcceiw<( with cootiiicr- ■ble oppotilion by one pirl)', iii>l >l thr tad of the ditliirbincr, which liitcrl for a qsariK of in hour, he found the wine (bH Kill full to the brim.
' I hive beca tolil, thii when Sheiiilin w» Ant iatraduced to Mt. Fas, what
ecmenteil an Lnmediite iatisucT bcl«eeo tbcni hii Ihe (allowing drcumatince.
Mr. Sheridan hid been the niiht before Is the Huuie of Commoni ; *nd beini
liked what hia imprruinn w>>, uid be hiJ ben prineipiHy tirurk with the
diffeciocf of tninnri bMwfro Mr. Foi and Lord Slitmnnt. The lillct heiin by
dtilaiini; in ■ ilon-, tolemn, ddwlinf, mail (one that 'when he eoniMrtrd the
vCfunallj uil the nnconiiitDlioail tendeney of the meaaurc* juu propoMd, he mi
Lfcucried awiy id i torrent of piiaian and a wkiilwinil of imprtuoiity,' piuaint
rbtmcn crery woid and lylUble ; while the (irit iiiil (ipeikiai with the rapidity
f«f li(hin!n(, ind with bniihleo tniidy inJ impitieme], that ' luih wii the
■upiilode, tuch Ihf imponmcr, tuch the viul iatcnal of tbii •;ueitiun, Ihil he
7
THB PLAIN SPEAKER
nccMMrily kept within boundi in expreuing ccrtiia thbgt, or in pro- Douncing a certain number of word*, by the limiii of the breath or power of rrspirauon : cert^n uutidi are ob«crvcd to join io harnionioiuly or happily with other* : so emphatic phraw must not be placed, where the power of utteruce it eofecbled or cxhauKed, Sic. All tbia mutt be iilleoded to in writing (and wOl be to uncooscioualy by a practiied hand,}or there will be iiMiu in naMmirifiiu. The word) mtui be to arrai^ccl, in order to make on cfiieient rcadihle ilyle, w 'to come trippingly off the loogur.' Hence ii iccmi that there U a natural ■ncaoare of prow ia the feeling of the rabjeci aod the pow«r of exprcuioo in the voice, aa there is aa artificial one of verse xa the number aad co-ordiiutioo of the tyllabW -. tad I conceive that the uammela of the lut do not (wliete ihey haK been long worn) greatly aMR the freedom or the exactnea of the IW«t.
Again, in poetry, from the lettrabtt in many rcipcew, a greater Dnmbcr of iitTertiont, or a Uiiiude in the iran»po»iiion of worda ta allowed, which i« not conformable to the ttrict lawa of prose. Con- ■cqueetly, a poet will be at a lost, and flounder about for the contmoa or (at we undcrtiand U) uxtuni/ order of words tn proie-compo«itioR. Dr. Johnaon endeavoured to give aa air of dignity and novelty to hii diction by affecting the order of word* usual in poetry. MiJtoD's prose haa not only thii draw-back, but it ia» bIm the disadvonugc of being formed on a classic model. It is like a fine translation from the Latin i and indeed, he wtotc originally in Latin. The frequency of epicheta and omanients, too, is a resource for which the poet lindt it difficult to obtain an equivalent. A direct, or liraplc proic-ityle tecma to him bald and tlat ; and, instead of forcing an intcteit in the subject by icTctity of description and reasoning, he is repelled from it alto- gether by the absence of those obviout and metcCricious allurementt, by which hit senses and hit imagination have been liitherco stimulated and daxiled. Thus there it often at the tame time a want of splendour and a want of energy in what he wniet, without the invoc- ation of the Mute — iiivlia JHiiurva. It is like setting a rope-dancer to perform a tumUcr'* tricks— the hardness of the ground jars his nerrei ; or it is the same thing a« a painter's attempting to carve a block of marble for the first time — the coldness chills him, the colour, lets unifomuty distracts him, ilic precision of form demanded dishearten* htm. So in prose -writing, the severity of compoiiiion required damps the enthusiasm, and cuts off the rctourcts of the poet.
could Dot bdji implonof, hr couIH noi help SiljuriDi the HoDic to come la ll vith
tilt nloioit (ilointH, the uimoii looliini, iht ulmoit deUberstlon.' This trsit of
dlicrimloMioa taslsntly woo Mr, Foa't bcuE.
8
f'
f^
ON THE PROSE-STYLE OF POETS
He 11 lookiDg for beauty, when he «bould be tcckrng for trath ; and tim* M plramK, which he can only commuuk.-iiG by incrnaiof the MQK of^oycc in ibe reader. The pott spreads the colour* of fancy, th« illuucoB of Ilia ovo miad. round every objec% ad Miitmn ; the '■writer » cofitpelleii to extract bu oiaterialii patiently and bit by , froin hi* tubject. What be addt of omuncDt, what he borrowi ' from the pencil, mutt be >i>ariBg, ud judicioudy inwrtcd. The lirtt pretendf to oothbg but the immodiaic indulgence of his feeJtsgi : the UK Ittt a mnote piactical purpose. The one itroUa out toto the •dJoiBiBg ficUt or groTct to gitli«i tlowera : the other liu a journey to «» toiuHiBiet through dirty roodd, und at others thrDUgh untroddco and dtfficnit way*. It i> ihit ciTeiiiiDacy, ihi« immeraioa to tennal tdcat, or cravinc after continual excitement, that (poiln the poet for bu prote-iaak. He canool wait till the elTcct come* of itaclf, or sritcs out of the occasion : he muil force it upon all occasions, oi hit apirk droopa aad flaga under a toppoard imputatioD of duloeu. He can never drift with the currtn^ but is always hoistiag sail, and haa his Micamett laying. He ha> got a nrikiox simile on hand i he hi^i it in with the (ir*i opportunity, and with little conDexion,aod *o deieai* hit object. He hat a ttory to tell : be tell* it in the first page, and where it would come in well, hat nothing to tay ; like Goldsmitb, who baving to wait upon a Noble Lord, was so fall of himself and of the figure he sliuuld make, that he addresaed a let speech, which he bad itudied Ibc tbe occasion, to hit Lordship** butler, and had jut aided as the nobleman made bis appearance. The protc omamenia of tbe poet are frojuenily b»uiiful in themselves but do not usisi tlie lubjtct. They are pleasing cxciescencct — hindrances, not helps in aa arinneiK. The reason m, his tmbaUiibBKntt io his own walk grow ottt of tbe lubject by natural awociMioa \ that is, beauty give* biitb to kindred be^ty, grandeur lead* the mind on to grcitcf grandeur. But in treating a cosnmon subject, the link is trutb, force of illaiiration, weight of aigument, oot a graceful harmony in the immodiatc ideas; and hence tbe obvioua and habitual clue which before gcided him is gone, and be bai^s on hit patch-work, tinicl bicry at raitdom, in despair, without propriety, and without effect. The poetical prote-wtilcr giupt to describe an object, tf he admires it, or ihioki it will bear to !jc dwelt on i tbe genuine prose-wiiter only alludes to or characterises it in patiiog, and with reference to his subject. Tbe proK-wriccr i* mauler of his matrrisls : the poet it tbe itare of hi* ttyle. Every thing ihowy, crery thing extraneous tempca him, Bed he rcpoics idly ort it : he is brnt on pleasure, not on btuinesa. He aims at effect, at captivating tlie reader, and yet is contented with ooaoion-place omameiMt, rather than none. Indeed, this last result
9
MH^ I
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
mutt aecMisrily follow, when thtn ii an ambkioo to thiDC, without the eflori to dig for jcwcU in the minr of trtitb. The habiti of a poet'* niiiKl oic oot thoK of iadtotty or rci«wch : h>> iina|n catut to htm, be doet no: go to them i xod b proM-*ubject«. md in matten of fact and dote reatontng, the oattiral ttimulus that at other timet warm* and route*, deicrta him altogether. He tce« no unballowrd tiHoni, he it toipiicd by do dnj-^drrami. All i« tame, literal, and harreo, without the Ntae. Nor does he collect hit ttrength to urik« Kie from the fliat by the diarpoeu of coliiiion, by the eagerneM of his Uowi. He liatheTi rotec, he iteali coluuti from the roicibow. He lite* on iwctai and ambtotia. He 'uead* the pnmrove path of dalliance,' ax aiccndt ■ the highect hcareo of inTentioo>' or nlli flat to the ground, ffe u nol/rmg, if not faiuif^ !
I fhall proceed to explaia Uicm remark*, u wtU u I cao, by a l«w inaiance* in poioL
It hat alu-ays appeared to me that the mo«t pericct piroM-atyle, the moit powerful, the moit da^ulin^, the ma«t dajting, that which went tbe nearen to the teige of poetry, and yet never fell over, waa — ^iirke'i. It has the solidity, and tparkling effect of tbc diamond : aIr50ier_^K writittg i* like French pwtc or BriitoUloncn in ibc com- pariaoD. Burke'* ttyle it stry, Eighty, advcoturous, but it never low* right of the nibject ; nay, it alwavt in contact with, and derive* its lacreaied or varying tmpulK from it. It may be taid to pai* yawntne gulf* ' on the unitedfan footing of a tpear : ' atill it hai an actual rentng-ptacc and tangible mipport undo' it — it it oot tuapended on nothing. It differ* from poetry, as I coaceivc, like the cliamoi* iroffl the eagle : it climb* to an almoct equal height, touches upon a cloud, orerlooka a prcdpicc, ia picturcti^ue, aublime — but all the while, ioatesd of tearing thro^jgh the air, it ttaod* upon a rocky cliif, damberi up by abrupt and intricate ways, and browxeaon the rougbett bari^ or crap* tbe tender flower. The principle which guidci hii pen btlfu^^pot beauty — not pli-.i.iurc, but power. He his no choice, lio •Section of^niUjcct to flatter the readci'* idle tutc, or aiciit hia own fancy : he nttist take what comes, and make the moit of tt. He works the mo«i itriking effect* out of the most unpromiting tnaterialt, by the mere actiTity of hi« mind. He riies with the lofty, dcaceods with thi- mean, luxuriitet in beauty, gloau over deformity. It u all the lutiir to him. i-a th^t he Ifitci no panicle of the exact, characteritdc, _ex\r<-mf i-iijr : r, of the thing be writes about, and that he coin- rouiuc.iici thi-i lij ii>c reader, after exhausting every possible mode of illuitraiion, plain or abatiacted, figurative or literal. Whatever stamps the original image more distinctly on the mbd, u welcome. The atturc of bis task preclude* contmual beauty ; but it does not pre-
lO
ON THE PROSE-STYLE OF POETS
elude coniiaaal ift£CRiiit7, force, originality. He had to treat of poTiucal <)tmttoDE, mixed mode*, ib«tract ideu, tuid hi« Tixicj (or poetry, if you will) was iografied aa thne sriifcislly, and as it tntght •ometiinei be thought, •ioleatly, bttead of growtDg naturally out of tbem, ai it would ipting of its own accord from individual objecta and fccliagt- There i( a rciiitance in the mailer to the illuftration applied to it — the concrete and abmract are hardly co-oidinutc ; aod therefore ii it that, when the iirK difficulty in otercome, they muat agree more closely ID the e«KDtial oualttieR, in order that the coincidence may be complete. OtberwiiCt it is good fornoihiog; and you jun I y charge the aiuhor'i «yle with bdag looie, vague, flaccid ami imbecii. The poet haa been laid
* To make us hrin Of truth and pure delight in mdlcu lays.*
Not ao the peoae-wiiter, who olwayt mingle* clay with hi* gold, and often tcparatci truth from mere pleaiutc. He can only arrive at the lait through the firit. Id poetry, one pieaaing or striking image obvioualy auggeett another : the Incresting the «rnK of brauty or grandeur i« the principle of compoutioo : in proie, the profcMed ^ object u to impart conviction, and nothing can be admitted by wuy of ornament or relief, that doea not add new force or cleame** to the origisal conception. The two claaaea of id«a( brought together by tht onior Of hspaaiioQcd pro»e-writcr, to wit, the groeial tubject aod tbc pardcalar image, are m far incompatible, and the idenittjr muat be more itiict, more marked, more determinate, to make them coalesce to any practical purpow. Every word should be a blow : every tbought should inatantly grapple with itt fellow. There mtitt be a weight, a prccition, a conformity from auociaiion in the tropes and figures of animated p^'ose to lit them to their |Jace in the argument, and make them itil, which may be dispensed with in poetry, where there la something much more congenial between the subject-matter and the illustratioQ —
' Like brauty making bnuiiful old rime I '
What can be more remote, for inttance, and at the same time more apposile, more iht tamt, than the following comparison of the Engltih CoBiiitution to 'the proud Keep of Windtor,' in the eclehratcd Letter to a Noble Lord i
* Such are ihrir ideas ; such ihiir religion, and such litir law. But at to ear country and wr race,M long at the well -com nacted Mructurc of our church and uate, the aanctuary, the holy ai holies of that ■Dcient bw, delended by reverence, defended by power— a fartreaa
It
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
at ooce aad « t«npl«^ — dull aund inTiolaie oo the biow of the liritich Stoo ; as long at the Briciib Monarchy — not nxHc Utnilcd lluD fenced by the otden of the Sute — ahall, like the pioud Keep of Wiodcor, Hiing in the raajonr of proportion, and girt with the double belt of iu kindred and coeval tower* ; u long a* thi* awful ttruclurv fhall overaee and gaard the subjected Uod, ao long the mouoda and dyke* of the low, fat, Bedford level will hare oothiag ^ '*"'' ^oin all tlie pickaxci of all ihe leveller* of Ktance. A* looj; aa our Soeereigo Lord the King, and hit faithful aubjccta. tlie Locdi and Conunont of this realm — the itiplc coid which do nun cm brciik ; tlte aolemc, (worn, coiutitutional frink-plcdgc of thii luiion ; tbe tirm guarantee* of each other'* being, and each other'* righu ; the joint and »everal securitica, each in ita place and order, for every kind and every
Jiiality of property aod of dignity — A* long aa theic endure, to long le Duke of Bedford i* taft : and we are aJl «afe together — the high from the blighti of envy and the apoltationa of rapacity ; the low from the iroo hand of oppreiaioa and die insolent tpurn of contempt. Amen ! and ao be it : and to it will be,
** Dtm ihmui Mmn Cafilsli biunebili laxam ActtUti imftriumqui fvirr RamoHUj haMit."'
Nothing can well be more impracticable to a timile than the vague and complicated idea which is here embodied in one ; yet bow finely, how nobly it *Unda out, in natural grandeur, in royal ataie, with double barricTi round it lo answer for ita identity, with < buttreta, fliraei and coignc of 'vantage ' for the imagination to ' make iti pen- dant bed and procteant cradle,' till the idea i* confounded with the object rcpieveoting it — the wonder of a kingdotn ; and then how ■tnkin^ how determined the dctcent, * at one fell iwoop,' to the ' low, &t, Bedford letcl ! ' Poetry would have been bound to maintaio a certain decorum, a regular balance between theae two idcM; •tetltng pro«e throw* andc all tuch idle respect to appcartOOM, ud with ita
K, like a aworil, 'aharp and »weet,' lays open the caked truth! e poet's Muse it like a inistrcts, whom we keep only while ihe ia young and beautiful, Juranlt bene placilo i the Muie of pio>c ii like ■ wife, whom we take during life, /or beller /or warn. Burkc'* exe- cution, like that of all good proae, tavout* of the texture of what he describe*, and hit pen tlidc* or drag* over the ground of his subject, like the painter's pencil. The most rigid fidelity and tlie ntoti fanci- ful extravagance meet, and arc reconciled in his page*. I never pats Windtot but 1 tliink of thi* pataage in Burke, and hardly know to
14
' " Tiymflum fw <wAh> trcii.'
Tacttb* of ihc Taafle of Jontaleoi.
ON THE PROSE-STYLE OF POETS
iMA I un iBttebtnl hkmi for carichiDj; my moni araw, that or the Im pictarwque itaiua, in Gray,
'Prom Windtor'i hcishti ih« cxpinir Ixtow Of mead, of lamti, of wood lurvcy," &c
I might tnentioa thut the m much udmired d«scription in «>n« of the dia (pecches of Hyd«i Ally'* army ( I thiek ii it) which * now Dg tike a ckmd upon the moumain, and now burtt Dpon the pkia like a thunder bolt, would do Mully well for poetry or prow. It it a bold and RTikiDg illuatntion of a saturally imprc«Ht« object. Thia b Dot the caie with the Abbe Sieyei'i far.famiKl ' pigeon-holet,' nor with the coaiparison of the Duke of Bedford to *tbe L«mtb>n, turabling tbout hii unwieldy bulk io the ocean of royal bounty.' Nothing hcr« 4arr« the deacription but the force of the invective ; the •urtling inith, the Tcbcmcnee, the rcmnteneo, the aptitude, the perfect Mcalurity and coincidence of the alluwon. No writer would cfrr mn lli0U];bt of it bm hdnuelf ; no reader can ever forget it. What ia there in common, one might aay, between a Peer of the Realnat and *thn«e>-beaK,' oftboae
* CtcatM hugtat that n*im the oeeao-strtatn f '
Yet Burke ha* knit the two ideal io)[cthert and no mao can put them
■auadct. No matter how alight and ptecarioui the connection, the
ngth of line it i* nccetaiiry for the fiiDcy to pn out b ktrpiog hold
~of the object on which it haa fiMtcoed, he aecmi to haie ' put hit hook
in the Dottrila ' of thia cnormoua creature of the crown, that empurplea
rftU in track through the glittering expaaie of a profound and rctuen
IfaagiiMWion I
In lookitig ioM the Ikii of laat week, I liad the feUowing pMugta, in an article on the death of Lord CaitliTeaj<h.
* Tbc •picodour of MajcRv Iraiiag the Btitith mctropotit, careerbt
J the ooeao, and landing in the capiul of the North, it diitin;;uithed
Jjr bjr gtiinftn Uwongh the dense array of ctouda in which Death
rUd hiiMnf, hIhI* be atnKk down to tbc dtni the itatelieai courtier
Bear the thtoui ad the broken train of which purtoe* and crutact the
Royal progrcM vberenr it* ^orlea are preaented to the eye of
InamUKn.
'The aamc indefatigable mind^ mind of all work — which thoa the Continent with a rod of iron, the iword — within the wall* ^flf the Honae of Corubom nJed a more diRractod region with a more ' and fioely .tempered weapoo, the tongue ; and truly, if ihit vm pthe ooly weapon hit Lordihip wielded there, where be had daily to nter, and frequetiUy almoct alooe, enemiei more formidable tlun
»5
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Buonapircr, it muK be Hclc&owlcidgcd that be >cbir*cd greater victofic* than DcmcuthcDn or Cicero em gaaed io far mote vmj lieldi of «rife ; nay, lie wrought miradea of >peech, outvyinj; those rairacle* of ion;;, wliich Orpheut i) Hid to bare pecformcd, when not only men aod bruiei, but roclt«, wood*, and mountaint, toliowed the
aomd of hit roicc and lyic
' But there was a worm at the root of the gourd that flourished over hit head in the brightest tunthine of a court ; both periihed in a night, aad in the naoraing, that which had been hit nlotj and his thaduw, corered him like a throud ; while the corpse, nolwithitandiog all his bonourt, and litieJ, and olBces.Uy unmoved in the pUcc where it fell, till a judgment had been pained upon him, which the poorest peasant escape* when he dies in the ordinary course of nature.'
SHsnaiD Adtutiseb, Aug. lo, 1H33.
This, it must be confessed, is very unlike Burke: yet Mr. Mont gomery is a very pleasing poet, and a strenuous politiciaii. The whole is travtlSiig out af the raord, and to no Kirt of purpose. The anthor is constantly getting away from the impretsion of his subject, to cDTclop himself in a cloud of images, which weaken and perplex, instead of adding force and clr^rncsi to it. Provided he it lignrBliiv, he does not care how commonplace or irrclcTani tlic figures are, sod he wanders on, delighted in a labyrinth of wordi.like a truant school- boy, who is ontv gUid to hare eicaped from bii tusk. He has a very slight hold of his subject, and is tempted to let it go for any fallacious ornament of style. How obscure and circuitous i* the allunioo to ' the cloiuls in which Death hid himself, to strike down the staicliesi couruei ncai the throne I ' How hackneyed is the refcrenoe to Dcmosthmes and Cicero, and how utterly quaint and unmeaaiog is the ringing ilie changes upoo Orpheus and ius train of men, beasts, woods, rucks, audi mountains in connection with Lord Caitlereagh ! But he is better pleased with this classical fable than with the death of the Noble Peer, and delights to dwell upon it, to however little use- So be is glad to tiikc advantage of the scriptural idea of a gourd ; not to enforce, but as a relief to fais rcfectioos ; and paints his conclusion with a puling sort of common- place, that a peasant, who dies a natural death, has 00 Coroner's Inquest to sit upon hioi- All these ate tlie faults of the ordinary poetical style. Poets think they are bound, by the tenour of their indentorei to the Muses, to 'elevate and surprise' io every line \ and not having the usual resources at hand in common or abftrKtcd subjects, aspire to the end without the means. They make, or pretend, an extraordinary interest where there is none. Tbey ue ambitious, vain, and indolent — more busy tn preparing tdk
'4
ON THE PHOSE-STYLE OF POETS
oriumeau, which ibcy take their cluocc of btinging in wmchow or other, ihan intent oti eliciting irutlx by &ir *nd honnt inquiry. It thodd »eein m if thcjr con«idered protc as a *on of waitiafi-mud lo
ipociry, that could only be cxoected to wear her mittrett'i cast-off finery. Poeti hare been aid to succeed bc«( in liciioot and the ucouat here given may in part explain the reawD. That i* lo lay, they muK chootc their own tubjcci, in such a manner ni to afford them continual opportunitict of appealing lo the een«cs and exciting tbe faacy. Dry detail*, abitrusc ipcculatioDa, do not f;ivc scope to vividDcu of description [ and, a* they cannot bear lo be considered dall, they become loo often affecied, extraragint, and iniipid.
J ua indebted to Mr. Coleridge for the compariaon of poetic prate to the tecond'huid iinery of a lady'* maid (jutt made mk of}. He himielf i« an iaiianccof hiaown obtcrvation, and (what i*rveD worse) of the oppoiite fault — an alfcctation of ()uaintnea* and originality. With bit* of tarnished lace and wotthlcts frippery, he aMumc* a Dg oriental coatume, or borrow* the itiff drrwe* of our aDOC»- Dn, or tuirta an eccemtic fathioa of bii own. He ia (welling and
[turgid — ererlattingly aiming to be greater than hit subject ; filling hii
I bitcy with furoc* and vapouta in the pang* and throe* of miraculou* parturition, and bringing forth only iiHl Urthi. He bai an ioccMUit Ctanog, a* it were, lo exalt every idea into a metaphoi, to expand
i rrery aentimeot tnto a leDgtheoed myiiery, votuminoua and rut, con- bied and cloudy. Hi* style ii not racaoct, but incumbered with a tnin of word* and image* that have no practicat, and only a poMible telatioD to one another — that add to iu itaiehnci*, but impede ita march. One of hit aeotcoce* wind* its ' forlorn way obtcurc ' over Out Jiagc lilu a pirtriarchal ptocet«ion with camcU laden, wreathed IBMIU, honachold ttvalih, the whole riche* of the author'* mind out upon ilie barren w8«te of hi* tubjeci. The palm-tree
^i]>r«ada i» uerile branches overhead, ami the land of promiae i« teen in the diuaoce. All thi* ia owing to hit wiihing to overdo every thing — to nuke aomething more out of everything than it ia, of than i* worth. The simple truth doc* not satisfy him — no direct pro- podiioD filb up the mottlda of hi* undcrttandii^. All b foreign, far- fetched, irrelevant, laboured, unproductive. To read one of hi* dia- quiiitionB ii like hearing the variation* to a mece of muaic without the •core. Or, lo vary the *imik| he ia not Itxe a man going a journey by the stage-coach along the high-road, but i* alway* getting into
B ballooe, and mounting into the air, above the plain ground of proae.
(Whether be (oar* to the empyrean, or dire* to the centre (at he
FwnKtiBiea dott), it i* equally to get away from the qucatioo wbre turn, aad to prove that he owe* every thing to hi* own mind. Hit
<5
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
object ii (o iovoot ; he tcorat to imhsw. The buuDeu of praie !• Che ramnry. But Mr. Culcridfic it » poet, and bit thoughu are free.
I ttiiok the poet-hurcRt in k mucb better protc-writer. Hit nyle has an uiticjnc quauttDcM, with n modern famitiariiy. He hsa Juac ■ nffident tprinkling o( arttaitau, of Motion* to oid Fuller, and Bunoni add Latimerf to set offor qualify the tmart tlipptoc tono of hit apolo- gie* for exiniiiE abuaea, i>t tlie ready, galtinft rirideecc of hit pentonai iDvectiTH. Mr. Soulbey ia a faithful hiiytoriaa, and do inefficient pattiMD. In the former character, his mind ii tenacioui of facts ; and tD the tatter, hii xpleen and jealouif prevent the 'extravagant and erring ipirit ' of the poet t'roni losing iticlf in F.mty'ii endico* maze. He 'ftoops to rarth,' at leaat, and proatiiute* hia pen to aome purpo«c (not at the ume time loainj; hii own aoul, and gaining notliing by it) ^-and hcTiIifiet Reibmi, and tinuM* the rei};n of Gcorjte tu. in good Mt termi, in a ttraigbtfbrward, letetligible, practical, pointed my. He n not bnoyed np by conicioua power out of the reach of common ■pprc)ienuoD«. but makra the moat of the t^riout advantage* he noamsea. You may complvn of a prttinen* and pctulaticr of maimer, but certainly there is no want of tplrii or facility of execution. He iloct not wuate powdet and thoi tu the air, but load* his piece, takea a level aim, and hits his mark. One would aay (lhou(;h hii Muie i( an^idexier) that he wrote ptotc with hia right hand ; there ii nothing awlcA'ard, circuitous, or feeble ia it. ' The wordt of Mercury arc barih after the aoogs of Apollo : * but tbit would not apply to him. Hi> pcoie-lucubrationt are uleaianier reading than hia poetry. Indeed) be i[ ecjually practited and volumiooua in both ; and it is no improb- able conjecture, that Mr. Soutbey may have had tome idea of rivalling the reputation of Vohatre in the extent, the tpirii, and the versatility of bit produciiona in prou and vcrae, except that he hat written no truediet but Wat Tyler !
To my taite, the Author of Rimini, and Editor of the Examiner, is among tbc bcit and Icaat corrupted of out poetical ptoto-wiitcra. Id bia light but well nupported coluinns we find the tacineiB, the aharpnest, uid tparkling effect of poetry, with little that it extravagant or fiir- ietchcCi and no turgidity or pompout pretcmion. Perhap* there is too much the apnecirance of relaxation and trifling (aa if he had ctcaped the abacklet of rbyrae], a caprice, a levity, and a disposition to tnnorate in words and ideas. Still the gemiiae nuMMpint of the proK-wriier ia there i the tone of lively, leaiiUe coDvenatioD t and tbi* may in pan ariae &om the author'* being himself an animated ulker. Mr. Hunt wanta something of the beat and earoettDCH of the polttical partiian; but hi* Farailiar aod mitceltaneou* paper* have
ON DREAMS
>II the ea*e, grace, snd potni of the be« tyie of Euay-wnting. Mioy of hU effatiota in tbc iNDiCATok ihow, that if lie nad dcvoicd bim- •elf exciuMvely to tlut mode of wiittag, he inbciiu mot* of the tptrit of Sctck ihaa *aif niui hdcc hia uiat.
Lord Byron** proae ii tod ; that it to aay, beary, hbourcd, aod coarte ; he tri«* to knock •otne one dovn with the butt-cod of every lioct wliacb defeata hia object — and [he nylc of the Author of Wafcrley {if he come* fairly into thii discDaiiioD) at mere iiyle, ii villaniona. It ii pretty plain he ii a poet; for the aound of narna ruu mechanically in hi* ear*, and he rings the cliangca uocoo- kioubIt on (be same worda in a aeatence, like the aame rhymet b a couplet.
Not to «tiin out thii ditc<a»ian too rauch, I would conclude by ob*et*ing, that tome of the old Engliah pto>c-wtiter« (who were not poet*) ate the beat, nod, at the aame time, the moil foetua/ in tbe laTourablc arnac. Among thne we may reckoa aome of the old diTinea, and Jeremy Taylor at the head of ihem. 'X'heie ia a lluah like the dawo orer hti writinj[t i the iweetcew of the rote, the fre&h- oeaa of the roonun;>-<!ew. There la a loftDea* in bia «tyle, proceediDC from the tendenKta of hi* beari : but hii head it firm, ana hi* hand u free. Hi* materialit arc a* fiDcly wrought up aa they ate ori^oal and atiractiTc in themiclTe*. Milton'* piotc-nylc isTour* too moch of poetry, aodi aa I hare already hinted, of an iiniuiion of the Latin. Cryden'i i* perfectly uoexceptiooable, and a model, io siinplicitjr ■tccBgth} and pcrtpicuity, for the anbjecta he treated of.
ESSAY II
OK DREAMS
Da. SruxiftiaM, b trexting of ibe Phjmhgy t^ tit BfM», hat ibc followtoK ciirioua pautKe :
' The Mate of (omoambuliun equally prove* the plurality of the organ*. Tbia ia a ttate of incomplete *leep, wherein >everal orj^an* are watching. It ia known that the brain acta upon the external world by mcana of voluntary motion, of the voice, and of the five external ceof««. Nov, if in *lecpiig iom* organ* be active, dream* take place ; if the action of the brain be nroni2*M<l to (h* mutctea, there iiollow moticoa t if the action of the oraiD m propagated to the vocal or^*, the eleepin;: pertoo ipeaka. Indeed, it la ItDowa that sleeping pertoM dicam ana «peak t other* dream, apeak, bear, and
Tou VII, : ■
>7
J
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
antwcr; Mhcri itill dream, rite, do niiout thiagt, and walk. Thu Ultcr lUtc is cillcd lomniimbuliiini, that ii, the >uec of walking during •leep. Now, a* ihe cai cati hear, lo the eyes may kc, while the other organi tlt^cp i nod there are facta quite positive wliicli prove that Mveml petsoQi in the tiate of lORuumbuliini have eeeo, but alway* with open eyei. There are alio conTulnve dvs, in which the patient! act wiihout hearing, and vite virta. Some loinnumliulittt do thing! of which tbcy ate not capable in a tiatc o{ watching ; and dreaming pe[«on> rcMon Komeiimeo better than they do when awake. This pheoomeoon it not astonishing,' &c< — PHVMoaHOMiGLL Ststbu OF Das. Gat4. akd Sfuriklim, p. 317.
There ii here a very lingular mixing up of the datteit tniiums with the mou gratuitous atiumptiona ; so that the one beinj^ told with great grariiy, and the other delwered with the most familiar air, one U puizled in a cursory perusal to disringuiih which i> which. This is an art of nullifying the reader, like that of the juggler, who shows
SDU some plain matter-of-fact experiment just as he is going to play off is capital trick. The mind is, by this ahernaiioD of htyJc, thrown off its guard I and between wondering first it the absuidity, and then at the superficiality of the work, becoraei almoit a convert to it. A thing exceedingly qucitianablc it staled to roundly, you think there muHt be gomcthing in it : the plainest proposition it put in >o doubtful and cautious a nianncr, you conceive the writct must kc a great deal farther into the aubject tlian you do. You mistrust your ears and eyes, and are it) a lair way to retign the uae of your understanding. It is a line style of •nyittfy'm!. Again, it is the practice with the German school, and in particular with Dr. .Spurzhcim, to run counter to common tense and the best authenticated opinions. They must always be more knowing than every body else, and treat the wisdom of the ancienti, and the wisdom of the moderns, much in the tamt supercilioui way. It has been taken for granted generally that people see with their eyes i and therefore it is stated in the above passage aa a ditcoveiy of the author, 'imparted in dreadful tecrcsy,' that tleeji- walkcrs always see with their eyes open. I'hc meaning of which is, that we are not to give too implicit or unqualified an assent to the principle, at which modern philosophers have arrived with some pains and difficulty, thai we acquire our ideas of external objects through the sense*. The irantcendenial sophitts wish To back out of that, as 100 conclutive and wcll-dcrincd a position. They would be glad to thriiw the whole of what has been done on this question into con< ftisioa again, in order to begin 4e nevo, like children who construct houaet with cards, and when the pack is built up, shuffle them all together on the table again. These tntellectual Syiiphusea are always 18
ON DREAMS
roUiiig the atoDc of koovrlnlge up a hilli for the penrcrae pleaffiK of roOinji it dowB apia. Having goQc m far at they can in the direc- tion of reaion aod good wnte* rather than Kcm pa«ait-e or tlie (tavea of any opinioiit they turn back with a wonderful look of tagacitjr to all *om of cxplodol prejudice* and abaurdttv> It ii a pity that we cannot In wtll done alone, and that after labouring for centuries u> remove tgoonnce, we let our faccn wiih the mod wilful otTiciousoeM sgaioM the tubility of knowledge, 'i'he Phyiiagmmicni Sytiem of Dm. Gal! and SpurAhcim n full of this sort of diegujiing cant. We are »till only to ieliroe in ati vaMuf — in what they tell u*. The !<*( crcdolout we arc of other thiogi, the more faith we «hall hare in reserve for them ; by exhamting our nock of (ccptici*!!! and caution OD Kuch obvious matters of fact aa that people alwiiyB tee with iheir
Sea opeoi we ahall be prepared to swallow their crude and exiravagant Mfie* whole, and not be astonialied at 'the phcoonicaon, that peraona lometime* reafon better aaleep thaa awake ! '
I have alluded to ihii pasuge because I myaelf am (or used come time ago to be) a »teep-walker ; and know bow the thing is. In this ton M disturbed, unsound aleep, the cyei are not cloted, and are attnctcd by the light. I used to get up and go towards the window, and nake violent efions to throw it open. '1 he air in tome meaaitre Tcvived me, or I ini){ht liave tried to Hing mytclf out. 1 taw object* iediMinctly, the houx*, fgr inttancc, facing rae on the opposite side of the street \ but still it was some time before I could recognise them or recollect where I was : that is, I was still asleep, and the dimneai of my tetiitci (at far as it prevailed) was occanoned by the £teatei Dumbneu of my memory. This phenomeooo ta not attoojshing, noleas we chuse in all luch caaet to put tlie cart before the horse. For in fact, it i* the mind that ileeps, and the senses (so to speak) only follow the example. The mind doxei, and the eye-lids clote in Cooie^Bcnce : we do not go lo ilccp, becauM we shut our eye*. I can, howeTer, speak to the fact of the eyes being open, when their tease b shuti or rather, when we arc unable to draw juii inferences from it. It is generally in the night-iiaie indeed, or in a strange pltcCi that the circumstance happens ; but ai tuon at the light dawns oa tbc recollection, the ubtcurity and perplexity of the tenses clear Dp. The external imprctcion it made before, much in the same manner as it is after wc are awake ; but it doci not lead to the usual tnia of atMciatkiDi connected with that impression ; t^. the name of the ttreet or town where we ate, who lives at the opposite houae, how wc came to ileep ia the room where we are, &c. ; all which are ideat bckmeiog to our waking expertcoce, and are at this time cut olf or greatly diawrbed by sleep. It it ju«t tbc aame as whco pertooi
19
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
recover from a iwoon, tod Rx thnr tytt nDoomcioutly oo tfaoM about them, for a conndenblc time before (hey recollect where they are. Woald any ooe but i German ptiynolojtin tbtnk it secetaary to aanve a* that al (hii time they m«, but with their e^'cii open, or pretend that ifaoiMli tbry have loM all mrmory ot understanding dunog their Aining fit, their mindR act then more vigoroutly and freely than eter, becaate they are not diitiactfd by outward irajucKiioni ? The appeal it made lo the outwarti ketiit, ia the iofltances we hare teen ; but the mind ii deaf to it, because its (iiQctiooi are for the time gone. It !* ndicoloiu to ptttend with this author, that in alccp «>nie of the •rgm of the miml reit, while othcri arc active: it might aa welt be pNUaded that in deep one eve watche* while the other i» diut. The ttu|ior ii geoeraJ: the Acuity of thought itKlf ia impaired; aod whaterer ideaa we have, toatead of being coelined to any particular IkcuUy or the impreMions of any one lenae, and invigorated thereby, float at tandoin from object to object, from ooe claM of irapTeMion* to anothct, without coherence or control. The eemiHmit or con- necting link between our ideat, which fonnt them into •rpwatv grtmpa or compare* different pina and vievf of a lubjcct togetbm, ' ■eems to be tlut which ia principally waDliog in aleep; ao that any idea that ptctenta iiaclf ia tfaia anarchy of the nund ia lord of the uoendant for the momeBt, and it driven out by the next atraggliog nodon that come* acroaa it. The bundles of thought are, at it were, untied, loowncd from a common centre, and drift along the atream of fancy as it happens. Hence the confusion (not the concentration of the ^cultiea) tlitt oootiDually takes place is thta Mate of half- pcrocptioa. The mind lakea in but one thing at a time, but one part of a lubject, and therefore cannot correct ita sudden and hctcrogcneoua traBiitiona from one momentary impretaion to another by a larger {raap of uaderaiandtng. Thus we confound one person with another, merely from lome accidental coincidence, the name or the place where we have seen them, or their liaving been ooocemed with ua tn aonae particular transaction the evening before. Thev lo*e and regain their proper identity perhaps half a du/en tines in thia rambling way; nor are we able (though we arc somewhat incredulous and surprised at thete compound creation*) to detect the error, from not being pee- pared to trace tlic same connected subject of thought to a number of j varying and successive rami ft cations, or to form the idea of a v/hole. We think that Mr. Soch-a-one did so and so : then, from a second face coming actoia us, like the sliders of a magic lantern, it wai not he, but another ; then some one calls him by hit right name, and he ia htmielf again. We are little shocked at these groat contradiction! ; for if the miad was capable of pcrcdving them in all their absurdity, >0
ON DREAMS
it would rxM be luble lo bl) iota Uwm. It ruos into ibtm for the tame reasoa that it ii turdly cootciou* of them whco made.
' That which WW now 1 hont, ■ braf, > cloud,
Evcii with a thought thr rack ilishmns And milut it indiitinct m wtter i% in water.*
The difference, ao ht then, between sleeping tod walcia)! teems to he that in the latter we have a greater ran^ of contciout recoIlcctiODt, > larger ducourve of reuon, and aiwciate ideai in longer iraini and more m the; tn connected one with another in the order of nature i wberca* in the fonncr, sny two impTCWion*, that meet or are alike, join conipnoy, lod then are pmed Iftiun. withoat notice, like the I'roth from Hie wave. So in nudnen, there i«, I should aj>preheDd, the nn>e tyranny of the imagination over the judgment ; that it, the mind hi> dipped iti cable, and single image* meet, and jo«tle, and unite fuddcdy together, without any power to arrange or compare them with other*, with which they are cootiected in the world of tcility. There i* a continual phantasmagoria : whatever ihapet and colour* oome together are bj the heat and Ttalence of the brain re&ned to external nature, without regard to the order of time, place^ or citcumitance. From the tame w^nt of contiauity, we often forget ov dreamt m> speedily : if we cannot catch ihem a* they are pcuatng OW at the door, we never set eye* on ihem again. There n no cine or thmd of inagiaatioo to trace ihem by. Id a morning sometime* we have bad a dream thai we try in vain to recollect ; it is gone, like the raiabow from the cloud. At other time* (>o evaoetcent is their texnnv) ww forget that we hare dreamt at all ; and at tbete times the mind seems to have beeo a n>cre blank, and tierp preienu only an inugc of death. Hcnoe Ku arisen the famous dispute, Wifihtr ibt Mwl limi* akvvfi /—on which Mr. Locke and ditfereat vrriter* have bestowed so much tedioui and luproiitable diacussioo i some maintain- ing thai the ntind wu like a watch that goe* continually, though more slowly and irregwlarly at one time than another ; while the oppotitr party contended that it often stopped iltogclhcr, bringing the example of tonnd sleep as an argument, and desiring lo know what proof we could have of thougbt* passing through the mind, of which it was itself perfectly ancootcioua, and retained not the slightest recoUectioo. I grant, we olten sleep m> sound, or hai-e lucli faint inugerv pEmtng through the brain, that if we awake by degree*, we forget It ajiogethet : we recollect our first waking, and perhaps tome imperfect naggeMJoiu of fancy juat belbre; but beyond this, all U tnerc oblivioo. But I have OMerved that whenever I have been wtked up udclealy, and sot left to myself to recover from this ttata
SI
i
f
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
of mtotal torpca, I hoTC been alwajr* dreaming of MtnetKiD^ r./. thinking, iccoTding to tbc tenor of the ^uettioo. Let »ny doc call you a*, any time, b<»wcTCT (art ulccp you nuy be, you nuke out their Toioc in the &m Mtrpritr to be like tome ooc't you were tbiaking of io your •leep. Let an accidental ooitei the blling of Knnething ia the next toom, roiue you tip, you cotucaatly find wiBethiBg to ■Hocbte it with, m trandace it back into the laogoagc of your (kunbenDg thought*. You are ocrcr taken completely at a um/Au
iMininoocd, a* it were, mit of a Rate of nonexittcnce. It ii eaay ibr aay ooe to try the cxpcHmcoi upon himcclf ; that ii, to cxanune rrcry time he is waked up ^uddealyt lo that hi* w&kiog u>d ticcpine tutu arc broojtlit iato imntediatt comaci, whcdwr be bat not in aJl •ach cam bwo dreamtng of w>methiD;t. 3i>d oot fairly eju^ii lufpimg. For mytelf, 1 think I can (peak with certainty. It would iadced be rather odd to awake out of luch m absolute priratioa and nwpeaw of tboaght a* i* contended for by the paniMn* of tbe caUrarT theory- It would be a peep ioio tbe grarc, a coofdoutnew of death, an MCaM from the world of noo-eniiiy !
The vividneta of out imptcuiona ia dream*, of which m> much ha* beco taid, teeroi lo be rather apparent than ml i ot, if thi* mode of expreiMon ihould be objected to a* tmwairaniable, Ruher pliytical than mental. It it a vapour, a fiime, the cfiect of tbe * hcat-oppmted braia.' The imaginatioo gloats over an idea, aod doau at the ume Cime. However warm or brilliant tbe colouring of theae changing ippewice*, they vaaith with the dawn. They arc put out by oar Waking thought*, a* the ran puu out a candle. It ii UDlocky that we MMneiime* remember the heroic tcntimcntt, the profound diacoveric*. the witty repartee* we have oitetcd in our deep. The ooe torn to bombatt, the other* arc mere truUniR, and the la«t abaolutc nonacnae. Yet we clothe them certainly with a fancied importance itt the iDonKnt. Thi* »ecm* to be merely the cffitrvesccnce of ifac blood or of the brda, phyncally acting. It ia ao odd thinx in alee]), that wc not only fiuKy we aee different petaoiu, aod talk to them, but that we bear them make antwer*, and *art]c n* with an obMrration or a piece of new* ; aod though we of coutm put the answer into thnr mouth*, we have no idea beforehand what it will be, and it lakn ub at much by *urpri*e a* it would in reality. This kind of succettful veotrtlo- tjuiun which we practiae upon ourtclve* may perhaps be in some mcanre accounted for fiom the ihort-aghtedneu and incomplete conacioutne** which were remarked above m the peculiar cbaractenitic* of aleep.
The power of prophesying or foreseeing things in our sleep) a* from a hi^er and mote abetracted sphere of (faougbii need not be
as
ON DREAMS
here argued opon. There it, howcm, a tort of profuodiiy in *l«ep; iDcl it may be usHiilly consulted m an oiRcIe in this way. It may be laid, that the voluntary power h tusprnded, and thing* come upon ua M unexpecieJ rcrelatioDi, which we keep out of otir ihuughu at other timet. We may be aware of a danger, that yet we do not cbuK, while we have the full command of our faculties 'o acknowledge to otirtclTct : the impending event wilt then appear to ii> as a dream, and we tball rnott likely tiod it verified afterwards. Anotlier thing of DO tmall conaequence it, that we may lometiniet diacover our tacit, aod klmott uoconiciouii lentinienta, with reipea to pertoiu oi thin^t in the ume way. We arc not hypocritci in our ileep. The curb » taken off from our paationi, and our imagination wanden at will. When awake, we check ihew riaiog thought*, and fancy wc have them not. In drcamB, whea we ate on our guard, they return aecurcly nd unbiddcD. Wc may make tfaia um of the infirmity of our alecp- ing mctamorphout, that we may repreai any feelings of thi* *ort that we dtiapprove in their incipieni itatc, and detect, ere h be loo Uie, an unwarrantable antipathy or fatal pasEJon. Infanta cannot diaguiK their tbgiighu from other* ; and to deep wc reveal the tecret to onnelve*.
It thould appear that I have never been in lote, for the larne rea»on. I never dream of the face of any one I am particularly attached to. I have thought almost to agony of the ume person for yean, nearly without ceaiiog, ao at to have her face alway* before me, and to be haunted hy a perpeiul coniciousness of disappointed pawion, aod yet 1 never tn all that time dreamt of thii pertoo mote than once or twice, and then not vividly. 1 conceive, thereibre, that tbit ^laevenoce of the imigbatioo in a frujtleta track muat bare been Owing to mortified pride, to an inCeaK detiie and hope of good in the abitract, more than to love, which 1 coniider ai an individual and involnntary poEiion, and which therefore, when it i* iirong, muat
Srcdominate over the fancy in sleep. 1 think myself into love, and zttm myielf out of it. I ahould have made a very bad l^ndymion, in this leote ; for all the time the heavenly Goddess was shining over my bead, I ihould never have had a thou;;hi about her. If I had waked and found her gone, I might have been in a coniiderablc uimg. Coleridge used to laugh at me for my want of the faculty of drcaniag ; and once, on my uying that I did not like the nreter- tuturil (torie* in the Arabian Night* (for the comic pant I love dearly), he said, ' That mast be because you never dream. I'here it a ciaia of poetry built on this foundation, which la turely no incon- ■iderable part of our oature, unce we are aileep and building up imagination* of ihii son half our time.* I had nothing to lay agaioit
n
K
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
it: it WW ooe of hit conjectural tabtlctjea, in which he txoth M the pcKODi I erct knew ; but I had nooic ntidaccioo ta finding aftMWtrdt, that 1 bad Bithop Aiierburjr expreuly on roy tide in ihia quettion, who hu recorded hit dciMtntioD of Srwiutn tiis SAtuw, in us iiucreiung letttr to Pope. Perhaps he uh> did not dicam !
Yet I dream tomettme*! I dmm of the Louvk— /nnv rt m nit. I dreamt I wai there a few weeks ago, and that tlie old kcdc rctivncd — that I looked for my favourite picture*, and fuDud them gOQo or ersied. The dream of my youth came upon me ; > slory aad a fiftioD unutterable, that come* no more but in darkncM and in •lecp : my heart tote up, and I fell on my knen, and lifted up my Toice und wept, ind 1 awoke. I alto dreamt a little while »eo. ihnt I was leidinf; the New Hloiic to an old friend, and came to the concluding pActagc in Julia' !i farewell letter, which hid much the kime effect upon me, — The word* arc, ' Trvfi heurtait ifathiltr an frix dt ma w it Jrtil ile I'aimtr toajoart tani erimt tt dt te U dirt tnevre utit fcit,awtt <pn }* mturt ! ' I u*ed to »ob oi«t ihi-i pa«Mgc twenty year* ago; and io thi* dream about it lately, I tecnied to lire tbcie twenty year* over af^ain !n one abort moment \ I do not drcoin ordinarily ; and there are people who tiCTer could tee anyihbg in the Nt^v £Mm. Are we not quita 1
ESSAY III
ON THE CONVERSATION OF AUTHORS
Am auihof ia boiuid to write — well or ill, wisely or foolUhly : it it hi* trade. But I do not >ce that he i> bound to talk, any more than he is bound to dance, or ride, or fence better than other people. Readioj^, itudy, silence, thought, arc n tuid introduction to loquacity. It would be looncT learnt of chambcrmiidf and i-a]»ier«. He under- litaridt the art and my*tcry of hie own profeauon, which ia book- maktog: whm right hat any one to expect or require him ta do more — to make a bow gracefully on cnterinit or leaTin^ a room, to make love charmingly, or to make a fortune at alH In all things there it a diviuon of labour. A lord it no leti amorou* for writing ridiculoua love- letter i, nor a Gcnenl Icm tucceMful for wantioa wit and honetty. Why then may not a poor author *ay nothing, and yet
EH* mutter i Set him on the top of a ttage-coich, he sill make no gore i he is mum-ibana, while the tiang-wic Aiee about at lut aa the
ON THE CONVERSATION OP AUTHORS
duit, with tilt ctack of tli« whip and the clatter of the hortM* bed* : put him ia a ring of boxera, be » a poot creature —
* And of hi* port u meek u it k maid,*
Intrednce him (a a tea-partjr of railltner'i girl*, and they are ready to split dwtr (idea with laughing at him : o*er hit bottle, be it dry : in the dnwiag-toom, rude or nwkward : he is too refined for the vulgar, too clownith for tlie faihioiuble : — ■ he it one that canoot maJte > good leg. one that cannot eat a meu of broth cleanly, one that cannot ride a hortc without (tnu-KolIing, one ibai cannot tAluce a woman, and look on her directly : — in courta, in campt, in town and couniry, he it a cypher or a butt : he it good for nothing but a bugbing-ttock or a tcare-crow. You can tcarcely get a word oik of him for love or iWHtey. He knowt nothing. He baa no noiion of plenaure or buiincM, or of what it going on in the world ; lie doc* not undcr- ttand cookery (uolcat he it B doctor in divinity) not autgety, nor cbcmiMry (unleis he it a QaiJirmc) nor mechanic*, nor huibandry and tillage (nnleta he it at great an admirer of ToU'i Httibandry, and bat prowled a« much by it at the phiiotopher of Botley) — do, nor mutic, painting, the Drama, nor ibc Fine Atu iti general.
* What the deuce ia it then, my good lir, that he doet undor- ■tand, or know anything about I '
'BOOKS. VENUS, BOOKS''
•What book* r
'Not receipt-book*, Madona, nor acconat^Mokt, nor book* of pharmacy, or the veieriaary art (they belong to their respective GtUiDU and handicrafit) bvt book* of libetld taste and general koewlMge.'
* What do you mean by that general knowledge which impliet not a knowledge of thing* in general, but an ignorance [by your own account) of every one in particuUr: or by that libefal taste which Kornn the pursuit* and ac(|uirement« of die rrtt of the world in •ncceMioc and i« corttincd cxcluaively, and by way of excellence, to wfist oobody take* so intereat in but yourself, and a lew idler* like yourself J 1« thia wlut the critics mean by the ifHa-lfOm, and tbe alu^ of humanity l '
Book'knowledge, in a word, iben, i* knowledge cemmunuaiU hj h»oii : and it it general and liberal for thi* reason, that it is intelli- gible and iotereatiog oo the bare suggestion. That to which soy on« feel* a ronaatic siiachincnt, merely from tinding it in a book, must be incerestcng In itself: that which he inuonily ftirrot a lively and entire coomcioa of, from seeing a few mark* and Kntchet upon paper, auM oe ulCiea fiom oomsion nature : that which, the first time you
as
i
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
meet with it, te'an upoo ihc Mlcntion a« a curioua fpecuiation, muil cxcrciK the gcner&l facaliirt of the humin miod. Tnerc arc ceruia broader aapccu of tocicty and ritmn of thiii{;i common to trtry subject, aod more or leu cosnizable to cvnj miail ; and tline the scholar trmi* and Ibiuxli his claim to geoeral attention upon them, without being charKeablc with pedantry. The minute deictiptiruii of ii thing- tickle, ofbaittand tiict in Walton'* Complete Angler, make th« wotk s cieai faTOuriie with tpoittnicn : the alloy of an amiable hununiiy, and tfac modest but touching descriptions of fimiliar incidents and rural objects tcattered through ii, have made it an etjual favourite with enetr reader of uate and leelinE. Montaigne** Eitayt, Dilworth'i Spell- ing Book, and Feam's TrcaUK on Contingent Renuinderi, are all equally book*, but not equally adapted for al! clanc* of readers. The two Imi arc of no uk bnt to *choo]-mMtet« and lawyers: but the fint is a work wc may recommend to any one to read who ha« ever thoujtht at all, or who would leim to think justly on any subject. PerM>ni of different trade* and profcMioos — the mechanic, the (hop- keeper, the medical practitioner, (be artist, &c. may all have great knowledge and ingenuity in their iCTetal Tocationii, the dcuiU of which will be Tcry edifying to ihem»c!?cs, and just as incomprchcn- ■ible 10 their neighbours : but orcr and above this profeMional and Uctuiical knowledge, they must be iuppo«cd to have a stock of common sense and common feeling to furotsb subject* for common conrersation, or to give them any pleasure in each other's company. It i* to this common Mock of ideas, spread otct the surface, or Krikiag its root* into the very centre of society, that the popular wrher appeals, and not in vain ; for he linds readers. It b of this finer essence of wisdom and humanity, ' etherial mould, sky-tinctured,' that books of the better tort ate made. They contain the language of thought. It must happen that, in the course of time and the rariety of human capacity, some pctiont will have struck out finer obaemtians, reflections, and seniimcots than other*. These they have committed to books of mentory, hare bequmthed as a lasting IcflKjr to posterity ; and such persons bate become standard authors. We visit at the sbtine, drink in some measure of the intpitaiioo, and caoaot easily 'breathe in other air lest pure, accustomed to immortal ftnitt.' Are we to be blamed for this, because the vulgar and illiterate do not always tmdeisL-tnd ua ? The fault it rather in them, who arc < confined snd calnn'd in,' each in their own particular sphere wd eonpartmeiil of ideas, and have not the isme refined medium of eORinomcation or abstracted topics of ditcourse. Bring a number of literary, ot of illiterate pcnoni logethei, perfect strangers to each other, and see which party will make the beat company. ' Verily, 16
ON THE CONVERSATION OP AUTHORS
wc hsTc our lYwnrd.' Wc hate made our electioo, and have no rcMOD lo repent it, if we were wUe. iiui the miafortune in, we with to bate all the advantagei on one nile. We grudge, and canoM recODcile it to oiuselvci, tlut any one ' thodri go about to cozen fortuDc, iriibout the scamp of learning ! ' Wc think * bccauie we are jtJMirj, there (hall be oo more cake* and ale ! ' We don't know how to account for it, that bar-maidt should goBtip, or ladlct whisper, or bullic* roar, or fooU laugh, or knare* thrive, without liaving gone through Oie tame coune of sclea nudy that we hare I This vanity M preponeroui, and carries its own punishment with it. Book* aie a worla in thcmtclvci, it ia true ; but they arc not the only woild. The world il»clf i» a Tolumc Utgrr than all the litirarict in it. Learning it a tacrrd dcpout from the experieuce of tgn; but it hai not put all future experience on the thelf, or debarred the common herd of mankind from the lue of their handa, tonguea, eyes, tars, or underttandingi. Taite i* a luxury for the pririleged few : but it would be hard upon thoic who hare not the nroe standard of reSne- Bienl in their own mindi that we tuppote oortclrei to hare, if this should prevent ihcm from hating recounc, m u«ual, to their o!d frolin, coaric )okct, and horK'play, and getting through the wear ttid KV of the world, with Mich homely sayingB and ihrewd helps a« ihey may. Happy ia it, tliat the mai« of mankind eat and drink, and sleep, and perform their teveral task^ and do as they hke without us— caring nothing for our scribblinga, our carpings, and our t^uibblct ; and moring on the same, in spite of our fme-tpun dtttinctioni, fantastic theoriei, and linei of denurcation, which are like ilie chalk-fignrc« dnwD OD ball-roum flcmra to be danced out before morning! In the field opposite the window where I write this, there is a couniry- gir) picking itonea : in the one next it, there are several poor women weeding the blue aod red flowers from the corn ; farther on* arc two boys, icodiog a flock of sheep. What do they know or circ about what I ani writing about them, or ever will — or wbai wotild they be the better for it, if they did i Or why need wc despise
• The wretched slave. Who like a lackey, from the riw tn the ft, Sif cats in the c}-c of Phabut, and alt night Sltens in Elj-tlum; next day, after dawn, Doni rise, and help Hyperion lo hii honc} And foUcms so thr ever-iunning year With prohlable labour to his grave t '
It not thit life a* sweet at writing RphcmcrJdei ? But we put that which flutters the brain idly for a moment, and then is heard no
»7
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
lavn, is comp«titioD with oatun, which ocuu every where) ind lua klwayt. We dm only cnderrate the toroe of natiue, and nuke too much of art — bot we alto ovcT-r*te oor own acccmplUhiDeDt* and AdruMagn derived irora ut. In the prcnence of clownith ignortaex. Of of pertoiM wiihoBl any great pretfiiHons, teal or ilfccted, wc are very much inclined to take opoo ouiteitc*, at the virtual TcpfeMOta- livei of actencc, att, and literaiurc. We hate a airong itch to *how offaad do the boooufi of civUizaiion for atl the max men wboM works we have ever read, and wboic name* our auditor* have nerer heard of, m noblemen'* Ucqueyt, in the abtence of their inaauT*, give theiDMlre* aire of luperiority over every one clue. But though w« have read Congrcve, % itige-coachtnan may be an over-maieh for t» ia wit : though we arc decp-verted id the excellence of Shaki|>rarr'i colloquial nyle, a village beldam may outicoM lu : thonf[h we hav« rod Machiavel io the orisinat Italian, we may be ea«ily outwitted by a clown : and though we have cried our eye* out over the New EkMe, a poor ihepherd-lad, who hardly kcowi; how to apell hia own name, may ■ tell hia tale^ under the hawthorn in the dale,' a&d prove a more ihiiviac wooer. What then is the advantage we pomii orcr the meaoru of the mcaD? Why thii, tint we liave read Cottgnm, Shaktpeare, Macfauvet. the New Eluise : — not ihii we are to have their wit, gentut, ihrewdBeM, or melting tendemn*.
From apeculaiivc purauita we must be uUKJied with tpeculative bcoefiu. rrom reading, too, we learn to write. If we have had the pleasure of itudying the highest modela of perfection in thdr kind, and can hope to leave any thing ourtelvet, however ilight, to be looked upon at a model, or even a good copy in it* war, we may think outkIvc* pretty well off, without engrowing all the privilege* of learning, and alt the blewiogt of ignotnace into the bargain.
It hM been made a qncatioo whether there have not been co- dividuali in common life of greater calenta and powers of mind than ihc mo*t celebrated writer* — whether, for iaitance, nich or audi a Liverpool nerchaot, or Maocheiter manu&cturer, wat not a more •endble man than Montaigne, of a longer reach of undemtandiog than the Vjucount of St, Alban*. There ii no aiying, unlew »ome of there illuitriou* oUcorc had communicated their important ducoverie* to the world. But then they would have been author* I — On the other hand, there ia a aet of critic* who fall bto the contrary error ; and auppow that unlet* the proof of capacity it laid before all the world, the capacity it*elf cannot cxiit ; looking upon all ihoae who have not commenced author*, u literally * (tocka and aionea, and wortc than tenaelcm thing*.' I remember trying to
ON THE CONVERSATION OF AUTHORS
oonvinM a prrMO of tbu cUm, that a young lady, whom he knew totaahiag ei, the niece o( a celebnced auih<jtc«t, had juii the umc won of 6tte lacl and ironical vatn in conicftation, that her rrliiiivv had •hown in ber wririogH when young. The only aciiwcr 1 could got wsi an iucreditloua imile, aemI the obtervation that wltcn >he wrote
any thing at good m , or — - -, he might think her aa
cimr. I (aid all I meant waa, that *he had the aame family talecti, and iuked whether be thought that if Mi« — — hjd not been *cry cleveri aj a mere girl, before ihe wrote bet norcl*t ahe would ever have writico them i It wai all ia vain. He still nuck to bit text, aod vm convinced (hat the niece was a little fool com- pared to her aunt at (he aame age ; and if lie had known the aunt fbf merly, he would have had juit the unie opinion of ier. My frieod tn* oat of tbo*e who have a aettled penuanon that it i* the book that nuke* the author, and not the mtbot the book. That '• a (tracgc opinion for a great phitoiophcr to hold. Bm be wilfully ahot* hi» eye* to tbc g<-rm« and indiatinct working! nf gcoiux, and trcat« them with aupetcilioua indilferencci till they date him in the ftiot through the pre** i and then take* cogAizaoce only of the overt aeta and published evidence. Thi* is neither a proof of witdom, not tbc way to be wiie. It is partly pc<l4ntry and prejudice, and panly feebleneM of judgment and want ot magn.inimitv. He dare aa little commit bimiclf on the character of books, as oiindiTidualti till they arc atampcd by the public. If you tliow him any work for his ^pfobatKMt be aaka, ' Whoae ia the auperacriptioo i ' — He judge* of Keaiua by it* rfiadow, reputation — of the metal by the coin. He ia
jiwt the tCTeiae of anotlier penon whom I know — for, aa G
never allow* a particle oS merit to any one till it ia acknowledged by
the whole world, C vitfaboldt hi* tribute of applause from erery
ptrton, in whom any mortal but hinkielf can deacr^ the Icaat glimpae of tiadcr«a«ding. He would be thought to look farther into a mllitoae than any body elte. He would have otheta see with bt* eyet^ and take ibeir opinion* from him on trust, in spite of tbeir aentei. The tnore ohtcure and defective the indicationa of merit, the
frcater his lagacily and candour in being the first to pobt them out. !e looks npoa wbat he nicknanKa « nm «fgtmiu, but as the breath of hi* nostril*, and the cUy in the potter's hands. If any such inert, tucooscioua matt, under the foAering care of the modem Prometheti*, is kindled into life, — begina to see, (peak, and move, so at lo attract tbc notice of other people,— ^ur Jealous paironiset of latent worth in thai CMC throw* aside, scom*, and hates hi* own handy-work s and dastni his iMelleciud offspring from the moment they can go alone and iktft for tbemidtee.— But to post on to our more immediate subject.
'9
f
M
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Tbe con*«muaa of suihon b not to good at raigbi be imagined ; but, racti at it i* (sad with lare cxcqHioot) it i« better than aaj other. "Hic proof of which is, that, when you an attd to ii, ym CB&oot pot up with uy otliei. That of mixed company becoRiM utvHy intolerable — yon caiwM tit oat a commoo tea ami card party, K ItMt, if they ptctend to talk M all. You are obliged in de^tair to cut >J1 yo«tr old acijtiatntaace who are om aujaii on the prvrailing and moat Miurily cooteated topici* who ate not imbtied with the high guto of criticinn and vtrii. Vou cannot bear to heir a friend whom yoa have not leeti for maoy y«i>, tell at bow much a yird be aelU bis lacta and tapct, when he meant to move into hii next houae, when be heard lul ftom hit relation! in the country, whether trade i* aliee or dead, or whether Mr. Such-a^ne geu to look old. Tliit tort of neifthbouily gOMip will not go down after the higb-raiBcd tone of literjry cocvcnatioa. The Uit may be very •baurd, Tery uoMtiifactory, and full of turbulence and heart-burn- iog* ; but it haa a xe«t in it which more ordinary topics of news or family-alfaira do not supply. Neither will the conremiioo of what we understand by geiulemm and men of luhico, do after thai of men of letter*. It ia flat, iniipad, stale, and unprofitable, in tbe eotnparifOD. They ulk about much the same thingi, pcnm, poetry, politics, plays j but they do it worac, and at a sort of r^iid iccondliand. They, in fact, talk out of newfpapert and maga- BMSi what «w BTf rw ihfrt. They do not feci the same in!cr«t in the mbjrct* tbcy affect to handle with an air of ftshionable condctcenMon, nor have they ihc tame knowledge of them, if they were ever to much in earneu in displayiog it. If it were not for the wine and the denett, no author in hit scuks would :iccept an inritatioa to a well-dreaaed dinner-party, except out of pure good -nature and ■nwilltogneni to diioolige by hit refuial. Pettoo* in high life talk almost entirely by rote. There are cen^n established modes of addreto, and certain auwers to them expected at a matter of course, a* a point of etiquette. The studied formi of ixtliteneai do not girt the grrateit pouihle tcopc to an exuberance of wit or fancy. Th« fear of giving oflence deftroyt uoccrily, and without lincerily there can be no true enjoyment of aocicty, not unfettered exertion of miellcictua] activity.— Thoie who have been accuciomcd to lin; with the pt» are hardly consideicd at tonvertibte persons in literary tociny. They arc not to be talked with, any more than puppets ot cchoa. Tbcy have no opioioos but what will pleaw \ and you naturally turn away, at a waste of time and words, from attending to a person who jutt before utentcd to what you taid, and whom you find, the moment aitcr, from wmethiag thni unexpectedly or pcrhapa
JO
ON THE CONVERSATION OF AUTHORS
by de«i^ drop* from him, to be of a touAij dilfer«nt way of tbioklng. Thu hmib^bt'ag ii not regarded u fair play among scientific men. Ai faihiooablc conrerMtion i« a lacrifice to poliieneo, to the conrer- oiion of tow life i« nothing but rudcnm. They contradict you without si*'"!! * reason, or if ihey do, it \t a very bad ooe — twcar, talk loud, repeal the «imc iIiiisR fifty lime* o»er, net lo calling nnme«, and from vrordi proceed to blow*. You cannot nuke companuini of •errxniii, or pcrtoni in an inferior (tation in life. You may talk to (hem 00 maiietn of bo»inc>i, and what ihcy have to do for you (a* lord* talk to bruisers on aubjectt o( fimiy, or coDOiry-squiiea to their grooma on horte-racing) but out of that narrow iphere, to aoy general topic, you cannot lead ihcm : the convetution soon Hag*, and you go back to the old ^uetlion, or itre obliged to break up the titling for want of ideu in common. The con venation of author* i* beuer than that of most profctnona. It in betier th.in ihat^of lawyer*, who talk nothing but liwMf mirnilrt — than thai of physicians, who talk of the approaching deaths of the College, or the marriage oF •orne new practitioner with aomc rich widow — than that of divine*, who latk of the la»t place they dined at — than that of Unirenity-mcn, who make stale puni, re^ai the refuse of the London newspaper*, aod affect an ignorance of Greek and mathcmaiic*~-il ii better than that of player*, who talk of nothing but the green-room, and reliearie the scholar, the wit, or the fine gentleman, like a part on the stage— or than that of ladies, who, whatever you talk of, think of nothing, and expect you to think of nothing, but themselves. It it not easy to keep up a conversation with women in company. Ji is thought a piece of rudcoctt to dilfcr from them : it is not quite fair to ask them a reason for what they say. You are afraid of pressing too hard upon them ; but where you cannot differ openly and unreiervedly, you cannot heartily agree, tl is not lo in France. There the women talk of liiingi in general, aod reason better than the men in this country. Tbey are niMrtMCs of the intellectual foil*. They arc adepii in all the topics. They know what is to be aaid for and against all torts of qucDtiuns, and are lively and full of mi«chief into Um bvgatn. They are very tubtle. They put you to your trumps immediMcly. Your logic is more in re(]ui>ilion even than your gallantry. You roust argue at well as bow yourself into the good graces of theie modern Amazon*. What a situation for an Englishman to be placed in ' !
I The tof ici of mcttfh]*ical ■rtainvnl ha*ia| |^t ialo (tmalt ndtljp in PrsDC^ is * ffoof boiH muih ibrr muii hm V«n <liMuiM<l thin (tiiinlljr, ind how Bnroundci! tlic chiige it which wt biinf igiiail them of ciCcHivc thnafbllcMini md ftinilily. The Ffeflch (ukcn ill toguhcr) art s mort Mnsiblc, rcilcctisi, tod bttttr mfisrDMd jnfU xhui tnc Eiilitli.
3»
f
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Tbr fniili of literary connmuoQ io fjconal m iti too gmc tvu- doiUDCM. It (aainu upon > nibjocti and will dm let it go. It reBcmUM a bittle rather thin a *lurmiih| and nuke* a UmI of a ptcature. Pcrhapt it dot* tbii fiom oecnuty, from a con*doii«iie« of wantjug the more familbr grace*, the power to iport and triile, to touch lightly and adorn agreeably, erery view or turn of a <]De«lioo tmta/taai, m it aritc*. Tho«e who have a reputation to loae are too unoitious of Bhining, to pleaac. * To excel io coavtTMtioa,' nid so JBgeniou* man, ' one mutt not be alwsyt tiriviog to ny good thingi : to taj one ^ood thiagi one miut tty niaoy bad, and more indtiFeTeot ones.' Thi) desire to tbine without tlie meaoi at hand, otten make* ■nea siknt : —
'The fear of being lilcni itrike* u« dumb,'
A writer who ha* been accuitomed to take a connected riew of a di^icult quevtion, and to work it out gradually in all ii* beatin^i, may be Tcry deficient in that (joickne** and cate, which irien of the wotid, iriio are io the habit of heating a variety of opiniooa, who pick upaa obterration on ooe subject, and another on another, and who care ■bout none any farther than the paning away of an idle hour, umally acijuirc. An author haa uucliea a particular point — be baa read, be Ilia inquired, be ha> thought a great deal upon it: he it iwt coateaied to take it up c^aually in common with other*, to throw out a hioi, to ■repote an objection: he will either remain cilait, uneaty, and dinaiiified, or he will begin at the beginning and ^ thnm)^ with it to the end. He it fiir taking the whole rcipootibtlity upon bimtclf. He would be thought to underitand ibe nibjcct better than others, or indeed would thow that nobody elte knowi xny thing about it. There are alwaya three or four point* on which the licciary nortec at hit lint oattet in life fancies he can enlighieo every company, and bear down all oppotiiioa : but he it cured of this Quixotic and pugoacioua spirit, H be goea mote iota the world, where he lindt that there ate other ofnoion* sad other pretenwons to be adjusted bciide* his own. When this aiptfity wear* olT, and a c«rtaio achotatiic precocity it mellowed dewDi the comrcrtttitm of mefl of letter* become* both intcrettiog >ad lnatnictt*e. Men of the world haic no fixed principle*, oo groand- work of thought : mere •cbolari hate too much an object, a theory always in view, to which they orrett every thing, and not unfTequently, cammon teoK itself. By mixiBB with uxriety, they rab on tbeir bardneis of manner, and impncticabie, olFcniiTC tingulariiy, while tbcy ictaia a greater depth ard coherence of ooderttanding. There ia mote to be learat from them than from ihdr book*. This waa a remark of Rouueaa't, aad it is a very true one. In tbc coeSdcaoe 3>
ON THE CONVERSATION OP AUTHORS
aad unrewTTC of prime intcrcoorw, they arc more at liberty to ray whax thtj Uuok, to put tbe mbjtci in diffcrenl and oppoiilr poimt of view, to illunrace it more brinly and piihily by familiar cxprMtiooc, by an appeal to indiridual charittor and pertonal knowledfte — to brioji ID the limitation, to obtiate misconception, to itatc difficultly on tlicir own lidc of the argument, and amwcr them us well ai they can. Thi< would bardly agrre with the prudery, and lomewhat osicni-itioa* claims of uihonhip. Dr. Johnaon'» coniYruiion in Botwcll'« Life U tiMch better than hit pnbliahtd worki : and the fragment* of the opinioiu of celebcsted men, preserred in their letter* or in auecdotea u them, are junly Mugbl after a» invaluable for the tame reaion. For inttance, what a rand of teote there it in Grimm** Memoir* I W« tbiwget at theetience of what i> contained in their more laboured prodnctioi)*, without ihe lifrctation or formality. — Argument, again, I* the death of converiation, if carried on in a apirit of hoittlity : but dt*cu»ion it a pleuant and profitable thinj;, whecc you advance and defend your opiniooi as far i> you can, and admit the truth of vhai i« obJKtM anamn them with equal impartkliiy i in khort, where you do not pretend to tet np for an oracle, but freely declare what you really know about any quettion, or suggest what hat struck you an throwing a new light upon it, and let it piiss for what ii is worth. 'I'hth toDC of convcraatioo was well described by Dr. .lohnaon, when he laid of mmk party at which he hod been present the nif[bl before — < We had good talk, *ir ! * A* a general rule, there ia no con- vertaiion wortn any thing bnt between hiends, or tho*c who agree in the aame leading view* of a tubjcci. Nothing wa* rrer (eami by «ithcT (ide in a diipute. You contradict one another, will not allow I gT>io ^f tenac in wlut your adi'cr*jry adrancei, are blind to what- eter make* againtt yourtelf, darir not look the (|ueitioD fairly in the &ce, *o thai you cannot avail youtvelf eren of your real advant^ea, in*i*t n>o« on what you feel to be the weakest point* of your arjtu- meni, and get more and more abmrd, dogmatical, and Tiolcni erery moment. DHpinct for victory generally end to the dinsatitfAciion of ■11 panic* : and the one re<cordod in Gil Blai break* op juai a* it ought. I once knew a eery ingenious man, than whom, to take him in the way of common c)iit-chat or lirevide ROisip. no one could be more entenaining oc rational. He would make an apt clanical qootatioo, proboie an explanation of a curiou* pauage in Shakipeare'i Vena* and Aaonia, detect a mciaphyiical error in l.ocke, would inter the Tolatility of the French character from the chapter in Sterne where the Count mitnakc* the feigned name of Yortck for a proof of hi* being the identical imaginary character in Hamlet (£t vout Jiri T»rici /) — ihu* confounding word* iwith thing* twice mer^but let a VOL. VII, 1 c 33
i
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
diStfcnoe of opinioo be oacc hitched in, »ad it wu all aver with him. Hi* only object fiom that time wu to ihut out common sennc, and to be proof againti conriaion. He would argue the rnott ridicuioui point (tacb 1* that there wac two original Ixingu.igci) for hours together, tay, through the horologe. You would noi itufpoao it waa the tanie peraon. He waa like ao obatinitc run-awuy hone, that ukca the bit in hii mouUi. and become* Mischievous and unmanage- able. He bad made up hia miod lo one thin^,, not to admit a aingle perticle o( what anjr one elie «aid for or againat hiro. It waa nil the difTrtencc between a man drunk or aober, tuie or mad. It i* the same when he once get* the pen in hia hand. He ha« beeti trying to prore a contradiction in trrmc for the ten la»t yeift of hta life, tn. tlutt the Buurbona have the Mnic tight to tbc throne of France that the BruDiwick family have to the tliionc of England. Many people think there u a want of honi^ecy or a want of undentaoding in thii. There ia neither. But he will persiit in an argument to the latt pinch ; he will yield, in abaurdiiy, to no man !
Thi* litigiou* humour ii bad enough : but there ia one charactCT itiU woric, that of a pcr«OD who goca into company, not to contradict, but to la/i at you. This if the greatest nuisance in civiUted aociety. Such a perioo dota not come armed to defend himadf at all poiata, but to unsettle, if be can, and throw a alur on all your faroutite Opinions. If he hat a nation ttiat any one in the room i« fond of poetry, he immediately volunteer* a contemptuous tirade againat the idle jingle ofTKie. If he auipecti you have a delight in pictures, he endearuura, not by fair argument, but by a side-wiod, to put you out of conceit with bo frivolout an art. If you have a tattc for niunc, he doca not think much good ia to be done by thii tickling of the ears. If yoti Kpcak in praite of a comedy, he does not pec the utc of wit : if you say you have been to a tragedy, he thakc* hit head at this mockery of humui raiaery, and thinks ii ought to be prohibited. He t/iei to fmd out bcfotchand whatever it ii that you lake a particular pride or plcuurc in, that he may annoy yotif self-love in the tendcreat point (as if he were protang a wound) and make rou ditNtidicd with yourtelf and your purauita for aevetal days aitcr- watdi. A person might aa well make a practice of throwing out acifldalous aspeniont againit your dearest friends or nraiect relations, by war of ingratiating himtelf into your favour. Such ill-timed impetunence ia ' villainous, and shews a pitiful ambition in the fool that use* it.'
Tbc soni of coaveriation is sympathy. — Authors ahotild coni-ct»c chiefly with authors, and tbeir talk should be of books. 'When Greek meets Gicek, then comes the tug of war.' There ia nothing
34
ON THE CONVERSATION OF AUTHORS
ID prdiotic M preteDdtng dm (o b« pedantic. No man can get thott hit purittit in Itlc ; il ix getting iibOTc hiin*rir, which ie impo«iibl«. There it a FtM-maaonry in all ihtngt. You can only ipeak to be underftood, bm thin you cannot be, except by ihoae who are in the Kcret. Hence an argument has betn Jrawn to tuperiwlp the necentity of conTetauion aliogcihcr ; for it has liecn laid, that there it no uee in talltiog to people of lente, who know ait that you can Icll theni, oor to fool*, who will not be inntructrd. I'herc i«, however, the mallett cncoaragcmcot to proceed, when you arc conaciout that the more you really enter into a tubjc>.-t, the faither you will be (rom the coraprebcnnon of your hearett — and that the more proofi you gnt of any potitiaa, the more odd and out-of-the-way they will think
foat notioM. C it the only pcrion who can talk to all wrta of
people, on all mmt of «ubjcct*, without caring a farthing for their tMKUrtunding one word he «ayt— and be ta1k« only for admiratioa and to be listened to, and accordingly the leut interruption puia him out- I Grmly bclierc he would make ju»t tlie tame impietaion on half hit audience*, if be purpoiely repeated abioluie nanwnie with the ■ame T«Hce and manner and tnexhausiible flow of undulating tpecch ! In gcoera), wit thine* only by reflection. You muit take your cue frooi your company — muit rite a* they rite, and tink a* they fall. You mutt Kc that your good thing*, your knowing alluaioni, are not flung away, like the pearli in the adage. What a check il it to be itked a footith queMion ; to ftnil tliai ihv first principle* ate not imilerttood ! You arc thrown on your back immediately, (he con- versation is Kopprd like a count iv-dancc by thote who do not know [be figure. But when a «et o/ adept*, of iHumntUi, get about a i]u«*tion, it it worth while to bear them talk. They may tnarl aod quarrel over it, like dogt ; but they pick it bate to the bone, they mMticaCe it thoroughly.
ESSAY IV
THE SAME SUBJECT CONTIKUED
Tta> wat the cate formctty at L 'i — where we UKd to hitrt
BMBy lively slurroiibes at their Thursday erening oartiei. I doubt whether the Small-coal nun's miaical panic* could exceed them. Oh 1 for the pen of John Buacle to conKcralc a ft^ tanaiir to
ibeir mcRMry t — There w»i I bimtelf. the moM (feEriiti«l, the
iDMt proToking, the mott witty asd •cntibic of mea. Re ilwaya
35
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
irmIc ibe b«t pun, ood the beat murk io the cowte of the evemne. Hii aerMKM conTcruiioQ, lik« kii terioiu wntut^t ■* ^^ b^x. No ODC ever Ktaromered uut lucfa fine, piqiuot, deept elotjucni tbingi in half a doxcQ hilf (cntcneci at be doci. Hit jtiu KBld tike tean : and he probrt a qocuion with a play npoa words. What a kmi, lan^inSt haii-biatncd vein of hom^ctt crulh ! What choice mom I How onJen did wc cut iau> the hauach of letters, while wc diicuMcd the hanmch of niiMton on the table ! How we ikimiDed the cream of critktim I How wc got into the heart of comtrovenjr ! How we picked out the marrow of antbora! *And, in our flowing cuft, na&jr a good luine lod true wu freshly rcrnembcnd.' Recollect (iMR Mga asd critical reader) that in all (hit I was but a gitcttl Need I go over the osmcs ? 'I'hcy were but the old ererlasiiiifi tet — Miltuo and Shakspcarc. Pope and Drytlco, Steele and Addison, Swift aod Guy, PieJtlinp,, Smullet, Steroe, RicbardMo, Hosanfa's prints, Claude's larxlicauc*, tbc Cartoom at Hamptoo-ooort, and all ihoae things, that, haong once been, must cve-t be. The Scotch Novels had not tbco been beard of: so wc uid nothiog aboat tbcoi. Id gnefal, we were hard upon the modcret. I'he author of the Rambler was ooty tolerated io Boswell's Life of him ; and it was as
much aa aoy one could do to edge in a word for Junius. L
could not bear Gil Bias. This was a fault. I remember the greatest triunph I erer had war in persuading him, aJtet tome years' diiiicvlty, Uui Fielding was better than Stnollcl. Oo one occasion, he was for makiog out a list of persons famous in history thai one would with to see again — at the head of whom were Pontius Pilate, Sir Tbonua Browne, and Ur. Fsuatus — but we black-balled most of his list! But with what a gusto wouM he detciibe his favourite autbon^ Donac, or Sir Philip Sidney, and call their most crabbed piiwgn ' Jtititrnt I He tried tbcm on his palate as rpicum taste oliTci, atnl hi* obtemuont had a smack in ihcm, like a roughness on the tongue. With what discrimination he hinted a defea to what he admired most — as in saying that the display of the tunpnious banquet in Paradiae Regained was not ta true keeping, as the Mmplest fare was all that was neceaiary to tempt the extremity of hunger — nod suting that Adam a&d Eve in Paradise Loit were too much like married
people. He baa furnished many a text for C to preach opoD.
There was no fu« or cant about him : no* were hit sweets or his Murs ■nr diluted with one particle of affeciatioo. I cannot lay ibat the
ptfty at L '* were all of one dcscripboa. Tfacie were hooorxry
members, lay-brotliera. Wit and gooid feUowahip was the motto iiMcribed orer the door. When a auaoger came in, it wa> not asked, * Ha* be written any thing .' '— wc were abotc that pedantry j but 36
ON THE CONVERSATION OF AUTHORS
wc wailed to se« wbM be could do. If he coutd uke a hand at piqucl, be v»i wclcomr la at down. If a perton liked nor thing, if he took Kitttf Iwanily, it wm niiScicDt. He would undcnund, by ataiogf, the puogeacy of other things, besides Irii^h blackguud, or Scotch njwee. A character wu good soy where, in a room or on paper. Out we abhorred inaipidity, aifectaitoo, and line gentle- men. There waa one of our party who nevet &ilcd to mark ' two for hia Nob' at cribbagc, and he wa* thought no mean petH>n.
Thii waa Ned P , nnd a better fellow in his way breathci not.
There waa , who asierted aoaie incredible matter of fact aa
a likely ^adox, and tcttled all cootiDvcnics by an iftt tSxit, a ^ of hit Willi hammering out many a liaxd theory on the antil of bia brain — the Bacon Muochiuten of politici and practical phtloaophy :—
there wat Captain , who had you at an advantage by Dcnr
■aderttaadiag you : — there wat Jem \\'hiie, the atithor of Falataira LcOert, who the other day Idt ihif dull world to go in acarch of more kindred iparit*, 'turiung like the latter end of a lover'i lute: ' — there waa A , who loniciimes dropped in, the Will Honey- comb of our »et — and Mr*. R , who being of i <juiet turn, lo«d to
hear a noiiy debate. An utterly uoinformcd pcraon might have mippoted thi« a iceae of vtdg^r coofiiaion and uproar. While the iiMMt critical question waa pending, while ibe mo)t dilBcuii problem
in pfailoMphy waa aolvingi P cried out, 'That'* itame,' and
M. B. mMUni a ijuotatioo over the lau rematni of a fval-pie at a nle^able. Once, and once only, the literacy inter««t orercame the
Kerat. For C waa riding the high German horse, and wnwauDg the Categoric* of the Transcendenial philocophy co the wdwr of <he Road to Ruin; who tntiued on hit knowledge of GemUi and Oermati metaphyaict, having read the Critimv ef Pwrt
Jteaton io the oitginal. ' My dear Mr. Holcrolt,' aaid C . in a
lone of inliniteir proroking coociUadon, ' you really put me in mind of a aweet pretty German girl, about li^eeo, that I met with in the Hartz forrit in Germany — and who one day, a* I wat reading the Limits of ibe Knowabic and the Unknowable, the pcofoundect of all hii works, with great attention, came behind my chair, and leaning over, laid, What, jpcw read Kant ! Why, / that am German bom, don't aadctMasd him i ' Tliit wm too much to bear, and Holcroft,
Marling up, called o«t in no roeaniretl tone, ■ Mr. C , rou are
the mott elo^aent man I ever met with, and the rooit trouNeiome
with your eloquence I ' P held the cribbage-peg that wa» to
mark him game, mifwaded in hi* hand ; and the whiu table wm tUent for a moment. I law Holcroft down atain, and, on comiog to the landtng-placc in Miue-ooart, he (topped roe to obteree, that * be
37
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
thought Mr, C a very clcrer man, wiih a great commind of
languagr, but that he feared he did not alwiya al^x very prcciw idcaa lo the words he lued.' After he wu gODC, wc had our laugh oM, and wtnt on with the argument on the nature of Reuon, the JniasiDaiion, aod the Will, t with I could find a publisher for it : it would make a lupplemcnt to the Biogra^hin Liirraria in a volume and B half octavo.
Thoie dart arc over I An event, the name of which 1 with never to mention, broke up our party, like a bomb-thell thrown bto the room : and now we teldoni meet —
' Like angeli' viwii, thort and far bctvreen.*
There is no longer the »ame •« of pcrtona, nor of aiiociaiinoi.
L doe* not live where he did. By ihifting hit abode, his
DOiiona «em lew fixed. He doe« not wear ht* old snuff-coloured coat and brecchct. It looka like an allerttion in his style. An author and a wit ahould have a separate cottume, a particular cloth : be (bould present »omcthin;t positive and lingular lo the mindi like Mr. Douce of the Muieuni. Our faith in the religion of leltexa will sot bear to be taken to pieces, and jiul together again by caprice or
accident. L. H goe* there lometimu. He hat a fine vinotu
spirit about him, and tropicftl blood in his veins : but he i« belter at hu own table. He has a ^reat flow of pleataotry fand delishlful
animal spirits: but hi« hiti do not tell like L 'a; yon cannot
repeat them the next day. He tequirei not only to be appreciated, but to have a select circle of admirer* and dctatcct, to leel him>clf quite at home. He sits at the head of a party with great gaiety and grace ; hat an elegant manner and turn of features ; is never at a \o»—i£quanda n^aminandui eral — hai continual sportive sallies of wit or fancy ; tells a storv capitally i niimici ^n actor, or an acquaiouoce to admiration ; lasghi with great glee and good humour at h!a own or other people's jokcx ; undcrnands the point of an equivoque, or an obtcrvaiion immediately ; ba* a taitc and know- ledge of bookt, of music, of medals ; manaces an argument adroitly ; ia genteel and gallant, and hat a set of bycphratcs and quaint allusions always at hand to produce a laugh : — if he has a fault, it tt that he does not listen so well a> he tpcaks, is impatient of interrup- tion, sod is fond of being looked up to, without consideitng by whom. I believe, however, be has pretty well teen the folly of thin. Neither is hit ready display of pcnonal accomplishment and variety of retourcet an advantage to hi* writings. They somciimea present a deniltory and slip-ihod appearance, owing to this very ctrcumsiaace. The same things that tell, perbsps, best, to a piivate 38
ON THE CONVEKSATION OF AUTHORS
circle round tiie liresidc, arc noi a!wjry> iatclligibic to the public, nor doea be talie paint lo make them so. He is too conlident and secure of his audience. That which may be entcriaining enough with the iiiiitancc of a ccriaio lircUneii of manner, may read very flat on pipct, because ii it abiiractcd from all the circumnt^incct thai bad let it off CO advaotage. A write* sbould rccollcci that he ban otily lo tnui to the inimcdiatc imprewion of words lil'e a mttiiciAD who nngs without tJie accompaniment of an instrument. There b nothing to help out, or tlubber oxer, ihe defect* of the voice in the one ca»c, nor of the atyle in the other. Tbe reader may, if he please*, get a
»ery good idea of L. H *» coDverntion from a very agreeable
paper he haa lately publUbcd, called the JmHeaior, than which nothing caa be more happily concciretl or executed.
The art of cooTcruiioD is the art of hearing at well m of being heard. Authori in geoeraJ ate not good liBtetien. Some of the be*l ulkeri are, on thti account, the worst company ; and watt who are »ery indifferent, but »ery great talker*, ate aa bad. Il is sonieiimea wonderful to tee how a person, who hax been entertaining or tiring a company by tbe boui together, drop* his coutuenancc as if he had been shot, or bad been seiicd with a tudden lock-jaw, the moment any one intttpotet a single observation. The bett convcrscr I know it, however, the best liitenei. 1 mean Mr. Notthcoie, tbe painter. Patntett by their profeasion are not bound to thine in convertation, and they thine the mote. He lends hit ear to an obterration, as if you had brought him a piece of news, and enters into it with a« much avidity and earcestncn, as if it interested himself pcrtanaJly. If he repeat! an old renurk or story, it is with the same fre^neti and
Kint as for the lirM time. It always aritet out of the occarioo, and t the stamp of originality. There u no parroting of himself. Hi* look it a cootinaal, erer- varying bistory-picce of what pauet in hit mind. Hi* face it at a book. There need no mark* of interjection or bterrogation to what he tays. His manner is quiir piciutcMue. Tbere it an excets of cliaracter and luiiveif that never tirrt. Hi* dtOi^U buU>le up and sparkle, like beads on old wine. The l^nd of aoeedote, the cotleaion of curioui particulart, it enough to set up any common retailer of jeits, thai dines out every day i but tbc»e are not Rrung together like a tow of galley-tlavet, but arc always intro- duced to illuttrate tome argument or bring out tome line diitinction of character. The mixture of spleen add* to the tharpnett of the point, like poifooed arrows. Mr. Northcote enlarges with en- thutiatm on the old paintert, and idia good ihingt of the new. The only thing he ever vexed me in wai ht« liking the Caialogiu Raimmfe. I had almott aa toon hear him talk of Titian'i piciufea (which he
39
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ifoe* wkl) tan in bia eye*, and kookjag jbm tiie tbem) at mc the origiiuU, and I bad mbcr beat him uUt of Sb Jocinia'i than cee ifacs. Hr u the Uu of ihai Kfaool wtio knew GoUmanh utd Joiuwoa. How ricKlf be <ktcnbc* Pop* I Hu ricgucc of eniadt lut £giiit, hi* chintcicr w«re aot vbIiIm hia own. He doa sot umnbk a nodera rii|liilimiii. b«t pou one ia mind of a Rocau Cudiaal or Sponiih iBqnkkof. 1 aner ate oc drank wilb Mr. Nortbcote i bm I bate k>ed on hii coovcnatioo witb aBdiminMbMl ftUi em ttDcc I can tcnetnberi — aad when I leatv k, I come ou iau» liic iUcM with fceliag* ligbter and nwrc cihcrul Uun I bare at mf otber time. — One of hit ttU-tHtUt wosld at any time toakc aa EMiy ; bat be caaoot wriit himidf, bccauK be low* buMelf to tbe csooectiDg panagn, i* fearful of tbe etfcct, aod wiau ibe habit of briagiaghM idea* into one focator poiot ofnev. A Am i» aecwwry 10 collect tbe diTerttng raya, tbe rtftacted and bioken Mtpilar ligbtt of coanrodoo on paper. Contndictioa i* half the battle in talking — the being Ranted by what other* My, aad hanag to aanrer on the ipoc. You hare to defend yovtcU^ putgf^ by paragraph, pranhewa wHhis parnthnik P«iia|M it ni^ be MpfiOHd that a pefMM wbo czcda b coatemtioo aad eaoaot vriic, would racceed better in didogoe. But tbe itimuliK, the inunettiace irritatioa would be waoting i aod the work would read flatter than ever, fnm aot hariag the Tcry thing il prttcadcd to bare.
Llrciy lalliei and cooaectcd dJKoune are very dl^creoc ihiDgh TImm ue many pcnoo* of that impatient aad re«licM turn of noadi that tbey canoul wait a motttent for a coadoaioa, or follow up the thread of any atgumcot. lo the hurry of cootenatioa tbeir idea* are toroebow hiuldled into >ciuc ; but in tbe intenralt of thouj(fat, leate a grtat gap between. MontcMiuica laid, be often lo«t aa nlea before be could Sod wordi for it : yet be dictated, by way of unng time. to aa amaaacsaia. Thb Lut ii, in my optoion, a vile method, and a nledra io auihoriJiip. Hone Tooke, aoioag otber paradoxe«, uoed 10 nMaUiB, that no one could write a fjood ^fle wbo vaa not ia tbe habit of talking and hearing tbe *ouad of hii own vmce. He nught M well have ajd that no ooe could reliab a good (tyle withoui readmg it iload, M we find conmoo people do to BMitt their apprehcniioo. Bm there m a ntetbod of trying period* oa tbe car, or weighing tliem with the icalc* of tbe breath, without any articulate aound. AutboMk aa ibcT write, may be aaid to ' hear a tound n fioe, there '• luifaing Itvea twixt it and mIcbcc.' Etch muiiciana generally cocnpo*e in their beadi. 1 agree that no atyle it good, thai ti not fit to be ipoken or read aloud with elTcci. Thit hold* true not only of cmnhaiit and Cadence, but alio with regard to Daiaral itUom aad coUo<inial freedom.
40
ON THE CONVERSATION OF AUTHORS
SufDc's was ia thU rctpect the bnt icyt« that «Ter wa* vritm. You fancy that you hur the people talkto;;. l''or a coottary reaaoDt DO college-nuD wfite* a f>oad *tyle, ur undentund* tt when vrittCD. Pioe wiitiag U with him all tcrbiage and muoocony-^ uanttatioo iolo claatiu! ccotos ot hcxmncirT linct.
That which 1 hjiic jutt mcntion<\l if among mtiny inetaacc* I could give of ingenious ab»uMitici advxDcrd by Mr. 'I'ookr in the b«t snd pride of cgnuoveray. A peraon who knew him wril, and greatly admired hi* talent*, (aid of him that he never (to hi* tecollecuon) heard him defend an opinion which be thought right, or in which he believed him to be him>c1f lincnrc. He indeed provoked hi* •Hagoni*t« into the toil* by the very extravagance of hi* aMCttion*, tnd tlie teating tojibittry by which he tendered theni plauaiblr. Hi* tciBpei wai prompter to his (kill. He had the manner* of a nun of the world, with great Kcholutic reiource*. He flung every ooe eltc off hi* guard, and wat htmtcif imnwreable. I never knew any one who did not admil hi* tuperiority in thit kind of warfare. He put a
filll Itop to one of C '* long-winded prefatory apologie* for hii
jOBtb and inexperience, by laying abruptly, ■ Speak up, young man I ' «xl< at another time, silenced a learned profeuor, by deuring an ex]^ati(Hi of a word which the other fcei^uenity u«ed, and which, be aaid, he had been many yean trying to get at the meaning of,— the copulative It! He wa* the be*t intellectual tcncer of hi* day. He taade «trange havoc of i'uacli'* fantutic hieroglyphics, violetit huHMHin, and oddity of dialect. — Curran, who waa Boniettmet of the oBie party, waa lively and animated in convivial converaation, hot dull in argument ( nay, averw to any thing like reaaoniag or aeriout obtcrvation, and had the wortt tatte I ever knew. Hii favourite critical topic* were to abuae Milion'i Paradite Lo«, and Romeo and Juliet. Indeed, he coiift*fed a want of ml!icieni acquaintance with book* when he found hiin*clf in literary society in London. He and Sheridan once dined at John Keiablc'e with Mt*. Inchhald and Mary WoolatonecTofi. when the ditcourte almoit wholly turned on Love, * from noon to dewy eve, a lutnmer'a day ! ' What a *ubjeci ! What speaker*, and what hearer* ! What would I not give to have been (here, had I not learned it all from the bright eye* of Amaryllia, and may one day make a Tailt-tali of it ! — Peter Pindar wa* rich in anecdote and grotesque humour, and profrand in technical knowledge both of music, poetry, and painting, but he wa* groM and over-bearing. Wordawonh •ometidtea talk* like a man impired on tubjccu of poetry (hi* own out of the queaiioo) — Coleridge well on every iubject, and G— dwin on none. To finish this subject — Mr*. M ■ 'a convertaiion i* u Gne^ut a* her feature*, and I like to tit
4t
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
la the rootn with tlut lort of coroatt (ace. What ibe tan teiTc* a
ianat, like Am grmi tea. H — t'a u like chimpaignc, and N '■
Bkc aatbowj laBdwichei. H — yd — o'l i* like a ganx at trap-ball : L — '• like MUfKliagoa: and mjr own (if 1 ilo not nuMaJte the matter) u not rery macb mlike a game at Dioe-ptDi! . . . Oat toitfcc of ibe cooterutiao of anihort, i« tbc character of other uthori, aad on that tbcy art rich iixiccd. Wtiit thtngi tfaey tay ! What •utrici they Ceil of one anothf r, more particularly of ihar (tmi* ! If I dunt ooly giic wiae of these coafidential comonittCKioM ! • • - The reader may perhapa think tbc f()t«goiii| a ipcctmcn of ibem : — but iadted he it mittakcn.
I do oot know of any greater tmpertioence, than for *a ob«C«re indiridual to Kt about pumping a character of celebrity. ' Bdnit lum le m^' Bid a Doctor Troochtn, speaking of Roucteau, 'that I may ne wbnber be baa any thing in him.' Before yon can ake mearaic of tbc capacity of Othtn. yon ought to be nre that they hare not taken flMwure of yourt. They may thiok you a tpy on them, and may not like their compaav. If you really waot to know whetber UHMlMr peraoa can talk well, be^n by saying a good thiog yourwlf, mmI yon will have a right to look fot a rejoiadcr. ' The beet t«i&i»- playerit' aayi Sir Fophng FIntlcr, ' make the bett matcbch'
-Fm wit u likt a rtit
Held up at tmsii, irtiicb men do the beat With the beit fiiftn.
We hear it often «aid of > great author, or a great nctma, that tbey are very itupid people in printe. fiat be wai a fool that nud 10. Tfil me j»ur t«mf<atf, and 1 7/ leO jmi jtur maaatrt. In C0a> vcriatioo, at in other ihiogt, the action and reaction tbotild bear a ccnua proportion to each other. — Aoibort may, in tonM Ko«e, be looked upon as foreigner!, who are no; naturalized even io their
Bati*c aotl. L once cansc down into the country to mc ut.
He wai 'like the moat capricioui poet Ovtd aiDong the GoiIm.' The country people thought htm ao oddity, aod did oot noderacand bk jokea. It would be >tnage if tbey bad ; for he did not make anyi while he Kiaid. But when we croatcd the country to Oxford, then be apokc a liitle. He and the old college* were hail-fellow well Bin ; and in the quadrangle*, be ■ walked gowned.'
There i« a character of a gentleman ; i»o there it a charnctcr of a aGhoiar, which it no 1cm eatity recogniacd. The one hat an air of book* about him, u tbe other haa of good-breeding. The one wear* hit ihonghu at the other doet bit clothes gracefiillyi and even if they arc a little old-fathioned, they are not ridiculous : they have had
4*
ON THE CONVERSATION OP AUTHORS
tbdr day. Tbe )t«Dtlem«D thows, by hi* manner, thai be ba* bcca nted to respect from other* : the ichvbr tliil he layi claim to telf- retpect uxl to a ccruin indepcniJeoce of opinion. The one ha* bcca Accastomed to the best company ; the other liaa poaied hu time to cnltivatbg so intimacy witli the belt author*. There t« noihing fbrward or idgar in the lichavtour of the ooci nothing thrcwd of pctnlaiit to the ohacrcuiotis of t)ie oclier, a> if he ahouJd aitonith the bye-nandert, or was uitonithed himwlf at bi« own ditcoveciM. Good taste and j;ood ncnic, like common poUieneat, are, or are nppoied to be, mnitett o( caurtie. One i> diitinguithetl by an appearance of marked aiiention to every one ptwcntj the otlier manifnts an habitosl sir of abstrsciion and absence of mind. The ooc h not an upitart with all the lelf-imponant air« of the foandet of hit own fortune i nor tlie other a telf-taught man, with the repuliive Mlf-aufficieacy whtcb ariaes from an ij;norance of what hnndredt ha?e known before him. We miut excuw perhaps a little conscious bmily-pride in the one, and a little harmlc«« peoaoiry in the otlier.— A» there i* a class of the first character which nnkt into the mere gcotleman, that it, which has nothing bat tJiit seme of renpectability and propriety to support it— «o the character of a scholar not tinfreqiKMly dwindles down into the shadow of a shade, till nothing is left of It but the mere bookworm. There is ofteo something amiable as well as eniiable in this last character. I know one such iniiancc, at leait. The |>erson I mean has an sdmiraiion <br learning, if he is only daziled by ill light. He lives among old authors, if he does not enter much into their spirit. He handle* the covers, and turiu over the page, and ts familiar with the names and dates. He i* busy and sett.involvcd. He hangs like a litm and cobweb upon letters, or is like the dual upon the ouuide of knowledge, which should not be rudely brushed aside. He follows learoiog as its shadow ; but as such, he is respectable. He browzes on the husk and Iravcs of books, as the young fawn browzt4 on the hark and leave* of tree;*. Such a one lite* all hit life in a dream of learning, and has ne\-er once bad hit slerp broken by a teal sense of things. He believes implicitly in genius, truth, virtue, liberty, becauae he finds the names of theac things in books. He thinks that love and friend- ship are the finest things imaginable, both in practice and theory. The legend of good women is to him no fiction. When be steals from the twilight of his cell, the scene breaks upoo him like an iUunMBMcd miasol. and all the people he sees are but so many figures is a <4mtra otttvra. He reads (be world, like a favourite volume, only to 6od beaoties in it, or like an edhioa of some old work which be is preparing for the pre**, only to make emendations in it, and
43
^
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
cotrecl the erfort that haw inadvenentltr dipt in. He and hi* Aog Tray arc moch ihr untr honcft, (imple-bcwud, laithfii], affcctioaate CfciUuici — if Tray could but ictdl Hm nuad ciuioi ukr ibe inptCMiCM) of vice : tmi tli« geotlc-ncsi of hit o*iure turnt gall to mnk. He would not bim ■ fly. He diiwi tine piciure of maakind from the guileleM limplkity of bu own hurt : ai>d when lie dici, hit
r'rit will lake it* tmiling leare, without luring erer bad ao ill Mght of otberet or tbc coBtoootoew of one in iuetf I
ESSAY V
OK REASON AND IMAGINATION
I HATi people who have do ootion of any thing but generalidei, and hrmt, aod cteed*, uid tailed prapoMtiont, even worvc than I diilike llwMe who cauoot for the foul of them artirc at the comprehennon of an tburact idea. There aic thote (even ainoag pbiloaophcrs) who, dttaiag xiM all truth ii ctmuiocil within certain out&ic* utd commoD t0^>i tf you proceed to add colour »r relief from iniliTidualicy, jirotest
SlilMt the OM of rhetoric a.i ao illogical ihiDg ; and if you drop a hint picanirc or pain as ever cnceriaK i«o * tbi* brcaihing world, raiae a prMJ^oaa ootcry agaiiiK all appeal* to Uie puaon*.
U is I conJcM, *ira4)ge to roe that men who pretend to more than luual accuracy in diuinguithing and anatyiiog, chould ictiat that in ueatii^ of human nature, of moral good aod cTitiiheoominaldifTcreocc* ve atooc of any value, or that in dctcribing the feeling* and motive* of men, any thing that convey* the imallcii idea of what tboie fipeltDg* vc ia any ititco circunuianc»i or can by parity of maon ercr be in any otbctH, ia a dcliberuie attempt at artifice and dehinon — as if a Itoowiedge or repreaentatioD of tiiingi at they really exiR {rule* and deCoition* apart) waa a proportionable <lcp.irturc from the trutli. Tbev *tick to the tahlc of conicnts And never open the volume of the Blind. They are lor having maps, not pictures of the world we live ia 1 aa much as to tay that a l>ird*»-eye view of tbiog* contains the tratb, the whole truth, and notliing but the truth. If you want to look for tlic aituatioD of a u/ticukr apot, they turn to a pi^tcboard globe, 00 which they fix their wandering gaze [ and because you c.ia- not find the object of your learcb in ibcir bald ' ahridgcmentt,' tell VM tbcre it no tiKb place, or thai it i* not worth in<]uiri&g after. Tbe^ had better confine their atudic* to the celeftial sphere and the rignt of the zodiac ; for there they will meet with do petty details to
44
ON REASON AND IMAGINATION
boggle It, 01 contradict their ngae coocIumod*. Sach pcrwo* would tmk* exccUcnt (li«o!ogiai)i, but *re my indilTcrcnc philoti>]>hcra>^To parMK tbis grognphic^ m»oninf> a IMe farther. Tbejr may uy tbal the map of a county or (hire, for iascance, it too lare«, and ooo- ««ys 3 diiproportionate idea of >ti relation to the whole. And wc ny that their map of the globe ii too noBll, and conycyi ao idea oC 'n « all.
■ ' In the vrorld't volume
Out Britain Aom as of it, but not in it j In a great pool a iwao'i ue»t ; '
but it it rttUy to i What f the coumy it biftgfix than tlie map at any rate : the repretentation fallt thort of tbe reality, by a million degree*, and yoD would omit it altogether in order to arrive at a balance of power ID the noo^eniitict of the uoderttacding, and call thit keeping within the bourid* of lente and reaton i and whatever doea not cone withiothoKtelf-midetiniitaitto be tecatideaa frivolous or moottrotw. But ' there arc more thingt between heavea' and earth than were ever dreamt of tn thit philosophy.' They cannot get them all in, of lit ii%t cf lift, and therefore they reduce them on a graduated acale, till they think they can. So be it, for ccnain nccesury xdA general pttrpoM*, and is coRipJiance with the iolirniity of haman intellect : but ■t other timea, let ua enlarge our conceptiont to iIk dimcoiioM of tbe original object* i nor let it be pretendod that we have outraged trtitb and oaiore, becauK we have encroached on your dtmiootite mecbaat- cal tiandard. There it no language, no deacription that can atrictly come up to the truth and force of reality : all wchaTc to do it lo ginw our detcriptiona and conclutiont by the reality. A certain proponioa mutt be kept : we mutt not inren the rulct of moral perspective. Log^ thoiikl enrich asd_in_Ti£Draie ita - detJitorit by the jHcof gWBUMiiQP I at rhetoric ihould be governed in itt upplicatkra, and guarded nom abuae by the checkt of the undcnRanding. Neither, I apprehend, i* ralBcietit alone. The mind can conceive only one or a few thingt in ibcir integrity : if it procecda to more, it mutt have lecourie to artilicial tubttuutet, and judge by compariton merely. In the forn>cr cjac, it may aetect the leaai worthy, and v> diKort tbe tnuh of thingt, by giving a haity prtfeience ! in the latter, the danger it that it may refine and abwract to much at to attach no idea at all to ibcm, correapondiBg with their practical value, or their influence oa the mindt of thote concerned uiih them, ^fen act from tndivi- (hid imprctsion*; and to know mankind, we thnuld be acqu^atcd with oatwe. Men act from paition ; and we caa only judge of paMion by tyai)tttby. Pcttont of the dry a&d buaky claat aboTC ipokea of,
45
<.
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
oftCB tttm (o think errn oaiurc iMlf an iatcilopcr on their diirny theorin. Tbey prefer the ifaadowt ia Plato'* cave to the actud objects without it. They consider men ' ai mice in wi air-pump,* fit only for their exprrimcnu ; and do not conaider the rc«t of the uni- tvrie, or ' all the mighty world of rye and ear,' i* worth any notice at all. Thig it making thort, but not ture work. Truth does out lie in vanio, aoy more than in a well. We must improve our coocrelc experjence of perionx and thin^e into the coniciaplauon of general rale* aoa principle* ; but without beia£ grounded in indiridoal iact* and fecting*, we thaJl end a> wc bc^an, in iKnota.tii:e.
It u mentioned in a «hori account of the La»t Momcnn of Mr. Fox, that the convcraaiioo at the houac of Lord Holland (where he died) turning upon Mf. Burke'* tiyle, that Noble Person objected to it aa too f:audy and meretricious, and lald thai it was more proltue of Howen than fruit. On which Mr. Fox obterved, that though thi* waa a cammon objection, it appeared to him alioKether an unfounded one ; thai on the contrary, the flower* often concealed the fruit bc- nealb them, and the ornamcnta of itylc were rather an hindrance than U ttlTUitage to the Reotimcnta they were nneani to iiei olf. In confir- ■HUlOD of ihi« remark, lie offered to take down the book, and translate > paf.e any where into his own plain, natural style ; and by hia doing ID, Lord Holland wai convinced that he had often misted the thought from having bin attention drawn off to the dajixling imagery. Thus people coniinualiy lind fauh with the colours of iiylr m incompatible with the truth of the reasoning, but without any foundation whatever. If it were a question about the figure of two triangles, and any perioa were to object that one triangle was green and ihe other yellow, and bring thi* to bear upon the acutenem or obtuseneas of the angle*, it would be obvioni to remark that the colour bad nothing to da with the question. But in a dispute whether two object* arc coloured alike, the discovery, that one it green and the other yellow, it fatal. So with relict to mora! truth (aa diitioct from mathematical), whether a thing is good or evil, depend* on the quantity of paiMODt of fcelifg, of pteature and pain connected with it, and with which we muit be made acquainted in order to come to a nouod conduaioo, and not on the inquiry, whether it i> round or iquarc. fanion, in shotti ii the estcncc, the chief ingredient in moral irath ; and the warmth of pauion it nirc to kindle the light of imagination on the object* around it. The * wotdt that glow' ate ainiott inseparable from the 'thoughts that burn.' Hence logical msOD and practical truth arc •Tu^>trtstu. It it eaiy to raise an ovticry against violent invective*, to talk loud against extravagance and entbiuiaim, to pick a quarrel with every thing but the moat calm, candid, and qualified stntcmcni of fact* : bin there arc
46
ON REASON AND IMAGINATION
enonniuet to which no words csd do adequate jutdce. Are we then, ID order to form a complete Idea of them, to omit etery circunMUiace of sggtantion, or to tuppreu erery feeling of impatience ih;ii hHm* out of the detail*, leit we ihoutd be accuocd of giving way to the iollucnce of prejudice and |wtuon ? 1'hia would be to lalnify the ira- preition liiogcther, to misconstrue reason, and Aj in the lice of nature^ Suppoie, for inalance, that in the discumion* Oft the Sla»e- Trade, a dctcription to the life wag j^iveo of the horror* of the MiJdU Patiage (,u it wa> termed), that jrou naw the manner in which ihooaand* of WTCtchci, yeal after year, were ttowed together in the hold of a slaT«- ihip> without air, wilhoui light, without food, without hope, to that what tliey autfcrcd in tcaliiy waa brought home to you id imaginalioB) till you felt in tickoeai of heart a« one of tliem, could it be laid that thia waa a prejudging of tJie caie, that your knowin|; the extent of ibc evil ditqualiiied you from pronouncing ■eoteoce upon it, and that your diiguEi and abhorrence were the cfTccta of a heated imagination i No. Tho*c crili that inflame the imagination and make the heart tick, ought not to leave the head cool. This ii the very teat and measure of the degree of the enormity, that it involuntarily stagger* and appaU the mind. If it were a common iniquity, if it were ali^l and partial, or necetury, it would not ha«e tliii ctTeci i but it very properly fatrica away the feelioKt, and (if you will) overpower* the Judgment, because it it a mai* of evil so monctroui and unwarranted as not to be endured, eren in thought. A man on the rack docs not sutfer the ie», becau*e the extremity of angui*h take* away his command of feeling and attention to a[>pearance«. A pang inflicted on humanity is not the let* real, becauae it ittrs up sympathy in the breast of humanity. Would you tame down the glowing language of justifiable passion into that of cold indifleicncc, of telf-comgilacent, tceptical reason ing, and thus take out the tting of indignation from the mind of the spectator f Not, surely, till you have remoiTd the nuisance by the levers that strong feeling alone can set at work, and have thus taken away the pang of ■uAermg that caused it I Or say that the quettion wcte proposed to you, whether, on some occiuioo, you should thrust vour baocl into the flame*, and were coolly told that you were not at all to consider the pain and angoidh it might give you, nor suffer yourself to be led away by any such idle appeals to natural seoiibiiity, liui to refer the decision to some abstract, technical ground of propriety, would you not Isugh in your adviser's face i Oh ! no ; where our own interests are concerned, or where we are sincere in our profeuioDh of rcKard, the pretended di*. tinction between sound judgment and lively imagination i* quicklydone away with. But I would not wish a better or more philosophical standard of morality, than that we should Ibiiiit and feel towards
47
THE PLAIN SPEAKEH
otbers u we shoold. if U wtn out own cue. I f we look foe a hig^tt ■ondtrd than thit, we iball not End it ; but «hill low the ubaUDoe for tbe ihodowf Again, luppose ao extierne or inilividua] tmaoce U brought foiwart) in iiny gcoeral quettion, u that of the oxgo of lick ikrei that were thrown overboard at to much inv tamtrr by tbe ciBUiD of a Gcinea tcmcI, id the year 177;. which was one of the thiRgi that firiit drew the attcBtion of the public 10 thja ncfarioui (Mfic ', or the practice of niBpcDdiox coDiumacious nesroe* in cujic* to baie tbeir eye* pecked out, aod 10 be deroured alive by bird* of prey — Doe* thi* form no rule, becauae tbe miKhief ii (oUtary or ex- CCMivc \ The rule it abaolute i lor we l«cl that oothing of tbe kind conld take place, 01 be tolerated for an iiutant, in any nyrtcm thai wa* not rotten at the core. !f mich ihingf are erer done in any cifcum- HUces with impuaity, we know what must be done crery day under the mtme aacboo. It show* that there it an uuer deadneM to erery principle of justice or fiMlinft of hunianiiy ; and where thii \» the caact ve miy take out our tableu of abnrictioo, nnd set down what ii to follow through every gradittoo of petty, fEalltn;; vexatinn, and wanton, uanJcBttqg ctvelty. A mte of ihingi, where a tingle Jnttance of the kmd «>B poHJUy l^jpc" without exciting gener.il conntcrnatioo, ought not to cxiu for half an hour, '['he parent, hydra-headed injunice ought to be croihed at once with all its tiper brood. Practice*, the mention of which makes the fleah creep, and that alTrooi the light of day, ought to be put down the iciMant they are kjiown, withoM inciniry and without repeal.
There wM an example of eloquent moral rea*oning connected with ibit tubject, gieco in the work jiMt referred to, which was noi the !c« tolid and profouodt becauae K wai produced by a burtrt of atrong peraooal and momentary feeling. It ia what follows : — 'The name of a perton baring been mentiimej in the prCMnce of Nainibaona fa young Alrican chicfuin), who wat undcrttood by him to have pu(>- udy UMcrted aomething icry degrading to the general character of Afncsai, br broke out ioio riolcot nad rindictive laaguagc. He wm immediately remioded of the Chriatiao duty of forgiving bis caemies; npon which he anawcred nearly in the following word* : — " If a man ahonld rob me of my money, I can forgive him 1 if a man ihould tbooi at me, or try to ttab roe, 1 cao forgive bim i if a man dtuuld sell mc and all my family to a tiavc-thip, in th.1i we thould pftM all the re*c of our day* in ilatery in the Wot Indie*, I can foigitv him ; but " (tddcd be, riling from hii icat with much emotion) "if a man akct away the character of the people of my country, I never can forgive him." Being aikcd why be would not extend hi* forgivenesi to thoie ' Sec Mcmuir* et Graaville Sharp, by Prinu Uoxrt, Eiij.
♦8
ON REASON AND IMAGINATION
whotookawaythechvacterofthe people of big country, heaaswrrcd: " If a nun ihould uj to kill me, or ihould sell nie and my family for ■lavea, he would do an injury to ai many u: he mi^ht kill or tell i but if any one ukci; away th« chuacter of BUck people, that man injurei Black people all over the world ; and when he hat oocc taken away their cluiactcT, there it nothing which he luxy nut do to Black people ever after. That man, for inicani:e, will b»t Black men, and lay, Oi, k M oa^ a Slari mam, why iheu/J nal I htM him ? That man will make *Uve« of Black people ; for, wli«n he lian taken away their character, he will «y. Oh, ihty art enfy Bloit ftofiie, tvhj ihouid not I mait ihtm liirtvt T That matt wilt take away all the people of Africa if he can catch ihcm ; and if you aik him. But why do you take away all thew people i be wilt aay. Oh ! thn are tafy Biari finfb — thrf art nM Sir IVhiU frefi/t — whf ihguU I ml mh thrm f That H die reaaofl why 1 cannot forgive ihc man who take* away tti* cbaracter of the people of my country." ' — MaMoias of Gukvuxb SnAftr, p. 369.
I conceive more real light and Tital heat ii thrown into the argnsiMii hy thi* atruggle of natural feeling to relieve ittcif from the weight of a false and injurious imputation, than would he added to it by twenty volumea of table* and calculaiionA of the^rv/ and row of right and wrong, of utility ai>d inutility, in Mr, Benibam't haiul- writing. In allusion to thia celebrated persoo'i theory of inoraU, 1 will bete go a atep farther, and deny that the dry calculatioo of^ coDMiiuenceii i> the nole and uaijiulilicd teat of right and wrong ; br we are to uke into the account (ai well} the rc-actioD of iheae conae- quertcea upon the mind of the indiTtdaal and the community. In morala, the ctiltiratioa of a moral itnii k not the lau thing to be attended to — nay, it i* the fim. Almoat the only untophisticated or ipifited remark that we meet with io Falev't Moral Philoiophy, ii one which it alto to be found in Tucker > Light of Nature — namely, that io diapennng charity to common beggara we are not 10 conaider w much the good it may do the object of it, a« the kanii it will do the pcrion who rcfusci it. A aenac of companioB ia ioToluntarily excited by the immediate appearance of diatrett, and a violence and injury ia done to the kindly feeling* by withhoidiog the obnoot relief, the tiiHing pittance in our power. This is a remark, I think, worthy of the ingenioua and amiable author from wlwm Paley borrowed it. So with retpect to the atrociiie* com- mitted in the Slare-Trade, it could not he *et up ai a doubtful plea in their fm-oor, that the actual and intolerable aufTcringB iofljcted 00 the individu^* were compenaaicd by certain advantages in a com- mercial and political point of new — in a moral aente they eaiuoi be
VOL. T». : D 49
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
comp«nMted. Their hurt the public mind : they hirdeo and tear the natural ftclitiK'. The cti! it montitrous and palpable ; the pre- tended gooi) it remote And contiogent. lo inurali, ai in philoiophy* De HOH afparfuliiul el non ix'uttntiBui taJem tit ratio, WbiU doe* not touch the heart, or come home to the fcc!ing», goe» comparatively for little or nothing. A beoefit that exiiu merely in po«»i^Uty, >nd ii judged of only by the forced dictate* of the undentaading, is not a tet-oti' agiiaii au evil (uy of cquaJ niagoicude in itwlf) that ttrikc* upoo the sense*, that hatmta the imajjination, and lacenttei the iiumaa heart. A tpcctacle of tleltberaie cruelty, that ihoclu eivry one that K«t and henn of it, it noi to be juitilied by my calculation* of cold- blooded icir<interc(I — it not to be permitted in any caie. It it pre- judged .ind self-condemned. Necesiiiy ha* been therefore ju«ly called 'the tyrant's plea.' It i* no better with the mere doctrine of utility, which i» the topbiK's jilcn. Thut, for example, an iolimte nmuber of lunipa of sugar put into Mr. Denthunk'» artificial ethical sulcB would never weigh against the pound* of human fleah. or drop! of humun blood, that are sacrificed to produce them. The tatic of the former on the palate in cvanetcent ; but the other* «t heavy on the soul. The one are an object lo the imagination : the other* only to the undertunding. But man ii an animal compounded both of iinagiaatioo and undcrManding ; and, is treating of what ia good for nan's oitiue, ii ia necetsary to consider both. A calcula- tion of the mere ultimate advantages, without regard to natural feelings and affiKtioDS, may improve the external face and physical comforts of society, but will leave it heartless and worthless in itself. In a word, the sympathy of the individual with the consequences of his own act it to be attended to (no less than the conae<]uenccs them- selves) in every sound system M morality ; and this must be detcc- mined by certain natural bwa of the human mind, and not by rules of logic or arithmetic.
The aspect of a moral <]uest)UQ is to be judged of very much like the face of a country, by the projecting point*, by what is striking and memorable, by that which leaves traces of itself behind, or ■ cast* its shadow before.' Millions of acres do not make a picture j nor the calculation of all the conseqoeoccs in the world a sentiment. We must have some outstanding object for the mind, a« well at the eye, to dwell on and recur to — something marked and dcciiive Co give a tone and texture to the moral feelings. Not only is the attention thus routed and kept alive ; but what is most important a* to the principle* of action, the desire of good or hatred of eril is powerfully excited. But all individual facts and history come under the head oif what these people call Imagltuttisn. AU full, truei and particular
SO
ON REASON AND IMAGINATION
iccouDt* ibey coDiiid«r w romantic, ridiculout, va);ue, tDftummatoiy. A* a case in point, one of thU tchool of thinkera declam tlut he was ([ualifinl to write s better HiMory of India (ram haring ncfcr bcra there than if he had, aa the lane might lead to IocaI dintinciion* or pariy-piejudicct ; tliat it to »ay, ibat he could describe » country better at lecotid-hand than from original obeervaiion, or that from having tecD no one object, place, or person, he cuuld du ampler junticc to the whole. It mi^.hl be mainuiDeit, nmcli on the uine principle-, that an ariixi would paint a better likenc** of a person after he WM dead, from dctcriplion or difTcrcnl tketche* of the fiice, than from hariog seen tbc individual liring mao. On the contrary, I humbly conceive that the teeing half a do£en wandering Lascars in the iticet* of Loodoe gives one a better idea of tlie souJ of lodia. that cradle of the world, and (as it were) garden of the aud, than »)1 ibe chart!, records, and sutisttcal TCMrts that can be sent over, even under tbe clamical admiDistratitm of Mr. Canning. Ex una omittt. One Hindoo dijfers more from a ciiixen of London than he does from all other Hindoon; and by teeing the two fii't, man to man, you know coniparaiivcly and eisentiolly what they are, nation to aatioD. By a very few specimens you ^x the great leading dilTcr- encea, which are nearly the same throughout. Any one thing it a better representative of ttti kind, than all tbe words and deiinitions in the world can be. Tbe sum total i> indeed ditfercDt from the paruculars ; but it ii not easy to guess at any general result, without some previous indactioo of particulars and appeal to experience.
' What tan we reason, but from wliat wc know f '
Again, it it quite wrong, instead of the most tcrikiog illustrations of huraaa nature, to single out the stalest and tritest, aa if they were raoBt authentic and infallible : not considering that from the extremes you may infer the means, but yon cannot from the means infer the cxncmcs in any case. It may be said that the extreme and indi- vidual cases may be retorted upon us: — 1 deny it, nnless it be with truth. The imagination is an atioeiaiing principle ; and hss an insiiiKtivc perception when a thing belongs to a system, or is only at) exception to it. For instance, the excesses committed by the vjctortous beiiegcrs of a town do not attach lo the Dation committing them, but to the nature of that sort of warfare, and are common to both tides. They may be struck off the Kore of national prejudices. The ctucltica exercised npon slaves, on the other hand, grow out of the relation between master and slave j and the mind intoitivcly revolts at them st lucb. The cant about the horrors of the French Revolution is mere cant — every body knows it to be so : each party
S'
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
would have reuliated upon Ui« other : it was a civil vu, like tbu for * <iii]iuu<i tucccMiao : the general principle of the rixbt or wrong of the change temained onMucbed. Neither would lb«»e horron have takrn plsice, except from Priusian itiMufcttat, and treachery witltin : there were none in tlic Amcricaa, aod have been none in the SuBniah RcrolutioD. The ntuncre of St. Bartholomew arotc out of the principle* of that religion which exterminaies with lire and aword, tad ketpa ao faith with herelica.— If it be ciid that nick-iiamea, |Mrtf watch-worda, bugbean, thr ctj of ' No Popeiy,' &c. are con- tiniuUj played ufT upon the imagination with the moct miKhievoaa dfect, I aniwcr that moat of thcuc bugbcari and icmu of Tulgar abute hjirc arucn out of abstrunc tpcculatioo or barbarou* prejudice, and hare *cldora had their root io real facit or natural ferlingi. Beiidn, arc not general toptcs, rulc«, exceptions, cedlcMly bandied tu and fro, and laLanced one aj-ainn the otbcr by the nio«t learned ditpuUnta? Have not three-foutibi of ail the wits, achiima, heirt- buminga in tbe world begun on mere uointa oi contruteriy t — There are two claatea whom I have found given to thin kind of reatooiog againtl the uie of our tense* and feelingt in what concern* human nature, «itx. knavn and fooU. The last do ii, became they think their own ahallow dogma* acltlc all c|ueationa bc«t witboat asy farther appeal ; and the lirai do it, because they know that the rcnncmenti of the head are more easily got tid of than tbe tugsettiona of the hean, and that a itrong tente of injunicc, excited oy a particular CMC in all it* aggravation*, tcU* more againit them than alt the ditunction* of the juriat*. Facti, concrete cxiiiieaces, arc mnl^m things, and uc not »o toon tampered with or turned about to any poiM we pleaae, at laerc names and abstraction*. Of these last it nay beuid,
■A bmih can *a«r them, aa a breach humadei'
and they ate liable to be puffed away by every wind of doctrine, or bdBed by every plea of cooaenteoce. I wonder t)uE Rouueau gave in to tbb cant about the want of >oundn»* in rhciarical and imaginative maoning i and waa *o fond of thi* mbject, a* to make an abridgment of Plata* rbap«odie* upon it, by which he wa* led to expel poet* from bi* comrooaweilth. Thua two of the mo*t flowery writers arc tbow who have exacted the greaie*t severity of style from other*. RaiUMau wu too Bmbitious of sn exceedingly technical and scientific mode of resWDiAgt acarccly Muitmbie in tbe mixed qiiesiioTit of human life, (as may be teen in hi* Socul CoNTXacT— a work of great ability, but extreme formality of *iniciuiu) and it ii probable he wa* led into this error in *e«kiag to overcome hi* too gnu warmth of natural
ON HEASON AND IMAGINATION
tcRip^ramect and a tendency to iodolgc i»«rcly ihc impuUet of paision. Biukc, ft'bo wii a itt>D of fine imagiiutton, had the good krm (without any of thia fstte modestj) to defend the moral usea of the imiginxtion, and ii biratelf one of ibe grotxK instances of '«* abate.
It i* not merely the fatihion among philoiopheri — the poeti alto hare got tnio a way of vconiing individuality u beneath the mblimity of their pretensions, and the univcnilily of their genius. The pbikwophen have become mere logici.in;, and their rivals mere rhetoricians 1 fur at ihete last must Duat on the surface, and are not allowed to be harsh and crabbed and recondite like the others, by leaving out the iniiividual, they become common -place. Tbey cannot reason, and they mutii declaim. Modem tragedy, in particular, it no longer like a vrtsci making the voyage if bfc, and tossed about by the wind* and waves of passion, but is converted into a handsomely^ constructed steani-boai, that is moved by the sole expantive power of words. Lord Byroe has launched several of these ventures lately (if ventures they may be called) and may continue in the same strain as long as he pleases. We have not now a number o( dramalii ffrient afTected by particular incidents and speaking according to their feelings, or as the occasion suggests, but each mouniing the rostrum, and delivering his opinion on fate, fortune, and the entire con- summation of thinf;i. The individual is not of suiBcient importance to occupy his own thoughts or the thoughts of others. The poet fill* his page trait gram<lt) ftniin. He covers the litcc of nature with the beauty of his seotimenu and the brilliancy of his paradoxes. We have tbe subtleties of the head, insiead of the workings of the heart, aftd possible jostiiications instead of the actual motives of conduct. This all seems to proceed on a false estimate of individual nature and the value of human lite. We hate been bo used to count by millions of late, that we think the units that compose tliern nothing ; and are 10 prone to trace remote principles, that we neglect the immediate results. As an instanceof ibc opposite iiyle of dramatic dialogue, in which the persons tpcak for ibemselvrs, .ind to one another, I will Bve, by way of illustration, a passage from as old tragedy, in which a brotber has juti caused his liuer to be put to a violent death.
' Bulla. Fix your eye here.
FtrJiitainL CanMaatly.
B»nla. Do you not weep i Other tins only speak { munhtr shrieks out i The (Wmrnt of water mni>triu thr earth j But UoimI flicK upnards, and brdcuri the heavens.
ftrSitoMJ. Cover her face : mine eyes daaile \ the died yousg.
55
L
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Svia. I (hifllt not M : K«r iBrdicitj' Smn*<l to hmre jttin loo tatnj.
FtnUmoht Sbe and I wcfc tnim : And ibould I die IhU innant, I hail lircd Hk time to a onnine.'
DuCHEif OF Malpy, Ad IV. Scene a.
How Goe !> the coouaocy with which he firu fixe* Id* cje 00 ill* dead body, with a rurccil courage, uod then, u liii retolation wafcn, bov DMnral !* hi« taroiiig hit face avay, and the tetlecttoa that ftnlies , htm on ber yauiJi and beaaty and nuimely death, and the dxMght that they wvre twiiiE, and hi* meuuting hit Uie by her* up to the
fretcnt |>eriod, as if all that was to come of ii were nothing ! Now, would fain a*k whether tlierr is not in thi* cooteraplatioB of the inierral that sepuates the besiaoiBK f'^"^ ^^ "><' <^ '■'*• of a life too ■o raried from good to ill, and of the pitiable termioation of which the petton speaking has been the wilful and gnilty CAUte, enough to ■give the mind paused' I* not that rerclatiofl as it were of the whole extent oi our being which is made by the flashei of pMtioa and stroke of caUntity, a sobjeci «ul]iciencly si3ge'''i"S ^ h^^'' plu* ' Id le^timate trjigedy ! Ate not the Mrugglet of the will with ua- towird c*eDii and the advcrie pMsioni of others as iDterening ud hwtriKlive in (he repre«entitton an re^ecttoot on the mutability of lottanc or inevitablenc" of deiiiny, or on the patnons of men ia general i The tragic Mute does not merely otter muffled sounds : but we see the palenesi on the cheek, and the life-blood gushing from the heart I The iaterest we take in our own liTes, ia our tucccsen or din ppoiot menu, and the tMne feeliogt ihni arise out of thete, when well described, are the clearest and ttuett mirror in which we can see the image of human nature. For in ibis *ent>e each man is a micro- cosm. What he is, the rest arc^whaiever hit joys tmd sorrows uc compoBed of, theirs arc the same — no more, no less.
* One touch of nature makes the whole norlil kin.'
But it mutt be the genuine (ouch of natarc, not the outward flourishes and varnish of art. The e;ioiiiing. oracular, didactic figure of the poet no more snswers to ihe Ititng maa, tbaa the lay-fijufc of the painter does. We may well tay to such a one,
' Thou hast no tpeculatioin in tliote eyei That thou doit glare nith : thjr bonci are mairowlets, Thy blood is cold ■ '
Man it (ao to speak) an endless and infinitely varied repetition : and
if we know what one man feels, we to hr know what a tltousand feci
S+
ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
in ihc luctuary o( ibeir beiog. Our feeling of general hununiiy ib aLODce as aggregate of a thouHAod dtfiercnt trutbt, and it is nleo the ■>ine truth a thoutaDi! time* told. Ai is uur perception of thii original truth, the tool of out inugination, to will the force and richneu of the general imprctnon proceeding from it be. The boundary of our i^rmpathy i» a circle which enlarges iuelf according to its propuluoD from the ccniie — the heart. If we arc imbued with B de«|i ttn»e of individual weal or woe, we shall be awe-struck at the idea of humaaity in general. If we Icoowlitlleaf itbut iuabttract and gammon properties, without their particubr application, their force or degree*, we. i ball care juit as little at we know either about the whole or the iadividuals. li we undeniand the texture and vital freling, we then can fill up the oiiilinc, but we cannot supply the Ibrmer from baftog the latter given. Moral and poetical truth » like exprestion in a picture — tlie one i* not lo be attained by smearing over a large caQvai, nor the other by besuidiag a vague topic. In such matier*i the most pompous ticioliiu are accordingly found to be the greuctt comiemnert of human lile. But I defy any great tragic writer to detpiic that naiure which he underttamft, or that heart which he has probed, with all it* rich bleeding nuietialc of joy and sorrow. The •abject may not be a source of much triumph to him, from its alternate light and shade, but it can never become one of supercilious in- dilFcfcace. He mun feel a strong reflex incereu in it, corresponding to that which he hai depicted in the character* of other*. Indeed, the object and end of playing, ■ both at ihe first and now, is lo hold the mirror up lo nature,' to enable us to feel for others a* for ovrsclres or to embody a distinct interest out of ourselves by ibe force of imagination and paauoo. This is summed up in the wish of the poet —
' To feel "hat others are, and kno» myself a man.'
If it docB not do Hat, it loses both iu dignity and iu proper utc-
ESSAY VI
ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
No one is idle, who can do any thing. It i* conicious inability, or the sense of repealed failure, that prevents uj from undertaking, or deters us from the prosecution of any work.
WiImo, the painter, might be mentioned u an exception to this rule ; for he was said to be an indolent man. After bellowing a few
S5
J
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
touch«« a> a picture, he ^w (ind, and taid to any rricnij who called in, ' Now, let as go tornewhefc I ' But the fsct i*. that Wiitoa could OM finiab hit pictuie* minutely ; and that tbi»c few maMetly touchec, carelcMly thrown ia ofit morDinx, were all that he could do. The rect wotud hare bcco labour loci. MorUnd hai been refeired to a* BDotbcf mas of eeoiut, who could ooly be brought to work by &tt and tnaichct. But hi* Undacapet and figaic* (whaterer degree of merit they might [io«km) were mere batty aketchet; and he could produce all that be was capable of, ia the fint hatf-houf, a* well aa in twenty yean. Why beitow addiliooal point without additional «Scci i What he did wa* from the impulie of the mometit, from tbe tiTcly imprewioo of aorae coarte, but striking object i and with that impulte bin c^orti ccaied, ai (bey justly ought. There it no u*c B labouring, imvild Afmtrva — nor any dilBculty ia it, when the Mu*e ia not afvrae.
'The labour we delight in phyiic* pain.'
DcniKr linithed ht> unmeaning portrait* with a microicope, and with- out being CTcr weary of hii ItuitlrM tanV ; fo( the eisence of hit gtniua WM indattry. Htr -locbua Reynold*, cotffted by the Graeei wad by Fortune, waa hardly ever out of hia puntiDg-rooni ; and htMBted a few days, at any tinM apenc at a friend'i houie or at a wUeroan'i leat in the country, ai to much time loat. That darkly- illuminated room ■ to him a kingdom wat : ' hit pencil wa* the tceptrc that he wielded, and the throne, on which hit tiiier* were placed, a thrOM for FaiDc. Here he felt indeed at home i heie the oirreot of hi* idnt flowed full and tcrooj; ; here he felt moit aclf-potatawont mott command oxer other* : and the aenae of power nrgcd him on to bb ddifibtful tatk with a wrt of Tcrnal cheetfulne«s and ngovr, even fai the oecline of life. The feeling of wcakneu and incapacity would hare made bt« hand i:oon falter, would have rehutied him from hi* object i or had the canrai mocked, and been inutttiblc to hi* toil, ioncad of gradoally turning to
* A lucid mxrrer, in which nature nw All bcr reflected features'
be would, like to many otbera, have thrown down hie pencil m detpair, or proceeded reluctantly, without ipirit and without luccci*. Claude Lorraine, in like nunncr, apent whole morning* on the bank* of the Tiber or in hi* iiudy, eliciting beauty after besuty, adding touch to touch, getting nearer and neater to perfection, luxuriating ia endlctt felicity — not merely giting the ralient point*, but filtittg up the whole iiMemudute apace with continuoui grace and beuty I $6
ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
What farthtr motive wai atcfaty to induce htm to pertcKre, but the bounty of hi* fate ? Wha« ereater jilcaiure could he teek ft>f, than that of Keins the perfect image of hii mind reflected in the vork of hi* haod J Rut u ia ihc picaaurc and the conlidcDce produced by coMummate skill, ao ■• the pain and the desponding effect of total failure. When for th<^ fair face of nature, wc only •ce an un)i;>htly blot iatuing; from our beat endearouia, then the twrvet alacken, the teara fill the eyes, and the painter tunia away from hii art, ai the loTer from a mittreia, that Korn* hisi< Alai t how many (uch hafCi aa the port aaya,
' Begun in sladnett ; WlwfTof hat come in the end (teipondency and madoeti "—
itot for want of will to ptocmd, (oh t no,] but for lack of power !
Hence it ia that those often do bnt (up to a certain polM of contnoit-place tacceis) who have leut kaowWee and least ambition to excel. Their usic keep* pace with their capacity ) and ihey are not delcrted by inturmountable difficultie*, of which they ha«c no idet. I have known artisti (for instance) of considerable merit, Bod a certain native rough strength and resolution of mind, who have been active and rnterprising in their profession, but who never •eemed to chink of sny works but thoae which they had in hand ; they never tpoke of a picture, or appeared to have aeen one; U> them Titian, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt, Correggio, were as if they had nevet been : no tones, mellowed bv time to aoft per- fection, lured them to thm luckless doom, no divine form bamed their vain embrace; no sound of immortality rung in their ears, or drew off their attention from the calls of crcditofs or of hunger: the;- walked ihrouj^h collections of the finest wotkt, like the Children b the Fiery Fufcicc, untouched, unapproocbed. With thcie true ttrrs filia the ait teetoed to begin and end: ihey thought only of the aubject of their next production, the size of their next canvaa, the grauping, the getting of the figures in ; ud conducted their work to its conclusion with as lititc cUttraciion of mind and as few mia- {ivings as ■ sia2c*c03Chman conducts a stage, or a carrier deliver* \ bole of goods, according to its destination. Such persona, if they 'do Dot riae above, at least aeldofn sink below themselves. They do Dot soar to the 'highest Heaven of invention,' nor penetrate the inmoti recesses of the heart ; bnt they auccced in all that they attempt, or are capable of, aa men of busincM and industry in then catling. For them the veil of the Temple of Art it not rent asunder, and it ia well : one glimpte of the Sanctuiry, of the Holy of the Holiea, might palsy their hands, and dim their ai^c for ever after I
57
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
I think there are two miitalcM, coRunuii cnouah, on thii nibject i tiz. ihit men org«nlu», or of (irtt-rAte capcity, ao little, except by intcrmtitciit fits, or ficr lalium — and that they do that Utile in a •light sod slovenly manner. There may be in*Uticot of ihit ; but tlwy ate oot the highett, and tliey arc the exccptiott*, not the rule. Oa the coniniry, the KreAt«*t attim have in general been the moit prolific or the mo« elaborate, u the beii writem have been Trequently the moit voltiminout ai well at indefatigable. Wc huve a great living initancc among wriicrt, that the quality of a man'i production* is not to be rstim^lcd in the invcntc ratio of their <]uantily, I mean IB the .\uthor of Wjvcrley \ the fecundity of whone pen in no lc«» admirable ihao tit felicity. Slialiesjiesir w another initaocc of the ume prodigaltiy of jeniut; his materials being endlessly poured forth with no tnagtiA or (asiidiuui hand, and the maitery of the execuiiofl being (in many reipecti at leaat) equal to the buUlneta of the dciign. A* one example among othcn that I might cite of the attention which he give to hi* iubjcci, it is rafflcient to obtcrve, that there it scarcely a word in any of his more striking passage* that can be altered for the better. If any person, for inMance, is trying to recotlect a favourite line, and cannot hit upon some particular expre«iion. it ia in vain to think of nibttitutbg any other M> jood. That in the original text ii not merely the best, but it •eons the only right one. I will stop to illusitaic this point a little. 1 was at a lois the other day for the line in Henry v.
' Nkt customs curtesy (o gnat kings.*
I could not recollect the word nkri I tried a number of others, such as alj, grave, &c. — they would none of them do, but seemed all heavy, lumbering, ot from the purpose : the word nkt, on the contrary, appc.ired to drop into its place, and be ready to assist in payiDg the reverence required. Again,
■ A Jest's ffuperilji lies in the ear Of him that hcara it.'
I thought, in quoting from memory, of ' A ject's imtm,' * A jest's rnatea,' &c. I then turned to the volume, and there found the very word that, of all others, expressed the idea. Had Sfaakespear searched through the four quarters of tlie globe, he could not have lighted on another to convey ao exactly what he meant— a caiaal, hotlove, tounJInj; success ! I could multiply nuch examples, but that I am nure the readei will easily supply ibcm himKlf; and they shew.: sufficiently that Shakeipear was not (as he is otien rcprcscnicd) loose or clumsy writer. The bold, h^y texture of bis style, id S8
V
ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
vfaich CTcry word b prombent, and yet cannot be Iotd from it> place without vialencc, mj mote th»a a limb from the hody, is (one diodd think) th« rc«ult ciihrr of Ttgil:)nt pin»-uking or of unerring, imiitiK pcrc«pi»on, a&d not the nuik of cnide conccptiong, uid ' ibe nDdom, blindfold blows of l^iKirancc.*
There cannot be a greater contradiciion lo the common prejudice that * Geniut ia naturally a truant and a vagabond,' than the aatoniali' tnz and (on tht« hypothcat) ntiaccouniablc number of ilrf-J'airwti kh behind them by the old muter*. The itrram of their tnTcntion Nfpbea the iMic of tuccewiTe eencrationi like a river : iheir fumiah B Mndred Callerica, and preclude competition, not more by ihc excellence than by the number of ilieir peribrmanceB. Take Raphael and Rubeo* alone. There arc wurka of iheifi b linjile ColleaioDB enough to occupy a long and laborioui life, and iret their work* are ■prrad through all the Collections of E^orope. They teem to have cott them no mote labour than if they * hid drawn in thdr breath *lld faSed it forth agun.' But wc know that they made drawing*, RodiM, iketchea of all tlie principal of theac, with tlie care and omiOB of the meteM tyros in the art; and they remain ecgual proof* of tbdr capacity and diligence. The Carioont of Raphael alone might hate employed many ycar«, and made a life of illuwtiomi labour, though they look as if they had been struck olf at a blow, and are DOI A tenth pan of what he produced in his thon but bright career- Titian and Michael Anf;elo lived lonf>er, but ihey worked as hard aod did ai well. Shall ve bring in competition with eiutraples like theae some trashy caricaturist or idle dauber, who has no aenie of the inlioile resource* of natore or art, not eonse^iuently any power to employ himself ujion them for any length of time or to any porpote, to prove that genius and regular industry ate inoompatibfe qualities i
tn my opinioot the very superiority of the work* of the great pointers (initead of being a bar to) accounts for their multiplicity. Power ia Measure ; and pleasure ■weeims pain. A fine poet thus describes the effect of the sight of ostutc on his mind ;
'The (oundtng cataract
Hannted me tike a pauion : (he tall toch, Tlie mauniain, and the dnp and gloomy wood, Tbrir coloun and their forini were then to me An appetite, a feeling, and a Inve, That hail no need of a teoKiiet charm By thought lupplird, or any intertK DnbotTcnred from the eye.'
So the ibnBt of nature, or iJie human form divine, stood before tbe
S9
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
great aninj ot~ old, not icijuired txty otber MHMtlas lo lead the eye to ni.'*cy, or tbe band to embody thtm, thia ibe ploMra demed fruni the u)«pir>uon of the wbjecti tad ' propulnTc force ' of ibc nioiic crcMioo. The xrudev of tbcir wodti wu an argnmeat with tbem, aot lo Mop thort, but to proceed. Tbey could have do Ugher excitefneat or latii&ction than to the exercue of tlteii art and endleM ^neraiioo of truth and beauty. Succcm peompU to exertion ; and habit faciliuie* iucce**. It i( idk to Mppotc we can rxbauai natcre; and tbe more we employ oar own uaitue% the more we «:rengthca them Mid enrich our Mote* of otacmtioa ■ad tnicotioD. Tbe ntore we dO( tbe more we r«n do. Not indeed if we gel Mrr i/Ujii oaf ^Mr owa bemb — that Mocic m MOB cxhasiteiit ■ad we recur to tirctome, rapid imitation* of ourtdte*. Bui thit U the diiTcrencc between real and mock talent, bawieen gentiu and ■Acctttioa. Nature ii not limited, not don il bcco«ne effetCi like ow conccti and vanity. Tbe cto«et we cx*natie it, tbe more it rcfioct upon lu ; it expand* as we enlarge and thift our view ; it *growf with our growth, and Mrcngiheai with our Mrength.' Tbe ■ubjecu are cndlcM g and our cecity U inTigoratcd a« it i* called oM by occauoo >ad neccMity. He who does nothing, render* him- •elf incapable of doin^ any thing t but while we are execuitng any work, we are preparing and ^nafiMi^ ourtclTC* to andertake aikother. The priociplei are the taac in alt oatufe i and we uaderaund thctn bcacr, H we verify tben by experience and practice. It >• not at if Ihert waa a gives noinber of *ia>jeGt( to work upon, or a >et of inimu or precoQcetved ideai in our tniodi which we c»croac!>cd upon with every new dcnga ; the tubjcct*, >i I xaid bcforr, ate mdlcu, and we acquire idcu by impaniDg them. Our expenditure of intclteciual wealth makes u« rich : we can only be liberal a« we have previoiuJy ■ccnmwlated the meant. By lyiag idle, u by aumdiDg Mill, Wt m coofieed to the same trite, oanow roaad of topics : by coaitMiiiig onr efforts, M by mo'bg foewards in a road, we extend our view*, and tliacover cootinually new tract* of country. Genius, like hemanity, null for want of uie.
Habit at«o giies prooiptatM; and the soul of diipiuch i* deduoo. One man may write a book or paint a picture, while aootber is deliberating awut ttw fin or the title-page. The great uintcrs were able to do so raudi, becaMe tbey knew exactly what they meant to do,Uld how to Mt aboat k. They were thorough-bred workmen, ■ad were not learning tbeir art while ibcy were exercising iL One can do a great deal in a short time if ooe only know* bow. Thus aD aothor may become very volttmnou*, who only rraptoy* an hour or two in a day in itody. If be ha* once obtained, by habit and refleo-
60
ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
lion, a u«e of hit pra with plenty of murrial* to voik cpon, the pasec taoiah before him. The time Imt in in bcginniag, or in atoppoig ftlTc-i we hBTc begun. If wr only go forwatdi with ipirii and con- fidei)c«, we thall tooa arrtre at the end of our joiuoey. A practiced wntrr ought DeT*r to henuic foe a scnienoe from the moment he sets pen TO paper, oi chink about the cuurte lie is to lake. He niuit irutt to hti prcrioui koowlctlge of the lubject and to bia immediate im-
Cl«e«, aod he will get to the clo*e of hit tult wrtboni accident* or M of time. I can canly underuand how the old divine* and conuovcrtialiuB produced ilieir foUo) : I could write folioi rayKlf, if I row early and tat up laie at this kind of occupation. But I coidcM I thould be toon tired of it, beiidct wearying the reader.
In one tcnte, ust ■■ long and life ii ibort. In another lente, thu aphoriim i» not inte. The best of lit are idle half our time, tt ia wondcr^t how much i* done in a nhort «pacc, proiided we fct about it pTUpctly, and give oar mindi wholly to it. I.ci ;tny one dcrote himKlf to any art or tcience ever lo iircnttoualy, aod he wrill oiill bare Injure to make cooiiderable progrew in half a dozen other acquireroeittt. Leooardo da Vioci wai a niatheniatician, a mutician, a poet, and an aaatoniiM, besidet being one of the greater painters of hi* age. Tbe Prince of Painter* was a courtier, a lover, and fond of dre«( and company. Michael Angcio waa a prodigy of verMtitity of latent — a writer of Soiuiett ( which WortUworih hu tboughc worth tmwIattBgl and the •dmiier of Dante. Salvator wa> a luieoift and a Mdriat. Titian was an elegant lettef-wtiter, and a (iniihed gentleman. Sir Jotbtta Keyoalds'i Dukoutk* are more poliahed and clastica) ereo thui any of bi« pictnre*. Let a man do all he can in any one branch of nndy, be mtiit cither exhaon himielf and doze over it, or vary hit ptwniit, or eltc lie idle. All oar real labour lici in a nut-(hell. The miad nuke*, at some period or other, one Hercoleui eifort, and the rcM ia mecbaiMcal. We have to climb a ttecp and narrow precipice at firu ; but after that, the way i* broad and ea»y, where wc may drive teveral accompliibmenu abreau. Men should liave one priocipal paraiit, wUcb may be both agreeably and advantageously diveriihcd with other lighter dim*, ai the Mbordioate parts of a picture may be fnanaged to m to give cifect to the ceotrc group. Tt hat been obmved by a •cntibw mao,' that the having a regular occupation or pcofeteional duiiei to attend to is no excuw for patting forth an ■aelcssnt or inaccurate work : for a habit of iodunry brace* and KnoftbeiM the mand, aod enable* it to wield it* cneigiea with addhional eaae and iteadier pnrpwe. — Were 1 allowed to intiaoce in nytelf, if what I write at prevent it worth nothing, at leaM it coat*
> IV Re*. W. Shtphtrri, of GMeacn, in the Prtba to bit Lib of PogEio.
6l
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
■K mtliiBg. Bat it COM me a great deil twenty yean ago. 1 hare added littk to aiy Rock mce tfanit and lafcca little from it. I * mt£M the book vul rtrfiaar of the bfsin,' and ttuwcrtbc tbc char- Kter* I *rt tberc aa iBccfaaaically m aay ooe raight copy the lettrn n a (anpler. I do oot ny they came there (uechaaically — I tmuin than to the paper mcdutitciUy. Afief eight or m yean' hard aiady, an author (at lewtl may «> to >le«p.
I do not cooceiie rapdity ot exectukio oeccKarily impiiei dona- Itacw ot ctvdcneM. Oo the coturary, I beUeve it it oitco productive both of tharpneM and ffcedon. The eageracM of cooipoution urike* on i{»rklea of faocy. and tvM the tfaonghta note oantfaOy and doicly iMo one aactbcf. There may be Icai fetntt) Bwtfcodt bat there i« nwre fife, and apitit. lod initb. Id the pby and aviation of the miadt k nnw over, aoJ we dally with tbc noJKt, aa the gEaM-hlower rapidly ihapei th« Ttireutu lluid. A number of new ihoughti rite up nootaoeonily, and tbcY come in tbc proper pUcci, bccaiuc they ariae from the occatioa. They are alw auic to parukc of the waimth and fifidDCat of that eboUilion of mind, from which they tpruig. Sfiritw/ fret^OMJui itl. la the*e tort of roluoiarirt in compoiidaot the UxM^ita ate worked op to a uaie of projcctioo : the Jtraap of the Mibjecti the preaeoce of tiiiod. ilie flow of exptctaioo muH be nioe- thing akin lo fxltmfort ipeakiag t or perhapa nich bold but finished draa^iia may be owipantd to /ran painiingt, which imply a life of tradj tfd great preTiom prepatatioo, bn of which the e;[co)tiao ia flMMMMary and irrcrocable. I will add a M^le remark od ■ paint thai haa been much diapoud. Mr. Cobbett lay* it down that the lirM word that occur* i* alway* the be«t. 1 would reatore to differ from to great an authority. Mr. Cobbett himself indeed writet as CMily and a* well at be talk* ; but he pcthi[» n hardly a rule for Other* vitboot hii practice and without hi* aUlity. In tbc hurry of COmpotilaoB three or four word* may prctent themaclre*, one on (he bock of the other, and the laat may be the beat and ri^bt one. I grant thua macht that it it in tain to arek for the word we waott or eodeaTonr to get at it »e«ODd-haDd( or u a Mraptiraae oo mmdc other word — it muat corac of itaelft or arise out of an immediate impieMioa or lively intnilaon of the nibject t that ia, the proper word mtitt be ittggcHcd imroediatety by the tboogbta, but it need oot be pretenied a* aooD M called for. It i« the tame in trying to recollect the name* of place*, person*, etc. We caoaoc force our memory ; they must come of thcnNclTc* by aatttral aaiociatioo, aa it were i but they may occur to 01 wheo we least think of iu owing to some casual circwin- Btaace or link of coooexioo, and long after we have given up the •earch. Proper exprewions rite to the surface from the beat aud
6a
ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
ItU
fermentatioo of the mind, like bubble* oo an agiUKd itteam. thU which produCTH n clear and sp^kling style.
Id painting, great execuiioa Ruppliet the place of high finishing. A few vi^orout touches, properly and r.ipitily diipoaed, will often giTe more of the appearance and texture (even) of natural ohieeta than the mo«t heavy and bboriout dccaiU. Bui tbi> matcerly ityle of execution u very ditTercnt from coartc daubing. I do not think, however, thai the pain» or polish an artist benow» upon his urorku ncceeurily interferes with their ounibcr. He only grows more coiffloured of hit taik* proportionally patient, indela liable, and dCToies more of the djy to nudy. The time we lose ta not in over- doinit what we are abotft, but in doing oothing. Ruben* bad great facility of execution, and leldom went into the detatU. Yet Raphael, whoK oil-piciurc* were exact and laboured, atcbievcd, according to the length of lime be lived, very neatly a* much a» he. [n 6lling up ihc part* of hit pictures, and giving them the U«t perfection they were capable of, he tilled up hia leiture hours, which otherwiie would have lain idle oa hit handt. I have uometimet accounted for the tlow pfogrea* of certain aitiit* from the unfinished state in which ihey have left their worki at last. The*c were evidently done by Gta and thron — there wan no appearance of coatinuoui labour — one figure had been thrown in at a venture, and then another ; and in tbc intervale between thcie convuUivc and random ctforrs, more time bad been waKed than could have been *pent in working up each individual figtire on the cure principle* of aii, and by a carehil totpection of naltire, to the uimoti point o^ practicable perfection.
Some perton* are afraid of ibeir own worki ; and having nude one or two tuccctshil efforts, attempt nothing ever after. They stand (till midway in the road to fame, from being startled at the thadow of their own reputation. This it a needless alarm. If what they hare already done potse«*e« real power, this will increase with exerciK : if it ban not this power, it i« not suAcient to ensure them laittng fame. Such delicate preiendert tremble on the brink of iJeitt perfection, like dcw-dropi on the edge of flowers ; and are fascinated, like so many Narcittuscs with the image of tliemaclvea, reflected from the public admiration. It it tildom, indeed, that chit ctoliout repose will answer its end. While seekiog to luitalo our repuCa^oa at the height, we are forgotten. Sbakespear gave different advice, and himself acted upon it.
■^ - ' Perwrerance, dear my lord. Keep* honour bright- To have done, l> to hang Quite out of raihion, like a ruftjr mail, !■ monumnital mockery. Take the iiutani wayt
63
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Fai boMour oareb m a taut to natraw,
Wbcrc one bin gaet jbftmt. Keep then die path i
For cmubiioa hatk a tbounMd torn.
Thai oof by oot punac. If joo giire wijr.
Or hnlg« uida (rem tht direct fenh-ri^t,
Liht to an cntcr'd tidt, iIm^ all nub bjr,
AmI Irarc ir«u hiadmoM t —
Or like * gilluit bonc^ ibll'a is Ant rank,
lie ikcre tor parancM to tbe abject rear,
O'er-ran and trampkd. Tboi wbK tbcf do in pRKiu,
Throi^ ks than voun Id put, muU o'erup jwm ■
For timt ii like a bahionabk hoM,
Thai iligblh' thakn hit paiting guM bj* tb« hand,
And nitii tut armt ountnceh'd a* be would 87,
OtHpf i* die oonMT. Wcloonr ent imila.
And ftrewell goc* oik n^ittg. O In not nitue *cefc
Rnniinenlian tot the tbii^ it irai; lor bcaatjt, wit.
High birth, viaour of booe, demt ia lerrin,
Lo*«, frUndibip, <h»rity, irr lul^cti ail
To envious lod calummaiins Time.
One touch of nature makn the whole world kin,
Tbat all with on* oonaeCM nntite ncw-bom gtud\
Tbou^tbey are made ind moulded oftbinfi pMC;
And pirc co dmi ikai ii a little pit
More hud than gilt o'er duMcd.
The ftttcM eye ptaltn the pmcnt object.'
TkoiLDs AMD CitraiOA,
I cannot very well cooceivc bow it t* that mmdc writm (eT«n of tarte and geoini) Bpeftd wbulc ynrs b mere cotrcctiooa for the pifMC, a* it were — in pohthinj; a line or tdjamag a comma. Tbey take laag to conoder, exactly ai there i* Doihing worth the trouble of a moncBt'* thought ; and the mote they dclibmtc, the farther they are from deciding : for their fntidtoouicM inccraiet with the indnlgeace of it. Bor ii there any re«l ground for preference. Tbey aie in the ■itiution of NtJ Sofilj, in the Tarua, who waa a whole morning debatiiig whether a tine of a poetical epiRle sbo<utd run—
w»
' You HDg yoiu tmg with m> much ait | ' * Vouf tong you ning with to motli att.'
Thne are poinu that it it impottiblc ever to come to a deurmiDatna ^bout i and it ia only a proof of a little tnind cTer to have entertained iheqiuMion at all.
lliere ia a data of pcrMoi whoae micd» teem to move in aa elnnent of littfeBCH 1 or rather, that are entangled in trifling diHt-
6*
ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
FCuldcti Bud inciMblc of exiricaiing ihcmiclvta from (hem. Thcic WM a remarkable iaaUBc« of thia itnprogreMive, iocfFectiuil, reatlets ftcttvitjr of temper in a late celebrated and very iD|;cr)iouB Isodtcape- ; jaatut, ' Never eodine. Hill begbaine,* kit mind >ccmed entirely ^lliade Bp of point! and Iraction*, nor could he by any meant arrive at s condwiaD or a valuable whole. He made it his boagt that be never •at will) hi« band* before him, and yet he never did any thing. Hi* I poweri acd hie time were frittered away in an importunate, uneasy, ridgetty attention to Utile thin^ti. The lirtt picture he ever painied (when a ntcre boy) u-ai i copv of hia father'* houae ; and he began it by couoting the number of orickt b the front upwards and length- wavi, ami ihen made a scale of them on hii canvaR. Thi* literal ttyte and mode of atudy stuck to him to the li)»t. He was put under f-WUaoQ, whoie example (if any thing could) might have cured him thif pectineu of cOQCcplion ; but nature prevailed, at it almoR dwayv doc*> To uke pains to no purpotc, teemed to be hit mouoi the driight of hia life. He left (when he died, not long ago) ^heapt of caDvjtMct witli elaborately Bnithed pencil outlincu oa them, ■Dd with pcrhapt a little dead- colouring added here and there. In thi) ttaic they were thrown aside, at if he grew tired of hit occupation the innant it gave a promise of lurniog to account, and hit whole object in ibe portuit of art wa« to erect tcatfoldingt. The tame DM intereal in the raoit frivolout thingt extended to the common FBOOCcnu of life, to the arrangin;; of his letteri, the labelling of hit booki, and the iaveniory of fait wardrobe. Yet he wai a man of Miuc, who taw the foil)' and the wane of time in all tfait, and could I othei* againti it. The perceiving our own wcaknesiet enable* ut [lo give othert excellent advice, but it doct not teach ui to reform lowaelvci. 'Phpiciao, heal thytcif! ' it the hardeti letion to sDov. Nobody knew better than our artitt that repose ii necetxary I Meat efForii, and that he who is never idle, labours in vain ! Another error it to spend one'a life io ptocrattination and prepara- tioat for the future. Periont of this turn of mind ti op at the threshold of art, and accumulate the meant of improvcmeni, till they obstruct their progresi to the end. They arc alwayt putting olF the evil day, i4ad exciHe thein»elve« for doing nothing by commencing tome new ioditpeniable courte of ttudy. Their projecii are magnificent, Imt remote, and require year* to complete or to put ihem in execution- Fame ia seen in the norizon, and tltes before them. Like the eaot boaitful knight in Spenier, they turo their backs on their [Eompetitori, to make a great career, but never return to the charge. iThey make ihemselve* mastert of anatomy, of drawing, of pcntpcciive: [tlicy collect piiott, caaii, medallions, makt ttudiet of headt, of handi, VOL. Tti. 1 a 65
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
of the hoont the bmkImi copr paciarai nm luWi Grrccc, and rttum M thcf went. Tbry fottl tbe profcrb, * When yoo »c at Ramr, yoa ibdm do M tbo*c at Rome do.* 1*hii c>rcvttO(M> erraiic pnTMik of art caa come to do good. It U only an apologjr ht iii^i ncH a*d Taoity, ForcigD traTtl eepecially maltci meo peduu, noC utMta. WKat we teek, «« muat Bad at bonte at Dowbere. Tbe way to do great thbgt ia to Kt about aonxthinf;, and he who caonot Sod reaonrce* in hinurlf of id hi* owq poititu^-nMin, will perform^ the graod tour, or go through the ank M the atu aad •ciancot aad cedjwt where he began !
The tame remark* that hare bees here argcd with re«pect to in ' application to tl>e Mody of tri. wilJ, b a jtrea:t meanirc, (tbonglil not in every particular) apply to an aitentioa to buaiDCH: I meant ihu cxertjoo will generally follow ncceu and opportunity in the oae, 41 it doe* oooUeace and talent in the other. Girc a mao a motive to work, and he will work. A lawyer who it icgnlarly lecdi ieldore ncglccu to look over hi* briefa : the more bauutm, the man \ faidactry. The itreat laid upon early riling n prepotttnMi. If t have any thing to do when wc get up, we aball not Ue in bed, to a certainty. Thornton tbe fott waa found late in bed by Dr. Burncv. and atked why he had not riaen earlier. The Scotchnun wiiely aiuwetcd, ' 1 lud no motive, yovng mao I ' What indeed bad he to do after writing the Sutoxt, but (o dream ont tbe reit of lui exiMcnce, tuileea it were to write the Castu or Inooi.imci' !
ESSAY VII
OK LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
I DO not agree with Mr. BUtiweoJ in hit definition of the word Ctcknty. He mno* by it a perron who bat happened at any time to live in London, and who it not a Tory — I mean by it a perron who hat never lived out of London, and who hat got all hit ideai from it. The true Cockney hat never travelled bevoed tbe purtieui of the Mriropolit, either in the body or the tpint. Prirarote-hill it the tllttma 'I'hale of hit mott romantic deairc* ; Greenwich Paik ttanda him in ttead of the Valet of Arcady. Time and space are Ion taJ
' School-bDji itlcnil to thtir laiki n toon *• tbty a<^uin » nlitfa for itu>ly, tnJ tff\j to (btt far which lb«y £n<l thrj hiv« i «p>cil7. tf t boy ihowi no (nillnilion fat the L>iia lonfu. It ii i •■(:n he hat dqI ■ turn ht larnlBg , laniunf*!. Yd ht dioMi wcU. Give up the thougbi tit maklnf > tchottr of hia^ j tmt brine ^''^ up le bt a dincing^muctr I
<}6
ON LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
hisk He )■ confioed to one >poi, ttnd to the present momrnt. He MM «TCfy thing near, aujx-rficUl, iitt)c, in hnity succntion. The world tune round, and bia hcnil with h, like a roundsbout at a &ir, till be become* ttunaed sod si^y '"^^ th< motion. Figurei glide hj u ia a eamtra tiiewa. There u a tfut, a petpeiuai hubbub, a BOMe, a crowd about him ; he aeei and heara a *a*t tiumber of thing*, ■ad luowi nothing. He it pen, nw, ignorant, conceited, ridiculous, •hdlow, coninn|>tible. Hit kbw« keep him alive ; aod he knowt, inqBitea, and caica (at nothing fanher. He meett the Loid Mayor'i MUh, and without cetemooy tmta liitnaelf to an imsfciiury Hdc in it. He notice* the people goin^ to court or to a dcy-feait, and i« auite utiElied with the ihow. He takei the wall of a Lord, and bnciei himtelf at good aa he. He leet an inliniie quantity of people paM along the mrpci, and think* there it no »uch thing at life or a knowledge of character to be found out of London. ' Sryaad Hyde Park all ia a deaart to him.' He detpiaci the country, beonue he it ignoraot of it. and the town, becauae he ia familiar with it. He in a« well ao^uatnird with Si. Paul't at if he had built it, and talk* of Wcitmiottcr Abbey and Poets' Corner with great indifierence. The King, the Hou»c of Lords and Commoni arc hit Tcry good (rieoda. He knowa the mcmbcra for Wc»imin«cr or the City by aighi, and bow* to the SherilTa or the Sheritfa' men. He ia hand and gloTe with the Chairman of aome Commtttec. He ia, b abort, a g,itu man by proxy, and come* m ofien in contact with fine penont and thing*, that be rub* off a little of the gilding, and it surcharged with a tort of tccond-hand, Tapid, tingling, troublesome telf- troponance. Hit pctional vanity w ihua continually ilatteied and Mfktd Dp into ridicnloua tclf-camplacency. while hit imagination ia |Hlcd IM impaired by daily miaute. Hverj thing is vulgarited in hit niad. Nothing dwell* Ion;; enough oa it to produce an inieren ; nothing ii coDicmpUted aullicieatly at a diiunce to excite curioiity or wonder. Tour Inu Cattnty ii your only Inu IrveHtr. Let him tw W low at he will, he fanciet be it as good at any body clie. He haa no retpcct for himtelf, and aiill lew (if potaible) for you. He cam little about hi* own advantage*, if he can only make a je*t at youn. Every feeling come* to bim through a medium m levity aod impertinence i nor doe« be like to have that habit of mind ditturbed by being brought into collision with any thing teriout or retpeciable. He deipair* (in tuch a crowd of competiiort) of diitioguiafaiag hitatelf, but laught heartily at the idea of bdag able to trip np the heel* of other peogilc't piclemioni. A Cockney feci* no gtatitude. Thia ia a firat principle with him. He regard* any obligation you confer upon him at a apedea of impONlioo, a ludiccoua uiumption of
6?
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ftDcicd wpcriontT. He ullu abom tnrjrbiag, fw be has heard rr'T*'rtg iboM U : and muiemMuAiaf nMhing of tbe maticr, coo- clodM lie bu a> good a H^bt ai jrou. He i> a polidciaD ; fbt be ha* Men the Parlumcn; Htnitc: he it a critic; becaiuc he know* the principal actor* by lieht — hx« a uite for miwc, became he brionj* to a (lee-club at the \^e*( Hod, and U gallant, in lirtae of toinetlme* fieqiKBting tbe lobbie* at half-price. A niere Londoner, b fact, Ironi tbe omortuoltiet be hai of ksowtag Hinethiog of a number of object* (and ifaote iiriking one*) fascie* himtelf a tort of privileged pcrtOD ; remain* tatitiied with tbe uiuinptioa of tneriti, *o much tbe man wiqaNlioaibfe a* they are not hi* own ; and from being dazzled with BMie, *how, and appearance*, ii lew capaUc of givbg a real opinion, or entering into any lubject than the meanest peasant* There are greater lawyer*, orator*, pointer*, philoMplier*, poett, player* in London, than in any other put of the United Kbgdotn : be ia a Loodooer, and therefore it would be Kraoge if he did not know more of law, clooneoce, art, phitoaophy, poetry, acting, than any one witboot hi* local adranugei, and who it merely from the country. Thi* i* a it«n tffiuiuri and it conKantly appear* to when pat to the teal.
A real Cockney tt the pooren creature in tbe world, the mott literal, the moK mechanical, and yet he too live* in a world of romance —* fairy-iand of hit own. He ti a citizen of LoikIob ; and thi* abairsction lead* hi* imagination the finnt dance in the woitd. London it the iirtC city on the habitable globe; and therefoie he mnrt be tupeiior to etery one who live* out of it. There arc more people in London than any where ettei and though a dwarf in ■titare, hi* peraon *well« out and expand* into ittiai importance and borrowed magnitude. He re«idet in a garret or in a two pair of ■tait*' back room ; yet he talk* of the magoiticcncc of London, and givei himtelf air* of confcqucnce upon it, u if all the houact in Portman or in Groaveooi Square were hit by right or in rerenion. ' He is owner of all he tuTTeys.' The Monument, tbe Tower of London, St. Jamet'a Palace, tbe Maimion Houtc, White-Hall, arc part and parcel of his being. Let ut luppow him to be a lawyer** clerk at half-a-guioca a week : but he knowt the Inna of Court, the Tesiplc GardcDi, and CrayVlon Pattage, we* the lawyeni in their wig* walking up and down Chancery Lane, and ha* advanced witbb haif-a-doiCD yard* of the Chancellor * chair : — who can doubi that he ■ndertttndi (by implication) every point of law (however intricate} better than the moit expert country piactitioner i He in a ahopman, and nailed all day behind the counter : but he tee* hundreds and thouaand* of cay, wcll-drcsaed people pa*i — an endlea* phaniMniagoria
£8
ON LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
—and enjoy* their liberty stad gaudy dutteriog pride. He ii » rooiman — buc he tides behind beauty, through a crowd of carriages, and vi»it« a thousand «hopB. U he a uilor — that ]:iii infirmity of hunian nature i The stigma on hii profcMion h ion in the elegance of the putlern« he provideii, and of the peitons he adorns ; and he is •omethmg very dilfetcnt from a mere country botcher. Nay. the very scavenger and nightman ihinki the dirt in the ttreet haa aome- thing prcciou* in it, -ind bit employment i» solemn, lilent, meted, pecJtar to London ! A hirifr in Monmouth Sireei, a alo[>-*cllcr in RadclifTe Highway, a tapcter at a ntght-cclUr, a beggar in S^ Gitet'i, a drab in Ficn-Ditch, live in the eye* of millions, and eke out > dreary, wretched, acioty, or loathsome existence from the gorgeous, bufy, glowing ncene around thetn. It ia a common taying among such persona that ' they had rather be haogeil in London than die a natural death out of it any where cite ' — Such it the force of habit and imagination. Rven the eye of childhood it dax^.Icd and delighted with the poliabed spletxlour of ihc jewellers* nhopa, the ncatneM of the turnery wire, thic featoon^ of aittlicial floweis, the confectionery, the chemiita' shop«, tlie lamp*, the hortcs, the carriages, the sedxn- chair* : to this wa« formerly added a set of tradtttoo^d aisociationa — Whittsngton and hii Cat, Guy Faux and the Gunpowder Treason, the Pire and the Plague of London, and the Heads of the Scotch Rtbcia that were stuck on Temple Bar in 174;. These have vanished, and in their «tead the curious and romantic eye must be eoDteni to pore in Pennant for the scite of old London- Wall, 01 to pcnue the sentimental mile-stone that marka the dlatance to the place * where Hickes's Hall formerly atood ! '
The Cotiiuy lives in a go-can of local prejudices and podtiTe illusions; and when he U turned out of iCj he hardly knows how to nud 01 move. He ventures through Hyde Park Corner, as ■ cat crwui s gutter. The trees pu l^ the cotcb very oddly. The country has a Mtmge blank appearanoe. It i* not lined wiiJi houses all the way, like London. He came* to place* he never saw or heard of. He linds the world is bigger than he thought for. He might have dropped from the moon, for any thing he knows of the matter. He is mightily disposed to langh, but is half afraid of making some blunder. Between sheepishness and conceit, be if in a very ludicrous situadon. He finds that the people walk 00 two legs, and wonders to hear them ulk a dialect so di^erent from hi* own. He perceives London fashions have got down into the country before him, and that some of the better sort are dressed as well as he is. A drore of pigs or cattle stopping the road i* a very troublesome totcmipiion. A crow in a field, a magpie in a hedge, are to him
69
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
very odd aoinuU— be can't tell what to make of them, or how they Ii*e. He doct not iltogcthcr like the acconunodoiiont at the ions- it it oM what he has been used to in town. He begins lo be coin- muoicatirc^-uyt he wat ■ bora within the sound of Bow-bcll,' and attempt* some jokes, at which nobody laughs. He asks the coachman a question, to which he leceiTes no unver. All this is to him Tery tiaaccou&able and unexpected. He arrive* at his joumer'* end t ;iad iaMead of being the great man he anticipated among his friends and country relations, linda ibst they arc barely civil to him, or make a butt of him ; hare ti^c* of their own which he it as completely ignorant of as they arc inditferent to what he says, so that he is glad to get back to London a^ain, where be meets with his favourite indulgences and atsociates, and fancies the whole world it occupied with what he hear* and (ee».
A Cockney lovet a tcu-girden in summer, at be lore* the play or the Cider-CciUr in winter — where he twcctcnt the air with the fintici of tobacco, and makes it echo to the sound of hit own Toice. 'I*hi* kind of •ubutbao retreat is a mo«t a(;re«able relief to the close and confined air of a city life. The imajtinaiion, lon^ pent up behind a counter or between brick walla, with nottome smells, and dingy Ejects, cannot bear at once to launch into the boundless expanse of the country, but * shorter excorsion* trie*,' coveting something between the two, and finding it at While-condoit House, or the Roaemaiv Branch, or Bagnigge Wells. The landUdy it seen at a bow^wisKww in near nerspectire, with punch-bowls and temona diipoaed orderly arouna — the lime-tree* or poplart ware overhead to 'catch the breezy air,' through which, typical of the huge denae cloud that hangs o?er the metropolis, curls up the thin, blue, odoriferoDs vapour of Virginia or Oronooko — the benclies are ranged in rows, the 6elds and hedge-town spread out their verdure { Hamp- sirad and Hi^hgate are seen in the blck-groundi and contain the ima;;inatioQ within gentle limits — here the holiday people are playing ball t here they arc playing bowU — here they arc qaafling ale, there sippiog tea — here the loud wager is heard, there the political debate. In a sequestered nook a slender youth with purple face and drooping head, nodding over a gUta of gin toddy, breathe* in tender accents^ 'There's nought to tweet t» earth at Lore't young dreamj' while ' Roty Ann ' takes it* turn, and ' Scots wha hie wi' Wallace hied * ia thundered forth in accents that might wake the dead. In another p«rt lit carpers and criiict, who dispute the tcore of the reckoning or the ffOtttiOt cavil at the tute and exccodoo of the «mi/<U« Brahams and Donscta. Of this latter chut was Dr. Goodman, a nan of other time* — I mean of those of Smollett and Defoe — who was
70
ON LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
curioui in opinioD, obatioate in (he wrong, great in liitle thing*, >nd inrcictatc in mtty warfare. I vow he held me an UMmeiit oocc 'bd hour by St. Duniun'i clock,' while I held Hn umbrella ortr hU head (the friendij' protection of which he wu unwilliDg to quit to wilk ID the rain to Cambtrwell) to prove to me that Richard Pinch w» neither a fivct-player oor a pleating singer. 'Sir,' (aid he, ' I itBj that Mr. Pinch play* the game. He i* a cunning player, but not a good oae. 1 grant hit trick*, his little tnesD dirty way*, but he i* not a manly aciagoni*!. He hat no hit, and no Ictt-hand. How then can he «et up for a tupcrior player f And th^n ai to hi* alway* striking the ball agaioat the *ide-wing* M Copcnhageo-houae, Cavanagb, tir, u*ed to *ay, " Th« wall wu made to hit at I " I have no patience «riih tuch pitifu] shift* and advan- tage*. They are an inault upon *o line and athletic a game I And at to hi* tetiing up for a singer, it 'i ouite tidiculou*. Vou know, Mr. H ', that to be a really excellent singer, a man muit lay claim to one of two ihingi ; in the lirnt place, tir, he muit have s BMnr^ly fine ear for mutic, or tccondly, an early education, excluMvely devoted to that ttudy. Uuc no one ever auspccted Mr. Pinch of refined aenaibiliiy ; and his education, as we all know, ha* been a bttle at large. Then ag:iin, why should he of all other thing* be alway* tinging " Ro«y Ann," and " Scot* wha hac wi' Wallace bled," til) one ii tick of hearing tJiem ? It '* prqMsicrous, and I mean to tell him 10. You know, I 'm tore, without my hiotiag it, that in the firK of the*e admired tonga, the *entimeat i* voluptuou* and tender, and in the la*t patriotic. Now Pinch** romance never wandered from behind hi* counter, and bi« patrioiitm liei in hi* breeche*' pocket. Sir, the utmott he should atpire to would be to play upon the Jew*' harp I ' Thin itory of the Jews' harp tickled *omc of Pinch'* friend*, who gave him various hint* of it, which neatly drove him mad, ti!l he diicoi-ered what it waa ; for though no jeit or tatcatm ever had the least elTeci upon him, yet he c:knnDt bear to think that there ihould be any joke of thi* kind about him, and he not in the *ecret : it make* againot that iiwiwing chancier which he to much affiKti. Pinch i« in one retpcct a complete ipccimcn of a Cacinej, He never ha* any thing to *ay, and yet is never at a lorn for an answer. That is, hi* perine** keepi exact pace with hi* dulncM. Hi* frieod, the Doctor, used to complain E>f this in good •et term*. — ' You can never make any thing of Mr. Piach,' he would (ay. ' Apply the mou cutting remark to him, and hi* only aoawer i*, " 7%^ tamt t» you, tir," If Shaketpear were to rite from the dead to confute him, 1 firmly believe it would be to no purpoie. I aaiorc yon. I hav« found it to. I once thought indeed I had him at
7»
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
a duactTsnugCt ^t I w.u mitiakra. You shall hear, nr. I had been reading ibc following flenumcni in a modem play — "The Road to Rttin," by the ijic Mr. Holctofl — " For how ihould the iioul of SocrMca tohabic th« body of a ttockinj;- wearer i " This tu pat to the poJDi {you know our friend it a hosier and liaberdsiher] I came liill wiih ii lu kee|> in apjxHntment 1 had with Piocb, began a game,
Iuarrcllcd vrith him in the middle of it on purpoie, went up Uaits to rcM, and u 1 wot wailijng my hand* in the alop-batin (watching my opportunity) turned coolly round and md, "lt'» impoinble there should be any sympathy bciwvcn you and me, Mr. Pinch : for M the poet uys, how should the soul of Socrates inhabit the body of a stocking-weafer i " " Ay" says b.v, " does the poet say so ! lira llv liimt lo jou, tir 1 " I wan confounded, J gave up the attempt to conquer him in wii or argument. He would poie the Dc*il, sir, by his " Tht tarni lo jau, tir." ' We had another joke againrt Richud Pinch, to which the Doctor was not a patty, which wat, that being uked after the rrapectability of the Holt ia ibe Wall, at the time that Rtodsll took it, he answered quite unconsciously, < Oh ! it '* a very gtfiicci place, I go there myself sometimes! ' Dr. Goodman was descended by the motherS side fioni the poet Jsgo, was a private genileman in town, and a medicul dilettanti in the country, diTiding his time equally between buiincw and pleasure ) had an inexhaustible flow of words, and an imperturbable vanity, and held ' stout notiont on the metaphysical score. He maintained the free agency of man, with the spirit of a martyr and the gaiety of a man of tnt and pleasure about town — told nie he had a cunous tract on tliat subject by A. C. (Anthony ColliniJ which he carcfiiJly locked up in his box, lest any one should sec it but himself, to the detriment of their character and morals, and put it to mc whether it wm not hard, on the principles of ftiloiofibkal titittiiiyt for a man to come lo be hanged ? To which I replied, * I tiiought it hard on any terms ! * A knarish martir, who had 'listened to the dispute, laughed at this letort, and eccmed to assent to the truth of it, supposbg it might one day be his own
CMC.
Mr. Smith and the Brangtons, in < Erelina,' are the finest po«sible examples of the spirit of Ctclmyiim. I once knew a linen-draper in the City, who owned to me he did not ^uitc like this part of Mits Burne/s novel. He said, * 1 myself lodge in a £rst floor, where there are young ladies in the house : they sometimes hare company, and if I am out, they ask me to lend them the use of my apattmeni, which I readily do out of politeoen, or if it is an agreeable party, I perhaps join them. All this ii (o like what passes in the novel, that I fancy myself a son of Kcood Mr. Smith, and am not <]uite easy at
7a
ON LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
it ! ' Thi« was mentioued to the Ua AuthorcM. tad tht waa dclightml to find thai hei characten wer« lo itac, that an aciiul [K(ton fancied himietr to be one of ihcm. The reKmblancc, however, wan only id the externals ; and the real modcity of the indmdaal Mumbled on the likencH to a city coxcomb !
It is curiou* to what a degree pettoiUi brought ugi lo ccnain occnpationt in a Rrcat city, are ihut up from a knowledge of ihc world, and carry their simpticitr to a [ntch of unbeafd-of exiravai^aoce. LondoQ U the only place m which the child {[row* completely up into the iDao. I have known character* of ihii kind, which, in the way of childiih ignoraocc and self-plcafin^ dclonon, exceeded any thine lo be met with in Shaketpear or Ben Jon«oD, or the aid comedy. For tnttancc, the following may be taken as a true tkctch. Imagine a peraon with a florid, ihtDing complexion like a plough-boy, targe ■taring leeih, a merry eye. bin hair ituck into the bthiOD with curlliw- iroDi 3nd uonuium, a slender figure, and a decent rait of black add to which the tboughtlettnets of the tchool-boy, the fbrwaidneM of the thriring ttadeiman, and the plenary conociouanciii of the citizen of Londoo — and you hive Mr, Dunttcr before you, the lithmongcr ia the Posliry, ^ ou Khali hear how he chirps orcr Ilia cups, and exulti in hia prtoate opinions. ' I 'It pky no more with you,' I said, ' Mr. Duoiier — you are 6re pointi in the ftame better than I am.' I had Juft lost three half-crown rubbers at cribbagc to him, which loot of mine he presently thtuil into a canvaa pouch (not a silk puric) out of which he bad produced just before, first a few halfpence, then half > dozen pieces of sUrer, then a handfuU of guineas, and lastly, lying ptrdu at the bottom, a lifty pound Book-Note. • I '11 tell you what,' I «ud, ■ I should like to ^y vou a ^ame at marbles ' — thii was at a •on of Christmas party or Twelfth Night merry, making. ' Marbia ! ' said Duntter, catching up the aound, and his eye btiehtetiing with childish gloe, ' What ! you mean rmg-nnu f ' • Yea. • I should beat you at it, to a certui»y. I waa one of the bat in qui school fit was at Clapham, ur. the Rev. Mr. Denmao'st at Clapham, was the pUce where I was brought upi ifaoufh there were two other* thee better than me. They were the beat that erer were. I 'II tell you, sir, I 'II gire you an idea. There wat a water-butt or cistern, air, at our school, that cursed with a cock. Now luppoce that brass-ring that the window<iirtain is futened to, to be the cock, and that these boys were standing where wc are, about twenty feet oS — well, sir, I 'll tell you whit I bare seen them do. One of them had a favourite uw (or aiUy we uwd to call them) he'd uke aim at the cock of the ciACTD with this marble, as 1 may do now. Well, sir, will you betiere it ! socb was his strength of kanckle and certainty of aim,
73
f
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Im 'd hit iti nrn h, lei ibc water oat. Bod thca, «if, wticn the water had ran out at moch aa it waa waeted, the other boy (he 'd hut the •amc ttreogth of kowckle, and the aame certainty of eye) h« 'd aim at it too, be fure to hit it, torti it round, aod nop tbe water froia natttng oat. Yea, what 1 tell jrau it rctf remukaUe, bat it '• ne. Ooe of dme boya wat named Cock, aod t'other Bvder.' *They night have been named Sfiff* u>d Fawcctt, loj dear «tr, ftocn yoor 1000001 of them.' • I «bo«ld not miad fitjiag you ax G*et acitber, though I 'm out of practin. I think I tbonld heat yoa in a week : I ww a real good ooe at that. A pretty pmt, ur ! 1 had the fioett UU, that I n|>po<e erer wii leec. Madt it mytelf, 1 'II tell yoa how, ■r. You tee, 1 put a piece of cork at the bottom, then I wocod tome fine wotMcd yam roiaad it, then 1 had to bind it round with ioaie packthread, and then aew the case on. You'd hardly beli«re it, btit i wat the enry of the whole tchoel for that boJI. They all wasted to get it from me, but lord, sir, t wodd let none of them come near it. I kept it in my waiatcoat pocket all day, and at night I mtd to take it to bed with me aad pot it ondcr my pillow. I eODlda't ilecp eaiy witboat it.'
Tbe aaMie idle vein might be foood in the comtnTi bM I doabt wliedier it womld fiod a toogoc to gin it oiterance. Cackseyun ia a gcoond of aatiTe tbatlowoeat mmiBted with pcrtaea* and conceit. Yet with all thia timplidty aod extfaTagancc in dilating oo hit &roarite topio, Danscer ia a mao of ipirit, of anentioa to butioeai, know* bow to make out and gd in hit billt, and it far from being ben-pecked. One thing it crTtain, thai luch a man mnit be a trae Eoglithnua lod a loyal ti^jtct. He hat a flight tinge of tettcrit with ^lamt 1 confeat it — Ittt ia bia poiatitioo a Tobme of the European Majtaiiae fot the ynr 1761, and it an humble admirer of Trittram Shaody (pantcutarljr the itory of the King of Bohemia and hia SercD Cattle*, which it aomethiag in bia own eodleta manner) and of Gil Blat of Santilboe. Over theae f tbe btt thing before be goea to bed at night) he wnokea a pipe, and medltatet for an hoar. AAer al), what it there in thcac harmleti hilf-liet, theae faotutic cxaggeraiiona, bctt a literal, proaatc, Coeiaty trmnalattoo of the admifcd liaca is Grey't Ode 10 Etoo CoUegc : —
' What idle ptoftay tuccnd To chaK the rolline cirde'i tpced Or urge the Sying hall f '
A DUB ahn op all hta life in hit tbop, withoot any thing to ictereat
Un from oac year'i end to another but the caret and dctaila of
buMitii, with icarcely any iDtercourae with booica or oppottnnitiea for
74
ON LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
toeiaw, diatmcted with the butz and ([late and nciUe about him, tutiw for relief to the trtroipcct of hie childi«ti yean ; and there, through the long vitla, al one bright loop-hole, Iciding out of ihc ihomy mate* of the world into the clear morning light, h« ices the idJe fancici; and BBf amiucmeBt* of hig boyhood danciDg like mote* lo ibe lunshin^. SUI we blame or abould we bugh at him, if hi* eye glitteo*, aad hia toogne grow* wmton jr their nraiK i
None but a Scotchman would — that pragmatical tort of perionage, who thinlta it a folly cTet to hare been young, and who in«tcad of dallying with the trail iu«t, brndt his t^ows vpoa the fiiturc, tod look* oaly lo the maiii-^biuut. Forgiiv me, dear Duouer, if I havt drawD a sketch of tome of ihy teni^ foibles, and delirered thee into the hntda of thew Cockneyi of the North, who will ^11 vpoo thee Mtd <leTOUr tbee, like so many cancibali, without a grain of nit !
If familiarity in cirie« breeds contempt, ignorance in the country breed* arrrtion and diRlike. People come too much in contact in town : in other places they lire too much apart, to unite cordially nod canly. Our feelings, in the farmer catc, are diiMpatcd and exhausted by being called into conManl and rain activity i in the latter they rust and grow dead for wunt of u»e. If there is an air of lerity and indidercnce in London manner*, there it a harshnest, a moro»ene*t, and ditagreeable restraint in ihote of tbe couittr)-. We have little ditpotilioo to synipathy, when we hare few persons to sympathitc with ; we Iom the rdiih and capacity for tocia) eojoymenc. the •eldomer we meet. A habit of lullconeis, coldne**, and misaotbropy grow* upon u*. If we look for hospitality and a cheerful welcome in countty place*, it mu«t be in thoac where ihc arriTal of a itraoger is an event, the rccurrctiec of which need not be greatly apprehended, or it mint be on rare occanons,oo '*omehigh festival of once a year.' Tbu indeed the stream of hospitality, so long dammed ap, may llow iritttout (tint for a *lion seaion ; or a iitria}|cr may be expected with the ume tort of eager impatience a* a caravan of wild beaats, or any Other naiural curioaity, that excites our wonder and (ills up the eravJRg of ibe mind aAcr novelty. By degrees, however, even this Utt prindple lo*c* it* effect : books, newspaper*, whatever carries as out of ouiselve* i&to a world of which we see and know ooibing, becotnei di*ta*tefiil, repulsive i and we turn away with indifference or dkpHt from every thing that dinurb* our lethargic afiimal exiatcncc, or t^c* off our attentioR from our petty, local interest* and purtuiia. Mao, left long to himielf, it no better than a titere clod | or bii activity, for want of aome other vent, prey* upon himself, or ia directed to splenetic, peeriah dislikes, or vexatious, haratsing persecn- tloo of othen. I once drew a picture of a country-life: it waa ■
75
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
portrait of a nrticnlu pboe, a caricatare if tou will, bat wHh ceruia allowance*, I fear it wm too like in th« inditidual initance, and that it would boJd too gcnctdlly true. Set Rovmd Tahm, toI. ii. p. 1 16.
If tbcte then arc the lault* and vice* of the inhatutantt of town or of the couiury, wbcrc should & man go to live, to a« to cfcapc fVoin tbcia i I anawer, that io the country we hare the lociety of the grOTv*. the lieldi, the brookt, and in London ft man may keep to hifliaclfi or chute hi« compiuty at he pleatci.
It appear* to tnc that there in an amiable mixture of these two opposite chatactcra in a person who chance* to hare pait hi* youth in London, and who has triiicd into the countty for the test of hi* life. We may find io *uch a one a social polish, a pastoral simplicity. He rusticate* agreeably, and vtjteutei with a degree of lemimcnt, He come* to the next pott-town to see for letter*, watches the coaches at tliey pa**, and eye* the paticngcr* with a look of familiar curiosity* thinking that he loo was a gay fellow in hit time. He turn* hi* horte'a held down ihc oatrow lane that leadi homewardt, puu oo aa old coal to tai-c his wardrobe, and lillt hii glut nearer to the brim. At he lifts the purple Juice to liit lip* and to hit eyci and in the dim Militudr thu hems him round, think* of the glowing line—
* Tlu¥ bottle '■ the luii of our table * —
another tun rues upon bit troaginatioo ; the *ud of hia youth, the bUze of vanity, the glitter of the mctropolii, ' glare* round hi* tou), and mock* hia doting eye-lid*.' The ditiaoi roar of coachct in hit eat* — the pit narc upon him with a thouxand eyei — Mrs. Siddont, Bannister, King, arc before him — he starts ai from a dream, and Kwear* he will to London : but the expense, the length of way dctcri him, and he rises the next moruinjj to trace the fooiitepa of the hare that has brushed the dcwnlrop* from the lawn, or to attend a meeiio;; of Majtiitrate* ! Mr. Justice Shallow antwcied in tome tort to thit description of a retired Cockney and indigenous country-gentleman. He ' knew the Innt of Court, where they would talk of mad Shallow yet, and where the bona roba* were, and had them at commandment : aye^ and had heard the chimes at midnijiht I '
It if a ttrange state of society (tuch as that io London) where a nuo doet not know hi* next-door neij{hbuur. and where the feeling* (one would think) muat recoil upon themselrei, and either fester or become obtuse. Mr. Wordsworth, in the preface to hi* poem of the ' Excursion,' reprc»coi> men in cities at »o many wild beasts or evil spirits, shut up in cells of ignorance, without natural affections, and barricadoed down in tcntuality and tcltiahne**. Tlic nerve of humanity it bound tip, according to him, the ciiculatioti of the blood
;6
ON LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
itagoatM. And it would be k, if mm were merely cut ofT from ioterccurse w!tli thrir imincdi^cr orighbourt, aod did not meet together generally and more at larf-e. Bui man in Loodoo become*, M Mr. Burke hai it, it sort of ' [lublic creature.' He Uvct id the eye of the world, xnd the world ia his. If he wttneise* 1ei« of the detAil* of pfivRie life, he hai better opportunitict of obwrring its target maaaet aod varied movcmcnu. He icc* the itrcam of human life pouring aloog the ttreett — its comfort* and rmbelliahmentt piled ap in the tbops — the houaec are proofs of the induBiry, the public building* of the art and magniliceitce of man; while the public amanement* and places of retort are a centre and (upport for aocial feeling. A playhouse xlone it a school of humanity, where all eye* ■re fixed on the ume gay or tolemn scene, where imilei or (cars are spread from face to face, and where a thoatand hearts beat in untton ! Look at the company in a CDumry'theatrc (in compariion) and see the coldness, the sulleaceM, the want of sympathy, and the way in which they turn round to scan and scrutinize one another. In London there is a puitui and each man ii |n>t of it. We are gregatioun, and afTect the kind. We have a sort of abstract cxiticnce; and B community of ideas and knowledge (rathci than local proximity) is the bond of society and good-fellowship. This is one great cause of the tone of political feeling in large and populous citiet. There is here a visible body-politic, a type and imjige of that huge Leviathan the State. We comprehend that vatt denomination, the Peefle, of which we see a tenth pan daily moving before us; and by having our imaginations emancipated from petty interests and personal dependence, we learn to venerate oarselvcs as men, aod to respect the lights of human nature. Therefore it is that the citiiena and free- men of London and Wektminiter are patriots by prescription, philotophets and politicians bj tbe right of their birth-place. In the country, men are no better Uian a herd of cattle or scattered deer. They have no idea but of individuals, none of rights or principles^ and a Idng. at the greatest individual, is the highest idea they can form. He is 'a species alone,' and as superior to any sioglc peaiaM as the latter is to the peasant's dog;, or to a crow flying over his bead. In London the king is but as one to a million (numerically speaking), isseldora seen, and then diitin^uished only from others by the supenor graces of his person. A country 'squire or a lord of the manor is a greater man io bis village or hundred !
77
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY VIII
ON THE SriKIT OF OBLIGATIONS
Tmk two ramt thing* lo be met witb arc ggod h»m ud good- Douire. For ooc mao who judge* riglii, there ut twcoty who caa •a^ good thingBi m there ue nunibert who will terre you or do fneodly Ktiont, for one who really withei you well. It bat beea laid, ind oiua rqwated, thut ' mere good-oatuie t> a fool : ' but I think that the dearth of tound nenie, for the mo« part, proeecdi from ihc wuit of a rral, unad'raed ictctcn in thing*, except at ther j rttci upon our*elTe« ; or frotn a neglect of the maxim of ihu EOM old phUanthrotnu, who uid, ' f/ikU kmumi a mt a£nmm pia«.' The mrnnraew of the h«an warp* the uoderatanding, aaid make* m weigh object* ia the •cdn of our Klf-lu>c, ioMcad of tbo«e of truth and JBitkc. We coocider not the merita of the coae, or what » due to other*, but the nuiiDer In which onr own credit or con- •equencc will be affected ; and adapt our opinioM and conduct to the latt of tbcte raiber than to the lirtt. The judgmeM i» Kldom WTOttg where the fceiiogi m right; and ihey generally are to^ profided they ue warm and liaccre. He who intendi otben well. It likely to adriK them for the belt i he who hit any cauie at heart, ^ leldoni niiat it by hit imprudence. Thote who play the public or their fiicodt tlippery tricct, have in accrct do objection to beusy them.
Om £mU out the folly lod malice of nMoktud by the ioipcrtiacBce of friendt^by thetr profeationa of wrrice and tendera of adTice^ by tbctr feut (or your reputation and anticipation of what the world may tay of you t by which meant thej luggett objection* to vour encmict, and at the •atne time abaolve thetuaeUct from the taak of Juatifyiug your error*, by having warned you of the conteijiacncc* — by the care with which ibcy tell you ill-newt, and conceal from you uy Suteting drcmMancc— by their dnad of your coga^ng id mjF creditable uumjn, and nMctitication, if you lucseed — hjr tfae difficulliet and liudnDcet they throw in your way— by their tatia- faciion when yon happen to nuke a tlip or ^ into a actape, and their dctcrminatton to tie your hand* behind you, lest you should get out of it — by their p>anic-teTtora at your catering into a lindicaiioa \ of yourtclf. leai in the cour*c of it, you *boald enU Upon tbem fiwj a certificate to yonr character — by their luke-wamuMM ie dd^ndiaib ' fay tbeir readii>cu in betraying you — by the high ttaodard by which
78
ON THE SPIRIT OF OBLIGATIONS
they u; you, and lo which you can h»dly ever come fip—hj their forwudneu to putakc your triumphs, by their bickwardnnc to ihure yout ditftiace — by liieir ackoowltslgnieDt of your etrori out of undour, und buppr«uoD of your good qiuUttet out of cDry—by their not contradict lag, or by their juioing in th« cry igiiiiK yoia, Icit they too «hou]d become objccta of the tame abute^by their playing the game into your advctHtiet' hud*, by alwayt kiiiog their imagiaalloni take part with their cowitrdice, their taoity, aod wlfi&hDeM against you i and tliut realising or hastening all the ill cuowijueDcev ihey sfiect to deplorei by tprcadiog abroad tlut very ■pitit of diittrust, oblo<)uy, and hatted wliich they predict will be excited a^init you I
In all ihcte pretended derouastrationt of an over-anxiety for our welfare, we miy detect a great deal of tpiie and ill-nature larking under the diiguise of a friendly and officiou* zeal. It ia wonderful how much love of mischief and raaUiog t|JeeD lica at the bottom of the human beait. and how a constant supply of gall teemi as nececsary to the health and activity of the miad at of the body. Yet perhaps it ought not to excite much surprise that this f^nawin^ morbid, HcrimoniouB temper should produce the ctTcci* it does, when, if it does not vent ii>elf on othem, ii preya upon ouj own comforts, and nukes ua sec the worn side of cicry thing, eren as it regards out own pcotpccts and tranquillity. It ia the not being comfortable ia ouiiclTea, that make* ui seek to render other people uncomfortable. A person of this character will advise you agunst a prosecution for a libel, and ihake his head at your attempting to shield yourself from a shower of calumny — It it not thai he is afraid you will be nantmird, but that you will gain a verdict I They caution you agaiott
?ovoking hoitUiiy, in order that you may aubralt to iodigaity. bey uiy tliat ' if you publish a certain work, it will be your ruin ' — hoping that it will, and by their tragical denunciationt, bringing about this very event as fii as it liet in their power, or at aoy rate, enjoying a premature triumph over you in the mean time. What I would lay to any friend who may be disposed to foretel a general outcry Bgainat any work of mine, would be to requeat htm to judge and apeak of it for himself, at he tliinks it deserves— and not by has overweening tcruplcs and tjualmt of cootcience oo my accouot, to aHord tboie i-ery pertona whose hostility he deprecates the cue th^ are to give to party-prejudice, and which they may juttify by li» amhcrity.
Suppose you are about to give Lectures at a Public Inttitutioni these friends and wcll-withen hope ' you '11 be turned out — if you prescTTC youi priociplci, they are lure you will.' Is it that your
?9
THE Pi.AlN SPEAKER
cooiittncv gim them tay concern? No, but they are uOKuy at your guiuaj> « chance of a little populvity — they do oat like this Dcw feather ia your cap, they wUh to tee it itruck oM,/ar the lale of ytur fbartttttr — and when this wai once the cue, A would be SD ■ddiliooal relief to them to «e« your character fbllowiog the «ame road i])e next day. 1'he exerciac of their bile accmi to be tlie tole eni{)loymeDt and gratification of tucb people. They deil in the mtteries of human life. They are always either hearing or fore- boding some new grievance. They cannot contain their laciafactioo, if you tell them any mortilication or croii-accidcni thai hai happened to yourKlfi and if you complain of their want of aymptthy, ihey laugh in your face. Thii would be unaccountable, but for the apirit of perreraity and contradiction implanted in human oaiure. If ihiaga go right, there ta nothing to be done — th<« active-minded pertona grow feicleu, dull, vapid, — life ia a deep, a lort of tathanatia — Let them go wrong, and all ii well again ; they are once more on the alert, have aomeihing to peater ihcmtctvca and other people ^>ont ; may wianglc on, and ' make raoutha at the inTJirible cveoi I ' Luckily, there ta no want of materiala for ihia diaporilion to work upon, ibrrt U pUvtj «f ^ntt for ihe mill. If you fall in love, they tell you (by way of contolationi it i» a pity that you do not fall dowosuiit and fracture a limb — tt would be a relief to your mind, and ahcw you your folly. So they would reform the world. The claaa of peraonn I npcak of are almoit uniform grumblera and croakers against goternmtnit ; and it must be confeued, governments arc ol great tervice in fasicring their humours. 'Born for their use, they live but to oblige ihtm.' Wliilc kinga are left free to exerciie their
f roper functiona, and poet-laureati make out their Mittimus to leaven without a warrant, they will never stop the mouthi of the ccnaorioaa by changing their diaponition* ; the juice* of Faction will ferment, and the secretion* of the state be duly performed ! I do not mind when a character of this son meets a Minister of State like an east-wind round a comer, and gives him an ague-fit i but why should be meddle with me ? Why should he tell me I write too much, and lay that I should gain reputation if I could contrite to starre for a twelvemonth ? Or if 1 apply to him for a loan of fifty pounds for present ncccasiiy, send me word back that he ha* too much regard for me, to comply with my ieque«t ? It la unhandsome irony. It is not friendly, 'tis not prdonable.'
1 like teal good-nature and good-will, better than I do any oFcfi of patronage or plaunible rulet fur my conduct in life. I may suspect the aonndne** of the latt, and I may not be quite sure of the motivM I This cimtoiiaace did not happen ic nw, bui to an ic^aamtaon.
So
ON THE SPIRIT OF OBLIGATIONS
of the itn. People comiilain of ingraiitudt for bcoeliu, and of ibe neglect of wfaoletottie advice. In the Cut place, we pny littJs aueotioD to advice, beeauM we arc Kldom thoujrht of in it. The pertOD who girea it cither cootent* himself to lay down [ex taiheiira) certain vague, general maxim*, and ' wite law*,' which we knew before ; or, inttead of coniidcring what wc ought la do, recommends irttat he hiiOKlf vmuld do. He merely lubsiiiuie* his own will* Cflprioe, and prejudicei for ours, and expect* us to be guided by them. Instead of changing; places with us (to see what it best to be done in the given circumttancet), he insists on our lookinft at the queition from his point of view, and acting in such a manner a> to pleaie him. Thit is not at all reasonable ; for one man'i mtat, according to the old adage, u anolier mai'i fauon. And it n not Strange, that starting from such opposite brcmiscs, wc should seldom jump in R conclosion, and that the art oc giving and taking advice is little better than a game at crota-putpo«es. i hate observed that thoK who are the moit inclined to assist others are the least forward or peremptory with their advice i for having our interest really at heart, they consider what can, rather than what tannet be done, and aid our viewt and endeavour to avert ill consequence* by moderating our impatience and allaying irritations, instead of thwarting our main design, which only tends to make us tnoie extravagant and violent than ever. In the second place, beoeiits ate often conferred out of ostentation or pride, rather than from true regard i and the person obliged ii too apt to perceive thit. People who arc fond of appearing in the light of patron* will perhaps go through fac and water to lerve you, who yet would be torry to find you no longer wanted their assiftaoce, and whofc friendship cools and their good-will slackens, as you are relieved by their active zeal from the necessity of being further beholden to it. Compassion and generosity aie their favourite virtuei i and they counienanee you, as you alTord them oppor- lunitiei for exercising them. The instant you can go alone, or can stand upon your own ground, you are discarded as unlit for their purpose.
This it something more than mere good-nature or humanity. A thoroughly good-oatured man, a real friend, is one who is pleased M our good-brtuoc, as well as prompt to seixe every occasion of relieving our distress. We apportion our gratitude accordingly. We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for tlie niotive than the ijuanlum of favour received — a kind word or loolt is nerer forgotten, while wc cancel prouder and weightier ot>Iigation« t and those who esteem us or evince a partiality to us arc those whom we still consider at our best friends. Nay, lo strong is this feeling,
roi. VII. : r 8 1
THE PLAIN SPEAKEU
that wc cxtcod it mo to tboac cooBtcHnH is friradthip, Baxtenn tad rycofHuau. Our Klf-lorc, ruber tlua oar •df-intereM, u the muter -key lo our i^ctiau.
I am not conriaced that tfaoic are alwaj* the bMt-ini«rai or the bm-coodiiiooetl men, who boiy ibemadm moM with the diiirmea of tfadr fcUow-crcuum. I do mx koow thai tiiosc whote naaM* uand at ibr br^ of aU HbacriptiOM to cfatfitible iaKitatioBt, attd irito arc pctpctiul ucwarda of dinncrt and mcctiaH l« cocouragc and erocooce tbe ettabluhiBent of aijloto* toi ibc r«i>d' of tbe bliadt tbe halt, and ike otpban poor* are pcnOM gifud with ihc beat teropera of tbe kiodlteit frtiittfri. 1 do not diipwe iheir mtue, I donbt tbeir KMiUlity. I am not bete (peaking of tho«e wfao make a trade of the proraaton of homanity, or aet tbek Mtmea down «at of mere idle parade aod *aiii(y. I mean thoac who rally cotcr iato the dttatia aod drudgery of thi> tort of lervice, fern amcrr, and who delight in ■urTcytng aad ta diminiahing the amoimt of hnraaD misery. I Doaeenre it poattbte. that a peiaoo who i* goioj to po«iT oil aod fatliii bto tbe woundi of aSicied huauaJtjt at a meetiag of tbe WcMem Diapenury, by handwme ipeechea and by a handaome dowatian (oot grudgini^ly givea) may be thrown into a fit of rage that very moening, by hating hi* toait too moch battered, n^ quarrel with tbe ianoceot prKtIe aDd oimiacmcnu of hia childrro, cry ' Piah ! ' at etery obterniioii tua wife nttera, asd acarcely fi;el a moBMBt'a oon&Kt at any period of bis life, except when he bears or mda of some case of preMuig dtitrcw that calU for hit immediate inaeffeteiice, and drawB on ht> atteotian from hi* own sitnaiion and feelingi by tbe act of allcTiaiing ii. Thoic nurtyta to tbe caoie of buuiity, in thon, who run the ^noilet of the whole catalogoc of tiabcard-of crimes and ajfiictiog caaoaltiea, who ransack prisons, and plun]>c into lazar-houaei and slavc-ahipa aa their daily ammemeot and highest hixury, must geoerally, I think (tboogh not always), be prompted to the ardooo* tatk by uiteasy feeling* of their own, aod tnppotted ihroojth it by iroo nerve*. Tbeir fortitode must he equal to their pity. 1 do not think Mr. Wtlberforce a case in point in this argument. He is endcntly a ddicately-fraiBed, atmm, scwatirc nun. I aboald tumsc bim to be a kind ami aflitciioaateiy disposed ptTwKi in all the rcUlMMia of life. Hia weakaesa is too quick a seiMe uf reputation, a deore to have tbe good word of ail men, a tendency to trackle to power aod fawn on opinion. But there arc lomc of these pbilaatbropitta that a physio^omiai haa hard work (o believe in. Tbcy leem made of pakeboaid, they look like mere machines : tbeir benevolence mav be laid to go on rollers, and they arc screwed to tbe Bticking-placc by the wheels aod puUcyt of hnraaoity i
8>
ON THE SPIRIT OF OBLIGATIONS
* If to thcii than icitit iplfixliil rinun fall. Look ill ihcir face, a&d pni furgrt thcin all.'
Thcjr appr;ir to much tbc cicaturci of tlw head »nd to little of the hcirtr they are to cold, «o littlets, no mccluntcal, so much gantatd by cJcuUition, and to little by impuUe, that it Kcmi the toct-up of a luUjwiuiy, a mere turn of a feather, whether luch people thould become a Granville Shaq>, or a Hubert ia ' King John,' a Howard, or a Sir Hndion Lowe !
* Charity coicra a niultitadt of tins.' Wherever it ia, there nothiag CM be waotiog 1 wherever it ie not. all the i> rain. ' The (neaoen Mttaot 00 the blcukect mountain in not without a portion of it (tay* St«tne), he Sudi the laceiated bmb of aooiher'* flock,' Sec. (Sec the paiaa^e in the SenitKUiUa/ Joumty.} I do not thiok educaiioo or circum nance* can ever entirely eradicate ihii principle. Some pfO- feMioni may be lupposcd to bluni it, but it is pcrhap* more b appearance than in reality. Butchers are not allowed to *it no a jury for Ufc and death ; but probably this i« a prejudice : if they have the ilfUmethrt organ m an unusual c^grec of expaauoo, they vent their sanguinary inclinations on the brute creation t and betide*, they look too jolly, rosy, and in good ca*e (they and their wives), to harbour much cruelty in their ditpoaitioas. Neither would I swear that a man was humane, merely (or abstaining from animal food. A tiger WObU not be a iamb, though it fed on oiilk. Sutgeont are in general ibmgbt to be unfeeling, arid steeled by custom to the tutfeiingt of humanity. They may be >o, as far a« relates to broken bones and bruitei, but not to other thing*. Nor are they neceaurily to in tbcir ptofetsion ; for we find dilferent degree* of callous intentibility in dilfcient individual*. Some practitioner* have an evident delight in alarming the apprehen^ioni and cutting olf the limb* of their patient*: ihew would bare been ill-natured men in any situation in life, and merely make an excute of tlieir profeftiiao to indulge tbeir natural Ul-bumour and brutality of temper. A mirgeoa who it fond of giving pain to thoM who consult him will not spore the feelings of hi* neighbour* in other respect* t ha* a tendency to probe other wound* beadcB those of the body ; and i* altogether a harsh and dis- agreeable character. A .Tack-Ketch may be Lnown to lie the fatal nooM with trembling &ngcn ; or a jailor may have » heart softer than the wall* of his pmoa. There have been instance* of highwaymen who were proverbially gentlemen. 1 have seen a Bow-ttrcet omccr * (not but that the transition it ungracious and unjust) readbg Racine, and tiallowiag the recitation of Talraa at the door of a room, which
' L*rnid(r.
83
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
he «rM um to fuud. PoUcc-maginnce*, fron the tctoa thej h*n U) witocH and the cbaiKtcn tbey cone in contact with, may be «uppo»cJ to lo*c the fine edge of delicacy and tcndbiJny : yet tbcy >re not all alike, but diiTcf, u ooe mu diiferi fron sDOcher ia magnitude. Ooe i* at rcfnirkable for mildoeM and lenity, *» aoothfr i* oatotioas fof haiihoevi and tetcnty. The late Mr. Jutttcc Fieldtoft «ru a membei of iliii profnnoa, »faicb /botrcTtr btlle accordaat with hii own feeUan) be aiade pleaiant to tooac of ochen. He gamatly aent aw^iy the diiputaou io that unruly region, where be presided, tolerably utiiccd. I lure o&cti *cca him, etc^icd from the tiouy repvlrivc aceae. wnntag hioitetf in the adjoining walk* of St. Janxa'i Park, and with mild aiptct, atld lofty bat uowieldy nuea, cyeisg the verdant gUdct aad leogtlwfua( nma where pcrtuiw hi* childhood loitered. He had a Kroii| reaemUaace to hii fxibti, the immortal author of 'Tom Jone>.' I aever paved hiio, that I did not take off ray hat to him in ^irit. I coaU not help thinking of Parton Adanu, of Booth aiid Aoielia. I teetncd to belong, by iotellectual adopcioe, to the aamc Uniily, aad would willingly have ackaowltdged my obligaiioa* to ihc fuher to the too. He had aome- thiflg of the air of Colonel Bath. When yoanj;, he had very exccUeat protjiecu in the laW| but ncj;leaed a btief tent htm by the Auomey^GeMnl, io ordet to attend a glee-club, for which he had engaged to (ivnuh a rondeatL Thit apoilcd hit foriuoc. A mu wbote object u to pleaae hinwclf, or to keep hia word lo hit frieiKlii it the laai maa to ihriTe at court. Yet he looked terene and imiHng to hit laiest breath, conactout of the goodataa of his own li«art, and of not having nUied a Dame that bad thrown a light upon huniaotty !
There are diAcrent modea of obligation, and dtifcrent arcouex to oor gratitode and favour. A man may lend hia countenance wIm will not part with hii money, and open hit enind to nt who will not draw out hit p«rae. How many waya arc tbcre, in which our peace may be ait^tcd, betides actual want I How many comforts do we Mai)d in need of| bendea meat aad drink and clothing ! I> it nothing to 'admimner to a mind dtKaaed ' — to heal a wounded (pint ! After all other diflicultiet are removed, we atill want lonte one IO bear with our tnlinDitiet, to im|>an our confidence lo, to encourage us in onr MHu (na^lo get op and tide behind lu) and lo like us with all our faults. True fricndthip is sclftove at secood- haod i where, at in a flattering mirror, we may see our virtues tMgn>(ied and our error* lottened, and where we may fancy our OBliioo of euraelves confirmed by an impartial and ftityiil wttoeat. He (of all the world) creeps the closeit in our bosom*, bto oar
84
ON THE SPIRIT OF OBLIGATIONS
brour mid esiwni, who ihioka of ui mott ncntly m we do of ourtelT««. Such a one is indeed die pattcto of a friend, another telf — and our graunide for the bleiuox i* m uDcere, as it ie hollow in moRi other caan ! ThU is one: reuon why entire friendihip it icarcely lo be found, except in love. There it a hnrdncut and Mverity in our judgmenti of^onc another; the npirii of competition ftlio intervene*, unleu where ibere t« too great »n ineqiuility of pre- toiBon or ditTeieocc of tMte to admit of mutual lympathy and re«pect i but a woman'* vanity is iotere*ied in making the object of her choice the God of her idolatry! and in the tntercouHC with that (ex, [here ii ihc finest balance and rejection of oppoiite and antwer- iog excellences imnginablc ! It t« in the highcit spirit of the religion of love io the female brcaH, that Lord Byron ha* put that beautiful apottrophe into the mouth of Anab, in apeaking of her angel-lover (alai ! are not the »oo» of meo too, when they are deilied in the heart* of women, only 'a litlle lower than the angeU^*)
' And when I tliink chat hli immorlal wing* Shall one day hover o'er the icpulchrc Df the poor child of clay, thai to adored him, A( h« adorrd (he Highe*t, death become* Let* lerribte I '
Thi* i* a dangetou* «iring, which I ought never to touch upoaj but the shattered cordu vibrate of ihem*clve« !
The di^'crence of »gc, of situation in life, and an absence of all consider a ttunt of buiineu have, I apprehend, something of the tame elFect in producing u rclined and ab«tracied fricndihip. The person, whose doors I enter with moit pleaturc, and tiuii with moit regret, never did me the imalleit favour. I once did him an uncallea-lor Krvicc, and we nearly quarrelled about it. If I were in the utmo«c diiUcM, I should jait as soon think of asking hii assiilancc, as of itopfriDg a perion on the highway. Practical benevolence is not his Jeru. He leaves the profetsion of that lo others. His habit*, hi* theory arc againtt it aa idle and vulgar. His band is doted, but what of that ? Hia tyt it ever Open, and rcflecta the universe : hit silver accent*, beautiful, venerable at hi* tilver hairi, but not scanted. Bow a* a river. 1 never ate or drank in hi* house; nor do I know or care how the tlics or spiders fare in it, or whether a mouic CM gel a living. Bui I know that I can get there what I get nowhere el«e^-a welcome, aa tf one was ex|>Ected to drop in just at that nionieiii, a total ab«ence of all respect of persons and of airs of •elf-conteciuence, endless topic* of diacoiuse, refined thoughts, made more striking by ease and (iniplicity of manner— the husk, the shell
Jl
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
of hnnuoity ie left at tbe door, uid the •pint, mellowed hf time, retideK within ! All you luve to do w to (it and listen g and it h like hetuingooe of Titian'* face* «pak. To think of worldly matter* ia a profanation, like that of the money-changer* io the Temple ; or it ia to regard the brc«d and wnnc of the Sacfamcni with carnal eye*. We enter the enchanter'* cell, and conierte with the ditinc ia- babittiit. To have ihta privilege aluraya at hand, and to be circled bflhat »pell whenei-ct we chuie, with aa 'Entrr SttMini,' ii better than tittirg at the lower end of the tablet of the Great, than eating awkwatdlv from gold plate, than drinking fulaome toatta, m being thankful for groai fnTouri, and grou iniullt !
Few things tend more to alienate friendthip than a wont of pitnctuility in our engagcmenta. I hare known the breach of a promiac to dine or tup break up mote than one intimacy. A dtaappomtment of thii kind rankle* b the mind — it cut* up our pleaauret (thcne rare e*eau in human life, which ought not to be wantonly *ported with I ) —it not only depritei n* of the expected gratification, but it reikden us unfit for, and ont of humour with, every other ; it naake* u* think onr (ocieiy cot worth haring, which i« not the way lo make ut delighted with our own thoughta; it le*»enii our «elf-e«teem, and denioya our confidence in othera; and baiing leituce on our hand* (by being ihui left alone) and nilficient provocation withal, we employ it in ripptne up the faulta of the acquaintance who ha* played u* thit *Uppery tnck, and in forming reiolution* to nek a ouarrcl with him the very firat opportunity we can find. I myarti once declined aa inritation to meet Talma, who wia an admirer of Shakeapcv, nid who idolized Buonaparte, lo keep an appoiounent wiih a petioo who had forgti it I One great art of women, who pretend to manage their huabanda and keep them to tbemaelrea, ia to contrive *ome excuie for breaking their engagementa with frienda, (or whom they entertain any leipect) or who are likdy to bare any inAQcnce oter them.
There ia, howeter, a claat of penoo* who hare a particular aatia- iaction in falaifying your expectation* of nltaaurc in their aociety, who make apwinimenta for no other twtenaiolc pnipow than nM ta terp ihfmi who ihick their ill-bebariour {pvca them an dr of mpenority over you, initead of placing them at your mercy ; and who, in fact, in all their ovctturea of condeKending klndnea* toward* yon, treat you exactly aa if there waa no nich prrton in the world. Friendahip if will) them a lavna-draina, in which ihcy play the principal and lole part. They muat needa be very impoaing or amuaicg character* to auirouiid tbemielves with a circle of frienda, who find that they are to be mere cypher*. The entiam would in auch inatanoe* be
86
ON THE SPIRIT OF OBLIGATIONS
odtamt and mu>l«rable, if iu rery excen did oot rtadct it enter- taining'.. Some individuatii carry this hard, unprtnctplnl, [cckleaii URCDDSciouanect of every thing bui themiclTe* and their own purpoicc to such a pitch, thai ibry may be compnrcit to aulamaU, whom yoa Dcrer expect to coDiulc your irelioga or slier their moTemcnts out of eompluMDCc to other*. They are wound up to a certain poioti bj U intefoal machbcry which you do not very well comprehend i bat if they perform their accustomed erolutiont >o as to excite your wonder or laiq;hter, it i* all very well, you do oot quarrel with ibem, but look oo at the paMBmime of friendihip while ii lattt or is agreeable.
There are (1 may add here) a happy few, whose maoorf i« so engaging and delightful, that injure you how they will, they cannot oliend you. They rob, ruin, ridicule you, aod yoo caonot lind in your h«an to tay a word agaiflat ihern. The late Mr. Sheridan was a man of thia kind. He too/J noi make eaemiea. If any one came to requett the repayment of a io4D from him. he borrowed more. A cordial ahake of hi« hand waa a receipt in full for all demand). He could ' coin hiii imi/e for drachma^,' cancelled bond* with ic» malt, and gave jokct in di«chargc- of a bill. A friend of his Mid, * If I null olT my hat to him ia the strett, it co«t» me fifty pound*, and it fac tpeaki to me, it 'a a hundred ! '
Onlv one other reflection occuri to me on this lubject. I uaed to think better of the world than I do. I thought its great iiiult, iti oiiginaJ tin, wm barbarous ignorance and want, which would be cured by the dilfueion of civilizauon and letters. But I find (or fancy I do) that a* •clfisbnew u the vioc of unlettered periods and oationt, cnty it die boM of more rclined and iatellectual one*. Vanity tpriogs out of the f!ra»e of sordid aelf-iotercat. Men woe formerly ready to cut one another'* throat* about the tjrow meana of luhaistence, and now they arc ready to do it about reputation. The worst ■*, vou are no better off, if you fail ih^n if you nuccccd. You arc dcspited if you do not excel others, and hated if you do. Abuse or praise equally weaat your friends from you. We cannot bear «ninenc« in our own drpartment or pursuit, and think it an impertinence in any other. Initead of being delighted with the proofs of excellence and the admiration paid to it, we are mortified with it, thrive only by the defeat of others, and lite on the caicaae of mangled reputation. By being tried by an iJtaJ standard of vanity and alTcctation, real objecta and common people become odious or insipid. Instead of bebg raiaed, all it ptoititutcd, degraded, vile. livery thing is reduced to thi« feYcritli, importunate, haraaiing state. I 'm bcarlily sick of it) and I 'm sure I have reanon if any oiw has.
87
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY IX
ON THE OLD ACE OF ARTISTS
Ml. NoLUWiH died the other dxy at the ajte ef etgjhtj, >ad left 340,000 pousdt behind him, and the nunc of one of oor bc*t EnglUh Kvtpcori. There wm a great tcramble aoioDg the Icgatect, a codicil to a will with large bezant* BOtigMdi aod that lut iriuinplt of the dead or dying over thoie who wiiiTe — hope* ruaed aiid defintcd wiUiouc a pontbtlity of naiBawm, or the HoalleH «w ia coiopltini. The king was at liric did to be left r««idawy kgaiee. Tbii would have been a fine toiUace of roDaamic and gntukooi homage to Majetcy, to a man who all hii life-time covld nerer be made to comprehend the abwract idea of the diMiociioB of rank* or even of perton*. He would go vp 10 ihc Duke of York, or PritiM of Walcti (in ipite of warning}, take them familiarly by the biuton like common actiaaintancc, aik them Imw litir faiktr did\ and exprets pleanre at hearing he wai well, uying, ■ when be waa Booe, we thouJd oeref get noch another.' He once, when the old King waa thtiog to him lor bia bun, fairly lUck a pair of compaMea into bh D0«c 10 mcuurc the dinance from the tipper lip 10 the ferdicad, aa if be had bcm (ncamring a block of maiUc. Hia late Majeaty Ingbed heartily at ibia, and wai amincd to Sod that there wia a penoQ in the world, ignorant of that vait bterral whkh aeparated Bin) from ercry other nun. Nolkkeoi, with aJl hit loyalty, merdy liked the man, and cued nothbg aboat the kiog (whkh wai one of thote mixed nadii, at Mt. Locke calk them, M which be had no more idea than if he had bc«n one of the cmm-coloored faorie«) — handled him like m much common day, and had no other notion of the matter, but tbst it waa hii bufinest to make the bctt bntc of him he potaibly coald, aad to set about in the regular way. There waa tonwthiog in thi* plainnen and timpliciiy that tavoured pubap of the bardncM and dryneat of hi* an, and of hi* own peculiar wrcrity of muiier. He conceind that one man'* head difTcrcd from another** only a* it wai a better or wor»c nibject Uxc modclliitg, that a bad bate wai not made into a good one by being Mack upon a pedritaJ, or by any painting or rarDiahi&g, and that by whaterer name he waa called, 'a man 'i c man for a* thai.' A Kulptor't idea* mmti I ihould gneta, be aomewhat rigid and bflexible, like the materiab in which he n-ork*. Beiidct, Nollekenc'i «yle wa* cotn- paniively hard and edgy. He had a* much truth and characttf, 88
ON THE OLD AGE OF ARTISTS
but noDC of the polUbed giaceg or trantparmt to^u* of Chftfitry. He had more of the rough, plnin, downright honetty of hin xti. It H«mod to be hie character. Mr. Northcote wai once complinmciRg him on his ac know led p.pd super iurity—^' Ay, jiou tniide the btu busts of anybody! ' * I don't know about that,' aid the other, hiieyei (though ■heir orbt were quenched) imiling with a gleam of smothered delight — < I only know I alwayi cried to make them a> like a* I could ! '
I MW this emioent and singular person one morning in Mr. Nortlicote't painting-room. He had then been for some time blind, md had been obliged to lay atide the exercise of his profession i but he still took a pieaiure in designing groups, and in giving directions to others for executing them. He and Norlbcote made a remarkable pnir. He tat down on a low tiool (from being rather fatigued], retted wilh both hands on a ccick, as if he clung to the solid and tangible, had an habitual twitch in hi* limbs and motions, as if catching himself in the act of going too far in chiselling a lip or ■ dimple in a chin ; wis io//-upright, with features hard and s<juare, but finr]y cut, a hooked nose, thin tjpt, an indented forehead ; and the defect in hit sight completed his resemblance to one of his own roiSM-dy bustt. He seemed, by time and labour, to 'have •mrougbl himself 10 stone/ Northcotc Hood by his side — all air and spirit, stooping down to speak to him. The pstinter was in a loose morning- gown, with his back to the light ; his lace was like a pale line piece of colouring ; and bit eye came out and glanced through the twilight of the past, like an old eagle looking from ill eyrie in the clouds. In a moment they had lighted firom the top of Mount Cenis in the Vatican —
■ At when a vulture on Imaus bred F!ie» tow'rdi the iprinp Of Ganges and Kydupri, Indian ttreami,'
these two fine old men lighted with winged thoughts on the banks of the Tiber, and there bathed and drank of the spirit of their youth. They talked of Titian and Bernini j and Nonhcoic mentioned, that when Roubillisc came bock from Rome, after seeing (he works of the tatter, and wmt to look at his own in Westminster Abbcyi he •aid — 'By G — d, ihey looked like lobn ceo- pipes.'
Tbey then recalled a number of anecaote* of Day (a fitUow- atndeol of tbeiri], of Barry and Fuseli. Sir Joshua, and Burke, and Johnson were talked of. The name* of these great sona of memory were in the room, and they almost seemed to answer to then Genius and Fame flung a spell inio the air, ■ And by the force of blear illusion, Had dnwn me on to my confition,'
69
r
M
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
had I not been long ere thi( rimi-pn«f ! It i* delt]{htfu], tbouf^h piiofid, to bear two rctcram io ut thui talking over (he adventure* and KtidiM of their youth, whrn one feci* that they are not quite norul. ibst they have one inipnUhiibk part aboHt them, and that they >rc contciouR, ss they approach the wthMi *ecgc of huroaDity in friendly intcrcourM xod traiiciuil decay, that they have done tatat- thing that will live after them. The coniolations of relision apart, thii ii perhapa the only lalve that take* out the tting of that tore evil, Death 1 and by Inicning the impatience and alarnn at hi* approach, ofieD tciRptt him to prolong the term of hie delay.
It ha* been remarked thnt ariisii, or at leut academician*, lire long. It i* but a thort while ago that Northcote, Nollekeni, Wcit, Flaxman, Coiway, and Fuicli were all living at the aame time, in good health and Bpirits, wiiliuut any diminution of &cu]tiec, all of them baring long pant their gr.ind climacteric, and attained to the bighctc reputation in their leveral dcpartmcnti. From thetc (tn^ing cxamplet, the diploma of a Royal Academician teemg to be a grant oif a longer le^te of lifr, among its other advantsgca. la fact, it i* tantamount to the conferring a cenain reputation in hi* profetuon and a competence on any niao, and thua nippliea the want* of the body and *et* hit mind at eaae. Arti«t* in ([eneral (poor deriltM, I am afraid, are not a long-lived race. They break up commonly about fony, their *pirita giving wny with the diMppointmcnt of their bopc4 of excellence, or the want of encouragement for that which ifaey have attained, their plans di»conccrted, and their affairs itrtuicv- able I and in this stale of mortiiication and embdmsiment f more or Ie« pro!on^,ed and aggravated) they are either itarved or el»e drink themaelve* to death. But your Academician i* quite a diffetenl tort of person. He < beats a charmed life, that must not yield ' to dun*, or critics, or pairooB. He i* free of ParniiMus, and claim* nil the immunities of fame io hit life-lime. He has but to paint (as the sun has but to shioc). to baffle envious nialigners. He has bnt to send hit pictures to tlie Exbibition at Somer4e^ House, b order to have them hunji up: be bu but to dine once a year with ibe Academy, the Nobility, the Cabinet-Minister, and the Member* of the Royal Family, in order not to want a dinner all the rest of the year. Shall hunger come near the man that ha* feasted with princes — shall a baililf tap the shoulder on which a Marquis has umiliarly leaned, tliat has been dub1>ed with kni^thood^ No, even the fell Serjeant Death stands u it were aloo^ and he enjoy* a kind of pten>uture imnionaltty in recorded honours and endlect labours. Ob! what golden hour* are his! In the *hart days of winter he huiband* time I the long evenings of summer Mill dmI him employed i He
90
ON THE OLD AGE OF ARTISTS
pinu on, tad take* do thought for to-morrow. All » right ia that rc4peci. Hi« bill* are regularly paidt his drafti arc duly honoured. He hai exerciw for hw body, employmeot for liii mind in tiig mo- feoiioD, and without CTer Kirrinf; out of hit paimiDg-room. He ■tudi«« at rouch of other thing* ai he pieaaei. He goei into the , beat cora|xiny, or tatlti with hit sitters —attrndi at the Acadcrny Mmingi, and enter* into ihcir intriguci and cabals, or itayi at home, and enjoya the Mwm rum digniiatr. If he it fond of reputation, Fame watches him at work, and weave* a woof, like iris, orer his head^f be it food of money, Plutui digs a mine oad«r his feel. Wbaterer he touches becomes £oid. Me is paid half-
eice before he bcgini ; and commitnons pour in upon commiatioDa. it poriraitt arc like, and hi* hintorical piecetfinej for to question the talents or luccesi of a Royal Academician ii to betray your own want of lane. Or if hia picture* are not quite approved, he i* an ^reeable man, and convrme* well. Or he is a person of clegaot accoffiplishmeuts, dreue* well, and is an ornament to a ptirate circle. A nun it not an Academician for noihin;;. ' His life spins round on it* soft axle ; ' and in a round of ntiiHed deiirei and pleaiing avocations, without any of the wmr aaJ tear of thought or busincci, there teem* no reaaon why it should not nu smoothly oo to ha bat tuid!
Of all the Academicians, the paiotcrs, or pcrtons I hi*c ever known, Mr. Notthcote it the mou to my taste. It may be Kui of him truly,
' Akc cannot wither, nor custom stale Hi* Infinite variety."
Indeed, !t i* not pottibic he should become tedious, since, even if he repeat* the aamc thing, it appears quite new frnm hit manner, that breathe* new life into ii, and from his eye, that i« ai fresh as the Rioruing. How you hate any one who tells the tame ttocy or anticipate! a remark of his — it seenis so coarse and vulgar, so dry and inanimate ! There i« somethinf, like injustice in this preference —but no ! it it a tribute to the spirit that ii in the man. Mr. Nooifacote't manner i* completely tnUmfore. It it juit (be reverie of Mr. Canning't oratory. All hit thought* come upon him unawaiet, sod for this reaaon they tutpriRcand delight you, because they have evidently the same effect upon his mind. There i« the •ame unconsciouaneas in bis coavettatjon that ba* been pointed out in Shaketpear's dialogues t or you ate startled with one observation alter another, at when the mitt gradually withdraw* from a landscape and unfolds object* one by one. Htt figure is small, shadowy, emaciated s but you think only of hi* bee, which i* fine and expressive.
9'
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Hi* body i* out of the <]uctiUo>n. It is trnpotubk to conTry sn adcqtutW idea of the nahfie, and unatf<Ktcd, but delightful ea»e of the wiy in which he gOM oo — now touchiag upon n pictuit^ — now looking (or fail nofF-box — DOW alluding to tome hook he hit been reaidiog — Bov rctartiing to hit favoortlc an. He *eeinB jun a* if he was by bimKlf or in the compasy of hi* own thought*, and make* yo«i feel quite at home. If it u a Member of Pailiameat, or a beaatiful woman, or a child, or a youDg artiit thnt dropi io, ii make* no differeoce i he enter* into converaation with them in the tame uncon- rtramed mmncr, a* if they were inm::iteti in hii family. SometimH yon find hint silting on the floor, like a *chool-boy at play, turning OTCT a *ct of old piint* ; and I wm picawd to hear him lay the Other 4mj, coming io one of wmc men putting off in a boat from S Aip-wreck — '71!^^/ is the grandctt and moat otiginat thing I ever did ! Thii was not egoliBJii, but hud nil the beauty of truth and sincerity. The print wa» indeed a noble and spirited desij^a. The circumKance from which it was taken happened to Captain Englcfield ami hU crew. He told Nonhcote the iiory, lai for hi* own head, nd fareii{hi the men from Wapping to tit for theirs ; and ihe«e he btd wrugod into a formal composition, till one Jeifrey, a conceited but clever artitt of that day, called in upon him, aiid aaid, 'Oh I that common-place thing will never do, it is like West ; you should throw them into an action something like this.' — Accordingly, the head of the boat was reared up like a sea-horse riding the ware*, •nd the elemrou put into commotion, and when the painter looked at it the !a«t thing a« he went out of hi* room in the dusk of the evening, he said that 'it frightened hira.' He letaioed the ex- preition in the face* of the men nearly as they sat to him. It is very line, and truly Engliih; and being natural, it wai eauly made bto history. There is a portrait of a young gentleman striving to gel into the boat, while the crew arc pushing him off with their oats ; but at last he prevailed with them by hit pcricTetsncc and entrcstie* to take him in. They had only time to throw a bag of biicuita into the boat before the sliip went down t which they divided into a biscuit a day for each man, dipping them into water which they collected by holding op their handkerchiefs in the raio and squeezing it into a bottle. They were out sixteen days in the Attaniic, and got ashore at some place in Spain, where the great difficulty was to prevcoi them from eating too much at once, so as to recoivr gradually. Captain EogleGeld obterved that be lulTcred more afterwards tlian at the time — that he had horrid dreamt of ftlling dawn precipicea for a long while after — that in the boat they told merry Morie*, and kept up one another's spiriti as well as they 9*
ON THE OLD AGE OF ARTISTS
could, and on tome complaiot being made of their dikCitMcd ■ituation, the youne gentleman who had be«a admitted inco their crew remarked, ' Nay, we ate not to badly off nciUtcr, we are not come to fti/in^ one another jn ! ' — Thus, whatever U the lubject of discourse, the scene w revived in hit mind, and erery circumttance brought bcfoic you without afTectatioa or effort, just aa it happened. It mi^hc be Ciiied fKlart-la/img. He h'M alwayi some pat alJusion or anecdote. A young engraver came into hi> room the other day, with a print which be had put into the crown of his hat, in order not to crumple it, and he said it had been nearly blown away several times in paising along the street. • You put rac in mind,' said Nonhcote, 'of a bird-catcher at Plymouth, who used to put the birds he had caught into his hat to biinf; them home, and one day meeting my fatlier in the toad, he pulled off his hat to make him a low bow, and all the birds flew away ! ' Sometimes Mr. Northcoie geta to the top of a ladder to point a palm-tree or to finish a aky in one of hi> pictures; and in this situation fae lintcnc very atten- tively to any thing you tell him. I was once mentioning some strange inconsistencies of our modern poets ; and on coming to one that exceeded the reat, he descended the steps of the ladder one by one, laid his pallet and brushes deliberately on the ground, and coming up to mc, said — ' You don't say so, it 's the very thing E should hat-e supposed of them i yet thcK arc the men that speak against Pope and Drydcn.' Never any sarcasms were »o line, so cutting, so careless as his. The grossest thing* from bis lips seem aa essence of celiDemcDt : the most tefioed became more so than ever. Hear him talk of Pope's Epistle to Jervas, and repeat the lines —
• V« ihould llie Gram all thy figurei place, And breathe an air divine on every face j Yet should tlie Muki bid my numben roll Strong an iheir charm*, and gentle as their soul, With Zeuxis' Helen thy BriJgcwatcr vie. Ami ihne be tune till Granville's Myta diei Alai 1 how little trom the grave ne claim i Thou but prcKtv'tl a face, and I a name.'
Or let him tpcak of Boccacio and his story of Isabella and her pot of basil, in which she kept her lover's head and watered it with fiet tears, 'and how it grew, and it grew, and it grew,' and you tee hit own eyes glisten, and the leaves of the baul-trcc tremble to hit faltering accents <
Mr. FukIi's conrersaiioD is more striking and extravagant, but
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km pltMJBg aad BKunl tlua Mr. Nortbcoie't. He ileaJt ia ptndwcc* uiil caricKara. He uUu aliMoriet ood penaaificKuMt n Im pHBts tbrm. You ate MtiMbte of tBan wilbon aajr nfott no CvdcM plwMiry— no tfiit« of duracttr or toocbn firo<n Dtiore — erery thng ii labovinl of OTadooc. Hu ideaa arc gnarkdt bud* ami (JUi(Xt<d, like hi* featum— hit theonct auUuag aad «nddl» legged, like hi* gik — hi* prajecu aapiria^ and gi{;aiitic, Kke hii niiiiiiii liii pcrfomuoce uncontb and <lwar£i.h, like hi* petMo. Hi* picture* we alao like bim<e^If, with cTv^lli of *Uioc riuck to tinu of tia, aad nwvcle* iwiiced logether like rope* or wire*. Yd Fndi il gadoobudlj a rub of geaia*. lod capable of the mote vild ■ad glOW»c|we eombiaatKHM of bicj, ll i* a pit^r that be ever applied Uaitelf to paoiunb wluch must ilwiy* be reduced to the tc« of tlM ■eaae*. He i* a btle Kke Dante or Atioito, perhapi i but no raera Uke Hkbad Angelo, Raphael, or CdrregKio, ihvi 1 am. Natnre, be comfiiini, pau him out. Yet be can Uagh at ariiiu who 'paint ladica with irco lapdogi ; ' and he deacribea tbc great maner* of old ia word* or Inea hill of ifutb, and gbaciug ftoai a pea or topgoc of fire. I coDoeitc any peraoa would be more Rruck with Mr. Fuaeli M fim aigbt. hot wtnkl with to vim Mr. Nonhcot« otienei. There H a bold and itattliDg outline in hi* «<rle of talking, but not the delkate fiuiWiinj; or Uand tone that ibere it in that of the latter. WhateTcr there it har*h or repuliire about hiia ia, howtTcr, io a
?rtat degree carried otf bj bii sniiaatcd fordgn aeccal aad brokca ':Dglith, which girc chanKur wbere there ia noae, aad •eftaa to upcritiM wberc it it ti» abrupt and riolent.
Coapand l» cither of tUeie artittt. We« (the late Prctadeot of the Rojal Academj) wai a tboroughly mccbaoical and ammMtftttt petaoa a man * of no mark or UkcTibood.' He too wm ■nail, thin, tMt with regolar wcH-formcd feature*, and a prccite, tedaie, lelf- ■atit&cd air. This >■> pBn> ■ro** ftoin the conviction in hi* own mind that be «u the greamt paiotM (aad cooiequeotly tbc greatcft mao) in the world : king* aad aoble* were conunoa everyday folk*, but there waa bm one West in the many-peop(ed tjiobe. If there wat aay one iadiridwl with whom be wa* inclined to thare ihepalBi of Dodirided tupcriority, it wat with Buonaparte. When Mr. WcM bad painted a picture, he tbooghi it wai perfect. He had no idea of anjr thing in the art but mie*, and the*e be exactly conformed to; to that, according 10 hi* theory, what be did wat ^mu right. He ooaccivwd of painting a* a mecbaokal or icwntific eroceu, and had ■0 awn doubt of a face or a group ia one of hit hijrh ideal cora- powdoaa being what it oooht to be, than a carpenter hai that be haa drawn a line ttiaigfat with a ruler toA a piece of chalk, 01 than a 94
ON THE OLD AGE OF ARTISTS
suitheTmucun hu that the ibm smj^a of a irianxle are equal to two rixht ooea.
When Mr. Wctt walked through hi> gallety, the rcBult of fifty yean' Ubonr, he mw nothing, either on the right or the left, to be ■ddcd or tsktn away. The accooDC be gave of bi> own picture*, wbich might went tike oneDUtion or rhodomootade, bid a tincere and infantioe timpticity to it. \Vh<« soTne ooe ipokc of bU Si. PtuJ ihaking off tbt tirptnl from hit arm, (at Greenwich Hoipiul, I believe], be *aid, < A liule bunt of geaiu*, tir ! ' Wcit wu one of tbote biippy mortal* who had not an idea of any thing beyond him- idf or hu own actual power* and knowledge. I once bcanl him uy m a poblic room, tlutt he thought he had quite at good in tdei of Athens from reading the Travelling Cataiogun of the place, aft if be littd there for yeart. I believe thii wai tirictly true, und that be would bive come iway with the iinie tlender, literal, unenrichcd idea of it aa he went. Looking at a picttue of Rubcna, which he bad in hia poite«ion, he laid with great indiflferencc, * What a pity thai ihia man wanted cKprexiion ! ' Tbi* natural Retf-ConiplaccDCy might be ttrengtbencd by collateral circumstances of birth and retigian. Wett, at a native of America, might be Buppoied to own no npcrior in the Commoawealih of ait : aa a Quiiker, he tmiled with MctviaD •elf-aulHciency ui the objeciiona that were made to hi* theory or practice in painting. He lived long in the firm pcrtuasion of beJBg one of the elect among the lona of Pame, and went to bi< final rcM io the aims of Immorultly ! Happy error ! Unviable old maal
FUxmaa is another living and eminent artist, who i« distinguished by Euccew! in his profession and by a prolonged and active old age. He is diminutive m person, like the others. I know little of him, but that he is an elegant sculptor, and a profound mystic. This last ia a character common to many other artisu in our days — Louther- boorg, Cosway, Blake, Sharp, Varley, &c. — who seem to relieve the tiicralncss of their profrtsional studies by voluntary excursions into the regioaa of the preieiiutural, pass their time between sleeping and wakingt and whose ideas are like a stormy night, with the clouds driven rapidly across, aod the blue iky and ntiirs gleaming between 1
Cosway ii the last of these I nhull mention. At thai name I pause, and must be excused if I consecrate to him a feui tauvtiar ia my best manner; for he was Fancy's child. What a fairy palace was bia of specimens of art, antiqaarianism, aitd wrti, jumbled ill together in the richest disorder, dusty, shadowy, obscure, with much leJt to the imaginatioo, (how different from the finical, polished, petty, modernised air oif some Collections we have seen ! ) and with
9S
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dOH
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
GO|»c« of the old Runcrn, cracked and danugcd, which he touched nod moucfacd with bix own hand, and yet «worr they were the genuine, tlw pure original*. All other collector* sre fools to him : ibey go ibout with painful anxi«ty to find out tlic rMlitie* : — lie tiud be bad tbein — and lu a moment made them of tbe breath of bit Domilt and of the fume* of a lively tmaginntion. His wa* the cracilix thai Abclard prayed to — a lock of Eloiia'i hair — the dagger with which Fclion (Ubbcd the Duke of Buckingham — the first iiniehed ■ketch of the Jocunda — Tittan'i large colossal profile of Peter Aictine — a mummy of an Lgyptian king — a feather of a uhcenix — a piece of Noah'* Ark. Were the article* authentic ? What matter ?~hi» faith in tbem wa* true. He waa f;ificd with a iftotuLiighl in luch matter* : he believed whatever wat incredible. Fancy bore sway in him ; and «0 vivid were hi* imprcuiont, that they included the «ubsuncc« of things in them. The agrer-ablc and the true with him were one. He bclieveiJ in Swedcnborgjanism'-hc believed in animal magoetiam — he had converted with more than one pcraon of the Trinity — he could talk with hi* lady at Mantua through tome liiie vehicle of tense, a* we speak to a servant down-*tain through a conduH- pipe. Richard Cotway was not the man to Hinch from an iJe^ piopotitSon. Once, at an Academy dinner, when some quetiion wai made whether the story of Lambert'* Leap wat true, he itarted up, and laid it waa ; for be wa* the ptraon that performed it : — he once asiured me that the knee-pan of King Jame* I. in the ceiling at Whitehall wa* nine feet acroes (he bid measured it in concert with Mr. Cipriani, who wa* repairing the figure*) — he could read in the Book of the Rcvelationa without spectacle*, and foretold the return of Buonaparte from Elba— <and from St. Helena! His wife, the moll lady-likc of E&gli*hwomeii, beiog asked in Paris what sort of a rou ber htisbuid wa*, made answer — ■ I'mjoun riaiil, feujoun gv,' Tbia wa* hi* character. He imiat have been of French extraction. His soul appeared to po*»e» tbe life of a bird ; and such wa* the
Citincat of^ bis air and manner, ibat to tee him sic to have bit half- is laced 00, you would fancy (by the help of a 6gure) that, instead of a little withered elderly gentleman, it wa* Venus attired by the Grace*. His miniature* and whole. length drawings were not merely (iuhionable — they were fashion itself. His imitations of Michael Aogelo were not the thing. When more than ninety, be retired from hit ptofeiaion, and used to hold up the palsied baud that bad painted lord* and kdie* fur upwardt of sixty yeatt, and smiled, with unabated good-humour, at the vanity of human wi*he«i Take him with all hit fault* and folliea, we scarce ' shall look tipoo hi* like again I ' 96
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ON ENVY
Why (hould 4ucK p«r(oiM CTcrdie? It fteiat hard upon them tad u ! Care fixct no stiog in thrir hcaru, and ihdr pritont * jircicnt no mark xo the foc-nua.' Unch id them tcizn upon living thadowi. Thef (CATcc c«[uu[»e viul air: their gtcat funciioiiH irc long it an end — th«y live but to paint, to talk or think, la it that the vice of age, the miMr't fault, giuwt tbera ? Manjr of them are not afraid of death, but of cotning to wuit ; and having begun in poverty, ate hiiucted with the idea that they nhall cod in it, and to die — M tave ebargtj. Ochcrwiie, they might linger OD for cm, 8od 'defy auguty ! *
ESSAY X OH ZNVy (a dialogue)
H. I HAD a theory about Eovy at one time, which I bane panJy ^ven up of late — which wai, that there waa no tuch feeling, or that what ii UKiatly connidered at envy or ditlike of real merit it, more properly ipeakicj), jealouiy of fulte preten«ion» to ti. I uoed to tlluatrate the argument by uyiofi, that thin wa» the leaion we were not envioui of the dead, bccnuge their merit wan enabliabcd beyond the reach of cavil or contradiction; whereat we ate jcalout and uaeuy at sudden and upaiatt popularity, which wanta the wal of time to coclirm it, and which after all may turn out to be faUe and hollow. There i* no danger that the icttimonv of a^e* ihould be reverted, and we add our luffrage* to it with conlideDce, and even with enthusiaun. But we doubt reuonably enough, whethei that which was applauded ycitcrday may not be condemned to-morrow ; and tit afraid of letting oar names to a fraudulent claim to ditiinction. However tatialied we may be ia our own mindi, we are not lufiicienily borne out by general opinion and (ympathy to prevent certain mi«> Mvingi and icruptei on the lubject. No one thiaks, for inttance, of denyinK the merit of Teniert id his particular style of art, and no one c»ii>e<|ucntly think* of envying him. The merit of Wilkic, on the contrary, wai at tirtt ttrongly contecied, and there were other pdiiBtera Kt up In oppotitioo to him, till now that he hiu become a fort oi tlaiiU in hii way, he has ceased to be an object oi envy or distike, becauac no one doubts his real cKccllencr, at far as it goes. He baa no more than justice done him, and the mind never revolts at juatice. It only lejecta falte or superCcial claim* to admiration, and u inceated to tee the world Lake up wtib appearancei, wlieo they have no lolid foundation to support them. We ate not envious of VOL. vn. ! o 97
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Rubcnt or Rxptiwl, becaiue thdr hmc it a pledge of tbeii Rcmui ; but if toy one were to bring forward die highcti liriDg namn ai equal to thc*c, it immediaicly scti the Mood in a firmiCQi, nnd we try to nific the KfiK we h»vc of their mrrit*, not brcaiuc ihty arc new or . modtro, but brcaiwe wc are not tuic Oiey will etei be old. we be cenaia that poiteritjr would tanction oiu award, we thotiMl grant it without icruplc, even to >d aemy aad a rival.
N. Tbat which you devcribe i> not envy. Hnry i( when yon hatt and would dettroy all excellence that you do not yourietf po«teM>1 So tbey uy that Raphael, after he had copied (he tiguret on one of' Ibe antique met, endeavoured lo defKC ibcni ; and H<^piicr, it hai beat ttid, uted to get fqctutct of Sir Jo«hu*i into his potKwoo, on pnpow to paint tliem oicr and tpoil them.
H. I do not believe the Bnt, certainly. Rapliael wat too great a nuD, and with too fortunate a temper, to need or to with to prop himiclf up on the ruict of otbert. A* to Hoppner, he might pertiapi ihinic that there wai no good rewon (or the ptcfrrence given lo Sir Jothu't portraitt over hit own, that hit woraeo of c}niility were the n>ore atry and fashionable of the two, and might be tempted (oace pcrhap*) in a fit of •plcca, of caprice or inipfitience, lo blot what wa* aa eye-wxe to himtelf from its old-faiJuoDed, faded, dbgy look, and at the ume time dazzled others from the fot ce of tradittoD and pre- judice. Why, he might argue, thould that old fellow run away with all the popolarity even among tho«e who (as he well knew) in their beam prefeired hi« own inupid, flaunting ityle to any other i Tbocgh it might be true tbat Sir Joahua waa the greater pointer, yet it wa* not true that Lotda and L:idics tliuught mi : he felt that lie on^it to be "W favouriiv, and be might naiutully hate what wa* cuotintally I tinul m tit £th, and (at far aa thotc about him were concented) un- junly set over hi* head. Bcudcf, Hoppner bad very little of hi* own ' (o rdy on, and might with, by dctiroj-ing, to conceal the tonrce from whence be had borrowed almou every tiling.
N, Did you never feel envy !
H. Very little, I think. In tnith. 1 am out of the way of it : (or the uoly ptetenaioD, of which I am lenaciout, la that of being a mcta* ] phytici^ui ; and there i* *o bitle attenttiui paid to thi* tubject to ponw per one'* vanity, and to little fear of loting that liide from compeiiiJont that there it tcarcely any room for envy here. One occupic* tbc nkbc of eminence in which one placet one t *clf, very <}uirtly and coo- tenicdly! If I have ever felt ifait pasiion at all, it baa been where •ome very paltry fellow ha* by trick and macugemeot contrived to obtain much tnore credit than he waa entitled to. There wa* ,
U whom I had a perfect antipathy. He wai the antitbetii of a man
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ON ENVY
orgeniut; and yet he did better, by mere dint of dulncM, than many coco of geoiut. This wu iacolefoblt:. There wat lomething in the taaa and in hin manner, with which you could noi ponibly connect the idea of adniiiation, or of any ihing that vm* not mucly mechaoical —
'His look m»d« the nlll air coM.' He repcUcd all Hymp-jthy and cordiality. What he did (though anouatina only to mediocrity) W4a ^n inault on the underatanding. It (eemed th^it he (hould be able lo Jo nothing ; for he was ootbiog either in himiclf ot in other peoplc'i idea of him ! Mean aciions or groia cxpreiMonti too often untctile one'* theory of geniu«. We are unable a* well an unwilling to connect the feeling of high intellect with low moral tcntiment : the one i« a kiod of detccration of the other, I have for ihia reaeon been Mmetimes dispoted to disparase Turner'a fine laodicipea, and be glud when he failed in his higher attempu, in order that my conception of the atti»t and his picturea might be more of a piece. Thii is not envy or an impatience of extraordinary merit, but an impatience of the incongruilie* in huniaa nature, and oi the drawback! and ntumbiing-blocki in the way of our admiration of it. Who ia there tliat admitct the Author of Waretlcy mote than ! dof Who is there that despiies Sir W»»»»« S"** mote i 1 do not like to think there ihould be a second instance of the lame pcrton'i beiog
*Thc wiint, meanest of mankiml'-* and ahould be heartily glad if the greatest genius of the age should tun out to be an hoocw man. The only itiing that renders this mw- n/fiomv between lirstTate intellect and want of principle endurable is that nich an extreme instance of it teaches us that great motal lesson of moderating our expectations of human perfection, and enlarging oia indulgence for human iniirmity.
N. Yoa stall olT with ao idea at usual, and torture the plain state i of the case into a paradox. There may be sonic truth in what you \ ' suppose : but malice or selfishnen ia at the bottom of the severity of vour criticiam, not the love of truth or justice, though you may make It the pretext. Vou ate more angry at Sir W***** S****'a succets than at his serrility. You would give yourself no trouble about hit pOTCtty of spirit, if be had not made a hundred thousand pounds by bis writings. The sting lies there, though you may try to cooccal it from yourself.
H. I do not think so. I hate the sight of the Duke of W*******»» for his foolish fece, as much as for any thing else. I caanot believe that a great geocral is contained under such a put^ board fizor of a man. This, you'll say, is party spite, and rage at
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Fgood fortune. I deny it. 1 always liked Lord Caxtkrugh for ' gillaat tpirii that ihonr through hi> jppcanincr ; and his Aiir buat inrmoontcd and cnuhcd fifty order* th» giicicred bennth it. Nature *cctncd to have meant liim foi Mnicthing bettcc iIijd he wa*. But id tlie otlt«r inauncci Fortune lui« evidently pUycd Nttuie a trick,
' T« dirow a cruel lunthine on a fool.*
N. The truth ii, you were reconciled to Lord Ceitlcrea^b't face, and patronised hit perton, bccauic you fett a ton of advanugc over him in point of ftylc. Hit blunder* <]ua]ilird ht« ruccc«); and you fancied you could ulcc hit tpecche* in pieces, wherca* you could not undo the Uitln that the other had won.
H. So I httTc btcn accused of denying the metiia of Pitt, from
Siliticat diUike and prejudice ; but who is there that hat praised urke more than I have ! It is a subject 1 am never vrary of, because I feel it.
N. You fflcaD, because he is dead, and is now little talked of: and you think you show superior diKerniQcni and liberality by praising him. If there wat a Burti-Cbi&, you would say nothing about him. You deceive yourself as to your own motives, and weave a wrong theory out of iliem for human nature. The love of distinction is the ruling panaioD of the human mind ; we grudge whatever draws off attCDtion from ounelrei lo other* ; and all our actions arc bat diffcreat COntriTancca, either by sheer malice or aJfccted liberality, to keep it to ourselves or share it with others. Goldsmith was jealoua evea of beauty in the other sex. When the people at Amsterdam gathered round the balcony to look at the Miits Hornecks, he urcw impatient, and Slid peevishly, 'There are places where I also am admired.' It may be said — What could their beauty hai-c to do with his reputation ! No : it could not tend to le»en it, but it drew admiraiioD from hira- •elf to (hem. So Mr. C****r, the other day, when he was at the Academy dinner, made himnelf conspicuous by dijphying the same feeUng. He found fault with every thing, ilamnrJ all the picture! — latidicapei, pattraiit, busts, nothing pleaied him ; and not contented with thii, he tlien fell foul of the an itself, which he treated at a piece of idle foolery, and hiid that Raphael had thrown away his time in doing what was not worth the trouble. Thit, betide* being haJDCcre, was a great breach of good-mannert, which none but a low- bred man would be guilty of; but he felt his own GonK<)ueoce annoyed ; he aaw a splendid exhibition of art, a tplendid dinner act out, the Nobility, the Cabinet. Ministers, (he brancfaet of the Royal Family invited to it ; the most eminent professors were there present ; it was a triumph and a celebration of art, a dazzling proof of the
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ON ENVY..
height to which it had iltatned in thi> counUr, aid of the c«t(«Tn ia which ii was held. He fell thai he played ■ Yery jobordinatc pjirt in all this ; and in order to rclicTc his own woundrd .vmity, h« waa determined fas he thou|;h[ ) to mottity that of otbert. ^e wanted lo make himself of more importance tJiio any bodv elie. i'y irampling on Rajihael and on the art ittctf. It wai ridicufoui and diieu(cii)S] becaute everyone »w though the motire ; fo that be defeated' w. own object.
H. And be would hare avoided ihin exponirc, if with ill hi» conceit nnd ill-humour, he had had the unallcst laaic for the art, or petceptioD of ihe beauties of Raphael. He has Juit Icoowledge eoouf;h of drawing to make a whole length sketch of Uuooaparte, merging on caricature, yet Dot palpably outraging probability t to that it looked like a fat, stupid, commoH-pIxt man, or a flattering likeneti of some legicimaie monarch — he had «kill, cunning, servility enough to do this with his own hand, and to circulate a print of it with realous aciirity. u an indirect means of degrading him in appeiiranc« to chat low level to which foriune had once raited him in reality. But the man who could do this deliberately, and with satisfaction to his own nature, wai not the man to uodcrsiand Raphael, and might slander him or any other, the greatert of earth's born, without injuring or belying any feeling of admiration or excellence in his own brcan ; for do tuch feeling had ever entered there.
N. Come, tliit is always the way> Now you are growing per- loniJ. Whv do you *o cooiuntly let your temper get the bettef of your reaMD '
H. BecauK I hale a hypocrite, a time-m-rer, and a tlare. But (O return to the ^ueition, and say no more about this 'Win; /«/itla('> — I do not think that, except in circumstance* of peculiar iggrira- uon, or of extraordinary il1<tcmpcr and moroteness of disposition, aay one who haa a tborou|;h feeling of excetleoce hab a delight !n gain- saying it. The excellence that we feel, we porticiiiatc in as if it were our own — it becomes ours by transfusion of mind — (t is innilled into our beart»— it mingle* with our blood. We are unwilling to allow merit, because we are unable to percriie it. But to be coo- riaced of it, is to be tody to acknowledge and pay homage to it. lUibcraJicy or narrowWH at Ming is a narrowness of taste, a want of proper tatl. A btgotted and exclusive spirit is teal blindness to all excellence bnt our own, Of that of tome particular school or aectj I think 1 can give an instance of this in some friends of mine, od whom you will be disposed to have no more mercy than I have on
' Mr. C"**r miilt hl> fitit apponnn in thi> countrjr si i hick.wiitir, mA mnvitt this tunume from iht clutic lipi of Mr. Cumbtr^nd.
lot
THE IJLAIN SPEAKER
Mr. Crokcr — I tnfah.tjic Latt Stheol. Their mxtm of OttrMism u not uniutvral: 'ii-brgini only with the natural limitt of their VMt* U9<t fMliagb'. M/' "otdswofth, Mr. Coictidgc, jnd Mr. Souibcy bin no Civlhlg fw ihc cxccUcdcc of Pope, or Ooldiinitli, or Gray — they^do bn^'chter u all bto their nietiu, aod oo tliat account it u that tf^T ^°yt proscribe, and cnry them. IiKirMMi «£, 'a the .-Mfllaaitioa here, and in all nich cam. I am tatiiGed that the line ■\'ipUT) of ihoueht in Pope, the gliding rcrtc of Goldimich, the brillbnt "■*'diction of Gray hare no chaimt for the Author of the Lyrical EtlUdt: he has no faculty in his mind to which these qualilic* of poetry addrris thenuclTM. It is not an oppreuive, galling tenve of them, and a burninj; envy to rival them, and ihaitie (hat be eannot^ be would not, if he could. He )iaa no more ambition to write conplcti like Pope, than to turn a barrel-organ. He haa no pleaaure in tuch poetry, and therefore he hat no patience with othcri that haw. The enthu«ium that they feci and cxprew on the rebject Mvmi an effect without a cause, and puzzles and proiokes the mind aeoordingly. Mr. Wordsworth, to parttctilar, is narrower in hit taates than otiicr people, bccautc he sect everything from a tingle and original point of view. Whatever doet not fall io «tricdy with this, he account* no better than a delusion, or a play upon words,
N. Vou miiitakc the matter altogether. The acting principle in their minds is an inivteratc lellithncss or desire of dieiinction. They tee tliat a particular kind of excellence has been carried to its height •—a height that they have no hope of artiving at — the road is stopped up ; they must therefore Mrike into a dtlTcrent path ; and in order to divert the public mind and draw attention to themaelvet, they aflect to decry the old modeU, and overturn what they cannot rival. They know ihey cannot write tike Pope or Dtydcn, or would be only imiiatort if they did ; and they coo*c<iuenily strive to gain an origins! and equal celebrity by tin^ulsitty and aiTectatioo. Their simplicity ia not natural to them : it is the ftrhrn-beft of impotent and dis- appoinied vanity.
H. I cannot think that. It may be «o in part, but not principally or altogether. Their minds arc cast in a peculiar mould, and they cannot produce nor receive any other impreMions than those which they do. They ate, as to matters of taste, trh temii,
N. You Riatic them out ntupidct than I thought. I have somr- times spoken difrcipecifully of their talents, and >o 1 think, compara- tively with tbote of some of our atand.vd writers. But I certainly should never conceive tliem so loit to common sense, as not to perceive the beauty, or iplcndour, or strength of Pope and Dryden. They arc dazzled by it, and wilfully shut their eyes to it, sod try to
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ON ENVY
throw dun in tho>e of oihcr people. W« cMiJy dUccni and are confounded by cxccllencr, which w« are conscious wc ihould in rtia aitcmpi to eminl. Wc may sec that another it ullcr than ouriclves» and yet we may know thai we can never jtow to hia MaRire. A dwarf may easily enry a ;[iant4
H. They would like the compariion to Polyphcmu* in * Acii and Galaica ' better. They think that little men have mo away with the prize of beauty.
N. No one admire* poetry more than I do. or tee* more beautiee 10 it; though if I were to try for a thousand yt»it, I nhoulJ ncTcr be able to do any thing to please myielf.
H. Pecfaaps not in the mechanical part ; but still you adnure and are roost struck with those paEsages in poetry, that accord with the previou* train of your own fcclinga, and giTc you back the image* of your own mind. There it something congenial in taste, nt tenst, between ourtcUcs and chose whom we admire. 1 do not think there it any point of sympathy between Pope and the Latt Seiaol: on the contrary, I know there is an antipathy between ihem.^When you speak of Titiam, you look like him. I can understand how it is that you talk so well on that nubjcct, and tbxt your discourse has an extreme- unction about it, a marrowines* like his colouring. But 1 do not believe that the laic Mr. We«t had the least notion of Titian's peculiar excellences— he would think one of his own copie* of him St good ai the ortgjoal, and hit own historical compoiition* much better. He would therefore, I conceive, lit and listen to a converulian in praise of him with something like irap.iticnce, and think it an interruption to more important discuisions on the principles of high art. But if Mr. West bad ever seen in nature what there it to be found in Titian's copies from it, he would never have thought of such a compatiion, and would hare bowed hi* head in deep humility at the very mention of his came. He might oot have been able to do like him, and yet might have teen nature with the tame eyes.
N, We do not alwayi admire most what we can do bcttj but often the contrary. tSir .lothua's admiration of Michael Angelo wag perfectly sincere and unaffected ; but yet nothing could be more dlameitically opposite iliin the minds of the two men — there wat aa absolute gulph between them. It was the consciousness of bit own inability to execute such works, that made him mote sensible of the difficulty and the merit. It was the same with hit fondness for PouMin. He wat alway* exceedingly angry with me for not admiring turn enough. But this showed his good *cn*c and modesty. Sir Joabua was always on the /t9t-«ul (or whatever might enlarge hit
10$
THE PLAIN SPEAKEH
notion* on the mbject of his art, and nippty hii defecti ; aad did not, like wrnc trtifU, tncanicc all poaublc excellence by hit own actual ddicieacim. He thu« im proved and tearned tometbinfi daily. Otben have loit their way by *cttiag out with a pragmatical notion of their owii Klf-fufEcirncy, and have never advancMl a single «ep beyoitd thdr Grat crude conctpuon*. Futeli waa to blame in thii respect. He did aot want capacity or enthunum, bm he had an over-weefiing opinion of bis own peculiar acquirements. Speaking of Vindyke, he taid he would not go acrosa the way to see the iineat portrait he had eter paioied. He asked — ' What is it but a little bit of ooiout ? ' Sir Joshua taid, on hearing this — ' Aye, be 'II live to inenc it.' And he has lived to icpcni it. With that little bit added to his own heap, he would ban beta a much greater pointer, ■ik! a happier man.
H. Yci : but I doubt whether he could have added ti Id prtKtsoc. I think the indilference, in the first inttance, ariaea from the mot of taste and capacity. If Foseli hod porasased an eye for coJour, he would not have de»pi*ed it in Vandyke. B« we reduce others to the Itmsia of our own capacity. We think little of what we caonot do, and eory it where we imagine that it meets with disproportioned admirutioa from others. A dull, pompous, and obscure writer has been heard to exclaim, * That tHaut, Wordsworth ! ' This was excuuble m one who la utterly without feeling for any object* in natvre, but those which would make splendid furniture for a drawing- moai, or Utj acntimeni of the human heartf bm that with which a ■ta*e looks up to a deapot, or a despot looks down upon a sUtc. Thia coiuempluout expreanon waa ao eoiissoa of spleen and impatience at the idea thai there should be any wbo preferred Wordsworth's deacriplions of a daisy or a linnet'* nect to hia asiciiwfsr poetry about CDRiiiii, and palla, and sceptres, and precious sconea: but had Wocdiwonb. ID addition to his original sin of simplicity and true tensua, been a popukr writer, his cOBtenpt would have tamed into hatred. A* it is, he toleiatcs hia id/t ana/mje: there is a link of friendship in mutual political servility ; and beside*, he ha* i fellow- ffding with him, aa one of those writers of whose menia the world have not been fully seoiible. Mr. Croley set out with high pretension*, and had some idea of rivalling Lotd Byroo in a certain lofty, impoving style of vcrtiJicaiioD : but he is probably by this time con- vinced that mere constitutiooal iaUrw as ill supplies the place of elevation of genius, as of the pride of birth ; and that the public know bow to diitinguith bctweeo a string of gaudy, painted, turgid phraacs, and the rivid creation* of £u)cy, or touching dcliocaiiona of the human heart.
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ON ENVY
N. What did you My the writer's name vati H. Ctt^ey. He ti one of the Royal Society of Authors. N. I ncnr heard of him. 1* be oa imitator of Lord Byron, did you ay!
H. I am afraid witber he nor Lord Byron would han it thought
•0.
N. Such Imitatori do all the miicbief, and brrng real gcniu* into disrepute. Tbit i* in tome meature an excutc for tho*e who hufe endearoured to diiparage Pope and Diyden. We harr had a tutfcil of imiaiion* of them. Poetry, in the Kindi of a •« of mechanic Ktibblcrs, had become such a tame, mawkish thingt that we coutd cndare it no lonf;er, and our impatience of the abute of a {lood thio^ mniferRd ittelf to the orixina] tource. It waa thit which enabled Wordtworth and the red to raise up a new ichool (or to attempt tt) on the ruini of Pope ; because a race af writers had tuccccdco him without one panicle of hi» wit, tcnic, and delicacy, and the world were tired of their evcrlMung tmgtens and itainhyfanAy, People wvtc ditguatcd at hcarinji the faulu of Pope fthe pan nio«l easily tmitaied) cried up at bit {[reatett excellence, and were willing to take refuse from «uch nauseout cant in any novelty.
H. What you now observe come* nearly to my account of the matter. Sit Andrew Wylic will rickcn people M the Author of Wsverley. It wai but tbe other day that some one was proposinf; that there should be a Society formed for not readiojt the Scotch Novels. But it it not the excellence of that line writer that we ate tired of, or reroli at, but v^pid imitations or catch-penny repetitioni of himself. Even the quantity of them has an obnous tendency to lead to thb effect. It lessens, instead of increasing our admiiation : for it •eeint to be in eridence that tbcic is no diiHculty in the task, and leads us to suspect something like trick or deception in their produc- 6m. We hare not been used to look upon works of ^niua as of the I fmigiu tribe. Yet the«e arc so. We bad rather doubt our own ta«W than aKtibe such a superiority of genius to another, that it works without conscioutncM or effon, executes the lattmit of a life b a lirw weeks, write* faster than the public can read, and scattcn tbe rich material* of thought sod feeling like so much chaff.
N. Aye, there it is. We had rather do any thing than acknowlcdfe the merit of another, if we have any possible excuse or evasion to help it. Depend upoa it, you are glad Sir Walter Scott is a Tory ^because it gives you an opportunity of qualifying your involuntary admiration of him. You would be sorry indeed if be were what yov call an bwfii man t Rnvy is like a viper coiled up at the bottom of the heart, ready to Fpting upon and poison whatever approachc* it.
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Wr live upon the Ticei, the unperfectionit the mtafortuoesi and di^ ■ppointincnl* of othc-K, sa our nAtunil food. W« canaot beat a uipcrior or ta eqiul. Uvea our prcicndrd cordial admiration it only a tubicrfuge of our vanity. By raieing one, we proponionobly Imrer and laiMrtify others. Our tclf-Iovf may perhapt be taken by furpiiae ■ad thrown o€ iu ^uard by noTclty t but it eoon recorcis itacif, and beeia* to cool in it> warmett expretsiona, and Hod every poauble butt. Ridicule, for thii leaion, it lure to prevail ui-er truth, because the malice of muikind thrown into the icole giro the caning- weight. Wc have one ouccnnon of nuthort, of painlcrR, of favourite*, alter aoocher, whoni we hail in thcii luma, because they operate at a divcriion to one anoihei, and relieve ua of the galling lenie of the Mpeiiority of uiy one individual for any length of time. By chaog- b{ the object of our admiration, we secretly pciauadc ourtelvea that there !■ no tuch thing at excellence. It it that which we hate abore all thingi. It it the wonn that gnaw* u«, that nererdie*. The mob shout when a king or a comjuctor appears: they would uke him and tear hitn in ]ncccs, but that he i« the Kapc-goai of their cride and vanity, and make* all other men appear like b herd of ilaves and cowardt. Instead of a thousand equals, we compound for one Miperior, and allay all heart-burnings and aniniouties among ourselves, by giving the palm to the liasi mortiy. This it the secret of monarchy. — Loyally it not ibc love of kings, but hatred and jealotuy of mankind. A lact^uey rides behind hi* lord's coach, and feel* no envy of his master. Why ? because he looks down and laughs, in his berrowad finery, at the ragged tabble below. I* it not so io our profittuon i What Academician cats liis dianci in peace, if a rival tit* Dear him ; if hi) own arc not the raoit admired pictures in the room I or, io that case, if there are any other* that are at all admired, and divide ditiinction with him i I* not every artifice utcd to place the picivrv* of other aitiiu in the worst light I Do they not go there after their performances are hung up, and cry \o pa'mi out imaiher euii What is the case among players i Does not a favourite actor threatca to leave the stage, at toon at a new candidate for public favour ia taken the lean notice of? Would not * Manager of a theatre (who hashimbelf prctcntjon*} sooner tee it burnt down, than that it should be saved from ruin and lifted into the full tide of public prosperity and favour, by the clfons of one whom he conceives to have np- planted himtclf in tbe n^lar opisioo '. Do we not sec an author, who ha* had a tragedy oaOBed, sat at the play every night of a new pttfMmaoce for years after, in the hopes of j[aining a new companion n Meat i I* it not an indelible o^ence to a picture-collector and pKiroQ of the attt, to hint that another has a fine bead in hit collec- 106
ON SITTING FOR ONE'S PICTURE
tioa t WUl any racrchant in the dly illow another to be wonh a film i What wit will applaud a ion mot by a riral ! He ui* uncaay and out of countenance, till he has madr another, which he think* will make the company forget the lirai. l>o women ever allow beauty in othenf Obfcive the people in a country-town, and «e« liow ihey look at thoM who are better dretied than ihemaelYeit ; li«iCD to die talk in country- pi acea, and mind if it i« campoied of any thino but tlandtrt, gosMp, and lica.
H. But don't yoa yourtelf admire Sir Joihua Reynoldi ?
N. Why, yc«: I think I fan no enry mytclf, and yet I have tomctimca caught my*elf at it. I don't lu>ow that I do not admire Sir .lothua merely aa a screen againu the reputation of bad picttiret.
H. Then, at any rate, what I tay it true : we envy the good len than we do the bad.
N. I do not think lo ; and am not nire that Sir Joahua hinwelf did not admire Michael Angclo to get rid of the auperiority of Titian, Rubent, and Rembrandt, which prenacd closer on him, and ' galled hii kibe more.'
H. I ahould not think iJiat at all unlikely ; for I look unon Sir Jofhua aa rather a apiieful man, and Jwaya thought he could hare little teal feeling for the worki of Michael Angelo or Raphael, which he extolled to highly, or he would not have been inaenrible to their etfcct the tjrst time he ever beheld them.
N. He liked Sir Peter Lely bettw.
ESSAY XI
OK SITTING FOR ONE's PICTURE
THgas i* a pleasure in titling for one'a picture, which many pcrton* are not aware of. People are coy on this subject at firtt, coquet with it, and pretend not to liki^ it, at it the cate with other venial iadulgencet, but they soon get over their tcruplet, and become reugned to their fate. There it a contciotit vanity in it i and vanity it the tntrum pDutUe in all our pleamtct, the true rfixir of human life. The utter at lirtt atfecta an air of indilTcrcncc, throw* htmKlf into a ttovenly or awkward petition, like a clown when he goei it courtiog for the littt time, but gradnaUy rccoven himielf, attempts an aititudct aod calls up hit beat looks, the moment he receive* intiinatioa that there ia tomething about him that will do for a picture. The beggar bi the itreet it proud to have hit picture painted, and would almoit
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
lit for nothiog : the finMt lady ia ibc iniid i« an food of lining to a btourite irtiat at ofntMiBg hcrwif before her looking-gbM ; aivd tbc more to, *■ the glis* io thi« cue >> ttotible of her chamM, and doe* all it can to 6 X or heighuti them. KiofEi lay aaide their crowna (0 nt for theii portrait), aod poet* their laureli to *it for their bii«U I I ■m aore, my lather had a* little vanity, and a* little love lor the an aa mon pcr*oat : yet when he had ku to me a few timei (now *on>c twenty year* ngo), he grew evidently uncMy when it wai a fine day, that ia, when the *un »hone into the room, *o that we coald nor paint ; •ad whcD it became cloudy, bejan to bustle about, and aak me if I waa 001 getting ready. Poor old room ! Doe* the win itil! thine bio thee, or doei Hope lling tit colours round thy wall*, gaudier dUn the rainbow f No, never, while thy oak-pannelt endure, will they CDcioae Ruch fine movements of the brain at patted through mine, when the freth hue* of naiurc glr;imrd from tlie canvnt, and my heart ■lently breathed the namea of Kembrandt and Correggio I Between my father'* loveof titting and tnineof painting, we hit upon a tolerable likeneta at last ; but tlie picture ia cracked and gone ; and MigUf (that bone of the Englwli tcbool) hat dettroyed ai fine an old NoacaofbriDiat head aa one oouJd hope to tee m theae degetterate
The &ct ia, that the having one'i picture ptintcd ia like the creation of another telf ; and that ia an idea, of the repetition or Kituplication of which no man is ever tired, to the thouaandth rejection. It ha* been taid that loveri are never tired of each other's company, because they ace always talking of themtelve*. Thii teemi (o be the bond of connexion (a delicate one it ia ! } between the painier and the litter — they arc alway* thinking and talking of the tame thing, the piaure, in which their nelf-love findt an c<]iu] counter-part. There ia always something to be done or to be altered, that touches that Bcnsitivc chord— this feature was not exactly hit off, tometbing ia wanting lo the nose or to the eye- brow*, it may perhap* be at well to leave out this mark or that blemi«b, if it were pottible to recal an cxpre«tion that wat remarked a «hort time before, it would be an indcocribabic advantage to the
rure — a tquint or a pimple on the face handtomcly avoided may a link of attachment ever after. He \t no mean friend who concealt from ourselves, or only gently indicaiet, our obHoiia defteu to the world. The titter, by hit repeated, minute, /it^rwjr inquirtea about himtelf may be lappoted to take ao indirect and laudable method of arriving at telf-knowledge ; and tbc artiit, in lelf-defmce, b obliged to cultivate a icrupuJona teodemein toward* the fcetingi of hi* *itter, letc he thoald appear in the character of a *py upon io8
ON SITTING FOR ONE'S PICTURE
him. I do not conocire Umtc it a ttnmgei ^1 upon tccret giatiiuile thaa the having made a faTOuiabJc lik«ncM of any one ; nor a nam ground of jcalotuy and dUiikc tbaa the having failed in iheaitnnpt. A »tii* or a lampoon in writing it bad enough j but here wc look doubt/ foolish, for wc are ourKlve* pirtiM to the {dot, and have been at considerable paint to give crideoce agaiatl ouitelvct. I httTC never had a pbttei cuu taken of mytelf : in tnitb, I rather thrialt from the experiment ; for I know I ihould be very much mortified if it did not turn out veil, and «bould never forgive the unfortunate anitt who had lent his aatituncc lo prove that I looked like a blockhead!
Tb« lute Mr. Opie ated to remark that the mott teeiible people made the best ajttcrt ; and I incline to lui opinion, etpecially at I mytelf am ao cxcelleoE titter. Indeed, tt wemt to me a pdece of rocic impertinence not to tit ua ttill xt one can in thctc circumttancei. 1 put the best face I can upon tbe mMiter, at well out of retpect to the attiit a to myielf. I appear on mjr trial in the court of phytiognomy, and am at anxiout to make good a certain idea I bavr of niyteir, at if I were playing a part on tbe Mage. I have do DOttoOi how people go to tleepi who arc titling for their piciurea. It ia an evident nni of wast of thought and of iDtemal retourcei. There are tome individuali, aU wbotc idea* are tn tbetr bandt and feet — make them fit still, and you put a itop to the machine altogether. The volatile ipirit of qoicktilver in them turn* to a cafui moriiMn. Cbiidren are otnicularly acnsible of thit constraint from their tbougbt- IcMncM and liveltoets. It it the next thing with them to wearing the fool't cap at Bcbuol : yet they are proud of having their picture* tskcD, atk when ibey are to tit again, und are raightify pleated when they are dooc. Charlct the Firtt't children teem to have been good litter*, and the great dog nu like a Lord Chaocellor.
The fc<:ond time a pcrton tttt, and the view of the feature* is detetmiaed, tbe head teem* fancncd in ao imawury vitr, and he ob hardly tell what to make of bit titaaiion. Re it cootinually ov«r- vtepping tlie bouodi of duty, and ti tied down to certain Jtne* and limiu chalked out upon tlie cinvaa, to him * ioviiiUe or dimly teen ' 00 the throne where he it exalted. The painter hai now a diilicull taak lo mani^e — to throw in bi« gentle admonitioiit, • A little more thit way, ur,' or * You bend mher too forward, mxUm,' — and ongbt 10 have a delicate white hand, that he may venture to adjuit a Mn£gling lock of hair, or by giving i alight turn to the hcaid, co- operate in tbe prKticaJ attaiitmcnt of a potition. Thctc are tbe ticklith and tiremne placet of the work, before much progreta it madci where the titter growt peevith and abtuacted, and tbe paiatcr
109
THK PLAIN SPEAKER
norc anxiouB and particular thaa h« wm thr day before. Now i* the tkat to Aiog ID a Tew adroit compliments, or to btroJuoe gcaenl topic* of conTersation. The artiit ouKkl to be a well-inforiaed and agreeable man — able to expatiate on hit art, and abounding in tiiely sod charactcnttic anecdotei. Yet he ought not to talk too much, or to grow too noiniated s or (he picture i* apt to mand Rtill, and the Bitter to be aware o( it. Accordingif, the ben talkers in the pro- lewioD have not alwayi bmi the moit tucccMfut portrait-paintctt. For that purpose it it dniraUe to bring a frieixl, who may relieve gjasi, or fiU up the nuue* of ooaverMtioe, occaaoned by the necesHry attentioo of tne painter to hi* buuDCM, and by the io- volmtary teTcrict of the titter on what hia own likenen will bring forth ; or a book, a itew«p^r, or a port-folio of print* may terve to unuae the time. Wbco iht utter'* fncie begins to Hag, the artist aty then properly start a fresh topic of discourse, and while hit Mtcotion it fixed on the graces called out by the taiying tntereu of the tubjectt and the mod«l aaticipatcs, pleaded and trmilinj;, their being traatfiiTrcd every momeat to the canToa, nothing it wanting to tmproTC and carry to nt height the amicable undetitundin^ and mtiluil tttitfactioo and good-will tubtiMbg between these two pcrtoot, to happily occupied with each other !
Sir Joahua matt have had a (inc time of it with his tittert. Lords, ladiei, generals authors, opcra'niagcrt, muiticiaai, the learned and the polite, beweged hit doors and found an uoEulinj; welcome. What a rustling of wlkt! What a fluttering uffiounces and brocades! What a cloud of powder and perfume* ! What a flow of petiwigii ! What an CKcbangc of citilitict and of titia ! What n recognition of old friendihips and an inirojuctian of new acquainunce and (ittert ! It matt, 1 ihtnk, he .illowcd dui this it the only mode in which genius can form a legitimate union with wealth and faihion. There is a secret and suAtcicot tic in intereti and vanity. Ab«iiact topic* of wit or levntag do not fumiih a conneciiDK link : but the painter, the sctilptot, come in cloie contact with the pertons of the Great. The tadjr of quality, the oounier, and the .trtitt, meet and nhakc hand) oa tbi* common ground ; the latter exercise* a tort of natural juritdiciion and dictaiori^u power over the pretention* of the lirst to externa] beauty lod accompbthmeni, which piodocc* a mild sense and tone of c<)ualtty ; and the opulent sitter pays the taker of fiatiering Ukeoeiset handiomcly for hit trouble, which doet not leiaen the lympathy between them. I'hcre is even a taiisfactioa in paying down a high
Erice for i picture — it leems as if one's bead was worth tomethicg I — >uring the fitu sitting, Sir Jothoa did little but chat witli the new candidate for the fame of portraiture, try an ittitude, or remark an no
ON SITTING FOR ONES PICTURE
exprtttion. Hi* object was to gain time, by not being m hute td commit himKlf, until he wat matter of the ntbjeci before him. No one ever dropped in but the fricndt and acquaintaoce o( the Hiiter — it wu a rule with Sir Joihua ihal from the moment the latter entered, he wm at home — tlie room belonged to him — but what lecrct whiipcrtngs would there be amoDft tUcWt what eonrideniiali ionudiblc comffiunicatioQi ! It must be a refrMbJoft moment, when the cuke and wine had been hund«d round, and the atti«i began asain. He, at it were, by thii act of hotpitality a«>umed a new character, and acquired a double claim to conlidcRcc and retpcci. In the mean lime, the nitier would |)C(hapt glance hii eye round the room, and ncc a Titian or a Vandyke hanging in one corner, with a trnniient feeling of gcepiiciim whether he «houId make tuch a oicture. How (he ladie* of quality and fashion must bleia chem- «]*» from being made to look like I>i. JohntKia or Goldimtth! How proud the first of the«e would be, how haupy the la«, to fill tlic ume arm-chair where the Bunbury* and the Horneck* had ut ! How (uperiur the painter would feel to them all ! By ■ happy alchemy of mind,' he brought out all their good <]ualiiicH and reconciled their defects, gair an air of «tudiou« ease to bi« learned friend*, or lighted up the face of folly and fashion with iotelligeDcc and graceful smiles. '1 hose portraits, however, that were most admired ai the time, do not retain their preeminence now: the thought remains upon the brow, while the colour has faded from the cheek, or the dress grown obsolete; and after all. Sir Joshaa't best pictures are thote of his worst sitters — hii Chiidrm. They suited best witli his unfiniibcd style i and are like the infancy of the att itself, happy, bold, Mtd cattlesi. Sir Joshua formed the circle of his private friends from the tiilt of his sitters i and Vandyke was, it appeam, on the same footing with his. When any of those noble or distinguished perconi whom he has immonalised vritb bis pencilt were sitting to him, he used to ask them to dinner, aikd afterwards it was their custom to rctuni to the piciore again, to that it is said that many of his lincsi portraits were done in this manner, ere the colours were yet 6iy, IB the eaiitac of a tingle day. Oh I ephrnieral works to Um for rrcrl
Vandyke married ■ daughter of EatI Gower, of whom there is a rery beautiful picture. She was the (Enone, and he his own Pari*.
A painter of the name of Aniey married a Lady , who tat to
him for her picture. He was a wretched hand, but a fine person of a loan, and a great coxcomb; .tnd on his siruttiog np and dowB before the portrait when it was done with a prodigious air of satisfac. tion, she obteitcd, * If he was so plcaiscd «ntb the copy, lie might
III
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
have the origiDtl.' Thii A»Iey w>* a per*on of roa^ific«nt habiu rad a miDptuou* taite in IWing; and i* the ume of whom tbe unecdote il rccordea, that when miqc English nudcnii wilting out near Rome were conpellcd by the heat to siti}! oiT their coau, /Vitlcy (li([^ajrcd A waiiteoit with a huge wateifall aucaming down the back of it, which wa« a piece of one of bia owa caovaMt that he had coovened to ihia purpote. Sir Jo«hua fell in lore witli one of hia fair sitteii, a jovnn aod beautiful girl, who ran out one day b a great {»nic and confu«ioo, hid hei face in her companion'* lap who wat teadiDf; in an outer room, and aid, * Sir Joihua had maJe her an offer ! ' Tbit circnmnance perhaps deserves mentioning the moret because there ia A general idea that Sir Joshiu Reynold) wa> a confirmed old bachelor. Goldsmith conceiitd a fruitleta attachment to the same person, and addressed some paisionatc letters to her. Alas ! it is the fate of genius to admire and lo eelebfaie beauty, not to enjoy it 1 It is a &tc, pefh;ip« not without its conipentaiioDs —
' Had Pttratch gained his Laura for a wife, Would he have irritten Sonnets all hii life f '
ThU diatiogisiahcd lieauty ia still living, and handramcr than Sir Joahua's picture of her when a girl ; and intdghs against the free- dom of Lord Bytoa'a pen witk all tbe chainung pnidery of the Un age.i
The relation between the ponrait-pstDter and his antiabic sitters U one of citabiishcd custom : but it is al*o one of metaphysical nicety, Bs»d is a running li^uUt tntnJrt. The lixiag an ioouiaitivc gaze t>n beauty, the heighcenisg a momeDtary grace, the dwelling on the hearen of an eye, the losing one's-aelf to the dimple of a chin, ia a dangerous employment. The painter may chance to alidc into the lorer — the lover can hardly turn painter. Tbe eye indeed grows critical, the hand is busy : but arc the scnsen unmoved i We are cntplo^ to tnnafcr living charms to an inanimate surface ; but they may ssnk isiio the bean by the way, and the Qetveleas hand be anablc to carry its Intcious burden any further. St. Pteux wonders at the rash nional who had dared to trace the features of bis Jnlia; and accuses him of iDseotibiliiy without reason. Perhaps he too lud an cnlhnsium and pIcMue* of hit own 1 Mr. Butke, in his SMmt
' Sir Josliui nuy tic tboujtht ta hart in^kit the cMipssiiion «( his (*msl* porlriiu niy coolly. ThtFc ii i puiun of hii rcmiiniag o( ■ Mrs. S)raun»Di, who ■pfetn ta kivt beto * adicstc bcaul)', pile, Wilh ■ very lilllc (olout ia h« t)i«lu : bsl (btn to Ml olF ihii wtcil of complfiloa. At a nintc<i In i tnatr- wbiu Hlia dim, there is s whit< mirbk filiit nm bn, ■ wklla eimd avk hii hod, lad bjr h« lidc slawJi Ont iafajl« tily, 113
ON SITTING FOR ONE'S PICTURE
aad Btauiifiit^ ha* left a <leiaii>tioa of wliat he termi the inoM beautiful object in nature, the neck of a lovely and innocent female, which ii wriiten *rry much u if he had himnr-ll' forrnecly painted thin object, and ucnticed at thbt formidahlc shrine. 'l'h«rc is no doubt ttiu the perception of beauty becomct moie exquisite ( ' till the ■enw adin at it ') by being studied and refined upon as an object of u( — it in at the lamc lime fortunately neutraliBed by thit meani, or the painter would nis mad. It i* converted into an ibatractioo, an itital thing, into *omcihing inierniediatc between nature and art, hotcring between a living aubcuncc and a leniclcM thadow. The health and (pint that but now breathed from a speaking face, the next moment breathe with almoit e(]ual etTccl from a dull piece of cin*aa, and thui dittract attention : the eye tparltlea, the lipa are moiai there too ) and if we can faocy the picture alite, the lace io ttt turn fade* into a pcture, a mere object of fight. We take rapturou* poaicHion with one lenoe, the eye ; but the artitt'a pencil act* aa a non- conductor to the groKicT deairn. Betidci, the acnBC of duty, of propriety inicrferca. It i« not the question at isKue : we have other work on our hands, and enough to do. Love \i the product of ciK and idlencu ; but the paiotcr haa an anxious, feverish, eevcr^cndiag tank, to rival the beauty, to which be dare not aapite even io thought, or in a dream of b!is». Paint* and bruahe* are not ■ amorou* toys of light-winged Cupid ' ; a rising ugh cvapoiaics in the aroma of some fine oil-colour or varnish, a kiodliDg bluah la uanslixed in a bed of vermilion on the palette. A blue vein meajidering in a white wfi«t iovitei Uie hand to toucJi it : but it is better to proceed, and not spoil the picture. The ambiguity become* more striking in painting from the naked figure. If the wonder occasioned by the object ii greater, so is the despair of rivalling what wc sec. The tcnac of respoDsibility incrra>es with the hope of crcaibg an aiiilicial tplentioar to match the tea] one. The dit^lay of unexpected charm foils our vanity, simI monilies passion. The painting j1 Diami anJ Nymphj ia like plunging into a cold bath of denre : to make a auiue of a Vtnw traoiforms the sculptoi himself to atone. The mow on the lap of beauty freezes the soul. The heedless, uniuspcciing licence of foreign mannera giro the atiin abroad an advantage over ours at home. Sir .loshua Reynold! pintcd only the head of Iphigene from a beautiful woman of quality : Canon had innocent girls to tit to him for hi* Graces. The Princess Borghew, whose symmetiy of form was admirable, sat to him for a model, which he conridered a* his maitcr-piece and the perfecuon of the female firm ; and when asked if she did not fieel oocomfbriable while it was takbg, she replied with great indiffcre«ce, 'No: it was not cold! ' I have but one Tou Til. :h IIS
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Oliver word to odd on thii put of the lubject : if havrng to paint a dclicJic Mid modett fiMii^ilc in a icmnution 10 g^illnntry. on th« other hind the ticting to » lady for one t picture i« 3 «lill more uying nlialiODt and amounts [ulniott of Mtlf) to a decliratioo of lore I
Lindacipc-paintiox ■' ffw ''''*'" ''^f toftnentinR dileiwmM and cmbiirrii)«rnenti. It h as full of the fcelinj; of pistornl limpliciCv uod CMC, u poitrait-paintiog is of per»onal vaoity and egotiim. Aw«y then with ihone incumbnuices to the true libcny <^ thought — the •ittcr't choir, the bug-wig and (word, the drapcrf, the lay &gort — and let us to some retired (pot in the country, tike out our port- foliot ))laat our easel, and begin. We are >U U once shrouded from ^Merration —
•The woiW forgriling, hy the world forgot t'
We enjoy the coot thiide, with eoUtude and silence i or hear the duhing waterfall,
'Or ttodt-dovt pltin acniil the fore«t deep. That drowiy ruttlct 10 (he highing g^e.'
It Kerns ilinoR a shame to do any thing, we are N well cootrat without it t hut the eye is restless, and we must have totnethbg to show when we get home. We set to work, and liulure or lucceM prompts ut to go on. We take up the pencil, or lay it down again, as we please. We rnu>e or pflint, as objects strike our senses or our reilcctioD. The perfect leisure we feel turns labour to a luxury. We try to imitate the grey colour of a rock or of the bark of a tree : the breexe wafted from its broad foliage giiei u* freih tpiriti to proceed, we dip our pencil in the sky, or aik the white clouds sailing orer its bocom to sit for thrir pictures. We are in no hurry, and have the day before uh. Or else, escaping from the clofe- embowered scene, we catch fading dittances 00 airy downs, and •eize un golden lunsett with the fleecy flocks glittering in the evening ray, after a ahower of rain has fallen. Or from Norwood** ridgy heights, survey the make-like Thames, or ha smoke-crowned capiuli
' Think of iti crimei, its caret, ii» pain, Then thield ui In the wooili again,'
No one thicks of disturbing a landscape-painter at bis task ; he seems a kind of magidin, the privileged genius of the place. Wherci-cr a Claude, b Wilson has btroduccd bis own portrait in the foreground of a picture, we look at it with interest (however ill it may be done) feeling that it is the portrait of one who wu ijuite happy at the tiniC) and how glad we should be to change places with him, 114
m ■
ON SITTING FOa 0N£*8 PICTURE
Mr. Bark« bu brought in a njiking nuode in one of hii later worki in allaaioD to Sir JoBhua's portrnlt <u Lord Kcppcl, with thoM of some other frienJa, pamied in their better day«. The portrait ii indeed i line one, worthy of the artist and the critic, and perhip* recaUt Lord Keppcl't meinocy oftener than any other circumttance at present doet.' Portraii-puintiag ia in truth a )ort of cement of friendthip, and » clue to hiitory. That hlockheid, Mr. C****r, of the Admiralty, the other day blundered upon some obiervaiiona of mine relating lo this subject, and made the riouae state by aaierting that poitrait-paintingwaa hiviory oi history pottriit, u ii happened ; but weot on to add, 'That those f^eailcmeo wlio had >een the ancient portrait) lately cxhiUled in Pall-mall, must have been satitfied that they were (tnctJy hiittrieal \ ' which ihowed that he knew nothing at all of the matter, and merely talked by rote. There wai nothing historical is the generality of thow portraits, except that they were portraita of people mentioned in hiitory — there was no more of the
' ' Ko msn V'lt* too li>n(,wha lirnto ilo wilh •pirll, and •nlFcr wiih rnipiilioa, (rhit PioriilFnn pIoKi In con)iT»n<l or inAlct i but itiAtti thtj ttt ihirp incani- fnoii^lkt *hich bcKt gE'J j|rr. Il vth but thi? oihfr ilay, chiC ia puit:fl|; i:i onJr-f •ODM things which hiiJ btrn brouslic here on my ukiag InvF of Luii'lan iat (Tir, I lenkdl onr i iiumbcf nt An« porttaiU, mHI uf (hern of pcrioni now rioH, but wbost HKNt]', in my btltcr <laj>, made ihii > ptODd >Dil hippjr place. Amongal thew wu tlw pi<tur( of Lorrf Kepprl. It wai piintol by >d *itiil woithjr al ihc lubJHt, the tMelknt hienit of thai eitrllfnl mac from lluir eiFliut youlh, anil s common ttieni o( u> both, vilh *hom v» XittA for mioy yrtn wiihinil ■ moRicnl of eoldntia, a( pccviiliDcai, of jeslouajr, ct of jar, lo the liay of our tint! uparitioD.
' 1 CTM lookad on t,a«! Krppcl at one of ihi (rntot and litti m«n of bli •gc ; and I loved anil cslliviitit him actordintljr. He nt much in my heart, and I briieve I waa in hit to iht vojr tad btil. It wit afin hit irlil ti Porl>- oieutb ihtl be (an nic thii picture. With what til an-l inaioiu iiFcclipn I ■tlcnilecl liim tliiough that hii afonf of glory ; uhii pari, mj ion, in e*tly Auth and Cnlhuiium of hi) virlui^ tail ihe pioui pauiDO wiih which he oiuehcd him at If to bE] my connraiani, with wIiMt pro-li|;>]Lty *« both tt^iEaciicreil ourKUrt in court- inf ilmoit tvcr; tort of tnnmy for hit uhc, I hclicn he felt, jgit it I ihould havs £eIi, nicfa fritndthip on tuch an occation.' — JCrmr « a t/Mi tarJ, f. tj, hChJ iJiiitm,frmN^fir T. tt^iiHtmi.
I have given thii puta(t tntirv htr«, bfcauR I with to be informed, it I eonld, whit ii (he conilruction of tbr \aH afoience of it. It hit puiile^ mc all my life- One .litKouliy niighl be (ol oiei bji making a panic iflei -I tvlicn he fft(,' and leaving out the comma beiw'een ' h4ve felt ' and ■ loeh fficndahip.' That i», (he ITMning would be, * I believe he fell with what leal and aniioua alTtclion,' dee,
* jutt aa I thoiild have fett lueh friendahip on auch an occaaion/ But then again, what it to bteonir of the 'what pan, my aont' Ac. With what doct ihia coaaecl, or to what vrib it ' <ny tor) ' the nominolive ok, or by ahti terb ii
* what pan ' goreroed \ 1 ibould really be glad, if, from any maaoacript, printed e«py, or marginal eomciion, lliii point could b« clewed up, and n dot a paiBi|c rM»lvtd, by any poailhk elliptit, into ordinary grammar.
Zi
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ipiril of hiitory in them (which ii fattioa or aetiem) ihin io tbeit dicMct. But (hii it the way at which ihai pertoD, by b!« |)ctti- foggiag habiu and literal undrrKaodiog, alw«y« mitiakM a verbal ttuinn for kok, and a misnomer for wit I I wat goiDf to obwrve, that I think the aidinjt the recolleciioa of out fatnily and fiieoda m oar abience may be > frequent and Ktong inducement to niiia|; for onr picture* ; but tlut I belieTc the lore of poithumoui fame, or oi coDtiauiag our memoriei ahci wc arc dead, hai very little to do with it. And one rcuoo I should gire for that opinion i« thiii that wc arc Dot nainrally very prone to dwell with pIcMurc on >ny thing that may happen in telaiton to ui ifter we are dead, becauM we are not food of thinking of death at all. We ihriok eijually from the procpect of that fttal eveut or from any apeculation on iti con- •eqoencet. The tuniving onrcelTe* in our picture* it but a poor cwnpeDsaiion — it i* rather adding mockery to cUamity. The perpetuating our name* in the wide psec of history or to a remote pocteiity is a vague calcutaiion, tlut may take out the immediaie King of raoruliiy — wliereat we ounetves may hope to Ian {by a fortunate exteniioo of the term of human life) aImo«t at lone u an onliiury portrait | and the wouodi of lacerated friendnhip it heal* mu« be idll green, and our a)he» icaicely cold. I think therefore thai the looking forward to this mode of keeping alive the memory of what we were by lifeless hues and dticoloured features, is not among the most approved conaolations of human life, or ^vourite dalliancea of the imagination. Yet I own I should like tome pari of tne, .11 the hair or even oaili, to be prcierved entire, or I ihould hare no objection to lie tike Whiilield in a state of petrifaction. This ■macks of the bodily reality at least — acts like a deception to the tpeciBtor, and breaks the tall from this ' warm, kneaded motioa to a clod' — from that to nothing— even to the person himsdf. I suspect that (he idea of potthumous Isme, which nas so unwelcome a con> dilion annexed to it, loses ita general rcUih a» we advance in life, and that it ii only while we are young that wc pamper our imaginations with this bait, with a sort of impunity. The reversion of immortality is then so diiuni, that we may talk of it without much fear of enter- ing upon immediate possession i death is itself a fable — i sound that dies upon our lipi ; and the only certainty seems the only impossibility. Fame, at that romantic period, is the iirn thing in our roouUu, and death the last tn our thought*.
116
IS GENIUS CONSCIOUS OP ITS POWERS?
ESSAY XII
WHETHER GSNIUS IS CONSCIOUS OF ITS POWERS?
' Ko tcaUy great nun ever thou;;ht himself to. The idea of greainea ia the mind anxwcis but ill to our knowledge — or tu our ignomncc of ouneUei. What lining prutc-writer, for inttnnce, would think of comjating himielf with Burke ! Yet would it not have bcvrn c^ul prciumpuun or cgoiiam in him to fancy himwlt equal to ihOK who had gone bcrorc bim — tioliogbroke or John»on or Sir William Temple i Became hit lank id letter* it become a tetttcd point with ua, we conclude that it mutt ha*e been quite aa aelf-eridcnt to him, and that he mutt have been perfectly uonacious of hit vaat tuperiority to the re«t of the world. Alat ! not to. No man it truly bimtctf, but in the idea which other* entertain of him. The miod, at well u the eye, 'leei not itself, but by rellcciion from lomc other thing.' What parity can there be between the effect of habitual compoiitioa on the mind of the individual, and the turprite occaiioaed by first reading a fine puttage in an udmtred autlior g between what we do with cate, and what we thought it aest to impotsible ever to be done } between the rcTcrrniial awe we have for yeart encouraged, without ■eeing reaton to alter it, for dittingui&bed genius, and the tlow, reluctant, unwelcome coovictioo th.it after ioliDite toil and repeated ditappointroentt, and when it i> too laie and to little purpote* we have ourtetvet at length accomptiihed what we at firtt ptopoted i between the intigni^cance of our petty, pcrional preientionE, and the vattneta .-md Kplendour which the aCmotpherc of imagiualion Icndt to an illuBtriout name i He who comet up to hit own idea of grtatnct«i mutt alwayt have had a very low ttandard of it in hit mind. ' What a pity,' taid tome one, ' that Milton had not the pleaiure of reading Paraditc Lottl ' He codd not read it, at we do, with the weight of impretaioo that a hundred yeart of admiration have added to it^ ' a phcEnJx gaxed by all ' — with the ncnte of the number of editiont it hat paued through with itill incicating reputation, with the tone of tolidity, time-proof, which it hat received from the breath of cold, envioui nulignert, with the tound which the voice of Tame hat lent to every line of it ! The writer of an ephenieiat productioD may be at much dazzled with it at the public : it m^y tparkle in hit own eyet for a momeci, and be tooo forgotten by every one elte. But no one cm anticipate the tulfraget of pottcriiv. Every man, in judging of htnuelf, it hit own contemporary. He may fed the gale (if
117
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
popalvity, bui he cannot tril how long it will lut. Hit ofiinion of luniKlf wBot4 dittancc, w^ints time, wnntf numbcrt, to set it olf and confirm it. He muai be iodilFrrcDt to hit owq mnit*, before he can feel 1 confidence in them. Beside*, every one must be ti^nsiblc oft tboiuand weakneMC* and dcticienctes in hiiritelfi whereii) Geitiui only Icavet behind it the monuments of iu Etrcngth. A ercxi naihe ii an abitniction oftomc one excellence: but whoever (anae* htmielf an abattaciion of excellence, so far from being great, may be luie that he is a blockhead, equally ignorant of excellence or deiect, of himself ot others. Mt< Burke, bcaiiles being the author of the RtflMivni, and the Liitrr to a NiibU Lord, had a wife and son ; and had to think ai much about theiu at we do about him. The imagina- tion gainii nothing by the minute details of perional knowledge.
On the other h;tnd, ii may he said that no roan knowi to well ai the author of any performance what it has com hint, and ihc length of time and study devoted to it. Tht< n one, among other reaionR, why 00 man can ])[i>nouiii:i' an opinioa upun hirtuclf. The happineas of the result bears no projiOTtion to the dilhculiict ovetcotne or the jiaint taken. Malrriam saftriiiat epui, ii an oM and fatal complaint. The definition of gcniui it that it acts unconsciounly ; and thoie who have produced immortal works, have done lo without knowing how at why. The greatest power opcratci unieen, and exccutei its ap- pointed task with aa little ostentation as difficulty. . Whatever \i done best, is done from the natuial bent and dispotition of the mind. It ia onlv where our incapacity begirs, that we begin to feel the obstaclet, and to set an undue value on oui triumph over them. Correggio, Michael Angelo, Rembrandt, did what they did without premedita- tion or elFort — their works came from their niindt at s natural birth — if you had asked them why they adopted this or that Myle, thejr would bare answered, becaaie they (iiiild not btlp il, and bccaUK thejT knew of no other. So Shakespcar tays ;
< Our poesy it as a gum which isnici From whenct 'tis noiiiiih'd. The (ire i' ih" flint
Shawn not till it be itnick: out gentle flame Ptavokei iiKlf i and, like the eurrtnt, fllci Each bound it chafe>.'
Shakespcar himielf waa an example of his own rule, and appears to have owed almost every tiling to dunce, scarce any thing lo industry or design. Hi* poetry llaihcs from him, like the lightning from the tummer-cloud, or the stroke from the tun-llower. When we look at the admirable comic detigns of Hogarth, they seem, from the un- Gnithcd state in which they are left, and from the freedom of the 118
IS GENIUS CONSCIOUS OF ITS POWERS?
pencilling, to ban coil bitn little trouble ; wherru the SigitmunJa a a very laboored and compancircly feeble pet for ma net, and he accord- ingly i« great store by it. He alao thought hii;h!y of his portrait*, and boaated that 'he could paint equal to Vandyke, give hlin hii time and let hiro cbooK hit tubject.' Thit was the very teaioo why he could [lot. Vandyke'* excellence CDOtinted in thi*, that he could puM a Anc poniait of any one ai »ight : let him take ever «o much poiu or chootc ever io bad a tubject, he could not help making •OtnethiDg of it. Hie eye, hit mind, hla hand viat catt in the mould of grace and delicacy. Milton again i« undcmtood lo haTe preferred Pamdiit RegamtJ to hi> other works. Thi», if so, wai either because he htroielf was conicious of hating failed in it ; or because othcri thought he had. Wc are willing to think well of thai which we know watili our farourabie opinion, and lo prop the ricketcy bantling, livery step taken, inviid Minrrva, cobcs ue lomcihing, and it »et down 10 account ; whereat wc arc borne on the full lidc of gcniu* and Bucceit into the very ha»eo of our detirea, alinott imperceptibly. The strength of the impulse by which we are carried along prerenta the sentc of difTiculty or resistance ; the true inspiration of the Muse is soft and balmy as the air we breathe ; and indeed, leave* ut litdc to boatt of, for the etTcct hardly teems to be our own.
There are two persons who always appear to me to have worked under this inroluntary, silent impulse more than any others ; i mean Rembrandt and Correggio. It is not known that C^rreggio eter saw a picture of any great mamfr. He lited and died obscurely in an OMCure village. We have few of his workB, but they are all perfect. What truth, what £racc, what an;;clic sweetnen are there! Not ooe line or tone that is not dirincty soft or exijuisitely fair ; the pamtcr'i mind rejecting, by a natural procett, all that it discordant, coarse, or un])I<Mting. The whole is an emanation of pure thought. The work grew under his hand as if of itself, and came out without a flaw, like the diamond from the rock. He knew not what he did ; and looked at each modest grace aa ii stole from the canvas with anxious delight and wonder. Ah ! graciout God ! not he atone ; how many mote in all time have looked ai their work* with the tame fcetingt, not knowing but they too may have done aoniething divine, immortal, and finding in that sole doubt ample amends for pining solitude, for want, neglect, and an untimely late. Oh ! for one hour of that uneasy rapture, when the mind first thinks it hat struck out something that may last for ever ; when the germ of excellence burtu from nothing on the startled sight ! Take, take away the gaudy triumph* of the world, the long deatlileai shout of fame, and give back that heart-felt BJgb with which the youthful enthusiast first weds inimorulity as hi*
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•ecm bride! And tboo toOt Renbtandt! wbo wm a mm of geam, if ever wutcr wu a nOD of gnunt, did thi* dieam hug orer yoB u yoa pasted that ttnagc picnrc of JanVt Ladder f Did yoBT rye ttruD over tbOM gnduJ dodi; cloud* ioio finanif , or did lltoM iriiit^-tnted, beaked figarca bafable to jov of fame m they apfflwchcd \ Did you knew what yoa were kbout, or did you oot patat oacb at it bappeoed \ Oh ! if m« h»d tbou^hl ooce aboot youfieif, or any thing but the tnbjKt, it woukl have been all otcr with 'the glory, the iMuitioat tbe aoMoity,' the dicani bad A«l, the (pell bad ben btokra. Tbe hiila would Dot hare looked like thoae wv M« ia riccp — that taiamkinalioo figure of Jacob, tfarown on om tide, woold not have tlept a* if tbe brnith w«a (airly taken out of lua body. So muirb do Rembrandt'* (acturea tarour of the touJ and body of reality, that tbe thought* aeeiii identical with tbe object* — if dure bad been the Icaii qocdbon what he tbould hatre dooe, or hew be iboold do it, or bow far be had lucceeded, it would hate ifwtkd emy thing. Lamp* of light bung upon hii pencil aod fell npoo hi* caan* like dew-drt)p« : tbe thadoary tcU wat drawn over hit back- graod* by tbe diUl.ofanwe finger of nigbt. ntkiag darkact* viwUc by Mill greater darkneM that eoaU oaly be felt !
Cffraam b aaoihcr t"— ^ of a aian of eeaitu, wboae work may be nid to baie vmig from hi* Bund> bkc Miaerva frooi the bead of Jtifiter. Doo Qsixotc isd Saacbo were a kind of twin* ; aod tbe JCM of ibc Ittlcr, aa he aayi, fell from him like drop* of nis wbea be leaai tboaght of it. Sbaketpear'i creatiooi were nore ranhifonD. but equally oatural aod un>t«die(L Raphael and Hiltoo *ee«n partial cxceptiotu lo thla rule. Their prodactioci* were of tbe ttmfMt aedtr \ and tboae of the latter tometime* e*eo anouat to ceato*. Aocord- bgly, we fittd Mittoa quoted amoog thoic aiilbor>t who have left prom of ibcir cotertainiag a high opiaioo of tbenuetTc*, and of chcriihiBg a atroBg aipiratioa alter fane. Soaie of Shakc«peir'* WaaiM hs*c beea alto cittd to the tame pvrpow; bai they teeBD ratbtr to coavey wayward and diaiatitfad con^biat* of bit mtoward lonaae than any thing bite a trinopliaiK and can£deot teltance oa hi* littve renown. He appcvt to have aiood oore alone aod to have ibm^t IcM aboot binwlf than aay bnog being. One reatoo for that indiffereacc may have bceot (bat a* a writer be wa* tolerably MKcetaAiil in bit UiMinie, aod oo doobt prodoced hi* work* with very great facility.
1 hardly ktiow wbctbet lo data Qande Lorraine aa aaioitg tbote who lucceeded mott ■ throngh bappinoii or pais*.' It i* certain that be iraiuted bo ooc, and ha* had oo wccrMful ioiiiator. Tbe perfec- tion of bit hodacapea accmt to have been owiim to as tnbertau i}uiiity
ISO
IS GENIUS CONSCIOUS OF ITS POWERS?
of haimon, to an exquiiitc •enae of dclicacf in hii mini. Hii monotony nu been complained of, which i% apparently produced from a preconccircd idea in hii mind ; and not long ago 1 heard a perwD, not mori: dieiinguithcd for the lubtilty than the naivni of hi« tu- caaini, remark, * Oh 1 1 never look at CUudc : Lf one lia« Be«a one of hi) picture), DDc haa itcn them all ; they are every one alilie : there it l&e aame iky, the umc cHmaie, the tame time of day, the tame tree, and that tree ii like a cabbage. To be nire, they *ay be did pretty well ; bat when a man it alway* doing one thing, he ought to do it pretty well.' There is no occasion to write the name under thi« cntici'm, and the be«t answer to it i» that it it true — hii picturci alwayt are the umc* bot we never wish them to be Qtbcrwtie. Pcf- fectioo is one thia^. I confint I think that Claude knew this, and felt tliai hi« were the linett laodacapea b the world— that net had been, or would ercr be.
I ant not in the humour to puraac tbii argument any brther U prcKnt, but to write a digrcwioD. If the reader ii doc already ttrotiwd of it, he will pleate to take notice that I write thii at Winttnlow. My «iylc there it apt to be redundant and excuru*e. At other time* it may be cramped, dryt abrupt i but here it flowa like a river, aod overcpruds it* tMnk*. I bare not Co seek for thoughca or bunt fipr image* : they come of thcmaelrci, I inhale them with the breeze, and the lilent groTes ate vocal with a thouaaod tccoUcction^—
' And viiiooi, as poetic eye* avow, Hang on each leaf, and cling to e*'ry bough.'
Here 1 came fifteen year* ago, a willing exile ; and ai I trod the lengthened g;retntward by the low wood-aide, repeated the old lioe,
* My minii to mr a kUigiloin in 1 '
I found it M> then, before, and lincc i and *hall I faint, now that I have poufcd out the ipirit of chat miod to the world, und treated many aubjeda with truth, with freedom, and power, because I have been followed with one cry of abu»c ever »ince /w not hang a gvoem- mttn-toolf Here I returned a few yran after to lini»h »ome work* I hiA undctukeo, doubtful of the event, but dctcimined to do my beat ; •od wrote that character of Millimant which wa* once tnoKribcd by finger* fairer than Aurora'*, but no oocice waa taken of it, became I waa not a ffivctntatnlrtjaai, and mu>t be auppoccd devoid of taate and elegance by all who aipired to ihctc qualitic* in th«r own perioM. Here 1 ikctched my account of that old honest Signior Orlando Friioobaldo, which with its fine, racy, acrid tone that old crab-apple, C*ff***d, would hare relifclied at pretended to rettah, had I been a
III
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
T^lfTA
If«m««.
m
periodiaiki
IS GENIUS CONSCIOUS OF ITS POWERS?
doM ««ll| piy* wcU, and ia * cried out apon in <he top of ibc coin- pMi.' It ii this indeed that has tared my shallow akiif from quite RNBdering on Tory spite and rancour ; for when people have been rmjing and approring an article in a raitcellancous journal, it doct sot do to lay when they discover the author afterwards (whaccTer nMglH hilt been the case before) it is written by a blockhead i and even Mr. Jerdan recommends the volume of CHAUcreitirnct as an excellent little work, because it haa no cabalistic name in the title- pag«, and swear* * there it a iirit-taic article of forty pagei in the lact niimber of the I^dinburgh from Jeffrey's own hand, though wheo he learns ajtaiott his will that it is mint) he devotes three successive auiubers of the LrreimY Giii-m to abuae 'that tfrangt article in the bat number of the Edinburgh Review.' Others who had not thsa advaDtaec have fallen a sacrifice to the obloquy attached to the napicion ordoubting, or of being acquainted with any one who is ItnowD to doubt, the divinity of kings. Poor Kctii paid the forfeit of this itxi anijtiii with his health and life. What, though his Verse* were like the breath of spring, and many of his thoughts like flowers —would this, with the circle of critics thai beset a throne, lesicn the crime of their having been praised in the Examiner ? The lively and most agreeable Editor of that paper has in like manner been driven from hit country and hit friends who delighted in him) for no other rea»0D than having written the Story of Rimini, and asserted tco year* ago, 'that the most accomplished prince io Europe was u Adonis of fifty ! '
' Rtium, Aloheus, the dread VMce U^it, That shrunk thy ttmmai reniin, Sicilian Muse t *
t look out of my window and sec that a shower has just fallen : the fields look green after it, and a rosy cloud hangs over the brow of the hill ; a lily expoodi its pcul* la tht iBoiliatc, dressed in its losely green aitd while; a shepherd-boy hm just brought some piece* of turf with daisies and grass for hit young mistress to make a bed for her sky-lark, not doomed to dip his wings in the dappled dawa — my cloudy thoughts draw otf, the storm of angry politic* has blown over — Mr. Blackwood, 1 am yoor* — Mr. Croker, my service to voo— Mr. T. Moore, 1 am alive snd well — Re^ly, it is wonderfiil how little the worse I am for fifteen years' wear and tear, how I come upon my legs again on the ground of truth and nature, and ' took abroad into universality,' forgetting that these is any ndi person •* mysdf in the world!
I have lei this postage stand (however critical) because it may serve is a practical illustration to show what author* really think of
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
themielTM when pnt npoa the ixtmure — (I cocfcMi the nibiect hai nothing to do wiib the title M the hMd of the Emi^ ! ) — and a« a wAioiog to ihow who may reckon upon their fur portion of populvity u (he reward of the exereiM of aa iodc^oileat t|»rte ind such taleoa at tbey poweu. It mmciime* «eemi at fim tight at if the low •cuiilic^ aod 'fugpo of «bu«e by which it ii attempted to orettay all eOOUBOD tcDK and decency by a tiuuc of tin and nkkoamet, ever- bttincly repeated and applied inditcrimiiHtciy to all ihoce who are BOt 01 the regular goTcrnment-paity, wat peculiar to the preartu time, and the aaomaloua growth of modern criticism ; but if we took back, m (hall fiad the tame tynem acted upon, as ofren aa power, prejo- dice, dulaew, and ipite fouad their account iti playing the same imo one aaother't luniit— in decrying popular enbrtt, and tn piing cufTCDCy to every tpecie* of bate metal that bad their own conTCD- tional ttamp unoo it. The name* of Pope and Dryden were aaiatled with daily and ontpinng abate — the epithet A. P. R. vnt levelled U the tacicd head of the former — and if even men like these, having to deal with the cootciouanett of their own imlrniities and the iatolence aad tpunn of wautoo eonuty, mutt have found it liard to poiieet tbetr Mula in patience, any living writer aniidtt sucb contradictory evidence can tcarcely expect to retain much calm, ttcidy conviction of hit own meritt, or build himtcif a iccUTc reveffion in imniortality.
However one may in a Ct of tuleen and impatience turn round and aaten onc't daimi in the face of low-bred, hireling malice, I will here repeat what I tet out with tayinj;, that there never yet was a nun of MDte and proper tpdrit, who would not decline rather than court a compiriton with any of lho«c name*, whotc reputation he really emulatci — who would not be totry to tuppote that any of the great heirt of memory had as many foibles as he knows himtelf to poateia — and who would not shrink Irom including himielf or being included by othert in the tame praiae. that was otfeted to long-euabliihed and Dnivertally acknowledged merit, as a kind of profanation. Thoae who are ready to fancy ihcmselvci Raphaels and Homers are very tnlcrior men indeed — they have not even an idea of the mighty BUM* that ' they take in rain.' They are at deficient in pride a« in iDodMty, aad have not to much at served an apprenticeship to a true ud boiiourihlc amlMtiun. They mistake a momentary popularity for laatiag renown^ and a sanguine temperament for the iotpiraiiooi of geotua. The love of lame is too high and delicate a feeling in the miitd to be mixed up with realities — it it a totitaiy abttractiont the teem tigh of the toul —
* It is all one at wc should Ion A briglii particular Mai, aad think to wed it.'
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A name • fut-nnchored ia th« deep abytf of lime ' U like a itar twinklitig in the iirnuntcnt, cold, nilenc, dittant, but ctrrnal and ■ublime i and our trangnutUD}; one to posterity it aa if wc aboold con* tempJAte our translation to the altiea. If we are not contented with thU fccHng on the subject, we (hall never ail in Caaaiopeia'a chair, not will our name*, studding Ariadne's ctown or atrcsiming witlt Berenice'! locks, erer make
' the face of heaven to bright. That birdi ihall a'tng, and think it weri not night.'
Thoae who are in love only with noi»c and tthow, inetrad of dcroting themselves to a life of Uudy, had better hire a booth at Bartlemy- Fair, or march at the head of a recruiting regiment with drumi beating and colour* Sying !
It baa been urged, that howcrer little we may be diipoaed to iodulge the rcHeaion at other limca or out of mere teif-complaceDcy, yet the mind cannot help being conacioua of the efTort required for any great work while it it about it, of
* The high rndrarour and the glad lucccu.'
I grant that there ia a aente of power in agch caaca, with ibe exception before nutcd ; but ibcn this rery effort and state of exchv- ment engrosses the mind at the time, and leaves it listless and exhausted alterwarda. The enern we exert, or the high nate of enjoyment wc feel, puts us out of conceK with ourteWe* at other time*: compared to what wc arc in the act of compoMtion, wc •cem dull, comitMn-pLace people, generally tpcaking; and what we have been able to perform it rather matter of wonder than of self* conj; rat Illation to us. The tttinulua of writing is like the atimuliu of intoxicaiioo, with which we can hardly sympathise in our sober momenta, when we are no loogter under the inspiration of the demon, or when the rirtae is gone out of us. While we are engaged in any work, we are thinking of the auhjcci, and cannot atop to admire ouraelvcE) and when it if dooc, wc look at it with compiratiTC indi^ereecc. I will vcaiure to say, that no one but a pedant ever read his own works regularly through. They arc not lit — they are become merv wonla, wMt^-ptptr, and have none of the glow, the creative entbiuLann, the vebeiDeDce, and natural spirit with which he wrote them. When we have once committed our thoughts to paper, written thcro fairly out, and teen that they are right in the printing, if we arc in our right wita, wc hare dome with them for etCT. I •omctimes try to read an anicle I hare writirn in some magazine or tcriew — (for when they arc bound up in a voIuhh', I dread the very
<"5
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•ijht of tbemi— but (top after a KntcDce or iwo^ aed mttr recur to tiK UiJu I UMw prect; well what I hare to tay on the tubject, and do not wact to go to kHooI to mytelf. It it the worn iottancc of the til reptata crambe in the world. I do Dot thinlc that even Mioteti hare much delight in looking ai thdr woiits alter they an oooe. While iliey ate in ptogreu, there it a great degree of tatit- faciion in contJdetinf; what has been done, at what is Mill to do — but thii it hope, in tewrip, and ccairi with the comf-letioD of our elToru. 1 ihould t)Ot imagine R;iphael i>r Coricg^ would have mtich pleaaure in loolting at their foiiner work*, though they might rccoUcct the pleatore they had had in painting them t they might »py defecu io ibcRi (for the idea of aoaiuinablc perfection taW keep* pace with oiiT actuat approaches to it}, and fancy that ihey were doc worthy of immortality. The greatest ponran- painter the world ever taw nied Io write under hta pictures, 'luitmut /aiieiai,' ligaifying tliat they were imperfect ; and in hi* letter to Charte* v. accompanying one of hit moat admired work*, he only ipoke of the time he had been about it. Aonibal Caracci boasted that he could do like Titian aad Correggio, and, like tno«[ boaiirrs, was wrong. (Sit Hi tfirrtfJ hiUrr II til tautin Ltid»vie», on itfing iht pklvra at Parma. )
The grtatcti pleasure in life it that of reading, while we are young. I have had at much of ihii pleasure at perhapa any one. At I Erow oldef( it ^ct ; or eW, the lUonger tiimolut of writing take* oil the edge of it. At present, 1 hate neither time nor inclination for it : yet I ihoald like to devote a year'* entire leiture to a course of the English Novctittti and peihapt clap on that old aly knttte, Sii Waller, Io the end of the Ittt, It is aatonithiog how I nted formerlT to relish the style of certain authors, at a time when I mytelf detpaircd of ever wciiing a single line. Probablv thit wai the tca«on> It is not in rocoul as in natuial atceni — inicllcciual objects teem higher when wc sarrcy them from below, than when we look dowo from any given eleTaiion above the common IctcI. My three &*ouritc writer) about the time I speak of were Burke, Junius, and Roatseau. I wai never weary of admuing and wondetinj; at the felicities of the style, the turns of exptCHioo, the relinementt of thought and sentiment : 1 laid the book dgwn lo find out the iccrct of M> much Mccngih and beauty, and took it up again in despair, to read on and admire. .So I patted whole days, monthi, and I may add, years ; and have only thit to tay dow. that at my life besao, to I could wibh that it may end. The last lime 1 tatted this luxury in its full perfection was one day after a sultry day's walk in summer between Farnham and Alton. I wa* (itirly tired outt t walked into an ion-yard ( I thiak at the latter place) ; I was shown by the waiter
ii6
ON THE PLEASURE OF HATING
to what looked at (irtt like commoD out-houMi u the other end of it, but they lutned out to be a luite of roomi, probably a hundred yean old — (he one [ entered opened into an old-fa>hiocied garden, em- bellished with beds of lukspuT and a leaden Metcury ; it was wainicoicd, and tlieie was a grave- looking, dark-coloured pottrait of Choilet ti. han};in|t up over the tiled cbimney-piece. I had ' Lovt fir Low ' in my pockcl, and began to tead ; coffee waa brought in in a tUver cotfee-pot ; the cream, the breud and butter, ctery thing wai excellent, and the flavour of Congreve'i style prevailed over all. I fffoloDgcd the enteruinmcni till a laic hour, and relished this divine comedy better even than when I oied to tee it played by Mita Mellon, as Mht Pnte ; Bob Palmer, ai Talth ; and Banoiater, aa honeit Bfit. Thii circumstance happened jutt live yeaia ago, and it Kenu like yeaterday. If I count my life lo by luairea, it will sooa glide away; yet I ahall not have to repine, if, while it last*, it ia Clinched with a few tuch recollecdona !
ESSAY xin
OM THE PLEASURE OF HATING
Tkiu b a ipider crawling ikwg the matted Hoot of the room where I tit (not the one which baa be«n to well allef;ori>ed in the admirable Lmui to a SfiiJer, but another of the lame edifying breed) — he runt with hccdlcvt, hurried hatie, he hobbles awkwardly towardt me, he (top* — be acet the giant thadow before him, and, at a lost whether to retreat or proceed, meditates his huge foe — but as i do not start up and icize upon the uragfiling caitiif. as be would upon a hapleM fly within his toils, be ukes heart, and ventures on. with misgled cunning, impudence, and feat. At be pattet me, I lift up the matting to aasist hii etcape, am glad to get rid of the unwelcome ininider, aod abuddcr at the recollection after he it gone. A child, a wotnaa, a clown, or a nkoralisl a century ago, would bare crushed the little reptile to death— my philowphy has got beyond that — I bear the creature no ill-will, but itill 1 hate the very sight of it. The spirit of malerolcnce lurvives ilie practical exertion of it. We learn to curb our will and kcvp our orcrt actioQk within the bounds of humanity, lo«ig before we can subdue our tectiroenti and imaginaiiont to the lamc mild tone. We give up the external demonatration, the Irutf violence, but cannot part with the cttesce or principle of boculity. We do not tread upon the poor little aniroal in qoeuion
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(that tttmt b*rt»ro« sad ptifiil ! ) bat wc regwd h whb » aon of ■yMK borrorsad tKpertutiout loatbing. Ii viU Mk anotber buadnd yean of fine wrUini ud hud tluidUBg to cim na of Uw prejudice, Hid Buk« w feel tawardi tbia lU«mnKd tribe whb MNnetMag of 'die milk of biHDvi ktndacM,' iMteKl of tbeir own thyncM uid
Knvc leemi (the more we look iota it) made up of imyilhiw i
without MKiicthiog to hate, wc Aodd lote the very apnag at ibomht ■sd Wtioa. Life would ton) to a Magoaat |m>o1, were it doc raffled by the janiflg iotemu, the uonily punotti of meo. The white MCak io OUT own foriufiei it brighteoed (or jait rendered TUible) by BiakiDg all uoond it ai dark u powible i so the raiobow painti tti forai upon the clo«d. 1( it pride t It it enry ! It it the force of cootrait i la it weakocM or malice ! But to it it, thai there it a teciet affiiuiy, a banitrm after cril ia tbc buman miod, aod that it takct a perrerw, but a lonunaic delight in nuachicf, tiscc it it a BeTecfailinx aource of utitfactkta. Pare good loOB growt ioatpkl, waott tatxiy and Bpitit. Pain it a bitter-aweet, wUch never mrfeit*. Love lanu, wtib a little indulgence, to iodifiereoce or diagutt : hatred alooe ia immortal. — Do we not tee tbit principle at work every where ? Animali tormeat and worry one aoocber without mercy : children kill file* foe tport : every orte readi the accidcnta Md oftecea in a newapaprr, a* the cream of tbc jctt : a whole town rwu to be pretent at a Hre, and the ipectaior by no meant exohi to •ee it exiiaig«iabed. It it better to ba*e ir to, but it dinuDi^het the iiMetettt and our (eelinj{a t^ke pn with oor paidona, rather than with our imderManding*. Men ataemUe in crowd*, with eager ecthiuiaam, to witncta a tragedy: but if there were an execution goiru; forward in the next itreet, at Mr. Burke obactrca, tbc theatre would be left empty. A Mrange cur in a village, an idiot, a crazy woman, are tet upon and baited by the whole oommoDtty. Pnbtie naJBBcea are in the nature of piAlic benelita. How long did the Pope, the BomboM, and tbe InouititioQ keep the people of Eogbad b breath, and aupply them wnb nickMunte* to vent ibeir fpletn
r! Had they dooe ui any harm of latef No: but we have jt a qoantiiy of lupcrltuoui bile upon the nonuch, and we fraated an object to let it out upon. How loth were we to give ■p ow pioua belief ia gboit» and witches becauac we liked to peraccuie the oat, aod frighten ounehca to death with tbe other! It ii not tbe qstlity to ooch at the quantity of excitement that we are anxiotii about : we cannot bear a itate of iodiifcrcnce and nmm : the miod leemt to abhor a tMcaww at muci) at ever matter waa wppoaed to do. Even when tbe tpirit of tbe age (that it, the 118
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ON THE PLEASURE OF HATING
prof;r«» of inielleetual refioement, waning with ouf natufal iDlirmiiies) Du luay^rt diowi uk to carry our viDdicUTc tad hciditrong humour* into clTcct, wc try to (crire tliem in dMcription, Mid keep up the old hugbran, the phantomt of our terror and our hate, in imagination. Wc burn Guy Faux in effigy, and the hooting and butTcting and maltir^ting that poor Uitciml ligure of rags aad attaw makes a fcniraJ in c»ery village in England oqcc a year. ProtmaBta and Pspiita do not now burn ooe another at the atuke : but we tubactibe to new ediliona of Fox's Book tf Mortyri \ and the aecret of the nicceiaofche Scoltb Nevth it much the name — they carry ui back to the icud(, the heart- burning!, the haToc, the diimay, tbc wrong* and the icTrngc of a barbarous age and people — to the rooted prejudices and deadly animosities of srctt and purtici in politics and religion, and of contending chiefi and clans in war and intrigue. We feci tlie full force of the «|ririt of hatred with all of them in turn. Aa we read, we throw aside the tnimmcl* of civiHaation, the flimay reil of humanity. ' Otf, you lendinga ! ' The wild beast remime* ita away within ut, wc fed like hunting-ant mat t| and .1* tbc hound tian* in hii aiecp and rushes oo the cbatc in fancy, the heart roDics iiacif in in native lair, and utters a wild cry of joy, at being restored once more to freedom and lawless, unrestrained impul«ea. Every one haa hit fiill twin^, or goes to the Deril bis own way. Here are no Jeremy Beoiham Panopticons, none of Mr. Owen's impaiaabic Parallclogrann*, (Rob Roy would hare ■pumed and pouted a thousand cursM on them], no long calculations of •elf'interett — the will takes its instant way to m object; aa the mountain -tor rent flings itself o?cr the precinice, the greatest jiossiUc good of each individual conaitt* in dome all the miachief he can to his neighbour ; thai is charming, and finds a sure and sympathetic chord io erery breast! So Mr. Irving, the celebrated preacher, has rekindled the old, original, almost exploded hrll-lirc in the aisles of the Caledonian Cbopcl, as they introduce the real water of the , New River at Sadler's Wells, to the delight and attoniohmcni of his fair aodiencc. 'Tu pritij, though a fit^ut, to sit and peep into the pit of Tophet, to pUy at nu^^agvn with flame* and brimstone ^it giies a sman electrical thock, a lively fiUip to delicate constitu- tions), and to see Mr. Irving, like a huge Tiun, looking as grim and swarthy as if he had to forge tortures for all the damned ! What a strange beine man is ! Not cooccni with doing all he can to vex and hurt his fellows here, ' upon this bank and sboal of time,' where one would think there were heart-aches, pain, disappointment, anguish, .tears, sighs, and groans enough, the bigoted maniac taken him to the top of the high peak of school divinity to hud him down
VOL. VU. 1 I 1 19
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ihc yawning piU of pmal 6rei hit Bpecolatire malice uk» eternity to wreak iti inlinite tpite in, and call* on the Almighty to execute its rclenilM* doom I The cannibalt bum thdr cncmtn and cat them, in good-fdlowthip with one another : mcvk Chriiuaa dxnnttj CMt thote who differ from Ihem bat a hairVbreadth. body aad i into hell-lirei for the jlory of God and the good of hi* creiinrwi' It ii well that the power of such permni ia not co-ordinate wiih tbcii villi : iodeed, it i* from the kok of their weakneii :uid inability to control the opinion* of othen, (bat tbcy ihui ' outdo termagant,' nod endeavour to frighten them into conforraity by big word* aod mooMrout denunciation t.
The plefttuie of hving, tike a poitonotu mineral, csu into the bean of religion, and tuci» ii (o rankline tpleen and bigotry i h nukei uatriottim an cxciuc for carrying fire, peftikoce, and umine bto other Undi ; it leave* to Tinue nothing but the «pirit of ceoiorioutnew, and a narrov, jealoiu, inquiutorial watchfalnetf onr the iciiona and modtes of other*. What hare the dilTcfcnt accts, creed*, doctrine* in religion been but co many preicxu tet up for men to nrrangle, to qnanel, (o tear one another in piccet about, tike a target as a mark to shoot at i Doe* any one snppo»e that the love of country in an Engltthmao implies any friendly feeling or dibpoiitioo to serve another, bearing the same name f No, it mean* only hntrcd to the French, or the inhabitants of any other country that wc happen to be at war with for the time. Dort the love of virttw denote any with to discover or amend our own fanlu ? No, but it atones for an obstinate adherence to our own vices by tbe most vinalent intolerance to human frailtic*. This principle ii of a most universal anplicadoo. It extends to good ai well a* evil : if it makes u* hate folly, it makes u* no test dtstatitlied with distinguished merit. If it incline* ti* to reient the wrong* of olhcri, it impels u* to be a* tmiMtient of their prosperity. We revenge injuries: we repay boicRu wiih ingratitude. Even our strongest partialities and likings loon take this turn. 'That which was luscious at locuits anon becomei bitter as coloquintida ; ' and love and friendship melt in their own fire*. We hate old friends : we hate old books : we hate old opiDMO* t and at lait wc come to hate ourtelve*.
I have obierved that few of tbo>c, whom I have formerly known most intimate, continue on the tame friendly footing, or combine tbc tteadincis with the warmth ot' nttachmcni. I have been acquainted with two or thr<« knot* of inseparable companions, who *aw each other ' iLx dav» in the week,' that have broken up and diipcrsed. I have qoarrelled with aln>oet all my old friends, (tbcy might tay this i* owing to my bod temfier, but) they have also quarrelled wtth-
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ON THE PLEASURE OF HATING
one another. What it become of 'that Rt of whist- pUyeii,' celebrated by EkU in hU notable Epiiitr to R«hfri Seuihty, Erg, (acd now I think of it — that I niygelf have celebtateii in this vnj Ti^unie) 'thai fof lo many year* called Admiril Bumey friend?' They arc tcittetcd, like last year"* tnow. Some of them arc dead— or gone to live at a distance— or pati one another in the atreet like BtMnger* i or if ihcy atop to epeak. do it at coolly and try to eul one another aa uion aa poiaiblc. Some of u( have grown rich — others poor. Some hare got piacei under GoTemment — other* a nktt in the Quarterly Review. Some of u« Kave dearly eancd a name in the world ; vrhiln oihcri remain in their original privacy. We deipiM the one ; and envy and are glad to mortify the other. Timet are chaoged ; wc cannot revive our old feelings i and we avoid (be light and are uneasy in the pretence of thoae, who remind Uf of our inhrmity, and put ut upon an elTort at teeming cordiality, which cmbarraa)c( ouraeivei and doet not impose upon our quoaJom atsociatct. Old friendihips are like meat* served up rcpcaicdij, cold, coniforltcM, and dinutcful. The stomach turns against them. Either constant intercourse and fumitiarity breed weariness and contempt i or if we meet again after an interval of absence, we appear no longer the *an>e> One is too wise, another too foolish for u* ; and we wonder wc did not lind this out before. We arc ditcooccrted and kept in a state of continual alarm by the wit of one, or Itted to death of the dullness of another. The geoJ lUt^i of the lirst (betides leavmg stings behind them) by repetition grow ttale, and loK their atarttiog c^ect t and the inttpidity of the last become* intolerable. The matt amusing or instructive companios is at best like a favourite volume, that we with after a lime to lay aprm iht thtif; but at our friends arc not willing to be laid There, this produce* a misunderstanding and ilUblood between us. — Or if the zeal and integrity of friendsliip is not abated, or its career interrupted by any obntacle arising out of ita own nature, we look out for other subjects of complaint and sources of dissatiifaction. We begin to criticise each other's dress, looks, and general character. ■ Such a one is a picaiant fellow, but it is a pity he sits so late 1 ' Another fails to keep hit appointmcnti, and that is a tore that never beals. We gel acquainted with some ftshionablc young men or with a misircse, and wish to introduce our friend ; but he is awkward and a sloven, the interview does not answer, and this throws cold water on our intercourse. Or he make* himself obnoxious to opinion — and we shrink from our own conviction* on the lubject m an excu»c for not defending him. All or any of these cause* mount up in time to a ground o^ coolncsa or irritation— and at last they
131
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ImtA out bto open violence u the only amendi ve can imJte our- mIvm for tuppTCMing them to long, or the readioe mean* of btni^hing rccoll«ctiaas of former kindnew, to litelc com)a»blc with our prnnit fcclinck Wc may try to umpcr with the woundc or patch up the carcuc of dep«rt«i fricndihip, but ihe one will hardly bear the iuuidlbg, and the other a not worth the trouble of embalmiDB! The ODiy wa^ to be recoocilcd to old frieod) i* to pan with them tor good : at a dutAnce we may chance to be thiown hack (in a wikiog dreatn) upon old limen and old fcelinet : or at any talc, wc should not think of renewing our imimacy, till wc have fairly ffil «ur tfite, at uid, thought, and felt all the ill wc can of each other. Or if we can pick a quarrel with some one cIk, and make him the )capc-goat, this IB an excellent contrivance to hejil a broken bone. I think 1 muot be friendi with Lamb a^uin, giccc he hai wiitlcn that magoani- mouK Letter to Southey, and loU him a piece of his mind ! — I don't
koow what it it that atiachen me to H bo much, except that he
and I, whenever wc meet, nil in judgmcoi on another set of old friendf, and 'carve them a« a dith fit for the Gods.' There was
L — H , John Scott, Mrs. , whoic dark raven lock» made
a pcturceque background to our diecourte, B , who is grown fat,
and it, they say, married. R : these had aJl separated long ago,
and their foibles are the common link that holdi lit together. Wc do not affect to condole or whine orer iheir follies i we enjoy, we laujb at them till we are leadv to burst our sides, ' /«*/ inteimiisioo, [or ' hours by the dial.' We serve up a course of anecdote*, trtiti, master -strokes of character, and cut and hack at them till we xk weary. Perhaps lome of them are even with us. For my own pan, at 1 once taid, I like a friend the better for having faulit that one can
talk about. ' Then,' said Mrs, , ' you will never cesse to be »
philanthropist ! ' Those in question were some of the choice-ipintt ' of the age, tiot ■ fellows of no mark or likelihood ; ' and we lo far did ibem justice: but it is well they did not hear what we sumelimet said of them. I care little what any one says of me, paRiculBily | behind my back, and in the way of criucal and analytical disctisnon — it is look* of dittike and scorn, that I answer with the worst vcoom of my pen. The expression of the face wounds me more than the expreaiiont of the tongue. If I hare in one instance mistaken this expression, or resorted to this remedy where I ought aou I am sorry for it. But the face was too fine over which it mantled, and I am too old to have misunderstood it 1 ... I sometimes go op to ^
's ; and as often as I do, resolve never to go again. I do not <
find the old homely welcome. The gbost of fcicndnhip meets me at
the door, «od ritt with me ail disacr-tiinc. They have got a set of
'3'
ON THE PLEASURE OF HATING
fine ootioDs and dcw acquaiDtance. Alluiioaa to pan occurrence} are thought tririal, nor it ii alwayt lari; to touch upon more gmeral fubjeci*. M. docs not brgin ai h* formerly did c^■c^y five rainnics • Fawceti uncd to wj,' &c. Thai topic i« tomcthing worn. Tiw girla arc grown up, knd have a thousand accomplish meats. I perceive there U s jealousy od both tides. They think 1 give myielf airs, and 1 fancy the same of them. Eirery time I am asked, ' If I do Dot think Mr. Wailiington Irvine a very fine writer ? ' I shall not go again till I receive an invitation for Chrittma»^ay in company with Mr, Lision. The only intimacy I nM-cr fonod lo flinch or fade was a purely inielleciunl one. There wu none of the cant of candour in it, none of the whine of mjwicish »rnsibilicy. Our mutual acquaintance were considered merely at lubjects of conversaiioa and knowledge, not at all of atTection. Wc regarded them no more in MF experiments than ' mice in an air-pump : ' or like malefactors, they were regularly cut down and given over to the diitecting- knife. We ipared neither friend nor foe. We sacriiiced human infirmities at the shrine of truth. The skeletons of character might be teen, afi«r the juice was extracted, dangling in the air like llies in cobwebs : or they were kept for future inspection in some refined acid. The demoDstrstion was as beautiful as it was new. There is no surfeiting on gall : ootliing keepi to well as a dccoctioa of spleen. We grow tired of everything but luroing other* into ridicule, and coDgratulatiog ourselves on their defects.
Wc take a dislike to onr favourite books, after a time, for the tame reason. Wc cannot read the same works for ever. Out honeymoon, even though we wed the Muse, mu)t come to an end ; and ii lollowed by indifference, if not by disgust. There are tome works, those indeed that produce the mott striking effect at first by novelty and boldness of outline, that will not bear reading twice: others of a less extravagant character, and that excite and repay attention by a greater nicety of details, have hardly intcrett enough to keep alive our coniiniicd enthusiasm. The popuUiity of (lie most successful writers operates to wean us from them, by the cant and fuis that is made about them, by hearing their name« everbstingly repeated, and by the number of ignorant and iodiscriminate admirers they draw alter them : — we as little like to have to drag others from their unmerited obscurity, lest we should be exposed to the charge of affcctalioD and singularity of taiic. There i* nothing to br said respecting an author that all the world have made up their minds about : it is a thankless as well ashopclus task to recommend one that nobody lias ever heard of. To cry up Shakespeare as the God of our idolatry, aeemt like a vulgar, nation^ prejudice : to take down a volume of Chaucer, or
■33
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Speoan, or Beaumont and FlMcher, or Ford, or Mvlowc, hat rtry laocl) tbe look of pedantry jutd cgotiun. I coofeM it nuku me hate tbc nry name of h ame uid G«iuih whca worlu like (bcsc ire * gooc into tbc wuiGS of time,' while cKh RKcewive Keoei^on of fooU u biU))jp employed in reading the iruh of the day, sad women of faihion gravely join with their wailing -makU id ditciueing the prcferetice between Paradue Lott and Mr. Moorc'i Lore* of the Angela. I wai pJeascd the other day on going into a *hop to aik, • If they had any of tbc Snut Xmiii ^ ' to be told — ■ That they had jna tent out the last. Sit Andrew Wylie I ' — Mr. G^t will alto be Mrated with thii an«wcf ! The repBtraoD of toeie book* ii raw Md mairftl: that of other* ii wonn-eaMB ukd mooldy. Why lix cmr aScaioM on thai which we caonot ficiag ouiaeltea to have iaith icti or which otbcn hare lo» ceaied to trouble thenMehca aboM i I am half afraid to look into Tom Jones, le«i it aboold not ancwer mj cxpectaiiocM at thii time of day ; and if it did tux, I tbonld cenaiii^ be diifoaed to Aiag it into the fire, aod nerer look into aaothei norel white I lircd. But aurely, it may be »aid, tlittv arc aone worka, that, like natare, caa nerer grow old ; and iLu nvM alwaya toneh tbc imagination and paniona alike ! Or there are pamagca that acem aa if wc might brood over tbem all ow bre*, aad not cxbauai the leatimeBta of Iotc and admiration they exdte : they become &raurite«, and wc are fead of them to a lott of dotage. Here i« one:
■Silting ID my wiadiow
Plittiac my th«iigbtx in bwn, I nw a God, I rtinign (but it wm nu), tnter oar gatn ) Hy hlood tew out and bmek again, as Cut At I had pitfed it fimh and tMkcd it in Like breath j then waa I caled away in haMe To emenain yon : Qcrer mi a nua ThnM fiva a AeepcuKe to a Mcptre, taiwd So high ia Aoughd u I i nm Mt a kta npon tbeic lip* then, orhich I OMan to keep From yoo fee ever. I did bear you talk Fu above M^agf
A patiagc like tU* indeed teatea a tane oo tbe palate like nectar, and we teem m reading it to ait with the Goda at their goldeo tibka; bw if wc repeat it often in ordipaty mood*, it loaea tia ixroat, beoMBca npid, * the wine offaetry u drank, and hot the Icca reamia.' Of* M tbc other hand, if we call in die aid of extnonlinan citCUHMUUcea to act it odT to adaaatage, at the rccitiag it to a (Head,
■34
ON THE PLEASURE OF HATING
or iftcc biiiag oui feelugt excited bjr > long walk in tome ronuBtie sitiutioD, or while we
' jjlay with Amaiyltii in th< thadr,
Or wiih the t»iigle» of Ncxf»'» htif ' —
wc afierwarda mis* the accompanying circumiUnceti and initcad of tranafening the recolleciion of them to the favourable iid«, rcgrei what wc have loat, and strive in vain to bring back 'the irrcrocabJe hour ' — wondcrinji in aome inatincea hww we aurtive it, and at the iDelaocholy blank that it left behind! The pleaaure riies to its height in lome moment of calm wliiude or intoxicating tynipathy, decline* ever after, and from the compariton and a conuiou* fatling- oiT, IcaTct rather a Rcnic of satiety and irkaomencs* behind it. . . . ' I« it the same in picture* ? * I confes* it is with all but iho«e from Tiuan's hand. I don't know why, but an air breathe* from hi* laodacapea, pure, refreshing a* if it came from other year* ; there a a look in hii face* that nerer paite* away. I saw one the other day. Amidat the heartle** detolation and glittering linery of Ponthtll, there i* a portlblio of the Dretdcn Gallery. It open*, and a young female head look* from ii ; a child, yet woman grown i with an aii of nutic innocence and the grace* of a princcu, her eye* like thoie of dove** the lipi about to open, a tmile of pleasure dimpling the whole face, the jewels aporkling in herctitped hair, her youthful (hape compreated in a rich antique drcM, a* the bunting Icarei contain the April bud* ! Why do I not call up thii image of gentle (Wcctne**, and place it a* a perpetual barrier between mischance and rati — It i* bccauae pleaiure ulu a greater elTott of the mind to *upport it than pain ; and we turn, after a Uttlc idle dalliance, from what we love to what we hate I
As to my old opinion*, I am heartily iick of tliem. I have Teaton, for they have deceived me ladJy. 1 waa taujjht to think) and I wa> willing to betiere, that geniua wai not a bawd — that virtue wa* not a matk — that liberty wa* not a name — that love had its teat in the human heart. Now 1 would care little if these words were struck oat of the dictionary, or if I had never heard them. They are become to my ear* a mockery and a dream. Inalcad of patriot* and friend* of freedom, I see nothing but the tyrant and the ■UvCf the people linked with king* to rivet on the chain* of deapotism and supeniitioe. I lee folly join with knavery, and together make np public ipirit and public opiniona. I sec the intolent Tory, the blind Reformer, the coward Whig I If mankind had wished for wbat is right, they might have had it long ago. The theory i* plain Ctxmgh i but they are ptonc to mi*chicf, ' to every good work nftSme.' I hare teen all that hod beeo done 1^ the mighty
'35
M
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
teftkiptriindiatdfect«fBca,*efvlMatbe worid m Mt W0Rb]r,* tad that promittd ■ pniad nyraiig to nA ad goad twM^I Ac IMn 01 Jiiuuc yofft WOnOHC Vf ooc bud« oqib J't fita^nmgct ■Bdenoadsof CMOgh M fed thai be >u i kia^ W not u oodncefand bow be couM be kio)t of a £rcc pra^ ! I hx*e le^ dii» If wyh ctkUmd by poen, the tiendt of mj Tooib ^ tbe fiiendi of man, bo: wfao were curied iway bjr tbe infaiiMe tide tbtt, ■coiBj b frooi a throae, bore doam ererr di«iBCtioB of right rcnoa benre it; tai I bM*e wen ill ibote «bo did not ]oia ia Mffaadiag tbu ionh sad o«ngc oa bmaa^tj proocribed. b^Kcd Am (dkc? lad tbrir frievfa Bade * bjre-woed oOi w th« k has bceoneso nodemood Utiat Umi ao ose cm Ihv ^ b» uteaa at karakdge wbo U not rcadj u pioltatg ihote takan and tte kaovledge to betray bi* (peciea, aod [«ey upon bis tilov-aaa. *Tbii «M nne tiiae a mytKry : b« tbe aatt gnvt etideacc of iu' The ecfwM of libeny had amkcaed oece toon » Sftaa, aad the of bnia hope dawaed agaia : hm that daan hai beta
ovefCHt bv toe raoi br^eatli ol iNfuuya aad tbooe revi^ag a UJntn vf tnttk cnca frooi the tuuc^ua uratri of the LoaaaiCi ■la vidcMg ^ai n iv at be novd i ant lo beate raeccf bat won to na iBMtt pcnrefflrty ad itmain nim of ua own aaa^ vhid lezeea ao rooui toe lartiieT bope oe fit i ii i " *** "**t^ Aad cagiaady dm ard^fcfbroier, dui hctoic dcEietcr, iha noathcr aboat Ebrftf aad tool of power, Kaad* gapiag bj, aot iecfiag the Ui;;hc u>d oiBdew eoniag om n, dot hi rery boaea crack aad tara to a ptoe coder the ynf aad circfiaf fold* of tin* aew neoKer, L^jtiaiacr ! In pcnale ale do ve sot aee bypocnaj^ aerriny^ *"*™ff*f , toUyi aad lan padenoe anooedt while laoilraiy ibnaca uoai toe cacoaaccft aad ment 0 trodoea lauer toot r Hoar oitea tt * tne roae pfacked tren tltc furebcad of a Tirtaoa lore to nlaai a bfi«cr thm ! ' What dUBOc H ibcK of the neocM of reu paMwaf Wbs certM^ of Scvifltg III iiaa at 1 do^ aad aafa^cnag the vco of \ ale lato tti vaiiuua tsfeaaa at ueaaneai^ nttOi f ff'if ifflu ^ w^at Ol iBOiBaf ^Ba waat oi andoattBivib of Baveeeoce towaroa <jlum ad igautjuoe of oanenea ^— awipg caian peenu otct all eX' cdkaccr kaelf gniif vay n> ta&aay — iiiia il 1 a ai I ba*e bero ia ny pahfic ad private bopta, cakaladag otbcn fiaa aiyaeK^ aad calcalatiag WTOag; alwayi duaffointed tAen I pibsed Ba« refaaoei ihe dgfw of fikadtbipk aad the foot of loici have I aot icaaa to tote ad 10 dopiie nyteir? Indeed I dot aad da^ for aot having hMed ad d^MH^j iIk worU cnaa^i-'
> TWa^
•36
Mtkg(Mat*i(larABbM«faa4tte ■ wmt^ ^kindk^ h,tfai tani^ •« alM}* t^a Ike
ON DR. SPURZHEIM^ THEORY
ESSAV XIV
ON DR. SPURZHEIM S THEORY
It appean to me that the truth of phyiiognomjr (if ve allow it) ovctturnB ihc »cicnce of craniology. ror instance, ihc nysicrn of Drs. Gall und Sparzheim (uppoan ihat riecj bump of protuberance on the fkoU ii ncceuarily produced by an cxtraordioary protrvtion of the br»in or increaae of the organ of^ perception immediately under- Bcath it. Now behiod 3 great put of the face we have no t^aia, and can have no such orgaai exttting and accounttsg for the extemaJ phenomcDi ; and yet here arc projcciioni or nmiUcations of bonet, muiclci, 3(c. which are allowed by the«e rca«onert and moK other pertOQg to indicate character and intellect ju«t as tarely as the ncw< dUcoTcred organs of crAiiiotogy. If then the«e projections or tnodi6catioDi of the countenance have such force and mcaninR where there is no brain underneath to account for them, U it not clear that in other caaet the theory which assumes that such projectioni can only be caused by an estraordinary pressure of the brain, and of the appropriate local organ within, is in itself an otxrioua fallacy and con- uadictioo \ The long prudent chin, the scornful no»c [nato di/nncoj, the good-natured mouth, are proverbial in phyiiognomy, out are totally excluded from the organic syticro. I mentioned thi* objection once to Dr. Spurzheim personally, but he only replied — ' Wc have treated of physiognomy tn our larger work ! ' I was not saiislicd with thia answer.
rinht *>i1«, sD.1 makf tbc tMt properly our own. Our imtginttioDs an snfBoicntly exluil, wv h>vc nothiag lo <lo with the nutter but *■ i fwt cr«*lioD of the n^aH, tad we therefore yitXi lo the nitiir>t,unwirfcd InipfCMion of goo'l All* evil. Our own putmni, inUrnrt, and prejuilicn out of the i|ue4(L0n, or in m nbBIriclCtl point of virw, ire jui(j[t fiiflj •n'i eoniticntiootly i for conicirna it nothinn but the lUtnci id*! of r<{bl idK wtoof. But no toonrt hivt wt tn act o( nilTTf, ch*n ■he tpirit of (oatradictian or lonie olbcr 'Mmon comri into play, tai ihrre ■• an tn4 of MOijnon niom saiI rcAsan- Evf a chr vtry >lrcn|;t]i of the fpccalitjt^ bcully, or ibe Aa'at (o iiiuHe thion «itb an ufuf (iin'tiril of ptifMlion (whftlwr itt c*B 01 no) \e»i% fvrhsps to naif the ibauritiliei and miKtiet of nisnkiDil. Wii ife buDtint; after whic vn cinnoi ]^n<l, inJ ^uarrellinif with the Hood within our rr^ch. Among ihr (houMniii thii hav< read Tie tfrgn if MidiBiivn there isaarcdly neiec iiai i liiiflc perton who riid not wiih Jeanit Dcsat tuccrM. Bven GtDtle Ceuri:* m, lorty foT whil he htrl ilont, »hra n was at«r, ihoiigb bt WoaM have ilaycd llu wme pricik the nein .liy i an.! the mlanua author, in his iDUDcrfialc ckaraecer of eonlributar lo Blickwooil anil ibe Sentinel, I) about ** rcsptcttUt 1 penonnfE u Diddy Rittoa hinuel/. On the slate, tTiry one lakes part with Olhello ijainsE lagii. Do bo)* M sclioat, in tcadioj Honwr, tencrally siitc wiib the Greek) or Trajaot i
'37
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
I am utierly i^Qorant of ih« anntomical and pbytiologicnl part of ibu <]Uestioi), aod only propotc to point out a (ew error* or defect! b hit (yitcfn, which appear on the author'* own ihowing, in the Bianoer of marginal note* on ihc work. I would obncrrc, by ihc bye, that the fiylc and mann«T of the writer arc oot tach as to induce the reader to place a very implicit reliance on hit authority ; and io a «ubiec(> which is to much an occult ncience, a ftrra incegniiji la the world of obMrranon, dcixmiiinf; on the trareller's (cport, authority U a good deal. The craniolojiiit may make fi>ol* ot hit di«cip!e« at pleasure, unlet* he it an honctc man. They have no check upon him. The fiicc i» at >a book where men may read nrangc maitcrt: ' it is open to every one : ihc language of expreuion it at it were a kind <u mother-tongue, in which ercry one ac<|uirei more or leu tact, to that hit own practical judgment formK a tett to coolirm or contradict tlie iotcrpretation which is |j>iven ot it. But tbc (kull, on which Dra. Gall and Spurxheim have laid their band* for the diicorery of BO many important and undeniable trutht, nobody elte knowR any thing about, except at they arc pleated to tell uf. It it concealed from ordinary obirfiation by a covering of hair, and we must go by heanay. Wc may indeed examine one oi two individual iBttances, and giopc out our way to truth in the dark ; but there can be no habitual conclutton formed, no broad light of experience thrown upon the (ubject. The unbeliever in the faihionabic tystcm may well exclaim —
'Oh I let me prriih in the (ace of day I*
The only opportunity for fairly ttudyinjt thi* i^ueatioD waa at the period when people wore artificial hair j for tlien any well-diKposed person had only to pull olf hi* wig> and ii«vi jaa tli nW.> But the hair ii a tort of natural maak to the head. The craniologiat indeed ' draw* the curtain, and thowt the picture : ' but if there it the leait want of good faith in him, the tcience it all abrond again. Unfortunately for the credit due to hit tyttcm. Dr. Spuribeim (or hi* predeccMor, Dr. Gall, who got up the ^t*} has very much the air of a German quack-docior. He i*, to to speak it, the Baron Muncliaueen of mari'ellout metaphytict. Hit object is to anooith
' Thef* l» ■ fellow in Hoginh'i Elrtrim Di*tr, holdiaj liii wi| in unt hioil, (Dd wiping hi) bare tcalp with the other. Whit * prep Tor i ctintDlOfitt I Let him look well la it, in'l lec thsl hit >filem it bcmc out bj the gnturr, chinclcr, and iciiona of the portiiit ! A celrbriuil Scntch taiiitt«( tvin| iotrDdnctd to Dr. SpiT«h(im wilnnnt liii iri(. Mid— 'It i> rtjnpTOOi to ipftn betotr you, Doctot, II thii dii)>'nnUKr.' Tn which Ihr Docior nptitd — 'Oh! you hive
llolhiDg ta feat. Your h<td ''At Icut,' lattriupud the alhct, ' jrou will out
And the art>D of irerlulity there I' 138
ON DR. SPURZHEIMS THEORY
tlic leader into belief, u jugglera make clown* gape and «wallow whaiCTtr they pteoM. He fabttutet wonder* with caty awutance, and deals io men ' whoae heads do grow beneath iheir ahouldeis, and the anthiopophagi, that each other eat.' He readily udiiiita whatever (uit* his purpote, and itiagiitcrally doubt* whaterer nukct RgaiDtt iu He haa a cant of crevlulity mixed up with the cant of acepticinin — thing* not caaily reconciled, except by a very deliberate effon indeed. 1'herc i» aomethiag groia and niUotnc in all thit, chat haa teoiinl to brin); diacredit on a iiyBteni, which a/ter all haa probably •ome foundation in nature, but which it here orerloaded with exaggerated and dogmatical aaiertioni, warranted for lacta. We doubt the whole, when wc know i pari to be falac, and withhold our aatent from a creed, the great apottlc of which wantc modeity, t:4tDdour, and «eIf-l(nowledge! Another thing to be conHdcrcd, and to tnith the great ttumblinjt-block iu the way of nearly the whole of ilut lyateni, it this, thai the pnnciple of thought and feeling in maa ii one, wbcreaa the pretent doarine nuppotet it to be many, llic roind i* one, or it u infinite. If there ii not tome ainglet aupcr- inteading faculty or conaciout power to which all lubordinate organic irepieMioni are referred aa to a centre, and which decide* and reacta vpoQ tbem all, then there it no end of particular organ*, and there must be not only in organ for poetry, but an organ for poeiry of every ion and ti/e, and so of all the icat. Thia will be aeen mote at large when wc come to detail* ; but at present I wiih to lay it down at a comer-ttone or Ivndamental principle in the argument-
Of the way in which Dr. Spur^.heim clean the ground before him, and diuim» the incredulity of^ the reader by a tiling of undeniable or equivocal propotitiont blended togetiiei, the foUoi^ng may serve M 1 tpecimen.
' The doctrine, that etcry thing ti provided with iu own propertiea, was from time to time checked 1^ metapliyjiiciant and icliotaaiic diTtnei; but by degree* it gained ground, and the maxim that matter i* inert was entirely re&ed. Natural philoiotiher* diacovered corporeal jiropeniea, the law* of aiuaction and repulaion, of chemical affinity, of fin mentation, and even of organization. They contider«l the phenomena of vegetablea at the production of maieriaJ qualitic* — a* jiropertiea of matter. Gtinon attributed to matter a particular activity, and to the animal fibre a specific irritability. De Gorter acknowledged in vegetable life aomething more than pure mechanitra. Winter and Zupt proved that the phenomena of vegetable life ought to be aacribed only to irritability. Of this, acveral phenomena of flower* and leaves indicate a great degree. The liop and Krcndl* bean iwioe round rod* which are planted near them. Tlie tendrili
'39
wm
THE PLAIN SPBAEKR
of itQM cud found poln or the bra&cbd of neighbourinf; Ikm. The ivy climbi the oaV| and adhere* to itti sidev. Sec. Now it would be ab«ufd lo pretend that the organization of antraa!« is entirely dcKttuie of propcrtif* ; thctefore Frederick HofFnun took it for the ba*i« of hit ly^ticm, cb» the human body, like all other bodici, in endowed with rn;iieml propertiei/ P'ge 56.
' Here be truth*,' hut 'duhed and brewed with lic«' or doubtfol pointti Yet they pus all together without di*cri mi nation or lelcctioD, There is a timplicity in nuny of the propoatioDs umuuntinj; to ■ lort of Itniommi/. There is an over-meaiure of candour nod platn- eeit. A man who gravely inform* you, a> an important philocophica] diKOTery, that ■ the tendrils of tinci curl round pole*,' and ibat * the human body ii endowed with material propenic*,' rnay escape with- out the imputation of intending to delude ihc nnwaiy. Bui thc«e kind of innoccot pretencei arc like thocJog-horni to draw od the hardest coniteijucnccii. By the setiout offer of this meat for babct, you are prepared to iwallow a borie^rench of parboiled paradoxes. You are thrown otf your guard into a «tate o( jtood-natuted turpriie, by the utter want m all meaning ; and our cmniologitt catche* hit wofidcring ditciplct in a nap of iruiim*. Irwtancci might he multtptiea from this pan of the work, where the writer 14 occupied in getting up the plot, and tailing asleep any luf^icion, or feeling of petulance in the mind of (he public. Juit after, he layi — •
< Id former timet there were philotopheti who thougbt that the •oul form* ic« own body 1 but if thii be the catc, an itl-tormed body ocver could be endowed with a good totU. All the natural influence of gcneraiioB, nutrition, climate, cducauoo, &c. would ihtrtfvr* be inexplic^le. Hmti, it it much more rtaaonable to tiiink that the foul, in this life, is only confined in the body, and makes use of its respective instruments, which entirely depend on the laws of the organization. In blindncai, the soul » not mutilated, but it cannot perceive light without eyes, &c.' wi/A atfter matUri of hh fith and mtmail. The author's Myle is interlarded with too many tnua and ihrrtfaru j nnther do hi* inferences bang well together. They are ill<cemented. He announces instead of demoostrating ( and jumps at a conclusion in a heavy, awkward way. He constantly auttmes the point io dispute, or makes a dilficuJty on one side of a cjuettJon a decUive proof of the opponte view of it. What aedit can be attached to him in nutters of fact or theory where he must have it almost all his own way, when he presumes *o much on the gidLh^Uj of his readers in common argument f 'If thew things are done in the grtcn tree, what shall be done in the dry ? ' — Once more;
1 40
ON DR. SPURZHEIM'S THEORY
' No <me will endcaTOur to prow thai the fire •eowt arc tbe production of our will : their Uwa are detcnniaed by iiiiturc. Tiert' fort a> toon a* an animal nceu with the food iJctitined for it, it* amcll and taiite declare in fHrnur of it. Thui ii is not astoniahing that a kid, taken from the uteni« of iu mother, preferred broom-tapi to other lYgelable* which were presented to it. And Richeraikd il wrong in saying — " If (uch a fact have any reality, we shoutd be forced to admit that an animal may poiiCM a foreknowledge of what i» proper for it ; and that, indcpeniJeDtly of any impreationt which may be aitcrwardt received by the *en»ei, it it capable, from the moment of birth, of chooting, that is, of comji.-iring and judging of what is ptceenied to it." The hog likewise eata the acorn the firit time he finds it. AoimaU howcrer hare, on that account, do need of any previous exercise, of any innate idea, of any compariion or reflection. The relations between tlie external world .ind the five sense* are determined by creation. We cannot nee a» red that which it yellow, nor at great that which it titde. How nhould animals hare any idea of what they hafc not felt ? ' Page 59.
This is what might be termed the Muxhit ilylf in ^rgumcni. It is impossible to disiingush the premises from the conclution. We have facts for arguments, and argamentt for facts. He plays off a phantasmagoria of UIuattatioQi as proofs, like Sir Epicure Mammon in the Alchemist. It is like being in a rouod-about at a fair, or skating, or flying. It i> not easy to make oot even the terms of the question, so completely are they overlaid and involved one in the other, and that, ai it should seem, purposely, or from a habit of confounding the plainest things. To proceed, howeveT, to tomcthing more material. In treating of innate faculties. Dr. Spurzheim runs the following career, which will throw considerable light on the TagtKncM ana contradictorinctt of his general mode of rcssoiung.
'Now it is beyond doubt, that all the bsttnctive aptitudes and incltnatione of animals are innate. Is it not evident that the faculties hy whicii the spider makes its web, the honeybee its cell, the beaver its hut, tile bird its nest, &c. are inherent in the nature of these animals i When the young duck or tortoiie runt towards the water as soon at batched, when the b«rd brukhes the worm with its bill, when the monkey, before he eau the may-bug, bilei off its head, &c. all thcne and similar ditjiotii ions arc conducive to the pfciervatiaa of the animals ; bui they are not at all ac(|uired.'
If by aequirrJ, be meant that these last acts do not atite out of certain imuresstons made oo the brims by dilTcrent objccti, [luch at the agreeable or disagreeable smell of food, &c.) this is by no mona eiUiee dear or acknowledged on all lundt.
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
' According lo the Mine Uw,' he idds, pVhui law ;j 'the huiutcr liaihen corn and griiin, the dog hides hit lupcrlluoiu food ' — pTbii it AO)' rate teem* a rational act.] — ' the falcon kills the litre by d/iriog bU bak into ica neck,' Sec.
< In the lamc way, all inninciiTr manifcttanont of man must be iniuite. The Dew-born child nicks the (iDg,vi» and Keks the brean, it the puopy and calf teek the dug.'
The circunutance here iodiscteetly mentioned of the child nicking the finger* at well » the nipple, certainly doe* away the idea of _/(W taiuti. It «how« ihal the child, from a junicular state of iiriuiion of iu mouth, fastenii on any object calculated to allay that irritation, whether conducive to iu lutiennncc or not. It la difficult lometiraet to gel children to take the btcsn. Dr. S. take* up a common preju- dice, without any quatificjition or inquiry, while it tuiti hii pu-fote, and layi it down without ceremony when it no loojier terrc* Uic turn- He proceed* —
< / kavt mtnlioiuii alave, that vtJmitarj moliim aiui lit fr>t ftdtmai uniri, eomman le man a»d tuinnoL, art iniiale. Moreover, if man and ■aimali feci certain propenntiet and acniimcntt iv'uh cltar and Jijtiact eoKttioatarti, ve mu«t coniider tbete facultiei a* innate. '—[The (Uar and £itiiul ctnicimnntji has nothing to do with the matter.} — ' Thui, if in animal* we find example* of mutual incliniiuon between the texet, of maternal care for the young, of actnchment, of mutual asititancct of lOciableneM, of union for life, of peaceablenete, of deaire to fight, of propensity to destroy, of ciicumtpcction, of liynen, ol lore of ^aitcryi t» obntinacy* &C. all theic faculiiei mu*t be con- *ideTed as innate.' — {A finer uiumption of the queitlon than tbia, or a more complete jumble of imtincta and acquired nropeniitie* together, never wa* nude. The author bat here got hold of a ligufc called tntroathmtni, And advances accordingly ! ] — ' Let all these laculliea be ennobled in mac : let animal inatinct of propagation be changed into moral love; the inclination of animaJ* lor their young into the vittne of materaal care for children ; animal attachment into friendiJitp ; animal luaceptibility of flattery into lure of glory and ambition ; ine nighiingalc's melody into harmony t the bird • nc«t and the bcaver't hut into palace* and temple*, &c. : these faculties are still of the tame nature, and all theae phcnomeoa arc produced by faculties common to man and animals. They are only ennobled in man by the influence of superior qualities, which give another direction to the inferior one*.' Page 8j.
Thii la(t pataage appears to destroy his whole argument. For the Doctor contend* that every particular propeniity or modificaiion of the mmd mutt be innate, and bavc its separate organ ; but if thetc
'4*
ON DR. SPURZHEIM'S THEORY
tic * bculciet common to man and animal*,' which are ennobled or dcbaicd by thrir connrxioD with othec ficultirt, then we muat jidmit a fjcucril principle of thought Had action varying according to cir* cumiitanc«, and ihe oiganic syitcm become* neirly an impertinenct
The following »hon »caion, entitled InMAn.Kwi of tm» Human pACt^LTiKK, will icrre to place in a tolerably nriking point of view the turn of this writer to an unmeaning, ipiaci'ub tort of common-place reasoning.
' Finally, man n endowed with factiltice which are peculiar to him. Now it ii to be investigated, whether the fxcultiea wbich dlatinguiih man from animalti, and which conatitute bii human character, are innate. Ii muit be anaweied, that all the facultie* of man are given by creation, and that human nature it a> determinate aa that of every other being. Tbua, though we ace that man compare* hit aenutions and idea*, inquire* into the cantea of phenomena, draw* conteciiiencea and diicovera law* and general prioctple* ; that he mtnaure* di*tance« and times, and crotte* t]ie tea from one end to another i that he acknowledge* culpability and wotihineas i that he bean a monitor tn hia own breait, and raiiei hi* mind to the idea and udocaiion of God : — yet all thcte facultiei remit neither from accidental influence from without, not from hi* own will. How indeed could ihc Creator abandon man in the grratcat and moat important occupation*, and «>*« him up to chance? No!* Page 83.
No, indeed ; but there !i a ditference between ehaiKt and a number of bump* on the head. One would think that all thit, being common to the lamc being, proceeded from a general faculty manifcaiing iitelf in diiTcrent waya, and not from a parcel of petty facultic* huddled together nobody knows how, and acting without concert or coherence. Doct man croM the tea*, measure the heavens, construct teleacopet. Sec. from a general capacity of intention in the mind, or doe* the navigator lie ptrJu, shut up like a Jack-in-o-boK in one corner of the brain, the mechanic in another, the astronomer in another, and to forth i That ia the atmple <|ueMion. Dr. Spunheim add* ahortly after —
* We crery where find the »amc apcciei ; whether man stain hit akin, or powder hi* hair ; whether he dance to the sound of a drum or to the music of a concert ; whether be adore the star*, the aun, the moon, or the God of Christians. The apecial faculties are every where the tame.' Page 85.
He ought to hare said the general lacultiet are the tame, not the ipttiiii. But if there »* not a cpcciiic faculty and organ for every act of the mind and object in naiurc, then Dr. Spurihcim must admit the exiMcnce of a general (acuity Riodified by circumatanccs, and we must
143
3
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
be ilow ID acoouDling for Sffatat pheoomeiu from puucdaf iode-
eodrat orgau, vUhout the nxMt obnont proofs or urgent oecctHiy. ii orgRtu are too few or too many.
' Malcbraochc,* nys our author, ■ doducM the difTcTcat maancr of lliiakiDg aad fceltng in [ueo aod womco from tbc ilifercat dcUcaej of (be cerebral Gbm. According to oar doctrine, ceiiiia puru of the bnio are more dereloped ia cnea, othcn ia wooicn ; tod in thai way i* the difference of the maiufeMaiiocM of thetr facnliic* perfectly ex^icahlc* Paw to;.
Pot my pan, I prefer Malcbrsncfac'i tolution to the more modern ocw. It tecmi to me that tbc itreogth or wcakncu, the pliancy or firmBcu of tbc characters of men or woneo ii to be accounted for frora toraetbiog in the general texture of their mmds, jaa. ai their corporal Mrcnj[ib or weakaen, acdiity or grace U to be accouoted for fiiMn •omething in the general textnre of their bodie«, and not from the arbitrary preponderance of this or that particular limb or muacle. I think the auJogy ii concioiiTe agaioit oar author. If there ii no difference of ymSf ; i,f. of delicacy, firmncu, &c. in the parta of the brain ' more dcveioped in men,' the differcocc of yuaiuitj aloae caaaot acooaot fi>r the difference of character. And, on the odur band, if we sllow aach a diSereace of quality in the cerebral fibre*, ar af hardneia and tofteei*, flexibility or aluggiihnett in the whole brain, we «hall hare no occasion for puticular bump* or organ* of tbc braia lo accouai for the difference in the minda of mea aad women generally. Dri^ Gall aad Spurzbeim aecm detiroua to net ande all diifercacci of texture, initabtlity, teaacity, fee. ia tbc com- poMion of the brain, aa if iheie were oeeaft qualitie*, and to reduce erery thine to poutire aad onenciblc qcaniiiy ; not cooitdering that quantity alone accounta for no difference of character or operatioa. The incrcatiag the taze of the organ of mouc, for tn«iance, will ooi
£ilify that organ to perform the fonctioai of the organ of colour : tt man be a natural apcitnde in iiaii, before we talk about the degree or exccn of the &cdty renliing from the peculiar coofbrma- tion of a gi*en part. The pilinc up larger parccli of the aame mateiiab of the brab will not produce a new faculty : we mutt inchide the nature of the differeat maicriali, and it it not too much to amiroc that whenerer the faculty ii arailaUe to a mambcr of purpocea, the difference in the nature of the thinking nbltaKc canaot be merely tatal or organic. For iattiactt My that the OrjoM of Mtmtrj ii dti- ttngniifaed by greater tcoaciODKict* of parttcles or by tomeihing CorrcfpoadcDi to thit ; that in tike manner, the Orm ef Fanty ii diatingniahed by greater irritability of ttnicture ; ia it not better to Mppo*e that the fir«t character pcrrade* the brvs of a man remork- ■44
ON DB. SPURZHEIM'S THEORY
.
able for ttrong memory, And ihc lut that of anDther pcnnn excetltng in fancy, grncfBily and primarily, inilcad of iupposing that the whole retcntivcocsR cf the btaia is tn the lint iottancc lodged in one par- ticular comparimrnt of it, xod iho whole voUtilicy of livelinrK, in the wcond ioKitocc, impriaoned in anoiher hole or comer, wiili quite at little rcaion ^ It may be mid, thiic the organ ia queaiioo ii not an organ of memory in general, but of the memory of «ome particular ihiog. Then thit will rrquite ihat there ihould be an organ of memory of ercry other piiiiculBr thing; an organ of invention, and an organ of judgment of (he umc ; which h too much to belicTc, and betide* can be of no lue : for unlcM in addition to thc*e tcparatc organt, oier which is wtitten — ■ No connexion with the next door ' — wr haie ionic general organ or faculty, receiving information, cam- puring idea*, and arranging uiu rolicions, there can be no one homo- gencoua act or exercitc of the unctentandtDg, no one art attained, or ■tudy cng;ij;ed in. There will cither he a number of detached object* and Beniatiaat without a mind to tuperintcnd them, or clic a number of mindi for every diRinct object, without any common link of intelligence among thematUc*. In the tirtt case, each organ would be that of a mete brute instinct, that could never arrive at the dignity of any one art or Bcience, an painting or muiic ; in die second ctK, DO art or icieccc (luch as poetry) ever could exist that implied a compariton between any two ideu or the imprcMoni of dilfereni organi, a* of tight and tound.
Dr. Spurzheim obaervn, (page 107} 'The child advance* to boy- hood, adoleacence, and manhood. Then all these facultict nunifeat the jt'i^atent energy. By dejireea they begin to decTeaae ; and in the decrepitude of old age, the Knuiboni are blunted, the aeniimenu weak, and the intellectual facultiei almort or entirely luppreMcd. Hence, as the manifestfttiont of the faculties of the mind and under- •landing arc proportionate to the organization, it it evident that they depend on it.
I do not we the exact infcfeoce meant to be drawn here. All the conditioQi above enumerated liTect the whole brain jjeoerally. There ts not an organ of youth, of manhood, of decrepitude, fitc.
' A brain loo (mall, however, it alwayt accompanied with imbecility. WiUii deictibed the brain of one who wai an idiot fioro birth. It was not more than half the mm of an ordinary brain.' Page 109,
At this rare, if there are idioti by binh, there mutt be alto tuch a thing u general capacity.
* I hare teen two tuna-boys to like each other, that it wu almost inqramble to diwioguith them. Their inclioationt and lalenia pretCBted alto a itrilcing aod uionithing similitude. Two others,
nu TO. : K I4J
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
twin liif rrii are *ery tUiTerent ; in the one the muKular tfsteni it tbe BKMt (Uteloped, in ihc odwt the ocrroui. Tbc fonner it a( little uodencasding, whcfm the second \» codowvd with stroog intHUcnul faciiltie*.' Page t ta.
This a conitng to Malebnochc't way of putting the <|ncitMW. In the Mine page we find the folkywinji mwctaa ; —
* Gantnw tcUcci, that a girl, wbote tather had killed iDcn b order to cat them, xaA who wa> >epa»ud rrom ber (ather in her tnbncf ■od cirefullf cducaicd, conuiullccl ibc i^nat znax. G'ubauii drew ffom ibU fact <i>e couc^ueDce, tlui the licuhin arc ptopagtted with the ofgafitzatioa.* — Good GaaiMtu Gofabo 1 Wiibout bcberiag hit bcti we oecd not djtpuie hii cuoiequence.
• Malebranche cxphioi the dtfTcrence of the facohiet of both Kxes, the mioiu kiod* and panicuJar laatet of different natioiu and indtTidiiata, by the linnoctf and loitiiet*, dryacti and mouttuc of the cerebral Son*; and he remark* thv our time cannot be better employod tbaa in iavemgatiag the maierial caofes of hunun [>hcnonK:na. TIk CartcttM*, by their doctrine of the tracks which they admit in the brain, ickDowledgc the induencc of the bruD oa the iauUccual faculties.' Page it 8.
Dr. Sjiurthetn) altogether explode* the doctrine of a differescc in consiituiionul temperaraenic, the tangomc, the phlegmatic, and so on t bccaatc thii difTereBCCt being general, is not cODtUtcot with hit tpecUl organs. He alra denies unequivocally the doctrine of the Mtocia- tioD of ideas, which Dcs Cartel's * track* ia the brain ' were meant to explain. One would think thit alone dedtire agaioit his book. Indeed the capacity of ataodation, po«>c«*ed in a greater or lets dejtree, aeem* to be the great ditcriminatmg feature between man and man. But what «r^aa tfaiiociation there caa be between di^ent htal organs it is diffionit to conjecture; and Dr. Spurzheira wat right in boldly denying a iruih which he could not reconcile with his mechanical and tncoogruotts theory.
' TlieTe are persooi who maintain that in the highest degree of magnetic influence, the manifetlaiiont of the wul are indepcadcnt of the orgsniutioo.' Page iia.
What! bate we animal tnagncliini io the dance too? Would oar great phyiiologint awe us into belief by bringing into the fidd quackery greater than his own *. Then it is time to be oo our gurd.
' We find tanguine and bilious indiitdualt, who are tntellectual or itiipid, meek or impetuous ) we may obterte phlegmatict of a bold, quarreltoror, and imperious character. In short, the doctrine of the temperaments, at applied to the indication of determinate faculties, ia
146
ON DH. SPUUZHEIM'S THEORY
t-inore tare or better founticd, than divinutioo by the hxnd*, feet, dnathiir, <vt, Uid ■ImiliU physiognomical ligns.' Page iltt.
I'hai i», fed-haired pcojilc, Tor ttmuncr, have nol a ceitain gcncritl cliaracier. Afier that, I will not believe i word the learned author eayt upon his bire authoiicy.
Dr. Spurzheim with jt'vat formality devotci a nuraber of KCtioiu to ptore that the leveral krh-* alone, without aov othei faculty or priociple of thought and fecliog, do not account for the moral and intellectual laculiics. 'There nc«di no ghott to tell lu that.' In hit mode of entering upon thU patr of hit cubjcct, the Doctor secma to hare btta aware of the old nuixim — DivUt ii a^cra — Dietinguibh and confound !
'We have ittll to exasuoe whether aight produces any moral »cntimcDt or intellectual faculty. It it a common opinion that ibc art of fainting i> the rctulc of light t and it is true that eyes arc Decenary to perceive colours, a4 the can arc lo perceive toundi and lotici ; but the art of painting doct not conQii in the perception of colour*, Any moie than munic in the perception of aounds. Sight, thcrcfbrc, and the ^dty of painting are not >i all in proportion. The light of many aaimalii is mote perfect than that of niaa, bu[ ihey do not know what potnting i> t ann *» mankind the tiJent of painting cannot be mcMuied by the acutenen of fight. Great jiaintera never attribute their ulent to th^r eyes. They ny, it i* not the eye, but the under- tundingi which perceives the harmony of colour*.' Page i<8.
Thi« 'u well put, and quite true ; that is, it ia the mind alone that perceive* the relation uul connexion between all out lenntiont. Tbu* tbe imptcMion oJ* the line bounding one nie of the face doct not perceive or compare it*elf with the impteHJoo of the line fonning the other tide of the face, but it it the mind or uniletnancling (by meant indeed o( the eye) (hat petccivci and com]iarc« the two imMCMOiu together. But neither will an organ of pMit^g aniwer thu purpote, uoleM thia tepaiate organ includes a separate madf vritfa a complete wotkihop and aet of ofhces to execute all the deparimcnti of juugment, tafle, invention, Jcc. i.i, to comjiare, an.ilyx, and combine itt own particular tentationt. But neither will tbii antwcr the end. For either all ibetc mutt be included under one, and exhibit thenuelvei in the tame proportion* wherever the organ cxutK, which is not the fact ; or if they are dininct and independent of one anotber, then they cannot be exprctted by any one organ. Dr. Spurxbeim ha*, in a subsequent part of litB work, provided for this objection, and divided the Or^iin ef Sight into fire or tax lubdiviuoai i racb at, the Orgam «f Form, the Organ ef Ceiour, the Orgaa eflVeigbl, the Organ af Sface, and God knowi how many more. Thii it
1*7
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
eradtn^ and at the ume thne uicrcMing the <Iif&cdty. Tbiw. The boi drjuglitiincn uc not obKrred to be alwayi the best colouriiti, FUpKad ud I'iiiaa for cxamnlc. There muit therefore he i i>cw ^nwon of the Organ of SigM into (at lean) the two dmiiou of Forni and Colour. Now it it not to bv «uppo»cd that theM orgaiu are thtat icpuated meicly for tcporition's taltt, but that there ia tomethiot to the quality or icxturc of tlie tub«tance of the btsia in each organ, peculiarly fitted fur each diffeient tort of impre«noD, and faw an exceM of quaaticy producing an exccit of faculty. The teu MOOc of the organ cannot account foi the ditTcrcncc oi the faculty, without thii other coodittoo of quality annexed. Suppotc the difticguiihine quality of the organ nfform to be a certain tenacioo*- Deas) thdtoithe ot^im «/'f«/otv to b« a certain liquid toftnes* in the finer particlea of the brain. Now a gieater quantity of the medullary •ubvtance of a girea texture and degree of softneu will produce the wzf" ^ totoar : but then wilt not a (greater degree of this pecuhar MnocM or texture (whatever it it) with the same quantity of tub- nanc^ produce an extraordinary degree of fHculty equally i That it, we make tbc fincneiii or quality of the ticrrc*, brain, mind, atone for the want of quantity, or get the faculty uoiverully without ihe organ : <X. B. D. Dr. Spurcheim doct not make an organ of melody anil an organ of barmony : yet he ought, if erety dtitinct operuioD of the mind or teitiet requtiet a diatinct local organ, and if hii whole tyitem ■• not merely arbitrary. Farther, one port of painting it ex^ruikn, namely, the power of connecting cvnain feeling* of plcuurc and pain with certain line* and mo*emcDtR of face t that it, there ought to be an organ of tr^tiikm, or an organ, in the firtt [^ace, of pleasure and pin — which Dr. Spurzheim dcniet — th«e being general and not ipecific maaifetiationt of the mind ; and in the tecond place, an organ for atiociating the impretnontof one organ with tboteof all the reat— of which the Doctor alto deniet the exitteocc or eveo pOMibiliiy. Hit it quite a new contlitntion of the human mind.
* Finally, every one feeli that be thinlu by mean* of the brain.' Page 165.
When K waa urged before, that crcry one thick* that he feclH by mexna of the bean. Or. Spurzheim acoutcd thit wit of proof as vulgar and ridiculuu*, it being then againtt himielf.
■ Ticdeman relatea the example of 00c Moter, who wat intane on one aide of hit head, and who obierved hit madncM with the other aide. Gall attended a minittcr who bad a limilar diacatc /«r three jiart. He heard conitantly on his kft aide reproache* and inhirtet i be ftttiKd hia head on thia tide, and looked at the peraont.' — [What pertona ?] — ' With his right tide he nuaurnhf judged the madnen of
14a
ON DR. SPURZHEIM-S THEORY
hb left »idei but (ocnetime* m ajii o/fevrr he could nol rectify his peculiar iiate. Lonj; after beioK cuteil, if he ha|>pcDcd to be aogry* or if he had drunk more than he wai nccustomed to do, ht ubtCTTcd ill hi* left aide a tendency to hin former niienation.' Pajte 171.
Thu b 30 amuiing book aftet all. One might collect from it natcriali foi a new edition of the Wendrrful Muga^ine, How funtli&rly the writer intinuatcs the mo«t incredible ttoiict, and take! for )<rjaiFd the mioutett circumatancci 1 Tbi» atylc, though it may iodine the creduloua to gape and swallow cTerything, muai make the jadicioui grieve, and the wary doubt.
* It ia however neccstary to remark, that all obcervaiiona of thti kind can only be made upon bcingt of the aame iqwciea, and k it uaeleu to compare the name faculty with the respective ornn in ditferent tpecies of animaU. Tit irrUaiHiiji it <otry digirml ia £fftrtiii lands bJ animish' Page lOJ.
And why not in the lanie kind ?
'The state of djteaae proves iIki the plurality of tlie orj^oa. For how it it ponible to combine partial inaanitiei with the unity of the brain ? A chemcit wat a madman in everything but chemittry. An tmbroiderer in her lita, and in the midit of the greateat ab«urditie«, ealcnbtcd perfectly how much atuff wm necessary to auch or inch a piece of work.' Page 1 19.
Doe« our author mean that there 11 an organ of chemistry, and an organ for embroidery? King Ferdinand vnuld be a good tubjcct to uecrtain this la*t oUcrraiion upon. If I could catch bim, I thould be dtapoted to try. I would not let him go, like the Cotte*.
' The exteroal appar Jtu6 of the ncrvei of the fiiT «en8e« are laid to be diffemtt, because tliey receive different imprestiont : but how t» it ponifale that differeat inprcMiooa ihould be trinsmiited to the bram by the aame nerve* *. How can the impreision* of light be poMSaied by the auditory nerve .* ' Page 117.
Wc only know that they are not. But how, we might oak, caa (be diUcrent tmprnNon* of tight — a* red, yellow, blue — be trana- mitted by ibc aante nerve \
' PtnoieT made the following objectioa :^-" A muiician playa wiib his lingera on all ianramenti ; why should not the toal manifeit all ita operationa by raeana of one and tl>e aame organ \ " This obaerr*- lion is rather for than against the plurality of the organs. First, there are ten (ingera which play : morroi'er, the imtriamcRtt present different chords or holc«. We admit only one organ for music i aitd all kinds of munc are produced by iliii organ. Hence, this aaaenion of Plsiiuer doei not invalidate our theory.' Page 130.
But it does though, uoksa you could show that a musiciaa can
149
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
^y n^ «
be hM fiagen, oo tbc one kind of j Or* Spvzlwtfli coMcodi cucvuerr uui ok ofjM i
MfwtB OSly OM nDCliOSp lod bflA^I li ft pfOOf CV UK
ifce orgiBi d)c ahtnntt KtiaB ad mt of dw body lad mkL if tbe Mac orjpfi caaaot nadergD a diScmt «itr, haw eta it mi i J hcfv mM tvQ b? 30 or^zo of sctiofi iDd m or^pn a rcitt ta otgtt lo do MOKtbnft and an orf^ to do noduntl Very fine tad cfcv bUiIw.
The ioUowta^ wign aceai u bear doMM apcn the gcncnl ye win*, and I £ul >f^y ■jncir to tammtt tfecat a* wdl a^ I can.
'The aaelkctmal Gmmt* b>w baa placed ia dw bnioi bqt it vaa iBipoaHiw to point out aay ofjil^ bccnift Ofgisia rafc omb - aougbi ibr bnltie* wbkh have no orgn, naadj, (air coobmi aad fEScral ncutMt • > > Ccucidl or consood pliawMMm ncvcf Hi^ * ai^ partiahr ot^n. Secntioa, for toiaiK*, ia > u aao iWTtiioB b gnwnJ baa no panknlar orgaa ; bat tbe psticnlar HcrcfioMt at of talira. bik, torti Ac arc attached to panioihr OTgaaa. SwMioe u aa nprctMOO vbicb ladicaBw the loMtMO of the tm euenial acnan ; therefore tint ukbbmo beaky ha* 00 particular orgao. bat vretj deterrBiaue tcaatioB — aa of agbl, bearioi) widliag, uuu, or lecliog — ii attached to tome panicahf QtpaJ Page 273.
la the Srit pbM, tbco. Dr. Sporzham biowelf aiafna portimbr •fDHi far conmon aad gcoenl Eicvlact ; tuch at itl^lore. vcaera- lioa, hope, cofttoataeaa, laBfoase, compariaoBt caa«Sty, -wk, iania- bOB, Sec. He alao talka of (he oeciat of afaitractimt iDcSridsafitj, iaiBKiOB, &c. It wwald be hard to deny that ibeae oieaa more ihaa ooe thiag, aad refer to toon thaa to one cUat of 1 In iact, the author aO theou^ hit volaaw re^galatly coafcmda , gcDcral pnaciplea with particnlar actt aad mechanic excrdaea of the ■aad. Scceedlf, he either don net or will not npcehcad the prtdae aitaaiag of the temt mmmBm or gmral farmlnn, aa applitd to the Biiod. SentaAen a a oomiaoa (bactioa iS the five external 9etan, that is it bcloog* tcretally to the exercite of the five extenial •enact: but wiidmttmJu^ ta a ooaiaioa &ciilty of the mind — not became it bebnga to any mnnbet' of idea* in mcccMioa, but becauae it take* cogfuuBce of a norabcr of them together. UvoaairaaDnia ia percciriDg the rclatiou betweeti objecu aad imprnsiona, which the tcBica ud panicnUr or iodmduil organ* can omr do. It U Out mperiMeadlng or Mtmnv facoliy or principle vfaicb ia awirc both of the colout fern, and tooad of mi objecti which eoanectfri itt prcaent appearaoce with iu |bk binory; wbicb arraiigea and combuca the laultiluioat imprcttiont of nature into oac whole (
150
ON DB. SPURZHEIM'S THEORY
which balance* (he Taiioua motive* of aciion, and render* man what he i> — a rational xod moral agent : but for this faculty wc find DO trgulAt place or nation aitrigncd nmonggt that heap ot organic lumuli, which could produce nothing but niiBCake* and confution. Tbc seat of this faculty it one, or it» impreujons are communicated to the same inteiligcat mind, which contemplate* and react* upon them all with nore or Ic** wiadom and comnrehcniive power. Thui the poet ii not a bdog made up of a itnng of organ* — an eye, an ear, a heart, a tongue — but i* one and the lame intellectual esience', looking out from iu own nature on sU the diiferrnt impieuiont it receives, and to a certain degree moulding them into ittelf> It la / who temembei certain objccu, who judge of tbem, who invent from them, who connect certain louods thai I hear, a* of a thrush unking, with certatD aight* that I tee, aa the wood whence the note* itnie. There it *omc bond, *ome contcioui connexion brought about between these imprctiion* and act* of the mind ; thai i<, ihcre il a principle of joint and common undrmsnding in the mind, t|uite dilfcrent from the ignorance in which the ear is left of what paatc* before the eye, Jcc. and which overruling and primary faculty of tbc louli blending with all our thou^^bts and feeling*, Dr. Spuizhrim doe* Dot once try to explain, but docs all he can to overturn.
' Underttanding,' he continue*, 'being an cxprcttion which dt«tgniitef a gcimal faculty, ha* no particular organ, but every determinate tpecies of undcritanding is attached to a particular organ.' lUJ.
If «o, how doet tt contrive to compare note* with the impreuion* of other particular organ* ^ For example, how doe* the organ of wit combine with the organ of form or of indiriduabiy, to give a groicu^uc dcucripiion of .1 particular pcr*on, without tome cmnmon and intermediate faculty to which thc«c Kveril imprewion* arc conKtoutly referred! Will any one tell me that one of thc*c detached and very particular organ* perceives tlic stained (almir of an old cloak — [How would it apprehend any thing o{ the one of the cloak i\ — that another ha* a glimpae of it* antiquated farm ; that a third auppliei a viillf alluaion or apt iUuilralion of what it know* nothing about ; and that thi< patchwork procest i* clubbed by a nnmbex of organic imprc«tioDS that hare no law of subordtnatKn, aor any common principle of reference bctwwn ihcm, 10 make a lively caricature i
■Finally, it is the same with all common faculties of the nnder- ■tanding — of which philosophers and physiologist* speak — namely, with perttpl'iMt mtmory, or rtnlltelitm, jaJgrnentf and imognttaiati. These cxprctMOoa are commoit, and the respective faculties have
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
va orgaDit but ercry peculiar percepuoO'^mefflory, judgnwflt, mid i"H|B'lt!'"" — u of ipacc, form, colour, tucc, xo6 number, hnvc their BvttcaUr organ*. It the common faculticn of undrtilinding wcr« UtKbcd to jwnicuUr organii, the pritoo who poitcMc* the organ of aay commoa faculty ought to be endowed with all particular kicdi of ficolue*. If there were an orf-an of perception, of meraiwy, of judgmeatt w of inugtoaiion, auy one who hai the organ of perceptmot of meaioryt of judgmeni, or of imajiiiiation, ought to poaaeu all kind* of perception, of memory, of judgment, or of imagination. Now ihU is aniett all experience.' /hiif.
No more, than a person poitciwcd of the general otg»i of tight mutt be acaoaititcd equally with all objects of tight, whether they have ever fuleo in hia vay, or whether he hat «tuiiied them or not. But it ii according to all experieocc, that aone pertont ate dittin- guithed more by memory, othert more by judgment, otbert more by imagination, geaerally Ejieaking. That it, upon whatever mbject they exercMc their attention, they (bow the umc turn of mind or prcaombating faculty. Some people do ei-ery thing from impultc. It is their character under all imprctiionii and in all tiudiei and punuita. It there then ao organ of impulte ! An organ of tune it EDtelligible, becautc it denotet a general faculty exercised upon a particular cla» of imptcniooe, vrs. soiindt. But what in an organ of wit? It meant noibing ; for it denote* a faculty without any
Xcific objccu : and ret an organ meant a faculty limited to tpedfic ^ccit. Wit is the faculty of combining tuddenly and glancing over the whole range of art and nature ; but an organ it abut vp in a particular cell of tentation, and teet nothing beyond ittelf.
'Ooe bat a great memory of one kind,' proceedt out author, 'and a very little memory of other thingi.'
Yet, partly from habit, but chieliy, I grant, from original character i not becaufc certain thing* strike upon a certain pan of the brain, but touch a certain quality or di>|)Ofition of the mind. Thut, tome renwmbtr ttiflct, otbert things of importance. Some retain forma, Otben feelingt. Some hare a memory of wordt, otbert of things. Some remei^r what regard* their own intereiti, othcn what it interesting in itaelf, according to the biat and tcope of their tentibility. All thctc retultt depend evidently not on a particular local imprceiion, but on a laricty of general cnutct combined in one common effect. Again: *a poet potiioitct one kind of imagination in a high degreet bat hat he therefore every kind of imagination, aa that of iavcnttng maehioet, of compocangmuitc, ttc.i' Page 17$.
Or it may be retorted — Hai he tberdbre every kind of poetical inugination : Doei the tame perton write epigramn and eptca,
M ■
ON DR. SPURZHEIM'S THEORY
comeilin and uagtdies i Is there not tight and mioui poeiry I la not Mr. T. Mooie juM u likely to become Newtcn ■• to become Milton ? Or ai the wm tlie eagle ? Yet Df . SpurzJieim hai but one ocgao for poetry, ao he aay* — ' We allow but one organ for tune.' But ii there not tunc in poeiry i Ha* not the poet ao eai a« well at tbc niu*iciju)J How then don the author reooncUe theK common or analogous ({ualiticf, and the complex tmprenion* from all the acDHCi iinplinl in poetry (lor Jnitance} with hi* detached, ctrcum- icribed, U^ol orj^aoa \ Hm lyitem ■* merely mmim/, and a very clunuy tpccimen of nomenclature into the bargain.- — Poetry relate* to nil M>rts of impremioni, from all aorta of object*, moral and physical. Muiic Tclnic* lo one lori of impretNOD* oiuy, and to far there i* an excuie for siaignine it lo a particubr organ; but it al»o im|>li«« common and general faculties, audi a« retention, judgment, invctiiion, jcc which eaKntially reside in the undcrttanding or thinking principle K Urge, But tuppow thcni to be cooped and cabined up in th« particular organ :— do they not exist b dllfercnt degree*, and it ihia difference expreitcd merely by the tiu of the organ f — It canoot be. The circumttaacc of size can only determine that tuch a one it a gmi louxiciao ; not what «art of a rautician he ia. Therefore thii characterittic difierence ia not expreated by <|uantity, and ibcteibrc Done of the dllferencei thcmtcNc*. or facultica of judgment, inrentioo, rclinement, jcc. which form the great muticjan, can be expieated by quantity ; and if none of theae component pans of mmical geniut are •0 expreatcd, why then ' it follow*, an the night the day,' that ibere can be no organ of mu*ic. There may be an organ peculiarly adapted for reiAiniag niuucal imprcMioo), but thii (without including the tuelleciual operations, which ia impomiblc) would only answer the purpoaei of a peculiarly line and sen*itiTc ear.
' Natural nliiloaopbei* were wrong in looking for organ* of ctMnmoii &ciiltict.' — \Thai'f tmc.] — 'A apccQlatirc philotophcr may be Mtit> ficd with vague and common expicaniona, which tio not denote the particular and determinate (jualitie* of the different being) ; but thete general or common coniiderMiont are not sufitcicnt for a naturalist who endeavour! to know the functiooi and faculties of etery organic part in particular. Throughout all natural hiiiury, the expretttona are the leu signiiicunt the more general or common they arc t and a dictinct knowledge of any being icquiret a study of it* peculiaritic*.'
Take away the human mind and it* common functions, operstiona, and principle!, and Dr. S]iurzlieiin'* cianiology gitea a very satia- (actory and categorical *icw of human natnte. Id material Kience, the commoo properties ra^ be the lean significant t but in the mind
'5J
i
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
of mu, tbecoanmoB priac^ (whaww it he) dui fcdi|thiBlu, tad Bco, u the duef tbtog.
I do not belietc t^ in tbe Doeter't orjpaa/, citber geaerally or fUucvUtiy. I hare oaly hu wont for them ; and temcm aid coiQiDOn KfiK tic agai&n ihetn. There ma;^ be an exoeptioa now aad ibrn, but thcK tt ercry where ■ total warn, of claad&UKM mm! ualjtk pown. The anthor, iamai of grring the rmtimali of any OM diiob ruu oa woh cndleM iBwiiiiam nd ■wnaiitioni of the Bine knd. The organ* arc »eBietiMii« general no nOMtiatM puticnhu' ; MMoetanet compoood and wnninei nn^. YoB kaow B« what to nuke of them : tbey tun over like nnblev-figeeiM. I Atonid be iaclined to admit the «rgaK a/ ■■Mfiuwfw aa a phjnicnl reioforceaeBt of a mcMal pnuioo; hot h^dly thai oJ flitt^rifitiliwi mat — M leM, it ia bodly explaiatd here. I viJl gii-c an iaMaace or two. * A male tervaiit,' Dr. SpttTzhom obwrvcii * acltian ukr* care of cUldroi ao well ai a woman. Womeo, then, are food of chtldm gncfally; not of tbeir own merely, li not this an extenuon of the orgaaac prineiple beyond it) aamta] and poaitive linuts? Again: * Little girU ate food of doUt,' &c It there then an cxprcn organ ior tbii i HDce doll* arc not litcraUy children \ Oh do ! it it only ■ nod^cstioo of the «riam nf ftikfrtgtmt'nmtti. WcU then, why ifaaoU not tlua organ ttaclfor pitiCTilar Lcopemity be a raodiicaboB or pfcM»»* !■■ J ^ij^ or of in aniaBie dupoattMnp good'Hiiwet aDd t gcncromy to gn>er«l I There team no awijTiablr tcbmxi why moat, tfaoe all of thcie ipectJ organ* AoiUd be coaiidered aa any thing ■ore Uun to many nanifeatttieoa ot caaea of gcwnl diiyiitiaasr^ capnciiie*^ &c- anrsng frooi general iinlabiutyt tcndcmcatt nmncaai . qtkneaa, comprebcwion, ftc. of tbe auBd or far»n \ tun M the p"*'™'" varictiM and obliqnitin of organic &aillie* ana alfectioM are attrihctrd by Sparzhcim and Gall to a cooimoo law or principle combined with otheii, or with peculiar circonwUiDcca. The account of the mr^am ^uActUtuntu b a marccr-piece of coofiuioo. It it aa organ teatcd on the top of the bead, and iaipeUtng ytM to lire ia hi^ placet, and then again in low placet t oa uad and water ) to be hm and there and crery where ; which i« the tame and dMercol, and it in thon an oma, not for any panicular thing, bat for all aorta of coatradioioet. r irat, it it ibe taaie at the organ of pride, and account* fiv the dMmoii dtaiUng rockt, and the eagle the tky ; for cbBdrca BWWWiM on chairs and ktogt on throon, &c. Bui ibcn tomt amnab pn£r low ounhy eroGodis and toaie bicdt baild in the hoUowa, and not on tbe top* of tree*. Tben it looki like a d*^ pwwMon of Providence to people diifertnt rcgiont of tbe earth t aad ooe wodd iluak in thit rirw that local prejadifiet wovld be retolTcd
ON DR, SPURZHEIM'S THEORY
into a (peciet of habitual xttachinnit. But no, that would not be a ttaiirum. It i« thereiorc uid — ■ Nnturc, which intended that all region* and countries ahould be inhabited, awigned to all aniraali their dwellings, and gave to cicry kind of animal it» rMpectivc pro-
EBniity to eonie paiticular te^on i ' that is, not to the place where it ad ^en botn and bted, but where it mat lo h born and bred. People who prefer this mode of philosophy are wekome to it. No wonder our author finds it 'didicult to point out the teat of this organ ; ' yet he atnirc* ue, thai ' it muM be deep-itcatcd in the brain.' The organ of aj/xjivenm is evidently the tame h» the general faculty of aitachnieot. The argon «/* t<m6atit>tnrii I conceive lo be nothing but sicength of bone and riukIc, and some projection arising fton sod indicating thete. The er^iOit sf Jtitnutivtntii and con- ttmctlvtiun are the tame, but ' »o an with a difference '—thai i*, they express atrong will, with greater or leii impatience of temper and comptchcnciTenei* of mind. The conqueror who overturn* one ttatc, builds up and aggnindiaci nnothcr. I can conc«ire pcnon* who arc gifted with the ergan af •ornrraiiaa to have expanded brains as well as swelling ideas. 'The head of CHSitT,' says oui physio- lo«at, ' is alwayt represented as very elevated.' — Yet be was remark- able for meekne«» as well as piety. Spuriheini say* of the wgan af eevtlrnaiai, that ■ it give* a dcitre for all that pleasea.' Again, Dr. Gall obnerrcd, ibat * persons of a firm and cooiuint chiracier have the top of the brain much developed ; ' and this is ciUcd the et^an ^ dtlirminalifraeii. Now if so, are we to believe that the difference in resolute and irresolute persons i» confined lo this organ, and that the nerves, fibrci, &c. of the rat of the brain are not lax or firm, in proportion as the pcmon it of a generally weak or determined character J The whole question nearly turns upon this. Say that there i* » MTticular prominence in this part, owing to a greater tirenglh and size of the levers of the will at this place. This would prove nothing but the particular manifestation or development of a general power i jutt as the prominence of the muscles of the calf of the leg denotes general muscular streneth. But the cruniologitt •nys thit the strength of the whole boi^ lie> in the calf of tlic leg, and has it* seat or organ there. Not so, in the nnme of common sense ! When Dr. Spurxhcim gets down to the visible region of the face, the eyes, forehead, &c. he makes sad work of it : SB infinite number of distinctions arc crowded one upon the hick of the other, and to no purpose. Will any body believe thai there are live or six different ufgoiis for the impresuons of one Kose (tight,) viz, colour, form, size, and so on f Do we see the form with one organ and the colour of the tame object with another?
'55
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
There w^ he difant orjaM w naa^ difimiM Baenal at fftftfTfff M^maoaii fast unAj onlj the niBd can ilMDaa tfae di&MM MytwiBiw of tbe noM wnc &ea cacfa otfaer. TW «3n« •^ j^MT M|niri 10 ac lo m«u u tbe look of wild, wriag osiM^. Ail ikK M BM m'uiMid for n lUi wij, dafaa from gatnl oes-
MiHHMn OV 0OB BBJVO^HOMW CXfCVMOBt 1> O M^ 01 '
c^ridoM, aMadMotKMcd tadb I Kka ooe pangnpli o« of tUi ptT^pgihiiw. II I niiiiii nf «ittt die reader anot expect fron tte
*WkMtbeB it tbc j^aoo/ Realty of the orfan of ia iftot of aetintjr ! Fcraoat oidevcd witk this beaky io ■ Qiffoo m Utttfiw to tfff uut hi|nien> aroofld tstti ; to nvfy oojtctt le emy nbeooneeoo. ro eitrj fad : tna tlim m hmsbu. That bcokf ocrImt barw llie qmliiiei of objtcu. not lU inmU of bet* : •I komn oolf their exjaeoce. The qaabties of the object^ aad the |rtfT*^''ff r''f- of the bea, are kaowo by the anrtiaoe of other orgM*. B*»Jit, thn bcvl^ ho* koowledge of »tt mtuml faaJati, mi mtU tfm dim. It wiihn to kaov >tl bf cxpnirscc; cos- ■lyilT > pou cfcn orpo iMO utioo : tt mfae* to hew. tt, ■■bB, nmt, ami Umat ; W law aff ant aad uimm ; 11 it rood of JBWiaiBii, ceUeoa bct)^ ud lead* to pnctical kaovledfe.'
P"p 430-
In the ocxi page he afinu ihx 'oyJapiphy io the rcaok of d» orgaa of fiom, awl th« wc do not ga the idcot of ronghawi ' nd MMMteeM &aa the tooch. — Boi I will cad here, and nta Hi At ■nrilf ooooM of DooMerswml ta the Ax'nQuaAT I *
■ It HpoB\ I ■lailMl,6i» M wmimmt mv |<li*i< br Or. »flfct«»th.tfanteehi»«ifa»e«^>r^«rt*w5teiiiiifciLii—< niatiii. IHO ■>• SM«ynr«iJMM la ilut dty.WikdHc aT 5b Wdto S««a,af Ac t>At of •* ^ |- tai til Mm^ BiMtct. Hk Int, eeomr m the mrWillna «f Aoc taned nimw, mou ikaar^a of sMciaaEieB; tkicMcaad
At •>*■ •< »M>»*iM t "^ tl>* t>^ IBHtWCT da OTXH of EUCT. Tb*. 1
MoAis M ta tW twB M. iffuin W m i awfliw dnm. Ir irs«U imlaM B« (nin ih» wmj Ak( I btn ^Tt Wirtf) to *■ aftaiM dM thctt ■ nowtMw IfeiMatif AiaatiM in the umo. I Iwi lM(i(*lM»ed tmt Itca iMrty •aaah M caffM • coB*kiian iku Sk Wila^ifir* k a nrt •( « itfi'iiiJ &«» Mr* (■hlfcM be Moaalju* w ifun ihMigfc Ui fugo, he kaia n k !•* k, wlA mr tew mukt al ibc kmcb-«U »•■ 14 — w4 m Ib tk uetal ftnoa ■rliannl.hc hw jh( Umm pn*n •< Mihitiwi aUcb Moot ta ■ ■•■ who fc>* • ball-^ ■ ■ wiac ui ton da aiad Imm afoa Hi wnj tt the frawr ■MoaaC WiAHMrtu ?riaaBlMba.i(lKh><aM'>WMliM(l(h>wM ■la aaaHcf Ilia a&m,'te he omH da km* gf MMtjre«fli,wha<tMwM' bh Mia^iTBai aoc At pNoman *i ihc MUkaataaL t have at Mom tiaM MM ihoc ifaac frntiUat l^a^ m4 1 ^wU laT that tk hat toaki Uht a pliiiiifiraiii, (b* PHocc Ik a cnanl an t«^ ^ *^ linwramt ef a |r II i ifcth Difca aa mtlh»t or aebaJy. Yea look M ifat hwl of iht faW 156
ON EGOTISM
ESSAY XV
OM BOOTISM
It is mentioned in (be Life of Salrator Roia, that on the occuior of an iiliAr-piccc of hit bebg exhibited at Romr, in the inumph of the moment, he competed himKlf to Michael Angelo, and (poke againK Raphael, cilting him harii, dry, &c. Both the*c were btal gymptomi for the ultimate lucceis of the work ; the picture wa* in bet afterwards terercly cenauredt (o at to caute him much untaai- oeai ; und he KiMed a great part of hia lile in quaireliiDg witli the world foi admiriog bit landicapo, which were truly excelleai, and for not admiring hi> historical pieces which were full of defecti. Salvaior wanted K-lf-knowlcdgc, and that rcapcct for othcrt, which ia both a cauae and conacquence of it. Like many more, he mittook the rioleat aod irritable workinga of aelf-will (in a wrong direction) for tlie itnuulae of geoius, and his iDsrotibility to the rati superiority \ of otheri for u, proof of his cqunJiiy with iliem.
In tbe fifit place, nothing augurs wonc for any one'* pretenaioaa to the higheat rank of excellence than hit making free with Ehoae of Others. He who boldly and unreaerredly placea himtelf on a lerel with the mghiy dtad, (howi a want of acotiment — the only thing thai can ensure immortality to hia own worki. When we foreical the judgment of poKerily, it ia because we are not confident of it. A mind that bringi all other* into a line with it* own naked or auumed mcriti, thai *eei alt objcctt in the foreground at it were, that doet dot regard the lofty monuineoti of geniua through the atmoaphere of fame, ia coarte, crude, and repultiTc a« a picture without aerial per- apective. Time, like distance, spread* a haze and a glory round ill thin^ Not to perceive thii, it to want a lense, ii lo be without iioaginatKM. Yet there are thoie who ttrui in their own nelf-opinion, and deck tbcDiaelre* out in tbe plumes of fancied aelf impoftaocr aa if they were crowned with laurel by Apollo't own hinJ. There waa nothing in common between Salvntor and Michael Angelo : if there had, the cooadonancH of the power with which be had to
with ailmintion tt it* capaeitjr anil m\Xi caotnHi, at ifa« l«( with wosAu ■( what ll CM ConUia (aair inorc thui ■ diun-hrnQ, it thf mui oCfiecy' m of ■Mf bncy' »^ 4fl(utl at the poHncw id<i biutUitj vhich he •lU not al^ct la mkCbL ThcM, bovevct, tic itight phjiiognomicil obKrvitioni nk«n at IBnilmni but I •hQuld be hippy ta hire R17 ' sqassileciag (Uncct' in in/ rtc|rrM ••■fma' kji Ibi ptofouDdtr Kicoct >i><l nwic iccunu iiiKtciifiiioB* a( sonhem
•S7
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
coduikI woaM bxfc OTvr-awcd and ttnick him dumb; w th»t tbe very iuiu&uiry of bu apfuroocbn proved (u much u anv thing elae) the "— ""T" dMtance ^ced between ibem. PotntcTi aume K«ni to have a trick of pouaog thetnaclra oa ao c^uat footing with tbc pcnctt of their pccdcccMon, of adTaocing, on the »ok wrcngth of their faatt; and prctumftion, to the highcu wat* in the Tempk of FaSM, of tallusg o( theiMclve* and Raphael aad Michael An^lo ia dw nme breath ! What (honld wt think of a poet who «hotild poblith to the world, oi gire a broad hint in pdraie, tbjt he coo- ceired himtclf filly oo a par with Hotner or Milton ot Shakespcar i It warJd be too moch nr a hmd to lajr »o of hiou Hot artitta iiufct their iViendi to p«ff them in the true ■ Kiag Conbjrte*' vein ' witboat biuahing. I* it that tbcj are olten tnea without a liberal edncatioB, who hare no notion of any thing liui doe* not cooie tuidec their tmoiedikte obtervatioB, and who accordingly prefer the linog to the dead, and thenwelves to all tbe te«t of the world ? Or thai there ■■ tomething in tbe nature of tbe pirofection icieif, fixing the view 00 a particnUr point of linK, and ace linkiog tbe present eithei with tbe put or liitiirc i
Again, Silvaior') di«eprd fi>r Raphael, intttad of ioapiriRg him with any thing like > Tain aad letf-cocicctt,' ought to hiTe taaght kia tbe greaiett diffideoce in himielf. lotcead of aaticipaiittg a iriusiph over Raphael (ram thia circunuUDce, be might hare fercaecn in it the rare Mwce of bit nM>rti£ca(ioD oad detrai. Tbe poblk hmked to lind to tit pkturei what be did not tec in Raphael, and were MCMMttSy diiappoiated. He coold hicdly be expected to prodace that wbkb wbni produced and »rt before him, be did Dot fed or uaderatand. The geoim for a particslar thing doe* not imply tute b seaeial or for other ibing*. biri it awortdiy prewippotn a taate oc feeUng lor thai particular thmg. Salvaior wat to much oAtnded with the £ym*4t, bariUtii, ttc. of Raphael, only because be w» not Mtuck, that it, did not lympathitc with the divine mind within. If he had, bo would luTc bowed a* at a thrbe, in tpitc of the homelinwi or fiaiciliieaa of the coi-cring. Let oo nun build himietf a fporiou Kif-eatecm on hi* contempt or tBdiiTercBCc for ackMOwfcdged excet- lence. He will in the end py dear for a momtMar^ dtniion : for the world will sooner or lata diKOftt tboae deficmicn ia him, which render hiiu inMntible to aO merits bw bi* own.
Of all modes of scquirinz distinctioa aad, at it were, ' Kttisg the atart of the nujeMic wiortd, tbe most abmitd as well aa dugustntt is that of scttJBg Bade tbe claim* of others in the lump, aad bokUag out our own particular excdtcnce or purnni as the oaly oat worth attending to. We thus tet ounelve* up as the standard of perftctien,
1(8
ON EGOTISM
^iad tn« ciety tUag el«e that divcrgM fnMO thM ■i—Jwd m boMiA oar Aodcc- At thi* rate, a cooumpc ht uj tlii>S od > wytfioiky to it ur tTaMTOOiM. It U a chop and « altOR way of ibowinf tiui we pnMMi all exccUcBce mUii oondtMi to 6taf tbe mc or merit of all tboae <piaiiicitioM> tlut do oot betoag to na. Accordiag to neb a node at "T**"'*-, it wtmld appear that our value u to be etimaird not by the aontber of a^qmicnicau that we do powen, bet of ihoM in which we arc dcfidcm aod to which wv are iMcaiiblc : — ao that wc can at aoT tioM mfftj ibe flxt oi wiadom and tktU by a doe proponioo of tgMrancCi aftctatioiii and cooceit. If tOi the dulIcK fellow, with impodeace enough to deapiae what he doe* DOt Baderuaod, will alwiijra be the bc^bteat geiiiw and the gitaian ■tan. If acipidity ta to be a nfartkate ibr tane, luHwlcdge, and ecuut, aoy one may dograaiiae and ptay the crioc oo thia groood. Wc iDiy ciiiij make a ntoaopoly of talent, if the (orpcdo-towch of ou callona and wilfol iodilfercocc ia lo Dcotraliae all other pretca- •iosa. Wc have only to deny the advaatagca of otbcn to make then oor own : iUiiardity will ant ou tbc way to tre-miiococe niucfa better than toO or mdy or qnidueia of porta i and b^r Eutru«io£ oor viewi and dinMii^ ooiieltca at lax of coiiiioo feeling aoi humanity, we may anx>gate every vahiable acoompliihmcct to onrtclTe*, and cult ovaelTc* mtly aborc vat fcUow-mortali ! That it, ia other vordi, we hart oely u> shut our eye*, in order to blot the no oat of beaven, aod to annihilate whatever gives light or beai to the world, if it dioei not emanate from one Rngle aoorGC, by apreadiag the clood of our own envy, tplecn, malice, vraot of copiprehiaain^ and prejndioe over it. Yet how many arc there who aa tipoo thb theory in good camcK, grow more faigMcd to it ever^ day, aod not ooly bccocne tbc dopaaof it tbcmaclvca, bat by dint of gravity, by boUying nd brow- bmia^ MCCcad in Bttlung coavcrta of other* !
A noB is a political eooaomtK. Good : but this is bo reason be sboold think ibcrte ii notluag else ia the world, or that every Aiag dae is good loc oothn^. Let na «Vpoce that this is the most tobJKt, and that being his Gvooritc stady, be is the beat ■ of that point, sdU it i> not the only ooc^-idty tbca treat every otber queatioQ or pwnoii wkh ditdajn ai iosigiuficaat and mean, or Mrtiiiniir to pat otbcrt wbo have devoted tbeir whole (in>c to it <m of ooaceii willi that oo which tbey depend Ibr their amusement or (perhaps) aohdMBee? I sec neither the wit, wiHlom, oor good- nalare of this nwde of proceeding. Let him 611 his library with book* oo this one ■abjec^ yet other peiMM* are not bound to ibllow the example, and exclude every other topic from theirs — let him write, let lum talk, let bim think oa aothag else, bot let him oot
•59
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
iihtMBc padndc h^wMr m ■ 6my or • nurit of ' odicn — let Inn ride ibc high hotw, aod 4ng hu ht»rj lojd of ■nrhiiiril ItBowledfc akog the tmi nB-wsjr of Uie nMter^oeace, bM let Um not note am of h ta tsnot or jo«k tliow who are |a«^ ({Mctly along upon tbdr (crenl AaMtM, who * owe htm no ■UmMce,' and care not one jot for bii opiwpni Vet we cooU Cxpvc nch a penoot if be Ru<ic ■: hi* boa* thai be had nod Don Qonete twice throng m the ongiiul Sjaniih tad prdened Lycidae to all MiUan't niuficr poem ! Whai woold Mr. — ■ - say to any one who ■faould profeM a eooieiapt far political economy I He wo«ld aMwer very blsixJy and very property, 'Then yo« koow DOlbiiifi about it.' It it a pity that ao MOBble a man md cloee a teaaoner ihould think of puttioi; down other lighter and hmtc elegant paranin by profeaiinf; a contecnpi or todilfercaoc fot tbesi, which ■Bfiogi from prcciacly the tame worcc, and ■* of JMt the ume valoe. Mt w it ic that there aecnu lo be a tacit pimiMiiptioo of feUy in irtatCTW fiw iiImwh ; while so air of gnmy aoa wiadon boma wad ibe paionl and padaaiic.
A ma conaa iaw a xaoaa, and on hi« But eotenag, declare* vitboot prcfoce or ixtttaooy hii conerapt for poetry. Arc wv therefore to oooctode hisa a greater geniM tlun Homer? No: but by thi* canlier opioion be aaminea a certain natantl iiirnrtanrj ovar tboae who admire poetry. To k»t Jtvm upon any thing •ecmhgly impliei a greater elevaiioa and eaUrgemeai of view thae lo koi »f to it. The prctent Lord Chancellor took «poD him lo declare in open oowt that he would not go acrow the Mrect to hear Madame Catalan! ting. What did thia prove *. Hit want of ta ear far twuic, ooi hit capacity for any ilung higher : So &r at it wcoi, it only abowed him to be inferior to thoic ibooModi of persoM who go with eager expectaiioo lo hear ber, and corne away with uiookihment and raptwe. A man nugbi aa wctl tell yon he it deaf, and expect you to look at him with more reaped. The want of any extnnal ■cnie or organ >• an acknowledged defect and infirmity : the want ot an nuemal aenie or Realty it eiqoaDy ao, though our telf-lo*c conuiTca to gire a different tnm to it. We mortify other* by Anwiiig tM ^altr 00 that in which tbey have an adnniage over lu, or itaggar their opinion of an cxcdlcnce which it not of aelf-eTident or abaoluie ■dlity, and letarn iu luppoted vatoe, by limiting the univertality of a ui(e for ii. Lurd Eldoo't proteit on thi* occaitoa wat the ntore exiraordintiy, ai lie it not oalr a good-uMred but a tnocewfid man. Tbeae little *piterul allatioa* are moat apt to proceed &om ditappoiated vanity, and an apprehenuoo that yutice it not dooe to ourtetve*. By being » the top of a profetaion, we have leiture to look beyond it.
ON EGOTISM
Tboic who i«lty rxcd and orr allowed to excel in any thing have no excuse for iryiog to gaio a reputation by undermining the prc- teiuioDs of oifaer« ; they tuod on their own ground i and do not need the aid of inTidiout cDrnpariionft. Betidei, the coDnciuutnew ot excellence produces a fundneta for, a faith ia it. I ibotild half •uapecl that any one could not be a great lawyer, who denied that Madame Catalaoi waa a grtii linger. The Chancelior mutt diilike her dccitive tone, the rapidity of her moveniental The lau Chancellor (l^rakine) was a ruq of (at least) a dilfeccnt itSRip. Id the exuberance and buoyancy of hii aiuinat spirtta, Ik icattrred the grace* and oiuanienu of life over the duat and cobwebt of the law. Wiut is (here that i» now left of him — what ii there to redeem liia foiblvn, or to recal the Huah of early eotbuiiaim in bin favour, or kindle one ipork of lympathy in the breait, but bit romantic admiratian 0^ Mrs. .SiddoDI ! There arc thuac who, if you praiac Wa/lon't C^mpltif ^ngtrr, Kicer at it as a childiih or old-womaniah per- formance : tome laugh at the amusement of liihing a« ailly, othcn carp at it aa cruel \ and Dr- Johnaoo laid that ■ a lishing-rod waa « Kick with a book at one end, and a fool at the other.' I would taiher take the ward of one who had Mood for duyi, up to hia kneea in water, and in the coldctt weather, intent on this employ, who returned to it again with unabated relish, and who apeni hiB whole life is the tame manner without being weary of ii ni laal. There i( lometbiog in this ntore than Dr. JoliriKin'* dctioitioa accounts for. Ayi»/takei no interest in any thing; of if he doea, it it better to be a fool, than a wite man, whose only pleaaiire i( to disparage tlie puiittita and occupation* of othcra, and out of ignorance or prejudice to condemn them, merely became they arc not hii.
Whatever interetta, it intcrealiDg. 1 know of no way of cttinutiog the real value of object* in all their bearing* and coniic<iurncci, but I can tell at once their intellcctttal value by the degree of paaiion or aemimeu the very idea and mention of them excite* in the mind. To judge of thing* by reaaoo or the calcubuoea of po«itivc siility i* a (tow, cold, uncertaio, and barren procci* — thdr power of appealing to and uiFectiog the imagination a* (ubjecta of thought and feeling ia bett mcaaured by the haiHloal imprcamoa they leave upon the mwA, and it i« with tbii only we have to do in expre*«tng our delight or admiration of tbem, or in letting a jun menul value upon thent. They ought to excite all tbe emotion which tbcy do excite i for ihi» ii the instinctive and unerring result of the coottaot experience we have had of their power of affecting ua, and of tbe aMociatioo* that cling unconacioualy to them. Fancy, feeling nay be very uudequate ic*U ol inuh) but irvtb itaeU opentea cbiefly on the
vou Tit. ; L |6|
««h cMW » tlMd^ • «3U wd ~ - - -
TbawtepMfi
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fiifae 1R abtalMrijr cwdcMD aay tfaia^ «« oagla to b* ibfe rfww >owffhb|g beam, noi ncnly is iwlC bat is die nnt d T« haow tfar bas in tatk dam 'mm a bigfas depve of n«r i M)M(dMclaai i» flriy a f gwion of Hate; br difaent chats do not iotefftra antb oae aaotber. oor cas bb* ooe'i jftn Stk be taken on •o wide a yuetdem aa abauaa ncccUeace. Notkiag i* tnly aod ahofttbpf deapcaUe ths cxckea aapy coawmpt or warn oppontioot ■sea iImi alwajn tmpGca dot anw ok ebe it of a <BArat optDMNii ■ad take* aa e^val buefe* to it.
WbcB 1 tpok of what it iateiatiog, bowerer, I raexn not only to a particalar ^roAoMo, hm. io general to othen. Indeed, ir U tbe *cfy nopolartfy asd obriow mumt attached U> ocRain trndiet and pwaaitt, that rxchri the cnry aad boadle refifd of gK*ci aod more tacondicv peoftMiooi. Man it fahxft not auanSj u esotut, or at Imm be it attiified wHh ht» own Mitiralar line of exceUeocc and the Tshic that he luppoaea taaeporaUe bwa it, til! he comet into the world ao^ fiodt it of lo Httle accoun b tbe tjt* of the vnljar | aod
i6s
ON EGOTISM
he [hen turn) round and vena hit chagnD and iliuppoiacment on tho*e more attractive, but (a* he coni:eivc«} aupcriicial Rtudtet, which co« lew labour and patience to undrcscand ihcm, and arc of to much Icm uRc to locin;. The injunicr done to onrKlvc* malcei w unjuxt to othm. 1'hr man of ectcnce and the hard itudeni (from thit cause, as weli at from a certain unWndin); hanlnnt ormind) corneal iait to regard whatever ii uener.illy pleuiinji and Mrikinj; ai worthless and light, and to proportion their contempt to the admiratiuo of oiher>( while the nniit, the poet, and the votary of iilcanure and popularity treat the more solid and uKlut branches of human knowledge M disagreeable and dull. This h often cnrtied to too great i length. It i« enough tlint ■ wisdom in jusiilied of her children : * the philofo> phcr ought to imile, instead of being angry at the folly of mankind ( if tuch it it } , and those who Gnd both pleasure and profit in adorning and poliihi»;> the airy ' capitalu ' of science and of art, ought not to grudge thoae who toil underground at the foundation, the ptai*c tbu ii due to their patience and (elf-denial. There is a variety of tattca snd capaciticsihatreiiuiret all the variety of mea't talent* to adminiftcr 10 tl. The leas excellent must be provided for it well as the more excellent. Tho»e who are only capable of amuM-ment ought to be amused. If alt men were forced to be great philonophert and lasting benefactors of their species, how few of u* could ever do any thing at all ! But nature acts more impartially, though not impro- videnily. Whcrercr she bestows a turn for any thing on the individual, she implants a corresponding tane for it in other*. We hate only to ' throw our bread upon the waters, and after many days we shall find it again.* Let us do our bc«t, and we need not be ashamed of the smallneM of our talent, or afraid of the calumnies and contempt of envious matigners. When Goldsmith was talking one day to Sir Jothua of writing a lable in which little lishc* were to be introduced, Dr. Johnson rolled about uneasily in his kai and began to laugh, on which Goldsmith said rather angrily — 'Why do you laugh r If you were to write a fable for tittle lishes, you would make them speak like great whales ! ' Tlie reproof was just. Johoaoo was in tnitli conscious of Goldsmith's superior inventiieneis, and of the lighter graces of his pen, but he wished to reduce every thing to his own pompous and oracular style. There aie not oa\y hah for thiUnn, but tiooki for all a^s and for both lexes. After we grow m to years of discretion, we do not all become equally wise nt once. Our own tastes change : the taste* of other individuals are still more ditfeicot. It was said the other day, that ' Thomson's Seaioas would be read white there was a boarding-school girl in the world.' If a thoimod volumes were written ajjainsi Hervej't MeJUatianj, the
163
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Mediudoni would be toad whco the critJcinnf were rorgoUea. To the illiterate asd nio, .-itfcctition aod vccbiagc will almya mm for fine writing, while the world ftand*. No womin crrr liked Butkc, or disliked Goldunitli. It is idle lo Kt up so unimul si.aodaid. There is a large clats who, in tpitc of themtelies, ptefrr Wtstsll or AD|{elka KnftlUli to Raphael ; nor i> it lit they shuuM do othcrwtK. We naf eOHie to Kuniethinj; like j fixed aod exclusive sundard of cute, if we cooline otu'ieltes to uhit will pleasi- thi: best judge*, meaning thetefajr perMDsof the tno)t rettned and cultivucd minds and bypersoato^lhc most refined and cultivated inindt, generally mcming otirit/vei I '
To return lo the original tjucMion. 1 &in conceiic of notbiag so little or ridiculoDs as pride. It is t mixture of ioieBiibility and ill- oaiutc, in wliich ii iii hard to sajr which has the Utgnt aluue. If a nuiQ knows oi excels in, or has inrer studied any two ihinKS I will veoiure to allinn he will be firoud of neither. It is perhaps excusable for 1 person who is ignoriint of all but one thing, to tlunk ibai the sole excellence, and to be (iill of himself as the posaessor. The way to cure him of this folly is to gire him something else to be proud of. Vanity is n building that fatU to the ground as you widen its foundation, or sucngthen the props that should support it. The grester a man is, the less he necessarily thinks of himself, for hii koowledK^ I'Qbrgeti with liit attainments. In himself he feels that be ta nothing, a point, a speck in the universe, except as his miod rejects that unii-erse, and as he enlers into the infinite laricty of truth, beauty, and power contained in it. Let any one be brought up among books, nod taught to think words the only thinge, and he tnay conceive highly of himself from the proficiency he has made in lan}!uuge and ' in letters. Let hini llica be compelled to attempt some other pursuit ^niatin2, for instance — and be made to feel the dilSculties, ihe rennemeats of which it is ctpable, and the number of things of which he was utterly ignotam before, and there will be an end of hi* pedantry and his pride together. Nothing but the want of com- prehension of view or generosity of spirit can nuke any one fix on his own particaUr acquirement as the limit of aII excellence. No one is (generally speaking) grc:at in more tlian one thing — if he extends his pursuits, he dinupatea his sucngih — yet in that one tiling how Hiiall i> the inieii-.d between him and the next in merit and r^ntalion to himielf I But he thinks nothing of, or scorni or l(»tbea tw Mine 0^ hit rival, so that all that the other potsrstn in conunon
' The books (hsi UK like in youth wc cctuin lo in sgt, if tbtcc is flsuirc ud limplIcitT in them. At whil tge sbould Robloion Cnuoc be laid sildtf I da nsi think (hil Dnn Quisotc ii a book for <hil'lrcn ; or it Icut, lh«y andcntanH it bcller at they inw np. l«4
ON EGOTISM
goes for notliinj, and th« fraction of a difiVrencc bctwtro them GtiasCituie* (in hia opinion) tbe «um and lubKance of all tlut i( excellent in the univenc ! Let a man be wite, and then let us atk, will hii wiidom malcc him proud i I.ct him excel all other* In the gracd of the mind, has he alw those of the body i He has the advantage of fortune, but hu he al«a that of birth, or if he has both, haji he health, etrctiglh. beauty in a supreme degree ! Or hare not otheri the same, or doe* he think all these nothing because he does not pOMcat them ? The proud nun findei that there it oo ooe worth regarding but himtelf: he might at well Euicy there 'u oo other being but himiclf. The onr- i« no! n greater ttretch of mad- ncM than the other. To make pride juttiiiable, there ooght to be but one proud man in tlie world, for if any one indtiidu^ haa a right to be CO, nobody else has. So far from thinking our»eUct capnior to all the re« of the specie*, we cannot be sure tliat we are above the meanen and raoil despiied individual of it : for he may hare tome Tircue, loine excellence, iK>me source of happinett or tuefuIncM withiti hirotclf, which may redeem all other dimdrantaget ; or even if he ii without any such hidden worth, this is not a lubject of exultation, but of regret, to any one tinctured with the smallet't humanity, and he who ia totally devoid of the latter, cannot have much reason lo be bioimI of any thing elte. Arkwright, who invented the npioniog- jenny, for many year* kept a paltry barber's shop in a prorincial town : jrt at that timr that weoderlul machinery was working in bin \xait\, which has added more to the wealth and moorcet of this country than all the pride of ancestry or insolence of upsUit nobility for the lati hundred years. We should be cautious whom we despise. If we do not know them, we can have no right to pronounce a hauy sentence : if we do, they may espy some few defect* in u*. No nun u a here la tit valet-Je-thamBrt. What is it then that make* the difference? The dress and pride. But he it the most of a hero who is leaat distinguished by the one, and mo«t free from the other. If we enter into coDvcrutioo upon equal term* with the towett of the people, unrestrained by circumstance, unawed by interest, wc shall find in ouriclie* but little superiority o»er them. If wc know wliat they do not, they know what wc do not. In general, those who do thing* for others know more about them than ihote for whom they are done. A groom knows more about hortcs than hi* matter. He rides them too : but the one rides behind, the other before ! Hence the number of fomi* and ceremonie* that \i»*v been invented to keep the magic circle of fancied self importance inviolate. The late King •ought but one toieniew with Dr. Johntoo : hit prcteni Majesty it oeret tired of tbe company of Mr, Ctokcr.
i«5
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
The coiltuoo of tnitb or graiua natonilly give* a tliock to the pride of exalted rank : the gteat and mighty utuully teek out ibe drcg» of Riinkind, buffoon* and ditterers, for their pampered lelf-IOYe to repoie oo. Pridr loon tirc« of ercry thing but iu Bhadow, serrility ; but bow pour a triumph it that wbicb cxin* only by excluding a)l riTalr)', howo-cr remote. He who invito campciition (the only tctt of merit), who ch>llcnge« fur com pari ion t, »nd weigh* dinerrnt clainia, it alone pouencd of manly ambition ; but will not long CODtintie vain or proud. Pn'de is 'a cell of ignorance! travelling a-bed.' If we look u all out of ouraelve*) we niiut Ke how (ar •hon we are of what we would be tbuu{;ht. The man of eeniua is poor ; > the rich man it not a lord : the lord want» to be a kmg : the king if uneaiy to be a tyrant or a God. Vet be alone, who could claim thi* la«t character upon eanh, gave hii life a rannotn for otheri ! The dwarf in the rom^ince, who nm the ihAdows of the fairest and the mightJeai among the tons of men pas» before him, that he might unune the shape he liked best, had only hit choice of wealth, or beauty, or ralour, or power. But could he bare clutched them all, and melted them into one etsence of pride, the triumph would not have been lasting. Could vanity take all pomp and power to iuelf, could it, like the rainbow, xpnn the earth, and feem to prop the heavens, after all it would be but ibe wonder of the ignorant, the
Siageani of a moment. The fool who dreams that be ii great should IrR forget (bat he ti a man, and before he thinks of being proud, should pray to be mad ! — The only great man in modem times, that ii, the only man who rote in de«dt and fame to the level of antiquity, who might turn his gaie upon himself, and wonder at hit height, {or on him »11 eyet wete fixed as hit majestic stature towered abOTC thrones and monumeou of renown, died the othet day in exile, and in linger mg agony i and we still lee fellows strulting about the streets, and bocying they are something 1
Pcraonsl vanity it incompatible with the great and the iJeat. He
' I ilo not ipcik a( poirilT ii in ibtalutf evil ; thoujli when iccompuiifl with luxnrioui htbitt in.! vially, ■( ti • pcsl one. Bnn haiilthipt uiil piiviliont have tbdr UK, sad give KKOgUi *ad eo'lunnn. Labour ttailtii cnc <let<thlfnl — banp* ■• llir bat aauce. Tht pcionl, whu it noon rtsti (torn bit wcwy tMk uodn * hswlhom hdfc, ami eiH hit tlict of coirK bm<l and cheese at ru*tf buoa, tnjoyi more ml Isiuty thin the prince with prnperfd, Itillna tppclitc ■Dd«r I tuiofj of lUte. Why then doo the mind ef mn pitf lite fanner, ind en'7 llii l*tl«r F It ii bceauie the imifinition chui[« fiten with other* is •iluilioa only, not In fctliof ; in<l >b fsncyinf ouiicIk* the pnusi, w« tevoll st his honiel)' fiK, from not btinn poucucd n( hit froM Cute or kten ippeiiic, while in thinking Of (he prince, we tupptae ourHivea iu tH down to hi* dctJciU vojkIi and tnmptuou* bo»d,wilh i relitn unshiteii by loni hsbil and vicioutetciw. t siaaal «ute whether Msnileville hiM noi^itn the tinie antvrer to thii hnknepd ^ueetiea, 166
ON EGOTISM
who bat DOT KCn, or thought, or read of something iiner than himnetC, hu teeti, or te»d, or thoughi little ; and he who has, will not be always looking in the gtami of hi* own vanity. Hence poctf, actini). Bod men of gcniat in general, arc seldom coxcomb*!, but often sloveoa ; for they find fomethiog out of thenisclves better worth itudying thao their own perroot. They ha« an imaginary stamiarci in their minds, with which ordioary features (even their own) will not bear a com- pariioo, and they turn their thoughts another way. If a man had a face like one of Raphael'* or Titian's headt, he might be proud of ii, but not cUc ! and, erco then, he would be sured at ns a noii-drifripi by 'the universal Fnglish nation.' Few persons who have seen the AociDOUB or the Theseus will be much charmed witli ibcir own beauty or lymmetTy ; nor will those who underitand the costmie ot the anljqae, or Vandyke's dreises, spend much time \a decking them- ■elve« out in all the deformity of the prevailing faabion. A coxcomb if his own lay-figure, for want of any better models to employ his time and imagination npon.
There is an ini-erted tort of pride, the reverse of that egotism that has been above dctcribcd, and which, bccau»e it cannot be every thingi is dissatiilied with every thing. A petmn who ii liable to this in6(n)ity, ' thinks nothing done, while any thing remains to be done,' The sanguine egoti«c pridec himtelf on whnt he can do or potitHeai the morbid cgotin despiies himself for what he wantf^ and is ever joing out of his way lo attempt hopclcM aod inipoitible laskF. The effect in either caw is not at all owing to ri^son, but to temperament. The one is ai ewily depressed by what mortifies his latent amtntion, an the other is dated by what flatten hit imniediute vanity. Tliere are pcrtons whom no nicceti, no advantagei, no applause can satitfy, for they dwell only on failure and delrac They coniicantiy * forget the thing's that are behind, and press forward to the things that are before.' The greatest and most decided actiuisiliona would not indemnify them for the smallett deficiency, I'hey go beyond the old motto^^ttf Ctiar, aal HihH — they not only want lo be at the head of whatever they undertake, but if they succeed in tliat, they immediately want to be at the head of something else, no matter bow gross or trivial. The charm that rivet* their affections is not the importance or reputation annexed to the new {nirniit, but it* noveltv or difficulty. 'Iliat most be a wonderful accomplithmeni indeed, which baffles their skill — nothing is with them of any value but a* h givea scope to their restless aaivity of mind, tlieir craving after an imeaiy aiul imporluiuite litate of exciiemcnt. To them tlie pursuit it every thing, the poxtenion nothing. I liave known persona of thia •tamp, who, with every reason to be satisfied with their *ucce«i in
167
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
life, and with tbe opinion eotcrumed of tbem by ocherti d«([nKd thetMclm became tliey could not do itomelhiox vrliich th«y weie om boaad Co do, and which, if they could have done it, would not have added om jo( lo their rcipcctabilitv, either in their own cycii or tho«r of uy one cIm, the rcry iniigtiiiicance of the aitaintnent irriuiing ihdr impatieDcr, for it ii the hamour of tuch diipotitions to argvw, *tf ihcy caanot mcceed in what is trifliDg and cooicmptibt«, how thooM tfacr fucceed in any ihiofi clfe ? ' If they could nuke the chaut of tht irti and iciences ind nLUIcr ihem ull, the)' would take to tome mechanical exerciie, und if they faijeil, be it discontented at ever. All ihat ihcy can do ranithe* out of tight the moment it it whhin tbcir gratp, and * nothing is but what i> noL' A poet of that dcKriptiod i* ■inbitiou* of the thcwt and mu»clc« of a pnie fightci. and thinkt tiimaelf nothing without them. A pioee-writer would be » fine tennia-pU/er, and ia tlitown inu> deip&ir be<:auae he ia oot one, wiibout coniiderb^ that it require* a whole li& derotcd to the ^me to excel in it ; and thai, even if he could diapente «rith thii appren- ttceihip, he would ttill be jiMl ai mncb bound to excel in rope-dancing, or borscmaiuhip, or pJayine at cup and ball like th« Indian juggler*, all wbtch it imnouible. Thiii feeling i> a ncrangc mixtotc of modcAy anil pride. We think nothing o( wh^ «c are, beciutt we cannot be every thing with a wish. Goldamtth wai even jealout of benuiy in the other MX, and tbe aame chancier u anributed to Wharton by Pope :
' TliouKh littming icnate* hung on all he ipoke, Thf diib 'outt hail him mutrr of the joke.'
Pbyerc are for going into the cbutcfa— officer* in the army turn player*. For myiielf, do what I might, 1 ahonld think myMlfa poor crcaiure unlet* I could beat a boy of ten yev* old U chuck-fanbiag, or an elderly gentlewoman at pi<|uet t
The extreme of faatidiou* diKontcnt and r^riaias ia a« bad at that of oTcr-weening preivmption. We oujiht to be taiiitied if we hare succeeded in any one thing, or with having done our be«. Any thing more ii for health and amuicment, and ihould be retOftcd to U a iourcc of picamre, not of frctliil impatience, and eadleta pity, telT* imposed moitillcation. Pcrhapt the jealout, uncaty temptramettt it OKMt &*aurablc to continued exertion and improvement, if k does doc lead ua to friuer away attention on too many purtuiu. By lookinf; out of ouraehret, we gain knowledge : hy being little tatjified with what we have done, wcare leu apt to tink into indolence and tccurity. To conclude with a piece of egoiitm : I never begin one of tltcto Eiiay with a contciouimcM of having written a line beA)re ; and having got 10 the end of the volume, hope never to look into it attin.
ifiti
I
HOT AND COLD
ESSAY XVI
HOT AND COLO
'- Hot, colli, moitc, lod drjifoor dumpiaai Girceg
StriTC hcrt for inuwtjr.*— Miltor.
*Twii Protdtanu ut much cleaner thtn die Ciiholic*,' taid » ihop- keeper of Vtvcy to me. * Thej are to,' I replied, ■ but why thoald they } ' A jirejudicc sfipewfd to bim a nanrr-of-bct, aod he did noi think it cecnkinr to aangn r«s«oiia br a matter-of-ftct. That i* out my way. He had aot bottomed hit propodlion oo ptooft, nor rightly dc lined it.
Nearly the tame remark, at to the extreme cl«anlincM of the people in thi* part of the couotry, hod occurred to me a« toon u i got to Brigg, where however the tnhabitaDt* are Citho)ict. So the Ortgioal ftatcmeot requires tome qualilicatioD aa to the mode of cnuDciacion. I had do sooner arrired in thtt *illa£Ct which it lituated ju«t under the Simplon, and where you are (unouaded with giitaen and gtilrej, than the geniui of the place (truck me on looking out at the pump under my window the next morning, where the * neat-lianded Phyllitee ' were wathing ibetr greeDa in the water, that not a caterpillar could crawl on ihrrn, and icourinji their pails and tubs ibat DOC a itain should be leli in them. The raw, clammy leclicg of the air was in unison with the scene, i had not (cen luch a thing in Italy. They hare there no delight in tplubiitg and dab- btiag in fresh streams and foaniaing — ibcy hare a dread of aUuboiw and abstertiona, almost amounting to jyttvfitHa. Hcm haa aa antipathy in nature to cold. The aaaguine Italian ii chilled and abuddcrs at the touch of cold water, while the Heliretian boor* wbooe llomoun creep through bit reias like the dank mict* along the side* of bit frOECD mountaiat, it ' native and endued unto that element.' Here every thing ia puri&ed and liltered : there it it baked and bumi sc, and itickt together in a moat amicable union of filth and biineai. 1 here is a little oiywery and a little contridicticn in the caae — let ua try if we cannot get rid of both by nxua of camioa and daring together. It is not that the diffcmoe of latitude between one aide of the Alps and the other can ugotfy much : but the ehlegnBttic blood of their German anc^iiort is poored down the valleya of the Swita like water, and keJ in it* progrctt ; whetca* that of the Italians, bciidci iu vigorout origin, is enriched and lipcncd by basking in more gcoial plains. A linglc Milaneie market-girl (to go no farther touth)
169
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
■ppcKcd to me to h»n mott blood in htt body, nore G» in her eje (31 if the tun hid made u bunuo^ Imi of it), more spirit and ptobwl;^ more miKbieF aboai her than all the nice, lufy, good-looking hard- WDrkbg ^rl« I hsTC tcco in Swiurrland. To torn thif ph^«k«nomtcal obaemtioD to a mcuphyacal account, I ihould tay then that Northrm people are clean and Sostbcrn people dirty ai a general nde, becauie where the principle of life it more cotd, weak, and imporeriihedi there i* a greater ih]rDec« and aTernoo to come in cootxct with external matter (with which it doe* not wo eaaily amalgamate], a greater faatidiousncn and delicacy in choodng it* KOMtknii a greater denre to koow turrotmding obJKt* and to keep them dear of csch ocber, than where thia principle bring more warm and aciiw, it may be Hqipoied to abwrb oomfd impreuions in iitelf, to melt them into ha om etMooc, to impart ilt own vital impulaei to them, and in fine, iMiead of •hrinkmf' from erery tiling, to be shocked at nothiog. The SoMhem temperament i« (to to ipeak) moee loci^ile with matter, more gro«i, impure, indinerem, from relying on iu own urength i while that oppotcd to it, from being Icta ahk to react on external applicfttioBi, i« obliged to be more cauiioot and particvUr aa to the kind of excitement to which it renderi itwtf liable. Hence the limidiiy, reterre, and occaaional hypocritv of Northern manncni the boidneM, freedom, lerity, and fre<)uent licentiootneH of Southern onet. It would be ton much to lay, that if there ii any thing of which a genuine Italian haa a horror, it i« of cleanlincu ; or tlm if there IB any thing which reems ridtculDot <o a thoroughbred Italiait wooan, K ii modetcy ; but certainly the deflree lo which nicety ia earned by lome people ia a ion la an Italian imaj^tDation, ai the exce« of delicacy which it pretended or practited by tome women li i|mie inoomprehentible to the fcmatci 01 the tSoutb. It it wrong, nowcver, to make the greater cnnfldcncc or fonnrdocu of nunncn u BtNolote test of morala: the love of virtue it a dilfcrent thing from the fear or even hatred of vice. The t^ueamithneat and prudery in the one cate have a more plauuble apoearaoce; but it doc« not fellow that there may tiot be more native goodnesi and eveo habitual refinement in the other, though accompanied with nrooger nerrea, and a lea* morbid imagination. But to return to the nru qoeaiion.' — 1 can readily underttand how a .Swim petmot should ffand a whole morning at a pump, washing cabbap,et, cauliflowers ■allada, and getting rid half a doica licatt over of the taod, dirt, and inaecu they contain, becauie I myvelf tbould not only be grmtStd by
I WoDica ibrotd ((cncrill; •fctkini) in meet likt men in ih( Eonr of ihtic e«aiKmlion tn-l fcibitt of Ihinkint, to that bom the umt frrmiMi j^h M«nal irrm tbt nnw c«c<lMiont at in Enctaad. 170
J m
HOT AND COLD
RKCting with tht one K ubic, but ihouM be m horrora at the other. A Frenchmao or an Italian would be thrown into conrtiUioB* of laughtei M thii supeifluoua dclJcacyt ><^ would lliiak hi« repui enriched or none the wone for nich addition!. The reluctance to prejr on life, or on what once had ii, Kenu to iri*e from a «enK of incongruity, from the repugnance between life uid death — from the cold, chmmj feeling which bclonj>» to the one, and which ia enhanced by the contraat to itt former warm, lively »ate, and by the circumstance of its bein^ taken into the mouili, and devoured a« food. Hence the deiire to get rid of the idea of the living animat c»eo in ordinary caset by all the diiguiic* of cookery, of boiled and rout, and by the anibcc of changing the name of (be animal into lomcthing diffrxcnt when it becomes lood.' Hence •porttmcn arc not dcvouren of game, and hence the averiion to kill the amiBal* we eat.* There is a contradiction between the animate and the inanimate, which ia lelt as matter of peculiar annopnce by the nMwe cold and congealed temperament which cannot lo well pisi from one to the other t but thit objection is eatily swallowed by the inhabitant of gayer and more luxnriou* reeions, who is to full of life himself that he can at once impart it to all that comes in hif way, or nerer troubles him»eir about the ditTetence. So the Neapolitan bandit takes the life of his victim with little remorte, becauie he has enouj{h and to spare in hiraielf : hit pulie itill beats warm and Tigoroui, while the blood of a more humane native of the l'ro7cn North would run cold with horror at the tight of the iiifFened corse, and thia makes him pause I>efore he ■top* in another the gushing source, of which he has such feeble supplies in himielf. The wild Arab of the Desert can hardly entertain the idea of death, neither dreading it fur himaelf nor regretting it for others. The Italians, Spaniardi, and people of the South swarm alive without being sick or sorry at the circumstance i they hnni the accustomed prey in each other * ungled lock* openly io the urects and on the highways, without tnsnifcuiog stutnc or
1 Thit cimnuuocc I* nautti la IvsnlMe^ ihongh • tflOcreai torn Is givca U It by ibc philotophcr o( Rulhnvwid.
' Sty, I ctn till yoa more/ nid Wimb* iti thr umc tone, 'thrrt i* old Al'ltnnin Oi cDcitlnutt In hoM hit SiiDn rpiihti, whilt tia h iin>trT (ht chaise of Kffi tn<l bondiRMi) tilth H tboB | but bc<c«i» Bctf, i Ii<i7 Frca<h (illinl, whca be iirin* ht(on the uviihipfvl jiwi diil are iinimol to coniunu him. Mjmlwer C«lf too bcconui Moailcur <lc Vtaii la like Buoaei : he a Smoo irlten ke RquiiM lenilaace, lad likci i NetmiD otEtic whca he bccomei sutMr of ■BinincDl.' — Vo!. I, Chap. i.
' Hrace lb« pceoliu borror of cmnibtlinn from the Ittonfvr ijnnpilhir wil}i oyr <nm maationt, aod the (reattr vJoltnce thil it dona to it by tho ttcrilsfiinn •ae of irhM once f oMcwed beaan life tad fetlliit.
171
k
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
trpugnance : comb* are ta invcotioo of our Nonhrrn climn. Now 1 can coatprcbcDd thit. when I look at the ditty, dingy* trcuy, fus- bural complexion of an Italian peatant or bcf^r, wbote body Mcmi aliTc all over with a tort of tingling, oily tcntation, to ttiat from aoy
!;iveo poiiicle of hii ihining itkin to the bcAct ' whose name ngnilieii ore' the iramition is but «rnall. This jiopuloiuticw it not uoac- countable where all teemi with life, where all ■• glowing and in moilon, and every pore thrills witli an ekuberaoce of feeling. Not to b the dcarili uflile and ipirit, io the droMy.dry, material texture, the clear complcxiont and fair hair of the Saxon races, where the puncture of an insect's iting in a lolucion of their penonal identity. Bud the idea of life attached lo and couning an intimacy wiih them in i|rite of themiekea, naturally produces all the revulsions of the aoft Tiolcnt antipathy and nearly drives them out of their wits. How well the tniootli ivoty comli and auburn hair agree — while the Greek lianJj, on entering a room, applies his hand to brush a cloud of buay itraggleri from hii hair like powder, and gives himself no RKxe coacem about them ihaa about the motes dancing in ibe eud- beam* ! The din of the Italians is as it were baked into them, and so ingrained aa to become a pan of tkcDaelvrt, and occaflon bo diacontinuity of their being.
I can forgive the dirt and sweat of a gipaey under a hedge, when I conaidet that the earth is his mother, the mn is his father. He bunu vermin for food : be i« himself hunted like vennio for prey. His existence is not one of choice, but of oecesaity. I'he hungry Arab devours the raw shoulder of a horte. This again I can conceive. Hit fcvctiih blood seethe* it, and the vtrulence of hit own breath carries olf the diiagreeableoesa of the smell. 1 do not •ee that the bone should be reckaoed among onclean animals, according to any notion* I have of the m.-iiiev. The dividing of the hoof or (he cootrary, I should think, hnt not any thing to do with the ({Dcscion. I can uncknuad ihedittinciion between bcMtaof prey ud the herbivorous and doreettic animali, but the horac i* urae. The natural distinction between clean and unclean aainutt (which has been somctinica made into a religioua one) I take to depend oa two circunutances, riz. the chw« and brittly hide, which f^eneriUv, though not always, go together. One would not wiih to be torn in pieoe* tnotead of making a comforuble tneaJ, * to be mined upon * where we thought of suppisg. With respect to the woli, the tiger, and other animaU of the lame sprciea, it feenu a aueutoa which of IM ihould dcTOur the other : thii baulks out appetite by dtttracitng oar nteMion, and wc have lo tittle relish for betng eaten ounelves, or for the fangs and teeth of these ahockiog animals, that it pns laa * '7»
HOT AND COLD
dUlMic for thtii wbole bodies. The hotror we cODceWe ai picying upoD then] aniCK iii part from (be (eai we bad of bang pcejred upon by tlicra. No luch apprehcMion croiwi ihe mind with rapcct to the deer, the «hecp, the haic — ' h«c all !■ contciencc and tender heart.' The«c gentle cmturc« (whom wc complimenl a* utcful] offer no renitance to the ItRifr, aad there it therefore Dothiog shocking or repnliive in the idea ot' devotiDji tliem to it. There is no confuiioo of ideaa, but a beautiful linijilidty and uniformtly in our relation to each other, we 40 the slaycTB, they at the iJaio. A perfect underiunding nibtist* an the nbjnt. The hair of animaU of prey i> alio iirong and brittlj, and forms an ob«L»clc to our Epicurcac defigni. The calf or fawn in Meek and tniooili : the briittet on H dog't or a cnt'a back arc like * the (]uill« upon the fretful porcupine,' a Tery impracti- cable rcpMt to the imagination, that lUck in the ihcuat and ttiio (he (lomach. Who hat not read ami been edified by the account of the »apptt in Oil Bla«? Ikgidei, there it alio in all probability the practical comideration urged by Voltaire'j trateller, who being Mked ' which be preferred — black mutton or white J ' replied, 'Either, proiided it wai tender.* The gmier rankneu in the Acih i* how- ever accompanied by > corresponding irritability of turface, s trnaciousncH, a prurtrncyi a rareneaa to attack, and oo( that fine, round, pampered paggirencts to tniprcBtiona which cui« up into haodionie joint* and entire piece* without any fidgctty proce«>, and with an obviouji view to >olid, wholnome nouriihmeiK. Swine 't ll»h, the abomination of the Jewith law, certainly come* under the objcctioi> here iiated ; and tlie benr with it> ahaggy fur it only smuggtcd into (he Chritiian larder aa luJf-brothet to the wild boar, and beeniM from ita lazy, lumpish characier and appearance, it aettai matter of indilference whether it eat* or it eaten. The horte, with ileelc round luuncheit, ii lair game, except from cuatom ; and 1 thick I could turTire having iwallowcd part of an a»a'* foal without being utterly loathaome lo mycclf.' Mite* in a rotten chcc*c arc endurable, from being *o iniall and dry thai (bey are (Carcc diitinguiihablc from the atoms of the cheeie tuclf, 'to droaty and dtviiiblc are ihcy : ' but the Lord deliver me from tbcir more thriting next'door neighbour! I AnimalB that are nude uae of ai food thoutd either be ao tmall a* to be imperceptible, or elte we should dig into ilic quarry of life, liew away the maiaei, and not leatre the form Manding to reproach ua with our gluttony and cruelty. I hate lo aee a rabbit trusted, or a lure brought to table io the form which it occupied while liriog : they «ecm to me apparitions of the burroweti in (he carih or the roven in
' Tbonui Caopci of Minchntfr, th< iblc lojicinn aid polilicil prtiun, died the tifniraul wne jttn tfo, irlita he inniH ■ numMr of (tntlecnen >aJ
•73
J
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
the wood, teat to Kare away appetite. One reaaoo why toadi and tcrpcM* arc dugoraag, u from tb« way in which they nin tguan or ■uddcniy cUog to the tk'm : the racouotcfin| ihcm caiue* a aolutioii of ooatiDnhy. aod «e shudder to fed a life which U not out* io cODOa with ua. It ii thia diajoiated or tmpctftct lynipaihy which in the recoil prodocei the graunt mipwhy. Stene aalu why a tword, which take* away life, may be aaoied whboui oAeix«t though other ihbgt, which coaiributc to perpetiutr it, cacoot ^ Beciiuc the idea !o the ooc cue i« merely {ttinful, aad there ia no mixture of the agreeable to lead ihr ima^nanoo on to a pcim from which it miMt enaie a precipitate retmi. The morally iodrccm ari>e* F^rom the doubdvl cootlict between temptation and duty i the ptiyscally [croliiag b the piodact of ahenMe snractwa aad repwliiaa, of partial adhcaioni orof •ooMtbifig that bfbreiga to w Midcmg ckwa to our pcnow thn we co«ld wiib. The oa>tie«t taMea and inielli are not the mo«t pnagent and painful, bat a compownd of tweet 3sd bitter, of the agreeable amJ diaagrcMblc ; where ihc (cn*c, hating been relaxed aad rendered cfienUBaie a> it were by the Snt, is joabk to cooicod with the laK, faiau aad (ink* voder it, and ha* do way of relieriag iiaetf hot by Tiolcntly throwing olT the load thai opprcwH it. Hence loadtiog aad nckncM. Bat d>c»e hardly ever artac without tonc^ thing eotradictofy or imtirr la ilie ottjecta, or inlet* the mind, haetog been ianttd aad prepared to be graliaed at KrM, thu expectation ia tamed to diuppoininicot and di(gn*t. Merc poina, mere pleasures do not hair thii elfect, me from an exec** of the fim caauiog iamilibility and then a faiouicM cnmie*, or of the laat, catuisg what Is called a lUfftit. Sea-tickne«* haa lome aaalogy to ihii. It como OB with thai imteitled motiua of the ihi|i, wliicb take* away the ordinary fiwting or Gnn bold we hsTe of things aad by rcttxing OBT peiceptiaai^ anbracci the whole oer*o«* tyNefo. Tht pddines* and cwtmming of the head on looking down a precipice, when we are ready with crery breath of imagitmion to topple down iato the abyM, haa tu lource in the uinc uncenaio aad rapid whirl of the &acy throo^ po**)blc extreme*. Thua we find that (at catc* of
oftccn ^MttcreJ ia the l«vn u dine wiili Kim «■ mi tm't Cd«I laMeaJ of * wlfihwJ^ M the loslinnuy of tie ]Mb el Jaaauy. The liif—Wiiifii c^ m'mi, t»i (tn fttst eUaia. lib. Caapti htd te itteiU * inin[i| iiiiiliii| lesa aftn M Boallao-k-Macn^ mb4 ok of tB* caantrjr n>i(HiiiU* r«Biin| la UK isa far Ibt none parfMi, i>4 vhen b« mkxi 'Uasy oo* lau ia tk* moni 1' rtcaivini kt mmnr—fSo ooc bat Mr. Cocfcr of Mancfaww' *rtwtJ wt kk kant n4 lwnK4intl7 r»4e haaat i^m. Some (erM* mutt m the mailia hjp Mr. Sarloi ni Mr. Shuher* «( Guam eiyltiacd the Mory thai 'Tbt rami haw tU* can* to pa a TIm jMtiec lu:^ lK>t4 thM Cmpm ite »ma '.' '74
HOT AND COLD
Untifig, Ka-nckneu, Ac. » glaM of brand; ib recomnKDcled aa 'the tonKign'it thtn{[ on earth,' becauae by grappling with the coatt of the itonuch and bringing our tomcion* to a/ocn/, it doc* away that nouKOiM Ihictuation and tutpcntc of feeling which it the root of the miKhief. I do ooc know whether I make mj^lf intelligible, for the uiraoRi I can pretend i» to niggeat (ome very lubtlc and remote analogie* : but if I Itavr at all «uccccded in opening up the irain of argument 1 inteod, ii will at Icaw be pusjible to conceive how the languine Italian ii leu nice in bii intercourac with maieral objects, lets tiattlcd at incongruitic*, leu liable to take ofTcncc, than the mote liceral and contcicntiou* German, became the more hcMlU Htrong current of hie own Knutioni fiUi up the gap« and ' nuket dw odds all even.' He docs not care to hive hii cabbagco and uUwlt washed ten timca over, or hi« beds ctciicd of vermin : he can lend or borrow laiiafaction from all object* indiSeiently. I'he air over hia head i» full of life, of the hum of inaecii i the gram uader lii* feet ringi and is loud witli die cry of the gnMhopper t innumerable green lixard* dart from the rockn and iport be^>re him : what aignifiei It if any living creature anpraachec neater hi* own peraon, where oU it o(w viul glow ? The i ndian even twines the forked serpent round his hand unharmed, copper-coloured like it, his veins as heattxl ; and tlie Brahmin cbcriihea lift and di>iregard« his own per»on as an act of his religion — the religion o( lire and of the tun ! Yet how shall we reconcile to this theory the connant ablutioiu (tivc time* a day) of the F.Miem nations, and the squaltd customs of some Northern people, the dinincM of the KuMians and of the Scotch i Superstition may perhaps account for the one, and porcrtj and barbarinn for the
OtbM.>
Lazinen haa a great deal to do !b (be auestioD, and thi* agab h owing to a state o« feeling niflicient to itself, and rich in enjoymeat without Uk help of action. Clothilde (the linen and darkest of the GcfMOo ptlt\ fixes bcrtclf at her door about noon (when her day 'i wotk ti done) : her smile reflects back the brightness of the luo, she datta upoa a little girl with a child ia her arms, nearly ovcrturni both, devours it with kittet, aad tfaca munun her pOMtioo at llie door, with her haodl bcUnd ber back aad ber diOM down at heel. This sJaltcmliDesa and ne^igeoce i* the more remarkable in so fine
t Whtl s pLuuc MoHi hi< vilh his J«s to make then 'nforni mil li«e (lesaljF r Ta t^ii iiy (■(corduif to i loriKil lnii«Un) the Jews, wbercver •cittttrJ, hiH *n ivetikn to •gitcuttutc sad ilsxnt to iti froAicts [ uii i Uwith |irl will [tFuk Io icccf< t l!4Wct — if you otfn bet i plcct of monej, of jtwtUecy ot tRibrwnRv, iKc knows will (noiifb vtnt te nufct of the frofliEfed cMrtNy. Set Btiftifi Travtlt n CtrftOit, *c
'71
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
mgiii, tad one whoM onfiaacy ■■— — — ■ i gnfgMw pctare, ba b iiipan e( At Atraaa I bet drev ««iU Bc*a luvc faeeo «a ndi, if ifac evrii take son pMM ib«« m they hMv aa acnvM «> «tw(lwt • ibiii( it coaiof off ot mm: ill Aam a wnt. M loow wfou xbxm. T^nr clwhw w bo pR «f tfaeaadT««,— dxj e«ta M( Adr KhIn afaoK m d tfaey ■"■nlj IwliMiil 111 ihwi tbe b^ b MHHa icyii— ike fttiAm Md wiaaa {wUdt famMH a ImIh). »d tter I ti|fo-ieandor «niMad aba« thtk aaoda or bsdic*. Tlw nl n nner (far «<MI» nU viMcr «br ohabit tev' >i») ■M»«MiUildw (m onba p«B viih «■!> ia a) ftiinBm VIM* far (bar hmiM^m tsaokcr. wukem mj tamt a( : or dncncbra, «r any otkn fecfiag bai of tW kcM it to bo hand*. Sbe daea aet mmad ka cbfliaf tke rK of ks body or dittigariif ber kawit, nakiag bn fiafen look like *la^ P*'?'** — tbeaccUldmaf BMHc'take tke good the Gad> fronde tkoa^' jsd ttoakac iktfBaawa hnw abowt CAjaap^urocgi or Af^aanacca* Tkttt icH^vai ii nadi MraofV daai ikcir nasv— ikiy haw m Bnlacviod^iknKodMnMeoManifar ifcair pw afiaioa. Two ItaEba pcaBan iMiag by tkr nadadc vfll aat m aack •• taia ■ ' ■ •- *- ' -- ^^•'^ -' g -■ - ■ I • I Tbey baw ao iaaacal except in arbt m penaaal, mbmI. H^kc they ba«r la Bnb iraicin— < ■ oa tkc •core af |irq|icay as ta tbe ■ cijaiiirion of idtaa. Tbcy «aai acitkcr. Tbcii goad ^irkt «k faod, dmfaiafcaad boafcaw ikon. Hicy are faad of ttmtan too, bat niBV aatioft oc it <&Bcn kimd avr^^oara coaMCa n accaBHKM^ tke Boaa of eo'pjmKOL, Aon ia bekg free to eajoyi is ike 4tat fir mmlt. Wlut oecd bare Uwy to qKaaibB- ibnaatliti fafnaare or «eaJtb or bmiat-M, wba all ibey »aqaite (far tke pan) ii ait, a boach af gnpea,brtad(aaditaoe-«BBt? Tbe Italiaaa,
gcacnlly ipcakiog, kavc aotbi^ da ■"*■■-> ■"■■_■— **"t. — to tba
tbry iwe.' tkevoBcaiobcMneduvebc. ThedrpcodMX
rbo aak bow tbry
The aicB m too
' of CbciigMni b^nbe
ofikcSmBaad Em|Mk ob tfctir aMnfata. tkn i«,o<i all * ad atcHB lo boot,' a« beipa to ^joynnt or UndnooM to
IDIXCS tflC^D DOC OBlV CSffCT lO DfOCHTC QfliCI'^SK DO^B^lB Ql BCCo^B^DDu^^
•MM and bntary, bat BialEa tbn> uka Mcb painata their piamWiaa mi! laJMlliahraiai. larljuriVm in afan irmiinrit *AnaB,'»ya Yatkk. 'Cadi m f^ »tma ape* a, aad c^ k hm.' Tbe Borr aay aae aada anaicfi cuu^iag to wmrnal aojccta for rsQataaov or patifcadaa, tbe raore be viU uLc a pmooal iatere« ia tbein. sad tke Bare vitl be dean, rrput, poltib, icnibt tcoor, aad tii£ at ikon witbout ead, ai if it were bia owa aonl that be waa kecpiog dear 176
HOT AND COLD
front tpM or bkmiBh. A Swim <Uiry-mud tcoar* tbe v«ry hewt out o( a wooden pail ; a KoUiaD wathe* the (iiie ai well u the wonM out of a dith of brocoli. 1'h«' wmcbea axt in like nuaner MW Htd clcao ia tbHr own prrune, bui iniipid. Thr moti coane •ad OKtiewy fmiturr to Swiiznland hu moK {wto* bmowcd apoa k to keep il in order, thu the line« wofk* of an in Italy. Tbnre tbe pictures are tqlfered to mooldcT on the wiUi t and the Cland(« in the Doria Palace at Rosie are black with a^ and dirt. We tet more siofc by them in England, where we have tcarce any other tunshiae I At the coramoo iniu oa ihit adc the Siaiploa, the very iheets hare a character for whiMncM to lo«c : the rodi and teitert of the bedi arc like a peeled wand. On the oppodte nde yoa arc thankful when yon are not ihowo toto an apartnieM reaemUbf* a t)ifce-«taUed Mable, with borie^lothi for corcrlids to hide the dirt, ■nd bedaol'horM-hair or withered leaTe* u harfMxira;;e for vermin. The Dore^ the merriet ; the dirtier, the warmer ; live and tet live, •CCB ni'r'™ iacnicatcd t^ tbe climate. Wherctve thing* are aot k^ evcMIr tftn ftoro nw*ic* >dmbcnirc« and cootaauaados, dw JrtftcliaiM OT pcoBoty iticlf wul mm, I cooceiw, be bekl fzcc«diB|tk ncmL Tfak feeliag b Hroag » the poanoB* are weak. A people that are raaarkable for cleaaliaeM, will be w for isdattry, for hooeny, for avarice, and e<ic< votm. The Italian* cheat. Heal, rob (when they think it worth ibeif while to do w) with licenMd impunity : the Swiu, who feel tbe vahic of propeny, aad laboar inceMamly to acauire ii, are afraid to loae it. At Brig^ I firit beard the cry of wa.icbmeD at night, which I iiad oot heard for maay aiOMha. I wa* remiiKled of the traveller who after wandering B iwaoit cooBtrie* aaw a g^Uow* aear at hand, and knew by thi* ORHMOOCe that be approached the confine* of citriUuiioo. Tbe paHw la Italy ti both (ecrct aed fevere, bat it it directed chictly to pelUcal aod aoi to civil mattcrt. Patriot nghi are heaved vabeard HI Um daageoat of St. Aagcto : tbe Ncapolitao bandit hrcaib«a the free ur of Im lUtiTe idovdimd* !
It nay by thi* ttn*e be coejectared why Caiholica are k** cleanly than ProccMaou, becatue in fact they are leu icmpuloua, and twaUo* whatever >• Kt before them in matter* of &itb m vrell m other tbioip. PnMMaao, aa mch, are captioo* and tcnitniMing, try to pick bolea ■od fiad fault,— have a dry, meagrcipcattnoa* imaginaiioo. Catbolica m baoyed up over doabca aad dificulliea by a greater rednadance of fancy, aod make religion a^Mervient to a feme of eojoyment. The one arc for detectii^ aad weeding out all corriqicioa* and abuaea ia doctrine or worabip ; the otbert enrich thein with the dnat and cobweb* of aatj^iiKyi aod ibiak their rimal none the woew fot the
TOunt-tH 177
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Urniih <^ igfi. Tho*e of the Catholic Commuiuofl art willifig to wkc it for jtramcil tliai etery ihing is rigbi ; tli« ptofcuon of the Reformed religion have a pleatuic in believing thai cverv thing ii wrong, in order chit they may have to tti it right. In moral*, uuOi Protntantt arc more ptedte than their Catholic brethren. The Ctced of the Utter abnofve* ihera of h.ilf Uicit dmiet, of all thote that are a clog on their inclinauon*, atonet for all tUps, and patches up all deficicncit«. But though this may make them leia censorious and lour, I am not tare that it renders tlietn less in ctmiect in the part they do perform. When more is left to freeidom of choice, pcrhapi the service that ii voluntary wilt be purer and marc elfcctual. Tbat which !■ not so may as well be done hy proxy ; or if it docs not come from the heart, may be suffered to exhale merely from the lips. If less i« owing in this caic to a dread of vice and fear of shame, more will proceed from a love of rirttie, free from the Icaat nnitter construction. It is asserted that Iialian women are more grot*; I can beliere it, and that they are at the same time more refined than other*. Theit religion it in the nine manner more tentual : but is it not to the full 21 risionary and imaginative as any i I have beard Italian women say things that others would not — it doei not therefore follow that they would do them : partly because the knowledge of vice that makcp it familiar renders it indifferent ; and because the same masculine tone of thinking chat enables them to confront vice, may raise them above it into a higher sphere of sentiment. If theit ternien arc more inflammable, their passions (atid their love of virtue and of religion among the rest) may glow with proportionable ardour. Indeed the truest virtue is that which is least luacejitible of contamination from ita opposite. I may admire a Raphael, and yet not swoon at sight of a daub. Why ihoutd there not be the tame taste in morals aa in pictures or jjoems i Granting that vice ha* more voiarie* here, at least it hu fewer mercenary oncN, and thia i* no trifling adrantage. As to manner*, the Catholics must be allowed to carry it over all the wocUl. The better sort not only *ay nothing to give you pain ; they tay nothing of other* that it would g^n them pain to hear repeated. Scandal and tittle-tattle are lon^ banished from good society. After all, to be wi*e is to be humane. What would our English t/uf-iioeH/^iit *ay to this? The fault and the excellence of Italian society it, that the ■hocking or disagreeable i* not cuppoted to have an extatence in the nature of thingf.'
■ The dirt snd comparativt want of canvenlenoet sniong Ciilialica is afun turlbulcil to ihc aumbcr of ihcii Siiaii* diyi mil fciiivjit, which divai them (rom Ikbouf, sad (m them in iille sd>) ilisorclerI)> turn o( mind. 178
THE NEW SCHOOL OP REFORM
ESSAY XVII
THE NBW SCHOOL OF REFORM
A OlAtOCUE BETWEEH A tUTIOHAUtT AND A iENTIMtHTAUIT
R. What ii it you so particulirty object to this ichool i It tbere sny thing «o very obnoxiout in the doctrine of Utility, which they profess i Or in the dctign to bring about the greatest possible good i^ the most efficacious and ditintrtcsied cnciini?
S. DiuDtctcsted enough, indeed : since ihnr plan seems to be to sacrifice every indiridual comfort for the good of the whole. Can they find out no belter way of making human life run wiiooth and plcos^ini, than by drying up the brain and curdling the blood? I do cot want society to resemble a iMy'ing Sitltion, whatever these 'Job's Comfoners ' may do. They ire like the fox in the fable — ihey have DO tecting thcmscket, and would pcnuade others to do without it. Take away the JiUtt of the poet, and I do not see what is to become of the tuile. It is the common error of the hunian mind, of forgetting the end in ihe means.
R. I nee you are at your SmlimenltiBiiti again. Pray, tell me, is it not their having applied ibis epithet to some of your favourite ■peculations, that has excited this sudden borit of fcpttcn agaion them?
S. At least I cannot retort this phrase on those printed iiremlart which they throw down areas and fasten under knockers. But pass on for that. Answer me then, what is there agreeable or ornament.'d in humsn life that they do not explode with fanatic rage ! What is there sordid and cynical that they do not eagerly catch at ? What it there that delights others (hat docs not disgust them. What that disgusts others with which thcj- arc not delighted ? I cuinot think that this is owing to philosophy, but to a sinister bioji of mind; inaamuch as a marked deficiency of temper ii i more obvious way of accounting for certain things than an entire mpcriority of undcr- sianding. The Ascetics of old thought they were doing God good service by tormenting ihcmselTca and denying others the most innocent amunements. Who doubts now that in this (armed at they wete with texta and authorities and awful denunciations} they weie really actuated by a morose and envious dispotition, that had no capacity for enjoyment itself or felt a malicioui repugnance to the idea of it in any one else? What in them took the prb of religion, with us
179
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
pgu on the tembUnee of philoiopby i and tDtimd of doombg the hcedkcH aDd refractory lo bell-fire of the lerrort of pur]ptory, our modcni polemic* *et their ditciplet in the dock) of Utility, or throw «ll the elegant ant aod arei»blc inipuUci of hum^inity iato the Limbo of Political b'conomy.
A. I cannot coocciTc wh« po«uble connection there can be between the weak and miachievous enthiitiaiu you apeak of, acd the mott enlightened reuoner* of the nineteenth century. They would bugh at nich a corojnriaon.
S. Selfknowledge i« the hut thinj wtiicti I abonU lay to the charge of taitSiani philoto)>hert ; bet a nun may be a bigot without a particle of religion, a monk or an lD<{(tiMtor in ■ plain cost and praAMtog the most liberal opiiuona.
R. You (till di^al, ai uiual. in idle farcaasu and Biinay generalitiea. Will you deacend to poriiculut, and lUte &cta before yuo draw iafcrcacet from them i
S. [n the firat pl^e then, they are moitly Scotchmen — litted dcKendaou of the Covrnanicr* na CaiDcrooiftnt, and inspired with the trve John Knox mi (oi mutilMiBg >&d defacing tlie carved work of the nnctuary
R. Hold, bold — this is nigir prejudice and peraonality
J. But it 't the tact, and I thought you called lor facta. Do you inu^e if I heai- a fellow in ScoiUnd abuiing the Autbof of Wncrley, who ha* fire hundred bcatia beating in hi* boaoBi, becauae there it no Religioo in his works, and a fellow in Wcm- mtnater doing the lame thing because there >• no Political Economy in them, that any thing will prevent me froim nippoiing thai thu !• Tirtnally the tame Scotch pedlar with hit pack iif Utility at hit bock, whether he dealt in tape and ttayt or in drawling compilations of history and rcriewa i
R. I did not know you had neb an affection for Sir Walter
S. I said the Aulhar tf iVavrrity. Not to like him would be not to lore myaclf or human nature, of which be hat giTen ao many inicreating apecjmeat: though for the take of tlut ian>e human taKtn, 1 have no liking to Sir Walter. Thoie * few and recent writera,' on the contrary, who by their own account ■ h-irc diicovefod tbe trve principles of the grrateat happiocta to the greatest number!,' are easily reconciled to the Tory aad the bigot, because they hen feel a certain snpeiiority over him ; but they cannot forgrre the great hinortan of tile and manner*, becauae he haa eatar^ oat ■ympathy with human happineu beyond their pragmatical limita. Tbey arc not eveo ' good haters : ' fof they hate not what degrade* and dSkti^ but what coniolet and eletate* the mind. Their plan
I So
THE NEW SCHOOL OF BEFOKM
ia to Uxi mil bcnun happinc*i wbcrercr they tee a ptactioble opcaing to it.
R. But perhapi their nocioni of happinns difTcr from youia. They think it ihoulil be regulated by the doctnoe of Utility. Whalcrcr i* iDComputibli! with thii, they [Cj^uid aa spurious and false, and icon) >ll iMic compn)mi>ct and temporary palliatins.
S. Yd ; juM iM the rctigitHu lanatic think* there ii no MlvaEion out of the pale of hi« own communion, and damns without icruple every appearance of victite tod picly beyond it. I'oor David Dean* I bow would he ban been aurptiKd to »ce ill hia folIie»^hiB ' right- htnd defiectioBt and hia left-band compUancei,' and hta contempt for human learning, blowom again in a knot of tophist* and profcMtd iffaminei ! Such person* are not to be treated a* pbiiotophen ud mctaphyticiant, but u conceited MctAfieri and ignorant mechaoici. In neither cue in the intolerant and proscribing spirit a dcductsoa of pure reason, indilTcreDt to consequeocci, but the dictate of preiump tioD, prejudice, and sptritutl pride, or a strong desire in the siscT to narrow the pririlege of salfatioD to as smidl a circle at poMsblei and in ■ a few and recent writers ' to have the whole field of hap^iUM and argument to themselves. The enthusiasts of old did all they could to strike the prctcDt existence from uodei our feet to give ua aootbcr — to annihilate our natural atfccuont and worldly vanities, so ■« to conform us to the likenesit of Cod : the modern scioliM* offier ua Utopsa in lieu of cur actual enjoyments ; fur warni flesh and blood would give ua a head of clay and a heart of itccl, and conform at to thrir own likenetc— * a consummation not very devoutly to be wished I * Where is the uae of getting rid of the trammel* of superstition and slavery, if we arc immediately to be handed over to these new ferrets and inspectors of ■ PtAce-PiUaiophji ; who pay domiciliary vint* to the htinuo mind, catechise aa expre«sion, impale a sentiment, put every enjoyment to the rack, leave you not a moment's eaae or respite, and imprison all the faculties in a round of cant-pbrasei — the Shibboleth of a party ! They ate far from indulging or eteii tolerating the strain of exulting CBlbusiasm cxpretMd by bpcnter: —
' What more frlleity can fall to creature Than to enjoy delight with liberty, An<l to be lonl of all the Horks of nature f To ivign in the sir from earth to highest sky. To leed on Aawct* and Hvedt of glorlcnit feature. To taste whatever thing doth p\nx the eye? Who rnia not pleased with nich happiness. Well worthy he to taste of wretthedneis ! '
Without air ot hght, they grope their way under-ground, till they are
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
nade ' ftcfcc mil dark keeping:'' tbeir Wirwrion. confiixd u the uar dry. hard, mrrhMiin' nbjccu, wbich tlicy hate act i^ po«0 nor tbc <vill u tuchif t fat otbm. freti aad corrode* ; asd aoved Md dMOTMttdt they «mk Umu ifite and nwrnfatriaa ea aB
bat dnnk jou
Jt. I
Samy Ae vaiKn tcm are ao ready u HRifh Uw Bird to cotreci cfToea aBd rcrarsi gnevasccL
SL Yc< t bccaaae tbc aae afodi acerdae fiar tfacir naiqr. Md tfae aiha for Am tfkm. Tbry are aoncted fay tW odav of ibwea. asd rv^M OB ^Boad aBpefarctiooa> ooi oo joa ai^foae tSMy Wkx aayi^g efac Waer thai tkey do tbcGwiiMaBf Are ilieyoa ■oytMOer toaa wkk ibcvowa Ei^Xa or ftkadaf Do cfaey Mt akelk Bm of ncry ooe they ooae oear a kxvai to tfcea, mk their fodHlk aobeaa aad TipitrT i y a iaio * Do they ooi >|«Tel Mh tfaik aq^teuK idaofd tfcdi oppoaaa^ Aairam adtof tlKoaaoa! AnifaeyMa A«tkh«dAt^! Aod l»«« Uad (far ife fmeK) iiiheir
OWWmB|^ MIMBV* Vf XtMMM VVB^ tB^B SB J^V MB HlU(t IBB
jmrnxf^t Do tkyMCwSk » cxtoad *tfe
~ iyjHdi(oiaap 10 charcy, to lewdy dMac hy I? b k oae a |Mt af tkv &io«oi
■ kttetaftfc; Do they oM
fi^f U«thaa*ey
ca^«^ adsaowMMd afa^ea. by halftw » a pom «f ihr HtOi^ ^aam, ob^ aaa atpaaoE, aai
btm the
■ti
THE NEW SCHOOL OP REFORM
jvif by tbeir interesu, partly by the unfortunate bii« of thdr tniodi, to pm the game Into the adveriary's hands? It looks like tt : and the Covcrnmeni giTc them 'good aOhdei' — Mi. Blackwood {uta ilicm on the back — Mr. Canning grants an intetriew and plays the aniiable~~M[. Hobhoiue keep* the peace. One of them has a place at the India-House : but then nothing in laid against the India-Houte, though the pone and pious Old Lady awcata and »lmo»t dwooqs at the converaiiooa which her walls arc doomed [o hear, but of which she is ashamed to complain. One triumph of the School is to throw Old Ladies into hysterics! ' The obviow (I should itill hope not the tnteniional) c^ect of the Westminnier tactic* is to put every volunteer on the same side hen di tembai, who is not a ceaJot of the stricte*t sect of those they call Political IvcottomiMa ; to come behind you with dasurd, cold-blooded malice, and trip up ihc heel* of those siraggl«r« whom their friend* and patrons in the Quanerly have left siiil stand- ing ; to strip the cause of Reform (out of Kerning alfeccion to tt) of every thing like a mhaliSance with eletrance, taxe, decency, common tCBM, Of polite literature, (an their fellow labourers in the iame vine- yard had previously endeavoured to do out of acknowledged hatred) — to disguii the friends of humanity, to cheer it* enemies ; and for the sake of indulging iheir unbridled dogmatism, envy and uncharit- ablcocts, to leave nothing intermediate between the ultra-Toryitm of the courtly scribe* and their own Ultra- Radicalism —between the extreme* of practical wcong and impracticable right. Their, ear antagonist* will be very well tattslicd with thic division of the spoil : — give them the earth, and any one who chooses may take pos»c»ion of the moon for them !
R. You allude to their attacks on the Edinburgh Review !
S. And to their articles on Scott't Novels, on Hoipitals, on National Diitres*. on Moore'i Life of Sheridan, and on every subject of taste, feeling, or common humanity. Sheridan, in particular, is termed 'an untaccessfiil adventurer.' How gently this Jacobta jargon will fall on ears polite! Thit if wh.it they call attacking principles and sparing persons : they spare the persons indeed of men in power (who have place* to give away), and attack the character* of the dead or the uotaccessful with impunity ! Sheitdjin's brilliant talents, his genius, his wit, his political firmnas (which all but they
' This ii not conliaeil to th* WtrtmiinMi. A «tuin TtUmg Pium (who Is now OM of the J'of of Church inil Sl*tt), when h< Ant cunc (o thU cuuntry, UKd to ffijhicn tumc rupfClAhlc old grailFvoiufn, who iuviirii Jum to tupprr, by ■•kin| foi a ilicc u( tht 'leg of the Sivioui,' meiobg * leg of Lamb | or a bit of *th« Holji Ohost pie,* meniing a pi(caa-pie on the table. Ill-nUuic ind imper- tinoK* s« (he sunt in all schooU.
•8S
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
iuliiiire) dmr fortb no pMHog tribate of admiration ; hi* crrorst hil mitfonunct, and bi« dcaih (which all but they dcpktre) chim M pity. Tbi* iodecd woald be to undcriUDd ibe doctrine of Utility to itTf little ptrpoac, if k did not at the firK toucb wc«d from the brcMt cTcry amiable wnluxM and impCTfcct rimic which bad — MTcr ukcD root Uverc. But they nuke up for tfacir uttei want of aytDpatby vith the exceUeocei or lailiags m otlxn by a proponioi»- able •elf-aofficieiicy. Shertdaa, Fox, and Burke were mere lyTM asd acbool-boyi in politic* compaced to thnn, who are tbe * mighty land-maikt of Ukic latter timo' — igoorant of Ukmc prmdples of ' Uk gicAtcK h^pincM to the grcate*t MimbetK,' which a frw and rttnti wriitrt have proinulgaied. It is ooc way of taiting a pure and ioAy cnthwiaami aa to the t^iucitita at tbe bumas miod, to tcora alJ that ha* gone before na. Raibei mj, this dwelliitg with otct- acted diigiut on comoiOD frailties, and tuining away with impaticoc* from tbe brighuat poaola of character, i* ' a ditciptine of humanity/ which (hould be confined aa much aa potable to the Westmtntter School. Belietc me, their tbcoi^ie* and ibcir nwde of ecforanf tbcm ataod in the way of reform : their pbiloaophy i* u little •ddnued to the head aa to tbe heart — tt ia fit ncithef for man nor bniL It ia not fotittded on any Bytup«thy with the accret yearaingt or higher tetKlcncic* of tnaa'a nature, but oa a rankling antipathy to whatever ii already beat. It* object ii to oflnid — km glory to Sod out and wonnd the teodcrcu part What it not maltoe, i* cowardice, and not candour, lliey attack the weak and ipare tbe uroag, to ildalgc their of&ciouaocM aod add to their lelf-ifnpoitance. Nothing ■a taid in the Weitminater Review of the treatment of Mt. ISockiog- h«m by the L^aat India Company : it might IcMen the writer's tfiitre tf HiiAljr, aa Mr. Hall goe« from Ldcciter to Briitol to tavt mart ieulil They do not grapple with the rich to wreat hit auperfluitiea from him (in thit tbey might he foiled) but trample on the poor (a aafc aod pick-thank ofKce) and wrench bit [uttaDCc front him with their logical intirumeats and lying arguraeoia. Let tlieir lyttem toccccd, aa they pretend it would, and ttiSW comfort and bap|nne«a around I and tli«y would immediately turn againtt it aa etfcuinate, iliiipid, uod tickly ; for their tastci and under iLindingt arc too urongty braced to ertdure any but the moK unjiabublc trutha and ibe bittercut ingrcdienu. Their bencfiu are extracted by the Cxsarcaa operHti«(i. Their hap[»nctt, in abort, ia that — which will Dcver be ; JDit aa their receipt for a poinilar article in a newapaper or rvriew, It one thjii will never be reati. Tbrir article* are never read, aod if tbey arc not popular, no other* ought to be to. The more any flinuy ttutt it read and admired, and the more tervice it doei to tbe sale oJ' 18+
THE NEW SCHOOL OF REPOltiM
a Joumalt •<> much xhe mure doet it debauch the public taace, md render it averse lo their dty and lolid lucubtitiont. Thi» is why they compkiD of the patronage of my Senlime^lalisitt a* Oci<? of the nn« of the Edinburgh Review ; and why ihcy thcmKUcs uc determined to drench the town with the moa unsavoury tnitht, without one drup of honey to awectcn the gall. Had they felt the Icait regard to the ultimate iucci^m of their principle* — of ' the gieatett hsppincsf to the jteatcn number*,' thouxfi giving puin might be one paramount and primary motive, they would have combined thia object with some- thing like the comfort and accommodation of their unenlightened reader*.
it. I sec oo ground for this philippic, except ia your own imagina- tion.
S. Tell me, do they not abu»e poetry, patnttDg, mutic ! Ii it, thiak you, for the pam or the pleaiun- these thiugi girei Or becniM they are without eyei, ear*, imagination* ! I* that an excel- lence in thcra, or the fault of thc«c arw ? Why do they treat Shakc- •pear to cavalierly? 1* there any one they n«uld Kt up again*! him — any Sir Richard Blackmore they patroniK ; or do they prefer Racine, aa Adam Smith did bdloTC them J Or what arc w<c to undcratAnd i
R. 1 can answer for it, they do not with to pult down Shaketpcar in order (a let up Racine on the ruin* of hia reputation. They think little indeed of Raciae.
S. Or of Moliere either, I auppoie i
R. Not mucli.
S, And yet these two contributed aomething to 'the greaieM happinei* of^ the grcntcit numbers [ ' that is to the amuaement and delight of a whole nation for lh« last century and a half. But that goes for nothing in the syttem of Utility, which is tttialicd with nothing abort of the good of the whole. Such benefactors of the (pccic*, as f^hakeipear, Racine, and Muliere, who nvrnpathiacd with human chaidcter and feeling in their Itnest and lirelic*! moods, can expect little favour from ' thote few and recent wriicti,' who tcora the Mute, and whotc philoiophy is a dull aotiihesiB to human tuture. Unhappy they who lived before their time I Oh I age of I.ouia iir. and ot Charlct ii., ignorant of the Ji or tjiiii guai and of the ifovtir wtw .' Oh ! Pari* built {till now) of mud I Athena, Rome, Suaa, Babylon, I'al my i a— barbarous icructures of a barbarous period— bide jour diminished bead* ! Vc feo« and dykct of Holland, ye minca o.' Mexico, what arc yc worth ! Oh 1 bridge* mitcd, palace* adoincd, citie* built, field* cultivated without skill or *cicnce, how came ye to cxiat till now 1 Ob I picture*, sutuesi temples, altars
>8J
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
bcaniu, the poet** nnt, and iiiliwtffMi^ ain, wv jr wx h idRk oci the {res Hiodplet o('»ftw tad ncm vriun ' t How C3RM jc to txm wiuMOt tbcB lean ? Ob ! Arkwhghc* vaaeqcuated wkh niiiiiitiift ■ ■■! I ' Oh, Sir Robert Peel, iumwl ia abei»- prifldng ! Oh ! gmenboa of ttpatms, whoa good could have hifirnt'd befbtr you time .' What til caa happen sfter it !
A. B« M loK yon mam. lUow ifac iaponMCC of fint poD- cipk*?
f . HmcIi m I ntfta > dnkr n nnriiK «««, ia oU ngt mi Inb: boch the good* aad ibe f»iBci(<ei are pacnUjrttoka. I Me KbcftiMd in the paper* — ■ Elemeaw of PoGtkal Ecooooy, faf Sumtt Hai,' u>d • Prindpie* of Polibcal EooMtRf, by John HaccnUach.' WiD jo« tell me ia thi« caac, vhoae are dw Pint Principle* ? whidi H the tnc SioMS Pore J
' Smnge ' thai wutk diCcttnee there thonld he Twizt Tium* Aw and Tiiawdh dr> ! *
A. Yoa ksow «e make it a rale to facoaamusce tnrj atteapt ai wit, ai Bwch as the arerU ia geaeral abhor a pooitcr.
S. Bj yoor amg the pbraM, • attonpo at wit,' it aroold aeom that jtn aiak there it a trae aad a Uac wk ; then why do job coafaaaJ the dariaetiaa ? Ia tfaii logical, or even politic ?
JL Thedttference i* oot worth atteadi^ to.
S. Sttll, I n^ipoM-, fOB hafe a great deal of tbb qaafitjr, if job choae to exert it :
R. I hacf not nncb.
S. And yet foa tak« i^oa jran to dtapiat k I I ba*« i tbewht that the great profeaton of dte MMldcts philoaophy hanfly MK*re in the coMempt they e^nai fer poetry, [laiatiag, ■nnc, aad the Piae Ana in general — that they were pHTiie amaltari aad [*«*igtM. pro&cieflia aaifar lit ntt, and, Eifce other loren, hid
their [P"""- at a weakaew — thai Mr. H mtned a band-organ
— dM Mr. P warhled deli^KfUly^-dwi Mr. PI had a
mwaaoipt tragady by hhn, called • The Lax Maai,' which he with- btU ftnai the pabGc, net to oomproBuie the digaity of philoaophy by ■gblJiag any one the cmalletf acliul aaeiaGiaioa dBriBg the mm of lai lutval Hfe.
R, Oh, no ! yon are ante —i*"^'™ in tlui wippoaitioB, if yon are at all aeriooa in it. So or Iron being profideata, or haTing waaud thtii time m ihcae trilJiog pannha, I befaarc aoc one of the penooa yon have naawd hoa the kaat taa«e or capacity fee them, or any idea cotmpoatSag to them, cxem Mr. BcMnn, who b food of aianc, and layi, viu hii oaaal iaaAMt (which tecnw to iacrtaae with Ua
THE NEW SCHOOL OF REFORM
ige) that he doe* aot see «rh/ otheri ihould doc find an agreeable recreation in poetry and painting.'
S. You are luic thi« cynical humour of thein it not aCectatioDi at
H. I nm oaite (urc of ii.
S, Then I am lure it is iotolerablc pretuinptian id then to thiok their want of ta«te and knowledge qualifies them to judge {en tattedra) ofthew Arts; or if a icandard by which to mcaiurc the degree of interest which othen do or ought to take in ihcm. It U the hdgbt of imjicrtincnce, mixed up with a wot»c principle. As to the cxcc«te9 or cjpriccs of posthumous fame, like other commodities, it soon finda iu level in the market. Drtur optima it a tolerably general rule. It (1 not of forced or laaitioua growth. People would not trouble their head* about Shakespear, if he had gi*cn them no plcature, or cry him up to the ikies, if he bad not first tai*ed them there. The world are not grateful /or maiiii^. Shakespear, it ii (nw, had the misfortune to be born before our time, and is not ooe of 'those few and recent writers,' who monopolise all true greatness and wisdom (though not the reputation of it) to theniaelTes. He need not, however, be treated with cooiumely on this account : the instance might be pasted orer as a solitary one. We shall have a thounnd Political Economists, before we have another Shakcspcar.
R. Your mode of arriTing at concluaons is very different, I ooafess, from the one to which I have been accntromed, and is too wild and dcBulioty for me to follow it. Allow me to ask in my tutn, Do you not admit Utility to be the test of morals, as Reason is the test of Utility f
S. Pray, what definition have you (in the School) of Reason and of Utility?
R. Nay, tliey require no dclinition ; the mesoing of both la obvious.
S. Indeed, it is easy to dogmatize without definitions, and lo repeat broad auertioos without undenundiog them. Nothing in so con- tenieot as to begin with gravely aMuming our own infallibility, and we can then utter nothing but oracles, of course.
R. What is it^r^u understand by Reason ?
S. It is your husincu to answer the question ; but still. If you cboote, I will take the wnu upon myself, and interpret for you.
' One of ihcin hat frinleri ■ pcxm cniiilH ' RHOKira j' whith, howrwr, iIms nol (hev thr Iritl l»t* in aptcitj for fotiry, or any iitt comifoti-lmi lo K. B*J ftttrj Mtvti toptovt tht tii»«iiC( ol pti. If lit pocliy otcr like RhoJopc, Ihs uiiliMaphic luthor might (ulminiic hii lottbEroai •f>iai( >l [lloO'li ot i^t%i\y, livid ire) M loag ii h: pleueil : bu[ if thu were fxtty, there would be nu otcition kt l« much sngir i no one would resd it or ihioh my thinf ef it I
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Jt. I have BO objccnoiit if j<m 6q k hklj.
5. You (tuU youriclf be jnlgc. RcaJOOi with moa people, mean* their own opcnioo; ami I do mx find yovt fricod* * ponicvlaT exception to tbc rule. Their dogmatical toer, thrir anogaacr, ihnr lapetciliou) tteatmeot of tlie pmenaoot of otbcrii their nljf;ar conceit and Mtitfactioo b their own peculiar ceoeta, »o far frotn coavtaciag me (hat they are tight, cODvince hm that they bubK be wrong (except by accidcci, or by mechanically parrotiiiig othcn) i (or no one erer tlM<r^i fot htniadf, oc looked atteoiireiy at truth and oaiute, (hat did •et ttd bci own iBaalScicciqr and the dificvky aod delicacy of bia ta«k. Self-kDovlcdgc i* the fiiK atrp to wttaJom. Tbc ^ariwMt Didttium (who took thit title at a charactetiuic dHtinctioDt aad who ptofeaied aa entire tuperioriiy oi-et |RJKUce and aaperMilioo of all aom,) were a* little ditpascd to have tlvir opkiioM called ia <|veMioa ■• any people I ever knew. Ooc of their prcachcri thanked God pnblicly for bariog ^vcn thctn a UeraJ rtugien. So was School tkmk God in their heaita for banog giwo tbcm a SitrM fhitiitftty t tfamsh what with tbMB pane* for l£eral it cooadered by tbe (c«t of the wwld I* Tcry much akin to iUiberality.
Jt. May I beteech yon to oome to the point at ooce i
S. We (hall be there ioob enoogh, wiifaoat hurrying. Reaaofit I concetTC, in the aenae that yon woold appeal lo it, may Mgntfy any see «f three ibiaga, all of tbem tniuflicittit aa tetta mmI toodanli of moral aeotimcM, or (if thtt word diapleues) of moral condoa : — I. Abairact trotbi aa dixinct (rom local impreauont or iodiTiduai |tartiaIiM»t >• Calm, inScxihIe tdf-wiU, aa dnttitct from paanoat 3- Dry matter of bet or reality, aa dSatna from aeDtiiaentality or poetry.
Ji. Let me hear yoar objectioot; bat do for oooe adhere to the track you ha*c chalked oat.
S. 'Tberea&ei aa it hapwna.' You may drag yoar grautv tf>'^'^ of crude a«i>n|idoot atid heaTy paraloeiiini aloog yoor tutrow iron rail-way, if yon pleaae : hot let me diretge down ■ primraae patha,' or break my neck over precip«cc«, aa I think proper.
R. Take your owa coorw. yt vriifiri ■on mma lavr tii wf. You demtff, if 1 ap^facod you right, to founding moral reccitode on the men dictatei of the UoderaiaAding. Thia I grant to be ibr graitd artaHtm of the doariue of Utility. I deaire to know what other finiadatioii for morala yoa will 6oa w aoltd i
S. 1 know of Done ao flimsy. What ! would you •napend all tbe natnral and prmte aSecdoBa oo the mere loocal deductiimt of tbe Uaderatandu^ aDd exomrste tbc fbriMT of ^ tbe force, icsdcfnca^ ■ad Gooaiaiicy tbey detiie from babtt, local Bcarscta or immediace
1 86
THE NEW SCHOOL OF REFORM
tjMfaAj, brciHM tfa« bat ore ooMnry to the ^lecnUtne rcMoa of the ihiogf I an afmi «ocb a tfteculuife moraliiy will ntd ia •wctUatioa, or in •onwthiDg wont. An I to ftt\ do nxNc for a fnewi or a tdative («ay) ihu for aa iahabkaot of China or of tfae Moon, be«atue, aa a wXUt of argwneoi, or Mttinx atide that coo- iwctiaD with iMt and conwdwcd dwolotely in tbenadTca, the object* arc, pcrhapi, of mmI nhc? Or am I to (crcw mytclf op to feel aa much foi the AotipodM (or God knowa who) a* for my next-door Mgbboora, by Mcb a forctd iattUccRtal teak! The lut ia »■ poMbfef >od the raaak of Uw tuenpt will be to Eoakc the bdaoce emby adinnautaoBofeat luiani aenaihility, imtead of ao wareml and mbnited enlatjenieiit of Mr phHoaefhic beaetiiteDce. The ftclngi cnaoi be nude to keep pace with onr bare koowln%e of cxMKBCc or of tnith ; oor can the affrcticaa be diajoiaed from the unprtwNns of tisK, place, aad drcumttacc, wiihoai deatroyieg their ntal prisciple. Ym, witlMMi the teoic of pkatorv aad pain, I do not ace what becoraci of the theory of Utility, vdiich firat redncea evcfythiofi to pleaauic and poio, and then tramfJea vfoo and crwbea tbeae by iti own aotereigti will. The cflect of thit iy«tem it, tike the tovch of the torpedo, to chill and poralyae. We, notwiihttanding, find pcraooa scttag npoo it wHh exemplary oooJseaa aod aclf-coai- ■laemcy. One of ihcae 'inbciliacd aarages' iafomta aoochcr who orepa into hia ahop that new* ia come of the death of bU cideat daagbter, adding;, a raauer of boon — * I am the only perton ia the heoaewhowin raiany dinorr lo^la^ : ihij di mit mad»tlmd At Jnuim af Utl&ij ! ' I percriTc t)ti( illuuriuoo it not quite to yovr taate. R. U it asy thing cnorc than the old doctrine of the Stoic* \ S. 1 thought the ayfiefli had been whoUy new — the notable project of a 'few and recent writera.' I could firaiah jroa with aoo^ier parallel paM^>e in the HTrocairx.'
R. I* it not a* well, on any aytiem, to rappreM tbe inda^ence of ittordiBate grief aod riolcnt puuoo, that it u luelcM to the dead aa it ia bnrtfol to the Knog i
> •0!JUi,Umt€n. c:omc,aiw) I wMl yon maid Mlaw Dr. CaotacUT* fKAtftt, wbow |*B(titt h iiaiti«an>li M wkat be tcacba. VirtaoM ma I — tbon all naawt nprJi, IM eooiUtn the •arid mcnij ■• • esUcetioo o( dirt and pbtli <ont». How lua he xaoid oi« tnm tonMnl eaaamioni t Mj heart it BOW Ml apM Dothinc M^lanary \ amt, 1 Ihuk Ncan*, I im « huaiaii u •«n tbia( !■ tUi *4t wsrld, twt I m^ ue yaa, n,y too, mt '••chlcni my ktathoi, ny tns4diUa>cn, all cayarc Mm mt, aod miod it do more ^a the (olaf ast of *a WDt»j loaA of a cislk.
* Ciarttat. Vpoa nj ircr< m«)ini, K k > very Irnnu dkaMhioa y»t lu*e Wa able to arriw at, aad joar hnBgr a niad aUi|td to thr Doctor fat kii ■Wfactioaa.' — Act iu Scene i.
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
S. If we cooJd indulge ow aStctioo* whiic they nu on MnoothlT, ■ad duord tbetn ftom oui breacU tbe inauni tbey &i] of tbetr objccUi il might be well, fitu ihc fedittg*, ibc habitial aod rooted ■tndaiaiu of tl>c tool, ue not the creatnm of choice or of a bncifnl ibeofy. To ulce the tiuooit poMible intereM in ut object, and be nuef ly aod ioMiiMueouily iadijTeieat to the loti of it, m Dot exactly In the order of hanun utive. We nay blvat or extirfoie oof fcctiogi altogether with proper Mndy and paini, by tU-hamout, aon> ceit, and aiTectatioa, but not make them die plaything* of a verbal
paradox. I fancy if Mr. had Ion a haBored pcondt bv a bad
debt, or if a lump of nxx had fallrn into hit broth, it woold bare tpoiled hit dinner. The doctiine of Utility would not have cocne to lui lid here. It ia re«cr*ed for great and irybg occacioM : or aervet a« an excuae for not affecting grief which Ju profenor* do not Icel. So nwcfa ibr raMo againu paaaioo.
Jt. But if ihcy do not poueat all the aoiineM and endeariag charttiea of prime lifie, tbey bate the fittnncu and nalUncbifig hardi- hood of pauiottam and devotion lo tbc public cautt.
S, That i* what I have yet to team. Thiey are a kind of lahmaeUiea, whote hand u i^amii others— iritxt or who tbey are for
J except tbenMeWet] I do not know. They do not willingly come orward into the nool nor eten abow tliiero«etve« in the rear of the battle, but are rrry ready to denounce and diublc thotc who arc bducrect cnoagh (O do »o. They are not for prtcipitatin^t a crifii, bat for laying down certain general ptiociplea, wiuch will do pocteriiy a world M good itnd [hcmaelre* no barm. They are i ton of ottml reformer*, and patriot* iiKegmt». Tbey get inug placet under Government, and mar popolar Etcctioiia— but it ii to ndvance the good of tbc CRUae. Their tbeorin ue u whole and at alcek aa their *kin«, but thai there is a certain jejuncoeH and poverty in botli which ptercnta thtu ever putting on a wboletonc or comfortabk appearance.
R. Bui at leMt yoa will oot pretend to tlenv tbe difdnction (you juu now hinted at) between thing* of real Utibly and merely fanciltil mtereit ?
S. No, I idmh that dittinctioa to tbc full. I only wiah yoa and Othera not ro miaiake it.
R. I hare not the ^tghtcit gucM at what you nean.
S. 1« there any ponible view of the nibject (bat haa not been canvaated orer and over again in the Stioc/! Or do you poc* over ■0 poMJUc objection* ai tbc dream* of idle cmhouiit*? Let me aik, hsK you not a current diilike to any thing in the (bape of •cBliment or in/mmlaSlj i for with you they arc tbc same. Yet
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THE NEW SCHOOL OF REFORM
a thing and thr tMi about h are not ibe cum. The oat about Utiliiy does sot detttojr it* etteact. Wbat <lo jou mtaa by taamtHta&ij i
R. I do not know.
^. Well : yon complain, howcvec, (bat ihbg* of ihc giratcK ok ia rrality arc not always of the grcaiMt importance in an imaginary and romantic point of view ?
R. Ccruialy; thit it the very jhtoc of all our weU-groutided ceniure and diMutiifaction with poetry, ooreJ- writing, and other thing* of that flimayi uninr^ning (tamp.
S. It appcart, then, that there arc two Mindard* of Ta)u« and iDodet of appreciation in human life, the one practical, the oilier ideal, — that that which ie of the greatest moment to the Under- tuodin]: it often of little or none at all to the Pancyi and vKe vtrui. Why then force then two ttaodardi into oaet Or make the UnderMandioj; judge of what belonga to the Fancy, any more than the Fancy judge of what belongs to the Underttanding i Poetry would make bad nuchematicR, mathematic* bad poetry : why jumble them together? LeaTc things, that ace lo, icparatc. Ctaytu Iribuiu jumm.
R. I do not yet comprehend your ptcciie drift.
5. Nay, then, vou will not. It it granted that a certain thing, in iiacif highly useful, docn not alTonl a* much pleaaurc to the imagina- tion, or excite aa much intcrctt a« it ought to do, or at some oilier thing which is of leu real and practical value. Uut why oushi it to excite tliib degree of interest, if it ii not its nature to do lo ? Why not set il down to ixa proper account of Utility in any philosophical eitinute — let it go for what it is worth there, vaUal ijuanlum valtl — and let the other Icsa worthy and (if you will) more mcreiticioua object be left free to produce all the aeniimeni and emotion it is capable of, and which the former is iiudetjuatc to, and ita raluc be estimated accordingly !
R. Will you favour rae with an illuHratioi^with any thing like common tense I
S. A table, a chair, a (ire-«hovel, a Dutch-stove are useful things, but they do not exdlc much sentiment — they arc not confettedly the poetry of human life.
R. No.
S. Why then endeavour to make them so ; OT in other wordai to make them more than they are or can become i A lute, a tonnet, a picture, the tound of disunt belli can and do excite an emotion, do •IJKal to the fancy and the heart (excuse this antiquated phraseology ! ) —why then grudge them the pleaauic they give to the human mind,
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
I whicb il wens oa fbe nry bee «f ihe argsocM, jnv^ dbmcm — » <liw%hi Utaky (whkfa p» apt Ao cbjeOM vflrnng/tmom) Why BRK I come u> joar ibop, dwogh yrte nywdy tcfl nc yim tore dm tbc vtkir 1 «sb> ? Or vby t««ar, «k& L«rd PcKf ■ the Ttte €f a Tit^ tkH yaw leaf «f farawa bread Motmut ■U ^ pvpMcs of MMosf Wlqr <lepfne ife of «kat dRB* aad ■damn noK ikaaof wbci^fncttk} A cUr i* food U rit ia (m ■ BMtcr of bd), a tabk to wmt on, ■ ire to «m om's tdt by- No one dfar«M it ; botattbe MBotiM I «aM wwHti^ «l» id and occwy my niad, nsMduag that ion dw Ictsk of fmcf, jihat nai to think of i* to M aaiMim is. Baidti ay
bo soofiihod ooo Mdnfied with pfopCT MOd* I'Mi csd the nov dreiBMiBCC of pnctKal or mlUtiEitydoaflata^MtHdlhadare b ao &r good for aothiBg.
A. Bat ■« K tm to bo fared that tfcjt prrfacacc ihoald be carried to ezccM, and that the caacstial AoM be BCglacttd fee the Union!
^. I Me oo difpomoa in mntiBd to Deflect the eweatkL NeoeaWT haa do choke. They parwe the — *-'-i^'' aechaincaDy, aa/wf pfacCi hcTKlf by the Heride, mi aaA m At ■amnh: — iBOy drtan over the rotoaotic! aod whea ibeir uicaiua are goidea aaei,it hutj to (fi«sfb theaa. There iaaafiidc ilia^ii ai pawiilt ef nocMhcrei for the iaicnai ii lUop amrdf i^ml as be only ia ba to the pleanre* thai it, the teal baaefit which atiadt A faKatattfa of GaBae<|BeBoea my deont^ the n^ahVi of ■ay bwry na away : tntimm alone ■■ JaftlBde, tiaoe k
aod repatea oa iudf. Like nercy, *« ^oaiiiy k aoc wabtd: k dr^ficth ai the gentle dew frota bene* tfO* the fket beneath!' —
k. Yoa hafv ailtod me what RcaMS fa : may I adt yna what k
S. I have toid yoa what Reaaon n: mn AtmU tel ne what Beatkaeat ia. Or I will ^ve yonr leanMcl profeawci and fufuaaJ EwtftkfiAmi, who lay dova Inn far the haaaa and wnhoot fcjUMM ajr «f the iprk^ by which 'a acta, five yMta m make em a wleiaMe gtem » what k ■ in objrcta that prodacca the fiac Aowci oTSettiBent, aad what k it that leatea only die botk aad «alk of Uiitit; befatnd h.
H. I'bey are mocb obliged to you, but I hticj Uicir tiiae fa better amiBOTcd.
a. What I ia riagiag the chaagca en the ttnc eaai-ffatwn, oae after the otberg m oewipapeni fiiknii lectarea, octavo nunm^
191
THE NEW SCHOOL OF REFORM
f
examitutioot, *ncl ptmptAea, and KCtng ao more of the nuucr tU the while thxa i blind hone in a miU ?
R. I have alicadj pnxcRed agaion th!* penooality. fiat lurely jroa would nat out boioo on a pu with tcality J
S. My good fiifod, let me give yo<a an ioMincc of my way of ihiolufig oQ thii putut. I met IJigoum fthe wager) in tht sircct the otber day : be wa* hommiag n tune ; and hti ^Ci thougb qurached, waa aniliiig. I could Kaccely (osbeu fftio$ up to apeak to bim. Why toi I bad seen him in the year 1793 ftbe Grat tiinc I Kttt waa at a plav), with Suett and Miu Roman/ini aad (ome othen, in No SoHO No Su?PEft ; and ever «tncc, tlut bngbi * ition of my child- hood hat played rouxKl my fascy with unabated, vivid delight. Yet the whole waa rictittoutt your cynic pbiloMmbera will *aj. I wiah there were bat a few tealitici that laMed ao fooK, and were followed with ao little diuppobuneitt. The imagmaFy ia what we coocetve to be: it i« reality that taotalizca tit and tofiM oat a firrinn ihv ■• the falac Florintel!
R. Bot the Politkal Economma, io dircctme the atteatjon to 'the greatest happiocai of the grcateat aumbcra, with to provide fb( the M>lid coouotu and ajueliotatioo of human life.
S. Ye*, tn a very notable way, after their ^uhioo. I tbould not expect (i<m men who are jalovt of the mcotion of aoy thing like eajoymcnt, any great anxiety about iu tolid conaforo. Tbciri i« a n-ry conifortaMe theory indeed 1 Tbcy would Karve the poor odi- ri^lit, reduce tbeir wa^e* to what ii barely oecciaary to keep tbcm alive, ifid if they catuiot work, refute them a moraet for charity. If yoa hun at any other remedy bot 'the grinding law of oeceMky' Mipended in urrvrtm over the poor, they arc m agooiea and ibiak Ihew victusi aje cicapisg tbem : if yov talk of the picisurc of Debt nd Taxca, they regard yon u a ««ry commoa'pUcc penon indeed, Md aay they can thow you catet is the reiga of Edward in. where, wilhovt any refereoce to Dtbt or Taxea, the price of labour wa« tripled — after a plague ! So tvU ia tbeir inugioaaoa of thi* deaolatiag doctriae, that aeei no hope of good bnl in cutting off the cpeeteat that tber Ay to a peadlenee m a leMyorce againat all our dificnJtien - if we had bot a pewileBae, k wooJd denooMraie all tbeir theoriea ■
R. Leave PoJitica] Ecooony to tboae who profts* it, and cooie back to yo«r myadcil atet^bynca. Do yoa not place actual acnaa- tiOM before Katimcstal refincwwtn aad think the fonner the fine dug* to be attended 10 in a tooad foen) ayKein i
$. I place the heart is the ceeire of my moral tyKem, and the acDKa a»d the uixleraBiiding are ita two extremiiic*. You leave milling but groat, material objfca at the eedt of puwiil, and the dry,
nu TO. : M 195
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
formal calcvtatiatw of tbe aadataadiag ai the meuti of eniuring tbcai. [* ihM coough ? I* sub i mere aciitMl, or a laere nuchise ■or ptuloiontikal cxpcrimciia? All Out t« intenoeiiuic bermvai tbeK two I* *ntimcat! I do noc woodn yoa iMBttiaw Ad a 9aamm, <MA you mleiTour to fill ap with tplwa tod mmmhnfj. Caa jou diTm the miad of tubit, memory, imagicunoo, fomi^Mt villi Can yoD make it go ob ptiyucal acwationt, oc on tbttna RHOo liooe! Not witbooi nulusg it over aptn. A* it ii coo- ililiHT'*, KAecboo recall wbat «eoie haa once embodied ; inuginatiaa wvsm s thoOTand ataoctatioDi round it, time eadcan, regret, hope, Kesr, iiMiwmi ilili )faapc« of Bncenaiii good adU kvnt acar iu I hear the MOod rfnihgc mU* — it 'openau the cdbltbm memory *lnt' — I tee a weU-knowti proipcct> my cyca are dim with manifold recollectioQa. What uy you? Am 1 only a* a rational being to bear the louod. to see the obJFCt with my Midily teiue ! I« all the rc«t to be diiaolrcd ai an empty deliuioo, by tbe potent (pell of nmariag pbiloaophy ? Or rather, hare not a tboaiMj red Icclii^ ■M iBdocDta hug npoB the«c impremooa, of wtikb Mch dim traces aad doubtivl raggcaiiaM we all that i* W^ i And u it oot bencr that tniib asd naore ahoold apeali thi* impcricct bat heaitfielt language, than be eotirrly dumb ? Aod thould wt not pmer*c aad cfacrith tliu wecioua luUl that coancct* together the finer CMCOce of out put aad ntme being by tome cxpremiTe tymbol, rather dun tuHcr all that dweri and nutaiiM life to fill imo the <lre» of nuienai icnmiou and blmdfeld igoonBce i There, ncrw, it half a AAaaoa of SeaiiaicK i for the othcf balf wv muH w^t till wc tec ifac anicW ia cbr Scotch Encyclopedia ob tbe tubjcct. To dcprtTc iim of WMimaK, ii to dqirive him of all that ii intefCMog to hinaelf or odMn. except the pceatnt object and a loocioe of caM-phraaea, aad to ttmi him uico a •arage, an aatomaton, oe a Political EcooomiK. Nay more, if we arc to feel or do nothing for which we cannot aidgn a preciae rratrmi why wc cannot ao mndi a* walk, (peak, hear, oc ace, without tbe •UDC imcoaacioii% toqificit faith— not a word, twt a artticocc but haagt logrthcf by a Bmbcr of imperceptible link*, and if a bundle «l pre nd ice* and abMractiooa.
R. I can make nothing of you or yoa argnncau.
S. All I would tay ia, thai yoo camwt take the meann of hanm nainre with a pair of compaHc* or a Uip of parchment : nor do I think it an anapicious opening to the new PaHlitiJ MiUramum to begin with aetting our face* againtt all that hu hitherto kindled the eatbnaiasm, or ahmting the door againal ail that may in fi>tu.-c give pkaanrc to the world. Yonr Elywua memblea Daotc'i Itfrrm — * Who cnten tbere mun leave all hope bchjad 1 *
'9*
QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
R. Tbe pcKti baTc «poiled you for all radood »k1 wber view* of men ind today,
S. I had rMher be wrong wiib them, ihao righ: with tatac othtt pcnoM that I codM itKMion. I do Doe think joa harr *facwn much tact Of coaiccalimKii of rcMOoing in your dmnoe of the tyMcia ; but you hare only to tnnacribe the (rit« arfturaeats on the nbieci, Kt yoor own aad a bookaellct'a naioc to tben, and paia olT lor the bcMl of a achool and ooe of tbc great lif^tt of the age !
ESSAY XVIIJ
ON THE QUAUFICATIOKS KECESSARY TO SUCCESS IM LIFE
It i> cncioM to cooMd^r the dirersiiy of mcn'a talents, aod the cauei of their faiJaie oi lucceat, which aie oot km Dutnerou* and amradictoey tlua their parioita in life. Poctuxic doe* not always amile oo laem:^-' ibc race u not to the nrili, nor tbc battle lo the Nroog ' : and ereo where the caodidacc for wealth or hoeoort ncceeds, it i« aa o^a, perhapa, frooi the qualificatioM which he «UM> M from thote whkh be ptmoKt [ or the emiocDce which be ia lucky etKmgh to attain, h owing to aome &co]ty or ac<iiiueineat, which odtfaer be nor any body elce m|iecicd. There ii a balance of in tbc fatmaa laiod, by which dcfecia fre^ocotly aauit in ' onr newt, at Mficrfliioua cxccUeooe* are coB*erted into the impcdimeDta ; aad apin, there ia a couaanal lahMtaMa of owe taltot for sBotberi throagh which we niNike the appearanoe for the reality, aod jadfe (by impUcatioo) of the meant (rotn the end. So a Himtter of State wield* the Hoiue of Connoooi by Irit matmtr alone J while hia friend* tnd hii foei are equally at a )«« to account lot hi* inflneace, lookinj; for ii in rain in the maner or nyle of hii ipeechea. So dw aii with which a celebrated barriater waved a while caobtick haadkcrcbirf paMcd for doqnence. So the buffoon ia taken for a wit. To be thought viae, it i* fer the mott part only oeceasary to aeen «e ; aad the ooiay dcfflafogiK ia eaMly traailated, by the popvlat voice, into the orator »d patriot. Qnalitiea lake their coloer from thoae that are next thetn, aa the camelcoD borrowa ita fane from the nearcM object % and unable othrrwiie to graap the pbamom of oor choice or our ambttioo, we do well to by noleot handa oa lORicthiog ejae within oor reach, which bear* a gneral teaeibhnce to it ; aad the imprcMioa of which, in proportion aa the thiof ittelf t* cheap and wonblcaa, ia Ukely to be groaa, obriona,
»95
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Mrikiof, and dTectusl. The way to secure (uccot, b to be laore ■■TJfiM kboul obtninioji than about dcterving it i the tuieol hiodtance to it U to have too hi^b i Mandard ui* tefincroent id our own miiid&, or too high ao opinign ot' the ditccramcDi of the public. He who it dctcimined not to be tatUltcd with any tiling thort of perfection, will Dcver do anjr thing at all, cither to pIcMc hinieelf or others. The auntioD it not what we ought to do, but what wc em do fof the bcM. An exireM of modeaty i> m fact an exceu of pride, and mote hvniial to the individuaJ, and let* ^uivaotageout to todety, than the giottect and mott unbluchiog vaaity —
Atjuring to bt Godi, if aagtU fell, Aspiring to be angtis men rebel.
If a celebrated artitt in our own day had ttald to do juttice to bu princiaal figure in a generally adniircil paintinci before he bad exhibited it, it would never have teen the light. He hat pMtcd on to othfT thingi mote within hit pow«r to accomplish, and more within the corojwtrncc of the ipcctaior* to undcTKand. They lee what he baa doac, which it a grcnt deal — tliey could not haie judged of, or f[ivea hitu credit for the infjfailt iJtit tn hit own mind, which he might rainly have dcroted hit whole life tn endeavouring to embody. The picture, as it ia, it good enough for the age and foi the public If it had been ten tiraet better, ilt mctiit would hare been ibrowa away : if it had bren ton time* better in the more refined and lofty eODCcpiion of characTer and Motimcot, and had &iled ia the moee palpable appeal to the icoae« and prcjudicea of the vulgar, in the utual 'appliance* and meant to boot,' it would never have done. The work might hive been praiwd by a few, a tcrjr few, and the artist himself have pined in penury and neglect. — Mr. Wofdawonh ha» given u* the uitntt oS poetry in his wotka, wiihonl the machinery, the ap^uaiut of poetical diction, the theatrical pomp, tlie conventional ornament* ; and we icc what he ha4 niade of it. The way to Eainei through merit alone, if the narroweit, the sieepeat, the longettt tba 1 hardest of all otiiers — (that it i* the nwst certain and laHing, l( even a doubt) — the mo«t sterling reputation ii, after all, but a apecaeiof] impotture. Aa for ordinary ca-tei of nicceM and failure, tbcy depend on the (lightest ihade* of character or turn of 8cddeo^— * tome trick not worth an egg ' —
There'* hut the tvrinkltng of a «ar Betwixt a man of peace and war) A thief and hitiicc, fool and knave, A huffing ofticer and a ibvc ; 196
^ ■ ft
QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
A crafty l3T«i and pick-pocket, A gmt i>hiIi»oph«t and « blockhead ; A forniJ preichef and a pbyer, A Irara'd phyiician and manihycr.
McD arc in numberlcM iiiMuic«« qualilied for certain things, for no Other rca«on ttuo bccsiuc they ire qulificd for DOthing rUc. Nc^tc RHrit ii tbe paupon to MgattTc wKce«). In cosunoa life, the narrownm of our Heat and appetttr* i* more favourable to the k- compluhment of onr dciijtrit, by coblifliflu our atteMioo aod arobmon to one (iogle object, than a f;reater enlargeraent of comprehenwon or naoeptibiKt^ of tarte, which (a* far u the inuiuDel* of cnitoin aad rouiiiK of boaDCM are oonccnwd) only operate m divenkiai to our CMOriDg the maiMtitntt ; awl, even la the punuil of aiu and aCKece, a dull pkNJdtns fellow will often do better than one of a more nwTCwia) and fiery can — tlie mere uBConaciovmeM of hn own deticiendec, or of any ihtnf> heyood what he hiniielf can do, recoo- diet him lo bi4 mccbanicil pro^ri^ni, and enablei htm to perform all that It*-* in hit power with labour and [MiJence. By being cooirnt with mediocrity, he ndrancet beyond tt ; whereat ihe mao of greater uai« or gcdiaa may be mppoted to fling down hit pen or pencil in diMpur, haunted with tbe idea of unattainable excellence, aaa tads in being nothing, becauae be caaoot be erery thing at once. Those «»B0 who hare tlooe the greatnt thing*, wwc not alwnyi perhap« the greatevt men. To do any gi««n work, a man ibould not be greater in htmnelf than the work he baa to do i the facultie* which he hat beyond thit, will be fteMii to In, cither not usmI, or ated idly and nnprofttably, to hinder, ikm to help. To do anr ooe thing beu, there ■boold be an exdwiTcncM, a cooceotratioo, a ojgotry, a olindneM of aitachiDem to that one object ) *o chat the widcM range of knowledge snd iMMt diJFusive tubtlety of inirlleci will not uaifbraily produce the moat beaefteial rcanha ;— -aod the ptrfomWMr i* tcry frei^oenily in the inTerte ratio, mx ooly of the pnttenoai, aa we niighi luperficially conclude, but of tbe real opacity. A fori it grraler flrnn At vtrhtU: \ and this old aayioK KeaM to hold true in moral and iotellectnal i ^nealion* alao — in nearly all that relate* to the mind of man, which^' cannot embrace the whole, but only a part.
I do not think (to give an tntiance or two of what I mean) that Milton' > .mind waa (to to (peak) greater than tbe Pandiic Lott; it wu juit bi{> enough to lill that mighty mould ; tbe ahrine contained the Godhead. Shaietpear's jtcniua wat, I ihould lay, greater than any thing he has done, became it (till toared free and unconfined beyond wbatcTcr be undertook — ran over, end could not be ' con- itnmed by mutcry ' of hit tnbjcct. Goldamith, in hi* Retaliation,
197
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
OcMnm Bmkcaa out «bo wa« ke|< ba^ b bn dazzKa^ ■*}»«>! oner, bj ^ npavragRtM of fan ulnwi —
TiKMwh eqml u alldiM^ fat all dMog* MBfitf Too aiee tor a kM^mm, Mo pnaJ Coc ■ wit.
Dr. JobatoB, b Bocv«ll*i Ufc, ull* nt that tlie oaiy penea
Pi^ni
GeoTvmbon he mt tt^ht far inf«o*cBamt wu Gc«xe i ]M who koDv* anj tUa^ of thii extnordiaary taan now, ba llat he WAUlE ^"i'*' twcs^ TDnBDBa (■ toe UoiTcnai "*^'"tt — TP*^itT^i ft FwBHNiH alpfaabet anl wyahniary — hebg a nsllj leaned nam, ca»- trircd topua ibr aa la^omr* and died m> oae kaewi bovor «tercl TbewcU kaowaaadiorefthe'EaqwyceaccniDgPolibcalJMbee,* n caatmmoa hM bm a «onl t« ihRw at a dof : aB the •tocea of Btf BDoemiDBipg or cuioa acrcarrw lor hit boofct^aod be oaa need of tbem, othcrvnc vixn woold be tiatm* im ^mtutriftit. He My* (Ht}f, and that Ettk were beltei lefi alooe^ betnc both dolt and noo- acaacal t bit talk •• at flat u a pncake, then U no leaven b h, be baa not d<nf^ eaoegb to nuke a loaf and a oke ; be ha« mo ida of ■Of thwg tiU be u wooad i^ like a dock, not lo tfak, Ehb to write, aad thro he teeini tike a pettoo riwo froca ilcep or frooi (be dead. The author of the Dhirnemi rf Pmri^, oe the othet hand, bendea bemg the inTeocor of the theory of gmntatx, was a r^*-""', a vi^ ■ maacr of cooverotioa, and OTcriowbg with aa tuUrabdUr latffr rhir feOow had cm aad oooie agab b him, and
■ ToogBC with a pi^*h «f bnbi I *
bvt it ooly wned at an cxcnae to cbeai pocteritj of the defiuMB of a verb) bjr one of thoM eoarrraaboea] ma di imwn by which he pot off bu {oetta at WiraUedon with tone leaziag equToaoe riidi be wooid explab the aext tine tbey net—and nnde him die at lajt with a watumm b bia nmith! The late Profenot Ponon waa taid U be a natch br the Menbet for Old Sanm b ifgumeat aad niltcry : — be wai a onhaai tchobr, and had wit at will — yvt what did it coBe to i nb JHU have evaporated «rith the nkaiki of tbc wioe 00 the tareni laUc ; tbr page of Tlmcydidea or jEtchyUu* which wai ■tainpcd oo hii btaici, md which he cosld nad there with equal facility bftckvarda or Itirwai'df, ii codaiool, after hj( death, aa it wat whik he {i*ed, jnn a* well ia the Toluine oo the lihraiy ahelf. The HUB of perh^ the groten abi&ty bow living ii the oee who haa sot odjT dooe the Imt, bn who it actaaUy iac^able of ever doing any tlMft wncilty of Un — nkat he had a handnd baodi to write withf and a hnsdred novoii to utter all thM it hatB entered into hit , ban to onceive, and centuriei before him to embody the endleM | 1^8
QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
Toliune of bU wskui;; drtaini. Cloud rolU otct cloud ; one train oT thought tugKctti ind is drireo away by another ; theory after ihcofjr i« spun out of the bowels of hit brain, not like the tpidcr't web, com-
fact snd lound, a citadel and a in:tre, built for miidiicf and for Met ut, like the gossamer, itrctchcd out and cotangled without end, c!inKinj{ to every casual object, Hilling in the idle aJr, and glittering only in tlie ray of faocy. No subject cm come amits to him, and he ji alcke attracted and alike iadiffeient to all — he is not tied down to any one in particiUar — but iioam from one to another, hit mind crety where finding it* lerel, and feeling no limit but thai of thonghi — now toactng wiih its head above the stars, now treading with fairy feet among flowers, now winnowing the air with winged wordi — paaaing from Duds Scoius to Jacob Behmen, from the Kantean philosophy to a conundrum, and from the Apocalypie to an acrostic^uking in the whole range of poeiryt painting, wit, history, politics, meiaphytic*, criiiciim, and private scandal — every question giving birth to aome new thought, and evetv thought ' ditcoursed in eloquent muRC,' that lives only in the ear of foots, or in the report of abtent friends. Set him to write a book, and he belies all that h^ been ever said about him—
Ten ihoiitanil great ideas filled his mind.
But with the clouds they fled, and left no trace behind.
Now there is , who never had an idea in his life, and who
therefore hat never been prevented by the fastidiout refinements of self-knowledge, or the dangerous leduciioni of the Mute, from suc- ceeding in a number of things which he ha« attempted, to the utmost extent of his dulnesi, and conirary to the advice and opinion of all his friends. He has written a book without being able to spell, by dint of asking questions — baa painted draperies with great exactness, which have pasoed for finished portraits — daubi in an unaccountable figure or two, with a hack-ground, and on due deliberation calls ii hiitory — he it dubbed an Associate after being twenty times black- bailed, wini his way to the highest honours of the Academy, through all the gradations of discomfiture and disgrace, and may end in being loade a foreign Count I And yet (such is the princigile of distributive justice in matters of taste) he ii just where lie was. We judge of men not by what they do, but by what they are, Ken ex qu^i
Bgnojil Mtrearjas. Having once got an idea of , it is impossible
that any thing he can do should ercr alter it — though he were to paint like Raphael and Michael Angelo, no one !a the secret would give him crtidii for it, and ' though he had all knowledge, and could speak with the tongues of angels,' yet without genius be would he
'99
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
r?.
9t tboTM, act figi of f <M look at , M j%u 4b K a
ether f««m «ycfc yw
Fii TJff. it ■ Ik ■ ■mlibr will i the
the poirde to al pnctiol pvi^b: lo JowBcy'* cad, we ihooid bek ink u the rigk «m the Idt ; the kaa«kd{c e/ escdeaee m o6(b dacta wd dimnat, m k hanAsaiBd tocxstiea; aad hnetwtimftm ihagtatiy itiffaiiiiiiof tatewrf Bheci] an* i» — wiih an iBcnvae oTindiridMl piiM.
A* there m a degree of difaeH mA fhkfpa, wUch, ■■ the loa( uetlii thas the bmr ■ofale ^ad BMnai lef ODrsMve (aa the bca^ by ka lare tndaf ovstah** the ag), » tfarre it ■ iiepve of wivai iptni* aad ihciwy iln ki powfw on 'to gn Ae or cf the mjta^ vorid,' aad bar the patai akae. How oAta do «« aw viffsckr wd mpaftkifBce micakcA fo' vk i pbcbcj mt arjnomi adoadlbr MMet alowlac ■■•calvoiccibr doqasaeel lapadoce agab k aa eqainl^ &» oovMe ( aad the aaaaHplaaB of makaad l£e poHTMMM of k art too oraa oaaaikwd aa ooe aad the Mse lMfl|^ (/■ the fiOBO htwdi OMpicXf 9t nMMV tedocti the pafaott who CMMC ao nr fOfCfo hk ofluvo oipoaaaoa aa by aoj cioct vo rink* k off, to peiliKi hiriyiitcMnn. ia the cyn of the riipg, who» if ya* do not leeai todeate yoor owa pnteaacaa, «iO Be««r^w«ioa iheaii aodoB the nne priocipie, if yaa do aot try to pahi joanelf oa thcB ftr arfaat 3KM an not, aill never be pennaded jon can be wmf thiag. Adainboa, bice mocking, ii oechiac: aad the food eiMMM vhaeh gtta abroad of at bc{ttM at ho«Be. If a HMa n aet aa aach iiraiiiih»d m bia o«b ac^Bir»ala — aa praad of aad aa diligbuJ vkh the baMl^ aa uuwit voaU be a pat Mto aaaatB iVfaaMoa of i^ihcjr hold that tne deast ad be ■■« bo if he eatenan v Uea bejaad bk on prak, they ttaak ««ry wkdjr be can luov aotbiag at all i if be docBaotp% ofthet^Mci or the ouuotab ayca thcai at ewgy Wp» thejp are coaMww he » a daace aad a feOew of oo yettf ioei, It baa beea lotaedBiea Bade a natter of auprite that Mr. Pin did dm talk pobSca oat of the Hoaw t or that Vu. Fo* oattrcrMd like any ooe eke oo fxmmin ad>jecti i or due WaHcr Scott n loader of wa old Seotcb diiqr or aati^oaiMB record, tfcaa of Kneaiag W the praites of the Author of Wavcrley. Oo the cootrary, I caBot cooceiw
too
QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
how x»f one who (edi conscioiu of ceruio power«i ihoold alwayt be labouriiig to convince otlicrt of the fact ; or how a penon, to whom their cxcrciec it u familiar an the btcath he drawn, thould think it worth bis white to connnoc lh*ni of what to him must iwm »o very limplc, and at the uinic time, ro very evident. I «hould not wonder, however, if the author of the Scotch Novels laid as undue ttreai on the prai»ct of the Muuattery. We ourie the ricketty child) and prop up our want of »elfconlidence by the opinion of friends. A man (unlets he it a fool) it never vtm, but when he ttands in need of the tribute of adulation to strengthen the hoUownesi of hit pre- tensions ; nor tonceiitA, but when he can find do one to flatter him, and is obliged secretly to pamper his good opinion of liimtelf, to make up for the want of tympnthy in others. A Jamntd author hat the highest sense of hit own merits, and an incxpr(«t«ble contempt for the judgment of hit coniemuoraiies ) in the tame muaner that an actor who it biued or hooted from the stage, creeps into exuuiiite favour with himself, in proportion to the blindnciis and injuttice of the public. A prote-writer, who has beet) severely handled in the Reviews, will try to persuade himself that there is nobody else who can write a word of E!n][lish : and we have seen a poet of our timci whose works have been much, but not (as he thought) tulficiently admired, undertake Ibrmally to prove, that no poet, who deserved the name of ooe, was ever popular io his life-time, or scarcely after his death I
There is notliinjt that floats a man sooner into the tide of reputa- tion, or ofiencr passes current for geniui, than what might be called teatiitulianal laJtni. A man without thii, whatever may lie his worth or real powers, will no more get on in the world than a leaden Mercury will fly into the air ; as any pretender with it, and with no one (]Uftlity beside to recommend him, will be sure either to blunder upon luccess, or will let foilure at defiance. By coDititutiooal talent I meant in geoeral, the waimih and vigour given to > man's idea* tod pursuita by hit bodily tiamina, by mere physical organtution. A weak mind io a sound body is better, or at least more profitable, than ■ Muiid mind in a weak and crazy conformation. How many innances might I quote I I.ct a man have a <]uick circulation, a good digeilioa, the bulk, nnd thews, and sincvt of a man, and the alacrity, the unthinking confidence inspired by these i and without an atom, a shadow of the mm/ Jrvmivr, he shall tuui and swaK;per and vapour and jostle his way through life, and have the upper-hand of those who arc hit belters in every thing bin health and strength. His jests shall be echoed with loud laughter, because bis own lungs begin to crow like chanticleer, before he hM
SOI
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
dM«M
m
vith bB aa iadiffcr caE newpdoB ia tfac woHd — ud that ' by a csifkaf aindfeibsitlLtaad a voi koibmIi, ia
> PrII Sk. na ilMMil tbfic wotriMppm.'
Hracc tba ■KCMW of (och pcnoM did cot cormfood witb tlKcr dcwna. Tier* vac a Bacanl eoatn&ctioB between tfce phjiaogaomy of their miDdi asd bodiea! The plrnae, *s goed4«>okin( mm,' Bcasa diOtfcut thii^a n tovo aod coudCfT t and artMta have a Kpantc ^**"*^* n ocBttT iiuui fKhff pcoMe* ^L ooaatftr^vBii'c la tboH^ cmdJaohiDf!, «b« ia >■ good coodnion like hia hone: a cooatry-nnKT, to take ibc Kigbbova' cyca, smtt aeea Kaltfcd, Bke the pri»-« i ihcy aak. • how bt csa op b the ad* how he t^lowa m the kidacfi.' The iMtr-rf-raetammdttim btxt b gMcnl, ii oot oov that cxprewca toe 6mt akovciucnta of tboayht or of the iooli wi that make* pan of a ngoroM and heakhy fociB. It ia one ia wUA Cupid and Mara take sp tbar 4]ttartera, nibef litan Saturn ot
tot
QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
Hercury. It nay be objected here that mok of the fftaum litimilM of fortune bare bwD little men. ' A little nun, but of high £uicy,' i* Steroe'i deKription of Mr. Hamnwod Skuwly. But then ihey ha*e bc«i poKCttcd of (trong fibre* and an iron comaiiinion. The late Mr. Wc»t ukl, that Buooapane was llic bcat-nudc nun he ever law in hii life. Id other caaet. the gantlet of cooiempt which a pMiy body and a &tij tpirit are forced to run, may determine the peuetsor* to aim at great actiooa ; indignation may make men heroea at well at poet*, and thut retenge them oo the BigprdliocM of DSton and the prejodicei of the world. I rcmember^(r> Wordtworth'a tapDg, that he tboQght iogerioua poeta had bera of toiall a»d delicate frames, like Pope; but that the g'eateal (luch aa Shakupeir and Milton) had been healthy, and caat in a larger and haadmner mosld. So were Titian, Raphael, and Miduel Ai^Io. Thii ia one of the kw obaerratkmi of Mr. Wordrworth'a I recollect worth <)UOting, and I accordin^y aet it down aa hit, becatMC I underttaod be it tenactona OS that foinc
In lore, in war, in conreraadoot is bwioeM, coniidcnw and reaolu- tioa arc the principal thiogi. Hence the poet'a tcaaoMg :
' For women, been to be controU'd, Afftct the loud, the rain, the bold.'
Nor ia thit peculiar to them, bat ran* all through life. It ia the opnuon we appear to coeertain of onrKlTn, from which (thiakiag wt aww be the ben jndgca of oor own inerita) odbcn accept their ida of e* on trwt. It ia taken Ibr granted that ereiy one pretcoda to the ■ciiioat be can do, and he who pretend* to little, it tuppoacd capable of nothing. The humility of our approacbea to power at bcanCf CHoret a repnlte, and tbe repnlae maJiea ua ODWiUing to renew the a|iplicaiioa ; for there ia prioe at well aa fanmility in tfaii babitoal hackwardoea* and reaerve. If yon do oot baity tbe world, ibcy will be tore to iDank orer yov, becaitte ihcy think they can do it with ■BtpOBity. Tbey inaiK spon the arrogant aMimptioB of a^crioncf aomewWe, and if yon do om ptevcM them, tbey will ptacttae k OB yov. Socne one raoat top tbe part of Captain in the play. Senilitj' bowcrer cbimea in, and paya Scrub in the &rce. Men patraniae the bwmig and obaeqnioui, aa they •oboiit to the vain and noaatfiiL It b tbe air of nooieaty and indepefaleiKe, which will ndtber be put
ro itaelf, Bor p«tnaootbir>,tbK tbey caMOl «odwe — that excite* the indixnaoon tbey ibaiild feel li>r pompona aA^tation, and all the contempt they do not ibow to meanne** and dnpltciiy. Our indolence, and perhapa our en*y take part with our cowardice and Tanitf to all thit. The obtnuifc claim* of empty oaientatioo, played
THE PLAIN SPEAKEA
off Gke the liag <h the iofo, tmaaia% ^A t-t*'-'^ ib ok m^, rrlicT* M tnm tfac irfcHBc oiA of icekiaf a« eWiR acric i the MnB at viracs «naia «■ dtc bold froat, « triiBjttBt in ikc
H( ovnctvvi! onnBib ov mIMovb reocrw ft mm ccmhm froM wcBittrkg dK flKcc teaMMtK tbH ibe mU iJwute af MTlkt fall; cAkUm w fad the UocL^ M iNCT tW WW m** had, ad cvMc wMka M «e the kw*^ bf Id* ova good kne^
•DoafatleiHthe,
baBoMik then leeini a ton ot eampnama^ a friadftt wi t Dctweoi tMfoHMiv lou oquuCt- it JIM Mft vha ton oa a iMK •wiw&d tnttfif <tf Ihar (wid^ j«a wiO fad the; « aU BMf am, with plaaribie aHaen or ahaadnae cqapgcw hind «■ ptfftMr :— ^ jrea mk w4ui lort of pIbMi hate rabbad woon af thtir honmFoawai fad ^c; an dkOMwho h»« jSad hwdiadt btiaw^ Ban awith vha wulia| air caaoowv tw pfojccc of kxia^ tha bMHt la ouMJf"— tt> QK bira flantfii tfi idle wiap n the ^w> of
it I TXirv a wm lemilitg tt afftatamta, wc arc told ; bat thii aaxin is of ao and, far mim stv the ock depn at thtB. Lifr, it baa bHB miA, ii 'the ui of bnag mffl deodwdt' Md accotifiai^, hyfocriw ■wi to be the great bMaewof aaaiaad. Tbeomeof Mftaae ^ fae tha laoM fan^ tet wn with miiauisi lo thx ho wha wB BOt cat k beOBK he faM po gold ia hiiBOckct,aa«flt «■ ilio««
k>lfhi*t>me.Ml leaUac^Kagf MC^Mgi^t^'M- l>dmaef '»,iM aiaciT-aiae ca«i o« of a haadrad, ooaiMitad » laHsdn t aad aaocn^ at pv|H3a m tha ^faatoii iffiPQat that caa ba ^hcivq to caoctj* iQ >DMt oa aapie trvht tt to atKfunn TOarwtf vm plaoe or pmoon£e the lea yoa deaene, tfae note lacta u iheu eocoaa^ i^yoat and he who, n the Knggle far disiacliaa, tnMB to leafiiiei aad not to anearacc«, will io the end fad Unidf the object of aavcnalbaOM sd aoon. A aaa who iliaka <a gra aad km the
pribGcawbrthrfaraaafirrl^wSifaditvvryapUl wotkt <}«■ ~ I ID \am far a paat a«hor, ^oa oQ|ht aat to look » if yoa wen lur yoa had ctcr vtittai a aeacesoa or dacoeeml a na^e msh. If yon kcrp fov owB aecret, be iMatcd the world wdl keep it far joa. A aniier, when I koow aery wcB^ oaaot pfa aa adawaioa ID Drwy-laae Tbeaii^ bacMK ht data aat bBage iaao the Inhbita, or Mp m the .Shitryar- aay, tha aiae poaoa baviag wniMa Bpaaiila ol aucty ooMam oi onjiaal laattef oo politicly S04
QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
criticUm, bclles-Ictuc^i and virii in a rrtpecublc Maioiag Piper, ia a ungl« iLiif-ytai, wan, at die tad of that period, oa applyiu]; for a icQCwaJ of hia cojiagemeat, lold by tlic Editor ' he might give in a spccimra of what he could do! ' One would dunk itxty culuniiii of the MotnioK Chronicle were i lulHcicnc (pecimen of what a man could do. But while this {icrton wm thinking of hia next answer to Vclus, ot hi» account of Mr. Kcan't performance of Hanikt, he had ocglccitd ■ to point the toct' to hold up his head lusher than usual (bavioi; acquired a habit of poring over book* when jrouofl}, and ta get 4 ni-w velvet collar to on oldf^ultioned grtat coot. The»e arc ' the graceful ornament* to the columnt of a newtpaper — the Corin- thian capital) of a poliihed (tyle ! ' Thii unprolitablc tcrvant of the pret* found no dUfcrcnce io hinuetf before or after he became known to the readers of the Morning Qironiclc, and ii accordingly nude no diifcrcDce in hit appearance or ptetcnaians. * Don't yon remember,*
tayt Gray, in one of hia leiiecs, ' Lord C and Lord M —
who are now great atateimen, Uttle dirty bovt playing at cricket! For my own part, I don'l tcel mytielf a bit taller, or older, or wiwr, than I did then.' It ia no wonder that a poet, who thonght in thia manner of himiicif, wai hunted from college to college, — has lelt ua to few precious tpccimens of hia fine powers, and shrunk from hit reputation into a tilent grave !
' I never knew a man of geniua a coxcomb in dreat,' aaid a man of geniui and a sloven in drc«s. I da know a man of geniua who is a coxcomb ia hii dress, and in every thing else. But let that pus.
' C'tn on mauvaii mfticr que eelui de mfdire.'
I alao know an anist who has at least the ambition and the boldnen of geniua, who has been reproached with being a coxcomb, and with affecting aingularity in hit dreti and demeanour. If he ii a coxcomb that way, he ia not to io himself, but a rattling hair-brained fellow, with a great deal of unconstrained gaiety, and inipciuous (not to tay turbulent) life of mind! Hafrpy it ia when j man'a exuberance m aclf-love Hies olf to the circumfereoce of a broad -brimmed hat, dcKends to the toea of hia sboe>, or carriei ittelf olf with the peculiarity of fail gait, or even vents itself in a little professional quackery ; — ud when he tcemi to think sometimes of you, sometimet m himaelf, and sometimes of others, and yoo do not feci it nece»ary to pay to him all the finical devotion, or to submit to be treated with the Rcocnful neglect of a proud beauty, or some Prince Prettyman. It is well to be aomethiog besidca tlw coxcomb, for our own sake u well aa that of others i but to be bom wholly without thia fiiculty or
MS
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ffh of ProrUean) a nun had better hiTC bod a ttaot lied about hi* neck, xad beco cait into the tea.
1b geacral, the con*ciou«n«u of internal power leada ratber to a diw^rd of, than a utiKtted aticoiioD to cxtcftul appearance The wear and tear of the mind doct dm improTc the (Icek&CM of the Ala, or the daKicity of the iuiiacle«. Tbc bunbrn of thought weigh* down the body like a porter't botihm, A nuo caanot Maad lo upright or more lo britUy uoder it ai if he had nothiitg to carry in bii bead or on hit ibonlden. TIk ro»c oo the cheek aad tbe canker at the heart do not flourish at the tame time ; and be wbo liu much to thiak of, tnuu take mitoy thing* to heart ; for thoi^bt and feeling are ooe. He who can tnily uy, A'iiH inMoi a mt aEaaim fulo, hat a world of caret oo hii haodB, which nobody knows any thing of but himaelf. This ii not one of tbc Icait nuwrie* of a atudtout life. Tbc comiuoo herd do not by aoy meas) gire htm full credit for hli
Eatnitooi tyinpalhv with tfaetr coocemit but ate (truck with lua ;k4ustre eye aoo watted appearance. Tbtry cannot traatbte the expreMioD of lut couiKctiance out of tbe rulgate i they mittake tbe knitting of hi* brow* for the frown of ditpteantrc, the patencM of ftady fet the bagnor of dckneM, the forrowi ot thought foe tbe ngaur amroKbea of old age. Tbey read hii look*, not bis book* ; hare Kt cfoe to penetrate ibe last recctaet of the niiiidt and attiibate ibe height of abctraction to more than an ordinary share of tCupidity.
' Mf. ncret srenw to ukc the ilightctt iat«re« in any tbtng,* i*
a tctnark I bare often he«rd nude io a whisper. People do OM like your pbilotoptief at tit, for he doe* not look, say, or think as tbey do I aod tbey respect btm still less. Tbe na'ptny go by person^ appearaocet, not by prool^ of intellectu:il power t and tbey are quite nght to this, for they are better judges of tbe one than of the oUier. There is a large party wbo anderralue Mr. Kean'* acting, (and Tcry properly, i* fu- at tbey are coocctDcd,) for ibcy can see that he is a tittle ill-rnade man, but they arc incapable of rnicring into the depth and height of the jMision in hi* Oihelto. A nobleman of high rank, ■ciMe, and merit, who had accepted an order of knighthood, on being dialleoged for ao doing by a friend, at a thing rather degrading to him than ouerwise, made answer — • What you say, may be rery trve ) but I am a little man, and am •onvtiiDe* jostled, and treated with TCry tilttc ceremony in walking along the Mieetst now the advantage of this new honour will be thui when people wc the star at my breast, tbey will erery one make way for me with tbe greatest rcifieet.' Pope beot himself double and rvined hi* coBttituiioa by Ot«f-«nidy wben yoaog. He was hartilv indemnSed by all hii pottuiinous Gune, <tbe Battery that soothes the dtiU cold ear of death,' nor by the xo6
QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
admiraiioD of hii frienilK, not the friendahip of the j^reac, for the dis* lortioD of hit perion, the want of rubuit health, and the iatieniiicant figwe he made in the eye* of sttangeri, and of Lady Mary Wonley Montague. Not only wat hit diminutive and mif^thapen forni agaiast him JD such trivial toys bot it waf made a wt-otf Aiid a bar to big pociidl nrctcniiioos by hii brother -poets, who ingeiiiou«ly coDvcried ibe inniaJ and final leltcra of lila name into the invidioiu appellation A. P. E. He protMbly had the putage made under-ground from hti guden to hit grotto, that be might not be rudely gazed ai in crotting the road by wmc untutored clcwn ; and perhapi nanod lo ste the worm he trod upon wrtlhed into hi* own form, like BIshic the BUck Dwarf. Let tho«e who think the mind everything and ifac body nothing, 'ere we have thuffled oiT thia mortal coil,* read that fine moral fiction, or the real Hory of Uatid Rhcbie — beUerc and tremble ! '
It may be urged that there ii a remedy for all thii in the appeal from the ignorant many to the cnligbiencd few. But the few who tre judge* of what it called real and tolid merit, axe not forward lo comoiDnicatc their occult dticoTerica to othen; they arc wtthbcUl nttly by enry, and partly by puiiilanlmity. The strongest minda are by right! the mo«t iadrpeodcnt and iogenioua; btit then they are competitor* in ibe titta, aiid jealous of the prize. The prudent (and the wiic arc prudent ! ) only add their hearty applauK to the accuma- tiooi of the multitude, which they can neither titencc nor dtipulc. So Mr. Giffbrd dedicated thow v«r»ci to Mr. Hoppner, when Kcurely leated on the heights of lame and fortune, whidi before he thought might hiTC taroured too much of flatietT or friccdship. Tho«e even who have the sagacity to dtscorer it, seldom volunteer to introduce obscure merit into publicity, so aa to endanger their own pretension* : they praioc the world's idotii, and bow down at the altars which they cannot overturn by violeocc or undermine by Mealth ! Suppose literary men to be the judges and vouchers for literary merit :
> It is more dcsinblc lo be the hia<Uamat than ihc wimt man in hii Mijcslf's Haminiont, for (hen «rc nor* pcapk who havi cjn than aDdcntsodiogi. Sir J aha SucUinf tdl* oi that
H« piiiH black tyr* lail ■ lurkjr kit At bowls, ibon lU tile (lophic* of wil,
la l!k< msBticr, I wimtil be ftnanicn lu ny, that I un lonicwbit tick of this trsiie of 4u(honhip, where fhr (r^iU-t luak ivluocg it ont't bot-mr^nt fffnrtt, but im Mill land of tboK alhlclic cKrtixt, irhfti thrjr do aoi k«r)i \wo koco eo mark tht tfit, with Whii snil Tor; nvtchci. The Ktomplithnunit of Ihc bdJjp irc obTioai ia<l (\fu to ill i thon of tb< mini ue recoBilit* ud iloubcful, mbA Ihtrcfore padgioglf ickoowltdpd, or hcl<l up m iht ipotc of prcjadic«, if lie, and felly.
107
THE PLAIN SPEAKKH
Eamei
a (however bisb ^
er in fane] ha* no piwioa bat the love ot dwtiaciio*, Md I enrf penoa or thing uat intetferCT vkh hi* ianinBiwibte iwl ntartuaoC cUiou. £>cad to every other intnot, he i* iliic lo Om, aad Man* up, Iik« a •etpcmt when irod npo^ ont of the dvabcf of ■'OipJcd {ndc. The ooU iGbc of ia£Cnncc b nned two nak poiNo k the tight of yov tfontA to M awlity or uwwwutiua «itfa hiwKir. If be u ■■ old iii|iiiMMii. W wild hxf joa •Imp where jrao ivck^ aader hit ieet to be ttamfJed oa : if a oew oaSf he voDoefv of oevtf beara ov toq before* Am too becotoe knowB, he cxprcHea a grcaiB cootempt br foo, and grow* otore captMM* aod uneaty. The more yoo arive lo ncrii hi* good word, the fanbcr jfoa ar* from it. Soch character* viU aet odjr Metr K
Cr weU-aesM Mtdcavoors aod keep Miew M (o row good qoalMn. arc on of cooMcmacet ' <)uit< ctM>iyliIkn,' if they find yo« have a cap of water, or acnM of biread. It u only wbeo yoo are io a jail, atarred or dead, that their exduaive ptetentioat are nfe, or their ArpH-eyed cotpiciooi bid atlccp. Thit U a trae copy, oor i« it taken from ooc nttiag, or a tiagle tabJKU — Ao amhor now-a^yv, lo niccecd, muM be MiaethiDg more than an author, — a ooblcisai], or rich plcbrias : the timpk liicnry character it oot cooogh. ■ Socb a poor forked antmal,' ai a tatn poet or phtlotopfaer tvnicd looae npoa ptUic opiaioD, hat oo cbaace ofpanM ihc docka of hua aod owla that laiMtiy atmSi him. It ii nanc, it i* wealth, it it title aod isdncace thai Biollifiea (be leader-hcitced Cethctw of criticiaiD— fini, bjr placiBg the booocwy ctJidwa tot bmc out of the reach of Gt«b> ttntl oaalicc i iMOMljr, b* holdiag oat the voiprct of a dioaer or a faeaat ofioe lo ncccMra lycoohoacy. 1 his it the rcatoa why a eertaiD Mana^ae praiiea Percy oynbe Shelley, and villifie* * Jofauiy KeaUi'l ihey know very well that they cannot rain the ooe in lortnae aa wdl at in fanie, but they raajt nia the other in boilii dcpmv him of a livelihood t(«cihcr with hit good luine, tend him to CvptMrj, and into the Rufet of a ptiion ; and thU it a double ■MttemeBt to the rxefciic of their bodablc and legitimate vocauoo. We do Dot heai that they plead the good-Bttured motive of the Editor of the yaarterly Review, that 'they did it for hU good,* becauae aoroe one, m coaaeqtKDce of that critic'i abuae, had cent tbe author a preaent of five-and^twcfity poundt ! Ooe of tfacic writcra W«at ao Wf ia a tort of gcncrAl profmion of literary tcrrility, u to declMt broadly that there had bcco no great l^ogliib poet, aad that BO ons bad a right to pretend to the character of a nun of gmiiu ia
108
I WiittcD io Jaat lllo.
ON THE LOOK OF A GENTLEMAN
Uii> country, who wu oot of patridan l»rtli->or coDDCctioaa by inarrbge ! This book wai well baited.
ThcMT art (he ileclrtjui ihac enrich lh< ihopt, Thit pau with reputatiDn ihrougli chf land, And bring their authan an iminunal name.
It i« ihc (yni[uthy of ihc public with th« apite, jnlouty, and irritable humourt of the wriwrt, that oouriahcN this diKaw in tbc public niind: thii, this 'cmbalnia and niicct to the April day again,' what otherwioc 'the vfitd and the lazar-houie would heave the gorge at ! '
ESSAV XIX
OH THE LOOK OP A GENTLEMAN
'Tht Dobltman-loak } Yo, 1 konw what jiou mrin very mil t that look wbidi ■ nobltman ahnuld have, ralhrr (hin what ihtjr have itmerallT now. The Dulu of Buckiagham [ShrllicM '} »■> a cinml mm, tnil hi<1 ■ pen itnl the look you tpeik of. WjrchRl^ wii ■ very ftDI«l nuo, Ud bad ibc oobleman- look *■ Biudi u the Duk« ol Buckingiitm. — Port.
He initAOErd it too in Lor^l Pelerboronfh, Lord Botingbrolic, Loti Hinchin- broke, the Duke of Bolton, inrt two or three more.' — Snnci'i jl^tiJmi tJPrft,
I HAvt cboKK the above motto to a very delicate nibject, which in prudence [ might In aJonc. I, however, like the title i aod will try, at Icaet, to make a sketch of it.
What it is that constitute* the look of a gestlemao is more easily felt than described. We all know it when we see it ; but we do not know how to uccouti: tor it, or to explain in what it contiut. Caiua laitt, rtt ipia naiiiiima. Ea*c, (irace, dignity have been given aa the exponents and expressive symbols of this look ; but 1 would rather say, that an habitual self-pouc*(ion determines the appearance of a gentleman. He should have the complete command, not only over hi* countenance, but oivr hi* limbs and motions. In other words, he should discover in his air and manner a voluntary power over his whole body, which with every iolleaioa of it, should be under the contioul of his will. It must be evident that he looks and doc* as be like*, without any rettraint, confusion, or awkwaidoesi. He it, in fact, master of his person, as the professor of any art or
' Queit, Villirn, bcduK in aoollicr plic* it it niit, lliii 'wbca the tatter •ntere-l the. pKu-nn.ch>inbei, lie attracteil all ejrt* by the hanitlomfMM t4 bis peson, snn the (^oefiiliKsa of bit demeanoar.'
VOL. Til. I Q 209
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
it «f » jamca\ax UMtraantt be directi it lo «4m ae he pIcMc* sad iatend*. Wberevef tkb po««r aad fadfity ffBB, «r wcog«i»c tlK look lad ilct>oraM*t of tbc gcniltiiMn, — tfcai M^of • wrioa vhe faj bU habiu wd itiimUia is lifie^iBd ia Im ordaufy latcfcOBnr with locKty, kw had Eialc tUt to do dun U> «ad; Aom aotwnatto, lad that cvrt^ of tbc bodvi vUcIi wtre Kcnnpaaied - «itb khM —••■*"-•— to himttif, md wetv okaiMrd la exote the ■ppnsoBtna n ue bcnDidcr* cmc^ it '"'f* ov obccrmif n oot tsngb i £ffitf y coo hb^ Tbcic mwi be a eeraaa rctara, a eoaadooa dceoroBt added to the first, — aod acenais 'battBancy of npti, qfching tfae aMtcn cdiiarinaBtr of caatrod,* id ibr otbcr, n iMwer to am coBCepioa of thai ch»ieia'. PcxlUfa fcopow]i ia u Mv a word at my to deooic the ■mdo* of the geaiitattn cJegace ia mawary to ibe fiae genti^Mat <fifiiity it proper to Bchkiacn ; aod ma jeaty to kian I
Wberew thia conacaot aad decent aabjectiaa of the body to tfaa ■and ia nnblc ia the cDataaaary aoioaa of walkiab cutiog, ridbg, ■aadlaK, peaking, &c. «t drav d»c wae eoediMioa a* to tbc iadrridalr— vfaatetcT may be tbr iiRp<ilini«iu ot uuToidafcle defccia m the laachiD^ of ivbkb he ha* the lauugesxet. A naa taay bave a meaD or dwatreeabk weiiot, may haJt in hii gait, or have lq« the aw of half hia boiba t aod j« lie Bar Onew tfaia babieaal . rnmaJOB w vbai it graeefal aad faecoauag ta tbt nae bt laakaa of | an the pawn he bat Mt, — ia the ■ eice coadoci ' of the moat aapo- ttiiitg lad uupvacticablt sgifi' A boat^owtad oc dcvoc avd oaaa doea oot nKcManly look tike a cknra or a ntecbaaic i oo tbe coairary, from fait care io the ad junmcnl of bia appearaace, aad hit dcairv to miKxIf hia defecta, he for the laott part acqwret ■"■^'''■t of tba kwk of a {cotienaa. The coaMaoe nkk-aane of Mj t»ri, allied to toch pertoiM. haa aUaMoa to that— to tbctr cirtvBipea deport- Bieau awl tacit reaiataace to nlsar prcjndice. Lord OgMy, in tbe Cbsdcatiee Marriagei it a* crazj a piece of etejcuce and refiae- aieat, erea after be it 'wonad up for the day,' at caa ynSl be wwmgin*^ ; jret IB the baadi of a geaaiae actoTi hit toocrtog tcep, hit twiicbea of the goat, hia anaacowtfal attcaipu at yo«h aad gaiety, take aodkiog froai tbe aobkaaa. He haa tbe lid model in m • atiMf leaeata hia deviaiioaa fvov k wita pcoper horrof, recoven Untelf frooi tay tracefiJ actioa at tooo at poaiftle ( don ^ be cu with bit Uaated mean*, aad ftili in his icM preKBooaa, iMt fran iiudTmrace, bat aecctuty. Sir Joaeph Baaks, who waa afaaott beM double, retiiocd to the bat the look of a prtrycoaaittUor, There wa* tU the firataeta aad dignity that coold be grvea by the ■BMC of hit own imporruce to to diatoncd sad ditafaltd a tnmk. Sir
SIO
ON THE LOOK OF A GENTLEMAN
Chailn B-Db-ry, m ht tauoieri dowo St. Jamet's-nrcct, with a large itonchcd hit, a Uclc-luttir ejv, and aquiline titne, an old (iiabb<f clnb«ilou(c(l coat, bntuned aero** hi* brcatt wiihoci a cape, — with old lop-^wou, and bit bandt in hi* waittcoat or brtvcbc* pockeia, u if he wrrc *[rolliag along hi* otd gardra-wslkit or orrr the tuif at Newmarket, after hanog made hi* bet* *ecure,— f>re«eDti noihing Tcry dittliag, or jcraceful, or dignified to the imagioation ] though you can tell infallibly at the fine glance, or cten a bow-*hot o^, ihat he i* a gcndcman of the fim water (the tame thai rixiy year* ago married the beautiful Lady Sarah L-nn-x, with wbom the king waa in lore). What it tbc clw to thi* mystery i It i* eiideat that hi* petKia cott* him no more trouble than ao old gknv. Hi* limb* are, aa it were, left to take care of themaelvesi they more of their own accord ) he doe* ooi ttmt or tumd oa tip-toe to abow
how ull
Hi* penon tt above ihcm allj .
but Ite Kcna to find bt* own lerel, and whecevcr he '%*, to tlide into hit pbcc Datnrally t he i« eaually at home among lord* or gambler* ; nothiog can ditcompoac hi* bxetl serenity of look aad {ntr|io*e ; there if no mark of tuperciliouane** about him, nor doe* it appear a* if aoy thing could meet hit eye 10 lurtle or throw bim o<f hii goard ; he nenhcr aroidt nor court* notice i but the arthaiim of hii drcM may be uaderttood to denote » liDgering partiality for the co*tuine of the lift age, and MMnefhiog Bke a pretcriptiTe contempt for the finery of ^t. The old oi>»^cd Duke of yM^Mbury i* another exaanb that I might ^ooce. A« he tat ia hi« bow-wbdow in PiccadiOr, erect and enuctsted, he teemed like a DoUenun framed and gtazedf or a well-dreMcd mummy of the court of George ti.
We haTc few of theae pnciona ifteciaaeoa of the gentknao or DoUciDaB-look DOW remaining ; other coouderatioiu hare tet aiide the cxdnnvc inponaiKe of the character, and of course, the jcalooa aitenttoo to the oatward exffetaion of it. Where we ofteticat RM«t with it Dow-a-day>, ia, ptrbipa, io the batler* in old familtei, or tlie laleu, and * genucmen'* geotlemca * of the yownscr hraochei. The tieek pvray gnf{ty of the one a&twen to the ttaiely air of »ome of their t/auidam nuuten; aod the 6)i>pai>cy and finery of our old- £Hh*oocd beaux, having been diicuoed by the heir* to the title aod •ttate, have been retained by their tacqueya. Tlie late Admiral
Byron (I have heard N tay) had a butler, or «eward, who,
firom coBUaotly obaerviog hia master, had *o learned to mimic him — tbc look, the manner, the voice, the bow were to alike — he wat to 'nbdned to the very (Quality of hia lord'— that it waa diAcuk to
an
THE PLAIN SPEAKKR
dhtingiiiib tb«n apart. Our modem fiwQnen, a* we aee ibem flntwr* ing uxl loonging in lobfaie*, <m at the door* of laiiict' carriagct, hi4t7TW^ in bee and fowSa, with itorj^iradvd caar ind cm- bcoidtrcd glorn, giTc oar ibe only idn of the fine f^otlcni^ of forniM periudi, ai tKe<r arc ttill occasionally rcpreteoted on the «uge i aod iadecd our ibeairical heroes, who top nich pam, might be ■ippoied to have copied, a* a laM teiource, from the hcfoe* of the ■Kwder-^DOU We sIm (omeiima meet with a nraggling pcf«ona- tioe of ibia cfaanctctt got op in commoo life frona pure romantic taAbiwism, and od abMlucely ideal jirinciplcf. I recollect a well- grown cocnely haberdtibcr, who made a jiracucc of walkinft etery dajr (mm Bishop'«gate-«reet to PaU-maU and Boiid-«Ueet with the uodawUMl air and airat of a seoeral-olicer i ud alao a prim wider- taker, wbi> repilarly tendered hi* peiion, whenever uie weather would permit, from the neij^hbourhood of Cambcrwcll imo the fiTouriic proRKDadei of the city, with a miacing nit that would hive became a geatletnan-nihcr of the black-rod. What a ttraage infatuation to live to i dream of being taken for what ooe is not,— in deceiving others, and at the *amc tinte ourscli-ei i for no doubt tbeie MTwai believed that they tht» appeared to the world in their trae caaracter a, ;uid that their aanuDcd preteniiooi did do more than jiunicc to their real merits.
Drrii makct (h* mm, and want of It the fellow ! The reil ii all but leather and prtmella.
I confcci, however, that I admire this look of a seotlenun, more when it riK-i from the level of conunon life, and bnn the ttamp of iMellect, tliao when it h formed ont of the mould of advetKitious circviaiuocea. I think more highly of Wycbcrley than I do of Lord Hiacbinbroke, for looking tike a lord. In the one, it war the clTect of native genius, grace, and ipirti i in the other, comparaiivcty ■peaking, of prkle ot cnsiom. A viiitoc comptimcnting Voltaire on the growth and flourishing condition of some trees in his grounds, 'Aye,* said the French wit, ' they have nothing else to do!' A lonj has oothbg to do but to look like a lord : our comic poet had tonxthing else to do, aad did it I >
Tbovgh the disadvantages of natvre or accident do not aa u obttaclei to the look of a gentleman, tbooe of education and ctnploy- ment do. A shoe-maker, who is bent id two over hit daily taik t a t;iylor who sits cross>legged all day ; a ploughiniD, who wears clog- shoes over the fairowed niry soil, «od can hoidly dng his tiM after
31Z
Wychttley mm s grtM Cinurltc with tlw Dacbcst of Cltvtbad.
ON THE LOOK OF A GENTLEMAN
him ; a tcholar wbu bai puceJ all hu lUc om boolui — are eat likely to pOHnt thai lutural freedom and ca>c, or lo paj that nrict atteo* tioD lo pcrtonot ippcannce*, ihni (be look of a gentleman tmplict. I might add, t)iii[ a miD^raillinn' behind a counicr, wito » compelled lo thaw tvety markof cun])>IaUancc to his custoniet*, but hardly ex|>cci4 common ci*i!ity from tliem in ffiuro ; or a tlictiff'* oiKc«, who has » coMciou»ne»» of power, but none of Kood-will to or from any body, — arc ei|ually remote from the itau ideal of thia cbancter. A man who \» awkward from bMhfulnn» in a clown,— u one who i* thcwing off* a Dumber of inipcRiocDt airt and gracc« at crrry tun), ii i cox- comb, or an ttpsuit. Merc awkwardno* or nnticiiy of behatiour may arite, either from want of pmence of mind to tli« company of our iattri, (the commoneM hind f{o« about hi) regular busioen without any of the ntitwaiit hatte, ) fiom a deficiency oif breedii)|i, a* it it called, in not haTing been taught certain faihionable accomplwh* mcnts — or from unremitting application to cmain wru of mechanical labour, unfitting the body for general or indiifercni u*ei. (That Tulgariiy which proceeds from a total ditrcgaid of decorum, and waM of carctul coatroul oTcr the different action! of the body — luch at loud ipeaking, boisterous f;e«ticubtiori«, 3cc. — ii rather TudencM and violence, than awkwardneo or cneaiy rettraini.) Now the gentle- man it tree from all thcK cauacf of nugraceful demeanour. He ii independent in his circumttances, and is uaed to enter into tocieiy on equal tcroM; he U taught the modevof addreu and forms of courteay, raoM commonly practised and most proper to ingratiate him into the jood opiniofl of those he oxociates with ; and he it relieved tram the DCCGMity of following any of those laborioaa trade* or callingi which cramp, strain, and distort tlic human frame. He is ntn bousd 10 do any ose eartlily thtng ; to use any exertioo, or pul biiBiclf iB Uj pOMtire, that ii not pertecily easy and graceful, agreeable and becomiiig. Neither i* he (at the present dav) retfuircd to excel ia any an or science, game or excrcite. He ii supposed qualified to (]aace a minuet, not to dance oo the tight rope — to tund apright, not to ttand oo hit head. He ha* only to lacriJicc to the Grace*. Aldbudet threw away a flute, became the pUying on it diacompoted fail feature*. Take the fine geniteraaD out of tlie common boarduij- •cbool or drairiDg.room accompliahmenta, and »et him to any rtulcr or more difficdi task, and he will make but a sorry figure. Ferdinand b the Tempest, when he b put by Fro«pero to carry logi of wood, doca not strike a* as a very bcrokal character, tfaoa^ he loaea nothing of the king's too. If a young gallant oif the fim fashion were ukcd to ahoe a borse, or hold a pjoagb, or fell t tree, he would nuke a very ridicsloui budaett of the firat expctimeoi. I taw a set
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
rithm*^ not Ibbc ^BCS *Bd k it laMKMMUe to dticiibt tbe ■HOMkam of ifacir noboH awl aaaccoMMw coMnnaoei far UOBg ibe boD.
^e ooiVOHtiaB of tbi gmkati: be it abac of i^ fnk-mti/rr ia U* prWCTiiaw. He b oak fftati wd KdwyEihtJ b tfaoM tbiap M wbkb be b» and unMt Ui wbofe wwcioi^ Pich ■* the cuiiafc of hji body, ml adjatmeat of bn* drcM i Md to which be b of — ftf^— » inpoRance in tbe *^e of moetr la aiuact ibc idlo MMMtiM of otbcn.
A BiB*i DMBcr of pfCMadag hiaiftf in oofay » bn a aipa- Seial tcM of Ui ical uwlificaiiew Sfrjcaoi AiloMaB, «« are wwd by Fiddnfr woold haw marebcd, at ibc bead of hia iteoea, op t» a Hmked faaturf , with Itm iffithiamoB tbM he enac iaa» a roan Ul of petty «DaieK. So se may OMMnBe* Me penoM took RMbbi fiNWgh OM eattnog a |wtyt oe lateivHf a wntatioOi who iMUmlf fad riiiBM,hti « fao<K, aad recover aO tbeir telf-i ■i aooB a* mj e£ Aat MCtof ooanenaaa begiw frotnarlucbi icMba of the conyaay mire ia ibe >«we« trrpidjooo. tntibey MOWS octnj Ibcv iptt^nc oe mjyacjlyi A iii^ ^ina wA Dnde are oAtt accovyaBiBa viib as aspepoMeaMf wA tammtaee. Tbe gtettett hiiiri do oot ibcw k bf (heir bob. There are ladindinli of a Mn«>a habk, who mi^ be ■aid to abhor their ovn peraoa% aad n taxdt u (hdr own ly- •■ce, a« iba peacodt tries to hide ka lege. They are al«^ ihjr. iMMdbrafale^ reRkwt toA aQ tbeir aetiod* atc^ ia a auBet, at enmfmfomM with tbeawhe*. TUa, of coanc* deatrojra the look we are •peaking oCfnin tbcwoMof cMe ndaelf-«aa£dace. There ■I Modin tortwJtohaToi^oiBchBegEgeoceof ipanacrMdcoptewpt far brviaJ piactilioa. Tbrf akc tbeir fvU iwtsg in wbatercr tfaey are aboot, aad BMke it nen ahaoot aeoemiy to pt oat of ifaeir way. Pcrtupi ■omwhim of tUa hold, lif < laiiwi. rieiie^, I— pag char- acter naj be objtcied by a &<iitlioai eye ta the af|»Maaee w Lord
C . h alght be nid of bim, witboot dMianftMeat, lb« he
looha aMce like a lord tbaa like a ceaeksan. We Me nochinK P™T
or fiakalf ■wwirtdly, — aotbiac hard-baMd arreiard-ia, — bat a Aowing , a broad fne ityle. He nti is tbe Hamt of CtoawaoBii wiib
hit hat doocbod oier h» farehod. aad aMrtof MOopiahMihoaldcni aa if be cowend oier Ua aacafDaisu, like a bird of ptcy oftr ict ewartr,.— ' hwchiag vaia ^nptre^* Tbcre ia an irrctaUr pandeaf aboat hiai, >b niwiddy power, loo«r, dujotottd, *wh<aiMoaa aad aaM,'— coSed op ia tbe fakb of iu own pwrpoiei, cotdj dcatb4ike^ ■aaotb and Maibog, — that ia oatbn <jBtic at caw with iiaeK nor aafa
ON THE LOOK OF A GENTLEMAN
for other* lo approach ! Oa the othei hand, there it the MucjuU Wellwl^, » jcwfl of a man. He adraiee* inio hi" place in the Houic of LokIs, with head erect, and hi* bctt foot forcmoit. The itar Bparldet on hU hrciut, and the gantr it seen bound tight below hia knee. It mighl be thought th»l he atiil irod a meMurc on «oft ovpet*, and wa* nuruucdcd, not only by apiHtuol and temporal lords,
Stores of IbiUm, «rh«nc bright eyet Rain Influence, and judge the ptiu.
The chltalroiu tpirit th^t •hinet through him, the air of galtaniry !d his periona! ai well at rhetorical .ippcali to the HouK, glance) a partial luntie on the Wooltack ai he addreiaea it ; and make* Lord citkinc r>i*e hi* funken head from a dream of trannicnt popularity. Hix hccdlcM Taniiy throw* ittelf unbluthingly oa the unnutprcting candour of hU hearers, and ravishes mute admiucion. You would ■ImOBt itucn of thii nobleman beforehand that he wa« a Marquii — •oracthinK higher than an carl, and le«» important than a duke. Nature has ju«t 6lted him for the niche he filli in the acalc of rank or title. He tt a finished miniature-picture *et in brilliaou : Lord
C might be compared to a loote ikctch in oil, not properly
hung. The character of the one is ease, of the other, elegance. Elegance is something more than csk; it is more than a freedom from awkwardncta or resuabt. It impliet, I conceive, a precision, a polish, a sparkling elTcct, spirited yet delicate, which is perlectly exemplilicd in Lord Wdletlcy'i face and figure.
The grealc^t conirut to thii little lirely nobleman wu the late Lord Sunbopc. Tall above hia peers, he preseoted in appearance somcthioK between a Patagoniao chief and one of Uic Long Parlia- ment. With hit long black hair, ' unkempt and wild ' — his black clothe), kuk features, atraojc antics, and screaming roice, he was the Orson ot debate.
A Satyr that eoBiH staring ffom the woods. Cannot at lint speak like n aaUor.
Yet he was both an orator and a wit in his way. His harangues were an odd jumble of logic and mechanic*, of the Statutes at large and Joe Miller jesis, of stem principle and sly humour, of shrewdness and absurdity, of method and madncM. What is more extraordinary, he was an honest man. He whs out of his place iu ihc House of Lords. He particularly delighted in his eccentric onsets, to make havoc of the bench of biihop*. ■ I like,' said he, ' to argue with one of my lords the btshops) and the reason why I do so is, that I
«'5
THE PLAIX SFEAEEK
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food Mr. T ir— 1 , mtui vm < bot.' i^ tfe AtiliiiMi'. wifc. ■ Fmw'* pwbMMBK by lookii( IK ifatnMbfs ■ 1 W Md CTywwioB rf ^
So cbv nvQsnm of loctBBC hma ncBMsnci M nc fl^n df Md the tect^ aiMM flfiMbSc <ip»». A^^tfe cf boe » tte J, I r or dMni^^tetd bm of tfcc
wMiit^trf fi II iiwMcfcwrffcMtibri ofKMftBtr OT cKhMOia, « aach « af Utfcmoe: — it atpsi woncc ef ■ind, ncbcT tfaa alnoHBH of ideal. !■ lUi it dfen &«•
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IBC ■IfiQlC am pMMMafnCD IO0K> MiMtBO of SI BBEB^ BUCf
tf pVpOKp VOIBO np to WHV pVK OCSMMBt V M OWI^Wl] ^tD
xMOtno down bbo b hbdct of ciuuccbc expniMiMf Mttd Uf rwrrj rtnrtj of VH^OVtMi ocotflcaco : tSKcad of chrcxpMMtt ov ^cBCfB faM^ttOf fllcDKitt^v cnoc cfaic^ylBC utatf tTMt^ csnofl^ ■oiPctDH HBiB of ooncHnut nt coBonkd kIkobmIscesct* If Rqlad Ind a^Mid St. PmI » a ecndniM, whK a figoR he «e^
ike ptat ApcMde oftbe Grnrilce ocripirrl wkk liiv ■dt BM carried away, niatd, imprad vUi his aDbjeo — iB«aa«ii( Ui doctraet iaiB Ui wdicace, BM latMag ihei 6bm Ub witfa tb« iBpf^Bi of the Holjr Spirit, and with looks of fiery acorchiag ml I CcsdoBca hekBf an afford to at for their owsMrtrait* : punccia do MX trouble ifccaa to M aa iivdiea far hiKcry. Wlut a ditferaier n there in tUt reaped betww a Hadoona of Raphael, nd a bdy of fahion, eren bjr Vandjrke : the fomer reCaed and elenaed, the latter B](bt and liiSiog, with do enaootioo of aoal. k> depth of feelugf — each arcb cxpreanoa pUyioj oa the aarfaeCi aad paanng toto any si6
ON THE LOOK OF A GENTLEMAN
' u plcuorCi — DO ooe (hoasbt knbg its full «copr, but checked br tome other,— 4oft, caitlru, iotittcttr, ple-ased, effected, atnuble I The French physiognomy i> more rat up and (ubdivided iato pretty line* u>d (hup aog)» Uuti any other : it doe* dM waol for xiiiOety, or an air of gectiliiy, whkh Utt it often ha* in a remarkable degiee, ^-bot it is the hhmi uspoetical and the lean piciumqac of all otben. I cinflot explain what 1 mean by thii tariabtc telegraphic nuchincry of polite exprewKHi better than by an obvioui atlttiioa. Eiery otw by walking the Hfccu of London (or any other popdoiu dly) ac<)vife* a walk which i> easily diitbignithed from that of mtapni aquickflexibiiicyof morc>ncot,a(nMnjcrk, asMpringaDd coofideiA trod) and an air, u if oo the alert to keiep the liac of march ; but for all Uut, there i* not awcfa gf*ce or maatrnt ia thii Iocs] vtrui : yon Me the per*ofl ii not I COUDtrr barapuD, bat yM woold not ny, he h a hero o* a tajte — became be i* a cockney. So h ia in paaaiag throogb the artiUcial aod thickly peopled tccnea of life. Yoo get the look of a man of the world : yon mb off the pedant and the down ; but yov do iMt make much progrcM ia wtidoai a vinoe, or ia the characteristic exprc««*oa of either.
The character of a gcntlcmas (I take it) may be explained neariy that ; — A Uackgnard (mm vatainj ■* a fellow who doe« not care whom he offend*:— a clown it a btockhtad who doc« mt kmrw when be ofTcodt: — a gcntlcnuD U one «4io onderNaiKU and aliewa every mark of deference to the cUuai of Klf-lore in other*, and cxacu ii in return frtm tiMni. PoliteoeH and the preteofion* to the chtnetcr in ybon hare reference almusi enitrely to thi* reciprocal llWiilfemtiBtt of nod-will aod good opinion toward* each other in c»Mul tociety. Morality regnbtea oar tentimenH and coadnct at they have a connection «ntfa smmate and unportaiw cooKqacncea ^— Hannerii properly ipcaking, rcgnlaie our word* and action* in the routine of pcrMtul totercourtc. They haic little to do with real kindaeu of iaiefitioa, or practical terriceti or ditintemted tacrilicct ; but they pot on the garb, and mock the appearance of thete, in order to prevent a breach oif the peace, and to imootb and raraish otrr the diacordant naicriaU, when any number of bdindaala are faroo^ ia contact laMlier. Tbe oODventioaal oocnpct of good nnoBcn iloea not reach beyond the iBoaNM and the company. Say, for iattasce, that the nUie, tbe laboiriog and iDdMttioai part of the comniBaiiy, are taken op with ifplwog ibeir own waata, and piaiDg over tktk own hardahips icrwiiMiag for wbat they can get, aad aot refaiof OS aay of their fleaaarea, or tronbliag tbemMlfea idwnt tbe &itidioM fRteniioQt of olhen : again, there arc pbilotopbcn who are btwed in the panuii of trath,— or patriota who arc active (or the good of thdr
■ 17
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
coMtrr I h» bare, «« «iU tuppoK, are a kaot of pcofitc got togtthcr. who, bariai no whou* «uu of tbdr owl^ viiii JeuBre and nd^ pencleDce, ud carisg littl« aboitt abwrad tmJi or practical (Cilkyt ire met lor oo raorul piupo«c bni to uy aad to io all nunner of ofaligMg tbio^ to pay the greateai poMtbic mpoct, and ifaew the moM ddicate aad iatttnng amaiiow to «*r laothcf . The poiitc«t an of gretle> ms Md ladies ia the world cu do ao nore than chi*. Tha law* tkn (cgaiair thii ^icdea of lelrct and fanawic (odety are codbtmabk IB ha «ds aad origiti. The fine gcDtlcnaa or lady mut nod on aay aecoanit aay a rude thins to ^^ peraooa preaent, bn yoa oiay tnra dicni iwo UW OMOK ridicttlc the itutim they ue goot : nay, not to do ao ia laattimw cootidered ai aa iadiicct (light to ihc forty that mMiM. Yoo naai wBliitar you (Mwreac foe to hia faoc. aad ■sf ilaaitt jam deuMt nitad behiad lua l»clt. The laa may be iaaioral, bat it b not WMnaaitrty. Tht gaUaat —■"■■— hi* title to ihia dttracter by treadng »ery wooian be meeia with the tame marked and uarcoiittiog atteodoo aa if «bc waa hit mtstreaa : the connier treat* erety mao with the tame prafctuoot of esteem aad kindncaa aa if be were an accooiplicc with him in «amc plot agaioK waakipd. Of cowact tbeac ^raeawoM, made ooly to ple4*e. go for MMltiD( in praoice. To tnaiat oo than afterward* a* literal obliga- ikma, woold be to betray aa ieoorance of tbii Itind of tnterlode, or ■Miai|iiiiiiiiiiijt in real lilc. To niin yovr Mend at ptay it not Jacooaiattt with the character of a gentlanaa aod a nua of hoDOori if it it doM with cirtlity j though to wan him of hit daagcri ao a« to ia^y a doobc of hia judgaieBt, or iatetf«reac« with bia wiU, would be to aubjea yoonelf to be ma tbroagb the body with a fword. It i* that which woonda the aetf-lore of the todiiiilual that b oficauve — that which flatter* it that ia welcome — howerer salutary the ooe, or bowrtCT ftai tbe other nuv be. A habit of pbin-ipcaiiafr b locally contrary to the tone of good-breeding. You mau prefer the opinioa of the compaay to your own, aad eren to innb. I doafat whether a gentlcmaa muat not be of the l^aiabUthed Chorcb, and a Tory. A true canliet caa ooly be a martyr to pre- judice or babioo. A Whig lord appear* to me a* jttcat aa aaoaialy aa a patriot king. A sectary u toor aad tmaocubJe. A pfailoaoplMr b quite oat of the qocatioB. He ii ia U>e doodt, and bad brttcf not be let down oa tbe door ia a boaket, to play the blockhead. He i* aiue to commit himiclf in good company— aad fay daabag alwayi b abatractiooa, aad drifing at geaeraKnea, to oifted againit the tliree proprieciei of time, place, aod perton. Author* are aagry, loud, aod Tcbemeot in argumeoi : the man of more re€aed breeding, who hai been * all ttaoiiuiliity aod Rmle*,* goe* away, and
ON THE LOOK OF A GENTLEMAN
triti to nun tlie anugonitt, whonn be could aot mqutth in a diapuv. The iDUioera of a court aod of poliihcd life ue by do ntrins dowo- light, Kraigh^fo4rwar(l, but the cottltaij. The/ tun tomcthing df aniatic id them i eacli p«rton play* lo aanuned part { tbe afiec(c<lt OvertuatDcd potitene** and fupprenHn of real •entirDcot lead to cooceaicd irony, and the tpirit of ndrc ntd raillery ; and hence we xtaj accQuni for the pctfeaion of the gcmcrl comedy of the century before tbe lati. wlicii poct* Wtn allowed to mingle in the couii-ciiclc^ and took thdi eve from the ipleadid ring
Of minic tnteraen and their mtnj king. The CMence of thJi mR of canremdoa and tnterooorK, both oo and ojf the Rage, hat nme how tince evaporated ; the dltguuet of royalty, nobility, gentry hare been ia »on)e meuure leen through : we hare beooBie tDdividuaily of little importaDCc, compared with greater objectt, in the eyes of oar nrighboun, and even ia our own : aburaci no, not peraoeal pretennon*, ate the order of tbe day ; to that IWbM mnaiot of tbe character we have been talkiog of, i* chiefly [exotic aod pcovincia!, and may be teen (till flourishing in countr^ ' placet, in a wholMOOic itatc ofvegeuble decay I
A man may have (he maaneri of a gcRdernaii without having the
look, and he may haic the character of a geotlcman, in a mote
abursctcd point of view, without the maonen. The feelings of a
gentleman, in thit higher tcnte, ooly denote a mote rcAned buroanity
— a tpirit delicate in itfctf, and unwilling to offend, either in tbe
greuetl or the traalleat thing*. Thit ntay he coupled with absence
of mind, with ignorance of fonm, and frequent blnadrri. fi«t tbe
will it good. The spring of gentle offices and true regardt ia
tmiainied. A perton of tbi* itamp blnihet at an impropriety he waa
.gml^- of tweoty ycart before, though he ik, pcrhapt, liable to repeat Jt
[lo-moirow. He ncrcr forgive* hiroadf for even a dip of tbe tongue,
1 that implta ■■ Bwumptioo of mperiority ovei any one. In pfoportiai
to tbe conoCMtoa* made to him, he lowers hit demand*. He eivet
the wall to a beggar : > but does not »liMyi bow to great men. This
clau of character have been called ' God Almighty's gentlemcB.'
I The writer of thit Etnjr oaov nw i Prion «{ tht Btood jhiII off bii lul (o **n7 ont in lb« itiMt, tiU ht ctnw to lb* Ububi* ihtt tw«ft Ih* croMint. Ta'a wii t nice dlKfanioa. firtbcr, It wi* ■ dit(iii<tls« ibit ifce wriur at ihii Eui; would aot BWkc to bt t fiiaa «( the Blood. Pcchapt, himmr, ■ qoMtion nlthl bt lUrted In the moaer of HodruieiK, wtictbcr the bcQcr did not piU «' hb hit in f uililf of ukiac dutity, and sot » i nuik e( mpccl. Kow t Prloo tB*j decline iWiBj duiiiji, ihoa(b he ■ obU|cd to ntnm a civiliiy. If hr iloci not, hi BUj t* trtalcd wdji dkrMptct ftthtr (iota, tui thit it in itumilitv he It bnod to imvrnt. Aaj other pmaa fiu|ht let if tvcb ■ pka, boi the pertoo to wboto ■ wbole itrcet hid been bowing J*M betm.
n-&nc STEAKEB
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ON READING OLD BOOKS
of our rcAectioM. If you want to know what my of the utbon were who Itrvd b«fote D«ir lime, tod are nill object* of aaxioai b^uiry, you lure only to look into thdr work*. But the dust ud HDoke aod noiv of modern titeratuic hare DOthiog la oonunon with the pure, tUent aii of immonality.
When I take op a vofk that I have read before (the oAeocr the better) I know w^tst I have to exf«ct. The taiidaction » not leuened by being anticipated. When the entertaiotncu i* altogether Dew, I ait down to it aa I ibodd to a Mnn]^ dith, — tnra aod pick ODt a bit here and there, and am in doubt what to think of the cocnpocitioo. There it a want of coolidrtice and tecttrity to lecood appr.itc. Ncvfutgled book* arc alao tike madc-diihea is ihi> rccpect, that ihey arc geoeraily little elte than haahc* and rifactimiaiu of what has been aervKl ap entire and in a more oatsta] Mair at other timet. Bcvidea, io tboa nniio| to a well-knowD author, there it not oaty aa BMarance that n^ time will not be thrown away, or my palate naoMaied with the moit imiptd or rileu traih, — but I ihake haadi with, and look an old, tried, and rained friend in the &ce, — compare iMtet, and chai the houri away. It i« tme, we form dear fricndijiip* with tuch idea] gucKa deafer, alaa I and more btting, than thote with oar moM latinaic act)uaint>Dce. In reading a book which it an old faTOsrite with rae (lay the Gm noeel I ever read) I not only hate the pJeaaore of inugmattoa and of a entical relitb of the work, but the pkwrct of cncniiory added to it. It rccalt the tame fiidinga oad aaaodatiooa which I had in firtt reading it, tad whtch I CM Mver hate again io any other way. Staadard peodnctioM of lliia kiod are linka ia the chain c>f our coatcioea being. They bind to:;eiher the difierani acattercd dirisioaa of ottr pertooal ideotity. They are landmarka and {oide* in our jovDCy tbroMb VSt. They are pe^t and loop* on which we can hang Dp« or from wUch we can take down, at pleaattre, the wardrobe of a moral im^BatiMi, the relica of our boi alTeciioos the token* and record* of onr bappiett bov*. They arc * fiv tbotighti and for remeBibraBce ! ' Tbey arc like FomBatu*** Wiahtag-Cap— they gife w the beat richc* — tboee of Fancy : and traaapoR ua, not orer half the globe* but (which ii better) over half oor Iteea, at a word'* iMXice I
My bthcr Shaody aolaoed himaelf with Bniacambille. Give me for thii purpoae a Tolanie of Peregrine Pickle or Tom Jooe*. Opea either d them any where — at Utt Memoiri of Lady Vane, or the adTt-nmre* at tbe maa^ocrade with Lady Bclbnon, or the dicpttfn bctwmi Thwackan aad Square, or tbe eacape of Molly Sagnn), or the incident of Sofdiia and ber mufT, or tbe edi^ag prolixity of her Mat'* lecture — aad there 1 find the ame deligh^tC buay, buatling
121
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
KCDc a* ever, nod feci mytcU'thc nine u when I wm firtt tntroiluced into tbe mtdii of it. Nay, sometime* the *ighi of an odd Tolumc of then good old Eogluli juihori on a auili or the name lettered on tbc back amoog otheu oa the tbelrea of a library, aoiwcri ibe
Owe, revK-ei the whole traia of ideas, and Kit 'the puppet* yiag.' Twenty year* are Hnick off the liat, aod I am a child again. A age philosophcri who wn* not a very wi>c man, taid, that be should like very well to be yoang tigain, if he could take hii experience along with him. 1''his ingcoious pcrton did not sK-m lo be awoie, by the gravity of his rcniatk, that die great sdvtnoge of being young it to be without tiiis wMght of experience, which be would ^n place upon the bhoddets of youth, and which oeTei comet too laie with year*. Oh 1 what a privilege to be able to let t2ut fanmp. like Christian'i buiihcn, drop from otT one'* back, and trail*- port onc't iclf, by the help of a little oiuiiy duodecimo, to ihc time whcD ' ij^oorancc was bliis,' and when wc 6rat got a peep at tbe rarce-thow of the world, tlirough the gku of fiction — gazing u mankind, aa we do at wild bcaatt in a menuK<^riet through the bam of their cages, — or at cur iotitiet in a muieum, that we mutt not touch ! For mytelf, not only arc the old ideal of the conteotn of the work brought b«ck to my mind in all their viTidncis, but the old acMcia- lioQs of the face* and pcraont of ihonc I then knew, at they were ia their life-time — the place where I sat to read the volume, the day when I got it, the feeling of tlie air, the Gelds, the tky — return, and all my early intpreuioac with them. This is better to me — tbote places, those times, those persons, uid those frclingi that come acron roe a* I retrace the itory and devour the pngc, arc to me better far than the wet sheets of the last new novel from the Ballantyne prcsa, to tay nothing of ilic Minerva press iu Lcadcaliall-«treet. It is like visiting the scenet of early youtli. 1 think of the time ' when I was in my fnthcr'i house, and my path ran down with butter and honey,' — when I vat a little, thoughtlcsi child, and had no other with or care bat to con my daily ta^k, and be happy! — Tom Jonct, I remember, was the first work that broke the spell. It came down in numbers once a fortnight, in Cookc't pocket-edition, eta* belliibed witli cuts. I had hitherto read only ia school-books, aod B tiresome ecclesiattical hitiory ( with the exception ofMrt. Kaddilfe't Romance of the Forest) : but this had a dilTerent relish with it, — ■iwcci in the mouth,' though not 'bitter in the belly.' It ■inacked of the world I lived in, and b which I was to live — and •hewed me groupt, * gay creatures ' not ' oi the element,' but of the earth i not ' living in the clouds,' but travelling the tame road that I did I — some that had piued on before me, and othcrv ihil might lai
ON READING OLD BOOKS
•eon otenake me. My heart had Ml]HUtM] at the thoashts of ft boxrdiag-tichaol bill, or gala-daj' ai Midsummer or Chriitmu : but Uie world [ had found out in Cooke'* edition of the Britiih Novelittt vu to mc B dance through life, a perpetual gala^ay. The tis- pensy number* of this work resulnrly contrircd w Icstc off put in the middle of a teoiCDcc, and in the nick of b story, where I'om Jonei di&cciTtrt Souare behind the liknkec ; or where Parton Adam*, in the incxiricable confusion of evcnu, »cry undesignedly get* to bed to Mr*. Slip-tloo, Let me cauttoa the reader aeaic&t thin imprrtnion of Joseph Andrew* ; for there it a picture oi Fanny in it which he *houid not »ct hi* hean on, Ictt he should ocrer meet with any thing like it; or if he tbould, it would, perhap*, be belter
for him that he had aot. It wa* juit like ! With what
ea^roen* I uted to look forward to the next number, and open the prinui Ah! never again ihall I leel the enthuiiasiic delight with which I g37.cd at the (igure*, and anticipated the >tary and adrentur«* of Major Bath and Commodore Trunnion, of Trim and niy Uncle Toby, of Don Quixote and Sancho and Dapple, of Gil Bla* and Dame Lorenza Sephora, of Laura and die fair Lucretia, who»e lip* open and ihut like buds of ro«c*. To what oamele** idea* did thty giTe rise, — with what airy delight* I filled up the outline*, at I hung in silence over the page! — Let me still recal them, that they may breathe fresh life into me, and thai I may lire that birthday of thought and romantic pleasure over again ! Talk of the iiua/l Thii is the only true ideal — the heavenly tint* of Fancy reflected in the bubble* that float upon the apring-tide of human ltl«.
Oh ! Memory 1 thiflJ mc from the world'* poor itiife, And gire thote acenn thine errrlaiting life I
Iht paradox with which I vn out !*, I hope, le*< startling than H wat i tiie reader will, by ibi* time, have been let into my aecrck Much about tbc same time, or I believe rather earlier, I took a
rniculat *ati*facttoD in reading Chubb'* Tract*, and 1 often ihtnk will get them aj;ain to wade through. There i* a high guno of polemical divinity in them i and you fancy that you hear a club of «hocmaker> at Salitbury, debating a dinputable text from one of St. rattl'ii Rpiitlct in a workmanlike style, with equal shrewdness and pertinacity. I ctnnot say much for my metaphysical studiet, into which I launched shortly after with great aidour, so as to make a toil of a pleasure. I was presently entangled in the briar* and thorn* of *ubtle distinctions, — of 'fate, free-will, fore- knowledge absolute,' though I cannot add that * b their wandering maie* 1 (band no end ; ' for I did arricc ai aome nrj ••tiaractofy and
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
potent conclunon*) nor will I go to far, however uogratefiil the eubjcct might tcein, »* to excl;uni with Mirlowe't Fauctiu— ' Would I had neier wen Wittenberg, never read book' — that i«, nciier nndied (uch authors an H»tlry, Hume, Berkeley, Sec. Lockc't Euaj on th« Himian Understanding is, however, ■ work from which I Dcvet derived either pitararc or profit ; and Hobbe», dry and paweriul at he it, I did Dot read till long dteiward*. I read a few poett, which did not much hit my tiute, — for I would have the RiHer UDdccttaod, I am deficient in the faculty of imagination ; but I fell early upon French ramanccs and philosophy, and devoured them tooih- and ■nail. Many a dainty repast have I made of the New Eloiae t — the dc«criptioD of the kiw ; the excutiion on the water ; the letter of St. Preux, lecalling the time of their fir« loves ; and the account of Julia's death ; tbeK I rejid over and over again with untpeakable delight and wonder. Some yean after, when I met with thin work again, I found I had lott nearly my whole rclith for it (except fome lew parts) and waji, [ remember, vety much motttiicd with the change in my tattc, which I »oaght to attribute to the tmallncM and gilt edgcf of the edition I had bought, and iu being perfumed with to*r-lca*et. Nothing could exceed the gravity, the ■olemaity with which I carried home and read the Dedicatioo to the Social Contract, with some other pieces of the tame author, which E had picked up at a iiall in a coame leathern cover. Of the CoofcsaoDB 1 have apoken elKwherc, and may repeat what 1 have ■aid — < Sweet ii the dew i>f their memory, and pleaaant the balm of their recollection ! ' Their beauties are not ' scattered tike stray- rift* o'er the earth,' hut sown thick on tlie page, rich and rare. I wish I had never read the Emilius, or read it with less irnplicit faith. I had no occasion to pamper my natural aversion to affectation or pretence, by romantic and artificial means. I had better have formed myself on the model of Sir Fopling Flutter. There it > clau of personn who*e virtues and most shining qualities sink in, and are concealed by, on absorbent ground of iiiodwty and reserve ; and tuch a one 1 do, without vanity, profeta myself.' Now these are the very persons who are likely to attach themxlveo to Uie character of Bmitiua, and of whom it is sure to be the bane. This dull, phlcpnaiict retiring humour is not in a lair way to be corrected, but conlirmcd and rendered desperate, by being in that work held up ai an object i>f imitation, as an example of simplicity and magnanimity—by coming
' Nraily thr lam' Knilincn! w« wittily md liippily ttfNmil by a fricml, irho had fomc lottery fatft, which he luil b«fn (mployr.l to write, rFiuracd on bit hands (at their too pnl lovrciiy nf ihoucbl 4iid clmicil UrKDtw of Kyle, aod who oUervcd on tbit occaiion, that 'Modnt msrii otvet cui mectcd I*
an
ON READINO OLD BOOKS
upon 01 vilh all the recommcDdationt of nordty, nirpriae, and ■uperioricy to the prejudice* of the world — by being ituck upon a pecetiial, made amiable, dazzling, a karrt dt dap* ! The reliance on solid wotih which it inculeaicn, the preference of sober truth lo gaudy lintel, hangc like a mill-uone louiid the necit of the imaf^ina- tioD — 'a load to lialc a navy' — impcdet our progrem, and klocki up e»cfy projpeet in life. A man, (o Rel od, to be lucceuful, eon- cpicuoiu, applauded, should not retiie upon the centre of hit conscious resources, but be always at the circumference of appearances. He must envelop himself in a halo of mystery — he must ride in an c<]uipAge of opinion — he must walk with a train of scIf-coDCeit following him — he mutt not atrip himaclf to > huffjerkin, to the doublet and hose of his real merits, bat must surround himself with a rorff^f of prejudices, bke (he signa of the Zodiac — he must seem any thing but what he is, and then he may pais for any thing be pleases. The wotid lore to be amuaed by hollow professions, to be deceived by flattering appearances, to live io a scate of hallucina- tion ; and can forgive every thing but the plun, downright, simple honest truth — such as we sec it chalked out in the character of Ecniliui. — To recuro from this digrccaioni which is a Utile out of place here.
Books have in a great measure lost their power over me; nor cao I revive the tame interest in them m formerly. I perceive when a thing it good, rather than feel it. It is true,
Mareian Colonna is a dainty book (
and the reading of Mr. Keau't Eve of Saint Agnes lately made me regret that I was not young again. The beautiful and tender image* there conjured up, 'come like shadows — so depirt.' The 'tiger- moth's wings,* which he has spread over hia rich poetic blazonry, {'usi flit across my fancy ; the gorgeous twilight window which he iSR painted over a^in ia hit verse, to me * blushes ' almost in vain ■with blood of <)uccns and kings.' I know bow I should have felt at one time in reading such passages ; and that is a!). The sharp luscious Havour, the fine arvma is fled, and nothing but the tulk, the bran, the husk of literature ia left. If any one were to ask rat what I read now, I might answer with mv Lord Hanilet in tlie play — •Words, words, words," — 'What is the matter?' — Noiliiaf^' — They have scarce a meaning. But it was not always so. There waa a time when to my thinking, every word was a flower or a pearl, like those which dropped from the mouth of the little pcasant- ^rl ia the Fairy tale, or like those that fall from the great preacher IB the Caledonian Chapel ! I drank of the (Ueam of knowledge Tou Fit. : r uj
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
thnt trmpted. but did not mock mj Itpa, lu of tbf river of lif», frttif. How ragcrly 1 tkkod roy thinc of German tenbnmt, ' u tbc hart ih*t p«nuth for ibc waur-apring* ; ' how I bathed and rctetltd, and added m]r floodt of tears to Goc'ihc'* Sorrow* of Wetter, sod to Schiltct'i Robbers- Giving m^ Korlt of more to that nkich had too much I
I re*d, and mctttcd with all my tottl to Colcfidge's (ine Sonoet* begianing—
Rchiller t that hour I would have with*d to die. If thr«ijj;h the shuddrring midnight I had M(it, From ih« dark dunitran of (he to>**T time-rmt. That fearful voice, a famiih'd father** ay I
I believe I may date my insight bio the mywetiea of poetry from tbc'comroeDcement of my aci^uamunce with the ;Lu>bor> of the Lyrical Balladi ; at leatt, my discrimination of the higher aorta — BOt iny predPection for luch writer* at Ooldnmith or Pope : nor do I imagine tbcy will uy I got my likinx for the Noveliui, or the comic vrriier*. — for the character* of Vslentme, Tattle, or MU* Prue, from them. If so, I mutt have got from them what ihey Be*er bad iheouelref. Id pi»ou where poetic diction ind conception ■re concenwd, I may be at a Iom, and liable lo be impOKd upon : but in fbrnuDg am ewimate of psuugr* relating to common life and muiBcra, I cannot think I am i pligiiriit from any man. I there 'know my cue without a prompter.' I may say of such studies — ■ /nttu rt in nU. I am juai able to admire those literal touches of abaemtkio utd detcripuom, which petioiu of loftier pretenaiom DTet-locA and dcspiic. 1 think I comprehend soiitethiDg of tht characterittic part of Shal^ipeare \ and in him indeed, all is character- istic, eren the oontcnK and poetry. I believe it was the celebrated Six Humphrey Davy who iwcd to *ay, that Shakspeare wai rather ■ metaphyaician than a poet. At any rate, it wm not ill said. I wiib that I had looaet known the drusatic writers contemporary with Shakspeare [ Iot in lookiag ifaem over abont a ytv ago, I almost rcviTcd my old passioo for reading, ud my oU ddight in books, ihongh they were very nearly new to rat. The Periodical Essayiits I read long ago. The Spectator I liked extremely i but the Tatler took my fancy most. I read the other* toon after, the Rmbler, the Adventver, the World, the ConniNsaeur t I was not (orry to get to the end of them, and have no desire to go regularly through them wain. 1 coonder myself a tboroo^ adept in Richardson. I lilie the loogen of hit novels best, and think ito put
ai6
ON READING OLD BOOKS
4>r tiffin tnlioos ; nor should I s(k to hive aoy tlittig bttttr to do Uian to read ihem from bcgioninx to tod, to Like them up when I chose, and by than down wWn I wa> tired, to loroe old fnmily IDMiiion in the country, till et«ry word and tylkblc relating to the bright Clarioa, the divine CIcRimlina, the beautiful Pamela, 'with every trick and line of their iiwcct favotir,' were cmcc more 'griTea in my hcait'i ublc.'' I have a ineaking kindncM for Macken/ie'i Julia de Roubigoi — for the detcrted nianuoo, and atrajtjling gilli- llowers on the mouldering gatden-walJ t and >ti!l more for hit Man of Peeling I not that it ii better, nor to good i but at the time I read it, I lometimet thought of the heroine, MiM Walton, and of
MiM togethcf, and ' that ligament, fine at h vrit, waa never
broken .' '—One of the poets that I have always read with moat picMure, and can wander about in for ever with a sort of voluptuous iDdakncc, is Sptmscr ; and 1 like Chaucer even better. The only wrtiet among the Italiann ] can pretend to any knowledge of, i* BoGCacio, and of him I cannot express half my admiration. His tury of the Hawk 1 could read and think of from day to day, just M I would look at a picture of Titian's ! —
I remember, ss long ago as rhe year 1 798, going lo a neighbotuing town (Shrewtbufy, where Fat^uhar hat laid the plot of his Recruiting Otliccr) and bringing borne with me, 'at one proud •woop,* a copy of Milton's Paradise Lost, and another of Burke's RcHectioDs on the French Rcrolutioo — both which I bare still i and 1 still recollect, when [ sec the covers, the pleasure with which I dipped into them as 1 returned witli my double prize. I was set up for one while. That time is post ■ with all its giddy raptures : ' but 1 am Biill anxious to preserve its memory, ' embalmed with odour*.* — With respect to the first of these work*, I would be permitted to remark here in passing, that it is a sufHcient answer to the German criticism which has since been started againtt the character of Satan (vit., that it is not one of disgusting deformity, or pure, defecated malice) to say that Milton has there drawn, not the abstract principle of evil, not a deiil incarnate, but a fallen angel. This is the scriptural account, and the noet has followed iu We may safely retain such passages a* that well-known one^
His fiirm had not yet Ion
AH her original brightness ; nor snpear'd Ltts than irchangel tuin'd j and trie exocit Of glory obKur'd
' Duriog the pc>ct o( Aniieiu, s jouaf Ea;li(h afictr, of ibc asmc of LoieUcr, was priMUU^i si fiuoniparlc's lc*tc Instcxl uf (be uiuij qucstioa, 'Wktrt
"7
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ibr tbe theory, which i* oppotctl to then. < £dU Hu apoa the Kraotel edge, sad thtm«a iu woivhippera.' Let « bear do mofc th«n of ihi* monkith cut, and bif>oit«d oMcry fot the rMtamioa of ihc bora* and ail of the devil ! — A^ain, u to the other work, Bnrke'i ReJlccdon*, 1 took a pajticdai pride and pleanm in h, and r^ it to m]r«elf aod othcn for iDoath* aficniMrds. I had rruoQ (or ray pcejodicc id favour of this author. I'o undcntud tn wlTcisuy u Mine praite: to admire htm i* ntore. I thought I Si bothi I knew t did one. From the fint time I ever cast my eye* on any thing ot Buikc'i (which was an exuact from hi* Letter to a NoUe Lord in a thre«-t>me« a week paper, The St. Jamci't Chrooiclc, in 1796}, 1 »cid to myself, 'Thi« it troe eloquence: thit it a man ^poitfiag out hit mind on paper.' All other >tylc aeented to me pedantic and impertineot. Dr. Johotoo't wai walking 00 «ttll«; and e*eo Juniai't [who wa* at that time a favonrite widi me) with ■II hit terKoe«t, (hrunk up into Itule latilheiic poinu and well- trimmed teotcocci. But Bnrke'i ctyle wai forked aod playM a* the ■ . lightning, creited like the serpent. He delircred plain ihiogt on a p£iin ground ; bul when he ro«e, there wan no end of hti flighia and drcwngyraiiona — and in thit very Letter, ■ he, like an eagle in a doTe<ot, fluttered iu VoUciant' (the Unke of Bedford and the Earl of Lauderdale) < ' in CorioU.' I did not care for hit doctiina. I wa* tbcD, tad ita ttill, proof againu their contagion ; but I admired tbe amlKir, and wa* coaudcred ai not a very luuocb partiian of the Oppodte aide, though I thought mytclf that an abitract pco{KMituiB was one thiag — a manerljr trantition, 3 btillimt metaphor, another. 1 conceived too that be might be wrong in bit mun argmnent, and yet deliver Itlty initha in arriving at a <e concluiioo. I remember Coleridge ai0uricg me, as a poetical and political tet-ofF to ray ueptical admiration, that Wordiworih had written an Enay od Marriage, which, for manly thought and ntfTout expietaioa, be deeraed incomparabty auperior. At I had not, at that time, feen iny ipeciraeot of Mr. Wotdaworth't prose style, I could iMt exprea ny donbta on the subject. If there are greater proa^wriiert than Burke, they cither lie out of my courte of study, 0* are bcyood my •phcrc of comprchcniion. I aai too old to be a conTcrt to a new
h««e 700 KiveiiSirl' tht Pint Connl immeJutelr ttitrtKt hUo, 'I perceive jreui Binw, Sir, ■■ lti« nme n tksi 0/ ihe haa at Ri(tiiri)t»B'< Romsna I ' H<ri wu 1 ConiuL Tbe youDt mia't unik, wha h-o ollcil Lavtiut, loU nv thit fatcialK while wc Wffc aluppinf tofrlbcr kl CalAiL 1 ht4 «lso bem thinkinc thii hit an thr tim* nimr it ihit o( tbt hrro Ol R ichir<)tan*i Ronunn. Thii IS oDi of ray mMoi Cot Hking Busaspttw. ■ H«uthucnlkd<Ciiui*Uud(Htie.' I* this tlKprncot BMlf ai8
ON HEADING OLD BOOKS
iiiytliology of gtfiiiu. 1'hc oiches arc occupied, the tabic* arc Ril). If nich i* (till my iidniitatiun of this man** mmpplicd powcts, what must it bare been at a time when I myiclf was in vain Cryiog, year after year, to write a linglc E*ny, nay, a *ingle page or xratence ; whea I (cgardcd the wondcrt of hii pen with the longing cyei of one who was damh and a changrhng ; and when, to he able lo convey the xlightnt cooceptioo of my meaning (o other* in words, was the height of an alniott hopelna ambition ! But I oevcr measured other*' excellences by my own defects : though a scnac of my own incapacity, and of the tteep, impa«iablc accent from me to them, made me regard then with grt-ater awe and fondneu. I hare thua run through mo«t of my early studies and favourite authors, some of whom 1 have uncc criticited more at large. Whether thoM obiemiions will survive rae, I neither know nor do I much care : but to the work* themselves, 'worthy of all acceptation,' and to tlie feelings they have always excited in me since I could dintingoith a meaning in language, nothing shall ever prevent rac from looking back with gratitude and triumph. To hare lived in the cultivation of an intimacy with such works, and to have familiarly relished such names, is not la have lived quite in vain.
There are other authors whom I have never read, and yet whom I have fre<|uently had a great dciirc to read, from lome circumstance relating to them. Among ihete i* Lord Clarendon'i History of the Grand Rebellion, after which I have a hankering, from hearing it spoken of by good judges — from my interest in the event*, and knowledge of the characters ftom other soutcet, and from having •eeo line portrait* of most of them. I like to read a well-penned character, and Clarendon ii nid to have been a master in this way. I theuld like to read Froitnrt'a Chronicle*, Hollingihed and Stowe, nd Puller's Worthies. I intend, whenever I can, to read Beaumont and Fletcher all through. ITiere arc fifty-two of their plays, and 1 have only read a dozen or fouticen of them. A Wife fora Month, and Thierry and Theudoret, are, I am told, delicious, and 1 can bciicTc it. 1 should like to read the speeches in Thucydides, and Guicciardim's History of Florence, and Don Quixote in the original. 1 have often thought of reading the Love* of Peniles and Sigitmunda, and the Galatea of the fttmc author. But I some- how reserve them like 'another Yarrow.' 1 should also like to read the tail new novel (if I could be sure ic waa to) of the author of Waierley: — oo one would be more glad tbaa I to find it the best! —
119
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY XXI
OH PtRSONAL CHAKACTER
' Mm pllicte aaJ axionl Ibf ir arj^iiil ^uiliti**, bM do art ntirnle thcH**
MoKTAKMi • £1191.
No oae mr chm^t hia chancer from the time he ia tvo jtut oId| luy, I Blight aajr, from the lime be ii two hoiu* old. We mar, with inunictioa and oppuftunttv, mend our manner*, or elte alter for the woiK, — ' a« the neih and fonune thRll scrrc ; ' but the character, the mtcraal, original bias, renuiiu aiwtjs tbe *ame, tnc to ilfelf to the »ery Utt —
' And feelf the ruling ;iai*i(iQ Hrotig in dtaih t *
A verv grarc and ditpataioiute philoaophcr (the late cclcbrued chcmiai, Mr. Nicholaon) wa« »o impreHcd with the conTictton of the iDttanCAneoua commcDcemeDt and derelopment of tbe character with the birth, that he publt«lied a long aad aniuaing article in the Monthly MagauDC, fWing a detailed accoust of the progresi, bi)tory, educa- tion, and tcnijicrB of two twins, up to the penod of their being flrvai dajii olJ. Thii ia, perhapa, conaidcting the matter too curioualy, and would amount to ■ sptcici of hototcopy, if wc were to build on auch premature iodicatioDa ; but the y.erin no doubt 1* there, though we must wait a little longer to tec what form it take«. Wc need not ia general wait long. The Deril loon betraya the cloven foot t or a milder and better ipirii appear* in it* stead. A temper niltcn or active, tby or bold, grave or lively, aelfiah or romaniic, (to tay nothing of qutckocH or dulncM of apprehennon) i« manifctt very early ; and imperceptibly, but irrcHatibty moulds our iDcIinallooa, babit*, aad puxauit* through life. The greater or leu degree of aninai «ptriu,^^f acrvoua irritability,— the complexion of the blood, ^the pTOportioa of * hot, cold, moist, and dry, ibui chamjuont fierce that atrire for nuitery,' — the Saturnine or tbe Mercurial, — the ditpoiiition to be affected by object* near, or at a diatancr, or not at all, — to be *truck with novelty, or to brood over dee)>-rDOlcd ■mpreMioo*, — to indulge in laughter or in leara, the leaven of pawiiM or of prudence i)iat temper* thit frail clay, i* bora with us, and never quits ti*. 'It is not in our ttors,' in planetary in lluence, but neither ti it owing *to ourielve*, that we aie thus or thu*.' The acceaaion of knowledge, ihc preuure of circumiixnircii, favourable or ■n&vourable, doct little more than miniilcr occatioo to tbe firtt prcdispoiing bia* — than assiit, like the dcwi of heaven, or retard,
•JO
ON PERSONAL CHARACTER
like the nipping nonh, the growth of ihe seed originally iown in out coDslicution — than f;ivc s more or Icm decided exprewion to that
rrsaoal character, the outline* of which oothinf; can alter. What mean is, thai Blifil and Tom Joneo, for inilance, by changing placcii, would never hate changed charactcrt. Tbc one might, from drcumM^nces, itnd from the notions iniiilird into him, hare become a little leu Belfith, and the other a Itiile legs extravagant ; but with a ttijliog ^illowaQce of this lort, taking the proposition ctim grano ntSi, ihey would have been just where ihey wt out. Blifii would have been Blifil ttiil, and Jonee what nature intended hint to be. 1 luvc niade UK of ihia example without any apology for iu being a fictitiou* one, becauie I chink good novcU are the most authentic ai well a* mott acoeu- ible rcpoiitoriet of the natural hittory and philosophy of the *pocie«.
I ihall not borrow aisinaAce or illustraiton from the organic (ystem of Doctor* Gall and Spurxhcini, which reduces this quetiion to x smalt compaM and very diitbct limits, becaose 1 do not undeiitaod or bcltcne m it: but I think those who put faith in physiognomy at all, or imagine that the mind i* scamped upon the countenance, must bclicTe that there i« mich a thing at an esacntial dilTefcace of character in ditTeient individual*. We do not change our features with our Mtuations; neither do we change the capacities or inclinationa which lurk beneath them. A flat face docs not become an oval one, nor a pug nose a Romao one, with the acquisition of an office, or the addition of a title. So neither i* the pen, hard, unfeeling iiutline of character lumcd from scKithncis and cunning co opcnncs* and guwroiityt by tuiy softening of circumitance«. If the face puna oo U hibilual Mule in the sunshine of fortune, or if it suddenly lowrta in the sconiu of adversity, do not trutt too implicitly to appearaocca; the man is die same at bottom. The deiigning knave may aomebraei wear a vixor, or, * co beguile the time, look like the time ; ' but watch him oartowly, and you will detect him behind bis mask I We recognise, after a length of year*, the same well-known face that wc were formerly aC()uaioicd with, changed by time, but the aame tn itself i and can trace the feature* of the boy in the full-grown man. Can we duubt tliat the character and thoughts have remained aa much the lame all that time ) have bome the came image and ■upericription t have grown with the growth, and strenjtthened with the iirengtb? In thii Brnac, and in Mr. Wordiworth's phrave, 'the child 't the father of the man ' purely enough. The tame tcodenciea may not always be ec|ua!ly viuble, but ihey arc xill in exincnce, and break out, whenever they dare and can, the more for being checked. Again, wc often dittinctly ooiicc the same features, the wmc bodily peculiarities, the same look and gettures, m different persons of ibc
»5i
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
nmc faoulft *Bd 6od thk rcwmbbncc exttading to coQittnl braacbet mi tfaroaKh tcierat oeoRMiaas riiPWMg bow ■truDily ROMK iBMt hiTc bera warped and hnMcd !■ tint jMiticKlai ianeaoa at fim. Tbii prtsdncrmuutioo !n the Uood hu ki caprice* too, and wafwd at wdl w obctixMre fiu. The faa^Skatat totat- Oian ikip* o«cT tbc next of kia or the DcarcK bnach, wd n-tffon IB all iu tiagdariiy m a KCood or third coawa, or pa«M« otcr the Ka 10 the ^raod-^uld. Where the fdctvrea of the bar* aad wc- MMor« to 1 thk or atue bare be^ prcurwd for aa^ ^'"P^ <*^ >**>" ■a Gothic hall* and old-faihioaed aHawona, the preratjaig obiImk aad chanciar does aot wear out, bat nuy be traced throagfi n> ■umtTow iitflectioM md iaetatt, like cbc wiading o( t rirer throu^ U expaate of eoaairy, for ctaturie*. The aaocttor of naay a DoUc beiue hie sat for (he portruu of hti yoalhAI ittuadmtu ; aad «d& the Mcl of ' Fiifikx lad the Karry V«e,' cootKrated la Harrd'e venc, may be teen nuetling in the atiSnted ieaiore* of lome yooag coort-JKaatj of the pretrai day. The portrait of Judge Jcnrie*t a^ridi wae cxUhited lately in the GaUery to Pall M2JI — yooag, hindMtne, rpintcd, good-hanMmrKl, and totally unlike, M lif«t liev, whu yoa would expect from the chancter, wa* la exact likeaew of two fOm^ nea whom I koew Miae yean ago, the Itviag repre- ■eata&TCB of that limily. It i* curioot that, coanffciitly coough with the deltneaiioD in the portrait, old Erelyn thoold have recorded in hi* Mcfflottt, that 'he taw the Chief-Jiuticc Jcd'rirt ia a Urge comjany the night before, aad that be thooght he Uagbcd, drank. and daaoad too omch for a nan who had that day coodcmned AlgenKm Sidoey 10 the Mock.' It it not alwan POMibJe to (entee the tyger'* tptin^ till we are in hi* crasp ; the fawmof^, croel eye doom* tt« ptey, while it glitter* ! Feaiure* alone do not ran in the Mood t vice* and firtoct, gcnia* and folly are ttao«ntittrd through the Mjoc tore, bat aMcen cluooct. There ii an iorotuntary, an- aceooMaUe family character, as well a* family lace; aad we ate it maaijntiag icfelf in tbe tame way, with unbrokca cotittiwity, or by &i ukI ttsru. There *hall be a regular breed of ouaert, of incor- rigible old bmitu va a &mily, lime out of mind : or the ihame of tbe thing, and the hardifaip* and rettraint impoied ttpoo bim white youag, ihall arge tome deapetate (pendthritt to wipe out the reproach Bpoo hi* name by a coane of exiraTagance and dcbancberf ; and hit iauacdiite tacccwon ahall make bit example aa excsM lor rclapaing iaw ifc* old JoyWOC ioeanUe ia&rnuty, tbe gtatpiog acKl pDching diMaie of tbe family again.' A peraoo nay be indebted for a noae
1 'I kavK (I ihi* tii»e * ptTwn n( Twt ttnut, »bo h tbe Imtat Jttt Je««nd«at of a toe ["''*—- "i bst the tfe«t-trtB*«oa o( ■ trolur, oi ■bom hi* iscam ii now
ON PERSONAL CHAKACIER
or ID ryt, (at » gjuceful carriage or il Tolubic discourse, to 3 grrst-aant or uacie, whose exisicnce he has scarcely heard or; lod distant relations are (urpriscd, on rome cxiia\ iDUoduciion. to find each other an aller iAem. Cauntty couiins, who meet after they are grown Dp for the liriii time in London, oiicn start at the likencM, — it ii like looking at themseUc* in the gl*ss — nay, ihcy shall sot, almost before thry exchange a word, their own thoughtn (as it were) staring them in the face, the same ideas, feelings, opinions passions, prejudices, likings and antipathies t the same (urn uf mind and aeautncDt, the same foibles, pcculiaritiet, faults, follies, miifortunet, conaclationa, the aame self, the tame cTcry thing ! And farther, this coincidence shall take place and be most rcn»ikab!e, where not only no iDter* course ha« previously been kept up, not even by letter or by commoa friends, but where the different branches of a family have been cnxingcd for long years, and where the younger part in each have been btoughl up in toudly JitTerenl »ituatioo«, witJi diffeteot itudies, pursuits, expectationt and opportunities. To atsure nie (hat ihii is owing to ciicumitanccs, i> to assure me of a gratuitous abaurOity, which you cannot know, and which I ihall not hclicTe. It it owing, not to circumitanccs, but to the force of kind, lo the itulf of which our blood and humours are compounded being the tame. Why should I and Tea old haii-brained uncle of mine fasten upon the tame picture in a Collection, and talk of it for rears after, though one of no particular ' mark or likcUhood ' in it»clf, but for something congenial in the look to our own humour and way of teeing natare? Why
should my cousin L and I fix upon the same book, Triiirara
Shandy, — without comparing notes, hare it 'doubled down aikd dog- cared ' in the tanie places, and live upoo it at a son of food that uaimilated with our natural diipotitiont ? — ' Instinct, Hal, inttinci ! ' They are foolt who say otherwise, and have never studied nature or raankifid, but in hooka and syatcmi of philosophy, iiut, indeed, the colour of our lives n woven into the faul thread at our binhi : our otigbal una, and our redeeming graces arc infused into us ; no« it the bond, that confirms our deitiny, ever cancelled.
Smoalh (he hilli, amid the fluwvry grove*, 'Tbc tmcratioti* arc prcpAr'd | the panp. The internal pangs, vt reaily t (he drvM strife Of poor huinantiy'i afflicteil will Struggling in vam nith nith1e« ttntiny.
revived. He li a wry huncM [cntlimin In hit principal, b^I onnol for bit blooil Calk fairly : he b htvl\\y tartj Tor U ^ but he chcifi by eoo*lict]tion,knil ovrr-rHchsS by iiMiacl.' — S<« (hit tubjra (frlighlfully trtilcil in the 7;(h Nnmbcc of the Tatltr, b u locoaai «f Mi. BidurstaS't ptdifrce, on occasMn of his siilei'* mur>sc«.
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Tbc * wiagcd wound* ' thxt nnUe la our brmU to our laU«t day, were pluud there 1odj{ lioce, tickcUtl and latxUcd on the outside ia null but indelible dunctcti, written in our blood, 'like tbu etuaaffnincd Sow«( inKribnl with woe : ' wc arc in the toils from tbe rery ittt, hemmed in by the huntcri ; md thete are our ovm p*Mioat, bred of OUT biaio and bumouri, ud that ncTct leave u», but coofume uid guw tbc heart in our thort life-iime, m wormt wail tor ot in the grive I
Critics lod author*, who conitegate b large ciuc«, and »h nothtog of the world but a wit of pbastasnufioria, to whom the oiunbeiless cbanctcrs they meet in the coutie i>f a tew buur* ate fbgitiTC > i* the Aiet of a aummer,' eraccicent as the figuro in a ttm»a cttcara, may talk Tcry learnedly, and attribute the motions of the puppet* to circuro- staoces o!' which they are confcHcdly in total i^otancc. They see character only in the butt, ud have not room (for the crowd) to study it as a whole-lenjjth, that is as it exists io reality. But thoac who trace things to their source, and proceed from individuals to Mnervls, know better. Schoolboys, for example, who arc early let mto the secret, and see the seed* growing, arc isot ocJy touDd jisdgea, but trur propbeU of character ; so that the aick-oames they give their pUy-frlbws usually nick by them ever after. The gouips in country- towns, also, who study humu nature, ikx mncly in the hJaiory of the indiridual, but in the gotetlogy of tlic race, know the cosnparailTfl anatomy of the micdi of a whole oeiglibouihood to a tittle. wber< to look for marks and defects, — eX[>Uiii a vulgarity by a croH io the breed, or a foppish air in a yoang iiadcsman by has graodmotfaer's narriage with a dancing-ouster, and arc the only practical conjarori and expert decypherer* of the determinate lines of true or svpposititioiii character.
The character of women (I should think it wtll at this time of day be granted) differ* essentially from that of men, not less >o than their shape or the texture of their skin. It has been said indeed, * Most women have no character at all,' — and on the other hand, the fair and cloajueni autboreis of the Rights of Won>rn wa< for eoublishieg the masculine pretCDsions and privileges of her mx on a perfect cqttality with ours. I shall leave Pope iind Mary Wolttonccraft to ■rttle that point between them. I should laugh at any one who told me that the Gnropean, the Aiiatic, and the African character were the same. I no more believe it than I do that tiLack ii tbc same colour as white, or that a straight line is a crooked one. We sec in whole nations and large claases the physiognomic*, and I should •uppose {'not to speak it profanely') the general chsncter* of dil»tcnt animal* with which wc arc acquainted, a* of the fox, the wolf, the hog, the goat, the dog, the monkey ; and I suspect tbia
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ON PERSONAL CHARACTER
lYt whether pcrceii^ or not, lus as prevailing; an inflccoce od hor hlbiu uid actional an any theory of moral tcDttmcnu caught in the Kboolii. Rulei and poKautiona may, no lioubt, \x applied to counteract the exceuo and overt ilcmODBUationii of any such chaiac- tetiatic infirmity; but nil! ihe diiicate will be in the miud, aa impediment, not a help lo virtue. An exception i» uiually taken to all national or grneraJ tcBectiocii, aa uojuit and ilHbctal, bKauic they cannot be true of cvcty individual. It u not locant that they are ; and bctidet, the nme captious objection ig not made to the haodtomc thing* that arc taid of whole budiea and cla*»e« of oii.'n. A tofty panegyric* a boaated virtue will fit tbc inhabitanu of an entire diattict to a hair i the want of atrict univcraaliiyi of philotophical .ind abiltact truth, ia no difficulty hercj but tf you hint at ao obvioui rice or defect, ihia is iaBiaotly conMiutd into a moit unfair and partial view of the caae, and each defaulter throwi the imputatioo from himwlf and hie country with icorn. Thus you may prai»e the generosity of the Engliab, the prudence of the Scotch, Uie huipitality of the I riah, ■i long aa you pleaie, and not a (yllabic ia whimpered againiit thcM iwccfang expteuiona of admitarion; but reverac tbc picture, hold up to ccnaure, or only glance at the unfavourable aide of each character {and Oiey themaclvrt admit tJiat they have a <li«tingui«hing and generic character aa a people), and you ate aatailed by the looit violent clamoutv, and a confuted Babel of noiaet, aa a ditMrninator of unfounded prejudices, or a libeller of human nature. I am sure theie is nothing reasonable in this. — Harsh and ditagrccable qualities wear out in nations, a* to individuals, from time and intercourse with the world ; but it ia at the expente of their intrinsic excellences. The vices of softneM and etfeminacy unk deeper with age, like thoraa in the Hesh. Single acts or event* often determine the fate of mortals, yet may have nathing to do with their general deserts or failiofi, ric who is nid to be cured of any glaring infirmity may be suspected never lo have bad it ; and lastly, it may be laid down at a general rule, that mankind improie, by means of luxury and civilitation, in lodal waBOCra, aad become more depraved in what relates to personal haUu and ehvacter. There are few tuiions, as well as few men (with the exception of tyrants) that are cruel and votuptuoua, imnterH-d in pleasure, and bent on inflicting pain on otiieis, at the same time. Fcrociouxnci* is the chaiacteriatic of barbarous agMp liccniiouaoeM of more celined periods.'
I Pirfrlitn dirlkiiw iopmut arm EfDoLlii raortt, ace tlnit eitc ffroi^ itMi Dot etiiliih the pshC]r o( menli thai infet* tfaiii
TIm nme nildAoa.
»3S
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
I iluU Dot undertake to decide exactly bcnr &r tbe otiffaai ckaractcr ouf be modified by the general progrc** of wciety, or by parocBlar circBiiuuikcct haffetuag lo tbe iadindnl ; but 1 think the almmoti (be it what it may) ii more appamt than real, more in coodaa tfajw in feeltog. I will not deny, (hat an estrenr and nolcM diiTerence of circnoHtaace* (xi that bctwnn the tangt and ciriliud itaie) will nperaede tbe oofmnoa diattnctiaM of cbancter, aad prereoi ccnain ditpocitioai and aeniimenti (ram erer deTetoytiig UMnurivca. Vet with refereocc to ibi*, I wo«*ld obtcrret in the fim placci that in tbe mott oppontc noki and coeditiou of life, we find ^uGtin ihewiaj tbcmatket, which we ihouM bl*t IcMi expected, — (MM in a cottage, huminity ia a b«adit, siacerity b count; and tecoodly, b ordinary caaet, and in tbe mixed maai of luunan a&in^ the mind oootriref to lay bold of tboae drcamnance* aad moiivea which luh it* own bia* aod confirm in natsral diKponiHin, wbacerer ■I may be, gentle or rough, ralgar ot refiord, Dpiriml of cowardly, opcn-beartcd or evening- The will i« not blindly impelled by out- ward acodenta, bat teleets the impmiioo* by which it cbooies to be Xorerned, with great dextefiiy and pertereraace. Or the macbiBe may be at the dtipoaal of Ibrtune : tbe man it «ill hti own ouiMeT. The MMil, mder the prewire of cbcnraaancet, doe* not lose ita original tpring, bot, a» toon at the pretrare i* removed, recoiU with double nole&ce to iu fint poiitioD. That whtcb aoy one hu been loH Icaninff unwilKoKly, be nokam* with profortioriabic tagenem aaahame. Kiap faa*e been taid to be iocomgtble to cxpoieooe. The maxim mi^ be extended, witbomt injury, to tbe bene£t of their ■object*; for every nua >• a kiag (with afl tbe pride and obftioacy of one) in hi* own little world. It if only Iccky that the rcu of the ■pecie* are not anawer^4e for hi* caprice* t We hugb at the waminga and advice of otber* ; we re»eiu the letaoo* of advmity, ■ad kwe no time b letting it appear that we have eacaped from its iroeortBoate bold. I do aot ibinic, trith every airitiance from rcMon aad circamKance*, that tbe •lothlnl ever beomnea active, tbe coward brave, the headttrong prudent, the lickle *teady, the mean generoos, the coarse delicate, (he illtcmpcred amiable, or tbe knave boneft ; bat that the rcMrabt of tkccniity and appearance* onc« taken away, they would relapic into thdr former and real character again i—CiittiSiii imtftek mtnailnm. Manner*, (ttuation, example, fashion, have a prodigtou bfloence on exterior deportment. But do tbey peDCtrate mnch deeper ? The thief will not »tcal by day j but hii having thi* com- naad over himaclf doe* not do away hit characicr or calling. The print cannot indulge in ccftuo irregBlaritiei ; but unlrta hi* pulte beats temperately from tbe 6m, be wiU only be plsybg a part through
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ON PERSONAL CHARACTER
life. Agsin, the toldier ciDnot ahriok from hit duty in a dutandly cnanDcr ; but if be has not naiuially iieady nervn and iirong motu- tiOD, — except in the field of battle, he may be fearful as * woman, though covrrcd with 8catt and honour. The Judge muat be ditlnterettcd kod above sutpicion ; yet thould he have from nature an itching palm* an eye ierrile and greedy of oflice, he will tome- how contrive to indemnily hi) private conidence out of hii public principle, and husband a reputation for legal integrity, at a stake to play the game of politica] profligacy with more advan- tage t There i* often a contradiction in character, which U com- poied of lariout and unequal parts ; and hence there will arise an appearance of tickleneu ud inconaiuteDcy. A man may be ilug^ish by the faiher'a aide, and of a rentlcn and uneaay temper by die mother'* ; and he may favour either of these inherent diipoiiliona according to circumnancci. But he will not have changed hit character, any more than a man who someiiraet live* in one apait* mcDt of a house and then takes poitcstion of another, according to whim or convenience, changes his habitation. The simply phlegmatic never turns to the truly ' fiery quality.' So, the really gay or trilling never become ihoughthil and Krious. The Ught-hearted wretch take* nothing to heart. He, on whom (from natural carelesonesa of dii- pOBtion) ' the nhot of accident and dart of chance ' fall like drops of oU on water, to that he brushes them aside wttii heedless hand and smiling Eice, will never be roused from his volatile indiAerence to meet inevitable calamities. He may try to laugh them off, but will not put himielf to any inconvenience ti> prevent them. I know a man that, if a tiger were to jump into hi* room, would only play off some joke, some 'quip, or cntnk, or wanton wile' upon htm. Morttfi cations and disappointments may break such a person's heart ; hut they will be the death of him ere tliey will make him provident of the future, oc willinj; to forego one idle gratification of the pasting moment for any cooMdciation whatever. The dilatory roan never becomes punctual. Retolution it of no avail i for ibe very eweoce of the character contiiis in thin, that the pretent imprcwion is of more efficacy than any prcvioua rcMbtioa. I have heard it said of ■ cele- brated writer, that if be had to get a reprieve from the gallowi for him»elf or a friend (with leave be it tpokcn), and was to be at a certain place at a given time for this purtxine, he would be a quarter of an hour behiod-band. What ii to be done in this caie ! Can you talk or argue a man out of his humour i You might at well attempt to talk or argue him out of a lethargy, or a fever. The disease is in the blood : you may tee it (if you are a curious observer) meandering in hi« *aa%, and reposing oa his ej-e-lida ! Some of our foibles are
»37
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
laid is titt caB*itu(iOB of out bodin ; txheri to the miuctan of ou BBil% tad both m trmiKdubk. Tbr *ain n»B, who it full of htm- •etf, hi acmr nrtd of hi* vaattyt bvt tooki for admirtiioD to the lut, vith a rcitlew, Mipptiut eye, in the midx of cononBeljr and cooietnpt; the tnodcw imn neter grow* rm from flatterr, or uoexpectcd
Spbuac, for he tee* hinndf io tbt dmnaubcd ictM of oUict ^ifi|;a. r will DOC ' hivc bi« nothuigi DKMMtertd.* He know* how imich be hinitelf wiau, how iDodt otbcn hare ; ■nd itU you cia alter thit coorictioo io him, or raike him drunk hy iniiaiiig »ooie new poiaoo, tome celealial itiar into hii vecos, you caaoot make a coxcomb of htm. He i« too well aware of the troth of what bat bees Mid, thtt * the witc«c amoogn o* i* a fool io ROtne thioga, a* the lowett omottgat ■Mil bu Mme fut ootiam, mm) tbereb ii >* wise m SoctKtt ; m that «TCfy maa reienblc« a (tame made to ftand agBinit a wall, or to a mche I OD ooe aide it ia a Plato, an Apcrito, a Demouheoca i oa the ether, h it a roa{h, trnformed piece of ttooe.' ■ Some perioai of mv aci^uaintance, who thtDk tbemielTn itrrt a raiat^t, tnd armed at aU porau with perfectiona, would not be much iocUocd to gire in to tbb •cMimcot, the modeatj of which it oeif e^insDed bj itt «tur aad IngiBuitT. The mait of aat^gvioe mnperameni it tetdotn wnaed from hit oaot* ia the air ; bot eaa yon, by rinuc of aay theory, coevett Iho cold, carrful calculator ioto a wild nuhmiait. A tcEf-lonnetitar it twTcr lattilied, come whM will. He ^ways apprcbcDdt the wont, and ii indefatigable in conjnring op the apparician of dan^. He it Bii«a(y at hit own good fortune, at it tAet from hioi hit &Tourite topic of repining aod complaint. Let him tocceed to hit hetrt'i content in ail that ti rcaionable or important, y*t if there i* any ooe thiag (and l^ he it «ure to liad out) in wluch be doei not get on, thjt emUtten all the rett. 1 know an nwtance. Perhaps it it myadf. Again, a aurly man, in ipite of warning, neglecti bit owd iatemt, and will do ao, bccaoae be hat more pleawre in ditoUigiog yoo than is terving himtclf. 'A friendly man will (hew himaelf friendly,' to the lut ; for those who arc uid to have been foiled by prosperity were oe»er really good for any thing. A good-Daiurcd man nerer loiet hit aatiTe happinm of ditpontioo : good temper it an eitaie for life; and > niHi bora with common aente rarely tonM otM a very egre^ona fool. It it nwre contmoo to aee a fool become wite, that it. Ml op lor witdom, and be taken at hi* word by foolf. We fte<|oentIy judge of a nun'* intellectual pfeteotioM by the number of book* be write*-, of hit cloooence by the number of raeecbea he maltea [ of bis capacity for botiRea*, by the ntunbef of ol&on he
»S8
t RielurdMa'i Workt, Oa (be Sckacc ot s CaoMinror, p. a la.
ON PERSONAL CHARACTER
holds. Thcae arc not tnie tciu. Many a cdcbrated author ii a koown blockhead (bctwtm fiicndt] i snd maoy a laiDwtcr of taa, wboM gravity and wlf-imporUDCc pas* with the world for dtpth of thought and weight of public care, ia a lau|thin);-MiKk to hit very lerruita and d«p«ndinu.' The taleoti of tome men, todeed, which might ooi otherwiae have had a field to display themicln*, ate called out by exiraordinaty lituationi, and ti*e with ibc oocaiKio ; but for all the routine and mcchaoical preparatioo, the pomp and parade and big look) of gic;it HiaieimeD, or what ii culled merely Jliling «fift, a very ahallow capacity, with a certain iiuinoveablenen of countenance, it, I ahould luppoie, tuDtcieot, from whac 1 have leen. Such political machine* aie not bo good aa the Mock-Dukc in the Honey-Moon. A* to genius and capacity for the work* of an and tcicncc, all thai a man really excels in, i* bit own and incommunicable; what he borrows from others he has in an inicrior degree, and it i( nerer what his fame rest* on. Sir Joshua abarrvctt that Raphael, in his tatter ^cturei, ahewed tliac he had learnt in some measure the colouring of Titian. If he had learnt it auite, the merit would atill have been Titian's i but be did not learn it, and never would. But hii expres- •ioD (hi* glory and hi* ckccIIcticc) wat what he had within himtelf, lim and last ; and this it was that seated him on the pinnacle of fiime, a pre-eminence that no artist, without an equal warrant from nature and geniu*, will ever deprive him of. With respect to indica- tiODi of early genius for particular things, I will jait mentian, that I myself koinir an instance of a jinic boy, who could catch the hardest tunes, when between two and three years old, without any asaBtance but hearing them played on a band-oigan in the street ; and who followed the cxtjuiaite piecei of Mozan, played to him for the first time, *o OS to fall in like an echo at the dote. Wat this accident, or education, or natural aptitude ! I think the last. All the presump- tion) arc for it, and there arc none against ic
In line, do vc not tec how hard certain early impreation*, or prejudices ac<]uired later, are to overcome ! Do we not say, liabit ia > second nature? And shall we not allow the force of nature itMtf^
I Ths rcpulstioa It doI the nsB. Yet til tru< rcpslalioa bc|int aad cadi ia the oplnlaa of s ntjin'i iaiinisle fiicndt. He ii what Ihegp think him, anrl in tbf Ittt r«uU will be thought to by ocbrn. Where (here it no lojiit mtrit to bear the pmture of penonil tonliet, fame it bnl i nfnur ftitrd by »<ti<lrnt ot ftrja- diet, anil tvitl loott vsnith Ilk* s vsfODt or * aaitoDK (lench. Dul hi! vho appnr* te ihoie sbout bim nhit be would ban the worW think him, ffuni "luim every MK thit apptoKhei him in wbiltnr clrcumiuncei bfinii luiTiciblni; awajr lu con- im ihe lou.1 rumour uf ihe popular nice, it slan* peat in if lit nl fuilunt. The UallM et trienriihip, [he IIieIeqcm of cvrioiity, is at tarcn s test ti tht inparliililf Md anhrlwl vitw* of lutrarjF.
»J9
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
If the real diapotitton i* concnied (or a time and tampered whhi how readily it break) out with tlie Grat «xctite Or opfwrttiaity 1 Hov aoon doe* tbe druakard forget hit reaohitiOD sad conatraiaed tobriety, at tight of tbe fbaratog tankard and blaxioji heanh ! Doe* not tbe patcion fW gamine, in which there bad been an inroluntary pmM» . fctuni like a nM>dne« all at oacc^ It would be oeedlcM to oSh iuunce* of to obriovt a tnuh. But if thii wpefiodocvd naiurc !■ Bot to be got tbe better of by teatoo or prwlcncei who thall preieud to let aude tbe origiaal ooe bjr tfetciipiioD aod nudagemeflt f Tbua, if we turn to tbe character* of womco, we find that the thiew, tbe
I 'lit, the coquette, tbe wamoa, the tiXiigner, the liar, cootioue all their iivi the same. Meet tbem after the bp«e of a qoatter or half a ceaniry, and they arc titll ia&Uibly at their old woik. No rebuke from expctirnce, do Icmooi of mufOTiiniei nuke tbe lean tmprewion on tbem. Oo the)' go i aod, id fact, tbey cao go on in no other wajr. They try other thing*, but it will not do. Tbcy are like 6ah o«tt of water, except in the elerncni of their faroutite vicet. Tbey might a* wtII not be, aa ccaie to be what tbey ate by nature and ciHtocn. ' Can the Ethiopian change hit ikio, or the leopard hit ipott i ' Neither do ihete wretched penonii find any tatisfactioQ or eonaciouanetEi of their power, but tn being a plague and a tormcm to tbciBwivea and every ooe elte as kmg aa they can. A good wrt of woman it a character tnore rare than any of thete, but it it equally dnraUc. Look at the head of Hogartb't Idle Amrentke en the boat, holding up hit fingcri at homt at CuckoM't Point, sod aak whet ptttitenttary, wbM priaofrditdpliae, wosU chug* the ftrm of hia fbrdiead, < rillaiaoot low.' or the conceptna* miag widm it? Notfabgi — no mothex't fearful waniingt. — nor the fiunidaUe pre- cautiont of that wikt aod more loviog mother, hit conotry ! That fellow it Mill to be met with tomewherc in otir time. It be a ipy, a jack-ketch, or an underline of office t In truth, almoit all the charactert in Hogarth are of tbe claai of incorrigible* ; lo that I often woodcr what hat become of tome of them. Hate the worn of them been cleared out, like tlie breed of noxiont snimalij Or bare they been twept away, like loctiua, in the whirlwind of the French Reroludoo? Or hat Mr. Bentham put them into bii Panopticon t from which ihcy have come oot, to that nobody koowi tbem, like tbe chimney-t weeper boy at Sadler't Wella, thai wa* thrown into a cauldron and came out a littk dapper vohwteer i I will not deny that tooic of them may, like Chaucer't cbamcte.i, bare been tnodemiaed a tittle j boi I think I could re-tractUte a few of them into their mother-tongue, the original hooett blactJettrr. We may refiac, we may dltguite, we may eqni- 140
d
ON PERSONAL CHARACTEK
vocittct we may compound for our vices, wiihout getting rid of clicm i m we change our liquw*, but do not luve olf drinking. Wc may, b this mpect, look forward to a decent and moderate, rather than a tboroDgh and radical reform. Or (without going deep into the political <)uc4lioD) I conc«iiv wc may improve the mechacJMi, if not the lexiute of lociety ; thai is, we may tmpro»e die phyncal circum- ftance* of indindual* and their general relation! to the nate, (hough the inicroal character, like the grain in wood, or the tap in tree*, that (till riMi, bend them how you will, may remain ncirly the lame. The clay that the potter u»ct may be of the same (juality, coarte or fine in ttielf, though he may mould it iDIo retacla of very different ahape or beauty. Who thall aJtcr the stamina of national characcei by any syiieraaiic procen i Who dull make the French re»peciab!e, or the Engli«h amiable? Yet the Author of tiii: v«*« ijoo'^'" done it! Suppoac public ipirit to become the general principle of sction in the community — how would it shew it»elf .' Would it not then become the faihion, like loyalty, and have it» apei and parrou, like loyalty? The man of principle would no longer bcdiBtioguiihed j from the crowd, the lervum ^cmi itnUaterum. There ti a cant of democracy aa well as of aristocracy \ and we have aeen botli tiium-
^01 in our day. The Jacobin of 1 794 wax the Anti-Jacobin of 1 8 1 4. e loude«t chauntert of the Pzant of liberty were the loudeK ■pplauders of the restored doctrine of divine right. They drifted with the Btreani, tliey tailed before tlie breeze in either cam. The politician was changed; the man wiu the tame, the very tame! — But enough of thi*.
I do not know any moral to be deduced from thit view of the (abject but one, namely, that we ibould mind our own bunineu, cuhiraie our good qualities, if we have any, and irritate our«etve« leu [.ftbout the abiurdiiie* of other people, which neither we nor they can .lulp> I grut there U sometliiDg in what I have taid, which might be flude to glaoce toward) the doctrinea of original lin, grace, election, reprobation, or the Gnoatic principle chat act* did noi determine the virtue or vice of the character ; and in Ibote doctrinei, to far as they ore deducible from what I hat« taid, I agree — but alwayt with a uJto.
* Merdcr.
«0U vn. : Q
»4<
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
a work, of lime to wtna them from thdf ffloruiroui infaEtutioo.* We may trace » tpeculatife abmrdity or practicat cnonniiy of ihif kiod JMo its tenth at Gfieencb ccncory, tupponcd tcory above tntj, gloM^ npoB gloM, dU it mock* at Hcarcn, and irample* upon ttnh, _ Up ra decree* and cou&cilt and (yDods, aod appnia to popei aitdl cwdiuU aod fatbcra of the church (all Rixft, ^vctcnd men I ) the tep.ular clem ud people at tbeii nde baiUiof fot it, and othert'^ below (KhiimattM and beretica) oppusntng it; till ra the djn an ~ commotion and coUUioo of diy rubi and hard blow*, it loeea i aa k rote, century by century; ti taken to piece* by trtnid frienda : determined foca ; toticri and fallt, and not a fragment of it *• l«f BpOD another. A text of Scnpcurc or a pu«age in ecctesiauical hiMory, ta fot one whole ccotury ■ torn to Uttera. to very raga,' and wrangled and fought (w, ai maiDtaining the doctrine of the troe and Catholic church i in the next centur* after that, the whole body of the Reformed clergy, Lutheiani, Cafvintata, Arminiana, get boid ofj it, wmi it out of the baodi of their adrer»xie«, and twiat and tor it in a thouiund different wiya, to OTettum the abomiiutiona of An Chrift i in the third a great cabal, a clamour, a noite like the con-^ fusion of Babel, jcaloctiet, feudt, heart- bumioga, wart in coanttiea, diriiioQi in familiea, Khiims in the church aiiie, becauae ihlt text hat been thought to futour a lax inieip relation of an article of faith. Decenary to talvation ; and in the fourth century from the lime the
3qc«tion began to be agitated with »o much heat and fury, it ia iicoTcred that no luch text cxitted in the genuine copie*. Yet ^I and each of thcte, Popc«, councils, father* of the church, reformed leader*. Lutheraoi, CaUinut*, lodepcndenta, Pietbyteriaaitj tecta, tchiinia, clcrity, people, >U believe that their own interpre ia the true acnie ) that, compared with thii fabricated and apurioni laith of theirt, ■ the pillar'd fimument ii rottenneta, and earth a bate built on aiubUe ; ' and are to tar from being ditposcd to treat the matter lightly, or to nippotc it postible that they do not proceed on tolid and indutntsble grounda io every contradiction they mo into, that they would hand over to the civil power, to be coD*q;Ded to a priaoD, the galleya, or the stake (aa it happened), any one who demurred for a nngle inaunt to their bnng people of aeote, gravity, and wiidom. Sense (that u, that ton of tenae wbtch conaisu in pre- tention )tnd a cbim to auperiority) ia thewn, not in thbga that arc
* It Jppcui, ootwiihiiandini, thai thi* (ophiMicil spolofy for the niloniioD of ■be Spioiih iDqiiitilfoa, nith iht rrvcnion of tovtrcitn fovcr Into kingly baniii, wu filic ud ipuiioui. Th( fowr bi> one* more reverted Into the btndi of an ibuKd fKOfle, lad the Ia<|uiiitlaQ hu been ibcliahci). — S1ik« thit ■*■ vriucn, Itwtc hu been aaolhet lum of the icrtw*, tai But no more «o that hct'l.
»44
ON PEOPLE OF SENSE
fiuB a&d deu, bat m deciding uimd doubta aad dilfieulde*; tb« gceater the douU, cheicforC) the greater mutt b« the dofpnatitm *ai the contcquetiiul airs of tbote who profcw to lettle poittti beyond the mch of the lulgar ; nay, to incrcate the authority of luch pcriQDs, ibc utmost utrcait miuc be laid on the tDoai frivolonn m vtU u ticklish quntions, and the mote uncon«c)ODabtc absurdities have alwayu hid liie itoutcst iticklcrs, aad the most numerous tictimi. The alfectatioo of »cn»e lo far, then, ha» p'mt birth to more folly and done more miscbief than any one thing cl«e.
Hence we may, perhaps be able to aMign one reaton, whv tboae arts which do not tmdcnalce to nnlbld myttcrics and tociilcate dogmat, generally shine out at first with Ail) lustre, bccaiuc ihcy start trom the 'vintage grousd of natore, and arc not buried under the dust and rubbiah of ages of perrerte prejudice. Biblical critics u-crc a long lime at work to strip Popery of her linery, muffled up a ihe wat io the ibrmal disguise* of intertat, pride, and bigotry. It wm like peel- ing off the coats of an onion, which it a work of lime and patience. Titian, on the other hand, (which our protemant painter* are some- times ama/cd at) »w the colour of the «kin at once, without any inttllectuat ^Im spread over it; Raphael piinicd the actions and ninODs of men, without any indirect proccM, as he found them. The 6oe ans, auch as painting, which rcveili the face of nature, aod poetry, which paints the heart of man, arc true and uiuophiilicaecd, because they arc convcuttnt with real objccu, and became they arc Cultiiatcd for aRiBsemrnt without any further view or inference ; and picue by the truth of imitauon only. Yet your AkjP/i «f tmjt, to all igct, have tnade a point of scouting the arts of painting, music, ami poetry, M frivoloua, effeminate, and worthiest, as appealing to tenti- ment and fancy alone, and involTtng no useful theory or principle, bccaute they adordcd them no icope, no opportunity for darieiiiiig iaovJa/ge, and setting up their own blindncM and frailty ai the meaisre of abairact truth, and the standard of oniveral propriety. Poetry acts hy sympathy with nature, that ia, with the natural impulses, customs, and imaginaiioaa of men, aod ia, on that account, always popular, delightfcl, and at the tame lime instructive. It ia nature moraIi:ftng and idtol'ning for tti ; inasmuch as, by shewing us things aa they are, it implicitly teaches <a% what ihcy ought to be ; and the grosser feeling*, by passing through the ttrainer* of this imaginary, wide-extended experience, ac(]uire an involunury tendency to higher objccia. Shakevpcar waa, in this senae, not only one of the greateat poets, but one of the greatest moralists that we have. Thoae who read hno are the happier, better, and wiser for it. No oise (that I know of) ia the happier, better, or wiser, for reading
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Mr. Shcllev't Prooietbew Uobouod.' Ou tblsg ii thai nobody read* it. And the reuco for one m both i* tli« tamt, that ht i* sot
■ poet, biH a (opbitt, B thcorifi, » coatraTntul writer in rcric He gi*«* us, fot TTfrrteWMoo* of thb^ rlupMdkt of word*. He doM not lend the coloor* of iiiMguuuon tad ibe ornuncRtt of (tyle to the objecu of natuie, but ptint* gaudy, tbatj, allc^ictl piatirc* on gauze, oo the cobwebt of bu own braio, ' Gorgaoa aod njdm* and Chimera* dire.' He aMume* ceftaki doubtfal apeculatire DOtiofUf and proceed* to prove tbcir Iruih by detcribiog them in dct^ aa , HMttcra of lacL Thic mixiurc of fanuic zai with poetical Ucenliou DM* i* not quite ihc thing. The poet dmcribe* what be pleatei at be plca«(s — if be ii not tied down to certain gircn jiriociple*, if b« i( not to plead pccjudicc aod opinioo aa his wursnt or excuse, we are left OM at sea, at ibc meicy of every reckkw bii«y-Bioo£er, wIm may be tempted to erect ao ipjr Jital of fau own, by tbe help of a few iiUe flonrishos and extraragant epithetis into an exclunre lyften of moral* and pbtlosopbjr. The poet dncribc* riTidly nnd indiiidually, *o thai any general remit* from what he writes ttnut be from the aggregate of well-founded particulars : lo embody an aburact iheorjTi aa if It were a given part of actual nature, b an impertinence and indecorwn. Tbe charm of poetry, however, depend* on the usioa ' of fancy with reality, on its fiodbg a tally m the hwaua breast t and without this all iu tumid cifort* will be lc«a petoicMM* than Tain and abortive. Plato thcwcd bimarif to be a person of frigid apprchcsMMbJ
■ will) eye severe and beard of formal cuii' when be bamshcd the* pocta from hU Republic^ « oonvpcen of morals, becauae they dcacribcd the various paawoni ind affectiotia of the miod. This did DM ntit with that Frocniaiei* bed of critictim on which he wished laJ arretfh and lop them j but Homer's imhatiooi of nature have bees] more popular than Plato's inTctuooK of her ; and bis morality ii Icut M aomd. The error* of nature are accidental and pudotMbfe | tho«c of scieDCe are systetnailc and bcorrigtUe. The iog, or reasontDX &culty presume* loo moch over ber yoaii|>er **>tcra| ■ad yet play* a* &ntutic trick* a* any of them, only with mor' aotemnity, which enhance* the evil. We have partly seen what rigli she baa, oo the ccoirc of past behaviovt, to act up fiu' a strict uoctTiog guide. The haughtisesa of her pretensioiM at prcacol, * fiill ' of wiw saws and modern inatucc*,' is not the most «D«|l^T«cal plcdga of bir abaodooiiMat of h«r oU error*. To bring down this accooM then btm ibe ancaent* to tbe modenw.
People of aensc, the aelf-coiweiied tviie, are at all titne* at i*
h6
t T^ WM MTfUo ia Mr, SliclkT') ll(e.liaM.
ON PEOPLE OF SENSE
wiih comiDOQ tatse and fcdiaj. Tbe; formerly dagmutiMtl o* ipecul.itive matierK, out of the rtach of cominon apprehcoiion : thcjr now liijgmattK with the ame headitcong ielf-«u/Itcicncy on practical
?ucition«, raotc within the prorincc of 4Ctu»l inquiry and obKrvation. n ihia new and more circumicribed career, they set out with exploding the icdm: of ill tho«c who have gooc before ihem, u of too light and fanciful a texture. They make a cleir Mage of all former opinioos — get lid of the mhitj medet urprejudice.aulhoritytSUggeittoD — ^nd begin tie novo, with reaaoo for thetr rule, certainty for tlieir
?iide, and the greateit pa*iible good at a tint ^im hm. The modem inopcic and Chrcsiomathic School of reformcri and reconttrudor* of eociciy propote to do it upon entirely mechanical and tcicntific priociplea. Nothing ihort of that will tatiafy tlieir icrupulonc pte- teniiiont lo wiadom and gravity. They proceed by the role and ComtaM, by logical diigramt, and with none but demonBtribIc con- duaioiM, and leave all the taate, fancy, and hentinienE of the thing to the admirer* of Mr. Butke'a Reflections on the French RctoIuuod. That work ia to them a very Aimiy and »upcrlicial performance, beuute it in rhetorical and flgurauTe, and they judge of tolidiiy by burenncM, of depth by dryneu. Tilt they kc a Titite farther into it, they will not be able to antwer it, or counteract ita inllueacc; and yet that were a task of fomc importance to atchicrc. They say that the pToportioos are hint, becauie the colouring u line, which is bad logic. If they do not like a painted statue, a florid argument, that i* a matter of taste and not oi teaaoQing. Some may conceive that the gold, the sterling bullion of thought, is the belter for being wrought into rich and elegant iigurei( tiny are the only people who contend that it is tbe wofm on tliat account. TheK crude pro- jectors give, in their new plan and elevation of tociety, neither * princes' palaces nor poor men's cDtta;;es,' but a sort of log-hauMrs and gable-cndt, in which the solid contcnta aitd square dimensions arc to be aicertained and parcelled out to a nicety ; they employ the carpenter, joiner, and bricklayer, but will have nothing to sar to the plasterer, painter, paper-hanger, upbolalercr, carrer and gilder, &c. t so that 1 am afraid, in ibis faaiidious snd luxurious age, they will hardly Und toosnta for their bare walls and skeletou of bOMM. run up in haste and by the job, Tbeir system want* heiuf-^aarwiing \ il is destitute of comfort as of outside shew i it has nothing U recommend it but its poverty and nakedness. They proltss to set aside and reject all compromitc with the prejudices of authority, the allurenienti of sense, tbe customs of the world, and the instincts of nature. They will make a man with a <juadrant, as the tailors at Laputa made a siut of clotiies. They put tbe mind into a
»47
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Bi«ct»ii^, u the DOttet pau & hunp of cky into i aoaid, aad ««t k coma m amy chn*)' or dingrceabfe tlupe thM dwy vedd have tb Thc]r hue all gnce, onumeDt, Apoot. Thtj an addicted to ihanm KitiKC, bn (worn cncnia lo the fine ana. Thejr vrv ■ kiad of fntiiaM is atonk. Do yov amaw that the ncc of ihe leOBodMla u dead wkh the dbpotc m Land'* time abooc tsuge- woritaft We have juft the nme tet of mooa-eycd philomiben n oar dafit who cannot bear to b« dazzled with the lan of haatj. Thtf are oely balf-altve. Thej can dutmsnuh the hard edge* and deterininate ootUoe of thing* ; Un ait alike ioieaaUe to the (trooger iiwiiit* of poanoot to the finer ewence* of thoaght. Their ia- 'HM*'™'' (boo doe* IMM aMimilate mh the jnicc* of the niod, or iwa to ittbcic iftrit, bat lie* a crade, iH)d^e*ied heap of naiefial ufcatanc*, bcjectiag only the wiadj iaipenioe»ce of word*. Tbej are Kqiuimed with the fom, not the ^onttt of mih i diev tonK on what U oecMury, and oeref amre ax what is deanbk. They refer ef etr tfaiiw to MiUty, and jet bunk iJmuh. with itoic pride and cynic tlDmilHies*. They talk big of ncrewing ihc Mim of hmn b^piacM, and yet in the aichty graiy nd czKaiiaa of their vinra, Itvrt bardJy aoy one (oorcc fton wfaicb the ■naltin ray of tatufactioo can be «lctiTed. They bare u) iaitactive aTerwon to play*, ootck, amuaemeota of crcry kind ; and thia ink w moch from afectJUOB or want of knowledge, a* fioca abeer incapacity and ■■Bt of ta«e. Shew one of theae men of sarrow cooifrefaeiuaoa a bcndfitl proipcct, sad be wooden you can uke dctighi in whai t* of as me : yoa wooid hardly (uppOK that ihii very psMB bad wriiMB ■ book, aod wm ftAmft at the Bomenc holdiBg m argnmem, to prarethK aotfang — nielul but what pleaan. Siivak of Shakespear, aad aaotber of the tune imtpnuuic school will lell you he bu read Urn, bat conld find nothtng to him. Point to Hogarth, and they do oovfca* there i* aonething in hi* prints that, by cootiut, throw* a ptcaiing light oa ibcir Utopn *chcBic«, and the fntirc progrcM of •octety. Oae of tbeae patado-pliiloaeplwr* would think it a diifvtgc- ment to eonpan him to AriMolIc : he faooet hioMelf u great a man aa Arutotle waa m h>i day, and that the world ti Enoch wiier now than it wai in the time of AriRoUe. He woald be glad lo lire the ten remaining year* of hit life, a year at a time at the eod of the next tea ccniitrtcs, to tee the effect of hit writingt on tocial inaka- tioat, ifaoagb pocterity will know oo more than hit cootemporaric* that to great a man erer exitiod. So little doe* he know of himaelf or the world ! Peraooa of hit clata, indeed, caniiowtly alwt them* ■rira up from lociety, and take oo more notioe of mea than of aatmabi and from their ignorance of what inaakind are, can tdl 148
ON PEOPLE OF SENSE
exactly wliat they will be. ' What cm we rcMon but from wbit we know J' — U not their maxim. Reation with them U a mathe- maiical force that acu with mo«t certainly in ihc ab«cDcc of cxperieoce, ia tlic vacuum of pure ipecutAiion. T1ie»r Mctirc abrmiat* ami dreaming ^lurdiaoi of the «tatc are Hke luperanouiiied watchmen cncloied in a »entry-box, thai never hear ' when ihievei break through and iteal.* They put an oil-ikin over their hcodi, that the diut raiaed by the [>ai>ion« and inicrcits of the countlctii, rTer-moiing mvltitude, may not annoy or diiturb the ctcarneai of their li^ion. They build a Pcottcotiary, and are tati^liod that Dyot-nrrei, Bloomt- bury-*quare. will oo lonjer send forth iu horde* of younf; delinquenu, 'aa aerie of children,' the embryo petformeti on locki and fockeu for the next generation. They put men into a Panopticon, like a
glai* hive* to carry oo all lort* of handicraft* (■ So work the
honey-beet ' — ) under the omnipreaent eye of the invmior, and want and idlcnew are haDiihcd from the world. They propose lo erect a Cbrtftomsthic tchool, by cutting down aomc fine old trees on the clatsic ground where Milton thought and wrote, to introduce a rabble of children, who for the Greek and Latin languaj;et, poetry, and history, that fine pabulum of lueful enthusiasm, that breath of immor- tality infuted into our youthful blood, thai balm and cordial of our future ycarii, are to be drugged with chcminiry and apothccarict' receipt!, are to be taught to do every thing, and to tee and feel nothing : — thai the grubbing up of elegant aril and polite literature may be lollowed by the syttematic introduction of accompliihed barlxiritm and mechanical quackery- Such enlightened genituet would pull down Stonehenge to build pig-atiet, and would cooven We«tminitcr Abbey into a central House of Correction. It would be in vaia to point to the arched windows,
'Sh«dding a dim, religious tight,*
to touch the detf, lolemn organ-stop in their ears, to tuni to the (Ulue of Newton, to f,aze upon the sculptured marble on the walls, to call back the hupei and fears that lie buried there, to cant a wistful look at Poet'* Comer (they scorn the Muse!)— all thii would not itund one moment in the way of any of the tchemn of these retro- grade reformer! ; who, instead of being legitlators for the world, and steward* to the inicllcctual inheritance of naiiont, arc hardly fit to be pariiih-beadles, or pettifogging aitorneyn to a litigated estate! ' Their speech bewraycth theni.' The leader of this class of reasoners does not write to be understood, because he would make fewer conrerti, if he did. The language be adopts is his own — a word to the wise — a technical and conirntional jargon, unintelligible
H9
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
to odier*, uxi cooTryiDg do idea to hiouelf in coauiiea with the raM of Oiaaknid, pnrpo«ef« cut off from hunun tjtnpaihy aod otdiury apprffcOMMo- Mr. Brnthun't vmiogi tet{iurc to be trutlttcd into ■ fotdgn C0Q£Dc or hit own, before the^ cut be read u all, except by the tdrpu. Thu i« not ■ rcry fair or very triw proctvtliGK. No man who nTcota wocdt vbittirilVf csa be Mtc thtt be ntca tbm eoMcieMiovdjr. There U do check upon lum ia the popdu criuciMi exercMed bj the ibim of reader*— there t) no doe to proprienr !■ ibc habitoal MaociatioDi of hia ovn nind. He who prctcnda to Bt vorda to Uiiogi, will moch oficccr acconunodaie thiaga to wocdi^ to tmmtt aiiicory. Worda are a toriKrc of inith. Tbef aaocnaia (iflMatwelj) the d«gr<«*, JuJoctioM, tod powtf a of tbioxa in a wvaikml ■upb % ud be who voloDuril^ drp(i*c« hinuelf of their MMitaaw, ion Mt go the way to arrire at aoif very nice or tore re«oJu. Laagvate ia the medUin of ovr conunuoicatioa with the thoughu of othefa. Bot whoever become* wiv, become* wiie by tympoihy ; whoever it powcijnl, become! k> by nuking other* lympuhitc with him. To Oaak jiuily. wc moat uadcntaod wh« otbert oicao: lo kaow the value of oar tboaebtt, wc moat try thdr eilcct on other Baiada. Tberc it thia prrnlcgc in the iwe of a coBTCstional Kyle, u there waa in that of the leaf mtd Uognagca— ■ man nay be m ibiwd >a be plcMcs without heiog ridJcdbua. Hia IbQy and hia vlados m alike a aecret to the geaerality. If it weie poiaible to coMrttc a perfect laaguge, coowient wfth itaaVr and aoawcriag to the cooh pluti^gf bnnMa affain,ihcrc would bt aoaM cxcuaa far tbt anenptt M b* who know* aay thing of tba aaturt of laagnagB, ot of tbe eoMfkxity of hunua thooght, kaowa that tbia ii impotinbk. What la gaiacd in ibmaltty, i« ararc than lo« b fiwcet enae, aad perapcaity. Mt. Bectham'a laiq[Bage, in rfiortt <■ like hit reaaooing, a logteil ^paiatu, which wtll work infallibly and perform wonder*, taking it for granted that hit principlei aikd dciimiioni are uaircmlly true iad iMelligibic ; but at ihit la aoi exactly tbe caae, neither the ooe ■or the other t* of moch u*e or aotbarity. Tbuai the maxim that * — — ^"^ ma frosi calcalatioB ' may be, ia a gcocral acaoci true : bat tbi atetnent yoa affiy dua maun to (abject aD their actioaa« lyMefflatieally aad denoDMiahly lo reatoo, and to exclude foanmi both to coaMMo aad in extreme caaea, you give ii a acoae in whicb \ tbe prisdsle i* falic, and in which all the iatereacoa fatak apoa it j (nay aaa aiighty, ludoobt) fall to tbe ground, *Madflica reaaoa.*' Bat in what pcopoctiaa doca thit hold good i How fu doe* wain« gnidc thcnit or tbeir audaew err ? There i* a diifcmice becwcta teswo u>d Biadneaa in tbi* respect i bat according to Mr. Beotham, there can be aone t for aU men act front calcnlatioo, and equally to> a$o
ON PEOPLE OP SENSE
* So niai the bond.' Pxiioa h liable to b* rcttraiaKl by resMXit M dntnkraiKU may be cluagcd to tobriety by tome tuooj^ s)oti*« i but ftmiaa ia oot rcuoa, i.r. do«a not act by the (tnoe rule or law i ami tberdbre ill ihat follows U. that mea act (aocordioji to the common- •CDK of the thing) either from pa*«ion or rcuon, from impultc or olcullliB^ iBOfg or leaif u circumttancc* lead. But no n-ccptog, tMUpbydcd coacluuoa caa be drawn irom hence, a« if reuon were abwIsK, tod pawioa a HMre MMKilj )■ the gamtvatm of the world. People in geocral, or writen •peeuMiDf on buona ■etioai^ fans wmas iadjiiiiefilt cooocrniBg them, becMiae they decide tttolty, and at a cUMance, on what it done in beat and on the ipui of the occaaion. Man ii not a nucbiae ] nor ia be to be meaaorcd by mechankal rale*. The dcciikmt of abMract rcMOO wonM apply to wbal mcii might do if all tncn were philocophen: but if all men were pbiloMphertt there would be BO need of «y«tcn» of philoaophy !
The race of aicbemitti and vinonariea ia not yet extinct i and|
I, what ia remarkable, we Giid them exittiog in iJm ahape of deep
gjciaoa and eoligblened le]^»Utor«. They hare got a menttnuD
l4br diaM^viog the lead and coDpcr of tocaety, and tnraing !( to pore
" , at the adepta of old had a trick for tiiMtiog the phikMOplMr'a
I. The aothor of St. Leon hat tcpreMwed hia hero ■■ poMeaaed
^•f the «£■»■ *iu and AwrtM f^aUf. The attthor of the Political
Junice bai aiIo]itrd one half of thia iwnaottc falloa aa a aerioua
hyputhcsii, and nuintain* the natural immortality of man, widiout
M wurc. The truth ia, that pcraont of the most precise aad formal
I BD^ritandinga are prtMM of the looaeat aad moat cxtravagaiK
iffiaginationa. Take from them their merma Uqtiradi, their literal
doe, afid there ta no abmrdity into which they will eot &II with
pleawre. They hare ao nteans or principle of judgiag of that which
doca Dot admit of abaolute proof-, and between thia and the idleK
fiction, they perceive no medium : — a« thoae aitiata who take like.
with a machine, are quite thrown out in tbeir calcnlationa
vhen they hate lo rely on the eye or hand aloDc. People wbo are
lenMomcd to tnut lo their imaginatioot of feclinga, know how far
lo go, and how to keep within cenaia limita : thoae wbo aeldom
exert thcae EacvUie* are all abcoad* ia a wide tea of tpeculaiioa
without rudder or canpaa, the inttacit they leave the thore of matter-
of'&ct or dry teaaoeiag, and never atop ihon of the laai abturdity.
They go all lengtha, or none. They laugh ai pocta, and are ihem-
I jwl*et lunatica. They a/e the dupe* of all totta of proircton and
t. Being of a baty, meddleaone turo, they are foe reducing
whaterer con>ra into their headt (aod cacmot be detoonatrated by
mood and figure to amount to a contradiction in terma) to practice.
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Whic xbey wouU (Coot ia a fiction, tlxy wonid act about rcaSztDg ia tobet udocM, aod rodt thnr fottuaet in comtMODg whu oiben coumla- u the amoMOem of id idle bocr. Auolpfao'i Toyage to the nooD in Arw«io, tbey criticize ibirply at a qaaiM aod ridiciloBi , burio^ : bat if xny ooc had the face terieud; to anderttkc ancb a i tkiog, they would immMJiAtcl]; pitrooiie a, and dcifr aajr ooe to prove by a logical dilemma tku the attempt wat phyacaJly inpoaiSife. Soi agHB, we lisd tbai paiBtcn rad engraven, wfaoae attcMioo it coofiaed aad rivetced to a miDUte iBVtttigatioa of actual objecti, or of ' Tiubie lines ud (urfacec, are apt lo fly oat into all the extravagance aod tbaptodin of the moff unbridled {aaaudtm. Sereral odT tbe moM etniDeni are at ibis moment Swedenborgbni, xahtal magnetttts, &C. Tbe mind (a* tt ^lould aeem), loo loog tied down to the eridcocc of aettw and a number of trifling ponicttlan, i* wearied of tbe bondage, revolts at it, and tnidnctiTcIy laket refiigc in tbe wilde« acbemea and moit nu£ni6ccDl cootradtnioM of aa nnlimited (aid). Poeta, on tbe contrary^ wbo are coBtinnally tbrowing oS the nnCN I floitica of (ecUng or bicj in little tporuve awiea aad Aon cxcttmoM ' with tbe Mute, do not find the want of any greater or more pntnliil effort of tbougbi ; learc tbe aaoeni of tbe * highctt Heaven of Inven- tion ' aa a holiday taik to pcrioiw of nMwe mecfaanical babita aad vai% of mind t aad tbe ch^actcn of poet aad •ccptk are now often naitcd b the tame iadividsal, aa tbote of poet and peophei were Rppowd to be of old.
ESSAY XXI II
ON AHTIQOITY
Thxu it tw tuch thing u Amiqdly b tbe ordloiy ■eoepauM *e M&x lo the terra. Whatmf u or bai been, wUk it ii poMang, ■■« be modem. The early aget may have been barbarooa ta iIn iiwliii t b« they have becoct>c lauieai with the alow and alent lapae of no- cettivc seaentioM. Tbe * olden timci * are ooly ench in tefetcac* to Bt. Tbe poat it rendered atxasge, myoerionai viaonryr awfiila fnm tbe great gap in time that pvta at fron iti and ibe loa( pervpectTTc of waning yearik Tbiaga gone by and ^***^ uMgDUea^ look dim aad doUt -i*^^^^ and onaintf &nn onr iguutaacc of thna- aad tbe mutability of ctocoiBa. Bat in their day— they were frcah, miiapaind, m ftill vicoiu, bmiliar, and glony. TheCUklna m the Wood, aad Pcrcy'a Rclica, were oooe receat prodactioat j aad Aald
I
ON ANTIQUITY
Robin Gray wa*, in hit iitae, a nrj commoti-pUcr old frilow I Tht war* of Yotk and LaacaaKti while ihey lasted, vttte ' lircljr, audible, and full of Teat,' as frmb and lutty a* the while and red ro<e« that distinguished their dilFcrtnt bonnetB, though Uiejr iaxt natx became a bye-word uid a toleciim in histor^r.
The *va ibone in Juliiu Cscac't lime just ai it doc* now. On the road-tide bciwcco Winchntcr and Salisbury arc »omc remains of old Roman encampmrnts, with their double line* of cir cum Tall at ion (now turned into paaturaj^e for sheep), which answer exactly to the descriptions of this kind in Ciriar's Coromentartes. In a dull and cloudy atmosphere, I can conceive that this is the identical spot, that the £nit Czur trod, — and figure to myielf the deliberate moTemeots and icarce perceptible march of closc^mbodied legions. Bat if the tun brcako out, making its way through dazaling, Heccy clouds, lighu up the blue serene, and gilds the sombie earth, 1 can no longer pertuade myself that it is the tame scene as fornterly, or transfer the actoftl image before me so far back. The brightocu of nature is not CMily reduced to the low, twilip.ht tone of hiituiy ; and the imprrs- tioai of seme defeat and ditsipate the taint traces of learning and tradition. It ii only by an dfott of rcaton, to which fancy is averse, that I bring myself to bclicTe that the sun shone as bright, that the sky was as blue, and the earth as green, two thousar^d years ago at it it at present. How ridiculoua this wans ; yet so it it I
The Jari or middle ages, when every thing wat hid in the fog and baxe of confusion and ignorance, seem, to the same involuntary kind of prejudice, older and farther oif, and mote inaccessible to the imagination, than the brilliant and well-defined periods of Greece and Rome. A Gothic ruin appears buried in a greater drpih of obscurity, to be weighed down and rendered renerskic with the hoar of more distant ages, to have been longer mouldering into neglect and oblivion, to be a record and memento of events more wild and alien to our own times, than a Grecian temple.' Amadis de Gaul, and the serea Champions of Chrisirndom, with me [honestly speaking) rank as cuntempraries with Theseus, Pirilhous, and the heroes of the fabulous ages. My imagination will stretch no fanher back into the commencement of time than the first traces aod rude dawn of
' 'The Gotbic irthiicctuR.llioiifh not M sncieal II ihr Gr«(lsn, it mois 10 lo our iniiElnilioD, with which the sititt Is moic concemeil dun with sbsolot* truth.' — ■Sir yoiiha ftt^tliii Dasmriii, vol. ii. p. tjl.
Till I Riei wilh Ihli remirk in n circumipni >nil gosfdcd • wiilti SI Sir Jdihui, t wu titaid of brins charfrH with rxinvigance In wcne of iht ibovc ISStttions. Ptrttai hti jut ma in fixn-a Jliirtmi. It n thai that nur fivnuiiti •fecnbtioni are «ft«a acoouiM«d pirsdgits by the ifnoriat,— wbils hy ihs InratA TtsAsr thty are set down *s pUfisrlinu.
»S3
TBB FLAIIS SFEAKEB
I
ON ANTIQUITY
yc&rt before them, (bine in gloiiy, andiminiahed ■pleiulour, >nd lloiiriih in immona] youth and beauty. The Utter Grecian Cod*, M wc find them there rqirescnted, arc to atl appMtance a taec of modern tine geotlemcDt who led tht Bft «/ honour with their favourite mistretw) of mortal or immortal mould, — were gaiiaot, gracdrit, w^Il-drctged, and well-npoken : ivlwma Uie Gothic dcitiet long after, carved in horrid wood or miishapen Mone. and wutihippcd in dreary wane or tangled fornt, belong, id the mind'ii heraldry, to aliiiosi ai ancient a date a) th<»c elder and dincardcd Godi of the Pa^an mythology. Ops and Rhea and old Snium,— tho»c stiange anomalic* of earth and cloudy tpiiit, born of the elementt and comcioun will, and clothing tliemwivct and all (hieft* with ihape and formal being. The Chronicle of Drulc, in Speater'* Fairy ^ucen, ha* a tolerable air of antiquity in it ; to in the dtamitic line, the Glio«i of one of the old king! of Ormu*, introduced i« Prolopie to Fulke CrcTillc't play of Mu*tapha, i« reaionably fai-fctched, and palpably obacure. A monk in the Po|>ii>h Calendar, or crcn in the Canterbury Tales, la a more cjuettionable and oat-of-the-way pcrionage than the Chiron of AchiUea, or the priest in Homer. When Cbsucer, in hi* Troilui ind Cremida, makn the Trojaa hero invoke the absence of light, in these two lines —
Why uiullci'tt tliou iiglit me for (o ull 1 Co ull it ihctn that imallc kIcb grave I
he it guHty of on laacbronitm ; or at least I mnch doubt whether there wss soch a profnsion as that of seal-engraver in the I'rojao war. But the difflneis of the objccia and the quaintnet) of the allusion throw us farther back into the ni];hi of tinie, than the f;olden, giittering ima;;es of the Itiad. The Travels of Anncbariis are less obsolete at this time of day, than Coryate's Crudities, or Puller's Worthies, * Here is some of the ancient city,' said a Romani taking up a handful of dust from beneath his feet. Tlie ground we tread on is as old a* the creation, though it does not seem so, except wheo collected into gigantic msssrs, or separated by gloomy solitudes from modern uses and the purposes of common life. The lone Helvellyn and the silent Andes arc in thought coeval with the Globe itself, and Cin only perisli with it. The Pyramids of Egypt are eait, sublHne, old, eternal ; bat Stonehenge, built no doubt in a later day, satisfies my capacity for the seote of antiquity ; it seems a< if as much rain had dtixzleij on its grey, witherecT hesd, and it had watched out as fflMiy winter-nights i the hftnd of time is apoo it, and it has wmiDed the Mrdeti of years upon its back, s wonder and a pooderous riddle, time o«t of mind, without known origin or use, bafltijtg
»5S
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
fable or coojectwct the credulity of ibe igooraat, of viae mm'a March.
Tliou noblett moaumcnt of Albioo'i !*lr, Whcthrr hj Mrrlia'f atd, froni ScTthi*') ihorr 'I'u Ambcr'a fatal pbin Pmiingam bon, Hu^ frame of Ki*nt ban4t, (br m^hty pale, T'ttitomb hi« BritOB't t\tia by Hcn};Ltt't gmk •■ Or Dtuiil pricMik, (piinklnl vfiih human gore, Tiiight mid thy aitaiy mnt thru m^lic lore i Or Daniih chiefs corich'd Ktih ut-agr ipoil, To viclory's idol titt, an unhcmi ilirinc, Rear'd the rude htio, or in thy hallow 'd grvund Rcpotc the kingi of Bnitui' gcnuiiit lin« ; Or hrr* (hou kingi in lolenui ttatc wrrt cromiVI ^ Siudioiu to tract my nondroui origin, Wc muK on niny «n ancienl (ale renomi'd.
JV'ortos.
So it it with tetpect to outkItc* abo ; it ia the kdk of chaagc Of decay that nuirk* the differrace between the red and apparent progcetK of lime, both in the ettnu of our own li«c« and the hiclory of the world we live in.
ImprcMioni of a peculiar and accidental oaiure, of which few trace* are kfi, sod which return Mldam or ncTcr, fade in the diataocei and arc coDatKoed to obtcuiity,— while those that beluog to aj^fcn and definite clam arc kept up, and M«ume a ooiMtant and tan^Ue form, from fimilixtiiy and habit. That which wa* percoaal to m^tf merely, it lo«i and coafoundcd with other thing*, like a drop in the ocean ; it wa* but a poioi at lirit, which by ita neaiDCW affected me, and by iti removal becomea nothing ; while cixcum- ffancca of a general iotereit and aburact importance preMot the tame diitiDCt, well-known aipect aa crer, aod are durable in proportion to the extern of their influence. Our own idle feeling* and fooltab fanciea we get tired or grow aahamed of, a* their noiclty wear* out t ' when we become men, wc put away childi*h thing* ; ' but the imprcMioot we derive from the exercise of oar higher facdtie* Ian ai long aa the Ixculiiea ibcouelvca. They haic ootliiog to do with time, place, and circunuUmoc ; aod are of univcrKtl ap|jicabiliiy and lectiTieoce. Ao incident in my own history, that delighted or , tormented me very much at the time, 1 may hare long lince blotted from my memory, — or have great difficulty in calling to miod after a ■ cctuio period i but I can never forget the firtt time of my teeing Mr*. Siddooi act ; — which t« a* if it happened ye«ierday ; and the rcaaoD i« becauw ti ba* been tomething for me to think of ever tiacc.
1(6
ON ANTIQUITY
The p«ly and th« pereonat, that which appnia to aui tttuet «ul our appetite*, paiact away witli ilic uccation tliat Rire* it birth. The gtand sad the idcul, that which appeals (o the imagination, can only beiiib with ii, and icnuina with us, unimpaired in ti* lofty abiirnciiont from youth to age ; a* whcreicr wc go, wp nill »cr ihc Mine heavenly bodies shining over our headE ! An old familiar face, the houae that we wi-re brought up in, wmetimes tlie Kenei and places that wc formerly Vocw and loved, may be changed, ao tliat we hardly know them aeain i the cliaracicrg in books, the facei in old piciurcK, the propMiiion* in Euclid, remain the tame a« when they were (irii pointed out to u«. There i» a continual alternation of grncration and decay in individual forme and Ireltngt, ibit marks the progrcM of existence, and the ccsicletR current of our livei, borne along with it : but this doet not extend to our love of art or knowledge of nature. It leemt a loos time ago mot tomt of the dm cTenu of the French Revolution | the promineot cbiractcts that 6gured then hare been iwepc away and luccccdeil by other* ; yet I cannot say that this ciicumitince ha* in any way abated my hatred of iy(anny,or reconciled my undentwiding to the fathiooable doctrine of Divine Right. Tbc tight of an old oewtpapcr of (bat date would give one a fit of the aplecn for half an hour ; on the otlier h^nd, it mum be confes«cd, Mi. Burke's Reileciions on this subject are at freih and dav.rMog aa in the year 1791 ; and his Letter to a Noble Lord h even now a« intcretting a* Lord John Ruescll't Letter to Mr. Wilbcrforcc, which appeared onlyi few weeks back. Ephemeral polilio and ttUI-burn pioductiont ate speedily connigned to oblivion ; great principtei and originul work* >re a match even for time iuelf!
Wc may, by following up ibis train of tdeat, give some account why time ruoe biter a* our year* increaac. We gain by habit and experience a more determinate and nettled, th^c it, a more uniibrtn notion of things. We refer each particular to a given standard. Our impressions acquire the character of identical propositions. Our mo«l striking ihoushts ate turned into truisms. One observation is like another, that 1 made formerly. The idea I have of a certaia character or nibject it iuit the same as I had ten year* ago. I have learnt nothing since. There I* no alterauon perceptible, no advance made ; so thnt the two point* of time nxm to touch and coincide. I get from the one to the other immediately by the familiarity of babit, by tlie undisiinguishing iirocesa of abstraction. What I can recal »o easily and mechanically doea not *eem far offi it is com- pJetely within my reach, and consequently close to me in apprehenuon. I have no intricate web of curious (peculation to wind or unwind, to
vot-ni. : R IJ7
h
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
paM from oor «(*tc of feetiag aad opinioa to the other i no com* plicated train of u»odatioot, wblcb pbce ui inuiMMimble barrier Detwem taj knowledge of my ignorance at difierent epoch*. There it no coDtraM, no repugiuoce to widen the interval ; no new icntinicni iofwcd, like another umMBhere, to lcn|thcn the pcnpeciire. i am but where I wai. I ece the object before me juK a* I have beco acciutomed to do. TIk idea* arc written down in tlK brain aa ia the |>3j^ of a book— ^MiAiii vrrUi tt Fittru. The mind become* ilereoljfitJ. By not goioD forward to explore new region*, or break vf new gtoundt, we are thrown back more and more upon ow p«at »CQui*it!oBi ; and thit habitual recurrence increaact the facility and indmereocc with which we make the imaginary iranttiioa. By tltiakiiig of what ha« been, wc change places with ounelres, and lllll[Mlii our pcrtonal identity at will ; lo at to fix the alidet of our improgrcMitre ooatiaiunce at whatever point we ptcate. Thl* ii an advaatafce or x ^tadfanta^e. which we have out in youth. A^er a certain period, we neither loae nor gain, neither add to* ner digimth our Kock i Dp to thai period we do nothing cite but kiae onr famn ootiooi and being, asa gain a new one every imiani. Ovr liie ia like the birth of a aew day ; the dawn break* apace, and the cloud* clear away. A new worM of thought and obaervauon ia opeaed to our aearch. A year maket the difference of an age. A totd ■heratjon lake* place in oar ideu, feelings, habit*, look*. Wc out- grow onnclvca. A tcparatc tet of objccu, of the cxiatence of wlucb we had not a mtpiaon, engage* and occnpic* oar whole aotils. Shape* and colourt of all varietin, and of gorgeoni tint, intercept our view of what we were. Life thicken*. Time glow* on it* axle. Every revohition of the wheel giret on tmaettled aipect to thinga. The world and iia inhabitant* turn round, and we forgcc one change of tcene in another. Art wooi u«; adeocc tcmpu u« ioio h«r intricate lobyiiiMlui cacb *iepprc«caK uolookod-for vitut, and cloae* upon M oor backward path. Our onward road is atrange, obacure, and infinite. We arc bewildered in a ihadow, loM b a drcaro. Onr pemptioot have the brightte** and the indininctnet* of a trance. Our ooobDuiiy uf cooaciounMat b farakeo, crumble*, and lall* in piece*. We go on, learning and fbr];ettiiig every hour. Oor fediogi are chjMtic, coniiited, nrange to each other and to ouratJvc*. Our Bfe doc* not hang together, — hot airaggllng, ditjointcd. wioda itt •low length along, itretchiog out to the endlcia future — unmindful of tbe ifioorant patt. We teem many bebj;* in one, and ca*t the *iough of ovr exiateocc daily. The birth of knowledge it the generatJon of time. Tbe uniblding of our experience i* long and voluminou* ; nor do we all at ooce recover from oor lurpiite at the 258
ON ANTIQUITY
number of objects that di$traa our aticntion. Ercry new itudy is a separatf, aiduou*, and iniurmounUbtc undetuking. Wc arc loR in wonder at the magnitTide. the dit&culiy, and the inierniiaable pronpcct. Wc spell out the (itit yean of our eKittence, like iearaiug a IcKon for the tint time, where eiery advance i> *low, doubtliil, iDiere«[ing ; atterwardt wc rcbcaric our part* by rote, and arc hardly coDiciou* of the meaning. A very ahort period (from liftcra to tweaty-fiTc or thirty) include* the whole map and table of cootcnta of human life. From that time wc may be laid to lite our livet over ^ab, repeat ourieNes, — tlie name thouii^htJ return at itatctl inierTali, like the tunc* of a barrel-organ i and the volume of the uoiTcrie ti no more than a form of word* and book of reference.
Time in gcoeril ii (upposed to mort fniter or slower, a* wc atictHl more or lem to the 8uccc«Hon of our idest, ia the lame manocr a* dittaoce ia increaacd or lenened by the greater or leu nriety of tnterreniflg objecte. There i», however, a difference in thia refpect. Satpente, where the mind i« engroijcd with one idea, and kcOT from Amuiing itaelf with any other, ia not only the mo« uDcomlurtable, but the mon tiretome of all things. The ^xing our attention on a tingle point malcc* at more aennble of the delay, and hang* an additional weight of fretful impatience on every moment of expecta- tion. People in coumryplacci, without employment or artificial reaourcet, complain that tmie lies heavy on their hands. Ita leaden pace !■ not occanioned by the quantity of thought, but by vacancy, aod the continual languid craving after excitement. It wanta spirit and vivacity to give it motion. We arc on the watch to »ee how time goes i and it appears to lag behind, because, in the absence of objects to arrctii our immediate attention, we are always getting on before it. We do not see ita divisions, but we feel tite galling prcHure of each creeping sand that measures out our hours. Again, a rapid racceuion of external objects and amiuements, which leave no room for reflection, and where one gratilicition is forgotten in the next, makes time pass quickly, at well as delightfully. We do not perceive an extent of surface, but only a succenioo of points. We are whirled swiftly along by the hand of dissipation, but cannot ttay to look behind us. On the contrary, change of scene, itavelliog through a foreign country, or the meeting with a variety of striking adventures that lay hold of the imagination, and continue to haunt it in a waking dream, will make days seem weeks. From the crowd of events, the number of di«linct points of view, brought into a small compass, we seem to have passed through a great length of time, when it is no such thing, to traversing a flat, batren country, the moBOtony of our ideas fatigues, and maket the way longer) whereas,
259
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
if ik prMptct ii diwwijed aad pki^wy*, «c gd one ike ohIm iJks. la vuaung ec wridab boat* m adted the iBHd, ifaofbed m tbc LifLi i » of ita . fergra tfce tinw BeceMuy la accoBfiith k : and, todtrd, the clock «An fiad* at iiBfilajid oa the ■«« (hcM^ or put of a pictvr tltM u^ciipiJ B atea it Miad las. It «aai, ihcs, tbm are wvsil otba ckc^m^bom beadw ibe aaAcr mJ ^hwcwm of •V kleM( la be tikca liM the BOBoaa in d» mamn of >»«( or ra caa«dswg * wfatMB tne ^nfale* aitli^ vhoai tine pUop withal, aad wbov he tamA» tdtl aitbaL' > Time wan awaj dovlj arkh a ■■a in aolkary coaSa^Dcat t bm ftaaibe Nmbs or variety of hit iitm, bat froa ibcir VMfy aacaeM, ftanaas Ike drap of water. The imniaiiioa B»y di«ai(«ib the b^ « ttMeb^ tbe bnlfiaai tMktf cf it* liDti, lad the nHty ioft»c Ai^ it aMaatc*: tbe heart 6el« it by tbe wc^htef eadaeM, aad ' giot-wfed, awnlbnlew de«ir<*
t will c«achide ihii (object with rctpaduD^ that tbe fiaicied ibort- acM of life b aided by ibe •pprebaMtoa of a fntare Male. Tbe ooaKaatly dkeciiag our bopa md fear* to a bi^er acaie of beiag bcyoad tbe jmnt, aecewanly briap death babatwly beftn na, and dctao the Kutaw fiaiiu erittun which we bold oar fraS csuMtocct la Bo^aaiaa boaod tbe boriaon, and taiamidibly dnv oar aneotkia to it. Tfaia nay be oee rcaaoe aawag oditn why tbe fcsr of death vaa ■ IcM proaaacot fcatare ia aacictt tJaiM diaa it i* at preacat t bacMae tbe ihoagbta of it, ud of a fcmt (oae, were k*t m^amdy inprcMcd oo the miad by ieli£ioa aad nonlity. The graaier ftogrcaa of crriltiatioa and aecatity is modem fioiei baa dao eoa.
* ' JbMlW. Timt nveli b <ll*m pwx* vitb Omti rotaet : 1 11 tell rn «>» Hw MUc* vUd, ■hB linw tnM wkhil, >li» tbM (^Oef* «llh>l. ukt -fco bt waa* «Ut wkhd.
MbA. IpittM,«b>doihhetm«Wi4ir
JEm, Uwit, h* lr«M b«< ulib * r«wi( nuM kl»uii tbe aetnct ti be* mirrini aM the dM it ii Mknalnd : U the mcrla be bM • (c'sHtbt, tfanCi fci m M htri tbil it Men* the Icaatk of K«ca jcan.
Or/. WboMBblMtkuwiihdf
Mm. Wkfc I jikti Ami befc* Litin, lai a lidi ■■■ ibM hMh nat tk loat \ far ibe «ac •kept cMflri keoMt b( oaact Madjri m4 dbt Mbir lioi mwrilir, kastc hi Utit DO pib t ike «•« bckia( tbt tm4e» ti leu «•< wiMcAil haennt | tbt other boovinc oa bw*B of baij Mlou feavtjr. Thne dale iBhIawiih.
<M. Wh* Mb he lillop >khatf
ito. With ■ thief t» the pUon | (cc tbsoth br (o «i tsAljr n foot «aa Ul, he tfafaiki hlmntf IM MOB ihm.
Or/. Whs aura ii wHIUl t
<■■ With liwfn* >■ tbe vacillan ; be ihej abef betim term uul Krm, tat thM the; pemrae aw bow tiaic B«iin.'— Wi Tm LA
I
sfio
I ZjIi b, Act 111. Sccae ib
ON ANTIQUITY
■iiJerjbly to do witli our practical c^cminacy } for though the old Pagani wetc not bound to ihinli of dc.ich u a teligioui duty, they ncTcr could forctce when they should be compelled to submit to i^ ai > natatRl nccctuiy, or accident of war, &c. l^y viewed death, therefore, with an eye of apeculauve indilTercDCC and practicAl resolution. That the idea of aoniliilation did not impreH llieni with tlie mme horror and repugnuncc ai it doe* the modem believer, or even infidel, i* easily accounted foi fthough a writer in the Edinburgh Rcriew ihinkii the qucfliion imolublc) ' from ihi« plain rcacon, wi. thxt not being taught from childhood a belief in a future state of citittcocc as a part of tlic creed of their country, the supposition that there was no such itate in store for them, could not thock their fectin;>(i, or confound their imagination, in the same manner as it docs with ui, who have been brought up in such a beliefi and who Htc with thoie who deeply cheriih, nnd would be unhappy without ■ full conviction of tl. It h ihc Chtiniian religion alone thai take* ni to the highest pinnacle of the Temple, to point out to ut ' the glory hereafter to be loealed,' and that makes us shrink back with anrtghi from (he precipice of annihilation that yawns below. Those who have never entertAined a hope, cannot be greatly staggered by haviag it struck from under their feet; tho«e who have never been led to expect the rewTMon oif an e*tate, will not be excenively diiRppointcd at finding that the inheritance has descended to others.
^ ' On Ihc othrr pnini, ninvly, iJitf dark And ic4pticil apiril pttwilettt through the worki nf liiit porl (IrfjM BTion], we thall nat now nttrr all that m fnl, hal cathtt dirtct ibr nolicf of our rnd«n to it ■< » lingular pbcuomenon ia the pottiy *f thr ijje. WhMTtr hj> itu(lie<l llw spirit of Grttli loii Romia IlKrtturt, must b»w b«n itiuck ^lih ihc (ompmtivc JlirtjirJ saJ indifltftnce. wLtrewiih the thinking men u( Ihoe tiquiiilcly poltihcil nationi eonUmplitid thow •Bbjccti of dvluKM and mytUTj which tttatd it lomc period or other of hit Ufc, to much diiquiM^wc hiri ilmiHl (airi to much inony, lo ihe mind of tmy HA(ciin{ modsm. It it liillimit to aecoonl (oi (hit id any vrry >iiiifi<tor}, in<t n tutpcct ilto|«tht( impossibU to do to in uiy iDlc<l;r logiul, mkunct. In rra<lioR lh< ■rorki of PUlo uti his Inltrpnttr Ciccfo, we find the germt of ill the itoubl* inil ■lUkliM to which we faiK lUudci, to f*i u ihcK irc connected with the work- lots of our reswa. The trngultrily it, lh>< thuiecloudt of flicVncu, which hang QTfr the intellret, Ao not apprir, 10 far ai we cm pfrniv^, to hava thrown at any time any Trry ilarming ihadt upon ihe (Mliri(t or temper of the •Dcicnt K«plie. We thmilil think a nty trr4t d»l of thii nil owinn lo the brilUsacy tad activity of hit touthem fancy. The Lighter ipiriti of ao[iquit;r, tike the more tnernriaJ of our modern*. 10 ughl relact in mere ea/r// A fir«r and dcriilon. The giaw poets aod philotophrii — and poetry ini! pTiUoiophy were in ihote dayt Mldiiin diauoited ^buill tip tonie airy and beautiful ayitem of myiticitin, each following hit own dtticM, and luiiing the rttition to hii own ptcoliiriliet of hops uil inclination ; ■od thii bein; onte iccompliihcd, the miad appcaii lo have Ml quit* Klitfied with what it had (lone, an-i lo have repoKd ainidtt the ipleodoiir* of ill iind-bnilt (aaliiltc ediKoc, with u math Kcorily m if it hid bc«n fmoved iixl itvellHt iDlq
361
k
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY XXIV
ON THE DirFBRENCE BETWEEN WRITING AND SPEAKING
' loiiw mindi m prcporlkwil te tint whkh miy be -litpttchcd ii osec, or ■illltB • ihon rrcurn of timt i otiun l« that which bfgin* a^r aS, iwJ ii to bi WM wllh IfBgth (rf punuii.' Lo«n Baoom.
It ii ■ ccmmoo obKrnuoa, tlat few pertons can be Tound who speak md write e<iually well. Not onl^ U it obviou« that Uic two facultie* <lo not alwAjrt f>a logetlier in the tame progmniona : bat they are not uniuually in direct oppotition to each other. We find tbii the gtcxteW authnri often make the wont company in the world ; uul Igitn, tome of the livelieit fellow* imaginable in coDveruiioa, or extempore (peeking, leeni to lote all their nfacity and tpiril the moment iliey tet jwo to paper. For tlii> t f^teiter degree of <fukktim or ilowneu of pam, edueation, habit, temper, ttun of nind, ud ■ variety of collatertt and prcdUpoatDg cauien are ixcetary to accoant. The lubject it at lean curinut, atid worthy of an attempt to explain it. I thall endeavour to itlustratc the diifercnce by futiiiiaf cxjmplet rather than by analytical mtofoingt. Tbe philtMopbcr of old wm not nnwite, who defined inotioo by eettiag np and walkinc.
The fnU lekditie dittincikm betwem writing and (peaking ■*, duU more lime b aliowcd for the one tlun the other: uid hence diffrreni facuW* arc rei^uited for, and different object! anained by, each. He i* prtipcriy the bc«i ipeikcr who can collect together the greateii ituRiber of apposite ideis at a iBomrnt's warnins : he u ftoptily the best writer who can gire utterance to the greaiett <|uiuily of valuable knuwledjite in tbe courte of hii whole life. The chief retjuiute fer the ooe, then, .-ippeari to be qnickttew and bciKij of uerceptioa— for the other, patimce of wtil, md a power iacrrawig vita the dilGciiltiei it bas to iBUttt. He cannot be denied to be an expert apeakcr, a liTcty cOMpMtioo, who is itcrcf at a Ion for aonae-
thc rMk irf tea. The aire bbkih s( iagniutj m ill i Mi ■ ij^wi heakhal onidMif la iu aWor*, m im^nmn. Ukottiu m a Mtikinf caaairl' •' aU tU* I uU It mtj W avtrrtd tbu **wa m the tJRM W CmJiaa, wha tin* in tW
«f mhtA mttirm umtrmtM bf the re«<kwani «o4 *»eamdan W ■atettalaty, u u llw lommacal tt tlw wvci^ aod the (uem Jutialta •(■■ Ml. lu. p. te, 97, ^rAi^, CWi. HirtU, Caon 4.
i6a
ON WRITING AND SPEAKING
thing to uy on every occaiioo or nibject that olfers : be, by the nme rale, will make a rripccnble writer, who, by dint oi itudy, can find oal any thing good to luy upon iny one point that hai not been toachod upon before, or who, by aelting for time, can ^ive the mo«t complete and comprehensive view of any quc»tioD. The one mutt be done otT-haod, at a tingle blow : the other can only be done by a repetition of blow*, by having time to think atid do better. In Kptralting, In* ii required of you, if yoa only do h at onoe, vrith grace and iipirit : in writing, you itipulaic for all that you are capable of, bat you have the choice of your own time and aubjccu You do Bot expect from the manufacturer the ume diapaich in cxccutiog an order that you do from the shopkeeper or warchouMrniaD. The dilTirrence of quichr and ilo^uer, howercr, ia not all : that it merely a difference of compariion in doing the janie thing. Bui the writer and Epcalcer hare to do thing* etsentinlly dilFercni. Beiidei habit, and greater or Icm facility, there i* alio a certain reach of capacity, a certain depth or ihallownciin, groMne« or refinement of intellect, which marks out the distinction between those whoto chief ambition ia to ahinr by producing an immediate elfecl> or who afc thrown hacki by a natural biaa, on the aeveicr leaearchci of thought ■nd study.
We ace peraon* of that atandard or textare of mind that they can do nothing, but on the tpur of the occatioD : if they have time lo deliberate, they are lo(t> There are others who have so resource, who cannot advance a step by any etforu or auistancci beyond a tucccinful arrangement of common -places : but these they bare always
at command, -it etery body'* setricc. There ia F ; meet him
where you will in the Ktrcei, he has hi* topic ready to discharge in the ume breath with the customary forms of salutation; he is hand and glove with it; on it goes and otf, and he manages it like Wart his caliver.
Hear liim but reaicin in divinity,
And, aUodmiring, nith an inn-ud wiih
Yoii would dctirt that he ncrc made a prelate.
Let him but talk of any ntate-affair,
You 'd lay it had bt«n ait in all hi* study.
Turn him to any eauu of policy.
The Gordian knot of it he will unlooie,
FamiJiaf an his garter. When he ipraks,
Tlie air, a chaner'd libenlne, itandi siitl—
but, ere you have time to nnswer him, he it off like a shot, lo repeat the same rounded, fluent obserTation* to others : — a perfect master of the scoienccs, a walking polemic wound up for the day, a smartly
163
THE PLAIX SrEAC£B
ON WRITING AND SPEAKING
die onior iiirDa out a mere dralxoloaied tint ia the perton of tlic pro«-wrii«t. Wc wonder at the change, and think there must be >ome miiulce, lomc Icgcr-de-main trick played olf upon ua, by wliich what bcfotc appeared (O fide now appeal* to be W worthlcu. The deception look place ifforf ; now it h removed. ' Bottom ! thou art translated!' might be placed as a motto under mo»i colleciioa* of printed speeches that 1 have had the f>uod foitunc to meet with, whether originally addreued to the people, the iwoate, or the bar. Burke'c and Windham'i form an exception : Mr. Coleridge's Cancienet ad Populam do not, any mote than Mr. ThclwaH'a Trt/wne. What we read ia the same : what we hear and »ee i« different — • the •clf-*anie words but aM to the lelf-tamc moc/ The orator** vehemence of gctture, the loudneM of the voice, the tpcaking cyCi the conscious attitude, the ioexplieable dumb ibew and noiec, — ^1 *tboK brave sublunary things that made his ruptures clear,' — are no loager there, and without these he is nothing)— hit * fire and air* turn to puddle and ditcb-wntcr, and the God of clociuencc and of our idolatry (ink* into a common mortal, or an image of lead, with a few labels, nicknamea, and party watch-words stuck in his mouth. The truth ie, that these always made up the stock of his iotellcciual wealth ; but a certain exaugcratioo and extrataRance of manner covered the nakedness, and iwrlled out the cmptinwi of the maiiert the sympathy of angry multitudes with an impassioned theatrical dcclaimct supplied the place of argument or wit ; while the phynca] animation and ardour of the speaker evaporated id ■ sound and fury, agnifyiDg nothing,' and leaving no trace behind it. A popular speaker (such as 1 hare been here dcKribing) it like a vulgar actor off the stage — take away his cue, and he has nothing to My for him- lelf. Or he it so accutiomcd to the intoxication of popular applause, that without that stimulus he has no motiTc or power of exertion left — ndthct imagination, understanding, liveliness, common sense, words or idca»— he is tAitly cleared out [ and in the intervals of sober reason, is the dullest and most imbecil of atl mortal*.
An orator can hardly p.el beyond commeap/aca : if he doei, he gets beyond hin hearers. The moit tucceiiful speakers, ei'en b tbe House of Commons, have not been the best scholars or the ftnett writers — neither thoie who took the most profound views of ibeif tubjeci, nor who adorned ii with the moit original fancy, or the richest combinations of language. Those speeches that in general told best at the time, are not now readable. What were the material* of which they were chiefly comooted I An imporing detail of patnng events, a formal display of ofliciaJ documents, an appeal to eitablished maxims, an echo of popular clamour, some worn-out
z6s
THE PLADC SPKACES
ON WRITING AND SPEAKING
•peak in con)|)aM) that ever wnt delivered tn tbai Hoiuc, they walked out. not as the be-.uu came out of the uk, b^r two« and by tbteei, but in diovet and conipatues of teni, of doxcna, and icore* 1 Oh ! it it ■ the bcavicH ncone which melacchuly can throw at a man,' when you arc in the middle of a delicate tpcculation to tee ' a robuiEeoui, periwigjMKcd fellow ' deliberately take up bit hat and walk out. But what effect could Burke** finest obwrmtiona be expected to have oo tbe Hou«e of Conuuoo* io their corporate capacity i On the tuppontioD that they were ofigiiul, refined, compreheDiiTc. hit auditors had never heard, and asturcdly they had never thought of them before : how then (honld they know that they were good or bad, till they had lime lo codiider better of it, or till they were told what to thinks In the mean time, their elfect vrould be to ttop the auettion : they weie blanka in the debate : they could nt best only oe laid aude and left aJ nfirtnium. What woald it ligoify if four or five peraoai, at the utmoil, felt their (iill force and fascinating power the mitant they were delivered ? They would be utterly unintelligible to nine-tenthn of the perioni pre»ent, and their impre*tion upon any particular individual, mote knowing than the rett, would be involuntarily paralysed by the torpedo touch of the elbow of a country- gentleman or city-orator. 1'herc it a reaction in intentibilily m well M in enthuiiatm \ and inco in society judge not by their own coa- vicdons, but by lympathy with other*. In reading, we may f!0 over the page again, whenerer any thing new or (questionable 'sivei ui pfiutc:^ be«ide«, we are by oor»elTe», and it ia a viard to tie wiie. We arc not afraid of understanding too much, and being called upon to unriddle. In hearing we are (saving the mark !) in the company of fooU ; and time pretBct. Was the debate to be suipeoded while Mr. FoK or Mr. Windham look thii or thai Honourable Member aside, to explain to them tbalfou obirrvalna of Mr. Biuke'*, and to watch over the new birth of their nndernandingt, the dawn of thii new light I If we were lo wait till Noble J.orili and Honourable Gentlemen were inipircd with a relish for sbttruse thinking, and a taste for the loftier flights of fancy, the buune» of this great nation would shortly be at > (land. No : it ii too much to aak that our good tilings should be duly wprcciated by the firtt pcnoo we meet, or in the next minute after their ditdosuie ; if the workl are a little, a very little, the wiser or belter for them a century hence, it is liill as mnch as can be modestly expected 1 — The impression of any thing delivered io a large assembly must be comparatively null and void, unleia you not only understand ■nd feel its value yourself, but arc conscious that it ia felt and under- stood by the meanest capacity present. Till that i* the case, the tpeaker ia in your power, not you in hi*. The eloquence that i«
a6;
THE PLAIN SPEAKEB
dtcctml and irrewitiHe niut Kit the iDcrt num of pcvjndioe, JMid' [McTCc tbe opaqout (ludow* of ignonDce. Corporate bodte* aww •low in tbc ptogrcH of iatctlect, for thit rcuon, ibu tbcjr mua, keep t»ck, like cooro^ for tbc boncit uiling vcmcI* tiodct tbcir] charge. The itnewi « the wmck coodcUi ore, after all, impodwicc aod uBtereM : the Boit eaUgbteaed bodtei are oftea bat tlana of the weakett iatdlecia tbej redUM aaioog tfaeaii aod tbc beit-amnt»oned ^ are but tool* of the greatest hypooMc* and kaaicK. — To ooBcli trhat 1 had to ny od the chwactet of Mr. Borke't faAaatetnaij tiflc, I will joa giTc ao iMtaDce of wbu 1 n>c«n in aAraiBig that « wai too racoodkc foe hia bearer* ; aad ii ahall be eree in ao obriowJ a thing ai a cjnottlioa. Speaking of the nrw-raaglcd Fmcfa Coa^^ ■utuuon, aod in partictilu of the King (Loui* m.) aa the chief power in fomi ana appeirioce oaky, be repeated the nmoo* Imea in Milton dncribuig D«^th, and coaanded with pe<niltar erapfaiM,
.-^What tenu'J iti btadt The Sintii of a kingly anwn had oo.
The penoB who heard him make the speech aaid, that, U ever a poet'* UDguage lud been Gnelf applied bjr an otator to expreet hi* thoggbta and nuke out hi* ptupoae, it wu la ibU iciUDcc. The puaage, I believe, ii not in hU repotted cpecche* ; and I (he think, b all likelihood, it ■ fell (till-born ' from hi* lip* ; while of Nfr. Cinniog'* well-thumbed ^uotatioM o«k of VirgiJ woold'l elccutfy tlie Treanry Benchee, aad be echoed hy all the poluianu of bi> own ttandio*, aikd the tyro* of bit own tcbool, from Lord] Liverpool in the Upper down to Mr. William Ward b the Lower Hoote.
Mr. Biukc wa« an author before he waa » Member of Puliamemi b* flMCadcd to that peactical crniaeixe from <thc platform' of hii^ literary purmita. He walked out of hi* itudy iato the Hotue. BoE he neirer became a thorough-bred debater. He wat not ' nxtire to that dement,' nor wa« he ever 'lubdaed to the qnality' of that iBotky crew of knighis, citiieni, aod burgeitcK. The late Lord Outham wu made for, and by it. He »cemcd to niih into hia •cat there, like Houpur, with ilic exclamation in hia taooih — *thK Roaa ahall be my throne.' Or he *pcang out of the geniiw of the Howe of Commooi, like P.-ilIu from the bead of Jupiter, con^iktcly armed. He nnumed an atccndincy there from the very pott aod aiature of hit miod — from hi» upiring and bcry tonperamenl. He nB^dillMd bccauae he could not yield. He controlled the pnrpoaet of Otben, becaiue he was utroog in hia own obdurate tdf-wUl. He connBeed hia follower*, by never doubting him*elf. He did not
ON WHITING AND SPEAKING
ugar, but awerti he took what he cho«c for grsnicd, instead of making a quwiion of it. He wa« not a dealer in moot-fointi. He wized on tome >irong-hol(l in the arf;uraent, and held it Taut with a CodvuIhtc grasp — or wrettcd the weapom out of his advcnariet' baodt by RiiiQ foroe. He entered the Uku like a gladiator. He made political coDtrovcrsy a combat of pertooal (kill .ind courage. He wa> not for waiting time in long-winded diicumtons with hi* opponcou, but tried to dinrm them by a word, by a glance of hta ryci so that they ihould not dare to contradict or confront him again. He did Dot wheedle, or palliate, or ciicumvent, or make a ttudied appeal to the reason or the patnoni — he £eiaird hix opinion* to the Ho«i«e of Commons. ' He (poke as one hiring authority, and not at the SciibeE.* — But if he did not produce such an effect either by reason or iroaginatiovi, how did he produce it ? The priodpte by which he exerted hia influence orer otnera (and it is a principle of which tome ipcakert that 1 might mention aeem not to have an idea, cten b poxitMlity) wai lyropathy. He hirotelf evidently had a strong pouestioo nf hit tubjccc, a thorough conviction, an intense intereu ) and this commonicBtcd itself from his mmner, from the tones of his TiMCCi from his commanding attitudes, and eager gestures, in>tinctively and unavoidably to his hearcrt. His will was lutchirged with electrical matter like a Voltaic battery t and all who iiood within hs reach felt the full force of the thock. Zeal will do more ihxn knowledge. To wy the truth, iherc it little knowledge, — no ingenuity, no parade of individual details, not much attempt at general argument, neither wit nor fancy in hia tpecchet — but there ■re a few plun truths told home : whatever he layt, he does not mince the matter, but clenches it in the most une<]uivocal manner, and with the fuUett lenie of its importance, in clear, (hort, pithy, old Fnglish lentenoet. The most obvious things, as he puts them, lead like axioms— lo that be appcara, ss it were, the genius of common sense pcrtonilied ; and la turning to his tpeechei you fancy that you have met with (at leaat) one honest statetnian ! — Lord Chatham commenced his career in the intrigues of a camp and the buttle of a mew'room ; where he probably learnt that the way to
f'overn others, is to make your will your warrant, and your word a aw. If he had spent the early part of hi* life, like Mr. Burke, in writing a treatise on the SuHmf aitJ Htauiiful, and in dreaming over the abstract nature and causes of things, he uould never have taken the lead he did in the British Senate.
Both Mr. Fox aad Mr. Pitt [though ai oppotite to each other as ponible) were eHentially speakers, not authors, in their mode of oratory. Beyottd the moment, beyond the occasion, beyond tbc
169
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
of L«M ^«B b te MM^ pMed far k
Afc-t
:be.t-*«i
M»i
Try tfaca es ley otho whlig b> y 4brK mJ mk horn Mga »iiiiil|ili«rit»dw«dg»'<»a Wtfar k.' See ba« fe«^
S]0
ON WRITING AND SPEAKING
k
kave <lone any thing vU cf ii\ how few that have, ahine thrrt\ Read OTei the collection* of old Debate), cweniy, foriy, eighty, a hundred years ago ; ihcy are the tame mutalii moiaaiiit, ae thoae of ycMcfday. Yoa wonder to »rc how little ha* been added ; yoo piere that to Utile hua been lo«i. Mtta ia their own faTouritc to[HCt, how much ate they to «eek I They Btill talk gravely of the Sinking Fund in St. Stephen') Chapel, which hia been for eonie time exploded at a juggle bv Mr. Place of Cbaring'CroM ; and a few of the principle) of Aoam Smith, which every one else had been ac<iuainte<d with long tince, are juit now begioninf; to dawa 00 the collectire understanding of the two House* of I'ailiamcnt. Itittead of an cxoberancc of lumptuou) matter, you hare the lanM ro«Krc ttanding di)h(i for every day in the year. You must serve an apDrenticeahiii to a want of originality, to a suipentioa of thought and feeling. You are in a go-cart of prejudicet, in a regularly constrvcted machbe of pretexts and precedent* i you are not only to wear the livery of other men's thoughts, but there it a Hous<H»f- Conimons jargon which must be used for every thing. A man of simplicity and independence of mind cannot esiily reconcile himself to all this foimoliiy and mummery; yet woe to him th^it shall attempt to discard it! You can oo mure move against the stream of custom, than you can make bead agauut » crowd of people ; the mob of lords ud gcDtlcmen will not let you speak or think but as they do. You are hemmed in, milled, pinioned, presied to death, — and if you make one false step, arc ' trampled under the hoofs of a twintsb multitude I ' Talk of mol» ! Is there any body of people that has this character in a more consummate degree than the House of Common* ? Is there my set of men that determines more W acclamation, and lest by dtufaeralion iuhJ individual conviction i That is moved more m nuuir, in it* aggregate capacity, as brute force and physical number i That judges with more Midas cart, blind and sordid, without dticrimtna- tioo of right and wrong ? The greatest te« of courage I can conceive, is to spnk uuth in the House of Comffions. I have heard Sir Francis Burcleii lay things there which I could not enough admire ; and which he cotdd not have ventured upon uying, if, oeiidcs hia honesty, he had not been a man of fortune, of family, of character, — aye, and a very good-tooking man into the bargais I Dr. John*oa had a with to try his hand in the House oi' Commons. An elephant might at well have been introduced there, ia all the formi: Sir Wtiltam Curt!) makes a better ligute. Either be or the Speaker (Ontlowl must have reHgned. The orbit of hi) intellect was not ibe one in which the intellect of the bouse moved by ancient privilege. H'u common-place* were not ihtir commoD-placc*. — Even Home
271
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ftist old viotiutD you met her opinion oo uiiy lubji-cc, lad you could g«t at the mietman's ; for hi* would be just the contnuy. He would be wiicr than the old womao at any rate. If a thing had been thought cruel, he would prove iiiu it waa humane ; if bvbaroui, nualy; if wik, foolith -, if gcnaci Qon«eD«c. Hii creed wa* the aocitheua of cotnmoa kiuo, loyalty excepted. Ecoaomy he could tuTD into ridicule, ' a.» a *aiiii|[ of chccac-^iarinjii and caadle^odt ' [— and total failure wai with him 'negative lucceaa.' He hiid oo occanon, in thut tctting up for original thinking, to iniguire into the truth or £ilsebood of any proponition, but to ascertain whether it wat currently bcIicTod io, and then to contradict it point-blank. He made the rulgac prejudice* of othett ' tcrvile miniftiett ' to hi» own wlecimii. It wat not ca<y alwaya to My whether he waa in jnt or carnett — but he contrived to bitch hit cxiiaiagancct into the midst of (ome uravc debate; the House had ibeir laugh for notliiog; the qucation got into ihape again, and Mr. Windham waa allowed to hare been more bnliaat than ever.*
Mr. Windham wat, I have heard, a dlcnt man in company. Indeed hii whole *tylc wa* an artificial and (ludicd imitaiion, or capricioua caricature of Butke't bald, natural, ditcurtivc manner. This did not imply much apontaneoua power or fertility of invcotion ; he waa an intellectual pott arc- maatcr, rather than a man of real elatticity and vigour of mind. Mr. Pitt was al»o, 1 believe, tome- whai taciturn and reserved. There wa> nothing clearly in the aubject matter of his specchci to connect with the ordinary topic* of dHCOuiKi or with any given aapeci of human life. One would expect hin to be quite aa much in the cloud* a* the automaton cho*-playcf, or the 1»*t new Opeta-iinger. Mr. Fox *aid little in priruc, asd con^lained that in writing he had no Kyle. So (to compare great than^ with imall} Jack Davict, the uoriraUed rackei-idayeri nevet aaid any thing at ail in company, and wm what !• underttood by a raodext man. When the racket waa out of hi* hand, hi* occupation, hii delight, hit glory, (that which he excelled all mankind in) wa« gone ! So when Mr. i''ox had no longer to keep up the ball of debate, with the floor of Saint Stephen'* for a atagc, and the world for ipectatort of the game, it b hardly to be wondeicid at that be fdt a little at a lou — without hit utual train of tiibject», the lame crowd
' It ngM bi ptauA, bowcirtt, ihil Iherc wat umclhini fiif^att u4 frDvekiaf in hi* OMDOcr of 'nuking tht wottf 'ppm the bdirr tcaten.' la kttfiixf off the ill odour of a bad ciuK, b; appllfl harlthota and burnt (nihtn t» th* oSta4a4 Kdie ; tai <llii ant, like M:. Canaioi;, tr«M w with (be f»M flowm of Ui eriietT, likt the faiot imeli of t perfimut** tbsfi at try la nak* Covcnmaat * iDW'lodB * a( itaad ma'i bail I
VOI~ Til. : I 173
J
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
of aMiciatioiw, ibe nme ipiiit of contpctitioo, ot idmatat to extia- ordioBiy exertion. The cxcUrawtit of leading in the Hook of CommoM (wtiich, in addilioo to tbc immediate anratkia ud ipplauWj tittt followt, ii a ton of whupcriag ^kry to ill I£iirope) muK n upon the bnia like braacfy or tiudaBUffi ttpoo the atomach j >od moic, in mo*t ci»», {irodoce ibr ume debilitating rlFeai afierwsFdt. A nua'i &cultie* moM be quite exIuuMed, hit virtae gone out of httD. That iaj oae acnutoiBed all hit life to the tribtttary roir of tcffiaaae from the great coaoci) of the BUioiti iboold think of dieting bimtelf with the prot]>cct of potUiBinov &nM u u author, it like olfertng a coofinnca dram-drinker a gbatof Edrimer for hiaBnonuiig'tdrauf[ht.J Chariea Fox it not to be hboied (u baiini wriocii an iodifferettt* hiitory of Jame* ii. but for hafing wntten a hinory at all. It wat not hit boiincM to write a hijtory — hia btutneM wa* nor r« have maJt anj mart CmSmoi ! Bat he fonnd writing m> dull, be thought it better to be a collesgne of Lord GreoTillc t He did not wuii ttyle
iio uf to it noniente, becjote the Myle of his ^lecchct wu just sad^ ine)— he waatcd a touodiDg'^XMrd in the car of poiterity to try hia periodt opoo. If he hid gone to the Houae of Commoiu in the iDonung, and tried to make a ipeech fattioB, when there was nobody to bear him, he might have been e<|ua]ly diKoncened at hit wsnt of] ftyle. The habit of (peaking it the habit of being heard, and of wanting to be hejtd ; the habit of wiiting m (he lubtt of thinking aloud, but without the help uf aa echo. The orator tees hit subject j in tlie eager lookt uf hit audiion i and feeli doubly cootcious, doublyl impcetied with ii in the glow of their lyropathy ) the author can only j look for encouragement in a blank piece of paper. The orator iecui the impulse of popular cnthutiatm,
like proud icai under him ;
the only Pcgoaus the writer hat to boati, it the hobby-horse of bit own thoughts and fanciet. How is he to get on then^ From the lash of necettiiy. Wr accordingly tee pcttont of rank and fortune continually Tolunteer into the service of oratory— and the State-, but we hare few author* who arc not paid by the ^«t !— 1 myacif hare beard Charles Fox engaged in tLiniliar contertation. It wu in the Louvre. He wat deccribing the pictures to two peniont that were with bim. He ipoke rapidly, but very uaaiTcctedly. I remember luf saying — < Alt thotc blucv and green* and reds arc the Guercinoi ; you may know ihcm by the colourt.' He set Opie right at to Donienichtno'i Saint Jerome. 'You will find,' he S»d( ' though ■ you may nut be struck with it at lirsi, that there is a great deal vt\ truth and good lente in that picture.' There wat a person at one >74
ON WRITING AND SPEAKING
rlime a good deal with Mr. Fox, who, whco the opioioa of (he latter waa asked on any tubjccii very frcquenily interpoacd to give the aoawer. Thi» surt uf taniali^mg inietruutioD w«* ingeniouily eooogh compared by tome one, lo wilkinft up Ludgate-hill, and hiring the spire of Si. M.irtin't comtaotly gelling in your way, when ynu with 10 «ee ihc dome of St. Paul'* ! — Burke, it is *aid, conversed at he ■poke in public, and as he wrote. He was communicative, dilTuse, DUgDtliccDt. ' What is the use,' uid Mr. Fox to a ftleod, ' of Sheridan's trying to swell hiniacif out in this manner, lite tlie frog b the fable .' '—alluding lo hit ipeech on Warren Ha«ing«'» lti*l. ' It is very well fur Burke to exprta* himtcif in th^it ligur.itive way. It is natut.il lo him ; he talks to to his wife, to bii trrianls, to his children ; but M for Sheridan, be either ncTer opens his mouth at all, or if he docs, it ie to utter some joke. It is out of the question for him to alfect these Orimtaliiim.' Burke once can)e into Sir Jo«hua Reynolds's painting-room, when one of his pupilt wa» uiiing for one of the BOD* of Count Ugolioo ; this geotlemaQ was pertonally introduced
to him ; — ' Ah ! Uiot,' said Burke, * I IJnd thai Mr. N bai not
only a bead that would do for Titian to paint, but is himself a painter.* At another time, be came in when Goldsmith was there, and poured forth such a torrent of violent personal abuse againHt the King, that ibcy got to high words, and Goldsmith threatened to leave the room if he did not delist. Goldsmith bore testimony to hit power* of conrertatian. Speaking of Johnson, he said, * Docs he wind into a subject like a scqicni,M Burke docs .' ' With respect to hit facility in composition, there are contradictory accounts, it has been stated by some, that he wrote out a plain sketch first, like a tort of dead colouring, and added the ornaments and tropes atwrwards. i have been a»uied by a pcmon who had (he beit means of knowing, that I the Lciier lo a Naift LcrJ (the moit rapid, impetuous, glancing, and •partivc of all hit workt) was printed on, and the proof tent to him : and that it wati returned to the printing otiicc with to many alterations and patuges inicrlinod, that the compositor* refused to correct it as it was— took the whole matter in pieces, and re-set the copy. 'I'hia looks like elaboration and after- thought. It was also one of Burke's latest composiuons.) A regularly bred speaker would have made up fail mind oeforcfaand i but Burke's mind being, aa originally cooiti- luted and by it* first biai, that of an author, never became set. It was in funhcr search and progress. It bad an internal spring left.
' Tom riiDC, while he n> baty ahoM iny cf hit works, UKil la wslk out, MmpoK 1 KnitnM or piripiph in hit hrxl, come honw soil wiiu it down, ifld oevtr illcrcrf it •ftttwtr'lt. He then idikil snctbcr, toA WMi, till the wbole «ru cemplcted.
«7S
IVm b a d^n> of faMMg « wfi « af 1 I Ml w be pt » etan^Kf,
hi
a ■■( X vriogai cte^np to w«cr ■ ^i^^vy V 1^
lilhll. ll%|M,Mlliril '. Illmil illlllMIMlllllh -fcii
»76
W«
ON WRITING AND SPEAKING
have a rif^t to expect from him ptofoandcr *iew« ofthing*; Inier fliMCrrnion* ; morv iBgraiotu UlomatioDi ; happier and bolder «xprc»- tiooM. He it to girr the choice and pckcd rc«iha of a whole iife of Vfidj ; what he liaa urack out in his niott lelicitout moodt, ha* tmsured up with nioit pride, hui bboured to bring to light with mott anxiety and coniideDCe of succeM. He may turn a period in hi* head nfiy diffcrcat wayt, ao that it come* out unooth and round at Uit. He may bare caught a glimptc of a timilc, and it muv hare f Ulithed agnin : let him be oo ihc watch for it, aa the idle boy vuchrt for the luiktDg-placc of the adder. We can wait. He ia not ntiilied with a reaion he has offered for MMnetbiog i let him wait titl he find* a better reaaoa. There ii Miae word, tome phraae, tome idiom that cxptewci a particular idea better than any other, but he cannot for the life of him recollect it : let him wait till he doc*. Ii k urugc thu tiDODg twenty thoiuaiNl wordi io the liitiglith language, tbe OH of all othen that he most ncrdi nhovld hai-e cKapcd him i There are mott tbinga in nature than there are word* in the Cngliah bnguage, lad be muff not expect to lay raah haodi on them all M Odce.
Lram to ^oriu »lofr : all ochn gncet
Will fallow in their proper pbcci.
You allow a writer a year to ihink of a tubjcct ; be should not put you off with a tniiim at laM. You allow him a year mote to find oat words for hi* ihoughti ; be ibould not give u* an echo of all the fine thingi (bat have beeo tatd a hundred timet.' All aathon, howcTer, are not to aqucamiih ; but take tm with wordi and idea* a* tbcy find ihem dcliTcred down to tbem. Happy are they who write LatiDtrenMl Wbocopy the ityleof Dr. Joiinton! WIio hold up tlw fttme of *acWM ^moI I I'hey do not trouble tfaemselvet with iboie hail-breadth ditiioctioM of tbooght or meanii^ that puziJe nicer head* — kt u* leave them to tbeir Kpote ! A perton to habit* of eORiponiion ojten heaiiate* in converMImo for a ftuticular word ; it i* bec«u*e be i» in aearcfa of the bett word, and tbai he cannoi hit upon. In writing he would nop till it came' It i« not (rue, howettr, that the tcholar could avail hinHelf of a more ordinary word if be chote, or readily acquire a comnund of ordinary langiugci for hi* attoci*' lion* are habitnaiUjt iatenie, not vagtie and ihallow : and word* occvr to faim ooly a* MGrr to certain modiEcatiooi of feeling. They are
> Jan M * fo« o^ht sol to chcM «* wiA faatt mctte *»4 ^KMiivt rbyaiH, whkb Dii^ht U cmuUi b u iaBfrmwKoti vertlfar.
* Thit >■ tHentUUr i btA nylt vhicli KCnu u If the pnvni •rillni It mtirt Mapped la Wtnth, b« give bioMcIt i niaiiul'i paMT, hi *lr«m to tatkt op ij vnluWadcy aad lltaicj for «nl of choice *n4 corrtetam e( tiprfim.
37;
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Ta cwdidt duk aeoMBt with vfac p«faa^ I ogghl u !■«« ■(
but wlio, vben left jboe, eta luh tbcaadm Imd a fiua. T^e; an imer leM aloae thiB wben alone. Moot d^ on ■ AiBcr- uUe, >ad thty hm widuiag to uj: tbnt tbem «p n a tdob ^ tbMMclna, aad ibey an iMptfcd. Thrf ai« • aade fierce mfe <laik kccBMi^ IB fa HUM roe wsv toBCB^^TVdi a uhtiai ot wda flowa li«n tbea pent, and xhe ttorm wUch waa m long ceUccdag oooan ^aee. It Mter nina bu it pow*. I* tMit Om itnaie, " t f Not ai all M. Tbrj baic a real tntcma, a Kal «78
ON WRITING AND SPEAKING
knowledge of tbc (object, and they cuioot (oramon np tU tlut imerett, ot briog aJl that knowledge to bur, while they bare any tbiag dte to aiteod to. Tiil they can do ioKicc to the fcclicg they ha*Ci they an do nothing. For ihi« ibey look into their own mindii not is tbc l«cct of > giping multitDdc. Whu they would tay (if tbeyooald)doc*Bot lie at ibeonficnof th« mouth ready for ddtTcry, but i* vrapoed in the foldi of the heart asd rejtiatcred in tbc chamber* of the bcaiD. tn tbe ucred etaue of truth that ttira tbein, th«y would piM their iriMte ftreoKth, their whole being into reaiiititioo ; and a* it implica a gnattr emn to drag thdr wordt aad idcai fron dttir lurkiAg-plaoct. to tberr i* ao ead when tbn arc oacc tet ia noiiOD. Tbt whole of a man'* ifcon^m aad titrngt aaaa lie on the nrltct, made up for uae; bnt the wbok omm be a gmter ^■nlity, a miduier power, if ihey could be jot al* byer nder layert ■kI brought into puy by tbe leren of imagination and reilectioo. Svch a pcraon then tea &nber aod (eeU deeper than moM other*. He pbut up an argmneet by the root*, he tear* ooi the vny heart of Ua nbject. He ha* more pride ia GOtu)uerin| the ditfcnkiM of a qomioa, than vamty in conrtiag tbc favooi of an audience. He wnbn to wu$fy hinudf before he pretend* to enlighten the public. He take* an ieumi in thiagt ia tbe abttrvt more than by common cocuent. Nature i* hi* mirtrea*, truth hi* idoL Tbe cootem^acioD of a pure idea is tbe mliog poanoo of hia breatt. Tbe iuerTeetion of other peopic'i iwtioil^ tbc being tbc iauncdiaic object of their ceaaoic or thetr praiie, ftu Un oat. What wid tdU what will produce an effect, he caret Gitle about ; and iherefwe be pndacea tbe greaieat. Tbc ftrn*^ it to bim an impertineBce ; to be cowceala hinadf and write*. Soiitodc ' bccotnci hit glittering bride, and airy tfaoi^bta lut children.' Such a oac ic a tme aothor ; and not a member of any Dcbatiag dub, or Dilettanii Society wfaatercr ! >
> lhniMUlMdta4wtU«BHaMMb(rdii(rtMna(bo4TaaJaiaitlMoftn leewat the (mw mtm* (i«m Jilnit ia bMh cafadtk* of tfeakn larf vrHer. Thfre ut aaaml M|i<Iblmi i* |aUk yifclng, hkIi m the wmt of i Mnag Mke tmi MM*r acr«c«. A y^ amkMkjtt tht frntnt ^ (Mi. Ciaaiai) ha* ttwtlii iMi * wirtrt tt » wmA Impartaat^ tfai he gtn ■> I*r ■■ cxa la letk ■Cbct th( rMMiftiiw s( PvliBHBt, ta4 wt«iw» that |tWni«a wfc* ba*t not b»U fankodi «Bd knMB la^h bM ns4M riMonao* m4 pMiiaticirkws ibouU k iDowW to cntp ioU tbt pot MoaUy ol the •«»•• ibaa^ dM wwa* of daw bemttm, anJ dm be alM apoa 'M bet the ■oraH of the hMtlack' la <htifeiw«(<Tew,tnalWMfM«fn«lw,»n4*aokT>Jif Hliiwy*^ ■ Wilfcntlr IfMc ta Ik •Pdllkal Uaae ihit jKk ballu' I tocy Mr. C. Wjaai k tbe aaly fcnec b the Vrngiaia whs hit tttlj a%it if kit miod that 1 total ilcCKt of i«icc n (be Boat nactwaiy ontificilMO lor i 5pcal«r t( Ihc H— aarfCtmBCPit
a79
ON A PORTRAIT OF AN ENGLISH LADV
poMcnort of then wDl be conicioiu of it. There nujr be Mfoal tltpuiix, bat DM the nme ewe ; there taajr be even greatee intelligence, but without the innoccoce; more iiTicity, but ihet) ri will no ioM petalance or cw^vttty ; in tbort, there may be evefv Othcf good quiity but a toutl abvciKc o( all preteniion to or wiih to nuke a ditfiay of it, but the ume unaffected nwdeity and nmplicity. Id French face* (and I have »een lome that were charming both for the feature* and exprcMion} there •> ■ varnwh of iiMincerity, a KKnethine theatrical or mnetridouii but here, every particle it pure to the ' uit teceMe« of the mind.' The face (tuch M It i*, lad it has a comsderable ihare both of beauty and meaning) i* without the Miiatlcac aDoyof afTccuiion. There i« ao blae glitter in the eye* to make them look brighter; no little wrinkle* about the Goroera of the eye-lids, the efi'ect of Klf-cooceil ; no putting Oft of the mooth, do tigniCcam leer, do priraMi>t do extravagance, no ataumed levity or gravity. You have the gentdae text of nature without glo«* or comment. There i« do heighteuBg of ConMiow charnu to ptodoce greater eileci, no ttndying of airt and graieea in the ^aia of vanity. You have not the remotett hint of the milliner, the dancing-muter, the dealer in painia and paichr*. Yoo have before you a real Eaglith lady of the aeventcenth ccetuiy, who look* like one, becauae the caonot look otberwitei whote exprcwioo of (weetnea*, intelligence, or concern i* juti what t* natural to her, and what the occaiion revjmre* ; whoac entire demeanour ii the emanation of her habittial •eniimcou and diapotiooa, and who la a* free from guile or alTectatioo at the little child by her tide. I repeat that thii i* not the diatiDgniahi&g character of the French pbytiognoray, whkh, at ha beat, ia often ipoiled by a conacioueoeai of what it ia, ■od a reatlaa iemtt to be ■omething more.
Goodneta of dltpontion, with a clear complexion and haodiome feacurci, i* the chief ingredieot in Englith beauty. There i* a grcaa diflerence in ihi* retpcct between Vandv-ke'* portraita of wvMnca and Titian'*, of which we may find cxanipie* in the Louvre. The pictcrr, which goea by the ouoe of bii Miitmi, it one of the moat celebrated of the latter. The Deck of ihi* picture ia like a bratd Cfyatal norrot i and the hair which the hold* ao cateleatty in her hand i* ttke methea of beaten gold. The eye* which roll in their ample (ocket*, like two ahining orba, and which are niroed sway mm the ipectator, only dart their glancca the more powerfully into the tou] ; and the whole picture it a paragon of frank cordial grace, and traniparenc brilliancy of colouring. Her li^i boddice COnprcMea her fall but &idy proportioned waitt [ while the tucker in pan cooccala and almoit daip* the tnowy boaom. But you never
181
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
tlunk of ay tfaiog twToad the penoeal MtncMM, mJ « Mcuio tparkJaig ioteUiseoce. She b dm nvble, bat k iae neee of lynmH cliy> There m nme of that retiml mm] dniUns charactcTi that modetn of Jcmcaoow, ihtt muidrc delicacy, that tiaru ercn ■c the tbadow of nil — ^K are to cridcutlj to be traced ia the portrait bj Vaod^kr. SdD there ii W pD«m ncc, 00 imiBBfWt DO hywXTi*T, but an iincoiwcTiiMd elaK»c qwit of tU-ea'jojmaK, BOK best OB the end ibaa acnipvloat aboot the meaiu ; wh finnly braced nerret, aod a tiocuBe of Tolgarity. She i« DOt like aa Eogliih lady, Dor like a lady at all i but *he it a very 6ae •errant- girt cooicioiu of hcT adTiniaga, and willing 10 nukc the mow of then. In fno. Tiuan'i Urutmi laiwcr* ex*ctty, I codocitc, to (be (da «c«nty«d by the Eo^iifa word, twtriiran. — The MarchioacM Of GttKo M a Hirer cooMpuMOtu f>he tt by the wopoMtioB d ttuyt bat mU as Italbn one. There b a honeyed tichaen about tht textore of the tkin, and her air ii languid mm a awiC of pleaMtre. Her drev, thoogh niodcn, fau the nurk* of mdied ooqactfy abou it ; (I toodkca the very limiu which it dare* nt fSM ; uA bcr eye« which arc bohfial and dowacaM^ do am Men 10 droop mkr the tear ov ovtcrratioDt but to retin tron the ffuf of ■witlfri MimiBiyfiif
—^ Ai if tbty thriird Frail hcsnt, y«t qixacbed sM I '
Ooe nigfat *ay, with Othello, of the hand with which abc hoUs the globe that it oSmd to her accrfKanc
' Thti hand of youn teqaim
A tt^ftttut fracn Ebetty, faain^ and pny'r. Mud) ^otiptiaa, caerdM dmul ; For beic't a yoiuig and wrffl'y devil bar, Xhat conocedy tebeh.
The handi of Vaadykc'a portraii have the pvitT and eoldaeM at marble. The colour of the bee i> wch aa nught w brNibed spoD it by the refreatuDg breeze ; (hat of the MvdwDaeM of GvMta't b like the ^ov it mi|;ht imbibe from a golden RnMci. The exprfrioat n the Engliab lady iprio^ from bet dotie* aod her affeokxii ; that of the Itaiian Conntea tDclioet more to her ea*e and pleamm. The Marchioneu of Ctuno war one of three *iitcn, to whom, it it aid, the inhabitanu of Piu propoted to pay divine hoooua, in the ntBaocr that beauty wa« worthippcd by the fUMilooa cathuiaK* of oM. Her b»iri»i»d MOM to have partic^ted b the common tnfwiilion, from the hadhl hoooge that ti pud to her in thia aDegorical eaM|>oaitioo t and if •he wu at all toloxicalcd by the ioccnte oacred to hcu* vanity.
ON A PORTRAIT OP AN ENGLISH LADY
xke pointer mwt be ijlowcd to have ' ijiulilicd ' the exprctiioa of h * rery CT»ftUy.'
I psM OB to aaothn r«n»le face and RffiM, ihu of the Virpo, in the bemtifvl picture of the PrtirBladvn in tin Tim^, by Gnido. Th« expreMwa here u idmi, and iiai a relerence to nnoaarf object! and feeling*. It it marked by an abttraaioo ffom outward im- preidon«, a doimcan look, an elevated brow, aa abcorption aS pvpoM, a ililliMst and rctigiuuoi), that bccoiac tbc perun and the icene in which she it engaged. The c«tour i* pak or gone ; m> that purified from every grweneat, dead to wofldly poMMOii the alrooat •eemi like a sutue kfieelin£. With kseei bent, and hand* uplifted, her nmlMaleM figure appcara mpportcd by a muI wtUuo, ■II whote thonghta, from the low ground of hvnulily, teiNl beaten> ward. We find Done of tbe triumphaat bvoyaBcy of health and t(nnl a» In tbc TiMun'j Aflilrtii, nor tbe Iqxwxmb tofcncxt of the ptmrut of the Marchioscs) of Guaito, nor tbe Aexible, trctnaloua Rfuibtlity, nor the anxion* attcaiioa to psHing circsmMancca, nor the funiliar look of tbe lady by Vandyke! ob the contrary, there ia a COBplete unity and coDccatration of exMCUMXi, the whole i« wrought ■p and moulded into otx ioteoK feefin^ bvt that feeling fixed on objecu remote, rctincd, ind ethciUl a* tbe form of (he fair rapplicasi. A Hili greyer contrail to thii intetnal, or a* it were, ialrmtrirJ exprctsioo, i« to be found in tbe group of fenak heads by ihc umc artut, Guiido, m hit pctare of the Fight o/* Parii and Httm. They are the three latt bead* oo the leil-baod nde of the picture. They arc throws into etery variety of attitude, a* if to take the bean by turpriae at erery avcoue. A tender wanntb ii niifuaed over tbeir &ora; their head^drettc* ue siry and faacifal, ibeir complexjon (prkiiBg and glouy; tbeir feature* iccni to catch pleaairc from every ramModiog ob|ect, and to reSect it back agate. Vanity, beatuy^ 1>)^ glaace from tbeir conaciotM looki and wreathed smile*. Hke the chaBgwg coloura iTotn tbe itng-dore'i aeck. To sbirpen tbe dfect and ponnt the moral, they are accompanied by a little negro-boy, who hold* up the train of elegance, tathtoo, and rohiptuou* grace!
Guido was tbc ' gentccleit ' of painters ; be wa* a poetical Vandyke. Tbe latter could give, with inimitable and perfect skill, the air* and grace* of pe<^e of fuhton under their daily and habatuat atpecU, or a* be might *ee tbem in a looking-glaia. The former Bw tbem in hii 'mind's eye,' and ooold tranaionn tbem into nippoaed cbaraciera and imagiiuty siinatioiM. Still the element* were tbc HIM. Vandyke gare ihetn with the mmMflnim of hibn and tbc indindual details; Guido, a* they were rounded into grace and
183
L
frwt
THE PLAIX SPEAKER
MTj iMt^ tod «r > pri, »d bd^
fink'
He Mba boK
>) hwaagriBO*
rl'
He aw A
dtolfi«M«fe«b>ta4
Tki> B aw Miblr. I ' (deep Coocapv) *^
JmmIibi .^rfi ■ iMbna^ faiab wo«n,aadkB««MMHvii! IfkkaU ■irMei£ea*MdlMfMHd bo» nanr Icanwlf MrnanPR,'Waali fce lad ■liiiii nn If G«d» Mted CBH|a« aad nrieCy b fek vi, il afMici Itf^ tmoe «tat be«Hnl ■ rfiM^riy iif^hiJ by «fen^ Efe ^ wftsn^ defidcf JMd UW pan «»«fnaM dtpcc^ wA h» 6ae ma w Anc » dw dottd as iW rack, li b M tW k^fhtM paiK if oedkMe is m^ " «r dtpviMs tte «r bdk fc«fc mli ■taciaB. ja it n tbc Ughot ■aaBM'pnft ifca «c 1 • ifce Anacc^ Md la«agbiof oel^ wksii tra war. I fcaov of ao odwr Ain^Kc b«»«-tu Raphad tad Cdd*, tfcoa fka ike oae «M twice ik ■>■ tke Mfaer «■>. Rjffael wa » taUa
dar ha owB diipoMCias tad dencac Tbm ii ■ oaaaeB ok «f CfiiidH wUcfc ai^n Tien owriy e catowae. Wkc he
«Mi^wwfap«M: helad n|iiwiiii a tfe ^
rt
ON A PORTRAIT OF AN ENGLISH LADY
of RipiiMr*. But be tdl tbort of Raphael is tbU, that (except in <ia» or two imonea) he oooM boc bci^ilM Md ada|it the «xpreMi<n that he tm to dtSmat tod mora ttrilusii dreoBitaDco. He gare more of what be taw than any other painter that ever Urcd, and is the iBHtxivc put of hit an had a more biutccbI j;caja* than Raphael had ia c«aipMiiion and inTcntioa. Beyond the aciul and hahhaal toot of uiarr. bowcTcr, * the demon thai he Ki^cd ' dcwrtcd him, or became a very tame oat. Vandyke givv more of the geoeral air sod ■taanert of faahiotiablc litie than of todividoal characttt ; and the ■objtct* Uut be treated arc nehber retnarkaUe for iotcUcct ooi paaion. They are peoeJc ol pohAed mamen, and placid ooaKkn- ttoM t and many of the *cry bat of them are ' mpMlIy good.' Titian** portraita, on the other hand, freqwltrprwcot a nncfa more (omudablc tbaa istiung appcarasoe. Yon wowa hardly una joontif n a raom with thcnt. Yon do doc beatov » cold, ki«ircly approho- lioa on dvin, bat look to tee what they nuy be thinking of yoo, not «Umk mmbc apprclKanoo for the fcwu Thev have sot dkc dear HMOtfc iltiM or the erea ptdae that Vandykc^a Men to powew. Thev are, fbc ibe moat part, fierce, mry, Toluptnoiw, Mbtie, haaghty. **1*"* painted Italian face* a» well aa Tkiao. Boi he thiew into than a character of jnCeUcci raiber than of lempcramcot. In Tiiiui the irriability takec the lead, (ha/peat aad girct direction to the udeiauadiDg. There Kena to be a penonal comrorcny between dw apectator aad the iodtridaal wfaoK portrait be oootemplaies, which (ball be master of the other. I may refer to two portraita in the Loarrc, the ooc by Rnbael, the other by Titian (No*, i ■$] ■od mo), ia illutratioo of tfacae rcmarka. I do aot know two finer or ntore charactcrixic ipaCMWaa «f tlMK aaawn, each im iu way. llie ooc i* of a Kaifeot dwnJ Ml bbckt ibaofhed ia tbo^lK, iaacat eo lene probleiQ, with the hand* ooatcd aad leaaiag oa a t^lc ht aonert, as it were to pte freer acope to the labour of the bnia, aad thoi^h the eyea are dtreded toward* you, it ii with cvideot diaence cf oaad. Not *o the other ponnit. No. mo. AH ici &cBltie« are collected to ace what it can nuke of yoo, at if yoa had intruded upoa it with *ome hostile dengo, it take* a defeiiBTc aitilMfIc, aad ihew* a* tnoch v^;ilaacc aa digaity. It draw* ttaelf ap^ a* if to tay, • Weti, artut do yoo thu^ of me ?' aad exerciac* a diacretiooary power orcr yon. It ha* 'u eye to threateti and qwiMnwd,' aot to be loat in idle thought, or ia niminatiag orer lome ifaaiiaae, ^lecalatnre pfopoiition. It la thia inietuc penonal character which, I ihiak, give* the lopcrionty to Tiiiu't poimiu over all other*, aad warnpa then with a Unog and pemunrnt iiiceroi. Of other pioarca yoa tire, if you have them cooitaatly before you ; of
185
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
his, ntrtr. For otitev pictures btxe t'nhrt sa alMtnctcd look jrou dUmiu tbem, when yuiit hare madi- up ;rour nuod oa the tub)tct M a Runcr of ctiiicibni : or an heroic look, and you caBnot be alway* Mraining youT entbuMim t or ao iniipid look, and jrou ncken of it. But whenCTer yoa turn to look hi Titian '« panraiu, they appear to be looking at yon i there tccma to be tome qucMion peodiog between jnt, « though an intimate rricnd or tavrtcrve foe wrrc in the room witb you j they exert a kind of fuoiiuting power i and there h that euct reaeiDblancc of individual nature which i« alwiyi new sod always tmercaiuag, becauie yo<i canaot carry away a iDeniid ab«nction of it, aod yoo miMt recnr to the object to rerire it b iu fiill force and integrity. I would a* coon have Raphael'i or moat other picture* hangnig up in a Collection, that I might pay an occaaonal vint to ihetn : Titian'* are the only one* that I should with to have hautng in the nroe room with rae for company !
Titiau in hit portrait* appear* to liavc uodentood the principle of luMorical deu;;n hetier than any body. Erery pan lelU, and baa a bearing on the whole. There i* no one who hli nich timplicity and repMe— DO violence, no affectation, no attempt at forcing an edect ; iiiMmuch that by ibc tminitiaicd be i* often condemned a* unmeaning and iiUEpid. A turn of the c^-c, a cooiprcttion of the lip dccidr* the point. He just drawi the face out of its most ordiauy state, and pjt* it the direction he would baie it laket but then every pan take* ibe ume direction, and the effect of thii united impression
i which i* absolutely momentary and all but habitual) is wonderful, t i« that which make* his portrait* the most natural aod the most Mriking in the world. It may be compared to tbc effect of a Dumber of small loadstones, that by acting together lilt tbe jtrcatcM weight*. Titian «eizcd upon the hnet of chancier in the mott orinoa) and conoecied point of view. Thus in hb celebrated portrait of Hippotko de Medici, there ii a keen, iharpcncd expreuioo that strikes yoo, like a blow from the spear that he lioidt in hie hand. The look goe* through you; yet it ha* no frown, no sianling gesticulation, no affected penetration. It is (juict, simple, hut it atmml withers you. I'lte whole face and each separate feature t* cast in the same acute or wedge-like form. The forehead it high and lurrow, the cye^brows ratted and coming; to a point in the tniddJe, the note straight and peaked, the mouth contracted aod drawn up at the oomert, tfae cbtn acute, and the two sides of tbe face slanting to a point. The number of acute Bi>gles which the lines of the fitce form, are, ta fact, a net entangling the attention and subduing the will. The effect t* felt M oaat, though it asks time and consideratioo to undertund tbc cause. It ia a liice which you would beware of routing into anger or boitiliiy, 286
ON A PORTRAIT OF AN ENGLISH LADY
u yoa would beware of Ktling in cnoiioo lomc complicated and dinfieroiu luacli'mrry. The posKStor of it, you may be eure, >b no triflcr. Such, indeed, was tlic clutacirr of the man. This is to paint true purttait and true history. So if our artiat painted a mild and thoughtful exprcnion, all the Itnet of the countcnaoce were loflcocd and relaxed. If the mouth wa* goine to ipcak, the whole face was going to speak. It wa« the «amc in colour. The gradations are infinite, and yet so blended a* to be imperceptible. No two tints are the same, though they produce the grcatett harmony and simplicity of torn;, like flesh iiaclf. • If,' said a person, jwintiag to the shaded side of a portrait of Titi:m, ' you could turn this round to the tight,
Jou would find it would be of the ume colour ai the other lide! ' n nhort, there i« manifest in his portraits a greater icnaciouanew and identity of iniprcssion than in those of nny other paiitMr. Form, colour, feeling, character, srrrard to adhere to his eye, and to become put of himsclfi and his pictures on chit account, 'leave stings' in ihe minds of tlie spectators ! 'I'here is, 1 grant, the same personal appeal, the same point-blank look in some of Raphael's portraits (see those of a Prinoesi of Arragon and of Count Casiiglione, No. 1 1 jo and 1 1 5 1 ) as in Titian : but they want the texture of Uie skin and the minute indiTidual details to stamp them with the same reality. And again, as to the uniformity of outline in the features, this principle has been acted upon and carried to exceit by Kneller and other anises. The eyes, the cye-browi, the note, the mouth, the chin, are founded off at if they were turned in a /aibe, or an a peruke-maker arranges the curls of a wig. In them it is vile and mechanical, with- one any reference to truth of character or nature ; and instead of bnng pregnant with nieaotng and originality of expretaioo, produce* only insipidity and monotony.
Perhaps what is otTered above as a kev to the peculiar expression of Titian's he-ads may alio scrre to explain the dilfetence between painting or copying a portrait. As the perfection of hit facet consims m the entire unity and coincidence of all the parts, so ihe dillicnity of ordinary portrait- painting is lo bring them to bear at all, or to piece I one feature, or one day's labour on to another. In copying, this
I dilliculty doc* not occur at all. The human face is not one thing, as
^^- the vulgar suppOKf nor does it remain always the tame, it has
^^ft bfinite varieties, which tlie artist U obliged to notice and to reconcile,
^^H or he will make strange work. Not only the light and shade npon ii ^^H do not continue for two minutct the same : the posttioa of the head ^^m constantly varies (or if you are stria with a titter, he grows sullen ^^m and stupid), each feature is in motion every moment, even while the
^^1 trust is working at it, and in the course of a day ihe whole expression ^^^ as;
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
of tbt couotnaace uDdcrgoc* » change, to tbit the cxprmioa which you f;iic to tht forchtMd or ryn jcturdqr ■• totally uKoaijiMtible with that whkb you have to girt to the aoath t<Mlay. Von caa only bring it bocjc iKain to the tacne poiiK ot give it a coMJKcat cooairucHoa bj >■> ctmt ol iiiiaj[iiutioa, or a auong fccliog of chu- iicter] and jva muM cooaect the feature* togctbct lea* bf the c^ thao by the miod. The mere (etting down what jrou tec ia this medley of luccewie^ tcaziag, contradictory isiprtniocui wMikl oeTcr do; cither you nnitt cootiaitally cfiaoc wlut you baie dotie the ifiMant bdorci or if you rctaio it, yoa will prodsce a pece of fMchwork, wone than any caricature. There ntoK be a coiii> ptehwwoa of the vhole, ami to truth a imraJ taut (a* well ax a literal one) to miravd (he cooludoa, aod euidc you throogh the bbytiuh m >hiltiog muicln ud features. You inu«t feci wb^t liii mtu», aad di«c into the hiddca Mol) ia order to kMw wfactbcr rj&M il ■• it osghi to be i for yoa cuioot be Mrc that it mutM m It wu. Pot If ait- [lUQ ling it, thea. pisting from lecoUection aod from i coo* cepcioo of duracter, with the object before u* to atnn the roemoiy and uoderMudiBg. In ooniBb od the contrary, one part doe* not run away and leave yoa la toe lurch, while yon are blcM npoa another. You hate only to attend to what ia before you, and £nuh it CAtefiJIy a bit at a time, and yoa are ure that the whole will come right. One might parcel it out into iquaret, xt in eognvine, aad copy one at a time, wuhoot Mcing or ihiaVing oi the re*c. I do not My that a coaceptioD of the whole, and a feeling of the an will not abeidge the labour of oooringi or produce a truer likcno*; but it ia the changcaUeiKW or KKnuty of the object ilut chiefly coo- ■titute* the dimcnity or &citiiy of iniitatiag it, and, in ihc Utter caie, rednon it nearly to a incchaflical operuioo. It ia the tame to the imiiaboa of //itM/r, where real object* have not a principle of nMtioa in tbeiB. It it a* eaay to produce »,/<n-mmlt Oi a laUe or > chair at to copy a ptcture, becaate ibeee thing* do noc ttir from their place* any more than the featnre* of a ponrait >tir from thcin. You may therefore botow any given degree of minute aad conunued atlcoikxi OD liniahing any givm part without being afraid that whea finiabed it will not corrct^>ond with the rcK. Nay, it requires more talcat to cop^ a fine portrait than to paint an original picture of a table or a chair, for the picture ha* a toul in it, and the table has nou — It haa been made an objection (and I think a juki one) agaiait the extreme high-6nithing of the drapery and back-grounds in portrait* (to which WMDC (Choolt, particularly the French, ate adtticicd), that it giret an na&MlMd look 10 the >acc, the laott important part of the pictorc. A lady or a geotlcman cannot (it quite to loDg or «> (till u a lay- s88
ON A PORTRAIT OP AN ENGLISH LADY
lieurc, and if you lini«b op each pan according to the length <^ time it will remain in one poaition, the face will seem to have l>ecn painted for the kiike of the drapery, Dot tlie drapery to set off the face. There ii in obviou* limit to erecy thinXi if we attend to common icnoc and feeling. If a caqxt or a curtain will admit of being finished more Ui^in the living face, we liniih them leitt bccniitc they excite IcM interest, and we arc lem willing to throw away our linic and pains upon them. Thi* ia the anavoidable result in a naiuraJ and well regulated style of art i but what if to he said of a school where no interest i» Celt id any thmg, where nothing is known of any object but that it u there, and where superlicia) and petty dclailt which the eye can explore, and the hand execute, with persevering and ■yntemaiic indiffctcncc, constitute the soul of art !
The cxpretkion is the great difficulty in hinory or portrait-painting, and yet it is the great clue to both. It renders foctns doubly impre«- sive from the interest and signification attached to them, and at the same time reodeis tlie imitation of them critically nice, by making any depariute from the line of truth doubly lensible. Mr. Coleridge used to say, that what gare the romantic and myiteriouii interest to Salvator's landsca|xs waa their containing some implicit analogy to human or other living forms. His rocks had a latent resemblance to the outline of a human face ; his trees had the distorted jagged shape of a vatyr's bonis and grotesque features. I do not think this is the case ; but it may serve to supply ua with an illustration of the present question. Sunpouc a given outline to represent a human (ace, but to be so disguiMd by circumstances and little inierrupcions as to be mistaken for a projecting fragment of a rock in a natural scenery. At lonj', as we conceive of this outline merely as a repreteniatioD of'^a lock or other iaanimate substance, any copy of it, however rode, will seem the taroc and as };ood as the origioat. Now let the disf^uise be removed and the general resemblance to a human face pointed out, and what before teemed perfect, trill be found lo he deficient in the roost cMcntial fintnres. Lei it be further understood to be a proiile of a particular lace that we know, and all likeness will ranish fronn the want of the individual expression, which can only be given by being felt. That is, the imitation of external aod visible form is only coricct or nearly perfect, when the information of the eye and the direction of the hand arc aided and confirmed by the previous knowledge and actual feeling of cbaraaer in the ooject reprcienicd. The more there is of character and feeling tn any object, and the greater sympathy there is with it in the mind of the artist, the closer will be the affinity between the imitation and the thing inutated ; ai tlie norc there ia of character and expreuion in
VOL. VII. : r . aS^
ON A PORTBAIT OF AN ENGLISH LADY
or a •bon chin puU a coMtcatat on huBMir la p«n(ta|; a bigli Iweluail or a loog chin. So raoch ha* (ympMhy to do with whtt i* sDppMcd to be a mere act of wnilc imiuooo I — To pwoc ifait atpiBietti one «cp farther. People tometimr* woodcr what difr culty there can be in pnirW'Tjfc >od sik what yon bate to do bat to *et dovD what jrou lee? TbU it true, but the difictdtjt u to KB what ia before jwa. Tlui i> at IcaK a« dilficali at u Icatii aoy trade or bogaage. Wc inuginc that we tec the whole of oannc^ becauK wc arc aware of ao more than wc xe of it. We abo wppote thai any gtien object, i head, a hand, u one thing, b*caMe wc tec it at uoct, aad all it by one naox. But how Gttk «re tee or know, evea of the noM fasMliar face, beyoed a nme absractioa, will be evident to crery one who triei to recollect dJatiBctly all iu coaqwoen pant, or j draw the inott rude outline of it ibr the firit tirae i or who ootidert the variety of iBi^ce, the ntunbeilett lights and chadct, the tinu of the tkia, every punch aed pore of which vane*, the fonru aod markiagi of the feaiarc*, the combined cxpreMioc, and all tbetc ca&ght (a* &r a* oosiooft Bte it coocerncd) by i tudom glaoce, aad comsnucsted by a paattDg word. A tndeat, wbeti he £rM copic* a bead* mob come* to a ttaad. or it at a Iom to proceed Iron teeing Dothing more la the face than there ii in hi* copy. After a year or two'i pndicc he ocicr koow* wbrti to hare dooc, aod the unger he hai btM occupied la copying a face or any panicttlar feature, kci mere nd note ia it, that be bat left uadvne aad caa never hope to do. Tbcre have been only lout or £ve paioteri w)io could ever produce a copy of the kmaa eownteaaac- really Gi to be teen : and evoi of the*e lew oooe wat ever perfect, eiiccpt in giving Nine tingle (|uUqr or pattial Mpcct of oaurc, which b^pencd to fall ia with hi* owa Bwticubf itndics and tbe bia* of hi* gcnia*, a* Raphad the drawing, Rwbnadt tbe IMit asd tbade, Vaadyke eatc aad dehcacy of tf|tifnact. &C. "Htiaa gaw more ihaa any ooe dae, and yet be had bii dcfccta. AAer thia. thai] wc tay that any, tbe commooctt aad moM nalBMracTcd tpectaior Kct the whole of oatme at a «n^ tbDC«, and woald be abk to Kamp a peilea reprcKMtfioq of M 00 tbe cattraN, if be oooM embody the image m hi* mkid'*
«y*.
I hate in tfati Rany ncmioMd one or two of the portraJu ia the Lonrc dut I tike hex. TV two laMbespa vUcb I iIknM noM com, are the MM wttb « Ratabow by Rofaeoa, and tbe Adam and Eve ia Paradiie by Powm. Is the KrM, rfie|riierda are rtiiBiiig with their flockt itndci tbe theher of a breezy grave, tbe dbtancea are of air, aod the whole badtcapc tccma jut watbcd with the
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
lookal
twTk(>a»«Wioi
I kn (not te tk nkv «(
ta M cnlifa wj ■iiiinj Ifr. MMtia'k mem* at A*a n< l«e Mkn fa lte>«k. likMiUttaiiidMfac^ihM tkMi*Mi^9Mita to. "
rf tJaJhl* «w.loaki«t Ana.
fi??
Ml^ M wen b«« kta nrnMMl OS Ae 4
Mp •( (hi HBKk it d> TkBpb, skk ih( ««U mJ lO At (Isrin thmoT •ficirf Mt Umi tbMi. Tbrjr «i^ M hn* Smb paM imtMJail tm Mb MBlhir'i inni, ihat af u mmmlm ««ntiD«, viA Urn"* fbaiww h— w dailat rvH4 tbon, ui Na«n waafiac to dMbt than vU wraal iaam. H«<kiBf ceaU k Me cecirel. Me voUftMM, tM «MieJ ft«« '*/* ffriA c|i |' tha <tatJTf, jm hi<c ■ pa47 p«a«Ti»le view, ■ tlkming larm wl. •
gjpli row «<<toBdi^ a< TvAa, tad ■niMiiiiat, fflcd
kM^Htiaa »fMm4f hM in Mk (im am dat wUa wwtd ■Wdi mi w um w le MW flw o( cdb, ad tka ■du^mtkn iforit o( tbc vtiN waa acmU ia battM^ ■ MMtb trwM te oar ini tanau^ ioiMd <tt MduH ihdr Mtel bH,
and n^f^ tlHM k I Avt-lircJ 4mm •( Um. ]9>
ON A PORTRAIT OF AN ENGLISH LADY
toU* bowner, bjr way of coMolacioa,^* To be mit. tbeie ii Lord Carlide Ukn m Ib&an pcnrc — Mt. Holwell Cur Gkea la lulUo nctare — eh« Marqiw of Stadixd i* bad of so Itaiua pctare — Sir George BcaomoM likes aa luQaa pictvc ! ' Tbe«^ notwithaaading, ue Kgitdcd u qnaiM ud duiiu exeepboa* CO tbc etbbliihcil rule : inJ their preficreBce U a ipccic* of iw m^iti ia the Fiae Aru, at great an eccencrictly ud want of &ahioaabte et^iKUe, at if uy fwakaiaa or oofaleman Kill preferred old claret to new, when the King la koown to bare char-ged hit mind oa thit nbjecit or wa* Eualty of the otfcncc of dippiag hi* ferc-fi^et aod thumb ia the middte of a touff- box, iauead « gradoally affraximatiag the cooBetKi to the edge of the box, accordiajt eo the mnc ^prewd Boddb. One wodd ima^se that the great aad exceed ia ttKtoa would like lofty Mibjccta b worka of art, wbereaa they Meia to bare an alnott exdwiTC predUvctioa fee the raean md mcchaoical. One would tfaiaktboaewhote word waabw. woold beptaNdwith tbe {teat and Mnkiag cAcctaof tbe pcDcilf* ob the cootiajT, tke« admire ~?**'-"t but the btk aad elaborate. Tfaey ban afoodDCW m cAkuanaAfmwimrt pcttrtti aod a proportionable aodpMhr to work* of paint. E*n an with tfccxn ntoK be (cnrile, (o DC Eoktaccd. Pcrfaapa the wmiiBt comradtctioo may be cxplaiaed thua. Soch pcnoaa are ratted ao high aboTe the reat of the tpecMii that the more lioletu and agitatiag pnnoiu of """^■"^ 'Ppc ^ ^aia like the mrmoU of aou on a mole-Ull. Nothiog iateretta tbcm boa their owtt pride aad lelf-uBponaacc. Our pwwoa* arc to tbeia an napettiocBCe : an exprcauoa of h^ atabaicnt they rather ihrialL (ran aa a tadicrooi xad opatatt aMnapbiMi of e<]iialiiy. They then- lore like what (littera to the eye, wkat ia enaootb to the touch t bat ibey ahtu^ by an ■-^i— •* of aovcre^ taice, wbaterer baa a tool in it, or iBipUea a tcdpradty of ^ling. The Goda of the earth can hare no intcreat ia aay thing human ; ibey are en off ftom all aympaihy with the ■ boaoia* aad buatnctacs of mob* laMcad of rcqdriag to be wonad up beytmd tbdr habinal fnttlg «f alMdy dignity, they with to hare the miagt of oier -itnined pretCBMOO let down, ;o be relaxed with * triaea fight ai air,' to be amiucd with the faioilur and (f irotow, wd (Q haie the world a|ipeaT a cccoe of ni^/e., except aa they diatvib it ! The tiuie in iboaghi sod istemal teotioKSt it a oanml relief aad tet off to the oppreawn aeaac of cxtcraol nagnificeacc.
' TW Dak* af WiMiinii m_ k ■> aid, caanat eawt iatD ike nwHti of RapfaMl | >theailM«a*th>ip«innJfae'WTw«B«w. Ha tc w^fct t thi« km. A MadMcac ariWtli aeier Jawacd afoa Ml OncA miai ( bM he May ke mffmet <• mHA am aaihiag oceBtlea aad lir v «■ aanan •( the VoMlu antat. Oh, Itaphwt I «<UiikilH(il>»cw»bodir<BM maaWMul ihac, that MB tba 4a«raaiaD af bawaailyr
>9}
TBE PLAIN SPEAKER
Hfkc Lbgi l»bUc i&d rcpm tbtf know not what. A chUaJnli iloagc oma ocooRipuiin th« coMcioaocM of »b«ohitr {x>w«r. RcpOK » MnBCWberr oeccMiry, and the nal dnw wbilr thr Knan gloMtfoMd! Bcudc*, tbe acGhanka) ni lugMlubtd itytc ofkn ml)' he eoonlCTed as ■"i™**"'^ Am M on^. It b i utk to he exe<ruted iiMire w ten pafec&f, according to the price given, uid the indiuuy of the wiist. We ttaai by, m it wen, to «ee tlie wock dooc, innM opoo ■ gnuet degree of puimm wd Ktvnej, ud cxrrctK a wrt of petty, jcalou jvriidknoa om CKk pu^ctdar. We UT judf^ of Uk raiontcMW m' iIk itoik, ud tbongb ctvr m nicdr executed, a tbcy five b« do Oat berood wbst we had bdocc. we do not fed bumbteo in the oomMricoa. The artizan scarcely ricn bto the artiM ; and the aaiae of gesiiv t* degraded mher than cxakcd in bis pefton. The petfornaAcc >« *o &r oar* that wr have paid for k, and the highest jirice a all that i* arccvaarj lo frodace the higjbcat fauituBg. But it it not ao in work* of geaioa aitd ionagiaatMMi. Their price !■ shore xMet. The toapiratioa of the Hum come* Dot with the_^ of a monarch, with the dooadon of a natron; and, thcnfore, the Great tnra with JimM or cAsninte BidiSeraKC fnm the laighqr naawra of the Italiao tcbml, bccauae ■Kb vorkf bafle and cooMoad ibcir actf-kiTc, abd tatkc them fc«l that there ia aonanhing b the nund of maa which tbej can oeitber ^f* mr take away.
' Qoans oihtl ad twna, PynJMte, ingniiiiai I *
ESSAY XXV!
ON NOVELTT AND FAUlLIARtTV
* ttamm, CnMaa balh nadi it n Um a fOfinj of mincM.
ILmbt. Tb ^(o w t the hi»l of thtk Hnflifaurt hub the auaticf tttm.'
SKAOffua repmenu bti Gravrjfgpr aa afaigiog wb3e be la ucoifiaJ U hi* oaaal taak of fiiogiDX the *kaU« ooi of the eanb with Ih* ifadb On thii he take* occanon to remark, ihtongh one of hta ape^eia, the eflect of habit in blunuiig our aeMibiliiy to what it painAd or diagwODg in itaelf. < Cuaiotn haib made it a pweity of Bcaa ia bim.* To which ibc other ii made to rtphr VI aabataacei '. iboac who haTc the leaat to do bate the finen (eelinga genetattj. nainda and bodiea of tboae who arc dxmud by luxnry sad
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
catCi and who have doi hml to encounter the wcar-and-iur of life, prrteni n io(^ unmiflting wrr^ce lo oniward impresfionn, and in endued with a greater dcgtce of sutceptibility to pleasure and pain. Habit in mofi caan hudeoB and cncrusUt by taUog away the kM-n« cd)te of our «eD«atiooa : but dots it not b othera qtiicken nnd retine, by giving a rnechanica! &cility, and by enjtiftinfi an acquired »enfcr? Habit nuy be laid in lechnicai taDgu;igc to add to our irritability and leMcn our gcniibiliiy, or to xhArprn our active pcrcepiioni, and deaden our ptusivc one*. Practice makes jierfcct — experience makei us wiK. The one refers to what we have to do, the other to what we feel. I will endeavour to expluD the dininction, and to ^*e *onie examptc« in each kind.
Clownn, lerranti, and common labourer! hare, it i> true, hard and coanc haoda, bccauie they are accuitomed to hard and coarH employment* ; but mechanic*, artizant, and ariiais of variooi dexcrip- tioDS, who are »■ conBlJintly employed, though on worlcs demanding CKSier »lci]l and exactneis acquire a proportionable nicely and diuriminatioo of tact with practice and unremitted application. A working jeweller can perceive slijtht dietinctioni of (urfaor, and make the smalletl inciaiona in the hardeiE aubntances from mere practice: a woollen -draper perceives the different dCKrcet of the fineness in cloth, on the same principle ; a watchmaker will insert a great bony tin, and perform the nicest operation* among the Eprin^* and wheels of a complicated and curious machinery, where the toft delicate hand of a woman or a clutd would make nothing but blunder*. Again, a blind man shew* a prodigiou* sagacity in hcnring and aJmoit fitUng object* at a diitance from him. Hi* other sense* acquire an almost pretcmntural quick- net* from the nec^wjty of recurring to them ol'icner, and relying on them mote implictly, in consequence of the privation of sight. The musician diitioguithc* lone* and notes, the painter cxprn*iODi and colours, from constant habit and unwearied uiteniioD, Uiat are tj^uite lost upon the common observer. The critic ditcaver* beauties in a poem, the poet features in nature, that sre generally overlooked by thoic who have not employed their imaginations or undentandingi on these particular *ludii;s. Whaic»er an or science we devote ourselves to, we grow more perfect in with time and practice. The range of our perceptions is at once ealatged and refined. But — there lie* ibc question that most ' give us ottute ' — is the pleasure increased in pro- Dortion to our habitual and critical discernment, or doc* not our familiarity with nature, with science, and with an, breed an in<lilfer> encc for those object* wc arc most conrcrsant with and most nusteti off I am afraid the answer, if an honest one, must be on the
»9S
TBE FLAIN SPEAKER
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
ledge i* power; but a m not pleaiure, txotm wbeo it (prtngt immcdiaidy out of ignorance and iacapactty. An actot, who play* a character lor the hundred and fortieth time, undcruanH* 2nd perhup» performs it better ; but doci he feel the part, lias he the Mine pleasure in it aa he had the lir»i linjc ? The wonder is how he can pi through with it at all t not could he, were he not supponed by the pl.iuditii of the audience, who seem hke new friendi to him, or urged on by ihc fear of diKgracc, to which no mnn ia cTcr reconciled. I will here take occanion to luggcii what appears to tnc the true ■cate of the quettion, whether a great actor ia enabled to embody his part from feeling or from ttudy. 1 think at the time from ocithcf ; but merely (or chicfiy at lean) fruni hilrit. But 1 think he munt hare felt the character in the &rit inttance with al] the enthaiium of nature and geniiu, or be oever would have dittio' gaiahtd himwlf in it. To say that the intellect alone can determine or supply the movements or the language of paction, it Utile ihort of a contradiction in terms. Substituting the head for the heart ii tike taying tbat the eye ia a judge of toaadi or the car of colours. If a man m cold blood knows liow another feels in a fit of passion, it is ftom haying been in a paaiion himself before. Nor can the indilfetcnt obier\aiion of ihc outward ugni attain to the truth of nature, without the inward sympathy 10 impel ue forward, and to tell ut wliere to Stop. Without that living criterion, wc shall be either tame and mechanical, or turgid and extravagant. The study of individual modclo produce* imitalon and mannerists : the ttudy of general principles produces pedants. It it feeling alone that makes up for the deficiencies of either mode of study s that cxpandu the meagre- nets of the one, that unbends the ligidity of the other, that floats a man into the tide of popularity, and electrifies an audience. It if feeling, or it is hope and fear, joy and aortow, lore and hatred, that U due original source of the e6ect) in nature which are brouglit forward 00 the Huge ; and awuredly it is a sympathy wiiJi this feel- ing, that muiI dictate the trucm and mon natut^ imitationt of them. To suppofc that a person altogether dead to theie primary paisiont of the human breast can make a great actor, or feign the effects while he is entirely ignorant of the cause, is no less abturd than to suppose I that I can deKTtbe a place which I never taw, or niimtc a tmcc
I which I never heard, or speak a language which I never learnt. An
^^_ actor void of genius and passion may be taught to strut about the
^^t alage, and mouth out hi* words with mock-solemnicy, and give him- ^H wlf the airs of a great actor, but he will never le one. He may ^^1 express his own emplioess and vanity, and make pcmilc sure, but he ^^^ wiU not ' send the bearera weeping to their beds.' The true, original
I
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
part of Mn> Bervrley in the Ga.mt*tct, und on Stuktiy** Abnipi dedantion uf hu uupHnciplml pauiun m ilie moniFni of Kcr liutludd'i impriK>nm«Dt, threw Into bcr face th:ii noble lucceMJao of Ttrving emotions ^r(t oeetning not to uncteriiund hitn, tbcn, m her doubt it removed, riting into tadden indignation, then turning to pity, and rndtng in a bunt of hytttric scorn and Isaghirr, wa« thia the e^rct ot ftratagem or forethought ai ■ painlcr arrange* a number of colour* oo his palette i No — but by placing lierielf amply in the tituation ot her heroine, and enterinjt into all the circumatances, and feelinjt the dignity of insulted virtue and mitibrtune, that wonderlul diapliiy ol keen and high-wiou^ht expretaioni buret from ber iiiToluntarily at the same momeni, and kindled her face almost iato a blaxc of lightning. Yet Mrs. Siddoos ia (omciimn accused of being cold and insensible. I do not wonder that she may aeecn so alter exertions such .u these; as the Sybils of old after their iotpited prophetic fury sunk upon iht ;;rouDd, brcaihles* and exhausted. But that any one can einbodr high thoughlt and puuonk without baring the protolyiiei in their own breaii, ii wh:it I dull not believe upon hearsay, ami what I am turc cannot be proved bv argument.
It is a common comprint, U>at actors and actresses arv dull when otT the Riagc. t do not know that it is the case ; but I own I should be surprised if it were othtrwiae. Many persons expect from the itJai with which ibey appear in certain choractera to find them equally brilliant in company, not considering that the effect they produce in their artificial chsrncteri is the VC17 circumstance ibai muat diHqualtfy them for producing any in ordinary case*. They who have intoxicated nnd maddened multitude* by tlieir public display of talent, can rarely be nuppoiied to (eel much stimulus in entertaining one or two friends, or in being the life of a dinner-party. She who perished over-night by the dagger or the bowl as Casaandra or Cleopatra, may be alloved to sip her ten in silence, and not to be heraelf again, till she renvei in Aspnsia. A tragic tone does not become hmiliar conversation, and any other must come *cry awkwardly and reluctantly frona a great tragic actress. At least, m the intervals of her protessional fOioxjm; ahe will hardly an up for a verbal critic 01 i/ut^tecimg. Comic actors again have tlieir repartees put into tlieir mouths, tuid rmiM feel considerably at u los* when ilicir cue is taken from them. The most sensible among them are modest and silent. It is only those of aecood-ratc pretensions who think to make up lor the want of original wit by practical jokes and /long phrases. 'Itftitritiil fflanaers atCt I think, the moat re|>ulsiTv of all others. — Actor* live on applause, and drag on a laborioua •rtJIicial existence by the administration of perpetual provocative* to
199
TH£ PLAIN SPEAKER
tbcir fjmfaibj witb ibc public erau&ciooii — I wiU not caU it •UogMbcf •mIQ' in tbcn vbo d(£{bi to ooU otbrra liuBh, tof more tliM in aa wbo delist to Uagft whh tbem. l^ier turc a •ipuficaM fbiMc to exprcM ibe abteocc ot a proper mum ui tbt audience — * timi; wai nM a hand in the hoMc.' 1 faaie beard ooe of tbc moic modcR uid meriloriona of tbcra dcdarc, thai if tbere wh nobody dw to appUnl, be *bould like to tec ■ dog <rag hit tail is. mrautioB. There caoaot be a grratci mituke than to aoppote that MOgen dblike to be racornL There it oit«s a violnit oppoaiixio oat of coBipawoD, with criee of ■ tbimc. ihame I ' wbea a jroooj feanle ^***—"— ii abooi to be aietrtj twice in a &nNtrite aifi a* if i: were taluDj a cruel advantage of her — inalead of the third, the would be glad to ling ii for tbc ihitiicth lime, and ' die of an nrarr in vftrait pain ! ' Tbc excitement of pobiic applause at laat bccorae* a cainfid habit, asd either in iadotent or orcr-aciivc teittperancnta ptoclacc* a COtTctpoedieg craving after priiacy and leinire. Mr. L— — a than ttiiM ago «*• b treaty for a Koug little place near hit fficnd Mr.
M at Hif>hgaie, on which be bad ao tet bia bean, that when the
bargain failed, he ictiully ihed tear* like a child. He haa a right to blubber like a Kbool-bny whcoercr he pleawa, wbo almott every lugbt of hi* Uk make* hundrnit of people laugh till they forget tbcy are no loager acbool-boyt. I hope, it thii ibovld proie a haidwinter, he will RgiUB wrap bimtelf up in HoddfI aod iani'KmtJ, take to hit iirc-aide, and read the Ij^ngtiih Kuvelisti once taore fairly through. Let him have tbeae lying on liii table, Hogarth'* print* bung round the room, and with hi> own Ricr to boot, 1 defy the world to match them againi There ii tomcthing very amiable nod praiK-worthy in the fricndthiM of the two ingcnioui actor* I bare juit alluded to : from the exainpM of coDtraai and diainierettedneM it aflordt, it puts mc in mind of that of Roainaoie and Dapple. Tlicw Arcadian reti/cmeeu and oru- rocnted retreat* ate, 1 *u«pecl, laotaJiaing and unaatiafactory remurcci to the favourite* of the town. The conctant fever of appluite, and of ^ anxiety to dcacrvc it, which produce* the wiah for repoac, diiablct them from enjoying il. Let the eaitnlure be aa strong ai it will, the eye of the pit it upon then) in the midat of it : the amtic of the boxea, ilie roar of the gallery, pierces through their holly-hedgei, and over- tlirowi all their pottoral iheorie*. Of the public aa of the *ex it may be aaid, wbeo one haa once been a candidate for thnr favours,
'There i% no living with them, nor wiihout them I*
I wbb the late Mr. Kemble had cot written that atuiiid hook about Richard iii. and doted a proud theatrical career with a piece of literary fo]>peiy. Yei why do 1 with it if it pleated him, linoe it
JOO
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
made no iltoaiian in my opinion rctpcciing him i Its dry dcUila, iu little tonuou* Riugele* after contradiction, nay, it« fultamt pra)«M of a kindred critic, Mr. Gilford (what will not a retired tragedian do Ibr a niche in the (iuarifrJjf Rrvittvi) did not blui from niy mcmon hit stately form, hii noble fcaturet, in which old Rome law hertelT Krived, hii manly scdm and plaintive tones, that were an echo to deep-fraughc ■entiraent i nor make me forget another rolnme publiahcd and supprcmied long before, a volume of poem* addrct^ed to Mr*. Inchbald, * ihc MUcr-voiccd Anno.' Both are dead. Such is the ■tulT of which our lim arc tnadc — bubbles tfiat reil«ct tlie glorious inturcs of the uni<rerW| snd that glance a paisiag shadow, a feeble gleam, on thote around Oiem I
Mn. Siddoni waa in th« meridian of her rcput.-ition when I Crsi becune Bc<juainted with the itage. She was an e(t:ibliihcd veteran, when I was an unfledged noricc ; and, perhaps, p]ay«l iho«e scenes without emotion, which filled me, and »o many other«, with delight sod awe. So far I had the adrantage of her, and of myself too. I did not then analyse her excellences as I thould now, or diride hti merits into physical snd intellectual adTantagei, or see that her majettic tbmi rose up aj^ainH misfortune in equal sublimity, art antagoniii power to it — but the total impruBon f unquestioned, unrefined upon) overwhelmed and drowned me in a flood of tears, I was stunned and torpid after seeing her in any of her i^eat parts. I was tineaiyt and hardly myself, but I felt {more than ever) that human life was iomething very far from being indilferent, and I sccrned to have got a key to unlock the tprin;;! of joy and sorrow in the human heart. This was no mean po«»c»«ion, and 1 availed myself of it with no (paring hand. The pleasure I anticipated at thai time in witnessing her dallcst performance, was certainly greater than I sliould have now in Mting her in the mtut brilliant. The very sight of her name in the jday-bills in Tamerlane, or Alexander the Great, threw a light upon the day, and drew after it a long trail of Eastern glory, a joy and felicity unuttenblc, that has since vanished in the miiti of criticism and the glitter of idle distinctions. I wu in a trance, and my dreams were of mighty crapim fallen, of vast burning zones, of waning time, of Perrian thrones and them that sat on them, of lovereigo be^niy, and of vktors vanqoished by love. Death and Lilc played their pageant before me. The sates w«e unbarred, the folding doors of fancy were thrown open, and I saw all thai mankind bad been, or that I mytelf could conceive, pass in sudden and gorgeous review before me. No wonder that the huge, dim, disjointed vision should enchant and Martle me. One reason why our 6r« impressions arc so strong and lasting is that they arc wiaMri^ib onea.
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
coDiinue «o tn tpitc of warning t wc hcMkco to no voice but that of our tecitt iDclmatioD« Md native bias. Mr. Wurdiwurtii being atkcvl why he admired the tlcep of infancy, *aid he thought 'there wan a grandeur in it ; * the rcanon of which it portly owtog to the comraot of total uncoimcioiuneM to all the ilU nf life, and partly that it i« the gcrn) implying all the future good ; an uniouclied, untold tr«uure. In the ouuet of life, all that it to conic of it tccmt to preu with double force upoo the heart, and our yearaiug* after good and dread of evil are in proportion to the little we have koowD of dthet. Th« lir«t ebullitions of hope and fear in the human heart lift ui to heaven, or (ink u» to the abyM ; but when tcrred out to u( in dribblets and palled by repetition, they lo«e their intemt and elfcct. Or the dawn of experience, like thai of day, thews the wide prospect stretched out before us, and drcstcd in its liTcJicK colours ; u wc proceed, we tire of the length of the way and cofflpbin of tu tame* nes*. Thi.- path of life is Mtipped of its fteahaem and beauty i and at we grow acquainted with them, we become bdilferent to w«al or wne.
The beti pan of our lives we pas* in counting on what it to come ) , or in fanning what may have happened in real or fiaitious siory to tr*. I have had more pleasure in reading tlic adventures of a foonl (aod perhaps changing situations witli tlie Ikeco) than I ever had in my own. 1 do out think any one can feel much hajmier^^ greater degree of heart's cat« — than I used to feel in reading Tristram Shaody, and Peregrine Pickle, and Tom Joiies, and the Tadcr, and Gil Bias of Santillane, aad Wertcr, and Boccacio. It wat some years after that I read the last, but liit tales
■Daltihi vTJih (he innocence of love. Like the old Time.'
Tbe nory of Fredciigo Alberigi affected me aa if it bad been my own cate, ud I raw hi* bawk upon her perch in the clear, cold air, 'and how lat and ha a bird the was,' at plain at ever I saw a picture of Titian's; and felt that I should have served her up at he did, as a banquet for his mistress, who came to visit liini at hit own poor farm. I could wish thai Lord Byron had employed him- •elf while in Italy in rescuing tuch a writer at Boccacio from unmerited obloquy, instead of making ilioie notable diicovcrie*, ihax Pope was a poet, and that Shaketpear was not one I Mrs. Inchbatd was alwayi a great favourite wiiii me. There it ibc true soul of woman breathing firom what she write*, aa much aa if ygu heard her voice. It it as if Vcnua had written book*. I first read her Smplt Siery (of all place* in the world) at M' No matter where it
ru.» *
;^:^
■■ki^ ftiM tfe Mke «r eoS. «M drev Inc. B«b«'*yUBi^lHHlUifara«i,»dhBcfca k. ll««thrpOTM»«dlh««t>aBr^&Mk«>hat,a
»ir
|a*
'A»lb«diA«Ia«dri
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
I ucd 10 tppljr Uiit Udc to tbc dittaK range of faUli ia a foitrj \aai»aft, wbich bowcnr h»A a tesdcr venul umc and a dewy frathoNt. I could look (U them till my cyn £IIcd with tean, aod M hcait ditwiwd in ftiatocM. Wbjr do I recal the drcmnttsDce after a Ia|Me of years witK to much iDletctt * BecasM I Celt it tbeo. Tho«e feeble ovtlioci were linked in mjr miod to the pome, foodeM yeanuDgi after good, thai dim, airy space coMaioed ray little all of h^t^ buoyed of by cbarrautg fears i the ddtghi wkb which I dvdi Bpoa it, MhMocd by ny igjtouaen of what wai in note br (DC, wa* 6«c (mm mona gnwaai, ftmiliirity or diiawoioMwat, mi 1 dnak fkmtn out of (he botem of tbc aileu bilU >sa glearang nOia u ften a cop iDed to the briai with lore-philtrea aod pouoaooa lauLtiiHi by the MreereM, Fancy !
Mr. Opic uied to conaidet it a* an error to tuppote that as artiat't int work* w«rc Dccenarily cnidc and raw, and thai be we« oo fcgolarly impronng oo them afterward*. On the cootrary, be flninT*'"~* tiut tbry bad tbc advantage of bring done * with all hit heart, and tod, aad night ; ' that they oontaiBcd hit beat thoughta, tboae which bii gaam mott caf£erly protnpted, and which bt bad mitured aod trcMnd i^ loogeu, Irom the fini dawn of an and aauutt on hi* imndt and that hU iubaegocnt woika were rather after-bought*, and the leanngi and male-ihifti of hi* iavcntioo. There ia a great deal of truth in thit Tiew of the nutter. Pttu r, mamju; tliai ia, it u the atroog character aad itnpwLte of
the Buod that force* out ita war aad atamp iudf upon outward abjecti, oot tlnl ia cUciied and bbotiooily niaed inta arti&cUl inponance by cascriraiioe and aady. An imfnvUg actor, artiat, or poet ncTcr bccoioct a great one. 1 have known tnch in my tirae, who were alwayt adraidog by alow aod nue itep* to tbc bcigbt of thor (fofcMM \ but ia the mean time, «0(ne tMa of eF&ia« roac, and pMNDg thesi, at once aeizcd oa the top-moa rottod of amlMtioo'l ladder, to that tlvy ittll remained in the aecoBd claia. A tolcaao doca not ptt waraiag when it will break out, iter a tbnader-faolt tend word of ita approach. Mr. Keao ctampcd hinaMtr the int aigbt in Shylock { he never did any better. Mr. Kentbte i> tbe only great and truly imprcsiiTc actor I rctnctnbrr, who rote to hii atatcly height by tbe iaicrpMitiaa of art aad gradadona of laarii. A man of gtaiua ia m gmmit — to be kaowa, he aaad only to be aeea — yov caa BO iDore diipMe wbether be b oae, than yoo aa diipote triwtlin' k is a faacbcr that it abcwa you ia a cage. Mx>. Siddooa did tax Mcceed the firK tunc the amared oa the Loadoa board*, bui then it wa* ia Garrick'* tine, who aent bei bock to the country. He ■mled aad pot bcr oat ia aome part the bad to pfay with hoa, by «Dum.: 0 305
THE PLAIN SPEAKEB
tbe amaaiBg ymiaem tad iautjivikf of bb ityle of aaatg. Yet oU-i Dr. Outmctf vbo (r«(iicnic(i Sir Jokhna RcToolda'*, wid UiK wu not hisnelf tn tui btter day*, that he got to fitf fauleqwol^ tncki, aad mt too tnoch ia the trimiaeU of ih« nsgr^ ud MUM diffnirat from wfcat he waa wbm he came am at Goodnaa'i ridd*!, when he surncued the town ta Rklutrd, at if he diwytd from the clooaa* and hit actios *** *" ^ ■"d air- Mubj SiXCmt ma hardlv aalufied vitfi llie admitatioB of riinar who ooly •een ber latter perfaraiaacea, which were diwiagniihed bf ibeir towemg hei^ aod oufble ovdioe. She ho* beca heard i exclaim, * Yoo hare Ken itir ooljr ia Lady Macbeth md Knfaerioet and Belvidcra aad Jaae Shore— yoa ihoM htn ne witai I played then character* alternately with Jaliet, Deadeinoaa, aad CaBtcat aod the Monrntog Bride, nwht aAer night,' when I Sttt came Irotn Bath ! ' If die indeed filled tbcK pana with a beauty and tenderaeat e^oal to tbe •oblimity of her othctj performance*, ooc had ooly to ace her in them and die! L« ~ Bjroo aayt, that Lady Macbeth died when Mr*. Siddoo* kfi ■ta«e. Couid not even her acting help him to uadcntaad SbaJuafcarPl -~^ Joahai Re^noM* at a Itte period saw aonte portnita be done in early life, and bmeiMed the little pcogreaa be had Yet he belonged to tbe bboriona and aiiiiwy claaa. No gcDcration tnpn>*c« much upoo another ; no one iadtvidoal innch apoo hiraieir. Wlut we impart to othen we han wkbOB aad we hare it almoM from the tint. The Krongeat kM| obtain into nature it Uuc which we receive from tbe broad Egh thrown upoo it by tbe toddcn dcvetopemeot of osr own facnkic* aad^ feeliDgt.
Evm in ideace the ereatcat ditcoverica have been made at aa early age. Sir iuac Newton wu not twetiiy when he nw tbe apple fall to the ground, tlarvey, I bcbeve, discovered tbe circula- i tion of the Uood at eif>hicen. Berkeley wat ooly dx and twenty j when he puUitfaed hi* tiuay on Vidon. Hartley's great priocipJal was devcMped in an inaugunJ diMcriatioci at College. Home wronl bi« Trcatiie oo Human Natore while be wa* yet quite a yoeog enaa. Hobbn put forth hi* otctaphyucal tyitem very aooa after be Quitted the aervice of Lord Bacon. 1 believe alto lha.i Galileo, Leflnic aod Ealcr comawDOcd their career of diKovery qoitc young i aa4^ I think it b only then, before the mind become* tet in itt own opiaiotu or the dogma* of other*, that it cao have Hgovr or claatincr to throw olT the bad of prejudice aod arize on new aad cxteiuif combiaatiooi of tliiaj;*. In exploring new and doubtful tncta ^culaiton, tbe mind ttrike* o«( true aad ori^oal view* i a* a i
306
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
of waMT hcMUCet at fim what directioo it thall ukc, but ajtcrwanls folfowi in* own coarv. The toj oacilladoa of the mind id iu firtc pcriloua and rnggcHng mrch after tnitli, btiost togrtlwr maiDMU aad illuotratiuoi, that would Jtent occur m a id and iBWhodwtd ttace ofopicioD, ind fdticUoaa iqscttioa* op when wc are trying cxprrimcnis oo the uoderatanaing, of which wc can kite no hope when we hare ooce nude op oor miodi to a ooochuioa, ud ail]f ga over ihe previou* itept thai ted lo k. So that the gmccr onmber of opoioob ue hare foriaed, wc are I<m capable of formiiig new oBe«, and tlide into connnoD' places, according ai we bare tbem at band to tewn to. It U eaaiei ukinjz the beitcn nth than nuking ota wsy over bog* and precipice*. Tbe great dilBctdiy in philosophy i* to come to every <{ae«(iaa with a mind freth aad unihacklcd by fonacr tfaeorie*, tboogh ttmglbcMd by exetdM aad iafomuiion ; ai in the practice of an, ibe gft» thing n to retain our admiration of the beauifitl in nature, together with the power to imitate it, and not, from a want of tbia on«Ml feeling, to be etuhvcd by formal rulea, or dauled by ibe mm oiftcultie* of cxecndon. Habit it nraewiry to give power : bat with tbe ttimulM of itOTeltj, the lore of trath and nmre cea*e« throagh indolenoe or ioMimfaiiity. Hence wicdom too connnooly degcncram into pKlidicc t uid skill into pedantry. Atk. a mctaphyucian what ■ubject be oademaods beat i and he will icll you that which be knows tbe Init about. Aik a muncian to fky a &roorite tune, aod be will telect ao air the moit di^culi of cxecntiaii. If you a*k an nriat hit opinion of a picxurc, he will point to «o<ne defect is pcnpcctiTc or anatomy. If an open-dmcer wiibrt to impmt yoa with an idea of hi* grace and accorapUtfamctUs be will throw himfcir into the must dtiturted attiiade povttile. Who would not rather tee ■ daiKC n tbe fbreu of Moatmoreoci oo a aununer't evemog by a bttodred 1»«g^iTig peacaot-girli and ihetr partner*, who come to llti* tcene for KreraJ mile* rooDd, roihing through tbe forcit.gbde*, aa tbe hart pomctfa foe ibc watct'btook*, than all the firouMa, fud^ f/omif, and tatrttkau, pctforncd at the French Opera by the whole tpr*t Jt Ulri i Vet the 6ni only joat contrne to exert their beck, and Ml p« their partnen out, wbiitt the Um perform nothing b« fcata of dexterity aod mirackt of tkill — not ooe of which ibey conld cTcr perfonn, if they had ooi loM ncty idea of natural grace, ease, or dKonun in hahitul caOowBen or proEewicnal vaoity, or had one Cnliiig left which prompt! ihdr mtic rinli to r«a through tbe mam
ofdHdMKC
' Willi bceJltw kaHc and giddy cunmng,'
J"*?
TBE PLAIN SPEAKEB
>!— TVn
nvsy a^t. I I Old ariv « cxcm fa ik« I itmckOUi. Tec I cnM M kM n^ I
it Iks k iMt ae 11 ami of my irtodbf dij*, ai^ of tW Wgr' liBCfcsf Bk (kx I Med te Mod si a ff^™^ * "T parne > Or •f !■■» «S loiiB^ p««, tW cowt at ham zn. the Daks 6t Hummt t^ tbe PriacM ef CkfaJ Or tf ^r one wtes Ar «ia«wdl pm MBfcd is 111 id isp More ■ ■eoMEirwBf 1 kaow ax tew s vwt h« it
•likciWi
istMfc^nitei,
tiicvc liuu^ to
< I tfaiak« tfajt
'Likci
Voy KIM Ike b^ dif Um» b AbI, Or Kke tfce BMT, Mi ia ifae ms, A mtmOt ■!■» ih ■ *dc> fat cmti Or fike the honaSi lacc, Hm flit (R foa can painC llMir ffaor t Or like Ik nittbo>-i Wh fan-.
Ob the coamnr* 1 think they lore traces of thanelrc* behind aWBK md urii£PMWi even u |nf)ortioB to toe rnrcci ai Aoi^ nd wlacb «e refaaqoHli oaljr with an oriog. The {rmokwcmw Wi^yoiBtinptfi tn perhap* thotc which ariae &mi1 sw ofaoiang dl «t wiih.
The Oftntg^nmt Jtipiiei th« petaBt-sirl tb«t daacn en the ] flrcoif howCTCf — ich Bipywr ne bct w or mj be thoochi the fint. The ooe caa iId vbtt the other mmcit. Piidcbl DOtao the aeaae of haMJneM, bt od the aeaie of mcr; aad lht*| fa oae great MMiroe oT wtf-coiyatwlatiop, if dm 01 •clf-fuk&ctMXu] Thi*, however, u cootiBBtlly uicrcMin^ or ti Icatl rcocwiac wkki ostadvaixn is tktU and iheooa^vAof dificttltini aDd,accotdtng|^,j there U 00 cod of it while we bte or till our facnltk* decaj. He who aBdertake* to ouHcr aay an or idcBCe ba« cut hhnaelf o«t work enoogfi to la« the tieit of bW lile, and aiaj proonae himw^lf <
ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY
sU (he enjoyment that i* ta be found in looVing down with tdT- compUccnt crium[>h on the inferiority of othert, or all the torment thflt there it in envying iheir aucccis. There in no danger chat the machine will ever *land tiill stterwards. Mandn'ille hna endeavoured to iliew that if it were not for envy, malice, and all unchoritablecctt, mankind wuuld perish of pure chagrin and rnnm') and 1 am not in the humour to contradict him. — The aame Bpirit of emulation that urge> ut on to aurpMi other*, supplies u* with a new source of saiitlaction (of norocihmg which is at least the reverte of indifference and apathy) in the indefatigable exertion of out £tcullie« and the perception of new and minor shade* of distinction. These, if not to delightful, are more nibtlcp and niay be multiplied indclinttcly. They borrow something of taaie and pleasure from ihcir first ociDD, till they dwindli: away into mete absiractiont. The «xerdM^ whether of our mind* or bodict, Eharpena and j;i*ci additional alactitj to our RCtivc imptcmionii, as the indulgence of our sensibility, whether to pleasure or pain, blunts our passive ones. The will to do, the power to think, is a progressive faculty, though not the capacity lo feel. Otherwise, the business of life c«uld not go on. If it were tiecessity alone that oiled the tprtnjts of society, people would grow tired and realive, they would lie down and die. But wii)i use there comes a babii, a potitive need uf lomething to keep oif the horror of vacancy. The sense of power has a sense of pleuurc annexed to it, or what is practically tantamount, an impulse, an cndearour, that carries us thiuugh the most tiresome drudgery or the hardest tasks. Indolence is a part of our nature too. There is a vit ituriia at first, a difficulty in beginning or in leaving oC 1 have spun out this Eway in a good measure from the dread I feel of eoterin^ upon new mbjccts. — ^omc such reasoning is necetsary to account tor the headstrong and incorrigible violence of the passions when the will is once implicated. So in ambition, in avarice, in the love of gaming and of drinking (where the strong stimulus ii the chief excitement), there is no hope of any termination, of any puie or relaxation ; but we are hurriea tbrwatd, as by a fever, when all H-nse of pleasure is dead, and wc only persevere as it w«te out of contradiction, and in defiance of the obsUclr*, the mortifications and privations we have to encounter. The rcsisiaacc of the wilt to outward ciicumstaaccs, its determination to create its own good or evil, is also a pait of the same constitution of the mtnd. The solitary captive can make a companion of the spider that straggles into his cell, or find amusement in counting the nails in hit dun;i;con-door ; while the proud lord that placed him there feels the depth of solitude in crowded ball'rooms and boi theatres, and turns with weariness from the scenes of luxury
J09
OLD ENGLISH WRITERS AND SPEAKERS
ii over I health, a walk and the appetite it create*, » book, the doing a good-natured or hkodly action, are tatiaTactiooa that hold out to the lait ; and with theic, and any otheri to aid ua that foil harm- tctily in our way, wc may make a ihift for a few veasons, after having exhausted the *h<irt-liTcd trampoita of an eager and CDthuiiaetic imagination, and without being under the ncccuity of hanging or diowniog oiuwivet as toon as wc come to ycart of diacrelioo.
ESSAY XXVI r
ON OLD ENGLISH WRITERS AND SPEAKERS
Wken 1 sec a whole tow of nandaid French author* piled up on .1 FaiJB book-itall, to the height of twenty or thirty Tolnmcs, ahcwing their mealy coata to the sun. pink, blue, and yellow, they aeem to me a wall buiJt up to keep out the intiuiion of foreign letters. There i* acarccly nch a thing at ao Engliah book to be met with, tinlcu, perhap*, a dt)«ty edition of Clariua Harlowe lurka in an obtcurc cornet, or a «olume of the Sentimental Journey perkt itt well-known title in your face.' Cut there i« a huge column of Voltaire'* worka complete m aixty volumea, another (not so frequent) of Rouweau's in fifty, Racine in ten volumei, Moliere in about the same nuniber. La Fontaine, Marmontcl, Gil Blaii, for ever j Madame Sevigni-'a Letter*, Pascal, Montesquieu, Crclwllon, Marifaux, with Montaigne, Rabclaia, and the grand Comcille more rate ; and eighteen full-aized lolume* of La Harpc't criticiun, towering vaio-gloriouily in the mid*t of them, fumtthing the aireeta of Pari* with a graduated scale of merit for all the test, and teaching the very xarfsiu pirnitfKim how 10 mearare the length of i»ch act of each play by a utop-waicb, and to nacertatn whether the angle* at the four comer* of each claitic volume arc right one*. How climb over thipi lofty pie of uiitc and elegance to wander down into the boga and waste* of Cngliah or of any other literature, 'to this obscure and wild J' Muat they 'on that fair mountain leave to feed, to batten on thia moor i ' Or why should tbcyf Hare they not literature enough of their own, and to apare, without coming to u) .' la not the public mind crammed, choaked
I A •ptcn'llil dtiliOB of Caliliiniit) liii been Ulcly gol up aaitt the iDperiotcti-I- antc o( Mi. Wuhlogton Iivint, h i<h a prrfice ind i portraU of ach (Ulhoi. Rj vrhil concilenttjun of Ucu ihoF frntlrman srriveri at (be n<cn*iCy of placing hii own^iti'it tafoic s colltction ef ColHimith'i worka, oat muu hivt tmn tsrijr iinpruaiKtl in traoulbncic MlitDilta In oniJcriUnd,
3'>
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
wnh FmKh books FWtsm, tutnn, plaj^ opcnib nnnpifcnw p«(M*( Mid Ml JKCtudc hangi of wordi, M tlw h hu not ■ aumtm left to look at bone itito iticTf, or abroad into aatun ? MnR they cn>M the Cbanod to bcceaw the TftR MOck of imjifttioencc, lo u<]tiiTe foreign UMct, n^rcM iuiiT« Mcjodicea, «nd recoocilc ibe opjmoa* of die EdiBbnrgh aad Qiurtctiy Re*iew« ? It U ijiute needlcn. There U a proJKt « pmmi ceicnaincd in cenun cvdcs to ^rc tbc Frokcb ■ tMtc for Sh«kapnr. Tbey rfiouM rtail^ begin with tbe Engliah.* Muy of thcii own beat luthon are oc^rctnl ; oihrra, of whom nev Edittoiu hue been prioted, lie hcary on ibe booktcllen' b^ad*. It b by IS etpeciil ditpentatiod of Prondence ibit tangnaxet weai ant ; u o(bcrwii« we tboold be bnticd aliTe ooder a load of booki tmi koowled^. People talk of a philoaopUcal and oifcml laaguage- We have voough i« do to oodentand onr own, and to ntd ■ thn— ■iih put (perhftpt not ibc bc«i] of what ii ifittca in it. It m fkBcaloM ud moonrou* Tamt;. We wobU set tp a Kaadard of gtoeral taite and of iminonal renown j we would bare tbc beocfita of tcience and of art uairetul, becauie we uppote our own capacity to receive thetn opboundedt <nd we would hare tbe iboMgbu id otfaert ociet die, becauae we flatter o«ir«cl*e* that oar own will Uk for etei ; and like the frog nnitanng tbe ox in tbe fiblr, wc bnnt in tlie vaia anempi. Man, whatercr be may tbink, ii a Tefy linuced bcint t tbe world i* a narrow circle drawn above bim ; tbe horizon linuu oar rmiaetfate liewi iannortality neaa* a ceomry or two. Lngaagfi happily teatrict the ninf to vdut k of ita own natire Bowdt wd fitted for it, u rivet* and momtaina boood oomcrica t ot Uw empire of leaMiing, u well u itaict, would bcoNne nowiddy >ad orergrowa. A IttUc imporiatioo from foreign naikeU nay be good ; but the bone produdion is the chief thing to be looked to.
'The propn Uudy of tbt FriwA i* /VmcA I '
No PMpk can act hmtc unifornly upon a oooviction of thif maxiat, tad in that rcwect I think they are much to be coramended.
Mr. Lamb ha* lately taken il into hi* bead to read St. ETremoni, and woelu of that ttamp. I neilber praue dot blame bbn (at it.
' I waclil u mta try lo rtmon one iiM at tlw Sriiw or «r lk( Ttauon u the otbrr. ttj tbe lisic ta lalber htfiat lo be mimA alkei of atnivJ, be U 1 1 lin oac <rf (ukloa >l hoiDc. Wc lu*e mtey little L*r<l Bfroaa hdooc BMWitwn, who Ihiak ihcj ctn vrilc nculr, H aot ^/Ktt u weU. I tni ml tuXiam M iptad SbU«vnt\ fans or lo iDcnMc the ouaber of hk oAnim^ •WW* h* thM ■MMfbt Ksn nn Aon tntlmJ I' *c. Il ■• Mifh H hit a lAmkti by itl ihMe who waimami Um. He aajr bt •mrj nltrior to oiaajr Fnach wtittn, fer what I know ; b« I Mn ^alle nm h« ii mpwiar ta «U Ba(IMi MCk We may uy ilui, wiilwM MMioool frtjftMee or vwAr.
3"
OLD ENGLISH WRITERS AND SPEAKERS
He obtcrved, that Sc EnemoM wts r writer hajf-way belween MoniAtenc and Voltaire, with n ipicc a{ the wit of ibc one and the (cnie of the other. I naid 1 wm always of opinion that there had been a great maoy clever people in the world, both in Krancc and England, but I had bets Rometimc* icbuked for it. Lamb took ihig SI a slifiht reproach : for he ha« been a little exclusive and naiional in hit tuites. He laid that Coleridge hud lately given up all \m opininriE mpcciing German literature, that :ill their high'Hown pre- lenoionii were in bit present enimaic ihccr cant and atfeciation, and that none of their works were worth any thing but Schiller's and the early ones of Gocthi. ' What,' I said, ■ my old friend Wertcr ! How many bailies have I had in my own mind, and compunctious riiidngs of criticiiro to stick to my old fs*outiie, because Coleridge thought nothing of it ! It is hard to find one's-scif rifjhi at lost I ' I found ibey were of my mind with respect to the celebrated Fjiust —that it is A mere piece of abortive pcrversenctB, a willitl c*uion of the subject and omission of the characiets; that it is written on the absurd principle thst as to produce a popular and powetlui etfect is not a proof of the highest genius, so to produce no effect ai all is an evidence of the highest poetry— and in hoe, that the German play is not to be named in a day with Marlowe's. Poor Kit ! How Lord Byron would hare sneered at this comparison between the boasted modern and a contemporary of Shakc^pcar's ! Captain Medwin or his Lordship must have made a mistake in the enumctation of playB of that per:ud still acted. There is one of Ben Jonson's, ' Every Man in his Humour ; ' and one of Miusinj^er's, ' A new Way to Pay old Debin ; ' but there is none of Ford'i either acted or worth acting, except *'Ti* Pity She's a Whore,' and thai would no mote bear sciing thun Lord Byron and Goeth^ together could hare written it.
This account of Coleridge's vacillationi of opinion on such subjects might be adduced to shew that our love for foreign literature is an acquired or rather an aMunied taste ; that it is, like a foreign religion, adopted lor the moment, to answer a pun>ose or to please an idle humour ; that we da not enter into the drafcci of truth and nature in their works as we do in our own ; and that conscqucndy our laate for them seldom becomes a pan of ourselves, that 'grows with our growth, and strengthens with our strength,' and only quits us when we die. Probably it is this acquaintance with, and pretended admire tion of, extfODeoiis models, tliat adulterates and spoils our native literature, that polisliet the surface but undermines its bans, and by taking aw.iy its original cimplicity, character, and force, niukes it just lolciablr to others, and a matter of much indifference to auriclvei. When I sec Lord Byron's poems stuck all over Paris, it strikes me
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
at ominoot of Ihe dcdioe of Hngltih geniat : on tbe coouary, when I lind the Scotch NoT«U in uiti greater re4|i>cM, I thiok it aapm well fur the improvcneat of Frcocli tMtc.*
There wm adveniMd not long *jto in Paru ■& Elegy on the Dc«h of Lord Byron, by his (ricnd Sir Tbomu Morei^-erideBtly con- fonnding tbe ImnK bard «-ith the old Matemun. It is thiM tbe l-rcncb in their lisht, ulieoi way trantpow erery thing. The iniitake ii naniculany lodicrou* to ihoie who have eret leen Mr, Mooic, M Mr. Shec's potirait of him in Mr. Hookhsira'i! (hop, aitd who chance to »ee Holbeia'a head of Sii Thooia* More in the Louvie. There it the aame dtfferaioe that there ia between a nrly Engliih mMtiiTand a little lirely PreiKb pug. Mr. Moore'* face u
fay and uniting enough, old Sir Thoraai'i it aevere, not to lay touri t tceoiR twitted awry with dii^cali quc*tioiu, and bunting atonder with > ponderouR load of fnesming, Mr. Moore haa nothing of thta painfbl and poritanical ca«t. m float* idly aad faoumically on the tap of tbe literature o( hit age ; his renowned and almou forgotten luuncMke ba* neatly niok to the bottom of hit. The avtbnr of Utopia wai no ftincbec, he waa a martyr to hit OMnioiUi and wan burnt to death for them— the most heroic action of Mr. Moore't life m, the having burnt the Mcmoirt of hit friend !
"Hic cxpreMion in Holbein'* pictnrc* cootcyi a faithfiit but not very favourable notion of tbe Utenry character of thai period. It it pabfult dry, and laboured. Learning wu then an aacclic. but recluae and profound. You tee a weight of thought and care in the itudiona head* of the time of the Reformation, a nncetiiy, an integrity, a MBCtity of purpow, like that of a forioal dedication to a rdigiout lifc) or the invtoIalMltty of monasuc vowi. They bad tbcii work to do t we reap tbe beeefiu of it. We tkim the Ktmct, and traiel along the high road. They had to explore dark receuct, to dig ihroitgb
I I hire htui tbe populatil)- u( Sit Wtiin Scott ia rrinct Idftsiaviljp, aad , Mmnrhit shimticitly trttri to Buontpirte. Ht Hi nol ISkt ibc <iwif»tfa« *b4 < trimlit; n( Pits, no! rdcgilrfi Ihf toanlry.ctntIcinra to their leiU for (i^A] ■MOthi in thr ]wh. Hfrr lliry yiwn in<l r>tp (•" Wrath, *n<l onaU oot kww-] *lut to do wiHMBt the ai4 of iht Mtbot at wmtitj. Thif «k imfMitMhrl wbcD the 'Tilri of the Cmudcn' h itl be oiti ; u il wlui »u ibiak af 'Ke4U| jniBtlct!' To (be mow ook ii io be itL-ibutrd (he Oaagt •( mttau Maiiuri., ft wKi <f» amrt, au utatUoilj ia (he Fnsth Rnltr** mna>h. ] MucUT), urocding Is taj iafannMl, wire necauiy la ronwlidilc hb plan* of j \ynaay \ — how, I do not know. Fortj vnn (fo do man «M tm •«« io coa> ]
Cn]r wilh Mt^itu ufrmwu. A Cmntij ni wnltni on the riirnXr of a mtm ing in lote with ha Mift, Kow he mvu be villi her thr«-anH.<«ienty boar* out of th« r«ur-aD<t.t««nty ; it h ricaii ihii (hit lliey Mt (be <Jecliae ti faifftnei* In Fraatc ; *n< tbe unfartBiutt cnnple endnveur to pi« thr tiuK iM fct rM of n u irtll 11 (bey (In, by tnding the Scotch Novell I4(elhn.
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iDOUQiaiDa, sod make iheir woy through pathlcM wUdcrnnm. It it no woadcT thry looktd grarc ugjon it. The MrioutocM, bdwd, amounu to an air of derotion; and it hat to me tomethbg fine, manly, and elJ Eug^th about it. There it a heanincs and dcier- Diincd resolution ; a willingncst to contend with oj)|>oiiition ; a (Uperiofity to case and pleiture; Eome sullen pride, bin no itifting TRoity. They nddresKd tbemtelTcs to «tudy a« to a duty, aiid were ready to ' leave all and follow it.' In the beginning of tuch aa era, tlie difference between ignorance and learning, between what wai cummonly known and what wai posiiblc to be known, would appear immcnic ; and no pains or time would be thought too gicat to nuiter the difficulty. Conacioui of their own deticicncics and the icaoty information of th<we about them, ihcy would be glad to look out for aidi and lupport, and to put tbcni«clvea appicoticra to time and Datorc. Thia temper would lead them to exag^ate rather than to make light of tbe difficulciet of their undcrtakbg ; at)d would call forth •urificm ia prooortion. Feeling how little tliey knew, they wouM be anxioui to oiicover all that other* had known, and inatcad of making a display of thcniKlvca, their firat object would be to ditpcl the mill and dxrkneis that nurroundcri them. They did not cull the flowers of learning, or plnck a leaf of laurel for their own heada, but togged at the loott and very heart of their aubjeci, aa the woodman tun at (he toota of the gnarled oak. The tenic of the arduouineat of their enterpriie braced their courage, *o that ibcy left nothing half done. They inquired de enrnt leiHle <t qmhmdjim iiHit. They tan- ■ackcd librariea, fliey exhauaied authorities. Thcv acciuired language*, eonaultcd book*, and decyphered manuacripts. They devoured learn- bg. and iwailowed antiiiuity whole, and (what ia muire) digeucd it. They read incewanily, and remembered what ibey read, from the Ze^oui ictetcit they took in iL Repletion i« only bad, when it i* accompanied with apathy and wini of cxcrciae. They laboured hard, and <hewed great activity both of maaoning and apccutation. Their fault waa thai they were too prone to unlock the tecreta of nature with the key of teaming, and often to aubititute authority in the place of argummt. They were also too polemical ; as waa but naiuially to be expected in the firtt breaking up of cuablithed preju- diced and opinion!. It ia curiou« to objerre the alow progre*i of the human mind in touaening and geitinc rid of iu tramnieii, link hy link, and how it crept on itt handa and feet, and with ita cyct bent on the ground, out of the cave of Bigotry, making ita way through one dark pUMge after another ; those who gave up one half of an abcurdhy COMending aa ttreououaly for the rciuaining half, tbc lazy current of tradition atemroiitg the tide of boovation, and making an eodleaa
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nniggle bctirwD the two. Bnt in die dulkM oiiiida oS ihii period- there wa* a Aehttoct to the opioiou of tbcii: leaden ; an impotiiijrl ■CMC oi the importance of the nibjecc, of the neceuilf of briasuig aS (he &culde* to beat upon it ; a wrif^hi cither of anaour or of uKema] ainngth, a ml cithei fir or t^aitui ; a bead, a hean, and a hand, i boldiQg out to the death for conscience ukr, a ttrong tpiiit of pni*-] eiytimi — do llippaacy, no indtlference, no compTonusiB^ M> fUtl ^iallav sceptkiBia, btit truth wu luppotcd indiMolublj Icnit to goodtl knowledge to inefuhxM, and the innporal and eternal trel&re Biankmd to hang in the balance. Tbe pure >priagt of a loity bub I (mi to (peak) had not then descended by varioua nadaliau ftocn their *kycy rcgioD* and cloudy height, to find their Iml to the unoocht glittering cxpaoK of modem philowphy, or to tctilc in ibc itaguai pool of Male hypocriiyl A learned man of that day, if he knew do better thait other*, at Iraat knew all that they did. He did not come to hti Eubject, like tttvat dapper haniitcr who has never looked at bit brief, and iruM* to tlie unartaeM of bla wit and pertoa for the >|iree- able elTect he meant to produce, but Uke an old and practiaed coucifeilor, covered orer with the diut and cobwcbi of tbe law. If it wH a Rpcaker in Parliament, he came prepared to handle hi* nib-j
fct, armed wiib caaet and precedent!, the cooxitutioo and hiitory ' ■rliament from the earliest period, a knowledge of tbe ddaiU of burioeu and the local interett* of the country t in (borT, be had taken up lie frtiHam of ibt Haiitt and did nut treat tbe queatioa like a cotmopoliic, or a writer in n Ma^udnc. If it were a dirine, be knew the Scripture* and the l-'aihcra, and tbe Councik and the Con* j mcntxtor* by hcaft, and thundered them in the ear* of bb stiorutbed audience. Not a trim eatay or a lumid oration, pattoniitng religion by modern tophitma, but the Law and tbe Pr«ph«t«( tbe chapter and the tef»e. If it wa« a pbilosophcr, Annotle and tbe Scbooknen were drawn out in battle-array agaioat you : — if an antiquarian, the Lord bleia at ! There ii a paauge in Selden'* note* on Drayton'i Poly-Olbion, in which be elucidate* tome point of topography by a reference not only to Stowe and Holinthcd and Cimdcn and Saxo- Grammaticus and Dugdale and tcvcral other author* that we arc ac<]uaiDicd with, but to twenty obtcure oaniei, ibat no modern reader e¥er beard oft and to on ihroucb the note* to a fobo volvme, written apparently (or relaxation. Sucii were the intellectual amutementa of' our ancesion! Learning then ordinarily lay-in of folio volumet: now ihc litlera octavo* sod duodecimo*, and will *ooo, ai in France, miacatry of half theett ! Poor Job Orion ! why thould I not record a jeit (^ lut (pcrhapa tbe only one he ever made) emblematic aa it ia of tbe living atu the learning of the good old timet f The 316
OLD ENGLISH WHITEBS AND SPEAKERS
Rev. Job OrtOD vm a DiiMniing Miniitcf io th« middle of the lul century, anO h;id ^ruwQ heavy and fOMy by siitinj; lonjt at dinoer and at hit mtidie*. He could only get down »lair» ut iutt by apriMding the folio rolumei of Caryl'i Commcntviei upon Job on the *tep» and (tiding down ihem. Surprised one day in bin dcicent, he exclaimed, * Yoo have often heard of Caryl upon Job— now you sec Job upon Caryl I ' This tame quaioc-witted jouty old gentleinan teems to hm been oae of thoae 'luperior, happy spiritti' who ilid through life on the rotlera of learning, enjoyiog the good thing* of the world and bughing at them, and turning bi» inlirmitien to a livelier account than hU patriarchal name-sake. Reader, didst ihou ever hear cither of Job Orton or of Caryl on Job? 1 darctay not. Yet the one did cot therefore slide dowa his theological itaircaw the leu plcasanity t Dor did the other compile bit Commeoiarie* in vain ! For myxlf, I should like to brovrze on folios, and have to de^ chiefly vfith author* that I have scarcely streagtli to lift, that ate aa solid as they are heavy, and if dull, are full of matter. It is delightful to repose on the witdom of the ancients ; to have some great OAmc at hand, besides one's own irticials always staring one in the face : to travel oot of oncVsclf into the Chaldcc, Hebrew, and Egyptian chancier* ; to have the palm-trees waving mystically in the margin of the page, and the camels moving dowly on in the diitancc of three thousand years. In that dry detcri of learnine, we gather strength and patience, and a strange and inHuiablc thirst of knowledge. The ruined monu- ments of antiquity are also there, and the fragments of buried cities (under which the adder lurks) and cool springs ^nd green sunny apots, and tlie whirlwind and the lion's roar, and the shadow of angeliC wings. To those who luro with superciboui ditguat from the ponderous tomes of scholastic learning, who never felt the witchery of the Talmuds and the Cabbala, of the Commentators and the Schoolmen, of tcxtt and auihoriiien, of lypet and anii.typct, hicro- glypjiics and mysteries, dogmas and contradictionti, and endless con- troversies and doubtful labyrinths, and quaint ttadiiioos, I would recommend the lines of Warton written in a Blank Leaf of Dugdale't MonasUcon :
■Deem not devuid of elegance the nge. By fancy's genuine flings unbteuiied, Of painhil pedantry (he poring child. Who iiim* of ilieM proud domn ilie hiuoric pagC) Now lunk hy time and Henry's licrcer rage. Thinkti thou the warbling Miik> never smiled On his lone houn ! Ingenuous vkvn engage H'ls thoughts, on tbemfi (unclauic faluly ityled) Intent. While clmsier'd piety ditplayt
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Lord Bjrroo appeart to mc to luvt fittly ran hinurti onl in bb defatlkitiag ■aterctxiriic with the wuton Mum> He lud no other idea left hot that o( liiniself md the [nibltc — he wai uncity Daln* he wu occQpicil ia adminutcrine repeated ptovocatWei to idle curiotity, and recet»ii»g ttrong do«» of prutr « cctmre ia retuin : the irtiu- lioQ at lut btcame w nolcnt and impotiiuiaic, thai be could ocither ke«p 00 with it nor take »aj rcpotc from it. The gliKcri&g ofl> of heated popuktity
' Glared miod hit tout aad mocked hii elMtng ejre-lidik *
The nccemrt eodlcw CimM of Don Joas were (be (juoUdiaa that killed him ! — Old Sir Walter w3l laA Icng enoogb, RuSag lu* vaUet aod bu ' wvne,' at he doe*, trith iDMldy fragmenti aad crrabi of oomibn. He do«« not ' ipia hi) bratoa,' b«t •oiaeihing RMcb better. The cunniDg tiitU, the old etaty gabtrlmnie baa got hoJd of aaother cloc — ihu of name and hiitoty — and long tnay he •pin it, 'ercn to the cnck of doom/ vatcfaing tbc ihrcada at thejr are about to bmk through hi* friaged cjv-Eda, catching a ttadttioo in hit mcniih like a trap, aod beaptag fail (bfehead with facta, till it ihorei up the Barooct'i blae boonet inio a Baroo'a crown, and tltcn wilt the old boy (urn in hit chair, rctt bit chin npoo hi* cratch* jpre a Ian look to the Higlitandt, and witb hit btett breath, thank Cod that be leafM tbc woild a« be fonsd it I Aod to he will pretty oearty with one exception, the Scotch Novdt. Tbey are a imaLI addition to tbi* round world of oora. We aad tbey thall jog oo raerrity together ibr a oentory or two, I hope, till toiae fnture Lord Byron aaU, * Who reada Sir Walter Scon now > ' There ia the ktt aad abnoK worat of them. I woold take it with nae tnu ■ wgJannai. IVec paget of poor I'eter PccUci will at an^ tuna redeem three *ol«Bca of lUd-GttMJct. Aad Naoty tiwart ia ena belter with hit ttcady walk tqion the deck of the Jumping Jenny and hit Kory of hinuclf, * aod her wboae foot ( whether he came in or went ont) wa« Dcret off tbc tiair.' There yon cante near mC| there yon toacbed aw, old uiK-peaay ! And then again the calcb that blind Willie aad Ua wife aad tbc boy ong ia the hollow of the beatb — there i* more nnrtb aod bean * eaae ia tt than b all Lord Byron't Doa Juan, or Mr. Moore'* Lyric*. And why >. Becaaie the aathor ia thtDkioe of beggar* aad a beggar'* brat, and not of btmtclf wh3e he write* h. He look* at oaure, aeea it, bean it, fcela it, aitd hdiefet that it exitC*, bcbre it '» printed, hot- ftnKA, Mid labelled oa the back. By iht Amiht ^ffavtrlcj. He dOM not bacy, aor vonld be for oee otooMtK hate it wypoatd, that hi* name aad fame compote all that ia worth a moaieat ■ coaitdera-
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OLD ENGLISH WRITERS AND SPEAKERS
which we have Mr. Southev's Book of the Church, and » whole hoM of rcneg.idci ! Fcrha[it Jeremy Taylor and iIm Beaumont and Fletcher msty be mcDlionctl «* rather exccptioiw lo ihe gravity unil Kvcrity I have epolcen of an characterittic of our eulirr lltctatare. it » true, tliey axe ilorid and voluptuous in their nyle, but they itUl keep (heir »tatc apirt, and there ia ao eloquence of the heart uboat them, which ivtan to guih from the * jiure wcti of EiiKlith uodefiled.* The one treat* of ucred thing* with a vivktneM and ti:r*ouf a* if he had a icTclation of them ; the nihcm tpeak of human iotemu with a trnHcmMii M if man's naturr were dieine. Jeremy Taylor's pen tecmt to have been guided by the very ifiirit of joy and youth, out yet with a letise uf what wat due to the reiereocc of af^> and ■ icara of pioua awe, that feared to hare offended,' Beaumont and Fletcher'i loveacenes are like the mectinn of heart* in E!ly<iam. Let any uae have dwelt on any object w!ih the jireateci fondnen, let him have cherimhed the ferhng to the utmoti height, and hare it put to the ecu in the most trj'ing circunutancet, and he will lind ii detcribrd to the life in Be.iumont and Fletcher. Our modern dramniisu (with one exception '), appeal not to natuic or the heart, but — to the readers of modern poetry. Worda and paper, each toutnir di roir, are the two re<juiiite8 of a fashionable style. But the glossy (plendour, the voluptuous j;Iow of the obsolete, old-fashioned writers juM nieniiuned bas nothing xnilicial, nothing meretricious in it. It is the liutmiaiict of natural feeling and fancy. 1 should as soon think of accunng the summer-rose of vanity for unfolding its leaves to the dawn, or the hawihom that put4 forth its blouonis in the genial warmth of kprinj, of affecting to be fine. We hare heard a good deal of the pulpil- eloqumce of Do«i>uei and other celebrated preachers of the time of Fenclon ; but 1 doubt much whether all of them together could
ftoduce any number of pasMgcs in match the best of those in the loly Living and Dying, or even haxier's severe but thril^ji^ dcniinciaiions of the insiffoificance and notliingnets of life and' the certainty of a judgment to come. There is a line pottrait of this last- named powetfii) controversial itt, with hi, high forehead and black velvet cap, to Calamy's Non- Con form! it's Mcmoiial, cootatning an account of the Two Thousand Ejected Ministers at the Reiioration of Charles it. This waa a proud lint for Old Fn;;bnd ; and the account of iheir lives, ihcir yeal, their clo<{uencc and suffering* lor consdcncc sake, is one of the most interesting chapters in the history of the human mind. How high it can soar in faiih I How nobly it can arm itself with resolution and fertilude ! How far it can surpati itself in cruelty and (rand ! How incapable it seemi to be of ^oaA, ' Tht sullwr of Vir^inius,
OLD ENGLISH WRITERS AND SPEAKERS
of exurnal obterrauon with Kreiigili of intcniaJ metniog. Th« Dutch are pacieot obtcircrt of natutc, l>ui winc chacaaci ind f««lmji. The French, as tai on we bare iiiiitate<l then, aim onljr at the _, and glance over the wirfacct of word* and thtRf;*. Thui
i our liteiaturc dcccendetl (accoitling lo the fore^ng icalc) from the tone of tbc pulpit to that of the coart or drawing-room, from the drawing-room into the parlour, and from thence, if rarne critics *siy true, into the kiicheo and ate-housc. It may do rvco worw than that!
Freocb Itleraiure has undergone {feat changes in like maonefi lod vai ouppotcd to be at it* height in the lime of LouU iiv. We cympiiihiw leu, howerer, with the pompom and tet upecchcj in the iragediM of Racine and CotDeillc, or in the Krimii comcdtct of Molicre, than we do with the grotct^oc farce* of the latter, with the exaggerated dcMriptioot and humour of Kabelatf (wbofc wit wai a madnexi a. dmnkciioeas), or with the accompliabcd hnniBiiitjr, the eaiy «tyle, and ^eotlnnaaly and tcholaflike teooe of Montaigne. But these we coDiideT aa in a great mcaiute b!ngli»h, ot at what the old French character inclined to, before it wa> corrupted by courti aad academie* of criticiam. The exijutnic gracci of La Fooiainc, tbc inditferctit Micaslic tone of Voltaire and Lc Sage, who make light of every thing, and wlio produce their greatcu effecia with the mott imperceptible and rapid louchea, we give wholiv to the con. ititutiooal geniuN of the French, and de*iair of imitating. Perhapt in all ihia we proceed by guew-work at beet. Nations (particularly rival nations} are bad judges of one anoihcr't literature or phyiiogDomy. Tlie French certainly do not underiiand m: it i« moil probable we do not underttand litn. How slowly great works, great aamet make their way aaots the Channel! M. Traccy's 'Ideologie' liaa not yet been beard of among ta*, and a FrcQchmao who jwks tf you have read it, almost subjecti bimtelf lo the suspicion of bdog the author. They hare also thejr little ■ecta and portic* in literature, and though they do not nickname and riliiy their rivals, at is done with ut ( [hankt to the national poliieont) ; yet if you do not belong to the prevailing patty, they very civilly suppct«s all mention of you, your name is not noticed b the Jouraala, not your work inquired for at the shops.)
Those who explain every thing by 6nal causes (that ii, who deduce
' la Paris, lo be popnlir. 7011 didm wch out, ibtj *i|r< loenly ptc a( pnnpt *n<l twenty pair ol ulk iiockinj*, ia oil* upon Ik diflneol Ncwsfsper EAhon. Ib EalUnrl, jvn hirt osljr to am in jonr raipiiliaa al the Treasury, and yoa (cciiw your paupon to the Jano Bat) PimoslBi | MhtrwiH ]»> are thai oal anc OHdt ■ bye irsT'J. Liltrary jsslosty lad liUkocM it ttiU the mMtvti potitjcs the fceleat, and bl«(k|«arditai the mode.
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THE PLAIN SPEASXB
CTf&w rftmJM^wigHiwil II rf«>«kfroiy<»tW
MdAHC MOT pCCVIQOi^ W VV VCMB DC C^BVMtaol b^ It; VH
dMT "E niMny HWM Ml iIk cswJi dnao^ jjRjmoSt XM Tacitv of ■Mtiil WUe«c tUak«c«e«ci|^tfeKri(iarnMk«, «■ jfc iaddpig OT^ on s^MlpnC^ MnJwoi, wr ill ^uw. hf
The Fvnck ndKC d |kaBH|ty » a dK GnaaM ndac* ikr rBiMBiiw thi The oac SR a B|<iial, tlH o^cr • I Scy peopk. Bodi prooecd by tbc ««crs iofk i ta the fed la thar cDBclwiBiM ■ the fttfunicm of lUegB or iubmjii i JwpoMtionfc Wbea we affoi W » mam'% namm a^^thm i lieiut ■« (fnk ■ liBgwgr wiAiW iTeqhig,j«J wUch be«3i flMencttd* XyiflcfCflC ssdom uve nvoviK wodtf ot frriiiij j accoradDi fer tiaagt to aleMe tlm»wlm aad &B i> vMi onudftfy huiiA ^ a90 our oiutfciit AjruroM cf piwiotOBgyt oEcfMi and Mt neet, cootend, ■nd repd oae aeocher oa tlte tarfuei opinkiOi becauK tbeir elemetiu will not aaulpBott with omt leve haaioun, ud all the while we &ocy «« teak tfae qutadoa by mi ihtnci exrrcUc of rtatoo, and b; laying <lo>»a totat refiatd axtd cxflativc Randard at taXc. Tbctc u oo gresi bann m tUt dria nor can there be much to leeifig ihroogh il| farire ihil mSI (a aaj JMt at wc did before.'
ESSAY XXVI II MADAUE PASTA AND HADEUOISELLK UARS
I ui.m MadoBoiatUe Mart exoeediBgly well, tiU 1 taw MadMse]
Patia whotn I liked to much beiier. The rcatoe ia, ibc one U Mrfcction of French, the other of Datunl acting. Madame Paac ItaliaDf and ahc might be Eoj^Inb' — MadctnolteUe Man beloa| ffBi|ihtticaQy to her coontiy; the Kene of her triurapha it V She elaya oaisrally too, but it it French oatare. Let me cxpliitu^ She DM, ii u mte, dodc of the vkca of the Freocb tbeatret it*
' Bwnaf«nt aM a Mamktn of tbt FrnKh loMitntt (« itrt* vf ■ rryott of th( Kanitaa PhflMiBhy; k« ai^i ■■ veil have or^rreit tbtm is dnv sp ■ Rpon of Uk iM^nflijr of (be moc*. It ■• diftMtt br m Ba^Unun m u4cntaM KMt| far * Ft*B<)inMs bytwihle. The ItDer ku ■ ccrtkia ivmIm of {'■nan l«to whkh hi* Unt ran baWuUjr n bi« ■ aBSBliI, lad j»t OMtaot |ct fan om of them.
3»4
m m
MvVDASfE PASTA AND MADEMOISELLE MAHS
cxtrangancct it* flutcr, iu {[ritnac^, and aiRcctatton, biM ber merit in ihcw rnpecti ii at it were ttcgatirc, and die teemi to put an artificial rtHraint upott henclf. Tbne U ttill a pttdimt, ao aitmuoo to mimitit, an eiiouMie, a inanaerHin aboot her acting : the dor* not pTc an entire iooK to her fedb|i, or tnut to tbe UDpiemcdiutcd U)d habitoal impolae of ber Mtoatioa. She hai greater rlegaoer, Mriiapa and precUUio of uylc than Madanie PnUt but not half ber eoldiwH or grace. In short, every thtiw ihe doe* a TolantarjTi iBMead of betD£ sponiaoeou*. It aeeiiu a* if tbe migtht be acting tnwi margioal directions to her part. When not ipeaking, «be ttaiMit m general ^uitc uill. When abe ^leakc, ibc exicadt firn ooe band and then the other, in a way dux yom can foretee every time ibe doe* to, or in which a tnaduac Btght be eUboratcly coMtrDdcd to derdop* did'ereo; luccctnTc raoveacBtt. Wbcn the entera, tbe advancet in a tttaight line from tbe (Mber end to tbe middle of tbe mMge wish ibe •light tictaryiog trip of ber country- women, and then Kop« thott, w if under tbe dnti of a fwg^-mMi. When tbe tpeakt, tbe anjcolate* with perfect cleamctt and propriety, but it it the facility of a tinger excoKing a difficult putagc. Tbe catc it that of habit, doc of lutnre. Whaterer the doe*, it right in the inteotioo, and tbe take* care not to carry it too far ; but the apptart to tay beforehand, ■ Thii I will dO( I moft not do tbai.' Her ictiog it an iaimitable Kudv or co»- ■uniiuMC rebeana! of the pan at a preparatory peribrmaDcc ; tbe hardly yet appear* to bate awomed the character; lomething more it wautiog, and that tontetlung you find in Madinie Paua. If Madettioitetle Mara hM to imile, ■ tligbt and evaneicnu exprctaioa of pleattire MWM «cron ibe inrface of ber face ; twinkle* b her cydidi, liimplct KT dut^ cotBprtmt her lipt, and playt oo each feMnre; when Madame Patta miilet, a beam of joy •eem* to hare ttruck upon ber bean, and to irradiate her cooDtniaiKe. Her whole &ce it bathed and meked in exprcttioa, instead of iit glancing from particular pointa. When tbe ipcakt, it it in muaic. Wbcn the more*, it it without tfamking whether the it graceful or not. When the wccpt, it it a tboKairi of teatt, dm a few trickliog drop*, that gKtter and *anttb tbe iuant after. Tbe French tbenite)*ea admifc Madame Patu'a acting, (who indeed can betp it?) but they go away thinking bow much one of ber timple morementi woald be improved by their extTira^ant geaicilatioac, and that ber noble, oKnraJ expreiMon would be tbe bene* fer barii^ twenty airt of iWBCtog a^ctatioa added to it. Id her Ni&a there it a Ititlcst ncaocy, an a wit wait! grace, a want of iiintMMrr. that t« like a child or a changefing, asd tbat oa French actrcM would venture upon (be a momeni, leM tbe ■bovld be ttatpected of a want of tifrit or of ioa aiflt. A French
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
kctrcH alway* pUyt before ibc court ; tihc is »lir»j* in the pmcivcc of an andimcc, witli whom «hc lirti eenlc* her penonat pretcntioM by atigailicant hint or (Ktc'glancc, lod thra 3«muchDuturc Bod umplictty t» you please. Poor Maiiame Paitu (hinkii oo laort of the «iKlkncc thaa Nina hnwlf would, if ilie codii be obierved bjr Uealth, or ttuu the &wn thai wounded comes to driak, or the flower that droopa in the aufl or wagi iti «weet bend in the gile. She giro berHlf entirely up to the imnreuioo nf th<r pan, lotc> her power over hericir, in led away by her frelingn either to an cxprcHion of KUpoi or of artless joy, borrow! be-tuty from deformity, chamu unoontdoutlyi and it iraos- lormed iato the very bcioj; »lie repreaenu. She doea not act the character — the ii Ji, looks it, breathe* it. She doea not Mudv fat an elTccc, but Ktrireii to posteta beraelf of the feeling which ■houla dictate what ahe ii to do, and which giTci birth to the proper degree of firace, dignity, ea»e, or force. She maket do point all the way through, but her whole «yle and manner ii in perfifct keeping, at if the were really a lore-mck, care-ctazcd maiden, occupied with one deep aoirow, and who had no other idea or intereat tn the world. This alone i» true nature and true art. The reat ii aophUtical i and French art it not free from the imputation t it ne*-er place* an implicit faith in nature but alwayi mixct up a certain portion of art, that it, of conacioutneat and Affectation with it. I thai] illutlraie this tubject from a peuuige in Shakcspear.
' /'s/ijYw/,— Shepherden, (A fail one are you) will you lit our agti Wiih flow'ri of wintn i
PfrJiia,^$it, liic year growing ancinil. Not yd on tummer't deani, nor on the birth Of itcnihling vtintri, (he faimt Ao>vrr> o* th' teaion Arc our eamaliont Mid itrcak'd gillillawen. Which tome f^ll naiiirc't baitardt; of (hat kind Our niitic ganlcn'i barren, and I care not To get thpt of (hrm.
PaUx. — WherefDce. gentle maiden, Po you neglect them '
PfrJiia. — For I have heard it Mud, There it an ait n1ii<h in ihcii piednct* tharc* With great cicatlng nnluie.
Pttix. — Say, (here be, Vet nature ii made better by no mean. But nature makes (hal mean ; sa o'er that art. Which you tajr adili to natuic, it an art. That nature inakei ; you tte, twc«( maid, we luny A gentle tcyon to the nildctt itork, And make conceive a baik of battr kind 3^6
MADAME PASTA AND MADEMOISKLLK MARS
By bud of nobler net. Thii it an art, which doc* mcni] naiurc, chanp it raUici) but The art iltclf ii natiirt.
Ptrdila, — So ii \%.
Polix.—Thun make your garden rich in gilliDowcft, And do not call them hutirdt.
PrrJita, — I'll not pin A dibble in eirlh, to lei one ilip of them ; No more than, mrc I painted, I should wjsh Tlii) youth lo lay, 'twere well ^ and uuly theieforc Detire to breed by mc.—H'itilfr'i laU, Ael ty.
Madame Pata appears to be of Pcrdiu'* mind in rctprcc to hcv RCting, »Dd [ applaud hrr molutiot) heartily. We Lng]i«h arc charged unjastly with wishing to ditparag« thr Firnch : we canoot help it i therrr ia a natural antipathy between the two nations. Thus unable to deny their theatrical merit, we are *aid inridioualy to have invented the appellation, Frtnth naliire, to explain away or throw a Biigma on their mou nicceicful exertiont :
' Though that their art be nature,
We throw *iich enaiiget of vexation on it, A» it may lo*e lome colour,'
The Engli&h are a heavy people, and the mom like a none of all Olhera. 1 he French are a lively people, and more like a feather. They are easily moved and by abght causes, and each part of the imptcssioD lias its separate eifecl: the Enelish, if they are moved at all (which is a work of time and ditSculty), arc moved altogether. Of m roa«K, and the imprettion, if it take« root, ttrikci deep and (preadt wide, involving a iiumbct of other impression* in it. If a fragment of a rock wrenched Irom it« place toil* slowly at lirst, gathers •treogth atid lury at it procccdi, tears up everything in its way, and ihuoden u> the plain below, there is soniethinf; noble and imposing in the tight, for it ia an image of our own lieadlon;; pnstions and the incrcaung vehemence of our desirei. Bui we bate to we a feather launched bto tlie air and driven back on the hand that throwa it, tbifting it* courie with ereiy putf of wind, and carried no farther by the strongest than by the iJighiein impulse. It i« provoking (it it not i) to tee the nrcngth of the blow always defeated by tbc rcry intignificancc and want of rctittance in the object, and the impaltc received never answering to the impulse given. It it the very same fluttering, Adgetting, lantalijiiug. tnconseijueiitia], ridiculous procc-st that annoy* us in the French character. There seems no natural correipoodence between objects and feelings, between thinga and wotdi. By yielding to every impulse at once, nothing producer
3'7
MADAME PASTA AND MADEMOISELLE MARS
Gefmaa, ikA becutc it «m Genua, bat bvuuw i: wm htarj ; ibK ti, tiinii tb* watffBaaoa md tbe ban ife bm act like a Ruchiar, w w to be wtMDd op or kc dovn by the vaOtjt of the will ? Do not tlw Fmch cowyaip (aad eoBi|ilaiD jomIt), that a pictutc i* Englitb, whcti it it coone aoi va&mAtd, nd imtt out ibc dcuiU wfa*ch are one part of samv? Do not tbe EsgUdi mnonKiitc agaiiut iliu defect too, mi cndcaTOsr to cure it ? Bat it ou; be lad wc rcliih Scbiller, becuuc be is barbaroM, violeM, asd like Sbakcfprv. We bare tbc canoooi of Rafhad tben, tad tbc Llgin tnaibte* ; aad wt pf oCn* to tdaan and undetimd dieae lod asd I tbiiik witboM an aAectalaon. Tbe rcMOo U that there ia ao afiecta- lion in tbeiB. We like thoae ooUe oalinea of the hnaao &ce M Hxi^aoe Coort ; tbe — ^Hnr* dig/utf of the expfeMwa ; tbe broad, anIebUaof tbednpcry ; the boU. naaarvc limbai there it breath ■Ml noboo u tbeiB, asd we would williagljp be lo traaafcriMd ami yriwJiatd : bu we do dm waat to ha?e ow bcwT, mpid &cn fliittTnl awi; ioiB a aoabar of |Ktiering pMoia or trwaliKad iMe ■ aoiootb pctniacDM oa Frcacfa casvaa. Ov ba%, if waanog b mpnaakm, bate a aettled purpoae in them t are u lolid a* ibey are an^ ; and we are at tea« Bc«b and blood. We alio like tbc tway of dtr limba and negligent grandeur of tbc El^ narhica ; in apte of tbctr bage weight and uaalj Krength, tbcy faaTt ibe boopscy of > wsrr of tbe tn, with all tbe eme and aojtneu of Acab : tbcy Bdl into attitndc* of tbenaelve* : but if tbey were pot iuo aititiidea by the gentua of Opera^aadn^ we abovld feel no ditponckiB is indtatt or cary than, aiv more than we do tbe Zeebyr and Flora grace* of French Kaouiy. WefvdttaaiB^ bead of Cbaany'a to a quarry of French wifiare. Tbe Ei^Sib arc t iftoda* pcme, ococfa in coi^ariag ■bcBachaa with tbctr neu acigbboan, aaa oeihiag nrovokca their Lfride in tbia caac, ao ancb ■■ tbe actfaaJBdeacy of tbe latter. When I MarJiiai PMia a^Uca b noa tbe ttagi^ and look* ^levt ber with ibe ■flM MCOaacioaaBeta or baad wonder aa iheyDnnc Mag in the foreiti wbea riwaaown ba liaba aa careletaly aa a tree Ka brancbet; wfacn 4ie aafclda one of ber divine cxpreaaiont of ooaattaaaoe, which reiect the inmoai fceiing* of the tonl, b» tfac cafaai deep lake rrAccta tbe hat of bcaTtn ; do we aoc mAaitaij admire ber, do we not with her oon, asd fed, with the aaoae cam. of tbo«|ht and cbaractcr, a waai of glow, of graces and aae in tbe expretboa of what we fixl i We bow, like Gwderiaa and Arriragna in the caie when they mw IflKgen, ai to a thanjg ^erior. On tbe other band, when MadeHoiaeUe Mara cooea oa the aOK taoMtbi^g in tbe aiaaner of a&Mocdni figare iGd akageaa a>oodei frMM, a«M Making directly fat tbe potBt 81 which ber offidal opmcioea fnwmrnrr' whin bH
3»9
Madame pasta and mademoiseixe mahs
great wit awl eloqocncr, and pntciuly afur changed udet, without knowiflg that tbr had done h> ; who ioTcittcd a nory sad brlicrcd it 00 th« (pot [ who wept bcraclf and nude you wm|> with the (otet of her dMcripttoM. and niddraly dryioj; her tjt*, iaiaxbcd at jrou for looking grave. U not thii tike actiof; { Yet it wa* aot aiFected in her, hot naturaE, inTohintary, iDcorrigible. The hurry and excttement of her oaturat (piriu wat tike a tpecim of intoxication, or the rcieinbUd a cluld in tboo^idcHoeM md bioohercnce. She wa* a Prenchwomaa. It wm UOn«i hot natarc tliai had nothing to do with truth or eoamiuaej.
Id one of the Pari* JosTMH holy, there wu a criticiMn on two Msure* bjr Girodct of Bonchanipt and Cathelioean, Veodean chid*. The pmr ia well written, and pointi out the delecu of the portraits Tcry fairly and jodiciouily. Theic pcrtoo* are there called ■lUiutrioui Veotiean*.' The dead dog* of 1811 are the illiutriotu Vendea» of 1814. Monawr ChMcnbriand will bare it w, and the French arc too polite s raiioa to oootradict hini. They iplh on thif rock of cotnptaiaance, wrrendMing every principle to the ftat of giving olTeDce, at we do on the oppoaiic one of pctrty-tpint and rancorous bociility, nctificiog the beat of canaei^ and oar bew friend* to the desire of giving oAence, to the indnlgcnoe of oar tpleen, and of >D ill-tongue. We apply a degrading amlUitioa, or briog an npprohtiov charge agaiait aa indin£ial 1 ana Nch ia oor tcoaoow- Bca* of the imobM aid dlMgNeahk^ an bad are wc of broo^pg over grietaacei^ ao incapable are our imaginatioM of raiting ibemadvea above the Iowcm tcBnilttjr or the ifittieat abine, that iboald tbe penoo aUacktd come one an angel (tota tbe eonte«t, the prejndice apiDM faao) rcmatiM nearly tbe aunc a« if tbe charge had been fnlljr prowd. Aa oopieaiaat awociaaOB hat been created, and thit it too dcfi^KM aa ciercite of the aadcnuadiag with the Englith public caiily to be parted with. John BaQ woold a* toon give up an e«ta<c a* a bi^-bear. Harmg been once gnOed, they are not aoon uagitBni. They are too knowing for thai. Nay, they retent the attempt to aodcceive thetn at an tnjory. Tbe French apply a brilliant cpitbet to the BKMC vnberable character*; and that glott ov«r a life of Ueachcry or infamy. WiU) them the ioimediaic or lajt imprettion it every thing: with ut, the firtt, if it it tujticiently ttroog and doomy, nerer wear* out ! The French critic obwrvea that M. Girodet hu giveo General Boochampa, thooKb in a atmaoa o( great dit^culiy and danger, a calm and even Hnilin;; air, lod that the portrait of Catbclincaa, iattcad of a hero, look* oolv like aa mpj irrnaanr la iiact, tbe ^ in the fint ponrak an laaile of narmalade, tht tonfkxioc u cowwtic, and tbt taik lodMIr cagagiog ; while
S3<
tutted t^t^- uSHtflBB^IflHfe D^BC S BH
MV ******! hOUb OTt M
I far mob ad annc, ifce Vuoe» far ^ 4ni bw^ far te biBf Bst of «t. tVr edov « ««K M aai aU k a potare: tftey |K^in>K a Crwfc tBgrf^
'bwr-i
mnai
[tk««afb •cpekoK
■Md OB7 dMM: K
MiycMiydnc Oc
B. Ofc. P^! > «« aM « ^~*9
MADAME PASTA AND MADEMOISELLE MARS
cs¬ bear to wppotr Tor > mometti ihcre ihould be any Uung thty do not UDd^rsuiid : thcjr arc shockingly afraid of being mjitiftd. Hence ihey hare do idea cithet of mental or aerial peispeciivc. Every thing muit be di*tti>ctly made out and to the loregiouod ; for if it ii not (o cicir tbat they can take it up bn by bit, it ia wholly itm upon ihcfn, and tticy turn away as from an unmeaning blank. Thii is the caiac of tbc iliff, uanaiuial look of ibeit poiiraiti. No ■llowaacc it made for the Tcil that shade as wdl as an oblique posilioD cau* over the ditfcrent psria of the lace ; ercry feature, and erery part of erery feature b gitea wtlh the uroe flat effect* and it » owing to thia |>en«r*e fidelity of d«uil, that thai which ia literally true, it naturally falic. The ndc of a face teen in perspective doca Dot pretetit *o many marking* ai tbc one that meet) your eye fiill : but if it t* pat toto tbc vitt of French portrait, wrcncbed roand by incorrigible aifecutioa ai»d conceit (that iaiiat upon kBOWtD| all tbat i* there, and »tt it down fofmally, though it it not to be aocn), what caa be the result, but that the portrait will look like a head RKk iD a vice, will be flat, hatd, and finithed, will have the appearue* of reality and at the auue time look like paint i b short, irill \k t French portrait ? That it, the artiit, from a petdoeM of *iew and want of more enlarged and liberal notion* of art, cotne* forward not to reprecent nature, but like an imprrtineni commeniaior to explain what she hat left in doubt, to iomt on that which she passes over or touches only s%htly, lo throw a critical light on what she ca«a into shade, and to pick out the detaila of what the blends into masse*. I wvodcr they allow the exidence of the term tlar-attair at all, bui il IS a word ; aad a word is a thing tbey can repeat and remember. A French gentleman formerly asked lac what I thought of a land- •cape in their Exhibition. I aaid 1 thought it toe clear. He made answer that he shonld have conceited that to be impoisibte. I replied, that what I intaM wat, that the pons of the several objcdi w«ie made out with toe nearly equal disttnctnes* all over the picture ; that the leaves of the trees in shadow were ai diainct as those In ligbt, the branches of the trees at a distance at plain at of those near. The perspectiTe arose oi>ly from the dimiutioD of objcctSi and there vaa no iUemtitioD of air. I taid, one codd not tec the leave* of a tree a mile otf, but thit, I added, a|ipcnaiMd M> a ^MMioo Id metaphysics. He shook hii head, thialiiDf tlat a youag EngliA- man could know as little of abitrvte phOotopfay at a fiiw art, and BO more waa said. I owe to tbii gcntleinaD (wbo*e name was Mcrrnoce, and who I tmdeTttand it lull living,) a gratejitl sense of many ftictidly attentioas and many nsefil suggestions, and I take thia OffOftuaiiy of acknowledging my obligations.
333
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
r
MADAME PASTA AND MADEMOISELLE MARS
thu hct taiod hat bttn tStcud in lik« ina&Der, that the rntcra deeply ioio tht reioaieet of niturr, aa<l undcrsucdt (he Ticheti uf the huiuio heart. For nothing elie caa impel und «ir h^ up to the imililton of the truth. The my in which mJ cauw* uri upott ibe fci^ling* ii t)ot itrbitrary, is not lanciful ; it i< if true aa il u powcrfil and iiflfoirw«n ; the eliccu can only be similar when ihc rxcfting cau*c» bare a coimpoodence with each oihcr, and (here i* nothing like feeling tat feeling. The tcnte of joy caa alone produce tbe smile of joyi and in pioportion to tlie (weetoet*, the UDconaciouaneM, and the expaotion of the laat, we may be mre i* the (ulneaa and aincerity of the hcatt from which it proceeda. The elcmcfita of joy at teaat arc thcic, in ihdr integrity and peticctioci. The death o>r abwncc of a betoTcd object it nothing aa a word, »a a mere pOMing ibooght, till it conie* to be dwelt upon, and we begin to feel tbc reralaion, the long dreary aeparation, the stunning aeMC of the blow to ow happi- nett, M we ahoiild in reality. The power of giiinji thia tad and bewildering cficct of aorrow on ihe aiage is derived from tbe force of ■ympathy wkh wha.i we ihould feel in reality. Tliat il^ a great watnanic geniu* a ooc that approximaic* the eiFccta of words, or of tupptwed iimitiona on the mind, most nearly to the deep and Titrid cBcct of real and ineritahle ones. Joy produce* teari : the violence oTpMHon turn) to childiah wnkncsi ; but thia could not be ibrcwcn by Rudv, not taught by nilei, nor mimicked by obtcriation. Natunl acting u ibetefore fine, becauae it im^ics and calli forth the tnoM varied and acrongeti feclbgs that the tupposed charactera and circarn- iuncea can pooibly give binh to: it reaches the height of the aubject. Th« conceiting or cotertng into a pan in this sense i* every thing: tbe acting follows easily and of course. But an wiihout nature it a nick oamc, a word without meaning, a concliuioii Without any premiftet to go upon. The beauty of Madame Paata'a acting in Nini proceeds upon this principle. It it not what ibc doe* at any ponicnlar jonctare, but tbe aeems to be tbc character, and to be incapable of divesting herself of ii. This is troc acting : any thing else it playing tricks, may be clever and ingenious, is French Oper»dBDciog, rccitadoo, heroica or hytKrica— bw it is doc true ouw* or tne wt.
33!
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY XXIX
sift WALTtS SCOTT, ftACIHZ, AXD SBAKE5PEAK
Tm «iDMai B ife a^ of ih*
nOfC pKMBR bwi
Cmvof ifar Opm ow the cfcrncw liar 1m Im «idr ii Ui cttef or iirlMii wcmj. Bn I bsiv bard lonr bnry pnoai 4o ite i^BC I iBd m tBw K ipptin to bc to bt nora tkc iHrtimop n
lb fntBtmaei far bowtcr U^ of mpatik^ tfe cfes if ■■ie am be tf Ife OHK, «e lava ts nMve ■ b«t < CidnidHr mmI rcpoK^aHl ia m fton ika tta dx .' 1 tB pie m aatoBf rate. ladnd tkcre ii > mh» if i I a MTi «f oibcal rcnonr a iW opfwn covit m kgirsigaiM i Ml prajBOCv oc i liiuu to wnooi wi ks isdif toBMMxnbfe oofi^^ j DOM I Dvt tluf very wwnft^ oi iMcoooBnt ov Mcnftoe cf a pfnwnce i« a Ocii proof dut wb are ■inw^t fa it ame* ealf ea of tbe «MBf iMoa* cxckad is ife OMne of tiBe, aad istehcd b t&c MBHc a>d panople m ifaeoiMB-
Wofdi a» die «|w «hiA poiaa a« ad Mbe Ae et^jecta of lie Ii^Mac iipoct to tae MBan win i v^ tfttoi tt iw oaCMMal* and M It «m ne« mt^rtr aude oif '■[■■'^-g ikow <^a, tk oav with wUcb ow praebca] nd wrioa* MMXiativa are To gm a ddibmce icrdicc oe the otfaa ade of the dMmerc^ cfcuMr aad aajBac ft rnir Ji ifaliihifal in iIn ■wII, ■ fhiapflf » ^ gMtfc Im DOW aod tbc lauat, if ihdr wcf6 uudg Mptf ^V7 Biny pvt it 9 nratf oi tbcve nvalaeadncM; b« the head and the btan caasot be wcuMt? accoBfMCea ajpUMt thcnMTca* ^vc tf jbbu( aoy a v tn By pttMatc or na»i tbaa to wmeoflgr the > of Hoe other to it. Every thii^ naada beta
A tooad exfreaMi^ fa Uw RMMt pan, asduagbai ioeirf a «a(d c^rcaaea a miHioa efMoad^ ThcihaogbB of iatyitaaaB afi the ffloawat m ooe thtttg, aad a aiay be noee or Icm dcnprtnpi hat beyood ihk, tt nuy relate to the hie or errau of a vhok Ue, tmd it ■a tUi noral and inleUectaai penpecti*e tlui word* coofey !■ ita fid wtfjHBCMMm and f ttf iJi mkI that gtm a propottinpahle anenomy tt weqthii ia coapaa^ aad tfigaity to the d^aaoKiaea of^ihe irai
l«^
336
tn|>c
»
sm WALTER SCOTT, RACINE, SHAKESPEAR
Mmc. Tbc bagua^ of tbe Bitdcrauadttig u occnury to a raiioul bciBg. Mia i* dumb i&d prooe to tbe onb wkIkkr it. It it thai whi5t opKos tbe Ttita of oat jam or fswre yttn. Otberwbe a clood ■( apOD it, like tbe niiu of tbe monusKt like a veil of rote*, sn exbabboa of iweet lound*, or licb dualled perfumer ; do nutter what— k U the nerre at organ that u chiedy toncbed, the Ktwc that M vt»f\ftii n tctucj or waked to maaaan tbc inu [emaiiu aoawTcd, torpid, aad InttcM, blind to caaxi and coaie<|aracc«, wluch he can arm reania nwAed witboot fcaowtaf, b« kvm itua up in a ccO of igBonaec^baflcd and coafouaded. Sonad* aritbiMt tiNanins ■n like a gbre of lijbt witboot object* i or, an Opera U to a Twagedj what a traarpoKncy ia to a pictMre. We arc delighted bccaiiie wc are dazileo. Bin wotda are a key to the alTcciMaa, Tbry oot only exdte fediagi, bat ihey point to the ortj aod vibfrrfori. CuMea aurch before iben, lad cotMcqaeocet follow after them. They are bak* in rhe cbaio of the aoircnc, aad the grupGdgriroM ihn biod m to it. They opco the gate* of Paradi«c, aad nveal tbcabjMof bnBua woe
' Foot bgging winim and foor Haaton ^irin(> Die IB a wonl [ nxh ii tht breath of kinga.'
Bat to ibii reapect, all coen who hare the lue of tpeecfa ue kioga. It ii wnrdi that coottitote all but the preaent raoineot, bat the present object. They may not and they do oot give the whale of any train of impretoona which they raggnt ; bat ihcy alooe amwrr in »y degree 10 tbe tnub of thing*, unfold tbc dark bbyriatb of fate, or Mcavel the web of the benan hean ; for they aloac dcaoibe tluofi ia the ordar aod Kbtioa to which they happen ia bnmaB liiiB. Men do aoi daoa or ang throogh life t or aa Open or a (■Dn woold * came borne to the boaoota aod bonacaaea of aiai,' ia ^ naK "■»'"" that a Tragedy or Comedy doet. Aa it ia, they do not piece oo to oar ordinan exittc&cc, nor go to enrich oar hahitaa] rcflectioaa. We wake from them at froai a drvnkcn dream, or a bat ugbl*a detuoch ; jod think of them no more, till tbc acfual aapeeirion b rvpeated.^ — On the other hand, pantomime aaion (a« an exclonreand new tpecicaof tbe drama) it like tragedy obtnm- cated aod thrown oa the grouad, gaaping for utterance and «ing)rBog Cbr breath. It u a diapUy of tbe powen of an, I ahould think more wonderful than aatia&ctory. There i« a ctiAiag teaniioa abou iL It doe* Dot throw aS * tbe pertloua noS that weigbt vpoa tbc beartf* but mutt rather aggravate aod tighten the preaoire.
'Gin lonoH ■rordi; the giief that doonoc ipcak, Whupen the o'er-fraugbt btan, and bidt it brtak.* WM- TO. ! T S 57
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THE PLATS SP£.\E£ft
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I
SIR WALTER SOOTT, RACINE, SHAKESPEAR
and the Kencrjr and maaneri are truly English. Is Queotin Dorwirdf iig»\n, he mode a descent upon Prtince, >nd gained new laurels, insteid of lo»ing hit forincr ooet. This teemed to bespeak > versatility of uleot and a ptaatic power, which in the iirst tnttsnce had be«n called to ^uesdoD. A Scotch mist had been suipected to bang its myttery orer the page i hit imigination was borne up on Highland super- stitions and oboolete traditions, ' tailing with supreme dominion ' through the murky regions of ignorance sod tutbuisra ; and if cm at a loss, hit invention wm eked out and goi it (jH by meaos of ancient documents and the tecordt of crimioal jurisprudence or fanatic rage. The Black Dwarf wit a pianphrate of the current aoeccioies of David Ritchie, without any additional point oi interest, and the iincT of ElBe Deans had slept for a century m the law reports and depoa* tions relatire to the Heart o^ Mid-Lothian. To be sure, nothing could be finer or truer to nature ; for the human heart, whenever or however it w wakened, ha* a stirring power in it, and as to the irath of nature, nothing can be more like nature than facts, tf jrou know where to find them. But at to sheer invention, there appeared to be about at much as there is in the getting tip the melo-dmnaiic iepre> icnutioo of the Ntaid and the Magpye from the Cauiei Cttebrti. The invention is much greater and the eAcci is not lets in Mr*. Inchbald's NATVsr and Akt, where there is nothing that can hare been given in rvuim^r but the TfiaJ-^cene near the end, and even that ia not a lef>al anecdote, but a pure drainuiic fiction. Before I pto- ceed, I may ai well dwell on thii point a little. The heroine of the story, the once innocent and beautiful Hannah, is brought by a series of mitfortunct and crimes (the clTect of a misplaced attachment) to be tried for ber lifi; at the Old Bailey, and as her Judge, her former lover and seducer, it about to proooancc sentence upon het, she calls out in an agony — ' Oh ! not from vou ! ' and as tbc Hon. Mt. Noewynoe proceeds to finish his solemn address, falls in a swooa, and is taken letweless from the bar. 1 know nothing b the world so affecting as this. Now if Mrs. Incbbald had merely found thia ktoty in ibe Newgate- Calendar, and transnlanicd it into a novel, I conoeiTe that her merit in point of genius (not to say feeling) wonkt be less than if having all the other circaniMaaces giien, and the apparatu) ready, and thin exctanuooa alooe kft Uaok, ibc bad filled it op from ber own heart, that is, from U iMetise concepdoa of tbc •itaataoD of the panics, so that &o«t the harrowing recollections pOMing thnragh the mind of the poor giirl so circumstanced, this unooottotahle gush of feelmg would burst Irom her lips. Just such I apprehend, generally speaking, is the amount of tbc ditfercncc between the geiuua of Sbakespear and ibat of Sir Walter Scott. It
339
SIR WALTER SCOTT, RACINE, SIIAKESPEAR
mding Sluke*[)«flr would know (cxccpi from the Dramat'u Ptrmt*) thai Lear wat so l^i>gli»li king. H« is merely a kiog and a fadiei. The ground U coounoD : but wliat a wril of tcu* has he dag out of it ! The traditioa i« nothiog. or a fooliab one. There are no <Uu in binory U) go upoQ i no ad<rantaj(e it taken of cuaiume, oo acqtuintaooe with gcognpby or architecture or dialect ia neoeauty : biK there i« an old tradition, human nature — an old lemplc, the humm mind— and Shiknpeiir witks into it and look* about him viUi « lordly eye, and ceizes oo the (acred tpoila as his own. The story it a ihouMnd or two year« old, and yet iJie tragedy liu no smack of antiijiuutanitm in it. I should like rery well lo Bee Sir Walter giving us u tragedy of thii kind, a huje ' globose * of sorrow, swinging round in mid-air, independent of Uiae, place, and drcumcUncCi suiuincd by its own weight and moiioa, ana not propped np by the [even of cuuom, or picbcd op witb quaint, old-fuhioned drc«tes or let off* by grotesque backgrounds or rusty armow, but in which the mer« pan^fentalia ud acceaaories were left out of the qucttion, ind DOthing but tbe soul of pasaion artd ihe pitli of imagination wan to be found. *A Dukedom to a beggarly Jaiitr,' be would make nothing of it. Does this prove be hai done nothing, or that be has not done the grratnt thtnge i No, but that he is not like .Sh4keiipear. For tnatance, when Lear tayt, 'The little dog* and ti\. Tray, Blanche, Mtd Sweetheart, tee tliey bark at me ! ' there is no old Chronicle of the line of Brute, no linct-ittirr broadndc, no ucieced ballad, no vague rumour, in which thi* exclamation it rcgiitercd ; there is nothing romanlic, quaint, myateriou* in the objects iniroduced : the illuttialino is borrowed from the commonest and most casual imagct in nature, and yet it is this very circumnmoe tlMt lends its extreme force to Iha axpreuioD of hit grief by ihewiojt that even the lowest thing* in enttion and the labt you would think of had in his inugioatioo turned against him. All nature was, aa he luppowd, in a coaajnracy against him, and the most trivial and insignilicatit creatures concerned in it were the mod striking prooft of it» malignity and extent. It is tbe depth of pnwion, however, or of the poet's sympathy with it, that diitingnisbe* thi* character of torturing familiarity in them, inveata them with corresponding importance, and suggests them by tlie force of contrast. It is not that certain images are surcharged with a preKriptive inllueoce over the imagination from known and exiaiing prejudices, so that lo approach or even mention them it sure to excite a picaiing awe and honor in the mind (tbe effect in thit ca*e ia mostly mechanical] — the «4iole sublimity of the patRagc is from the weight of passion thrown into tl, and this is the poet t own doing. This it not irick, but genius. Meg MerKlies on her death-bed says,
341
sin WALTER SCOTT, RACINE, SHAKESI'EAR
^
of Micklnune Muir (the couairy-womas and hrr flock of gcc*e tsmed bto none) m the Black Dwarf, irc i dtif and petrifying inManMqibMU ; but it i* the tradition of the country asd no more. Sir WahcT hat told v* oothtog farther of it than the Gr« clown whom «rc might uk concerning it. I do not blame him for thai, though 1 C3DDOI pn him credit for what he hu doc doDc. Tb« poetry of the novel ia tjixturt of the ipou Meg Merrilte* I alw allow, with all pOMJUe {ood-will, to be a mott romantic and auouadiiig petWiMge i yet ibc ii a tittle me]o<lr3natk. Her cxita and eatraace* are puHomimic, and ber long red doak, her elf-locks, the rock on which •be Muidi, and the while cloud behind bcr arc, or might be made the property of a theatre. Shakctf>cat'( witchei aic neatly exploded on the Rage. 1'bcif bnomnddkt an left; their meuphyHC* are gooc, borted fire editioDa deep in Captata Mcdwin'a ConvcrMtioiM ! The putioo m Othello i* made out of auhiag bw Maelf; dure ia no external Duchioery to help it on i ita ia^bat totemediite agent ii ao old-faihiooed pocket-handefcbief. Yet * there '■ magic ia the web * of thooehta and fcclinga, dooe after the oomnoncM pattern of hnman Itlc. The power diiptaycd in it ii ihaE of intctiie paoioo and powerful ioicilccti wielding cicry-day eretiti, and imparting iu btce to tbcm, not flwayed or carried alon^ by them » tn a gKXart. The ipintdoiu ia that of eenin* darttoc out itt forked flame on whatever comet m ilt way, and kiodliDg ana mddiig it in the furnace of afccdon, whether it be flax or iron. The colouring, the form, the motioo, the com- btutioo of objocu depend on the prc-diipo«iiion of the miad, nKMldtiig aaiuf c to iu own purpoae* ; in Sir Walter the mind it a* wax to circumitancea, and own* do other impreM. Shakeipcar ia a half' worker wiih mttire. Sir Walter ia like a maa who baa got a rotaaatk winning- jeooy, which he haa on)y to let a going, and tl doet hit work Mr him much better and &atcr than he can do it for himaelf. He layt an embargo on 'all appliancci and meant to boot,' on hinory. tradition, local tccitery, cottumc and manneti, and nukct bit char- Ktnv chiefly up of tbeae. Shaketpeat ■eizet only on the ruling paiMOM, aid iDtraculoutly ciiol*e« all the real front it. The eagemeta of dnire asggcffa every potaible ereoi that can irritate or thwart it, farewca all ofaatadea, catchet at every trifle, clntbea itadf with inaginatioB, and tantalite* ittelf with hope; 'teca Hdcn't beaaty in a brow oi Hgypt,' ttartt at a pbaatom, and make* the oniTerte iribvtary to it, and the ^y^hiag of iu bncy. There it none of thii tntr-weenicg inmnoaty of the inaginatioe io the Author of Wavcrley, be doet hit wotx wdl, bat in another-gueu nunner. Hia imapoatJon it a natter-of-foct im^icatioti. To retom to Othello. Take the celebrated dialogue in the third acL * 'Tia coaiiBOfi.' There ia
343
SIR WALTER SCOTT, RACINE, SHAKESPEAR
Sir Walter is diitinguished by the most ktmiing rctcnli^'cneM of memory, asd vividncM of coDccpcion of what would hitppen, be KMit and felt by every body in fiiTen cirtuniMance* ; a« Shakcipcar if by invcntiTeneM of ^niiu, by « faculty of tracioft and unfolding the ino*t hidden yet poweifuf cpringi of action, «carce recogniiicd by ourKlvc*, and by an endlcti and fclicitoui range of poetical illustra- tion, added to a wide scope of reading and of knowledge. One proof of the justice of theie remarks is, that whenever Sir Walter comes to a truly dramatic situation, he decline* it or fails. Th«s in ihe Black Dwarf, all that relate* to the traditions respecting this mysterious per»onaee, to the niperstitious «orie« founded on it, is admirably done and to the life, with all the spirit and freedom of originality : but when he comes to the lint scene for which all the rem is a preporuion, nod which is full of the hicheii btcrest and UMioit, nothing is done i instead of an addreM from Sir Edward Maufey, recounting the miseries of his whole life, and withering vp bis guilty rival with the teciial, the Dwarf enters with a strange niKtIing noise, the opposite door* fly open, and the afTrighted spectators rush out like the u^ure* in » pantomime. This is not arumatic, but melo^dramatic. There it a jalpablc disappointment and falling- off, where the interest had been worked up to the highest pitch of expectation. The gratifying of this appalling curiosity and intcrtat was all that was not done to Sir Walter's hand ; and this he has failed to do. All that was known aioai the Black Dwarf, his ligure, his desolate habitation, hit unaccountable way of life, his wrongs, his bitter cxecmtiont against intruder* on hi* privacy, the floating and exaggerated accounts of him, all these are given with a mastrdy and faithful hand, this is matter of description and niirrative: but when the true tmigiaative and dramatic part comes, when the subject of this disastrous lale ia to pour out the accuniulated and agonising cfTecta of all this series of wretchedness and torture upoo his own mind, that is, when the penon Ls to speak from himself and to ttua us with the recoil of passion upon external agents or circumstances that have caused it, we find that it is Sir Walter Scott and not Shaketpear that is hi* counsel-keeper, that the author is a novelist and not a pocL All that is gosnpped in the neighbourhood, all that is handed down in print, all of which a drawing or an etchiog might be procured, is gathered together and communicated to the public : what the heart whisper* to itself in secret, what the imagioatioti tells in thunder, this alone is wanting, and this is the great thing required to make good the compatison in queslitm. Sir Walter has not then imitated Shakespcar, but he has given us nature, such as he found and could best describe it t and he reecniblc* him only in this, that
345
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
he iUbIu of hi* chmcter* and oem et hiaatli, and pom oat I vorkt wiib Mcb uacootcioiM cmc asd ftoiipXtj of rewurcf tfau be thiolu BOtfabg of tbns, aed U mn greater dm hit o*n &n>e.
The MUM oi SfaiknjJOT ■» drmuuc, that of Scott nvntifc or <lcaen|*iK, thai of Racine ii d>dac6c. He pn», m I coocetic, the tmmi^iata of the bcumn heut better thaa Hiy one, hot Bathing nn hole iBMC. He enlaiget oo a let a£ obriooi tentkiMnn ud ' WcN-biovn topic* with contideniblr elegance of laaguge and copton*- MMof(lecUnutioa,bu( there i* Karcely ooe anoke of gtig>Dal ^ DOT aay thiag Bke tnuginaiioa in his mitingi. He Hringt KigMhu i Bumbef of mora] rcflectioei, lod iauead i)i rcchJag them bnMclf, J tlmn into the nioutha uf bii dramssii peri^n^, who talk «dl ifacir own tituatioiw and Ibe general relKiona of hisnaii life. of lafiog bve the heait of the loficrer with all it* bleeding wonotk^ md pdpiatJBg fibre*, be pat* into hit hand a comown-pJace book, aod DC rod* m a Iccmtc (ram thb. Thia i* imx ihc ctaetkce of the draou, whole object aod pn<|]c;;c it ii to pn m the extione ■nhtle working* of the htunan mind in iodtvidiul cucwnManees toJ make na ■ympatldM with the tutferer, or feel a* we ihouU (eel b hm CJicomataoce*, not to tell the iodilfereoi ^lectaior what the iadifferem qtrm*^ ootdd jut u well ictl him. Tragedy i* bunun nature tried ra the cncihle of afflictioo, not exhibited in the vsgoe theorems of cpccslttioa. The poet'* pen that painU all this ia word* of &e and inagn of fold it lotall* wanting ia ftacine. He gtTe* neither external iraMn He the imcroal and Kcrvt woekmg* lif the hnmoa] btcatt. Sir WakcT Scott girc* the extertu) imagery or machic of punon i Sb^c*pcaf the tool ; and Radix the moeal or argtunniC^ of it. The Frcoch ob}tct to Sbakeipear for hi* breach of the Unttiet, and hold op Racioe a* a mode) of claMJcal propriety, who make* a Greek hero addrcii a Grecian hetoioe a* M>^/mi. Y« tbi* i« OM barboroui— Why ? Bccauac it i* French, and becau nothing that i* Freoch can be baiberoua in the eye* of ihi* friTolooa and pedantic nation, who would prefer a peruke of the age of Lonii zi*. to a rimple Greek head-die** I
ESSAY XXX
ON DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITT
I WISH 10 make thw E*uy a ton of Hody of the meaaiog of leveral word*, which have at different (imr* a good deal pnuled me. Among tbcK are the words, vmktJ, Jaht aod mv, a* applied to 3*6
ON DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
feeling ; and lastly, Jtplh and itaifevintti. It may amu»e ihc reader Co ect- tlic way tn which I work out lome of my coactusions nudcr- grouiiil. bt'furc ihtowin;; (hem up on the aurrace.
A great but uwlcsi thinlccf onw aiked mc, if I had ever known a child of a naturally wicked ditpooition? and t aniwered, ' Yci, that there VM one in the house with mc that cried from morning to night, /#r tpUi.' 1 WM laughed at for ihi» annwer, but itUl 1 do not repent ti. It appeared to mc that this child took a delight in torment- ins itiejf and otlict*; that the love of tyrannising over other* and tubjeciinji them to Ju caprice* vraa a full compenaaiion for the beating it received, that the tcreamt it uttered toothed it* pceviah, turbulent ■pirtt, and that it had a positive pleasure in pain from the teiue of power accompanying it. ffti frhtiifi'u luuetmwr l</raim, his tamiftx animui, I was »uppo(ed to magnify and oTcr-ratc the symptom* of the diacase, and to make a childish humour into a bugbear ; but, indeed, I have no other idea of what i* commonly nndcrstood by wiekedneiB than that pervertion of the will or love of mischief for iu own aake, which constantly disuhy* itself (though in irilles and on a ludicrously small scale) in early childhood. I have olten been reproached with extravagance for coiiaideiing thingi only in ihdr ract principle!, and with hcai and ill-temper, for getting into a pauion about what no ways concerned me. If any one wisliet to see me quite calmi they may cheat me in a bargain, or tread upon my toea ; but a truth repelled, a sopbttm repealed, totally diaconcerts roe, and I lo«c all patience. I am not, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, a good-nalurid man ; that it, many thing* annoy mc bcoide* what interferes with my own cane and intcreti. I hate a lie ; a piece of injustice wound* me to the quick, though nothing but the report of it reach nie. 'I'herelbre I have made many enemies and few friend*; for ilie public know nothing; of well-withers, and keep a wary eye on thote that would reform them. Coleridge u»ed to complain of my ifaKibility in thi> rcrpect, and not without rea*on. Would that he had poiacticd a little of my tcnacioumeai and jealouiy of temper ; and then, with hit eloquence to paint the wrong, and acutenes* to detect it, his country and the cautc of liberty might not have fallen without a struggle I The craniotogitts give me lie trgait tf htot mtmorj. of which faculty 1 have not a paiticle, though tbey may uy that oiy frequent allu»ions to conrersationa that occurred maov yeir* ago prove the contrary. 1 once tpent a whole evening with Dr. Spuriheim, and I utterly forget all that naised, except that the Doctor vuilt±td before we parted ! The only faculty [ do pouew, it that of B certain morbid interest in things, which makes mc equally remember or anticipate by ncrvoua anaJogy whatever touches it ; aod
3*7
THE VLAT*
ON DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
iBoaoUNWBi and ianpidi bot it it che btnLene|t afvr miKkKvoai M>d tioleat excilcamt that lodi to thu rc*nk, that ljuki dat iadifertace to gDdd and vnoaxm to eril, vUch U tbe tctj tln^ f <— riiBiwI o£ ThegricA we RifleTwefiirilieiBiMiwtefoar (nn MdoBg aod inakng ; or ve iacor or iaSict tbca, not to jvcn otho' n^cadiog nik, bitt lo dmc oiT nm. Tbcrc awit bt > f^cc of ■Mchicf nd wilMacn tfarown iau tbc c«p of o«r watoer to gt*« it ttt itep a«e »d ifmUiDg ookmr. I Aall eoi {o into a fomul on dM MbJKl, for fear of bang ttdiooa, dot rodaramt lo it by estntne ca*e« for fear of being duguniof; ; bu aball nyiclf witii aotnc deioliory aad familia.- illiuaabaat of ii- I la^gb « iboac wbo deny that vc crrr vantody or UBCCtaMrtiy tiSici pUB ifoo oibcn, wben I mc how fond we arr of lOgcoaaatly toroKUiac oaradvct. Wbat it winnMnai ia cbadm or grow* ftofkt btt fwcsp s^nBff OTfittvca f ^nP ( had tvbcr be tfac TKttt of tail abiHo asd JKSdMraAf koia^b tbao pw 9 aa isvticfJtt pwyoae, retract an error, or rdax froei the ntcDBty of our will, ■Iwli III ii nn ca« M. A •■Hy nua ii hi* own enemy, and kaowia^ wcriaoet hit interest to faii iU-buBMiir, became be would at aoj tne ntbcr faoblige yon tban terrc himacir, w I believe I kcK dready Aewa m aaoAer pbce. The rtaccm it, be bat a aanral a*er«an to evcrytliiQC aptcable or hMyy— be tvTu with £igHt from erery rach (ee&^ at Dot aeoord^ with tbe were tone of hit minrl ind it it in cxdndiBg afl mterchange of ineodly ■fectiopaor kiod ofioea ifaat tbe rvEog biat tod tbe cbief aantiac- tioQ of hi* IHe eoiMtt. li aoc every coomry^towD nmlkd with ttt BcoUt and tcaadal-Aioatert • The firtt cannoc ceaac own phganf thegitfi^ta and every body aboot thcfli witb tfaev madaaa danovr, the race of wordi baa bttd«L by habit and hAigeaot a dnctt, a (me on llteir paeched tongaei ud the othera coMioBe W make *— p'^ by aonc ^aatt m or dy ■■nnation at eacry thini wotd they ifKak. becaate with every oew eoany there ii an additional acnae of power. Oae mm will tooscr jmt vMi Ut &iead thui bii jafce, hcoaar the KimnlBt of aayiog a good lUag it irritated, inneid at baMg tepeetiodt by the leaf or ginns ooesoa, aad b^ the m^ ptadtnM' ac anfairBeta of the rcnaifc. Halioe oAn take* tbe faib of mth. Wc find a «et of poaoot arho pride tbatilm on bong fltm-^tim ff/le, iba m, who bJwt oat every tbtoc dingreeable to ^oar me, l^ wayof woiaidiu yonr firJiigr and rcJaefiag their owa, and cbi* tbey caU booaay. Eves aauag fbiVtta^bgn we ■» have Botiotd tiKMc aiboarcnot conerated to iidorB the andtrataadaga of thdr ^eader^ aakat they can dwck their prcjadieca; and aMwg paect tbote who tanpee with the rettCB parta of^thcir tabject, adding
3+9
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
to their faocied pmm«aai bjr trampltog on the mum of *hu»e. There ue rigid roMmen vbo wtU doc be tarned Mide Gron follow- ing ty a logical argtanent by anv regard to co«e<|iiesces, or the ' amfimenoot nmaagit at unrCf (Mcb ■• theu Iok of tnth)— I acwor knew ooe of thtw icnyiooi id haid-neoihed logaciaa* who veoU Ml ftitiff the &e» and diNon ihr taferciKe ia or& to imrt « • diwrewing tad repobtre cBwcloiioa. Soch it the ^tdmioo of «lm felcMBi o«r own mil from thraldom* md coaipeli ihii of others niaaaatly to Mbout to tern* of oar dt^aiiDg ! Wc fed our ova power, and diwe^rd their wedcDcw aod cAcminacy wtth prodipooa tclf-complaceflcy. Lord Clite, when i boy, mw a botcher patewg wnfa a calf in a ort. A coono&ion wbom he had with hint nid, ' I abodd Dot like to be thai botcher ! ' — ' I ihodd ooi Itlte to be thai cdA' replitd the fwwe Goveroor of India, laughing at all mapathy b«t Uut with hb own wttSttiafrt. The 'wicked' Lord Lyttlewa (at be wai called) dmmt a little before bis death that be Waa cooGtwd io a bu;;e lubtemncaa vault (the ioiide of thii toand {lobe) where a> far aa eye coold lee, be codd diicem no livine object, till at bK he nw a fieoule ifvn coouag towudi hiiBt aad who fhould it turn oat to be, but Modkr Browarigg. whom of all people be laoft hated ! That wat the vcty rcMOa why he dreaint of ber.
' Yoo aak brr aimc : (ht obipp'd two *prcotion to dtail^ And hid ibem in the coaMwk.'
Porrar or ma AmtnJacobiii.
I do DO! know that her* i> exactly a caae in point ; bat I coocetTC that in the well-known cManrophe here alluded to, wordi led to blow*, bad uage brought oo worie Iroai mere irritation and oppoti- tioo, aod that, probably, even remorae lod piiy urged on to aggravated acta of cruelty and opfrcMioa, m the only mnn* of drowning rettcc- tioo oo the pa« in the fiiry of prc«M Maiioa. 1 bcliere tbK rcmoTM for pa« offeaoei haa aomctiaM* made die greatot crintiaab, M the being aoable to ifpewe a woanded cotncience rcaden meo dapeiMei and if 1 bear a peTtoo exprcM great impatience artd uoeuinen at tome error that he i> liable to, I am tolenbJy care that the cooHict will end in a repcdtioo of the oifcocc. If a miia who got dnuik oTer-night, rcprnu biitcrty oext ntoming, be will get dnicik »gua ai nighl ; for both in hit rcpcntaocc sad hia trlf-gratil>ca- tion he U led away by the feeliog of ilic motneat. fioi thii ia not wickcdaeM, but deapoodency and want of itrcngih of mind t aod I only attribute wickedoeM to tboae wbo carry their willa in their haiidt, and wbo wantonly and deliberately luncr theta to tyraaniae
35°
ON DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
orcr coQacicncCt mum, and Immaaity, and who trtn dnw an additional triumph fiom chit dcgradiog cooquest. The war*. per«e- cucioni, and bloodshed, occa«ianed by religion, have generally turned on liic nio«t trifling diiFerencet in forma and ceremonicn ; which ahcwt that it was not the vital intereit* of ibc aucucions that were at Kike, but thill (hc*r were made a handle and pretext to cxerctK cnielty and tyranny on the «coie of the most trivial and doubtful pointt of faith. There leenia to be a love of abiurdiiy utd falKhood a« well ai mischief in the human mind, and the mott ridiculoiu ai well ai barbarou* aupcrititions have on tliii account been the moit acceptable to iu A Me it welcome in it, for ii !i, at it weie, iu own ofTgpring ; and it lilcc* to believe, as well at act, whatever it pleasci, and in the pure spirit of contradiction. The old idolatry look vast hold of the eaxlictt aget ; for to believe that a piece of painted Mone or wood wat a God (in the teeth of (he fact) was a fine exerciae of (be imagination ; and moderD fitaaticitm thrivet in proportion to the quantity of contract Jctiont and noniente tt pour* down the throats of the gaping multitude, and the j:4rgon and mysticism ii offers to their wonder and credulity. CrtJo quia imfitu- tiiilt til, is the standing motto of bigotry and superstition ; that Is, I believe, because to do w is a favourite act of the will, and to do ■o in defiance of coninion neniic and reason enhance* the plcaiurc and the merit (ten-fold) of this indulgence of blind faith and headstrong imagination. Methodism, in particular, which at once absolves the nodCTfUiidiag from the rules of reasoning, and the cotucicncc from the rettfaints of morality, throwing the whole respoosibiltty upon a vicarious righteousness and an abstract belief, must, besidei iu rant, its vulgarity, and its amatory style, have a double charm both for taints and (inner*. I have alto observed a sort of fonatj, ao indolence or indoctlity of the will to drcamttance*, which I think has a cod- mdetablc share in the common affairs of life. I would willingly compound for all the n^ischiefs that are done me voluntarily, if I could escape those which arc done me witliout any motive at a]l, or even with the best intentions. Fur tnstinoe, if ! go to a distance where I am anxious to receive an answer to my letters, I am sure to be kept in tuspense. My friends are aware of this, as alto of my impatience and irritabality ; and they cannot prevail on thenuctvct to put an <vd to this dramatic situation of the panics. There is pleasure (an innocent and well-meaning one) in keeping a friend in suspeoK, in not putting one's-self out of one's way for his ill humous and appreheotiont (though one would not for ibc world do him a serious injury). a« there is in dangling the (inny prey at the end of a hook, or in twirling round a cock^haffcr after sticking a pin through him
35'
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
at the ml of a itriog, — ibere ii oo malice in the cue, no tkliberate cruelty, but the buziiog ooiic and the aecrtt coMdouaneM of MDCfiority ■o ioy atuiOfuice or iocoii*eni«nM oiuielTn lull the miiM ioto 4 delightful Mate of littlcM torpor aoA inditfcTcacc. If a letter tecjaircc aa immcdiair aiuwcr, wod it by a private hand to uvc poiiagc. If our mcsieogn Uit Ncit or brcaka a kg and bcga ua to forward it by aome mIici OMtai, icturn it himaguat*'''! ■■*'*t("> "* being connyed according to iu i!m dMtinatton. Hii curt may be slow but aure. In the mean time our fricod con wiii. We have done our d«ty in writing the letter, and ore in no hurry to raav^ it ! We Itoow the content^ and they are rnatteri of perfect iodillerence to lu. No bann ii meant by all thia, but a great deal of mitchief may accrue. There is, in thon, a Elaggiahnest and imtractablencw about the will, thai docs not cuily put itvlf in the utualion of others and that coonults iu own t^« best by gJTiog itKlf 00 trouble about them> Humaa life is to &r a game of crots-purpotes. If we with a thing to be kent secret, it is sure to transpire ; if we wish it to be known, not a syllable ia breathed about it. Tbti in not meant [ but it happens so from mere simplicity and thoughtlessocts. No one hat ettf yet tern through all the intricate fold* and delicate involntKMS of our Bclf-lore, which it wrwpcd up in a net of smooth flimsy pretexts like tome precious jewel in covert of silver Mper.
I proceed to say something of the words /i/k and rrur, aa applied to moral feelines. It may be argued that tliit it a dittiaction without a difference ; for that as feelings only exist by being frit, whcrercr, and ia to far as they cxitt, they muK be imr, luid thai there can bo no falscbood or decrpiton in the question. The distinction between UiK and fallc jilejsurc, between real and seeming good, would be thus done away with ; for the reality and the appearance are here the lanie. And this would be the cue if our tentations wetc simple and detached, and one bad no inllucocc on another. But it is ia their secret and close dependence one on another, that the dirtioctioQ here spoken of take* iu rite. That then i» Irtit or fiurt plcamre iJiat lias no alloy or drawback in some other consideration ; that it free front remorse and alarm -, and that will bear the soberest rcAcc- tion ( because theiv is nothing Uiai, upon examination, can be found acliDg indirectly to check and throw a dump upon it. On the other hand, we jiutly call thote pleasures /lilir and holleto, not merely which arc momentary and ready to dude our grasp, but which, even U the time, are acconi;»nicd with luch a contciounnets of other dretunstaoccs as must embitiet and undermine them. For instance, puttina morality quite out of the question ; is ihere not an undeniable and wide diffcmice between tbe gatety and animal tpirits of one who
ON DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
rtnddgn in a drunken deluucb to celebrate tome unexpected txzoix ef goad fomine, and hi» who doeii the umc thing to drown care Tor the loH of 2II he U worth i The ouiw^rd objects, the imnicdiatc and more obvtou) Knuiionn arc, perhaps, very much the tame in the latter case as id the former, — the rich viands, die aparlding wines, the social merrimeat, the wit, the loud l^uKhler, und the Diaddcniait brain, but the ilill »malt voice is wantinji, there U a rvlleccioD at bottom, that however (liflcd ind kepi down, poison* Jnd •poils all, even by the violent effort to ke«p it from intruding ; the minh in the one caie is forced, in the other is natural; the one reveller it (we all know by experience) a gay, laugbtng wretch, the other a happy man. I profcts to speak of human nature at I find it ; and the circumstance that aoy distioctioa 1 cin muke may be lavouritblf to the theories of virtue, will not ptevcnt me from Kiting it down, from the fear of being charged wito cani and prejudice. Ereo in a caie leit palpable than the one nippofcd, where tome '(Weet obliviout antidote ' has been applied 10 the mind, and it i* lulled to tem|>otary foTgetfulnew of its immediate cause of «oftow, does it therefore c«atc to gnaw the heart by stealth ; are do trace* of it left in tlic care- worn brow or face; is (he state of mind the same us it was; or is there the tame buoyancy, freedom, and erectnci* of spirit ai in more
^ prosperous circum>tjnccs ^ On vhe contrary, it is torpid, vexed, and sad, enfeebled or harassed, and weighed down by the corroding pressure of care, whether it think* of it or not. The pulse beat* ■low and languid* the eye ia dead i no object strikes us with the same alacrity ; the avenues 10 joy or content are shutt and life becomew a burthen and a perplexing mystery. Even in (leqi, we ;ire haunted with the broken imacci of distreu or the mockery of blitJi, and we in vain try to still the idle tumult of the heart. The constantly tampering with the troth, the putting off ehe day of reckoning, the fear of looking our situation in the face, give* the mind a wandering and noMttled turn, makes out waking thoughts a troubled dream, or aoinctiaiei endt in madnesa, without any violent paroxysm, without any severe panj;, without any evfri act, but from tliac silent opciatiou of ilie mtrid which preys internally upon itself, and worki the decuy of its power* the more fatally, because we dare not give it open and avowed scope. Do we not, in case of any untoward accident or event, know, when we wake in the moinirig, that something is tlie snatter, before we recollea what it is i The miad no more recover* its coutidence and tcreoiiy after a staggering blow, than the haggard cheek and sleepless eye dicir colour and vivacity, because we do not lee them in the glass. Ia it to be supposed that there is not a firm and healthy lone of the mind a* well as of the body ; or that when sou vii.: 1 353
5
OiN DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
they talk of the * uoquencluble fire, aad Uw worm ihM die* not.' Tlw biunaa toal it not an inrmtioa of ptiesU, whacem hhln tbey hart Mgnficd oo it ; nor it there an end of ill out DMural Kotiinrau bccaoK French phtlotopherf hai-c not been able to accooM kt them I — Hume, I think, toiaewhere contend* that sll ntiifiKdaoi lire etnul,' becaux the cup can be no more than fttll. But «vrcly, though thix it the caK, one cup bold* orare tbui aitotber. Aa to mere ncgtitiTC ntJiAction, the argunieiK may be Une. fiiN ■• to potiiive udaEictioa or enjcmnent, I •ee' no more how thii mu« be e<)iial, than how the heat of ■ fumacv mun in aU ca*ci br rifiully inten«c. Thua, for bMaace, there arc many thing* with which we are contented, «o at not to feel ao uatuy detire aiter more, but yet we hare a much higher reliih of other*. We may e« a miMtoo-chop witbonl con*- plaining, ^ough we ahodd cotwder a hauncb of vcniton at a jtreatet luxury if we had ii. Agaio, in traTclling abrcud, the mind acijuiic* a reatle** and vagabond habit. There i* nMte of huny aod novcliv, but 1e*a of nnccnty and certainly in our punuiti than Rt hone. We •UMch hasty f>lance« of a great variety of thbg*, bat want aocne central point of view. After makinfi tlie grand tour, and •reia|[ the finen «iehti in tlie vrorld, we aic glad to come hack at la«t lo our native pUce and our own fitctide. Our auociation* witli it are the noet (tcdfatt and habitnal, we there feel mom at home and at our OM, we have a retting place for the tole of our foot, the fiuttn of hope, inxiciy, and dUapMMOimcnt i* at an end, ami wliairrer our aatM&ction* mny be, we leel moM coaUence in tlicni, and have ihc KTODgeat conviction of their truth and reality. Their ia iben a true and a falic or ipariout in tcntimont a* well a* in reatoning, and I hope the train of thought 1 have here gone into may aervc in (OIIh: retpects at a cloc to explain it.
The hardett quenioa remaim behind. What i* iliftb, and what i« tuptrfiaaR^ } It i* eaty to aiMwer that the one it what ia obvioo*, familiar, and lie* on the (urface, aod that the other it recondite aad bid at the bottom of a (ubjcct. The dilficvlty recuit^Whai i* meant by lying oo the turface, or being cooccaled bekne it, in moral and metapiiyRical tjueitiont? Let ti* try for aa analogy. Drflb conii«ta then in tracing any number of pnrticalar elTeeit to a genera) principle, or in diatingniahbg aa uokoowo cauie from the individual and varying circunmanoea with which it it implicated, and under which it lurk* uniuipectcd. It i* in fact retolring ilie concrete into the abtuaci. Now thi* i* a tuk of difliculty, not only becauac the abttract naiurally merge* io the coocrete, and we do ooc welt know
* itr *lto StMch't * Li(bt ot Nilun PutuKil,* In wbkli tba tuiig tupkitm h in«i«tt< OD,
355
THE rtAIS SPEAEEB
httWMI *M
ituln tuadf ar rmomk ■■ HEfc cas Bar hr
I of being U swBj by Ae bM or ifsotjcaari mw <rf ihr Mbjcca tk« aecwv, caven afl doe into k < dM tof u iW bdiiaB,aBd by in iMinaK ira) afacan aad nadoB iB^tnMM ite md t0 the 1 • friaofkofateacttndt. Two dreaaMaaaei
' ' dfeta M aradaec s |TR« cfca : hew AiH I >CMB.bMbrfi«fi^i<»aaoifaeTa«an> B« d>e i ; (• pradaeed in > ilurd oojcct, vkidi m wilbav ifcc i drcBHtaaca af the fif it or Mcoad gm«. I bib ibcB leak, i
tOttf OUlfff WCBI CMK tt toe flOMC Qi COtftWuCmrf
liaddM tomahat vUcb I had net oobrad brfoR, aad id vUck I ! mimmBf U bjr fiadiog a actaaky lor it. Bai if vy : ■•fOr I do OM Miic OB tbe tne character of dtfcrat ftdiaf^i rfuj] BMfce Iktle fnptm, or be 4|aite thran gM ia sjr i iaiawatfi ihai ac«onSa( to ibc (taoal dUwea of aay i iboai^ or (aeUa^ and iu flcaoac thfooch ifce Mixed Bait of aAirt, do we tuad ia aacd of a ptMet qsaatiijr of that exjKtinkCc I have afokea el, aod ^ a <|atcker aad fi/aer tact canaecthii or dUMaMuag ita reaalta. Hoavrer, I a lawnatian hare. Both fcoowkdge aad macity ue re<{Bnd, 1 Bgacit* abridaw aad aatkijaira the Uwor of ka0wledgt« aad tinea pim HueinetiTcly ai a eoacUaoa ; that ia, the Mtt^ih beMN a the fietla^ by aaaocialioa or tnakn, loaoer cfioaa the rrcoBectuMi of a prevMna aad Forgotten ooe tn diDercst cvco8Httacc%ij ■mJ the two logtther, by a ton of tnterul erideoce aod force, tuaof aay propoaed toluiMxi with the character of troth fihitinnd Origiial ttxeagiUiof io^ireMioo uoftca(io u«ali
t) a iwhatinitc for occuawUtcd weiglit of exprr icace i aad '
ON DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
iDtrnsity of feeling it to &r fynooimout with depth of undcnuodii^. It it that which here gives ut a contentiou* ind palpable conicioiuocu of whatevtr alTrcu it in the mtuillnt or rcmomt muiocr, xnd Icare* to u the hidden apringA of ihought and action ilirougb Our «en*ibilit]p •od jeB]ou*y of vrliaterer couchc* them. — To gire mi illiMtration or two of tfan very abnriue lutijecl.
Etegaiuv i* a word that means sometbiog diAercM from cue, ftrKc, beauty, dignity; yet it it akin to all thete; but it Mcm* mote particularly to imply a *parkling brilliancy of effect with (ioith and precision. Wc do not apply the term to great ihiagi; weibouJd not cull atx «[»c poeni or a head of Jufutcf t/igani, but wc (peak of ui «1«}!U)I copy of vettc«, an elccaot head-drewi an elcssat fan, an elegant diamond btoodi, or buoch of flowers. In all thew €Met (and other* where the same epithet i* used) there i» somethiag little and comparaiiTely trifling in the objecti and the intcrcit they inspire. So far 1 deal chiefly lo exompln, conjecture!, and ncgaiiTct. But this i* fat from a dcnnilioR. I think I know what personal beautjr it, because 1 can tay in one word what 1 nieio by it, riz. Itarmt^ of form 1 and this idea Bccma to me to antwer to all the cam to which the term pemooal beauiv, is cTer applied. Let us see if we c*oooi come to Kimcthing equally dcfinitiTc with rctpect to the other phrue. Sparkling rlTcct, finish, and precition, arc characicrisiic, at I think, of elegancci but u yet I tec oo rcaion why tliey thould be to, any more than why blue, red. and yellow, should form the colours of thie rainbow. I want a common idea a* a link to connect them, or to terve as a subftratum for the others. Now luppote I say that elegance it beauty, or al least iht pleantrMe in little thing* ; w« then have a ground to reM upon at once. For elegance being beauty or pleature in little or dtght imprcMioDs, precition, lini>h, and politbcd ■moothoett follow from iliii dclinttion u matters of course. In oilier words, for a thing that ii little to be brauuful, or at aey rate to please.' it muat have prednon of outline, which in larger ibmm> and j;igancic forma !■ not to indispensable. In what ii small, the pans mutt be Cniihcd, or they will offend. Lastly, in what it momentary and cTanetccnt, as in drest, fashiont, &c. there mutt be > gtowy aad sparkling eEFect, for brilliancy is the only tirwc of oovcliy. That U to say, by getting the primary cooditiooa or CMentia] qualitiet of elegance to all circumstances whatcTer. we tee how these branch off bio minor divtiiooi in relation to form, details, colour, lurfaoe, &c. and rise from a common j;rouod of abstraction into all the variety of ccnsecguencci and exAmptes. The Herculet is not elegant ; the
' I hi tr uiil before thM liii« it t ttiitiy, not t ptrfcct dcnonttnliaii. I sm e»o mmhanl io tntttphytict.
357
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
Vcflw b au^ beiKtilwl. The French, vbow tdeu o( beancy owi Enodcw sever aaomt u mdre thu w elepace, haw no rdMb for lubnia, Bor will thty Mdentand thi» A-famon.
Whea Sir Isnc Newtsa nw the wffte Ul, it «m a vert mmi^i mi fffWh*f obtcrrKioa, boi it iiimwml ts lui niad c^ b« tutt] hoUi d» vatvmr tofttbtT. WhM dwn wm dtr proccM m thiacMe?' la oenertl, when wt we ray ttnai &U| we ban the idea of a Iknr Section, flf ^ nd A aw aMDcated whh the infHahle mkI evety dav** experience. The earth i* ahraT* {a> «•) coocnw) Btidci OUT u*% and the *kj ahovr Diff hcadi. n thift] ■coordiDg to this lociJ and Kabesil feeling, all Ikkvj bodica cvcriasiiislii &U in the nsic tfinoiaa iliiaaaaiili. or fooU W dK Kbt^euioaBrow faodie*. Sir Ink Ncwmb by a bare rfen < nctsoat or vy a {nap of tdind comiiffiinwLag au the feutioBa CM tBDcat nat rio ca tana pvejodio^ liu at'u nie ^ ware oa itt ba^ aad «« ihc anw U aot Jiaaiaa A, bat M^ly , Waif A the eatth, ao thai it woan &I y«aar^ «« ibe i if tbe «Rb were above il, or tmnraa it at aaj nta k hf. Tim UgUr rfwuociad virw of the ■ ibe pbeaoaNaa of aaua^ aad na odMr Si i aad ihia new he,]
tba cwafapoBfT! fBsaascia €t ibe aanene ***t oae lavf _ naai aaa wubq tbs wiaa^ iBviuulae < I ef ipaad A«aH it refaaea to the oar pwa bedka aad ibe yaeiaiua id* aH ocben to tbe evib ■■ ^aae dvecticaip rnaa a cnMMctibcd kmI j ' ^ tB^^ wBich V aca0ala iiai I a laar ' the vpeM lyoaea o^ dob a vidr aad oaoaatbeawe aaca nade a beycrceivrd the eMonJ *T''"*n' ar caae tf a - - ""'bdli
ON DKPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
Juving them conttaotly before it* eye«, goawtd itacIT to death u|>oa them. I aaienied to thii remaik. and I confes* it struck, me a* thewing a deep intinht into hiunan n&ture. Here was a tiiter enrjrtng a uMcr, and that not lor objects that provoke *troog pastion, but for common and conteationid advanuf>e*, tit! it end* in her death. They were also represented «* good and retprcublr people. How then tt this extraordinary developemem of sn ordinary human frailty to be accounted for i From the peculiar circtmisiiincci ? These were the country and state of Bocieiy. It wai id America that it happened. The dcmocr.itic level, the flacneis of imagery, the abience of those lowering and artificial h-ighti that in old ,->nd monarchical statct act t» conductor* to atiraci and cany olf the splenetic humour> and rucorous liostiltties of a whole people, and to make common and petty advantajtcs sink into perfect in«igniticance, were full in the mind of the person who suggeunl the solution ; and in thia dearth of e*ery other mark or vent foe it, it was felt miuitively, that the oaiural spirit of envy and discontent would fasten upon those that were next to it, and whole advantage*, there being no great difference in point of elevation, would gall in proportion to their proximity and repeated recurrence. The remote and exalted advantage* of birth and station io countries where the «ocijl fabric is connructed uf lofty and unecjual matcria.lt, neceuarily carry the mind out of its immediate and domestic circle ; whereas, take away those object* of imaginary tpleeti and moody speculation, and they leave, ai the incviiahle alternative, the eavy and hatred of our friend* and neighbour* at every advantage we pOKsesii, as to many eye-tore* and gtumbling-block* in tlieir way, where the*c selfish principles have not betn curbed or given way altogether to charity and benevolence. The fact, it stated in il«ctf, is an anomaly : a* ibu* explained, by combining it with a general *tatc of feeling in a counuy, it (ecmt to point out .1 great principle in society. Now thi* toludon would not luve been attained but for the deep imprewion which the operation of certain general cause* of moral character had recently made, and the ^uicknest with which the consequence* of its removal were felt. I might give other ioMancei, but them- will be tufficient to explain the argument, or *et other* upon elucidating it more clearly.
Acutcnes* ii depth, or sagacity in connecting individual cFect* with individual caute*, or vuf vmd, a* in wratagcm* of war, policy, and a knowledge of character and the world. Comprchensioo t* the power of combining ■ vast number of particular* in some one t-iew, a* in mechanic*, or the jpme of ches*, but without referring ihem to any abstract or general principle. A tommon-pliut difTen from an abstract discourse in thi*, that it is trite and Taguc, instead of being
319
THE PLAIN SPEAKEK
new and profemtd. it it a conamoo-fiUoe at preaeu to ny that beny bodiM fall bjr Mtractioa. It would alway* have beeo one to uy that thii fallictft >> <bc tStct of a Uw of natnrv, or the will of God. Tbi* i* umpuof a jteoetal but ooi adequate caair.
The depth of paMMo i* wbete it lake* hold of cir cunwancea too rtnote ot iodificrtqt lor notice from the force of aMOCtttioD or teaiogjt and ninit the current of other foHioo) by ita own. Draimtic power hi the depth of the knowledge of the human heart, m chiefly ibcwo ia traci&g thi* effect. For inttancc, the (ondoei* diiptand by a fluK/eta for a lorer (aa At it about to dncn him for a rival) is not mere hypocrity or an to deceive ham, but nature, or the readioa of ber pity, or pwttnf; teadenacM towarda a penoo the i« about to injure, bM doe* not abtohitely bate. Shakeipear ii ilie uoly dramatic Mthor who ha* liuA open thi« reactioti or ioTolution of the nauaona in a maoDer worth ipeakiog of. The rcn are commoa place declaimcra, aad may be eery line pocti, but twc deep philotophcn. — There ta a depth even in wpcrliciality, that ii, the aifrction* cling round oiniou* and familiar objccia, not recondite and remote one* i and the tiiteoM ociodouity of feeling thus obtainedt forma the depth of aemi- mcM. It i* that that redeema poetry and romance from the charge of aaperlicialiiy. The habitoal imprcsiioo* of thin^i are, aa to feeling, the moit refined one*. Tbe painter alio in hi* miod'c c}c penetrate* beyond the nrface or hu«k of the object, and icct into a b^rinth of fornia. an abyai of colour. My head ha* grown ^ddy in fidlowing the windiD{;« uf the diawifijt in Rapliael, itid I )ia*e gazed on the bnndth of Titian, where infiniie imperceptible gradations were blended in a conunon mata, a* into a dazzling mirror. Thii idea in more eaaily tranajerrtd to Rembrandt'* duaro-icura, where the gieueat ctnrotaa and the niceat di*iina>on» are obtetied in the midat of ofaacotity. In a word. I »u»pcci depth to be ihai strength, and at the aame time rabtlety of inprcuioat which will not fulfer the dighteat indication of thought or feeling to be loai, and gives warning of themt oier whaterer extent of aur^e tbey are dtiluMd, or under whaterer ditguiaea of circumKancea they lurk.
ESSAY XXXI ON RI8PZCTABLE PEOPLE
Tkiu it not any term thai ia oftcoer mtupplied, or that ia a ttronnr JBitttKe of the abuK of Unguage, than thii aame word mfni^ilf. By a rtiftttoUi wum ia generally iceani a per ton whom iheic ia ik> 360
k
ON RESPECTABLE PEOPLE
RUOD for rcipectingi or none that we cfaoow to name : far if there ii any good rcaaoo for the upioioa we vith to exprcia, w« naturally latipkh at the ground of hii rctpecubiiity. If the perion whom you are deciruu* to diaractcrinc fitvouiabiy, in diiURguiKhcd for hii good- nature, you ny that he in a ^ood-naiured m.-tn ; if by hU zcfti ta (crre hii fricndt, you cull him a friendly man ; if by his writ or icnRe, you *ay that he ia witty or icntible; if by hit honcfty or learning, you uy to at oQce ; but if he it none of ihcM:, jnd there J« no one quality which you can bring forward to juutliy the high opinion you would be thought to enceitain of him, you then t^ike the que«tioo for granted, and jump at a coDcIution, by obteriing gravely, that ' he ii a rery reipcccable man.' It ia clear, indeed, that where we have any (triking and generally admitted reaaao* for rc»prciing a man, the mo«t obvious way to ensure the respect of otheri, will be to mention his estimable qualiiict; where iheic are wanting, the wiscat course must be to ny nothing about them, but to tamt on the general infer- eoce which we bare our panicujar reasons for drawioK, only vouching for its autheniicity. If, for instance, the only motive we have for thinking or speaking well of another is, that he give* u* good dinner*, a« this is not a valid reason to those who do not, like us, pariake of his hoEpitalicy, we may (without going into particulars) content our- selves with assuring them, ibai he is a moat respectable man : if he is a altve tu those above him, and an oppmior iif^ those below him, btit •omelinm makes ua the channels oi bin bounty or the cools of his caprice, it will be as well to say nothing of the matter, hut to confine ourselves to the safer generality, that he is a person of the highest respectability : if lie is a low dirty fellow, who has amassed an innnense fortune, which he does not know what to do with, the poucMioD of it alone will guarantee hi* respectability, if we say nothing of the manner in which he has come by it, or in which be •pcods it. A man may be a ktuve or a fool, or both (as it may happen) and yet be a moM respectable man, in the common and authorized scnae of the term, ptvnded he saves appearances, and does not give common fame a handle for no longer keeping up the imposture. The bcji title to tbc character of respectability lie* In the convenience of those who echo the cheat, and in the conventional hypocrisy of the world. Any one tnay lay claim to it who is willing to give himcelf ain of importance, and can find means to divert othcn from inquiring too Krictly into his pretensioini>. It is a disposable commodity, — not i a part of the man, that sticks to him like his skis, but an appurtenance,
[ like hit goods and chattels. It is meat, drink, and clothing to those
I who take the benefit of it by allowing others the credit. It ts the
J current coin, the circulating medium, in which the factitious inter-
1 36'
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ON RESPECTABLE PEOPLE
^1^ M the mortificauoQ of his atuatioo t bat the ftMoniBB nenr f^lt >ny diminution of hit SoTcrrigo'i regard in coD»c<]ueticc of it. Charki the Sectind't neglect of hi> favourite poet Butler did not make him look Im» eracioiu in the tyvs of hii counien, or of the wtti utA ctiiica of the time. Qurna'a cmWtasimcDU, and the teropta(ion« to which he was exposed bv hi« ntuacion, dcgiadcd him ; but left no nigms OD his patrons, who »til] meet to celebrate hi* memory, and conwlt ibout hiE niooumcDt, in the face of day. 'I'o enrich the mtnd of a country by works of art or science, and leave yourself poor, is not the way for any one to rank u respeciaUe, at least in hts life-time : — to opprcts, to enslavCf to cheat, iad jphinder it, is a much better way. < The time give* evidence of it.' But the iRRtance* are common.
Respectability mean* a man's situation and aucocs* in life, not his character or conduct. The city merchant never lores his tcipecta- bility till he becomes i baakropt. After that, we heat no more of it or him. The Justice of the Peace, and the Parson of tlic parish, the Lord and the Si^uire, are allowed, by immemorial uauj^, to be very retpecuble people, though do one ever thinks of asking why. They arc a son of fixtures in this way. To take an example from one of them. The Country Parson may past hit whole time, when he it not employed in the cute of soul*, in flattering his rich neighbours, and leaguing with them to iimi hit poor ones, in seizing ponchers, and encouraging infonneta ; he may be exorbitant in exacting hii tithes, harsh to his Bervsni*, the dread and bye-word of the village where he resides, and yet all this, though it may be notorious, shall abate nothing of his respectability. It will not hinder his patron from giiiog him another living to play the petty tyrant in, or preivnc him from riding oi-er to the Squire's in his carriage and being well received, or from sitting on the bench of Justices with due decorum and with clerical dignity. The poor Curate, in the mean time, who may be a real comfort to the bodies and minds of hii parishioners, will be passed by without notice. Parson Adams, drinking his ale in Sir Thomas Booby's kitchen, makes no very respectable figure; but Sir Thomas himself was right woishipfiil, and hi* widow a person of honouT ! — A few such historiographers as Fielding would put aa end to the farce of respectability, with several others like it. Peter Pounce, in t)ie same author, was a conaummation of this character, translated into the most vulgar English. The character of Captain Blilil, his epitaph, and funeral sermon, are worth tome* of casuistry and patchrdup theories of morjd fcntiments. Pope somewhere exclaims, in his line indignant way.
• What can ennoble soti, or knaves, or cowards ! Alat ■ not all the blood of all the Howard*.'
363
ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PARTY
tbd good manner* Into mixed lociety, it U cot ultrd, when h« lean* it, whether be a rich or Dot. Lord* and £ddlcn, auihort and conunoQ councilmen, editon of newipapetc and parbamcnUry apealcer* meet logcthcr, and the difctcDcc U pot to much marked u one would fuppOK. To be an Edinburgh Reriewcr i«, 1 suspect, the highest rank in inodeio literary tociety.
ESSAY XXXI 1
OH THE JEALOUSY AND THE SPLEEN OF PARTY
*ll I* michin-mtlleo, ud mcuii miMhief.'— HauIiXT.
I WAi «orry to 6Dd the other day, on coming to Vevey, and lookiag into tome I^nglish book* at a library dicre, thai Mr. Moore had taken ao opportunity, in hia ' Khymet on the Road,' of abuainn Madante Warens, Rouuieau, and men of ;;eniua in general, /t'l an m bird, 3K the proverb uy»- Tbii appear* to me, 1 confeu, to be ficl-lhani work, an ncedlcM ai it i« ill-timed, and, conHidcring from whom it comcR, particularly unplea»ant. In conclu>ion, he th»nk» God with the Lcvite, that ■ he 'i» not one of tfao«e,' aod would rather be any thlnj;, a worm, the meaneal ihinf. that trawls, than numbered among thoic who gi*e lic.ht and law to the world by an cxce4» of &ncy and iniclleet.' Perhajw Pontctity may take him at hi* word, and no more trace be found of bia * Rhymct' upon the onward tide of time thin of
• the »now-fa]|i In the rirer, A moment white, then mclw for ercr ! '
It niiglit be lomc iocrcaning conaciouinc** of the (rail tenure by which lie hoick hit tank among the great heir* of Fame, that urged our Bard to pawn bis reversion of immortality for so indulgent amile of patrician approbatioot at he raited hit puny ami againtt 'the mighty dead,' to wwer by a flouriih of hi* pea the otntocracy of tetter*
' ' Out 00 (h« end— I M ratlut bt
One of thoM hiarti ihit touoil me trnd.
With juil FDODnh of MUK In ICC
Th« BBaO'ity iud tlut '• o'ei dip het^, Thiin Ihui wilh high-buitt (cniui cunM, Tlul h»th no hcirl for ica fiiuncjaiian. Be all It oo« that'i brifhlrat — wortl— Sublimed — metnnt in cmljon.'
RsTMU «*■ ni Road.
36s
ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PAUTY
uttnr to ibe (uadcnl of grcanxst, thai ia, of MmnUitg mM h tKm wf, exittiag in ibe ■uthor'a own miad.
■ This t^" >) *^ unkindnt cut of all.*
Mr. Moore take* the iafcmce which he chtwts to attribute to the DcighbouriBg teauy coKcrning 'the pauper Ud,' namely, that 'be waa mad ' becaaiie he wai poor, and fltnei it to the pauenger* out of a Undau and four ai the trae vernoa of hit character oj the fiuhtooabte and local luihoritic* of the time. He need ao( hate loae oni of hn way to Channcttet merely to drag the repatation* of Jna Jac<]uc« and hit tniitrtas after him, chaiaed to the cor of atiatocracy, m * peo[»le low ukI bad,' on the lUength of hia coemtcd lynipaihy with tbe genteel ooaJKiivei of the day aa to what and who they were — wc hiTC btxter and more aatbeMk erideoce. What would he uy if tbi« method of oeiuraliuiie the roke of tbe paUic were applied to himiclf, 0( to hi* fiicod Mr. Chantry ; if we were to deny Uiat the one ever rode ia aa open carriage liit-a^iiu with a lord, becauac hit Etther itood behind a counter, or were to a*k the tculpto^a cuatooicn wbeo he drove a milk-can what we are to think of his bu« of Sir Walter *. h wS nevtr Ja. It it the peculiar hardship of genioi not to be recogniietl with the Erai breath it drawi — oncn not to be admitted even daring il* lifc-tinte — to nuke its way tlow aad late, tbiot^hgood report and cril rcpon, 'through clouds of dcfraciioa. of envv and lie* ^o hare to contend with the iaju(ti«e of ibnuac, with the prejudices of the world,
■ Raah judgments uul tbe incen of wlli^ mm * —
to be shamed by personal defects, to pine in obsctirityi to be the butt of pride, the jest of fools, the bye-word of ignoraoce and malice — to carry on a cciiselcts wufare between (he conscioiiaaesa of inward worth and the sligbt* and neglect of others, and to hope only for its reward in the grave and in the undying voice of fitinr : — arid when, a* in the prcseni nwtance, that end has brni marvellously atuined aad a tinal scntcDCc has bten paswd, would any ooc but Mr. Moore wish to shrink from it, to leviic the injustice of bruoe and the world, aad to abide by the idle conjectures of a fashionabte nttrit empaonelted on the *pot, who would come to the same shallow conclusion whether the indiTidual in tjuettioo were an idiot or a Cod \ There is a degree ofgrataitous impctlinence and frivolout scrritity in all this not easily to be accounted for or forgiven.
There t( lomeiliing more particularly oiTcntivc in tbe cant about ■ Moptc low and bad ' applied to the iotimacy between Rouiseau and Madame Warcns, inaamuch a* the volume containiog this nice strain
567
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THE PLAIN SPEAKER
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ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PARTY
initiguing. and the Platonic acuchmcnu of I^ngliih ladin of the hip^liFK quiliiy and lt;klLiii Opeia-UDgers. He must know what lutLtn luiiniicri arc — wluii tlii'y vitsK a hundred ycam iffl, at Fiorente or at Turin,' butter than I cm lell him. Not a word doet he hint on the lubject. No : the elcntion and upleoduur of the eximplcH daixic him ; the exicnt of the c»il orerpoweta him ( and he choose* u> make Madame Wnrcns the scape-goat of hi( little budget of querulous caiuiitiyi as if her eirois sod icregularilici were to be Mt dowD lo the account of the geniut of Rouunu and of modem philoaojihy, inntead of being the re»ult of tlie example of the priTilcgcd cloti to which (he bclon^icd, and of the UceniiouancM of the age and country id which the lii-ed. She appears to have been a handsome, well-bml, fascinaiing, condesccmttng lirrniref of that day, like any of the authot'i fa^ihionahle aci^uaintanceii in the picicnt, but the cl(X)ucoce of her youthful praie^r ha» embalmed her memory, and thrown the illmion of fancied perfections and of hsUowcd rcgrew over her frailtie*; and it ii this that Mr. Muure canooi cxcuv, and that tlrawi down upon her hii pointed hostility of attack, and rouwi all the Tenom of hi« moral indignation. Why doet he not, in tike manner, pick » quarrel with that celebrated monument in the Ptrt hi Ciaite, brought tliecc
•From PancltteV white walls and tilvei jprinjpj'
or why doci he not leave a lampoon, iniiead of an elegy, on Laufa'l tomb J The tcaioo i*, he dart not. The cant of morality ii not here itrong eoough to stem the opposing curtcitt of the cant of Kntimntt) to which be by turn* commits the socccw of hii votiTe rhyme*.
Not content with stripping off the false colours from the frail ^r (one of whose crime« it it not to have been youo);] the poet raakea a *awaii-bkc end,* and falls foul of men of K^nius, fancy, and sentiment ID general, as impostors and mountebank*, who feel the lea*l them- («tfea of what they deicribe and make other* feel. 1 beg leave to enter my flat and peremptory protest againat thi* view of the matter, 81 an impossibility. I am not abaolutcly blind to the weak lidrt of authors, poeu, and phitoMpher* (for''iiii my vice to spy into abuact') but that they arc not generally in eamett b what they write, that they are not the dupe* of their own imagination* and feeling*, before they turn the bead* of the world at large, i* what I must utterly deny- So far from the likelihood of any such antipathy between their •cntiment* and their profcMions, from their being rccmnts lo truth
* Mailsme Wircni rt«i<lttl (or sonu lime at Turin, and wu pentiontri bir the Coon.
TOt. VII. : ^ i^ J69
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ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PARTY
he ma^ be full of incoDiUtcncin clBrwhcn*, but he is bim»clf Jo hii book* : he may be ignotaot of the world we b've !n, but tlut he it not at home and cnchaoied with that fairy-world which hanEn upon hi» ptn, that lie does not reign and revel in the creaiiom of hi» own fancy, or tiead with awe and delight the ntatcly domM and empyrean
r laces of elctnal truth, the portal* of which he opens to un, is what cannot take Mr. Moore's word for. He does noi 'give us reason with his rhyme.' An aaihor's appearance or his actions may not square with his theories or his desctiptiont. but his mind is seen in hit writiogt, it bit face is in the glass. All the laults of the literary character, in abort, arise out of the predominance of the profectiooal oMiiia of such perion«, aiKl their ab«orption in [hose uiiiJ studies and punuits, their olTccted regard to which the poet tells u« is a mere mockery, and a bare-faced insult lo people of plain, strait-forward,
ftacticu aense and unadorned pretensions, like himself. Once more, cannot bcliere it. I think that Milton did not dictate ' Paradise Lost * ly reir (ai a moucliinft plaj^r repeats his part) that Shakeipcar worked hinmelf up with a certain warmth to exprcis the paition in Othello, that Sterne had some alfection for My ITnclc Toby, Rouucau a hmJuring after his dear Charmcttcs, that Sir Isaac Newton really fcffgot his dinner in hi) fondnets for fluxions, and that Mr. Locke
fro»cd in »obcr tadness about the malleability of gold, Fardier, have DO doubt that Mr. Moore liimself is not an exception to thia theory' — that he has infinite aaticlaction in tho«e dokling rhymes and those glittering conceit! with which the world arc so taken, and that he had Tery much the same sense of mawkish sentiment and flimsy reasoning in inditing thcRanzas in question that many of his admirers must have experienced in reading them ! — ^In turning to the 'Castle oT Indolence for the linn quoted a little way back, I chanced to light upon another paaiage which I cannot help irantcribing :
* I can not, Fortune, what you mc dcnyt You canaoi rob me of free Nature'i ffrace ; You cannot ihut the wjndom of the tky, Through whieh Aurora ihem her brightening face; You cannot bar my cottitaiit feet to trace The woods and lawns by Hiring stream at (ve i Let health my ncrre* and finer fibre* brace. And I their loyt to the great childn;n leave i Of fancy, reason, vitrue nought can me brrtavc."
Were the tentimeott here so beautifully expreiied mere afTcctatian in Thornton i or are we to make it a rule that a* a writer impart* to ai a acniuition of didntereited delight, he himoelf has none of the feeling be excites in us i This is one way of shewing our gratitude, and being
$7"
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fCUCTf WDO BM ever MR S
■e then coa^tre ibe
to books. Dot hMi^ to fivorcr tkm &m tlieir Whttrrvf lo*c or mertocc suy be <lae to the odc, n cipaDj owing to tbe o(lm> The *olatae mt prize imy bt Sttic, oU, ■habbiljr boootJ, aa imperfect copjr. doe* not ttep don fn^ the •hdf to give m a (racebl wdcame, aor caa it extend a haod to •me o» ta exircmin, aad lo &r nqr be Bke the aothoci ba whatcTCT there it of tmb or good or of prood nnwnfiiMm or of cbeeiiat hope id the out^ all thii exiiced in a iroor dqne fa th« ir'l.'"**" and the bean aad braia of the other. To cbetiih the wonnd damm the aodiot ii a* if the L'aTclkv who (lain hi* thint at the TwaaAag noa^iboald rcrtle the nring-hcad from vhich k {(■bet. I do Boc (peak of dte itfftt of pawioa felt by HooaaeM tmwda Madame Warcof, nor of haa umimui of ha, Bor har'a of hia: botthu be tboagbt of her for yean with the tcadmat yeiuBBigi of aftoioo Bsd regret, aad feh toward* her all that he hu atade hv rcaden fed, ihU I caaaot for a noouu doiifct.i So fax, then, be U 00 inipoator or joggler. Still le«t could he bare gimi a new aad pcnonal character to ihe literature of Europe, aad changed ihc toae of wMaiest and the &ce of mtaeej, if be had ooi feh the itrot^en JHMOt b penona aad thiagt, or hid been the heanlcM pretender be Imwtti**'"*' bddoM tooa.
Tbe toae of po&tic* and of pablic opaaoa haa uadergoee a cott- wleraUe aad cviooa change, cm ia the few abort jean 1 can remember. Id taj nae, that it, in tbe early part of it, the lore of Ebcrir (at leatl by all thooe whom I came duiJ wat regarded at (ha (uctate t£ comn>oo tenae and cocmnoo booetty. Il waa oot a qocatioa of depth or leamiag, bat an ioatisctite foefi^ prompted by a cettaiD gcneroiu warmth of bJood ia every oae worthy tbe aaroe of
■ What the nttvi tf hii MuduatM wu ■ ^oiaM| bewapUlia k* bkay, • Ak r mU* tt b amBcta t ' with whicii lU luofe hi* nw j « W tfai b^wiat •M or Ik • EeieriM ol • SalkMT Wilkn.- « A^MAai JOK 4>>l^ a y a urf rtrfwf at cla^alt lai *t ■« premiBT cada liMo otw ' ' iM.' M It (t i«ry taiMt m> KoIt AnKnoa «nm art M«erH
rf iIn bM oT the '^
4t Wainu.' %« It (a i«ry faaiMt m> Stmtj AnKnoa Aoaa aal M«ermad ifcaa iMC-vIn**^ Wroapccu t and i«n« with hia ftita* Urf Bjroa, who arvct ta fed aaj thini miaaaly (d> nort than a 4ay 1
13»
I
ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PARTY
llf iion. A maa wovld u toon avow hintKir to be a pimp or a pich- poclcet u a tool or a paadtt to corrupcioo. Thia wa« thr lUtunJ utA U the •arae time the umIoiuI ftcliog. Pairiotiun vim not at nraaoe with |ihiluthro|]y. To uke aa iaiercM ia hamaoity, it wm only thought Dccmary lo have the form of a man : to eipouie it* cauce, nothing wat wanting bat to be able to arttcubte the name. It wai not inquimi what cost a Biao wore, where he wu bora or bred, what wa* his partly or hit profcMJoo, to qualify him to lotc on this broad and nM qwttkn — to take his share in advaodog it, wH the unditfraEed tnrtb-right of every ficc-nun. No one was too high or too low, no one wu too wise or too aiin|Jc to job in the cenunoo catue. It would have been coottrued into lukewumneia and cowardice not to have done to> Tbc roice ai of o«)e crying in the wildcroew had gone forth — ■ Peace on earth, and good^will towards men ! ' The daws of a new era was at hand. Might was DO longer to lord it onr right, opinion to march hattd in hand with faltehood. Tie hnit swelled at tlie mcntioo of a poblk as of ■ ptiTate wTOog— the brain teemed witli projects for the benc&t of maolciiKl. Hiatoey, pJuloaophy, all wcU-iotcDUoncd and weil-toformed men agreed in the same condiuioo. If a good was to be done, let it — if a tmth was to be told, let it ! There could be oo harm ia that : it was only aeeemty to distiogmsli right from wioog, milfa from lies to know to which wc should gi>e the preference. A rote •ma (heo doubly sweet, the note* of a thrush went to the heart, thete wad 'a witchery in tbc toft bloc sky' because we could Jce) and enny tach thiogt by the privilege of our comnton nattire, * not by the wneraDoe of npcmal power,' and beeauK ihc common feelings of o«r nacare were not trampled upon aod sacrificed in scorn to shew tod external magBificence. Homaniiy was tx> longer to be crushed like a won&i at it bad hitherto been — power was to be struck at, whcTcrer it reared its terpent creat. It had already roamed too long unchecked. Kiogi and prieiu had played the game of violence aod fraud for thouaands of years into each Mher's hands, on pretences thai were now teen through, and were ao brther fcatable. The despot's crown appeared lareishcd and Uood«atned : the cowl of rapentiiioo fell on, that had been to often made ■ cloak for tyranny. The docuine of the Jut Drvumm 'squeaked lod gibbered in oat ■tmu,' Mhamed to shew its bead : Holy Oil had lo« its clficacy, and was laughed at as an exploded mimuBcry. Mr. Locke had long aj£o (in hii Treante cf Gtperament, written at the expten desire of King Willutm) ictiled the question at it afTectcd our own Revolution (and naturally every other) in favour of tibcraJ prtftciples as a part of the law of the land aod aa idcniilied with the existing tucceiiioa.
J7S
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
BIwkMOorind DcLolfnr fthcloudeKpSBrgyrisUol'thc EogliihCea- fmmeo) foutxkd thtir praiw oa the gmter ailoy of Lifacnj implied in ii. TyraaDj «» oa the iniie, >t least ia theory : pubic opaiiea might be uid to rni oo 4n incliixd pbne, tnrding more and more froia the bei^ta of vbimry power and iixli*idul pretauioa to tlic \erei of pobGc good I and no man of commoa nrofc oi reading would hire had the laoe to object m a bar to ibe nurcb of irvih and freedom —
• The right diriat nf King» to g«wni irrong ' *
No OK bad ibea dared lo answer the cbim of a whole natioe to the choice of a firec govcnmcai with the iatpadrm tMmt, * Year KiBg it at haod ! * Mr. Daike had ta Tain mug hii rr^mrw oter the * age of chivalrjr : ' Mr. Pni mouthed out hii tpeeche* on the exiAeaoe of aocbl order to iw pvrpow ; Mr. Malthoi bad oot cut np Liberty by tbe rooCt by pamine 'the grindinf; Uw of necentty * over it, ana entailing vice and imtcry oa all fiicurc generation* at their lappicM lot : Mr. Ricardo had not pared down the nchcme* of litioaary prejccton and idle talkcn into the form of Rent : Mr. Soothey had not iBRnounted bit cap of Liberty with the laurel wreath ; nor Mr. Wonbworth prt>claiffled Cuiujite u 'Cod's Daughter i' oorMr. Coleri^e, to patch vp a rotten came, written the Fkixxd. Every thing baA not then beeo done (or had, ' like a deiili»h eogine, back recoiled upon itarlf) la Rop the progreu of truth, to EttHc (he roiec of humanity, to break ia pieora and defeat opinion by aophiitryi calmnny, intimidacioa, by tampetinK with tbe intercita of the prood and aelfi«fa, the prcjudicee oif tbe ijtDoram, the fear* of tbe ttmid, the Ktvdet of the good, and by retorting to erery tnbterfogc which art ooola derite to perpetuate die abotei of power. Freedom then ttood erect, crowned with orient tight, 'with look* cominerctng with the ik>n : '^-aincc thco,«bc hu fallen by the twoid and by slaadcr, wbooc edge it (harper than the tword ; by her own headlong ital or the waKbfti) oafice of her foca, and through that one anmeotiog V'V^*' *■> ^ henna of SovereigM to boAe, degrade, and destioy tbe People, whom they had hithmto contidered a* ihdr propeny, and whom they onw taw (oh! uobcard-of preRimption) letting up a claim to be free. Thia cbim hat been once naorc let andr, annulled, OTerihrowa, trampled upon with every mark of imult and igoontiny, in word or deed ; and the coMcquence hat beeo tl<at all ihote who had Rood forward to advocate it have been hurled into the air with it, icatlered, Mutned, and have never yet recovered from their coofiuion and ditmay. The •bock wu great, at it wa* micxpccted ; the oarprite extretnc : Liberty bccaroc a sort of bye-word ; and such was the violence of party-apirit and the deairc lo retaliate former indi^itiea, that all ST4
I I
m m
ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PARTY
thoK who had ever bctrn attached to the fallen cauve wcmed (o have tufFemJ contamioation and to labour under a nii^.nin. The Party (both of Whig* and Rcformeri) were left completely In the Jurch; and {what may appear cxitaordinaty at fiw night) instead of wishing to ttreogtheii thcii cau«c, took every method to thin their ranlt« and make the terms of admimioo to them more diilicult. In proportion as thcjf were scouted by the re«t of the world* they grew more caption*, irritable, and jealous of each other's pretensloiu. The general obloquy wa» to great that every one wat willing to escape from it in the crowd, or to curry fa?our with the victor* b^ denouncing the exce««cs or picking holes in the conduct of h» seighboufj. While the victimn of popular prejudice and ministerial pcrtecution were eagerly sought for, no one wu ready to own that he wai one of the set. Unpopularity *doth pan the 6ux of company.' Each claimed an exception for himself or party, waa glad to hare any toop-holc to hide himacif from thii 'open and apparent shame,' and to shift the blame from his own thouldett) and would by no means be mixed up with .lacobinit and I.cTcUcts — the terms with which their triumphant opponents qualilied indi»> criminatcly ail thoie who dilTered with them in any degree. Where the cauK was lo disreputable, the company should i>e select. Ai the Hood-gate* of Billingsgate abuse and courtly malice were let looM, each coltrit drew itKlf up in a narrower circle : the louder and more sweeping was the itorm of Tory spite without, the liner weie the ditiiinctioni, the mote fattidious the precaucione used within. The Whigs, completely cowed by the Tone*, threw all the odium on the Reformer* ; who in letum with equal magnanimity rented ihcii (lock of spleen and viijipetativc rage on the Whigs. The common cause was forgot in each man't anxiety for his own safety tvx) character. If any one, bolder than the rett, wanted to ward olFtbc blows that fell in showers, ot to retaliate on the assailants, he was held back or turned out as one who longed to bring an old house about tlior ears. One obiea was to give a* little onence as possible to ' the power* that be — to lie by, to trim, to shuffle, to wait for events, to be tcrcre on our own error*, just to the merits of a prospcTOO* adTcnary, and not to throw away the scabbard or make reconciliation hopeless. Just a» all was hushed up, and the 'chop-fallen' Whi^s were about to be sent for to Court, a great doutering blow from an incorrigible Jacobin might spoil all, and put off the least chance of anything being done 'for tlie good of he country,' till another reign or the next century. But the great thing wa* to be genteel, and keep out the rabble. They that touch pitch arc defiled. ' No connection with the mob,' vas labelled on
37 S
THE PLAIN SPEAKEtt
the back oi rvcry fncnd of thr Pco(4r. pTcry pitifiil reniner of Oppoaitioo took catc to dMcliim &1I aiTuitty with uKb Mlow* a* Huntt Cariutr. or Cobbeti.' Ai it wm the oooiinual <lnE^ of the Miniucria] wiitcri la coniouod ibc diffcreDt ;ni^« of their anu;>omiu, bo the chief dmd of the Minority wa* to be ooafooBded with the ptniulucc, the CanaUU, tie. Tbej wottid be thoiqbt neither ruilh the GoTcnuncnt or of the People. They are an awkward noatt to hit al. It ■» true ihcy hare no uipCTfluou* popularity to throw away upon othcn, and ihey may be »o far right la bciog shy to the choice of their awociatct. They ate critical in rx-unining voUuiteera into the lerrice. It i* necewary to »k leave of a oumber of circiuniiancet eqitally fnvoloa* and vexation*, before you can cntiit in their tkcleton^ccgimnit. Tbui you muct have a Rood com to your back ; for they haic no noiforai to pre you. You nni>t briog a character in yoor pocket ; for they hare no retpcctability to low. If you have any uart to «hrw, you had bc4t hide them, or |irocure a certificate for your jaciiic behaviour from the opposite tide, vrith whom they wiih to itand well, and not to be alwayi wouDcling the feclingt of diitinj'.aisbcd indiriduali. You mutt have voucher* that you were neiiber born, bred, nor retidc within the BUU of Mortality, or Mr, Theodore Hook will <rj •Cockney ' t You mnat have studied at one or other of (he Engliih Univer«itie«, or Mr. Croker will prove every third word to be a BulL If you arc a patriot iind a manyt to <x>ur principle*, this it a paioful condideratioo, and mutt act at a draw-back to your preteniaonB, which would have A more gluaty and creditable appearance, if they had never been tried. It you nrc a lord or a luoglcr after lord*, it it welt: the glittering tiar hide* the plebeian ttains, the obedient «mile and habitual cringe of approbation are always welcome. A courtier abute* courts with a better fiACV ; for one who haa held a place to ntit at place- men and pcn»iooet( ibewa candour and a disregard to wlf. There If nothing low, vulf^ar, or ditreputable in it I— I doubt urtiether thn mdrtiui diicipline and tprucencM of demeanour i* &vourable to the popidar tide. The Tories are not lo ttjueamiah in their choice of loola. If a writer comn up to a certain standard of dulncsa, impudence, and waat of principle, oochiag mote is expected. There
ii fat M , lean J , black C , Bisiay H , lame
G , and one-eyed M : do they not (arm an impeoetraUe
phalanx round the throne, and worthy of it ! Who eier tbonjtht of inquiring into the lalcniR, qualificationt, birth, or breeding of a Covemmcnt-scMbbler f If ibc workman it fitted to the work, they
' Mr. Pilt ini] Mr. Winrlhim writ nol to ajn. They <m« intimilc <iM«ch with (uch a (cUow u Cdbticit, while he choK lo ttind hy them.
3-6
ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PAIITY
care not one utrnw what vou or I ny aboul him. Tbii thewi b cob* fidcticc in thcm»clvct, and it the my ta aMurc other*. The Whign, who do not feel their ground so well, make upfor their want ot'«ticngth by i proi>ortioDiible wint of spirit. Their ciiue ta ticklinh, and they (upport it by the leaat hazaidout nienoi. Any riol«M or <le«paate meuuTH on thdr part might recoil upon themMlvM.
•When ihcy cmwifc ihe «gf. They are <auliou( and u^,
Lett the tDtittim oAendcd thoiild be'
Whilst they arc pelted with the tnoat icunitou* epithet* and uniparing abu*e, they itiiin on language the most clatiical and poltihed in return i and if any asfortunaic dcTil letR an exprcmon or alliuioo escape that utngSt or jart the tone of good company, he ia given iip without rcmorae to the tender merctca of hia foes for thia ioJVactioa of good mannera and breach of treaty. Tbe envy or cowardice of tbi-K half-iaced friendi of liberty regularly sacrilicci it* warmen defender* to the hatred of ita enemies — muck-paitiotitm and cfTcminRte telf-Iovc ratifying the liit* of proscription m.ide out by icrvility and JRioIetance. Thia if btuc, and contrary to all the iuIcr of political warfare. What I if the Tories give a man a bad name, tnutt the Whigt bang bim ! If a writer annoys tlie limt, muat he alarm the lost? Or when they lind he baa irritated hia and their opponent* beyond all forgitcneai and endurance, innead of concluding from the ibutc heaped upon him that he ha* 'done the State aome aerricei' niuat they act him aside a* an improper person merely for the odium which he haa incurred by hi* efToru in the conimoo cauae, which. t bad they been of no cfiect, would have ttft him still fit for their purpoie* of negative Bucceu and harmlcsn opposition i Their ambition ■eemi to be to cxiai by lufrcrance ; to be t;ilc in a lort of conventional inaignilicance ; and in their dread of exciting the notice ot hoatility of the lord* of tlic eattb, they arc like the man in the *tOiim who ailenced the appeal of hia companion to the Gods — 'Call not >o loud* or they will hear u* I ' One would think that in all ordinary caaea honesty to feel for a lotin;: cause, caducity to uadcrstund it, and courage to defend it, would be *uflicicnt introduction and recom- rocndation to ligbt the battles of a party, and acrrc at lean in the rank*. But thii of Whig Oppotition i«, it teem*, a peculiar caae. There is more in it than meet* the eye. The evrf* may one day be summoned to paia muster before Majcfty, and in that case it will be expected that tbey ihould be of trad maieriali, without a «tain and without a flaw. Nothing can be too elegant, too immaculate and reliocd for their imaginary return to office. They are in a
377
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ptuUc dilonnu — hi*in(> to reoMcilc the Iwfielcw remaon of court-faTOur witb die laosi dUuiu asit (Iclicatc attemfU at populuity. Tlicy ate Mixnficly puzzloi in the choice and imaagemcM of tbeir MMciatet. Some of them tnoK undMso a thorough Tcntilatioti and perfiifniiig, tike poor Morgan, before C^tain Whiffle would raJTer him to come into hi« prcKOCc. Neither cui any tiling bA*e and plobeim be nipposed to 'come betwixt die wind and tbcU nobiliiy.' Aailldr dengu are douUtful, tlieir friends qibm oot be (iup«cccd : M their prbciplct are popular, their preteoiciofiii muit be proportion- abljr aritcocratic. The reputation of Whi^itm, tike that of womeot it a delicate thing, and will bear neither to be blown upon or haodled. It ha> an ill odour, which recjuirc* the aid of lai^hionable eMcnoea and court-powdeti to carry tt olT. It bboufi under the frovn of the Soveretgo : and swoons at the ihout aad prciaurc of the People. Eren in it« preaent forlorn and abject «ate, it relaptet into «w- vuliiona if any low fellow ofFcn to lend it a helping hand : tbow who would have their oferturca of tcrricc accepted mun be bedizened and sparkling all over with titles, wealth, place, connection*, faahioa fio lieu of zeal and talent), tu a tet-off to the iinputatioo of low aeiigps and radical origin ; for there it nothing that the patron* of the People dread to much ai being identified with them, and of ill thing! the patriotic party abhor (eren in their dreamt) a muaSiaitt . with the rabble I •
Why must 1 nicniion the innances, in order to make the forcgtnitg ttatement intelligible or credible t 1 would noi> but that I and other* have suffered by the wcakncM her* pointed out ; and 1 think ibc caute roun ultimately lutTer by it, nnlew tome antidote be ap^Ued by reaioo or ridicule. Let one example terve for all. At the time that Lord Byron thought proper to join with Mr. Leigh Huat and Mr. Shelley in the publication called the Lisixal, Blackwood's Magiziae orerflowed, aa miKbt be expecwd, with tenfold gall aod biitemeM t the John Bull was outrs^eoui j and Mr. Jerdas black in die lace at thii unheard-of and diwracefui union. But who would have lupiiotcd that Mr. Tbomat Moore and Mr. Hobbouw, tboMi ttaunch friend* and partiuin* of the people, ahould alw be thrown iotol aJmoit bytterical agooiea of well-bred horror at the coftltttoa betwcefl| their ooUe and ignoble ac<|uaintaace, between tlie Patrician and ' the NewtMper-Man i ' Mr. Moore darted baclcwarda and forwardi from Cold-Batb-FieMi' Priion to the Examiner*Odiceri from Mr. Long-I man'* to Mr. Murray'i khop, in a ttate of rldiculou* trepsdation, tof tee what W3« to be done to prevat thii ileeradation of the ariuoaac^ of letters, thit indecent encrtMchmeat of plebeian pretensions, this nodtic exteouon of patronage and conprDtniw of pnvilegc. The 378
ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PARTY
P
Tories wwe »hock«l that Lord Byitrn should grace (he popular aide by h» direct countenance and asaidanee — the Whijii were shocked that he should «harc hii confictcnGc and couciaeU with any one who did not unite the double lecornnicndation* of biith Jind gcniun — but ihemflekct ! Mt. Mootc h»d li»cd so long among the Grew that he fiDcied himself one of them, nnd rcjjaidrd ihe indignity as done to himself. Mr. Hobhouie had lately been bUck-balled by the Clubs, and miut feel particularly sore and icnaciuuB on the score of public opinion. Mr. Shelley'i father, however, wai an older Baronet than Mr. Hobhouie' 1 — Mr. Leigh Hunt wan *to the fall ai genteel a man ' m Mr. Moore in birth, appearance, and education — the puT«uit( of all fout were the same, the Muse, the public &vour, and the public good ! Mr. Moore wai hini»elf invited to assist in tlie undertaking, hut he profedtcd an utter aversion to, and wacoed Lord Uyton against hating any concern iu\\\\, jnint-pubrKMioni, as of a rtty ncutraJiiinj; and levellinf; description. He might ipeak from experience. He had tried his hand in that Ulyates' bow of critic* and poliiidani, the F.dinburgh Review, though his secret had never transpired. Mr. Hobhouse too had written IliosltationB of Childc Harold (a «ort of partnership concern) — yet to ooaah the publicition of the Liseru^ he Kriouely proposed that his Noble Friend should write once a week in hit own namt tn the Examiner — the Liberal scheme, he was afraid, might succeed ; the NeWAoapcr one, he knew, could not. I hare bc«i whispered that the ^Icmbct for Wesiminstcr ffor whom I once gave an inclfectual vote) hat also conceived some aistastc fot me — I do not know why, except that I waB at one time named i» the writer of the famous TrtenUi Jartrvimtit Letter to Mr. Canning, which appeared in the Examiner and was afterwards suppretsed. He cnight feel the disgrace of such a sapposiiion : I confcti I did not feel the honour. The cabal, the bustle, the tigntlicant hints, the confidential rumouri were at the height whco, after Mr. Shelley'* death, 1 was invited to lake part in this obnoxiou* poblication (obnoxious alike to friend and foe) — and when the Eimj on ihr Spiril of Moaarthj appeared, (which must indeed have operated tike a bomb-shell thrown into the oitriei that Mr. Moore frequented, la well a« tboM that he had left,) this gentleman wrote otT to Lord Byron, to say that 'there was a taint in the Liberal, and that he should lose no time in getting out of it.' And this from Mr. Moore to Lord Byron — the last of whom had just involved the publication, against which he was cautioned as having a taint in it, in a piotccution for libel by his yiiion of Judgmrni, and the firtt of whom had scarcely written any thing all his life that had not a latnt in xu It it true, the Holland-HouK party might be somewhat staggered by a jev-J'afirit
379
THE PLAIN SPEAKEB
that Ml tbnr Bbctanme nd De Lobne thrann at Jefiiaee, aoA that tbry conU u Imle write at aurra. Bo it wm dm thji. Mr. Hootw d«o coapUuKd iku • 1 had wpokta agaion Lalla Rookb,* tbo»gh br bad JBK brfofc mk «c Iti* * Fudge Faailjr.* Scfll it wh not th«c Bflt at DW tiflw be WBI nt tiiat itry ocppMnl and Kf ino pvhlic^ taeo* lay fink bvli wu kco ' hulGsf oo tfce flood ia a kiad oC oaoiooa twwffM^ and tt wva oM kHMn ^atOwf 1 Bv^bt not ifOM s Tcaad of gpH»'" nim. Mi> Blackwooil had aot theo JiiaJett Ua Grab^tnet baacry agaiwt ne: but u moq aa tbia «aa tbe caav, Mr. Moon waa wilBag to * «4mJe me doara the wind, aad let s»r act]) at fiBRoae t ' not that I 'anmi hmpid,' bet the cootnrj. It ■ anttcf cowardice afid wut of bnft> 'Its $ow oojrct oi tbe tet la not to aetn the tide of arejodke aad Mwhood, bat to get a« of the way thauaelieo. The aiataat anotbcr ia aiaaiJeil (huwem aajoatly),
powibte, aad waaioa by tacif Bleoce aad reaene the accoaatioaa tber 00^ 10 rrpd. Saint ^w fna ertrf oae hat eaoo^ la do to tool amr h» own teyuatioa or wfrty withoot rcacuaag a fneed or ftop- fiag «|> • bUias caoie. Il ia oely by kecptog in the back-grooad oa MCfa oeeiiioaa (Ifte Gil Biaa wbea bat fricod Aariitoae I.aawli waa led by in trianiph to the awtiJmfe) that they caa «aom the Ifte hoBOig* and ■ wiuaary ynmiaaeat. A ahowcr t£ aad* a ^i^ of akk-tunei (glancing a ImJr out of their oHgiBal <facccioa) mtffm ebacBR the tan gltBpae of Royal favonr, or aCoB the taai gaip aC popriarity. Nor cnud they aaawcr it to their Noble fiiewla aad BOta '"^flf— * panaita to be leeii m aoch coaMoayf or to hata tacv aaaKa coaplea with smilsr ootnaes. Thetr aledt, ^oaay, aafUa^ pnteBMOoi ihoold not be rxpoied to «a)RV coacaminatian, or to be trodden aader loot of ■ iwiRufa tunihiiiiilg. Their birth'^day mdia (aaMd) ahonld oot be dragged ibro«|h the ktaad, aor ihcir 'trkkiy' lanrel-vrcatha ttack in the pBofT. Tfaaa watdd nafcc then KjiuUy uiGi to be ukeo iato die Bakcca of pciaeca or the carriage* of peer*. If exchaled frera both, what woold become of them ? The only way, ibere&R, to avoid bciag implicated ia tbe abtiae ponrcd upon otbm la to pretend th« it ia ■■ — the way oot to be made the object of the W amii ay niaed agaatt a friend u n> tad ii by aaderhasd whiaperi. It ia pkataat anther to aankipate in dilgrace nor to have boooart tSeided. The ffiorc Lord Brroa eoa- Cned ha isiinucy aad frieadthip to a few peraooa of middling rank, bat of cxirurdinanr merit, the axxe it moN redoood lo bk and their credit — the Unci of Pope,
l«o
' To view with teomful, ytt widi )nlau« rye*, Aad hate br an* whkh caattd Mmielf to rite,* —
ON JEALOUSY AND SPLEEN OF PAHTY
nii((ht (till fiod a copy io the brcMt of more ihao one scribbler of |ioliticii and faahioo. Mr. Moore mighi not think vrithoui a pang of the atithoc of Rimini sitlin;; at hj* eate with the author of Childe Harold i Mr. Hobhuute might be aver»e to kc my doKRed proie bound U|> in ihc amc rolume with hit Lordshi]>'> iplcndid vcne, and sinitedljr it would not faciliuilc bin admiinon to the Club«, that hit inend Lord fiyroa had iskrn the I^dito^ of the Examiner by the hand, and that their coramon friend Mr. Moor« had takeo no active •tepi to prevent it !
TboBt who have the lea« charitter to «paie, can the least aiTord to pari with their good word to other* : n loting cauK ii atm-ayn inoKt divided againtt ittclf. If the Whign arc fastidious, the Kct'orraerl are «our. If the liret are frightened ai the IcMt breath of tcandal, the last arc disgusted with the snullett approach to popularity. The one deMR youi if all men do not speak well of you: tbe other never fer^e your having tliaktn off the nwpitre which tliey aRiume so ■ucceMfullyt or your having escaped from the Grub into the Butterfly ttaie. The one require that you should enjoy the public favour in tta neweit gloM : with the other let, tbe tmalleat elegance of pretennon or accompliihmeni is fatal. The Whi^ never itomached the account of the *Ch3ract«s of Shakespear's Plays' in the Quarterly: the Reformer* never forg>*e me for writing them at all, or for being tuipected of an inclination to the htUeiUlim. • The Godt,' they feared, ' bad made me poetical ' ; and poetry with them it ' not a true thing.' To please the one, you niiut be a ^Im^ : not to incur the censure of the other, you must turn cynic. The one arc on the alert to know what the world think or tay of you: the others make it a condition that you shall fly in the face of all the world, to think and My exactly a» they do. The fir« thing the Westmintitr Review did was to attack tbe Edinburgh. The fault of the one it too great a deference for cttabliahed and prevailing opinions : that of the other i* a natural antipathy to every thing with which any one el>e tympaihise*. They do not uim, but they are livetted to their owd sullen and violent piejudicea. They think to attract by repuluon, to force others to yielcf to their opinion by never giving up an inch of gronnd, and to cram the truth (Town the throata of their itarveling reader*, as you cram turkeys with gravel and «aw-du*t. They would gain nroitefytei by proicribiog all those who do not take their Shiboleth, and advance a cause by shutting out all that can adoro or strengthen it. They would exercise a monitrous ostractam on cvtry ornament of style or blandishment of acniimcnt ; and unless they can allure by btrrtaptw ui deformity, and convince you againit ihe x""'"* think they have done nothing. They abjure Sir Walter's noreU nrtd
S8i
THE PLAIN SPEACEa
P*
AN ESSAY ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
TO WHICH ARE ADDED
SOME REMARKS ON THE SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
hitifttrit MtayniiilT 1> itoj hi one toL Im (>64 rp-) ''■^ '*'* liUt-f*(r 1 'An EHi;r ■"■ ^ PriBcifhi of H«sus ActJss t Btia( lo Ar; ia famot of Iht Natanl DiiikUnicelMM cf the Haau MiX. To nhkk i a44f< Sana Rcoark* oa the Sfatcm* «( Hinlcy ibJ HcWmIm. PrlMcrf IM J. |«lutMa, No. 71 Sc Paul'i Cbaftb-VM^. itos.' Tbe voImmI WM *f(BLe<l bjr £. Ilcmncl, Niw-atnci, Ffcur-Unc* Tbc lut pgc iiMHiiwll ■ liK of <rr«(4. TVtm tunc bna conrctr^ in the yromt eriicud, which ii ■ rtpnt iwjtjfM a( the firaL A Mcea4 cditks m pabliahcd in iSjS hj (be MflbM'«Ma,ii OBC vol. tro (176 fftj, ifae liilr-pict of <rbi<h nuu M fell««^— * Enajn on (he Principln a( Hubid A<tian ; on lie SyMnM a( Hanlty and Hclxtnw I u4 00 Aiacracl Ha*, Bjr (h« bli WiUiaa Hadill. £datd fy Mi Sn. "A *ofk full at ctigxul tesuiki, uiri sortliy ■ dilifcM jMiinl" IhLfw. 'j Jtufb*^ Mi il( EiyAd. Lsote) : jo^ MiOcr, 404 Oif«H Stit«t.* Tbe vbIuik wm ptintd by WiMn Spkn, J99 OiTmiI Sircu The Ctfltae mud in ■a Advenuemoil tktt (he new edition had l«*a ' coneiJeeahlji imfme^* (rat* j marcind eomciioai in the luchor't <t>fy. The nuy on Ahinct Ueaa^ < had Be<rn before been pahlitlKd, ulU be loehidei ia a inttt rolaoM of the Mtteoil (ilition.
A
AN ARGUMENT
IN DEFENCE OF THE
NATURAL DISINTERESTEDNESS OF THE HUMAN MIND
It ii the dengn of th« follawinf; Essay to shew that the human mind U naturally dUintcwsled, or that it is naturally inttrtCHtecl in the welCire of other* in the same way, and from the ume direct tnotirca, by which wc arc impelled to the puriuit of our own intctcit.
The abj«ct« in which the mind is intcrcitcd may be cither fan or prc«cnt, or future. The«c last alone can be the object! of raiiooaj or voluntary puriuit ; for neither the past, nor present can be altered for the better, or worie by any etforis of the will. It ii only from the interett excited in him by future objecta that m.in becomci a moral agent, or is denomioaicd tclltsh, or the contrary, according to the rruuinet in which be i« atfectml by what rclair* to his own faiurt iniercic, or that of other*. 1 propone then to shew that the mind is naturally interested in it's own welfare in s peculiar mechanical nunoer, only an fn oa relates to it's past, or present impresiions. 1 have an mlerevi in my own actual feeling;! or impressions by meant of coQKiouniesa, and in ray past feeUnKS by n)caa> of memory, which 1 cannot have in the pait, or present feclin^n of others, because thetc faculties can only be exerted upon thotc thingt which immediately and properly aifect myself. As an affair of sensation, or memory, 1 can feel no ifltercn in any thing bat what relates to rnvMlf in the stiicieit sense. But thit dininciion doc« not apply to future objects, of to those iiDpresNoni, which dctcimine my xiluntary actions. 1 have not the same sort of excluaive, or mechanical self-btertsi in my future beinp, or welfitre, becauae I have no distinct faculty givine mc a direct present intCRtt in my future senntiont, and none at all in »i*»^j^ . those nf others. The imagination, by me-ans of which Minor I can 'anticipate future ohjccia, or be interested in them, niusi carry me out of myself into the leclings of others by one and iJie same process by vou VII. : 1 a }85
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Im ffcr «kr «f MsdMr. m iE voaU hr ■» ikiM W ami VMS i» aM^B t» 4nL
oil I ir ft— »fcBtf»oh» ill III BkIc^
nfaui M htedi; « b hi. ««■ ihiiMii «d piH, tfMkiM, vImAm hr Mi tko. at aaa. Tk^ Had at
ON THE PHIxNCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
which in itMlf is all ilon^, founilMl on a tncri* )iUy of word*, could BOt liSTC gained ihe aucnt of tliinkinx men but for the force with which the idea of nclf habitiuilly cVtngt to the mind of erciy tnan, binding it u with i spcU, deadening it'* diicdmiokdng [lowcri, nrid ■prcading the confused .uiociiiionii which hclong only to {iam and pmcnt imprcuions oret the whole of our inuginuy exinencc> It therefore brconics ditlicult to Kparate ideal which haie been thu* knit togeiher by ciutuni, of ' by u long tract of time, by the use of language, and want uf rcllection.' II it were powible for a ranti'a particuUr nuccetnfc intcreit* to be ill bound up in one general feeling of iclf-iniercst ai they arc all comprehended under the lame word, ttif, or if Ji mao on the rack really felt no more than he niuit have done from the appreheation of the tame punishmcDt a year bcforci there would be aome foundation for thia rcaaoniogi which luppotm the mind to hare the unie alMoluie ioteretl in it'a own feclingi both fUt, prcient, and lu come. I Kay the •ophiini hirrc employed cODibta in comparing the motite* by which we nre interested in the welfare of otheta with the mechanical impulte* of telf-love, a* if bccauae we are mcchnnically alfccied by tbc actuJ IntprcHJon of object* on our «enM'« in a manner in which we canflot be affeaed by' the rcelingt of othert, all our feelings with rc«pcct to ourttlve* must be of the aame kind, and we could Ivel no inlercat in any thing but what wSK excited in the aame way. It in plain wc are not inicmicd in our general, rcnwtc wrifare in the Mtnc manner, or by the aunt BCCcaritjr that we are alfecied by the actual *m*c of pleaaure, or paia. We hsTe no inaiinctive accret tympaihy with our future ariiiiationa by which we arc attracted either conacioutly or unconicioualy to our greatect gcood i we arc for the moat part indilferent to if, ignoraoi of tt. We certainly do not know, aod we lery often care aa little wint b to happen to <Kir>el«ci in fiutire ; it baa im) more effect upon im ia any way, than if it were never to happen. Were it not for ihia ihorttigbtedDUf, and ttMciuibllily, where would be the lue, or what woald becorrw of the ralea of peraooal ptudvnce f
[t will be istd, I know, that this ia foreign to the futfote i for thai whcihei he feela tt, or not, every man Jtat a real miercM in hia own welfare which he cannot have in that of another perion. Firat, ibia H to ihili the ground of the argument ; for it re<|uiret to be made otit bow a nun can be laid to bare an iatcreK in whM be dooa not feel. There ia not evidrnily the tame coottadiction In auppoting him not to be pankdar^y intercKcd ia feefinga which he haa not, aa lliere it in aappoMBg him ncK to be latcrected bi hit actual, aeniitilc picaaurea and paini. Secondly, I ahall eery readily graoi that /p lavt and lo/nf an intcreK in any thing arc out alwaya ctmtertiblc terma, Uiai
J»7
ON THE PRLNCIPLES OF HUMAX ACTION
«dKr tba^|k he dan ■« fcd e s ^ tintL My Ivray a tnupw* ia aay abjtici n^ tAt u ibt ■Mna' af an iks Mui pbjpg «3M^nM(ff4idiKa9H2 asw ibc (cab^ «' «** i dM» HI flSBKO^ 4an£ «• wigd«t an ■■««■ in s
aoi faA^t MI& a Monai is dMM n X Mgte » dft. TkcT rfdliBiBRccidB^M saLoi » auck OHttn of 6ia is ■iw^iiifarftf cMtawlfc. Tl^.
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ir «■■■ dv vAbA ari^ « a aarf lAgi^ snr c at^fn^s Ais]
ataB vaialyo dasaff ^x^ir s^ tfam^MMf v rau luii'TiiC ai
■aaA. *■■—*— *^-— ■■' iko: tia^ fac ammti m w ihit^ ilis 1 1
Man Mar a nd asanv iihiii i f ai wj ^mia fiBBPr iKaQp ariaLSt K '
omatt immU^ hai* b ik^ dT^faow I tann *"'^'~ ai dr i
iiMliiahiiHiaii flm aiiw wiiwa j iiaiiiiai In ikm ■ jiiiaai X^ik
ai^ riAdr laaogad oa il* «g|MHaaB 4B Ar abai'Wrt., i
Ab ywa^Mr<8M|y wk anR k
a awo VBan^aa aona&i at s i
aq pm^at aH suanr adCi «f vlach 3 mm mnmm^mA atdr ■lai I wfc Atd
will bsti^iK Iww a 1^ II""—* a n.
wdiniaci iAb ^f tfCMaA^ aoanaa^Bi^ aad c
k: enable af
ON THK PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
in a proper auacliment to our own pcraoos instead of icfcrr!n)t to tht feclinj;! of dnirv und averaioD, hope, and fear, &c. excited id \u by thote thiols which diber do, or may immcdiaidy aileci uuridve*. In conse(]uenc<^ of the impreiiioD of muttj oocb objectt on the thinking being, we ihall come no doubt to coDiieci ft snie of telf-inierevl with this very Ix-tng, with the motiom of our blood, and whh life itself, and «hali by degre«t tiantfei the emotioiu of ioterett excited by particular positire feelingt to the idei of our own intereH generally ■peaking. Thit however must be the work of time, the gradual tetult of habit, and reflection, and cannot be the natural reatoo why a man puriueii hi* owo welfare, or it iDterested io hi« own ^lingn. I think therefore that in the fimt insrance the idea of penonat pleasure or pain can only alfect the mind as a diitinct idea of that which ia in itKlf the object of dc«irci or aversion, and that the idea of lelf it Dothing more than ilie Urtt and mo»t distinct idea we hare of a being capable of receiving pleaiure and pain. It will lie the buiineai of the grcateit part of the folluwing esuy to make out theic teveral point* more distinctly.
There i* apother hypotheniii which I shall juat mention, (hat hoM< a ion q{ middle place between the two op{io«itc oaa already iiaied. The ]i«niit3nt> of this mote liberal philo«ophy, who could not luppmt the conbcioutnesD of humane and benevolent diiporitioni in thertiiwlec*, or the proofs of them in othcrti, but yet knew not how lo reconcile these helings with the rapposed teihuhness of human nature, have endeavoured lo account for the ditTercni impulse* of genctous alfcctioa from habit, or the constant conocctioo between the pleauiren and pains of othcri, and our own, by which means we come at hut ti> confound our own bteresti with theirs, and to feel the ume anxiety for their welfare without any view to our own advantage. A man according to this bypotbesi* become* attached to Albert a* he becomei attached to any odter indiAcrent object, to a tree, or a (tone, from familiarity, and the frequnK association of hi* immediate gratilication with the indtfTeTent idea ; and thii^ attachment once formed, he must after- waidl be irtterevted in their welfaie whether he will ur no. An example of thtt may he given in boys at tcliool. A boy is conlined to his laak at the same time with his school-fellows; he tcels the efTecTs of the fiood, or ill humour of the master in common with the rest; when the tchool-hour is over, they are all let loote to play together ; he will in general like the (wne garnet that other* do, and be moKt delighted when they are noiaiesti when they happen to be in the bc«t humour, in the hottest part of the ganie, on tlie finest days, or in the pleasaniest places : they will have the lame joyous breakings- up for (he holidays, and will often on some bright morning itroU out
389
n ■
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
bit nature ii origrnally and MMHtudly dittnte retted ; thai ai i r<^unUry agent, he muil be a ditintereated one; that he could ncitbcr dccire', nor will, nor ptimie h» own bi|i[)ineH but for the poncMion of fncultica which nccewanly gire him an inictni out of himaclf in tlw hapnineu of other* ; that penonal identity neither does nor can imply any positive eomniunicntioe between a man's fututc, and prMcot self, thui It doeii nut f>,ii-c him a mechanical intereit in bis future being, that nun wben he mli it alwayn ainoluiely independent of, uninttucnced by the feeling* of the being /or fi/imm bt atti, whether thi« be bimtelf, or nootheti hntly, thai ail morality, all ratioiul, and ToluDtKfy action, ercry thing undertaken with a diitinci refercDCe lo OVndfCa or oihera mtitt relate to the future, that ii, muit have iliti«e thinitt for it'a object which an oolv act upon the mind by means of the imaKinatioa, and must natvrally alfeci it in the i.ime manner, whether they ate thought of in connectioo with our own future being, or tbai of other*.
I hnvr thought upon ihia aubject to long, and it ha* sunk into my mind 1 may aay no deeply in the tingle abstract fomi which Rppean to me to expUin almost every other ticw which can be taken of it,
IhtinwiTT* >nil ihr nrangni prindpki of iction. The iileai [»nc(tniiiE rcUttm UP of 1 «iifficiral!]r Hbllracl namrv t SD'I jrrl il will not bt tiiipiilc'l lliAl cirly tmpnnioni of thii kind have tonw inRucnct on ■ m^n't fulurr ccindud in lid, T*rn pfnoni icciilfntiUf nir«tiii( tofethsr, *n>l who hail iMTrr Mra ono anolhir before tball eonTvivr a more violent anti^Mhy (o ttAi olbct in conRi|iifa<( of i ■llipiilc on tr1i|;inn or (lolilii* thtn ihry niifbl hm donf rioai honng beta pertoniily il Tiiiim* half iheir livn. Ii ii uhjcdcl thai thia pnxMil* thMI wnuii'lciJ vanity. 8ul wh> il oui vgnlly moti ettilf irtitatH upon theae «ib]cet* than upon asy Athcr but frani the importaDCc altachcd tn ihem by thf uttrlrt- ttanilint } Qmatisna of moralitjr Aa nol ilnajri f icite tht mnc Violcnl aniiiinaity ) >n>l Ibi* 1 think ii bccaaK tht; do not to prap«(l) clmil of diapnlt in thcmarlitt, >Im Wcaase tbcy an not to oftea msilf ih( initmiiKnla of ciMi, •nil povrti, )n<t tbrrrfwe dfpen<l Ifm on opinioD, oi Ihc numbci ai latta, anl bccauar rvcry nnc appMtlog to hia own bruit for ihf (rulh of bia opmitrn attribijtFi ibt continuance of (he fontul not to an)r want uf forte in hia awn ■([uminti, but !u a nael u( propct falinp in bb opponent. — I will iilil her< a ramaik in lomc ncitorc con- nccleel with ihe Uil-nKmionrit obwenlion, lhi( the iraaon why moi tir fenrrally more annoua about tht opinion rntartaimri of ihcit Dn-lirilinriinK than ihrit honiiiy la nol lo much that they realty think thia lail of lot i«nae<]D«n(r at thai a man alwap btlievit himaclf to be tht bcal judn •( what piiiea in hia own brcui. lie tbrrcfore thiaka ri; hiilr ibc better of binuel/ for the luoit opinion of othcra, IntlHrf he coniideri their n,9n^f» in ibit retptet sa a lorl of inpeniaence at beat, at iniptyiac tome ilouhl upon the wMett i anil aa tu iheir ilirccl ctnaorea, he will atwaja And aonu f^etinfti or motjvra in hit own minil, or sane ciicvmtlanMi wiili which they are not M^aainled, which will in hit apmion make ■ inlal dilTtrfnct in the catt. With reipcil la mtnnert. and Ihoat HMral qulilin which are ilenomioBted ^rtatf, iheae i^aia depecil on the juitf ment of oihera ; aB'l wc liod ibt aamc JMlouay of the opinloai of ollicri ffltnifated with ictftct to these is with retpcet lo «iit tense, wit, kt,
39'
OS THE PBISCirLES OP HTMAX ACTION
iMiirfns
EW^l
VUI
af Mb a ntw to ifaar fradaointo or tk a itfiian. arfcidi dan net yd OM CM cxdtt ae iaoBa ia indC ^ aa ipM tkc aiad ii nf wiy b« by inaw af tkr iaa^Biaa. Tlir dvaiOMfT Mcmv. vr taariOT «Uck dooaaaa ikc Had ta tke vatdoa ti auf ^amg wmm ttadi»* ia Jt aim dcy«ad oa Aradlia af ik« tbiac » coeccmd of by tbe im^aMo^ad «■ tfe idei hMjt. Fv dK (Ua^itadf a a aev-cati^. Bf tke my la of ■■*■ Ikm «A4 k k Mffwed aoi lo aim. It notbcr it mj tfai^ aot eMScdccBaaefMy tUaf> Wy an nCTtr iatawwd ia ribt Uaay tMSMPra^ ^wca tfv UK nal« vBaHi^ fiasvcv objects oi voiitsaBi pw Mcfiap 01 ocsrCf wcniOBi oCc* ooaaoOad vita volaatji^ kobo
Mn tiwMJt t%/OMta Vf OK idcti Of tlWiC Bnaff Ptttrt tlKT *'^1^i
'no irac lamdK to >ohnmji actian an oatf exMt in the ppnd of a ba( gyblc of toitMamf tbc caaM^OBxa of >Uo^ af btiag lia tbqn frow the iwMBOT i^wBaioa thafidey fcfa ■aad(Mil of nakiM dwico aTtfir meaaa ntoMMy to prcAwc, or pfCtciK vhH be ilca/n or dtoda. Tbi* dMOactioo awt be abMlMo •ad nirtnafljr ^pttoUr, if it ■• m u tH. Tbe aadna bj which 1 an iiapgUwl to tbe pnmoi of lay ova wd&re on no man be ibo rMah of 4 direct tmpretiioa of ibe tUi^ wbicb k the object of de«irc> Of amiMivif of laj poMtjve tfotniminaritwo bdwveo my fnttnL^ vad IIkbc ftdii^ or oTa ton of bjrpoiabal aaiao bmrma ifcc iaionMl of tbo being aoing, aad the beiog acted ofoa, tbaa tbe aiotnet by arbkb 1 aoi JBlcmwd io the weUue of Otfatn caa be «o. It ia tnK I bifc a real. poMiivc iatcmt ia mj aowJ ftetiDti vbkb t ba*e not ia iboie of otiiera. Bm actaaJ nleiauK, aod puo are pot the objectt of yntauLuj action. It can be u ao iniTttoK, k b downrigbf BfliwfMP to wW that wbicb actaaBy firitfft wtudi u inpreiBed oa toy aeaaea to exiA, ot not to exut, tiscc it «^ cxi« BdlW awfr doc Icai fo( niy wilBog ttf or dm triUiag it. Onr ikrtfltim 6an that S9«
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
which J>>*e> us paio could not io aoy mpeci he contiderMt a* an act of Totition, or reaitOD. if w« did not know that the cuiie object which gnn at pain will continue to give ui pain while we reniaio in cODtJKt with it. The mere mechanical moTcmcnt which generally acconi- paoiet much pain doe* not appear to me to have any thing more to do with Relf-loTe properly no called thnn the convuluTe motioni or disiortJooB of the muaclet earned by bodily ditcace. — In other wonU the object of volition i» oevcr the ciuse of volition. The motive, or intern^ impreiiion impelling me to the pursuit of any object ii by the (uppoiition incotnpatiblc with any «uch intereit aa belongs to (be actual enjoyment ot any good, oi to the idea of fatiiiiiiM. The real object of^any particular volition ia always a mere physical contcquencc - of that volition, (incc it i» willed for that very reason that othenrife it would not exiit at all, and nncc the cfftct which the mind deures to produce by any voluntary aaion must be «ubi«(]ueot to that action. It cannot therefore exert any pow«r over my pietent volition*, and actional unlei* we nippote it to act before it exiiti, which ia abturd. For there i« no facul^ in the mind by which future inipreuiont can excite in it a presentiment of themaetve* in the tnmc way that pan impreuiona act upon ii by meana of memory. When we ».iy that future objects act upon the mind by means of the imagination, it it not meant (hat >uch objects exerciic a real power over the imagiiuiion, but nictcly that it ii by mean* of thiii taculty that we can foresee the probable or occcsssry conaeilucncei of (hingt, and are intereiled in them. I hardly know how to insist on a point so plain in itself that it cannot be made plainer by any kind of reasoning. 1 only with to define the acne of the general position ai strictly aa I can, and to gnard if potdUe a^nst any mistake arising from ambiguity of i exptcMiion. For nuihiog but the certainty of absolute proof, and of having avoided every error of thia sort can overcome the reluctance of the miod (o admit fully and in all it's con»c<|uences a distinction, which howevci simple in the abttract goes to the direct subversion of one of the Rio«t dceply-roo(ed feelings of the human mind, namely that of the eaaeotial dilfercnce between the interest we have in pro- moting our own weifire by all the means in our power, and tlat which we take b ptomotiog the welfare of others. Almost every oae has a feeling that he ha* a real interevt in the one, but that hi* ioierett in the other is merely imaginary ; that his intereat in (he one i* absolute and independent oi himceif, that it exist* with the tame force whether he feels it, or not, whether he pursues, or neglects it, that it le a pan of himself, a bond from which he cannot ftee him- •df wiUiout changing hii being, whereas the interest which he take* in the welfare of other* is a voluntary iaterett, taken up and diimiated
393
• *•
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
at pkanirc. tad whkK cxiiu no hnwer tfau be fccli it ; ihnt his iiucmt ID hit own wctfarr, howvttt iMUat, muil afTcct him n^ualljr St prcfcat, liaec he u mlly ihc tame bring who ia to fit'py, or miStt i henaiter, but that with ittpta to the feeliogt of pleswrc, oc pain which aaothcf U to enjoT at ntSa, be aeitber hu any direct pTcteoi inierett, oor cun hat« an iodirect tiiuire tnterCK in them ; ih«y are nothing U) liim. ThU it the cotnmon fM-ling ; and it ia perhipa not leM common to the mo«i gcncrout than to the moM naftow and Bclfiah mindE : for a nun of a generooa ditpoaitioo will take ptcaoute to aacn&cing hi* own immrdiate inteicit conodcring it aa a ml sacrifice, and will be iood of exultioft >b Im tuperiority to the gnm \ inlhiei>ce of selfith modvea. If bower^r the distinctioD above initiated OB with teapect to vduotarv acrioo be any thing mote than a play of worda wttbciW meudng, the whole of this (Vein);; mint be utterly ^sc^ and grouadleaa. roe the nund can take, it can hate no intcrert ia any thing, that ia on object of pnciical pvraiit, but wbat ia auictly inuf^nary : it ia abaurd to auppoae that it on hare a not imereK in any nich object directly wiiethet relating to oaredrea, or other* (thia haa been 1 trust aitlbcieDitly fcbewn already) : nettber ota the reality of toy htiat interest to any object girc me a real btefect ia that object at pretent, noleB it could be (hewn that in conoequence of my bcbg the nme individual I ha«<e a necestary aympctthy with my fviuin acaiacions of pleaaurc or patai by which mcaaa they produce in me tbe laaic mechanical imnuiet aa if thdr objecta were really pre»eoi. The punctore of a pin canting ao irritation in tbe extremity . of one of tbe nervet ia tenaibljr (A along tbe whole extent of that ' ocrrc ; a riolent pain in any of the bmba diaordcr* the whole fmat t I feel at the uune moment the impreaaioM nude no oppoaite raru ot my body ; the umc cnntciona principle pcrtadea every part of me, it it io my handt, my feet, my cyca, my eara at the tame time, or at any rate it immediately atfectea by whatever ti impre»»cd on all thetc, it ia not conlined to thit. or that organ ior a certain time, it lu* an ci]ual inteieti in the whole lectieTti ayatero, nothing that paiaet in any part | of it c«i be indilTereot to roe. Here we have a dittinci idea of a real ' indiriduality of pcnon, and a consctjocm identity of iatereau. TUl aonc auch dtffuHve conacioua principle can be ahcwn to exiat, pR>- ducinj* 3 real connection between my future tenaaiiona and pretcot impultea, coUectiDgi and unilinit the dilTerent auccetaive moraenia of my being in one getieral repretentatire fireling of telf-tntercat aa the impreauona made on diAierent partt of my body are all coovered to : one ooounoo principle of thon^t, it ia in vain to icll me that 1 bivvj the tame interen in my future acaaationa a* if tbey were pmcat«j becauae 1 am tbe aamc individul. Howcrcf nearly allied, bo 394
OV THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
rimilar I may be 10 my future i<If, whatever otber tclaiion I may bear to thai te\(, ao lone :ii tbete in not thU intcrcoinm unity of I Uiongbtt and feeling*, lo long as there it an ab«olutc nrparation, an { iuunnounublc harrier fixed between the ptcwnt, and the iiiture, m> that 1 neither am, nor can possibly be aficcicd at preNrnt by what I um to fed bccealier, I urn not to any moral or practical purpote the tame being. Nutuial impouibilities cannot be made to give way to A mere courtcty of expreition. * hut I Itnuw thai I ihall become that being.' Then my intereit in it b founded on that knowledge, and not on an event which not only i« not felt by my mind, but » tuelf yet to come, vix. the traniiiion of my present into my future being. How does it tignify to me what I thall hereafter feel, or how can it influence niy present conduct, or how ought it to do so but becauMr, and in a» f;ir an, I have some idea of it beforehand?' The injury that I niay do to roy future interest will not ccitaialy by any kind of reaction return to puniih me for my neglect of my own happincM. In this tense, I am alwayi free from the coniie(|ucnccs of my actions. — The iQtcre«tt of the ticing who acts, and of the being who suffers are never one. They are not swayed by the intiucncc of the same causes eitJier directly, oc by mechanical sympathy. The good which i is the objea of pursuit can never coexist with the moiivej which make it an object of pursuit. The good which any being puiiuet is ( always at a distance from him. Hit wishes, his exertions arc always excited by * an airy, notional good,' by the idea of good, not the reality. But for tiis there could be no desire, no pursuit of any thing. We cannot strive to obtain what we already possess: we cannot give to that which already cxiata a double reality. My teal interest is not therefore nomething which I can handle, which it to be fell, or seen, it is not lodged 'in the organs of hearing, or taste, of Eoiell, it is not the subicct of any of the tentes, it is not in any respect what is commonly uooersiood by a real, subtiantial interest. On the contrary, it ii fundamentally, and in it's origin And by ti's *ay nature , the creature of rdleaion, and iniagin^tion ; and whatever can be made | the subject of ihew, whether lelaliQg to ourselves or others, may alto , he the object of an interest powerful enough to become the motive of volition and action. I If it should be asked then what difference it can make to me whetRet I pursue my o»-n welfare, or entirely neglect it,
' The ■liilintlion bcl«"«n tlir mollwi la aciioa ind the r«u«u tot it cinnol ■fleet the iti^mtal tun InaiitH an. When it it islil, thai thoufh I sm not rtslty govcrnrH by aaih an'I tuch motivn, I DU|tbl to be govcmrH by thrm, this mutt mean (nr ll mnni nothinv} ihil tuch would bt ihc rllbct of > piuprt cirrllon iiF my r*ciillicf. The obliption (n Kt In this or that manner mutt therefore be rfeduted from the oiinrf ef those ficaltii*. sail the futHiliy of (hen bemt Imprtsstil In s eertaln minner by cmtin objects.
S9S
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
There » a great diffetntce beiveeo the general tove of good which implic* St knowledge of it, tad a general ditpodtion to the lore of good, which doe* ooc imply Any Mich thing. It it acccHiry to keep Uii« diffiDciioa in our mitKl*, or the grraieU con^iuMH will cniw. It it the Kcnml property of iron to be utncted by ih* iMdMOoe, lfaoii|li tUs enect u& only ukc place in conwqtience of the loadstOM** being bfought near enough to it, nor it aoy thing loon OMUt by the asaertion. The ictiui desire of good ii not inlierent tn (he mwd of nuD, beciutc it requires tu be brought out by certain acccMory obftct* or tkic-u, hut the ditpoMttoo itaeli, or property of tbr mtnd which makci him liable lo be K> tffttMA by cetuin objects is tnhcrcM ia htm and a prt of hit nature, at sentibitity to plnsure sod piiin will not be denied U> be natural to man, though the actual ic«Uags of plmurc aod pain can only be excited in him by the inprcsiiDO of certain external ^ject*. < Tbe lore of my own particular good mutt precede that of i^ particular good of others, beciuic 1 am actjuainted with it brat t ' the lore of particular mutt precede that of general good whether my own, or another's, or tbe general good of maokmd for the aune rcuoo. I do not therefore originally tore my own panicuUr pocitivc good as a portion of general good, or with a diMinci rtlcrence in my mind to the good of the whole ; for 1 have as yet no idea of nor any concern about the whole. But I love oiy own particular good aa Goansting in the fnt conception 1 have of lomc one detirable object for the tame reason, for which I afterwards loie any other known good whether my own, or anoiher'i, whether conceived of as con- ttiiinK in one or more thiogt, that is because it po«iet«et that esteniial property coanon to all good, without wluch it would ceane to be good at all, aod which bat a general tendency to excite certain given alfectiont in my miiKl. 1 concdte that the koowledge of many different toru of good muit lead to the love or dciirc of all these, and thai this knowledge of various good matt be accompanied with an intermediate, composite, or indefinite ide« of good, itself the object of detirc, because rcuioing the same general nature : ih>w this is an abstract idra. Tliit idea will no doubt admit of endlew degteee of indefinilcneM according to ibc number of thiDgii from which it is taken, or lo wbicii it u applied, and will be refined at laat into a mere word, or logical definition. In tbii ca^ it will owe all it's power as a motive to action to habit, or atoociation : lor it it so immediately or in iticlf no longer than while it implic* a sentimvnc, or teal feeling representative of good, and only in proponioo'to ihe degree of force acid depth which this feeling hu.^ '
* Similarity hsi btvn rlefiaed id be f-fiitl nmrncu. Car<« li'net h<v* * (cncrsl KKmblann, n uialO(]r lo one anotba at IM^ Dott ibit rnenihlince then
J97
OS THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
The laair objrcuoo vTidoily *pf6e* te lite ■yyuMiiw aiher of ui or^nl faadfk of g»ml tompebttmn buMmucx, or of feaenl aid tamftAtmcwt ttK-lon. The; both nppo*' t^ >a>ul to bm attaiwd >n iodcfimte paver of abRnctioa waidt b noc tt** «Ke. Boch (be oae and the otber nMt be Made u^ of i |ics4>m sod pjKiti Of rnujr vorgoCtm fecRBji sod of bo^aod tern and itMeonUe deam : the one. thtf h, a i
(^gnenlbcarvolcecccui oalyarae iroa an bi
ibe aaunl (S^aviioa of ibc loiDd to eymyathJae with the leefinga othcn bjr coawiBlly talung id iatecnc 'm tboae which we koow. : ■naipBaai otben tlui we do not know, a* the other Mb^ of i * •elZ-intf fnt, thit ii in the degree in wbkh k femtnUj labwaa, i be ejaued bf i loeg oarrowiog of tlie mtfid to oar own
taatim b ihn btiac prtallj iIh Mar ) Tbi* aaji ^ ■■■^ vhs* iIk < nan ftoa <lrai>M( ool tb( na» nn al anm tn ■ i^nccr oicai btei— ' ■4<lfa*| M tb* Awtcf nn« I oa aoke it cfMl to At oclwr. B>1 1 caaaBC ■4dlBt uy uUkt Uae le ib dtiI OMtcn it iaM ■ tittle, >irMir thm l*o Mt carm uo acnr cniuBtc tva a ihdr n^AMl MaKBriblc l>"k It ifcaiH I Ikn Uul chn liaiilarit^ ■ not (a be *dttce< bom fortikl »OK*W> lun^ »oaw oo* Abf uactlr tbc nnc, cnnuaea la ikoo bddk, Bkt Ika miM fcwnl natan h tana- Tnc i birt io ii^m *en tUt jlauiu comiMf U k oat iIh natt with lanibrilvr So tlut w< nlBni to the poaM (ran vhich we Kt oat. I ctmltm aa U^ ■ff" 'o *' >' ^ ibrow* < the MMtct hf tjiat tkn •* i* pulial UcaOtj. The Mine wtt a( femolt li ifaliaNe la the qaotioB wkctlkB lU (dad b aol Is be rautteJ «M anc ihoille prbdolc, «e I— ere, or sfaetbae all tbal i* rali]> fawl ar pIcMMUte In Ml I iwMHiai k not tk nae idntieU (Mine, *a Wawoo af Iba hbk leaca of ftM, ibJ that *U the ml ■■ Hflndjr fae«i(> t» the aalan of foaJ aad ii merely iW tHM ar nhkic in whldl h M tMnjfl Is Che mia4. t osDOt bomaw fUtimU ot^f Uul oar KMMiMe U(kr oaij u lo aisn, «e le* ; or tbat tbi pttHsra irtirttbtm Keiuft fiae fKt«re,«( bearioca loeaieoeaf none, ibat iba cradfi- taiioa 4crl«e4eram<loiatigaa4aet!oa*adibai*hieh*ee«aip*aJathe*nUowiaf tt an otMb in ia twMtHj ami at bonont tbc mnt pIcMatc. The tiqon mia af tbt amml Ibro^ wbidi k pnN. ll memi moot roaevUc ts Mpaoe ihM mtf \ bdioBi diffitr ib ihair ntart kmt^i to tb« utarc at tbt otjccu if abkh (bay aa cuiud, tboa^ not aectw icily ia tbt tame fropotioOf w otfrctl imj rack* •<t7 dlMiact Uem wbldb haw liiUe cr oothiaf ta do wiU Ce«lia(. Wb* >hoaU there beoaljiMw wni of feetiof, pltiMire b4 peJef t «m ammeH Bi>' < one vbolttiRAeeWit mueb so lu* awn teelfay maw here faM4 ll iMfoyn - ufal tii'm aTTU tba m»c 6« Jminr^tV' fy'-'^-H iff Iff* jnWttTw kJiluB- <»( — jy IM BR a»fc M] I illbW WMoiaToebc aay Aiof eiESna lo tbe fealiof M ■niac U Nat ant nmp l« priaciple , lb* uaM lo >ll cwn^ *a4 which Attcrmlam hy Vt fMUitp iloac ibe preCK itfttt el not m evil in aop eenwlign. Saoai ■laiatJBUi •>« Hi* ocbeni tbi* it lU we hnow •< ibe outttr, tmt M thai atce— rj te form ■ (law, or gmi. The taaawj melboit of ftxoriioa ippeir* 1 |moac4 OB * lunMitioB ibal ibingt Mttaiat it all In ku»l nwM Jllfo *• auNi he ^ila tlAtrOt ttnat nctt etbrr t » tM> ■ rotmUeacx la bia4 nael Map , •a ibwlnti coincUenc* a pan, at in ai Ar m iht tbiap rMOHUi ottt lootbar^ Sm DtMMi «B Uk IImom MiM. J98
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
fMlingt and btcmu, and a voluntary inKotiblltty to tnty thing which dott not imiiwliately cooccra outselre*. It U this excMUTe ait;ichniciti to uui own good beoutc it i» our), or for the Hake of the itbiiraci idea, which hai no immediate connection with a teal imagina- tion of our own plcaxarct and paini, tliai I coniider an a purely artificial feeling and a« proper tclliihncus ; not that lore of Mif which Gr*t ot last ii dctircd from a more imniedi.tie knowledge of our own good and in a natural connequeuce of (he general love of goud a* such. So of out attachment to otheri ; for tlie general principle ii exerted with respect to othen admiti of the wme modilicittioni from habit as when it ha* a merely «cl6ih direction. Our afTectioni leittc upon othcra u they do upon ourMlvc*: they poai from the thing ro the person. ' I hate to ml i book with thing* that all the world Icnowi; ' or I might here give a very cbbonitc and exact account taken from twenty ditfcreat autliora of the manner in which this iransitioD take* place. I do DOC tee how ideas are ihe belter for being often repeated. Sofltcc it to wy that in all these case* of habitual atuchmcnt the moCivct to action do not depend *o much on a real intercut in the thing which it the object of pumit as on a general dispooition to HfTC thai prticular pcrton occimoaed by a previous habit of kind otficet and by transterring the feeling of a real interest in a number of things conducive to that person's welfare to the abstract idea of his good in gcntral. I leave it with the reader to apply this to the cuei of fricndahip, family allachmcnti, the erfecti at neighbourhood, Sec. and to contidrr the feuds, the pariialiticf, the antipathies produced by the»e attachments, and the consequent unwilltDgoeu to attend to the natural fillings of compaMion, hununity, and the love of justice : >nd then let him »ee if the same process, that is the bgrafting a \ general, ot ab«ttact interest on ao habitual positire feeling will not I account is the same way for the effect* of kIi-Iotc, without suppoting this laat a« an excluaivc principle to be natural to the human mind. For my own part, 1 bclicrc that the cases are exactly parallel. Thus we may coDtidcr sclf-tovr as bearing the same relation to family Bifection as this docs to the more general love of our neighbour, a* the love of our neighbour duea to that of our country, or a* the love of OUT country dun to that of mankind. The love of mankind » here to be taken fur an already given, dcliniic, and to a certain degree tuiucialed feeling. The compacisoo might be ioitituicd with a slight shade ot ditTcrcnce between iclf*lovc, the love of a relative or friend, of a neighlwur, and of an entire stranger. It a in proportion inj; our anxiety to promote the welface of any of these to our senie of the UK our assistance may be of, to tuc a well-known phrase, wiihoui rttftti nf firioas, that what iruy be called the ikiturai balance of our
399
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
aifectKMM KCini to cootiM. By the bye, thii wppoM* thn cNir ■OKniibility to the feelingi of otben doc* dw ari*e fram ta UBwtllJBgDCM to wjtayahiK with them, of a habit of being Kupidljr cngrowod by out own intcreatt. Whether ihccv may not be kwdc bibber principle of our general aaturc in coaiornuty U> which our KBtunenu >od actiona with mpcct to otfaen ahoulil be volnstarily ngubtett, acGonliag to the umc rule by which grois amnul appetite il tubjected to rattonaJ tdf-iBtcreM, may be made the Hbject of a fiiivre ioquiry. All tUit ia Mcewary (o my pretctM porpoee u to haw ■lad* il appear that the nriodplc* of mtoral mImotc ami natural benevotciKc, o( niaed Mlf-loTe and rcruied beorTolcnce arc the ume ; that if we admit the one, we miM admit ibc other ; aad that whatever otiter principl«* nuy be corabiocd with tlicni, they mud atamd. ot fall togetber.
Il ia oot therefore my intcudon to pazzle myself or my reader* wkh the intiicaciei of a debtor and creditor account between future aad habit. Whatever the force of hafaii may be, howvvct wbtlc and DOinnBl it's influence, it is not ncry thing, mm even the princtpal thing. Before we pUot, i; ia proper to know the nature of the nil, lirat that we may know whether it t» good for any thtngi aecwtdly iIlK we may know what it ia food lor. On theae two quetuooa will depend the sort of cnldTitioo we bestow ttpon it. After tbia ia acttled, ii ia idle lo diapwc how mach of the pcodnce ia owing to cultivation, and how much to the nature of the aoil. We tboaild only be aure of hating made the beat uae of it we can. But we cannot be aure of thit till we know what it it oatu/alJy capable of. I will however lay down two general maxima on tliit nubject which will not admit of mncb controvenyi Fitct, when there ii no natural coo- (lection between any two thing* which yet have been lu^^ioaed intcpdrabte from a confuted aaaociatton of idcaa, il ia pouible to dettroy ihti illuaioo of the imagination by rational distinctioa, and contequently u> weaken the force of the habatual feeliDC wbtch. ia confirmc-d aud tendered permanent hr the conviction of the under- aiandiog. Thua, a principle of gencfal •clf.inteiett hat been tuppoacd tnicparable from inJitiduality, becauae a feeling of immediate coai- Kioutoeaa doea eaaoitially belong to certain indjrictiul impreMiona, aad thialcding of coaaciouanent, of intimate tjmpatby, or ofabioUnc tti(- intcrcai haa been trsDaferred by cuMom and faacy together to the abatract idea of telf. It ii therefore of aonie uae to ac}>arau iheac ideaa, oi to ahcw that t)icrc i» no foundation in rcaton or the nuurc of thing! for a tery itroog prejudice which Itaa been concdvcd to ariae immcdi;ue!y out of them. The mind muat be drawn toj^her, men be coBUactcd aad ahrunk up within itadf by the ntoe Mppocitioa
400
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
of thia ptrpetual uoity with iuelf and inCcnK concentration of (df intcre*!. ^occondly, wh«c thi« natural connection it wanting, that h, where the hAkito.il canocction of ccniin fcclingi with certain id«u doe» not Brier from a picditponlion in the mind to be ntFccted by certain objects more than other*, bot from the particular direction which bjd hm ^Tcn to the mind or a more fit^umt uasociation between those (celing* and ideaa, a contrary habit may be produced by ginn)! the mind a diffciCDt direction, anil bcituwin^ a peatet ■h»te of attention on other objeclt. It cannot be a matter of iodinerencc then whether the faculty by which I am originally inlctcalcd in the welfare of other* i* the umc as that by which I am intemied in my own welfare) or whether I am naturally incapable of feeling the lean iotcrem in die welfare of other* except ftoni it'* indirect connection with my own. Habit ti by it's nature to a certain degree arbitrary, and variable, the orij)ina] di*po*ition of tlie mind, it'i tendency to acquire or pertevere in ihia or that habit i* alone fixed and invariable.' A* howcrer the force of previoui habit it and alway* rnunt be on the ude of selfiah fixlingt, it i* tome conM>lation to think th.-ti the force of the habit wc may oppose to thi« i« leconded by reason, and the natural diapoMtioo of tee mind, and that we are not obliged at laat to Mtablish generotity and rirtuc * Icsa peoaionert' on Belf-intemt.*
I hare tbua far attempted to shew by a logical deduction that the human mind i* naturally dinintereiied : I ihall at present try to *bew the aame thing lomewhat ditfercntly, and more in det^l.
* It i* a fiDH mittikr to conaldor «ll hibit m ntctuirily ilFpendtng on iHodl- lion ef uIhi. Wc mi^l ai wtU coniiiirr xkt itrrnilh which ii pien to ■ muiclf lijr hibltuil ticnion ■• i €in of Iki iMoCMIion oi ideu. The lUvnElh, dclicBt;, tec. pvcn to my fccliag by (lojucni cMntit a awing to habit. When toy tm
Ebcliagi, or idcM art uflcn trpctud in conucclloa, ind tlic propMlic* belan|iiig U
'ika one in by thit nw*ni kibituilly trsniftrrcd to Uie othrr, lhi> i> tmocimtna.
' *Ainii tt formtnt in pKfnim licni qn! I'Dnaicrnt ' [It jrune hommc] '^ toa
Mpkr. Ea iiirifciBl tut rile u HOtibiliU oaiutato ni cnignrt pat qaVllr
i tiTibiUKTa il'ibnrt lout lc> homou*, ti 4M a mot -it giwi-iimm ligai^ttt posr
[ Uii ^urlqDC chow. Nnn, (citi MOtibilite le bomcii pnniicrcineQl i KiKmbbblv,
ft K« xmblibln oc Mronl point ponr lai ilci inconaui, niiii (cui i>t< Im^ucU il *
dct liaiaoDi, ccua qnr rhitxlu'lc lui ■ noilui chcri, uu nctnurrii, ccua ^u'il *oIt
CviilcoifDcnl iHtii iw( lui dct manlcirt <l( pcnict li ilr tcniir CBmnmnci, ceui
qu'il volt cjtpoitt •»< peine* qu*ll a louflertc*, Sc tcntible* lui pUitin qu'il >
goutis ; ccui, CB un mot, en qui I'iilentiU de lutnrf plui manifctlM lai douM nno
pint fraa'tt rfitpoiiiion i almrr, C« ne ttta ()n*aprii avoir cultiie ton attiiirt ta
millci Rianittn, ipri* bkn in TvflKliont rar tn propTc* lefiliineB*,!; tor (nil
!u'il obtftTtti dsnt Ici milrr*, qn'il pmirra Baivenlr I gfnctiliatr «• nolloot iili<ii)iiell« tout I'idn ■tMriilC il^nmiDlt^ ft Jolodn lb ft* aAcelioDi ptrticulicm cclict ijui pruvcni ridcnlifitc am uia tipicc' Entile, t. a, p. 191. — Il it nocilli** 10 add iny (hiag on ibii piwigc. Il ipctki for itidf,
* L'lmour ilu p^ie-huRijiin n'e*l ntri thou in nou* <fat I'amonr ^e I) juttief.' Ibid. p. 141.
VOL. VU, : a C ^1
H»>qr>«»
dKbtc«fGfe
tUmkk
!?5L
v/
Mm* bK ■«« « dBHR < Ao. « ■ 4m« of «r M
iha vcUKins f It ii pbsi tbn ama ■ ifci MB^i rfih iifijriii itmMili I if II 1i if JTiilf
■fid nit ftybti^iBjrmnIoB s«:sBiidl^hBJfe^j&aMr a a uTuiB BMoncr beciii tbcj m omdaBf .ftpd^or n^ dufl wt wcoadh tUi viib wffwwm tfaai the wsn of tkow 6bjt or dbdr eicci oa the mai b cotirriy dusfed hj Aat haag, i WtUacr tk^pona? I repai it that wlf^accTeat npGet Ovjvcti Hn tcnafi lor the niM to be iBUraicd hi: to wwb it caa nitt ttfumdj from all neb objeca. or tbc ovr artidift to CMtM obitet* ■ mIcIj <lr^ctd fren, lad rtgahwd by o« MttA- mm to kV m fUm, fahitAt hook an.
Tsk* (lie nunple m * cluld tfan haa bcca bam bf ifcr Sn, aadj poMtHinBily eoaceim i dtnd of iu Tint dread «c v3l nj i ' moteomim raply in the apprebeoKM of the pain inelf .' COlMncrcdi bnc togftlieT wtto taia apprcnrnauwi of paia he tiM idea (tlten^ bm a tcry dirtiact ose) of htBieiru afaoui to it. Ltt oa ajtUa ia wim way die iMttrcnaca of (Ut idea can I ippoaed to caarr or iacRaac bk dnad of the pda ioelf. Ia ttic f placa ibea it b erideat that the Kre aciaalljr bena the cbUd,
401
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
brcAunc he ut thinking of himKlf, or of it'* burning him, but becautc it if the natuic of lire to burn and of the child'* hand to feel ptin, and hi» dislike of the pain while ii actually exint* i« the immediate, BtKvmty aod phjFMcat coD»e<^uence of liic trim of pain, luccly not an iodirccE and tcflcx (e*u)t of the child's lovt to htm*elfi or after- contideration that pain is an evil as it affect* hlmketf. Again I apprehend that after the actual pain bai ceased, it continuci to be ihought of acid it aficrwardt recollected an pin, or in other wordi, the feeling or scBiie of pain IcaTc* a correspondent imprwiion in the memory which adhere* to the rccolleaion of the object, and makes the child isroluntaiily shrink from it by the aamc tort of necesiitjr, that ia from the natuie of the hunmn nuod and the recollccied imprcMion, and not from his referring it bistoricilly to bii own p« exiiicnce. In like manner I ooDceivc that this idea of pain when combined by the imagination with other drcumttancei and traotfcrred to the child ( fiiture being will ttill retain it* original tendency lo give pais, and that the recurrence of the tame painful *en«aiion is neceaiarily regarded with terror and avetMon by the child, oot from it's being CODceiTed of in connection with his own idea, but because it is con- trived of aa pain.' It should alto be tcnietnbcted as the conictanc principle of all our teasunin;;s, that tlie imjireiiMun which the child has of himself a* the nibjecl of future pain is neier any thing more than an idea of imaginniion, and that he cannot possibly by any kind of aniicipation feel thai pdJn as a real senuiion a single momeot before it exiiti. How then are we to account for his guppoied exclutite attachment to thii ideal iielf lo an to make tliat the ted source of the dislike and dread which the apprehension of any particular pain to be indicted on himself cauics in the mind ! There are two way* in vhicb ihi* may at lirst tight appear to be utiifacioriiy made out. Thr 6fa it from the notion of pergonal identity : this bat been coo- aidercd already and will be again considered by and by. The other it sometliliig aa follows. The child having been burned by the fire and odIv Uowing what the pain of a burn it from hi* recollecting to have felt it himself, a soon as be fiiult himttlf in danger of ii again, bai a very virid recollection of ifae pain it formerly gave him excited in hi* mind ; and hy a kind of sudden trantpocition tubtiituting this idea in the place of his imnicdiatc apprehennon, in thinking of the
' TU* MCoanl h laat enough. ' I ihili Mi'lnmir to five a tcltei, it Id ihc Buaner la whtcb Utat nuy be (DppoH.I ta be coiiiietI«il h ith Mlitian, m ihe end Cff ihit eVMy. tn the mnn lime I iriih the rri'ter U be appriteil, Ihal I ^a not - UM the word hnignuiim u contiidiiiingaitbtJ from nr u^owl Id niion, it the hca\tj by which m reflMt ufon and oompatr oar i-)<», but tt appnwil to w nulion, or memory. It lui bero (hem sbove that by the wor it l,ht u aol meinl ■ merely •hlncl i<le*.
403
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
V
iBBicdiatt evenioa of njluoury pcnref, laakc* a tuddcn aad age effort to avoid it bjr the fint mouu be caa thiak oT. vhy ire we ' ■oppote that (be apprelwiMioD of the attte potD ts be injicced oiuxhrr wbocn be cniut believe to be cndiwd witfa tbe lame feelincM and wki) whoK feciingi he nnua be capaUe of lympMbiziBg in oe| tamr muocr u with hii own itiafftarf fedjogt. ibonM not affect him with the ume tort of totereM, tbc (uae ton of tcrrour, aad impel him to the tame exeniom for hit rcfief?'
Bec4uie, it ii latd, io bit own cue there i* a lutunU deceptMo, by which he coofoiwdt hii fvtiut betac with hit pan being, and the kT of a ^ore imaginary |>aiD with the cecoUectioa of a eait co pain. At toy rate, tbii nnut be uncoiMcioiHljr : if tbe m prcKtH danger acu to powerfally oo hit mind a* lo bring back tb«J fccollectioo of a patt «enuiion, and tet ibat before bun ia the ' of tbc real object of hit fear, w that, while he ii ctMkavoaring (ol aToid aa unmediaic dani^r, be !■ tn bet thtnkinjt only of paat miFcr-J iqt witliool hit perceiving ihii conftiMOn of ideai, *«rcly the aaroe lhii)|t mnat take ptacc in a Icm degree with re«pect to other*. If it be thongbi nece«Mry for him, bctore he can ccek hi« own foiur*! intcreat, to conrouod it with hit put inicrat by the viotent traadtioaj of «i iniaediitc apprchcrwion isto the ftionger recollection of aai actual traprtauon, then [ ny that by the unte ann of tulmitutioo be witl identify hit own tnteteM viib that of othert, wbenewr a like otnioui danger recall* forcibly to bit mind hit Ibnner ainiaiiua and , ^bngi, the Icnoct of tnetnory being applied b tbc one caw to exdt h!« tympaihy and in the other to excite pertonal fear, tbc object* < both being in iltcmtelve* equally imaginary and according to thia bypothetia both perfectly indificrent. But I tfaonld cooteod thaAj tbc aaiamption here made that (be direct and proper lafluenoe _ the unagination ■> inauAicicnt to account for the enectt of penooa feaT) or of no force at all in itself it without any loimdatiun. Fc there it no r^-aton to be thewn why the idea* of the imagioatic ihontd not be eflicietit, operaiivc, a* well a* tbow of cnenMcy, which they are encotially compounded. Their lubctance is ihr
> I ttkt ll for (ruled tluc the only itiy la eitabtbh Ihc Mltib hypMhelh i* •hcwlnj ititt uui own inicnti it in rciii()f btoughl home to the nuad u • MM to action by tinne mom gr otlwr ij wbicti thai »r Mhcn caanvt pSMitljr iflcvt it.' Thia ia unavoidiblr, unltaa *« lacribc a particular (tntui of itlfiihiwM lo neb in^tvidiial which niTtr anffm hit afftct'oaa tonndtrfrom hnnail/fora anament; «r ahitt W( loppoae llial a mari'i aiiachniMii to hliDKlf >• fcMaiMC he baa a loaf Daae ot a tlwrl one, brciuw hii hair it t>li<k or red, or from aa aruccMuitablc (uCf lor bia own oanw, fur alt thru make ■ pifl of the inrtiviiluit, aaiil Biutl b« if out veiy wfifhiy m»ni by thoac who think it •clf-cvi'lmi ihit a eiin nMiat low hiiatilf btcaaat hr ii hiaaKlff 406
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
•umc. They an of one fleih «nd blood. The tatne rital tpirit aniniAic* them both. To nipposc that the imsginniion doei not rxrrt a direct inilucncc ovor human HCtioai » to ccjrct the plain inference from the mott undoubted fitcta withoui any motive for w doiaj; from the nature and rciBoo of thinjiii. Thin nution could nut hare filmed f^round 3> an article of philoiophital faith but from a pervcfK rettricciun of The uk of the word idta to. abiinict ideat) £cxtcnigJ.i(iniia> ai if the cucntial (Quality in the feelings of plcaiure, or coin, mutt entirely etaporaic in pimag through the imagicuion ; ancf, again, from atsociatiog the word ima^iii'imn with merely lictitioiu (itiMliona and ri'cQts, that ti^ «uch u ocvcr will luce a ical uuttcnce, and a* it U Huppotcd never wilt, and which consequently do not itdmii of action.* Beudv*, though it ifr certain that the imagination i« streriKtheiied in its operation bv the indirect auistancc of our other facultic*, vet at it i4 this faculty which muii be the immediate ipring and guiae of actiDn,,'unletii wc acitibuic to it an inherent, independent power oret the will, «o a* to make it bend to ctcry change of circumstance* or probability of adTaoiage, and a power at the tame time of controuling thv blind impulics of aMociatod mechanical f«cliiigi, and of making them tuWrvieot to tlie accom- pliihmeni of Kiiae particular puipote.'in oibcr word* without a power of willipjj t_ _jiven tnJ for iticlf^' and of employing the meana imronliately nccewary to the production of that end, bccauac Ihcy are perceived to be (o, there coutd be neither volition, nor action, neither rational fear nor «tcady purtuit^of aov object, neiibcr wifldom nor folly, gcDcrmity or nelfitltneM jjall would be left to the accidental coticurrence of lome mechaiucal Impulse with the immediate detire to obtain tome Tcry limple object, for in no other caie can either accident or habit be tuppotcd likely to carry any rational purpoic into effect. To return however to wh.it I have uid above in aniwer to ihi> objection, it it evident that all person* are more inclined to cDm|iaGMonate thow paint and calamiliet in other* by which they have been affected tbcmtelveti which proven that the operation of that principle) eitn supposing it to be the true one, it not conlined lo selfiiih object*. Our lympaiby it always directly excited in proportion to our knowledge of the pain, and of the di»> positton asa feeling* of the tuAcrcr. ThtM with rctpcct to ourtelvet vrc are little affected by the apprchention of phytical pain which we have never felt and therefore can know little of: and wc have ttill lest lyaipathy with others in this cue. Our incrtdulity and insen- libiltiy with tctpect to what others frequently tuffer from the tooth- ache and other iocidental dttordert rou« have been reniaiked hf
' Set Ili« ImI iuK bal atit.
lAj!?
V*..
^/
ON THE PniNCIPLES OP HUMAN ACTION
rvcry one, and are cvm ludicrow from die exccM to wbicb ibty ate cuiied. Give whit accouu yon will of ti, ilic <Sra it tint ■aiDc;^-our idf-lofc uti tjmpaihy depend upon the unc c»Moi, and mnKaady bear > dctenntiutc proponion to cadi «hei, at IcMt (B tbc mnc iadividiuL The ttme knowledf^e of aw puo, which iocnaao our dmd of It, nnke» oi nxxe tndy to feel (w other* wlio are cxpoted to K. When a boy I had mj arm put oat of
rat, and I feel a Itiod of aarom twiKhtng in it to tbi« day wlKfmer ■ee any one with hi* irm bound sp ia coaM^ocnce of a nnhf Mcideot. Thit pan of my iobjtct ha« bceo w well detailed by SoBtb and other* tJiat it ia iMrdleM to iasist un it fanher. There are certain diaorden which have a diagutiog appeuancci that thocL and force atteotioa by their noieJlyj but they do not ptopcrly cxcitv our lymputhy, or compawiaa, a» they would do if we had ever beeo Hibjcct to them ouxidw*. Children term to ayrapathixc more naturally wiih the outwaid «i£iM of p^Mion in others witbooi iiHuriag inio ihr patiicular caucs by which it it exciied, wbcthet h u that ihieif ideas of pain are aiore grost and lunple, therefore more uniform and more easily subititvtcd for each Mher, or that grown-up peiioru, hiring a grtaiei number of ideu and beiog ofieocr able to lympitliiu with otbcn from knowing what they feel, habinully nuke this knowledge tbc flDoadation of their sympathy.'
' The c*ntnl due l« ihal jcnitiat, (he chmtttr of (he Frtntb, letmt to ke tliM ibaa ficlinp ite vrty JmpcrfNilf motliflc-l fcj Ihr objctu cuitinc them. Thai is, the difference belween the Kmtl Acfnet la-l kln<lt ot trtVaf » them docs oat carrapoad m randi ii II doei in mou c4her mple vilh ibc dlReerot dcgreci tad kinili of pu<«r in (he ciUrnU abjecU. They vmnl nesdwr (vcliof not Idea in the sbilrid ; bnl there Kenii In be nu coDiMclian in (her Riiii4i bttwwa the one and the older. Cdaie^atntly (hrii ftelin|> mnl ceaipw lod nritty, sod whstewrelM matt dtpcnd an the 'bnildingup of our fedinn thtoagh the fmsflaatloa.' The feeling* of ■ Prenchrau teem to he sUone Ifeebni:. Tae moment my thlnn [aodum • (Iii»cc in him, he Is thrown completely «at of hit thirseler, he Is ijuite bcti^ii IiimKlf. I'bii » peihtft in t grest meiiure owing to their qDiekjtnt nf pcrcrftioR- They do not ^ive the object time to be r^tuj^^ Imprnwd on their mirntt, thrii (relmpnemiiHd at the lint nolic* of its appcsacil, and if I msy m espno myKlf. fairly run away from the dijict. TWir fnlinii 4a not ftapple with the object. The lust tiimului ii laScicni to ticile ihsm sad mote i* lupeifluoui, for (hey do not wait lor the impienon, or mob m ioqulre whit derree of kind It it of. There it not reiiitance lulficleni in the maltet ta reetlre thoac th«p inciiioni. ihuK >)ccp. diirkol, and itiongly rooteil Impcenbaa, the Crj«i of which remain for cvrr. From whatever emte k proeee^, tlw tenaiiivc principJe in them doe« not mcri Io bt auaceptlble at the latne Biodi£ca- lion and nriety of iction la it doei in otbcta | lid certainly Ihr oatwaid fom* of things do not adhere to, do oot wind ihemcelTrf t>>Dni their feetinct ia the nme manner. Far any thing ilid appcui to the contrary, akJMts mj^t be tnppeoed to have bo direct caminunictiiuD with the internal Mflte of fhasft nr pain, but to act upon it (hcontb loine iDtcrnicdiiC(,HTy confaxd oejia, capable gf
ON THE PKINCIFLES OF HUMAN ACTION
In gcorral it seem* that tfaosc physical criU, which wc hare aciiully experienced, and which ftam their nature must prtxlucc nearly the MAW effect upon every one, mi»t cxcice a mote tmniediale aod luiutal
tnwinittinK little marc than thr (implc impalK. Bnt the uirif thini will foUov, if Wt inppoK ike prisoplF iiicK to be thlt Verv otpa, that ii. So *snE cocnprc' hentlTieiiai, cliiitif ity, Mil pluiic hta. (It it <lfin<ult lottpnn ibit ia Bnfliih t bnt there It ■ French wncil, rtiitri, wbicti uprriHi it unclly. Thii >i posibly owing li> rheir fefling the want of it f aa Ihrrd ia nn woni in ady utKrr lan^fui^ Id antwTi tn th« Bn|;li*h woril, flf^Jtrj^ 1 tDpiioir, btctiiK lh« Eat'i>l> *" f^ mott uncnRifortible of ill people). It will nthet follow frooi what ba> been here mU (had be incontitlcni wilh u that ibc Frenih miut be more Mntibic of minute hnpttnloat iDft ili{lit iludca of <lllfo<a» ia their (eeliap ihia oltitrt, bKii'K haviog, >• !• here luppoaeil, tat ml nrletj, a nanower ranfx of fe*lini;. ihey u-ill aticnil ninrr to ihf ilifrcrencei <onl3ineil within that narrow cilcle. anri to produce an artiricial variety- In thort their tfcelinfa arc very cuity act in motioo and by ilij-ht caute*, but they <la oni go tht whole Imitth of (he itnprtMion, nor are thiy capable of combininit ■ ureal lariety of complicitrd iciinni lu curmpond with the diilincl iWieti^Ti ind complu form! of thine*. Htncc itwy haw no mcb ibiaj aa f uctry. Tlii> hawnrr mini not be miauni1eritor)>l. t mean then that I never nut with any thing in ticnch thai producei the iime kind if feeling in the mind at the folloviin£ panip. If there >> any thing that bcloD|( oven to the umc cla» with it, I am rnily to give the point up.
Aitifuy. Srtif thou jTt behold'at me.
Srw, Ay, Boblr Lord,
ttei. Somctlmet we aec a elond that 'a Drafonlib, A vapour tomelimei lilu a Bear, or Lion, A Inwpr'il Citidel, a pcnrlinl Rock, A forketi Moumaio, or blue Pfoiuootofr Wiih Tim upon 't. (hil noil uaio the World Ao<l muek oar Eyca with Air. Thou had aecn theie SIgni, They tre black Vnper'l Plgcanta,
Kni. Ay, my Lord.
.dUr. Tlul which ii now a Horte, even with a Thought The rack illallmD*, and make* it injiitinct Aa Water it in Wtler.
Xroi. li doe*, my Lord,
<f>f. My gao<) Knave, Bm, now thy Captain It Even tuch a bo^y, Acc^
It It renuilubic that the French, whn ate ■ lively people and fond of ihew and itrikJng image*, tliould be able to read and heat with tuch delitbt their own dranulic piecei, ahL-h abound in nathiag bul geneeil maainit,and vague declama- tion, never embodyinj any thing, and which irauld appcii auite tedinui tn in Engliih audience, who ire gmcnlty eoiuiitrred at a dry, duit, ploridinK r<opt«, much more likely to be aititiicd with formal deMripllont and pave rrHeclJoni. Thlt ippeitt lo me to come to the umc thing that I have iil'l befotr, namely, that ii la chaiactcritlic of ibe French that iheit feclin|;> let ;i> ilior hul.1 nf (hingt alaoat a* toon at the imprtatirm ia made-, £a<rpt aentiblc impretuunt there- fore (which have on that account more force, and carry theni away without apportion while they lait) all their Irelinga art general | lai being general, not being marked by any attong itlitinclioDt, nor bnlli vn any dtep foundation of
4O9
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
WfWKfutMf torn OKMc vincli ilipfnn on tesnovnt oc It m hOBim odtbrt wo enw|im nor SiMbU, m tbor' lurbnas the anKBm a( imieni'Bii^iyiKa] nwrc oroe^lj la —* 'r'|l"*Ti I ■hidi b iucir la Kt^ ihr biMptatioe. tbta owt phiytd cA ob flCfdo, •BeiTie tliey njue to ovrKlm cw ocbCT. Oar lymfidij , ■itfc phyacU evil a alio a nofe uatlfiMnT fediB^ ad tkeiuue ■hwkted to whh more ■'»*■■" '-"^ So ilat it u oeceisuy to tale aoodwr drcnnutaace into tfar accoost ia jvJga^ of tbe ({laatky of ov $jmfashj, facndn ib* two abon lataaoBeJ, BAtaely, the aaiSK «f the fma or it*« ftacw to cxcw ovr ■apathy. Th^ make* ao
To njr that tbe cbiU KcoUeca the paia of bdag iMrat ooljr ia coanectioD with his own idea, and can ttewfere toacciw of it aa an cril only with rapect to hiiaatif, it in eSecx to deny tlw ^^^^""^ of any nach power ai the in^iaKioe. By ibe mac power of aiad miadt aiabfai him to coecofr of a eaat unit inn m ahoat to be n-ntcitcd ia tbe urot bcia^ aanwly, nuicIF, br auat be enable of marfiiiing (be tMie ides of pais to i diifmot perwB. He fntta tbe object* be patfaea bii ideaa beyond the boima of im mtmatj
ia*eMiM> meciia'Mi, mt thiac wnv u cadta d^m a* mtl w •nathn, tk
aaiBe«lilW|ftf«l«l»wwWA«ayfadiHfc'>»aff»'h"w^f^'— ^|*'"<^to AaMai,*c,(M«nrjaM the nne mcmI^, m4 CBac ifct MaM lifa' rf iiagifan ' in dwniolar • FnackMa,iBd m tht bbc (iac 4o ihii bkc N»«lf,4bB< ■he OWN roKiUe d(«(rir«ioa of nsl &Elt>|i, i^J ttvcti. tit Ea^kh mi tha raainfTiriBot •aeaOjDioocdvjthinri^tKaMa itiat a tls hiMt «( rttaht- i tai ndiriilul inapi nd af br«ada« wtr tht fMliap caan»t»iJ wilfa itlwi, iha | mm oamn of n—rri ctMM^ or (wh*d ■• ihc nw tbiac} «^|a> ud aaacaalaff i JHtriatio or «eeri— bm niMt (Moir Mtfeotr bJiAftot n thtok HoMe the rte»di «fc MI^M with Ra«iar,tk Eo^ (1 mam Mac if lhta4 stelra i
nahnttn. fmiii h ih tj T h mirii 1 iipiha t hMi (rtm^h
he by the bft wu not ■ PnnchBun} ohs fram the ^cp(h of hi* lc(Bd(s MlthnW ■MBf 4ktaKt inafNi pvdacn lb bod* ksd of iaemu in ihc mM that ■I Bcitad by iht cvtMi aod ncoUKtiMi* of oar ara liin. If h* had aot Irac finwfc be barf at kait »atthiac vhich vu ■ tcry (o»4 «bRie«« far k. It* fteach inertlw f«rpmull«, Wt MUaaa «ooipc«h«B«mly r thty noLc aa ialnlK — aittr af ibii »«iluin^ mi baic aeicf An«crt4 mit |Nil piincipk. 'Thay liaiilL IfaHly fcradvc the laabgy bctwcea a aawWf of am W ik maa ebai, lad aukc a fmcnl arfcrnin, whkh ■ Jooe (he dhtc eatilj, the faBcr Mtkabn yaa (roaftle mntlf irkh | it i> ia > (oed amart (ke st of furiallJBy, nc diScolt pan of philaMfhy m, when a aanbs of fonintsr abtmatiuw aoJ I MMra^inaiT hcB haw bets tme*. to weiacilt them loftthw by fiaiHaa oat j M«K Mho ahrinct vkw of tbe Mbicei, er catMtnl eitoMMaaee, amUcMt M ■ aU tha riUmal fan* w afpanaoa, irhkh iilht tw piadrle froa wUdv, whca wbintt with prticalat circuniUMc^ ihey «rc all ilctne^ Opfwte ' MfianuhLi ire almy* iauonllatcly ini iiiipartbli with »ch ather, aoJ cawDat , tbtrtfgn b« ritrincail fivm th* am* onnHiUc tamr, bat moit he iRsvMal fae , bon I cawbiajtioB af dftmt uwtfc the 4wc«ii«ry of >hich it m a&fe of caf nJwaiian, aaJ ool of aNae ibMiactiM. 410
^
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
and *ea*m in the first iiuunce, «od he <lo«a no more ia the second. If hi* mind were merely josMve in the (^nition, be iB«uld dm be bu^ in anticipating a dcw imprciHon, but would *till be dreaminf; of tbe oM one. Il i* o( ihc Tcry nature of the iirmgiiulioo to cbingc the order in whkb tbingt hate been tinprcMed on the tenKi, and to connect the umc propectie* with dj^cnt objects, «nd dilTccyiit prc^nirt with the tanve objcctt; to combine oar origml iamteMJOW in all poaiible Toriim lod to nxNiify iheic impreuioQB tbcBuafca to > itty 21'eit debtee. Man witbont this WMild not be » ntional ascnt : be would be bctow the dulleil and moat MUfad bnile. tt niuit tlWT^ fiorc be peoTcd in Mine other way that tbe hutnsa nitod cannot coocem of or be tntereited in the pleasBre» or ymat of oibcr* becau«e it has ncTcr Celt them.
The inoM tubtic way of puttiog thit objection ■■ to repreaeot the tendency of tbe cbild t i{ipf«hendon of danger to deter him from mine nesT the fire m cau*ed not nmjiy by the apprebenwon or idea itiel^ which they uy woold imcr Iwrc KKngth enongh for a inuiirc to KtioQ, but ky hii being able to refer that idea to mi actual lenn- tion io hi* own miod, and knowing thH with rctpect to himtelf it wm paat into the Kune nate of •erioni reality ajtaio, if be expoce* hilMetf to the nine danger. Now here we hate nothbg but a reftectioo on a reflection. It i« tnffwaed that the direct idea of a tcrtible and well-known pain haa no eflcci at all upoo the miodi but that the idea of ihia idea ■■ aboot to be convened inlOt or tuccerded by the psin iucif in the aame cooacious being will immedtjtely excite (he uroogett elTorts to pteTent it. Certainly the itear expectation of tbe object of yoor dread actualtjr realized ** to tbe leDae) strcnglheni the fear of it ; but it niengtbeoa tt throogh the imaginatioT). Jtut at the knowing that a perton whom you wiibed anxioualy to tee and had not teen for many yeara wu in the next room woiJd make you recal the imprcMion of their face or figure almotf with the ume rieidncn and reality at if they were actually |vcieBt. Tbe force then with which tbe mind anncipatei liituic pun in cooneciioa with tbe idea of continued cooKiowne** can ondy tend to prodacc Tolwuary action by making the idea ■tronger : b«t it could not ba*e thit eticct at all if it were oot of tbe nature of all pain when forcteen by the mind to produce a tendency thai way, that it to cvcilc iTerHon, and a will to prevent it, howceer ttight ibit may »omeiime« be. Tbe aophitm vtuch larks at tbe bottom of iliit latt objection Kcina to be the confounding the idea of Rilure pain a« tbe cauie or fflotire of acuoo with the after -rellectioo on that idea aa a po<ati«c thia;i, itKlf tbe object of action. Finding in many caaet that the fitit apprehention aixl
ON THE PfilNClPLBS OF HUMAN ACTION
RiomcBUry fetr of danger vnu gtiee bjr. bm that the reaM>n for avoid- ing it «tUI rtnuiitnl the umc, the mind would be Ruily led to (cek for tbc tnw caoM of actioa in Mamhiag inoTe fixed and pennuKttt thao flic ftMtiag idea* of mnotc object!, and to reqoire thai every object whether of deaire uc arrraon ahottld have totat airaogef birid ob the individiul than it'« momeoiarjr effect oa hit imagisation befcrc it becarae m object ai tetimii [>iirauit, or the coainry. B« in reject- ing the ideas cf thingi a> tfacnucire* the nkiinate groondl and {iropcr objecu of actioa, and rdrning the mind to the tfainga tbetnaelrcs a* the only tolid ba«ia of a ratiooal and durable intereat, what do w« do bat go back to the lint direct idea of the object, which aa it rcftneota thzt object it aa diatinct Itori any accoadarf retlectioD o<i( or oblique coBtciotuocaa of| itaelf aa an abaolute thing, the object of tbooght, aa a aenaatioD can be diiTertot from an idea, or a prcaeot imprctaicin fhm a futeic one. There it nothing in the forcgomg theory which bai aay tendency to oTettum the fundameotal dia- tinctioof between truth and blaebood, or the conunoo metboda of judging whit ihctc arc: all the old bovndariea and bnd-marka rcmab jwa where they were. It doei dm aurcly by any mewu follow because the reality of future objccu can only -bc-jaiigHi . of b]r tbc aiiod, that Uierefocc it kia no power of disdaguaifailicJlfiS^ca the probtble cooiequcncei of tbingi. ami whxi g:io octct bapqicii, that It i* to take ciciy impuUe of will or fancy, for truth, or becaaae faure obfect*.CMact.Mtjauna-llifcjaiad-ttniii idifaout, that therefore our ideaa caaiiot have ai^ re&rcacc to, or properly rcpreMot ^we plijcct*, or anyitiiag cxtcrsal to tbc Blind, hut muat couiat entirely in the Gon»cioua cootemplaiion of thefiweliva.
There i* atKMhcr feeling in a great meaaure the lame with ihc Ibrmer, but diaiinguiiihtble from it and nill mora Urongly connected wkh n lenae of iclf-iRtrrcn, lumely, that of cootuMed peraoBal identiiy. Thi* hai been already iteucd of: I thall here reanme the cjocatioD once for dl, aa it ti on thii that the chief tUVM of the argnment lie*. The child M«io£ hirawlf in dasher of the file doea not think of hia pr»cM aod future self as two dittinci bcingi, but aa one and the tame being; he ii* it were /rsff^i himwlf forward into the future, and i<I^ntiliei himKlf with hi* future being. He know* that he ihall feel hi* own future pleaaurct ukI paios, and that he muR therefore be m much intcreatcd in ihcm aa if they were prrtont. I n thinking of the fiturv. be dora not conceive of any change aa really taking jixce in himwif, or of any thing imcrmcduRe hrtweea hit preaent and ititure being, but consider* lii) future tenuiiooi aa affecting that very nme conaciout being in which he imw fcela such an anxiout and unavoidable inierect. Wc aay that the hand which
412
ON THE PRINCIPLES OP HUMAN ACTION
th« child matche* bnck from the lite U the unie hood which but for hit doine bo would the next mument be exposed to the non exceiufe pitio. But ibit i* much more true of that tnwud coDsciouR principle which ilonc connccK ihc iuccomtc momenu of our being together. Hid of which all our outward orgnn* arc but iDitrumcnU, iiulijcci to perpetual changrH both of aciiort and nitTcring- 'I'o make the oiAprcnce of time the roundation of aa eMcntial distinctton snd complete separation between hi> presem and future briag as if ihia were the only thinR to be uitcnded to, it to oppOK an unmcaoiDg sophiim to plain nutter of fact, since raetc dinance of time doei nof dcHroy indiriduality of coniciouincni. He i* the s»me conicioui being now that he will be the next momeDt, or the next hour, or « month or a ytnf hence. Hia interctt* at an individual M well u hit being muBt tlierefore be the Mtnc. Ai teatt tfaif must be the case M lonft Hi he retaiot the conBcioumcBB of hi* past impreagions connect' iag tbcm tofcether in one uoiform or regular train of leelinjt : for the iiiicrruptioD of thit ttax of continued identity by ilevp, iDattention or oiberwite Beem* from it** being afterward* renewed to proie the point more clearly, af it *ccmB to ihcw that there ia tome deep iowud principle which icniaiiu the same in tpite of nil particular tcddentjl changeB.
The child doei no doubt consider himtelf a* the same bein^, or aa directly and alxolutely intereited in hit own welfare, as iar xt he can diitinctly fomce the cont>e^uencc« of thing* to himielf. But this very circumwancc of his identiiying himself with his future being, of Feeling for this imaginary self as if it were incorporated with his actual Bub^iaoce, and weighed upon the pulses of his blood, is itBcIf the itrongett iniiancc that can be girea of the force of the inuginatioD, which the advocaiet of the Klliih hypotheti* would repreient as a faculty entirely powerless.
No one, I should think, will be ditposed Krioutly to maintain ihst this future imaginary Bclf it, by a kind of mciaphy*ical transubitaD- tiatton, virtually embodied in hi« present bciag, so that hit future im- prettiont are indirectly communicated to him befotc^hand. For whalcter wc may imagine, or believe concerning the BuhsULnce itself, or elemenuiy principle in which thought it aupno«ed to reside, it i*
Elaiu that that principle at acted upon oy external objects, or modified y particular uctmil thoughts and feelings (which alone can be the motive) of action, or can impel the mind in ihit, or that direction) it perpetually changing ; and it it also plain that the change* which it has to undergo at any time c^n have no pottible effect on thote which it has previously undergone, which may be the cause indeed but cannot be the tfftet of nbacquent cbqiijM. luthii Bcntejthe
419
/
on THE PK1>CIPLE» OF BC3IA3( ACTIOX
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
or imjr inaoDCT : and I conceive ttut h U do (treat ureuh of necuUtirc refinemcBt to in*M that wjthoui ioioe nuch oiigiml ncaity of bebg tmmediateiy ai^Ktecl by h» ftntirc icnutionj more |}un by ifiotc of athm, hu tclaiioo to hi* fatnrc iclf^ whaicvef tlui nay be, cutMX be ctucte the Cout^xiioti of hit luTing a real poutJTC iatrrevi in hi* fuiare welfare which he hai not in that of otfaen. A gcDcral, or abttraci, of reflex iaiercat in any olijectt ' itApliei either a pte*iout pmitive interest b that object, or a natural capacity in the miml to be affected by it in the nunner Ri»en. Thu« I may be taid to pursue anjr object from a ^eocral ioteicst in it, thougb it excite* no interest oc cinolioo in my miod at the litoe, when I do thix from habii, or when the impretMoo hai been (o often repeauo a« to liare p.'ovi'jrcd a niccluniu] tendency to the pnrwat of the object, which hat do need of any new impiiuc to rxdte'it. Or the tame thing may be nid with refrrcoce to my geoeral anuie a* a voluntary aseni. Thii implies that the obiect, in which 1 am mppoted to be inceretted without being lenDble of tt, !« b iuelf inlertitiar to tne, that it i* an objeel in whtcfa I can and mun flcce«urily be iniercRcd, the nKXnent it it Itnown to roc ; that I am imerewed generally io that wbok cUu of objectt, and noay be uid tu be inietcMcd in thit inchiiieely. To so farther than thii, and •ay that the mind as the repreaeoutiTe of truth ii or ooji^t to be tntcFefted in things u they are really and trulv iotcreuin^ in ibcro- felrcs without an; reference to the muioci in wbich they immcdiatety alTect t!>c individual, ii to de«roy at once the foundation of c»eey pindple of Kl£ahacHi which uappotct that all objects arc good ot bad, desirable or tlie cootrary, aolely from their cooaection with •elf. But I am tired of repeatieg the ume thing to often : for * aa to thoae that will not be at the pdat of a little ihoufiht, do muhiplica- lion of woedi will eeer suffice to make them understand the truifa oe rightly conceive my meaning.' '
To return. Eeeo if it were possible to establish *ome mch pre- ponoMW coaiKctioo between the uunc indindnal, as thai, by lirtae of thi^ coonccuoB. his future »enuiians abonld be capable of traas- mtuaa tfadr wliefe m^glli and efficacy to hit prneiM in^»e«. •Dd of elothiq| ideal mxivc* with a borrowed reality, yet tKh ia the oaMK of aO icDHiiDB, of afaadmc exiweoce aa to be boompatihle with nlnMary actaon. How (bould the reality of my fiKnre inlereat in any object be (by antidpatioD) the reason of my hariog a real ioicecst ID the purrait of that object at Bretent, when if it really existed i could no lon^t poriuc it. The feelings of detire, a*ei«ion, &c. comiecied with Toliuuary aciioa rouai always be excited by the > Bekcle/i Esujr aa Viii«&
4'S
t\-a-f^
I frJIt
««<
3
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
^.
v^/
idn of tlw object bdore it eu«», vxl nun be touily incoiMiacnc with any luch itiiefeM a* betoa)tt to actual laJFeHng or cojofincQi.' The iatemi beloogmg U> any woaaiioa or ml object ai «uch( or which ariKi ai ooc may uy from the 6aai abaondon of the idea in the object caaiMK have any relatloD to an actjre ta Toluoary interest which aecMnrily impliei the diijaoction of these two ihingc it cannot therefofc be the originaJ, the pireet-Mock, tiK mIc aad abtolute fouodaiica of ao tnterctc which it tlefiocd by it'a coftoectioo wilb vokotary actiua. — Stjil it will be nokl tliat however dillkult it may be to cxpbin ia what thii cooiitit, ihefc is a jitinciple of Mrac sort or other which coostamlj connect* ut with ourKire), and make* each indindual tfae nine perton diadnct fioro etery one cite. Aad certainly if I did mc tbinfc it poKiihtc to account Ratiificiorily for the otigia of the idea ofaelf, aod the infliience which that idea hat
00 oar actioM wttboot Ioo«rnins the foundation of the roregoing Raaooin{[it I thould give them up without a quettiooi m thetc i« no ieaM>ni»£ which can be uTdy oppotcd agaioat a commoQ feeling of Lumu nature left unexplained, and without abewiag in the cleareK mauMi the ground* ftoni which it nuy have ari»cn. I «hall pTOceo3~ to (talc (r« far hi !« n«ccMary to the pmciu arguiDcnt) io what the Une.Dptioo of perHMiat idestity appeu* to me to codHK; and thi>
1 belieru it will be eaiy to shew dependb entirely on the cuntinucd ^conocction which lubstus between a man'i puA aotl pmeot feetioja -Ud-BMi vif-e vtriii, on any preiioui connectkm between his (inure
radJua preMOI fcelingi, which in abiurd and impowble.
Every humatt being ia distinigintiied from every other human being, ixith numerically, and cfaaracicriitkally. He mutt be numerically distinct by the nppoaitioo: oiherwiae he would not be another indiriduol, but the same. There ii however so contradictioa in •uppocing two individnab to potaeaa the lame absolute wopcttiea: but then ihcae original prapertie* must be diSereotly modified after- ward* from the nectiMy difference of their (ituattoot, or we rouM ttpnoac them both to occupy the tame relative utuatkw in two diffwci »y«eni* correapondtng exactly with each other. In bci CTcry Ode b found to differ eMcntially from every one eltc, if not in ori^oal properties, in the circumnances and eventa of their liTc« and GoaaeqacM ideaa. In thinking of a number of iadiiidnalt, I cooceivc of them all at diiTcring in vanooi way* from one aiMdier aa well a« from myaelf. They differ io •tie, in complexion, in femuca, in the expreatioo of their cocotenaiKe*, in af>c, in the ercnta and actiona of their liret, in aiiuatioQ, in knawlcdj<r, io temper, in power. It it ihii perception or apprchention of their real diffcrcncet Sec pace ]9i, »m4 the roUe*iat f^V-
4l«
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
that flm «t»blci rae to diuisguUh xht M*enl individual* of thir apecin ^m each other, and chat icemi to give riie to the mow gKwtal idea of indiridualicy, at mirctcnting lirit poiitire ouinber, and secondly ihc >um of the dif!c(cace« between one being and another as they craily cxiai in a greater or Icm degree in luiurct or at tbey would appear to exiti to an inipattial spectator, or to a pcrftcily intelligent being. But /am not in reality more dilfcrcn< from (ithiTD thai) any one individual is from any oilier individual j Deither do I in fact suppose myself to diifer really fioni them othet- wrisc than a« they diaer from eucb other. ^Vhat ii it then that nukci the difference greater iv mt, or that makes me feel a greater dilTerencc in passing from my own idea to that of any one else ihan in paadog from the idea of an indilfercnt person lo that of any one ciac ? Nather my exifting as a separate being, nor my dinering front others is of itself luiiicient to constitute pcrsooaltty, or give me the idea of self* since 1 might perceive others to exist, and compare their actual differences without ever having thii idca^
Farther, individuality expresses not merely the absolute difTerence, or distinction betweeo one indlridual and another, but alio a relation, ot comparison of that indlridual with itself, whereby wc affirm that it is in some way or other tlie same with itacif or one ihinx- In one sente it it true of all existences whatever that they ate the tome with tbemselvea, that is they ate what they are and not something else. Each thing is itself, it is that individual thing and no other) i and each combinniion of things is that combinaiion arul no other^ | So alto each individual is ncce«sarily the same with himself, or in other words tliat combination of ideas whicl) represents any individual pciM>o in that combination of ideas and not a diiferent one. This is ^ the only true and absolute identity which can be affirmed of any being ) which it is plain docs not arise from a compariion of tbc diSiereoI porta compoting the general idea one itith another, but each with itself, or all of them taken together with the whole. 1 canoot help ihinlcbg that some idea of this kind is frci}uently at tbc bonom of the perplexity which is felt by most people who are not metaphysicians (not to mention those who are} when they arc told that the man is not the same with himself, their ootioo of (dentity being ibat be ts the same with himictr in as far as he is pontively difFereot from every one else. They compare bis present L existence with the present existence of othen, and his continued existence with the continued existence of others. Thui when (bey say that the nuui is the same t>cing in general, they do not mean that he is the same at twenty that he is at sixty, but theii general idea of him includes both these extremes, and therefore the same
VOL. rii. : 1 D 41 7
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5
» m
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
afring «nj rp^ct^p^ on cac.b other, of Kting Conjointly upon othct tEiDgi or of bebg aciixl upon by them. To ptc an uuunce which juat occuii to aic. Su|>]hmc there *rc two ftold-^cadcd onei tuniiinj; logciher io the comer of the room. 1 i>( couiitc conudet each ol' tbciti a the ume caoe. Thit it not Iram the limilarity of the gold to the wood. But the two gold-head* together woakl not if taken olf At all aniwrr the purpo«e of a cane, and the iuro CAne» together would be inorc than I should want. Nor is it umply from the contiguity of the parts, (for the cAoe^ thcniteltn ar« SiqipOKd to touch one uiothcr) but from their beiDjt no united thit by mottof[ Any part of one of tliem, 1 of neceMity more the whole. The cUweit coanectioo between roy idea* t* formed by that relation of things among themiiclvcii, which i* moat neccaaiy to be aiicndol to in making lue of them, the common coocurrtnoe of many things to tome gircn end : for example, my idea of the waJking-MJcIt it dciincd by ihc timplicicy of the action neceuary to wield it for that particular purpow. Howet-cr, it »ccn)» hardly poMiblc to ddinc the dilTcmit degree* or kind* of id«)C)iy in tJie the t^inie thinj; by iny gcecril rule. Thus wc lay the uioe Uec, the Kaine fore«1, the nnie riTci, the tame field, the nmc countrv, the lame world, the Mme man, Sec. The nature of the thing will. be*l point out the ncnw in which it it uid to be the aame.' I am not the «ame thing, but many different thingi. ']*o intitt on abwluir limplicity of nature u CMentia] to individuality would be to destroy all iodi (id uglily : for it would leid to the luppoMlioo of aa many diatinct indJTiaualt, at there are thonghls, filing*, action*, and ' The mm of iht nutirr i> ihw. .Iii-liii-lualiiy niiy nlite tiihcr lo ibtoliiu ' y,to the. i'lenlity, ot ■ini)i«u> nf ihr piri) nt iny ihini;, or tn *ii fitnoi-liiHrjr [ of <aaiMctian b«»««i loinp_ n*'ih(t thf_«ime nor (rmiltr. Thi« Ittt 'SrtHi^iiitiia'iait iTie pwill't at ftf ih* yaiA, ii Irail ullh rnpcci to iDkn, ■ml ulhei arnolit-l bcint;!. [Id<i«-< Ihc (nin ii hai-llf cvtr ipplini to other thingt in eummnn linrua|[r.) When I ipcik of ihc •Maroit between one inill- viftiial ind inolhrT, rbi> mull rrtfcr ukiitutelj to l)je #jnt of tuefa conne<l>on brtwtm lh«m, or to (n)> percHvinf that ■ nomber of thinfit tr« to eAnneclr.i m it have * tnuluil mil iotitnil* depntdenc* on one mother, making one iniliviilRil, anit (hit thty ire to dnoMHriW with a nnmbtr of other ihinft » not to hive the Iron habhual -lepaidence upon or inllDence onr them, which mikn them two 'Ijitmct tn<liti<JijAli. A> to the other iliitincEioDi between oqc Lndividiki] mil tnolhcr, Damrly thoM of aDmlwr anil propcriiei, the 6iu of ibnc luteitu m nrccmtlly bclwtin ihe prt* of the IndivUtuI, t* between one iniliviitual iml inodirr^ mil the veconH frequcally labi^vBi io i much ^tttr degrre bciwecn Ihote patlt, thin belivMn riiflnrnl iadiviiluili. Two -tiitintt itxtividoila an cnlaioly oevtr be the «m« i thtt ■•, lUfipoainK the number of ptrta in eoch ip-liviiJual lo be U 10, 10 tan never make lo. Bui neilhtr (in lo cvor be dikIc into an unit ; ao that wc ahonl'l hax leo ui<llviiluili iDite.nl of one by Inaiating on the ibtolute JiillnctioD of numbtri. When I My thetcforc ihti one ioril- viihial dilFtn ftoni inuther, I muit be uri'lcTttaO'l by implidliiin to mean, in Miae
4 '9
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
propenin id tbe rnne being. Each tfaoagki wQutd be a cqnrate cooaciowans ^'^^ organ a ililfnviii (pKm. [Uch tfaongbt it « diltiiKl tliiag in nuure ; >nd maay of my thougbca imut more ttnrljr nimble tbe tbongba of othcra thaa tbcjr do my own WBaiioaat for iHUBoei whicfa sercnbdn* aw coatiiatd at a uut of tbe Mme - being. A< to tbe cootiaued itleatity of the wboK being, that ii tbe coaUBued KKntbUnoe of my tbongfatu to my prmow tboughta, of my KDUUoot to my pienoat ■cnubocu u>d to oo, thit don oot by any meanE define or circvm«cnbr (he iodmdiul, for we may aay' in tbe none manner that the Rpccics also is going oa u the uaw time, and eoatiMie* tbe lanic tbit i; wu. It it occtMsry to determine what coottiurtet tbe bame iodividoal at wne ^tea moment of tinie before we cut say ibai he t-sMonw/ the lame. Neither don the rclatjoo of cxate and cSect detennme the puiot : the father of the cbiiA it oot the child, nor the child the father. In iht« caae tbcrc it an obvioM rcawo to the contrary ; but wc make the »me dixinc- tion where a ])ropec tuccctaion take* pUce and the craac it ectirtly __lo» in the ctTect. We thoidd hardly extend tbe idea of klcBtity to tbe child before h liaa life, nor i« the By the tame with tbe catcrpittar. Here vrf a^ain recur to likcneu as nsratial to idcniitv. But to proceed to a more particular account of the ori^o of our idea of self, which it thit rctatioa of a tbUktng being to ittclf. Thit CM only he known in the firat iaMance by a cooadooancat of what pMSet in oar own miodt. I tbotdd lay then that penonality doc* cot ariae cither from the being this o^ <bat, &ora tbe ideatitv of the lhiIIktI^; being with iiaelf at different ttmca or at the lanie time, or (till led Irotn neing unlike othert, which it not at all neceuary to it, but from the peculiar connection which nbaiti* betwccti the dilTercai faculiir* and perception! of the tame contciou* being, con* nituted at man it, to thai at the •ubjcci of liic own relle<nion or cootcioutneM the tame thingt imprtMcd oo any of htt facultte* nroditce a quite dtScmt eflcct upon bim frum what they would do if tbey were impreaKd in tbe tame way oo any other being. Pcrnn- ,j^JQ teem t^ to oc nothing more than contcioiu individoalit* ; it Tt the power of percciting that you arc and wliai yon are'Irom the
wf la which ihi putt tl ihit tn^JTH— I do mi «iftc( (toot etch other at Mct bjr tmf mnmt io (Ik tiiac dcgm. Tbo atiad it homtcr titrandy tpl t« faiHa ■■ Ifct 4iil»iti«t of onoikT tmA pBfwtit wlon thty co^aM with thi laLi 1 ^iWiftiwi, and tlontl lotM m|^I of ibttt daliiKlMat batmn tliui(> that hnv ' t lerjp clnac connccliMi with Mth othtr. Whta ihtrtfart wt in rla tr ih* dliOKtiDiu of BrnDbcf u<t fnpcitin la «(r MEtaat of the diffnvnoe bctwaoa ooc ladJ»iaMl iiul BioitHr, tkii ua aalj he true in oa tloaUte tcalc^ tad mi K , k kc BBBI ta impl; ilui itic wne iliatoMiluiu os not raiM !■ iht mmt iDdntaaaL^ — Tbs aGCOOBl it ilUfttliR ««iy crole ind muitiibctory. 4X0
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
tmmcdiaic reflection of the mtoil on it'i own operations, icnutiona, tx idcAs. It cannot be alfected in tlie tame direct maoner by the im|)reMiont and ideal exUib£ tn the minds of other* : otherwiie they would not be w many distioct mtndi, but one and the ume mind ; for in this tence the nunc mind will be that in which dilfcrenf idea* and facultic* hare ihU immediate comffiUQicMion witb or power of acting aod telling upon each other. If to thiiwradd the tclatioii of (sch as inward conscious principle tu a certain material subBt>iicc> with wtdcb it has the same peculiar connection ind intimate sympathy, this combination will be tlie tame perwn.
The fiiible irapremon of a mnn'i own form doe* not convev to him the idea of pc/ionaliiy any more than that of any one cue; bccauv ai objects of nighi they arc both equally obviou* and male* the Mmc diiect impreMiOB on the eye ; and the tntemal perception is in both case* equally incotnmuDicable to any other being, it is the impinging of Oihtr object* ag^osi the different parts of our bodieit or of the bodv agiintt itself so ai to alTect the seoic of touch, that extend* (though perhaps somewhnt indirectly) the feeling of perMnal identity to our external form. The rciison of which is that the whole c!ai* of tangible imprcwionsi or the feelingt of heat and cold, of hard and soft, &c. connected with the applica- tion of other material substance* to our own bodies can only be produced by our immediate contact with them, that is, the bodv is necessarily the instrument by which thrtc scnuaiion* arc conveyco to the mind, for they cannot be conveyed to it by any impression made on the bodiei of others ; whereas, u an object of sight or where the body in general acts from without on that particular organ, the eye, the impression which it excites io the mind can affect it no otherwise than any similar impresiioo produced by any other body must do. Afterwards no doubt the visible image comen in to confirm and ^ve ditfinctnes* to the imperfect conclusion* of the other aenae.' , It is by comjaring the knowledge that I hare of my own ilDpCO- ■ion*, idu«, feelings, powers, Sec. with my knowledge of the same
I 1 rtnwmbcT > uetj wnMwhere in the Aribiin Nighu of s man «j(h s sllvtr (hi(h. Why (SI17 ODi * fsblc ttm for id illuilralian at w<U U any lhiii| cist I Mftiphyiics thcmteltc* ^rc boi > 'frif romance. N&w suppoM this tni|h ta hivv bnti fndurJ wilh ■ power of tcnulTOo and to haws antwnv4 mrj oltm pdtpew of > real thijih. Whit ilil^rraco <*«ul<l this make in its oulwiH sfifrusDn either Id tii« mio himiclf or to my mm tlK f Or haw by ntuif of tight wouU be kauw it to U Hi thigh, more ihan it wi* i tl VDiiU icill took juH tikt what it diJ, t lilvrr thigh inil oolhlng more. Il't impnttlon on the ejr wcutd not Acftd on il'a being a tamttt labaUner, on k*i hanng ti^ to it, or bring connrelcd irilh lh< aimt conicioDi principlt la lli( ejpr, but on il'a bcia( i liublc tobalancr, that it hariag taiinstap, l!(arc, and colour,
4>'
k
05 THE rmtss€trhMs or hitmax achoss
K i
♦M
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
or conununtcaud to any other bcbg. The umc Mtuaiion nuy inJefd be excited in mother by the lamc rocanf, but thin tentation iloes not imply any reference to, or contciousoeai cf mine: there it no ctimmunication between tuy nerve*, and another** brain, by meant of which he e»tt be aHectcd with my teniaiiooi at I am mytclf. The only notice or perceplioD which another can hate o\ thit Knsation in nic or which I can hnrc of 4 fimilar tentaiion in another it by means of the imagination. I caa form bd imagioary idea of that pain aa existing out of myteif: but I can only feel it ai a KQiaiion when it it actually impreued on myielf. Any inipreMion made on another can neither be the cauae nor object of Bcnsitioa to me. The impreMioo or idea left in my mind by this tentatton, aod afterward* excited either by teeing iron in the tame itale, or by any other means in properly an idea of memory. Thit idea necei- aarily refert to tome prrvioue imprcsiion in my own mind, and can only exist in conteqtience of that imprc«aioo : it cunnot be dcrircd from any imprcinon made od another. I do not rrmrmirr (he fectifigt afany one but mytelf. I may remeriiTJcr the objccui which mutt liairc cauted tuch or tuch fcehnga in oihert, or the outward tigni of patiion which accompanied them : these however are but the recollection of my own immediate iraprnnonE, of what I taw or heard; and I can only form an idea of the fcclingt themtclTcs after they ha*c ceased, at I mutt do at the time by meant of the imagination. But ihouj-.h we ahimld take away all power of imagina- tion from the human mind, my own frehngt mutt learc behind them cenAio trace*, or rcpretentaiiont of ihemnclTet reuioing the tame properties, and baring the Ktrac immediate connection with the contcioua principle. On the other hand if 1 with to anticipate ay own future feelio^a, whitercr thete may~Be, I must do so by meana^^the tame faculty, by which I conceive of those of others wEether pact or future. I have no dicdoct or separate faculty 00 which the events and feetingt of my iiituTe beinc; are imprened beforehand, and which ihewt a* in an inchanted mirror to me snd me alone the rcrerscd picture of my future life. It it abnird to suppose that the fcclingK which I am to bate hereafter should excite cenun correspondent impretsiona, or nreaentimentt of them- selves before they exttt, or act mechanicaUy upon my mind by a secfet sympathy. I can only abstract myieJf from my present being and take an isleteti in my future being in the tanic sente and manner, in which I can go out of roytcif entirely and enter into the minds and feelingi of others. In short there neither it nor can be any principle betanging to the individual which antecedently gives bim titc same sort of connection with his future being that he has
4*3
ON THE PRINCIPLES OP HUMAN ACTION
alrrady tx'mt u »o object of nente, nor t)u« to hare beeo whlcb hu alrtady vxUtcd, and U become an object of oicmory. NcKhci can 1 will a tbiog Doi to be which actually «xisth or that wbich haa really exiated not to _have_ been. The only proper object* of loluntary action arc (b}- Dccctiiiy] foiun.' eientt: trie«e can excite no |>ouibl« iDterctt m the nticd lim by meant of the intagioatton ; aod tbeae nuke the «anic direct appeal to that faculty whether ihcy relate lo ourtclrcs, or othcm, u the eye rKeiivi with e<|uat directne*t the imprewiion of our own cxiemal form, or tlmt of otheri.
It will be easy to pecceiTc id th'it niafiocr how D0iwitIi4UDdi^g. the coQlrndiclioa involved in the Buppoiitlun of a )^cii<.'ral, abtolutc self-iotercit, the mind comei to feel 4 deep und habitual coDviciioii of the truth of ibU opinion. Feeling in hielf a continued conKioua- neM of it't jiut imprctsiont, it ii naiuiatly ditpoicd to tronufcr the »ame »ott of identity and consciousnn* to the whole of k't bcine, as if whatever !* nid generally to belong to itit// mutt b« innejarehTe from it'i very exialence. A* our actual bring if constantly paiwing into OUT future being, and carriet (hit internal feeling of contcioufneu along with itt we teem to be already identified with our future being in that permanent part of our nature, and to feel by anticipation the lame *ort of neceuary lympathy with our future aelvea, that we know we ihall have with our put tclve*. Wc take the tablctn of memory, [CTer»e them, and stamp the image of wlf oo that, which aa yet poueues nothing but the name. Ii it no wonder tlien that iheimaginaiion conttantlv outsirippin]{ the pro/tew of time, when it*i cnune ii marked out along the strait unbroken line of individuality, should confound the necestarv differences of thin|;s, and confer on my future inierctts a reality, and n connection with my ptctent tcclinga which they can never have. The interest which is hereafter to be' felt by ihtt continued conscious being, this indefinite unit, called mf, teemt oecnMrily to alTect me in every part of my exiitcncc. In the firii place, we abstract the succesaive modilicationt of our being, and particular temporary intecetia into oik simple nature, and general principle of self-interest, and then make use of this nominal abstraction u an attificial medium to compel ihooc particular actual interest* into the same clow affinity and union with each other, ai dilTerent lines meeting in the umc centre mutt have a mutual cammunicaiion with nch other — On the other hand, an I always remain perfectly disiinct from others, the interest which 1 take in their past or pretent feelings bein/ (like that which I lake in their future feelbgg) never any thing mole th.in the e^ect of imagiaatioD and sympathy, the tanie illuiion and prcpottetouB tranapostlion of ideari cannot take place with regard 10 them, namely the confounding a physical impolte with the rational
4*5
uO.*
ON THE PKINCIPLES OP HUMAN ACTION
ID propottioB u we Icdow from long ■cqaiiBaocc wtui ihr tuotrc af that irrVui^t h, ud that arxt to OttrsrlTn we luvc tbe sraqgnl ■Uadbmcnc to our inmedutr rtliurrt and friead*. wtio from thb ittCKOauuMty of feelinit* and ntuatjooa may note truly b« aatd U> be a part of antnclre* thao from tbe tie* of blood. Moreover a ntao rnsit be employed more coatmBally in prondiog for hi* own waaci ar>d pleatnrca than thoic of ocbrn. In like maanet be ta employed in {irondiag for the uniacdUse welfare of hU family and ccaacccioiia much nwrc ihaa in ponding for the wcUare of tbotet who arc not bound to hin by any |xmi*e tiea. And we coaaeqocsily ^nd that iheHtenbODt^^ae aad foias beMowed oo thcte xmral objecta mir bim a ptoportiaoaUe decree of anxiety about, and attachment to St own istcreat aad that of iboae coBSccied with him, but it wopld be abcnrd to cooclndc thai hit affraiotu arc thrrcfiMc drcuiruicnbcd by a utBfal ncccHtty wtthb) cxttaio limu* which they catuwt psia*, aSitt ID tbe one caac, or b the other. Thia general cooaectioa between the pnxaiiit of any obicct aad our habiRial intereat in il will ako acotNCDC for tbe w«t]-lu>own obaenatioa that tbe affection of pamu to cbildrcD i> tbe itrotigeK of all other*, frequently even ovrrpovTting aelf'taee iueif. Thia fad t« bowcter iacaonatent ] with the nippotnaoD that tbe social affection* are all of ibem nkimately > to be dednced from awociatioa, or tbe repeated coasection of the idea of iome other pcraon with iininediate wlfiah graiificatiofl. If thii were the csk, we lanai feel tbe Mroogtst attachment to tboae from w^KMi we bad receJTed, ioatead of ihoae to whom we had done the greatot nmnAer of kindnetaea, or where tbe greaiett quantiiy of acKo cojoymeoa bad been ataociwed with aa iadinefent idea. Jufiina hM remarked, thai frieadabip ■ not eoocBiated 'by tbe power at conferring beoe^ bw tbe e^vality wth which tb^ arc ttccieed, aad nay be rettimed.'
I hare fattberto fonottiy avoided aayisg any duog oa tbe anbjtct of our pbyiical netitea, aid the maaioer in which they nay be tlm^ht to aCect the principle of the foregoing ""ling*. They cndaKiy aeen at firrt aigbt to contradict the general wcliion wbidi I bate eodcnonred to eaiablidi, aa they aO of then tend cilfcer exclDMtdy or priacipnlly to the pauficaiiaa of tbe indieidnaJ, aad at the noH tioM rdct to aoane finwe or ioupnary object a* tbe aosrce of thia grarificirioo. The unpnlae which they ^i*e to the wiQ it mechanicrit and yet ibii impulte, blind »% it ■*, conatamly teodi to, aad eoalcacea with tbe pomnt <if *otnc rational cad. Thx ia, here ia an end aimed a:, the deaire and regnlar MrMat of a known good, and aB thii prodoccd by tnotivct endca^ necbnical, aed which BCfcr impel tbe miad bat id a aclfiih dirKnOB. It make* no
♦»7
'•'-^-
0% THE FBDCCirLES OF HrXA3K ACTT09
t
■•"»_'
R ft «^ «• I
rfiirrrfcjipjyw,
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
I mean tbe textul, where the cntilication of the ume poMion in another u the mctin* of gnufyiog our own, that oar phydco) KOiibility stimulate* our »ym[Mlhy with the dcure* of the other KX, and OD the other hand this feeling of mutual fiympathy tncrtJtea tbe physical dc«irct of both. Thi« is iodccd the chief foundntkio of the lexual [nUNon, tbou;;h I believe that it'* immediate and ilnerminiog cauw depend* upon other principle* not to be here lightly touched on.' It wotiul be easy to shew from many things that meic appetite (generally at least in reasonable beings) is hut the fragment of a self-moving machine, but a sort of half-organ, a suboidiiuitc iDfttiamcnt ei'cn in the accomplish nieot of it's own purposes i tluit it docs little or nothing without ilie lid of another bculty to inform and direct ii, I'here an tereral ttiiking eximplea of thii giren by Rousseau 'ai relaiiog tbe progress of his own passions. (Sec (he fint volume of his Confcsiioni. ) Before th« impulie* of appetite can be converted into the regular pursuit of a given object, thcj' must first be communicated to the under tianding, ud modify the will thioutb that. Consequently as the desire of the ultimate gratification of the appetitt it not &e nmc with the appetite itself, that is mere physical nocuinaw, but IB bdircct result of its conimunicaiioo to the thinking or imaginative principle, tbe influence of appetite over the will must depend on the extraordinary degree of force and vividness which it gives to the idea of a particuw object ; and accordingly we find that the same cauie, which irriutct the desire of selfish gratification, increases our sensibility to the same desires aud gratification in oilicrs, where they are coniistcnt with our own, and where tlie violence of the pJiysicaJ impulse docs not over- power every other consideration- Make the most of the objection, — it can only aj^ly to the dnerminations of the will while it is subject to (be groat inB««ae« of another faculty, with which it has neither ilic same nataral ditec* lion, nor is it in general at all controuled by it. Xbc^ ^ucition which 1 have proposed to examine is whether there is any general principle of sclfishnvsa in the human mind, ur whether it is not (uturally ais- btcrcsted. Now the effects of appetite are so far from being any confirmation of the first supposition, that we are even oftener betrayed by them into actions contrary to our own weJl-knowo, clear, and lasting interest than into those which are injurious to others. The * iJiott -lived pleasure' and tlic 'lastin;; woe' fall to tbe lot of the sume being. — I will {rite one more example and then have done. A man addicted to the pleasurei of the bottle it lets able to govern this propensity after drinking a certain quantity and feeling the actual
' %€* Pr«&« to Woritiworlh't Po»mi.
+a9
oat THE TUsmanM^ or arMAX Ai
4» M taa to
4» M oi^ n* 1« JM. yet Ad kM flf U> ^>rjc *e £» (MM. A> ~
«f wisMt, or ife WM (bea of hif ova <
flf UMl^ind ■ hope iif MiiiiBn, !■ !!■ i1iiiB|JiIi miiI flusdsaf ad«T MB. InHadbcrIk>dka9nadi4*Me(A«bcihHn&M»(dK
Sf Ifat Smv of Nmmk) bM pot iM0 lie MOMll ^ a MfpOMd
iW La« JadfMtoii aad «nt abammAt led on bf mmt[
MOM M odwr (0 eoMider tfae ^aesiaB wtehg it eanU |nperif ,
he mid to be M act of Wnae in asjr ooe to na&oe hi> «wii fiul
10 tb« of any «bcf pen** or naMbw of [— "— t tf in
ponible fer tbr mw rm to br aadr At price of ihcodMCi
wifymt tf vcw My ows citr t bif it wot la oy paver to nac^
Ivmiy oilkcf pcTiow by folMUfuy cociirtiuii^ to nflcr tor Thtm t
450
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
why aboold I Dot do 1 gettcnm thing, Acd ncrrr trouble nyKlf about what migbt br the coOK4ittn*.-« to m^r^^lf the Lord koowB when i — The mMO why a nun should prefer hU own future wcl&re to that of olhere is tkil he haa a neccsuty, abaohite intnctt in the one which he cannot hjve in the other, and uutMaiii is a conirqueacc of hit being alwiys the ume inditidual, of hia continued identity with him»cir. The dilTcrence I ihought waa thit, thai however inBniiblc I may be to my own intercut at any fuinrc period, yi-t when the time comcii 1 shall feel differently sboui it. 1 shall then judge of it from the actual impreasioo of the object, diat is truly and certainly ; and as I shall still be conscious of mv past liKlinga arid ihall bitterly regret my own folly and intetuibiuty, I ought as a rational agent to be deicmuncd now by what I ahall then with I had done when 1 (hall feci the conae<|ucnccs of my Ktioox moat deeply and teotibly. It i* this continued consciousneaa of my own feelinip which i^ves me an immediate iniereai in whatcter relate* to my future welfitfc, and makes me at all times accountable to myself ftw niv own conduct. As therefore llus coDsctouscets will be renewed m me after death, if I exist a^ain at all — But nop — At I mmt br comcioua of my past feelings to be myself, and as this cooaciout being will be myself, how if that con>ciouir>eu should be tranofrtrcd lo some other beinf;.' How am I lo know that I am not impotcd u|>on by a false claim of identity ? — But that ii ridiculous because you will have no ether self than that which arises frum (hit rery conKiouanei*. Why then thi* self may be multiplied in at many dilfcrcnt bciogi a* tbe Dciiy may think proper to endue with the same contciontnets, which if it can be renewed at will in any one innance, may clearly be so in an hundred others. Am I lo regard all these as c<]U3]|y mytelf? Am I equally intereitcd in the fate of idl ? Or if I must £x upon •ome one of tliem in particular at my reprcacncatiie and other self, how am I to be determined in my choice? — Here tlien I taw an end put to my ipcculaiions about atwolute telf-interctt, .-ind personal identicy. I taw plainly that the oanKiootncH of my own feeling* which it made the foundation of my continued interest in them could not extend to wh.ii hnd never been, and might never be, th.tt my identity with mytrit must be confined to the connection between my patt and present bein^, tliat witli respect to my future feelings or iotetcstk, they could have no communic;iiion with, oi inlluence otcr my present feelings and intercstJi merely bccauw they were future, that I shatl be heieafier affected by the recollection oif my past fKlingi and action*, and my remorse be et^ually heightened by rcRectaog on my pMt finlly and laic-«arncd wisdom whether I am really the same being, or have only the eamc consciousness renewed
43'
^
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
I.
in rae, bat tfau to MpytMe thM tku rcmarie can react m tbe rrvcne order on ny praot fcrfiogt, or {ire ne » iaanedine iatcfwtt Ht my fvure fcringi, beSon a cxi«», it aa cxp(«« coocradictaoo to urmt. It can ooij ilfcct nw 4« as iaugiaary idea, or an Uea of trath. Bet to may the iatemta o^ others; and tbe qocKua propoaed wa* whviha 1 have not tome real, oecearafyt abaolnte uuntt ia «hair*er relAm to my fiinirc bang in cODaetjiKiKe of tny immediate oouKCtioa wiifa myaelf, independeotly of the genrtal iMfteatioa which all poatifv ideaa have on my miad. How then CHI thia prateoded oaitf of ooMcinowieM which i* only rafleoed froan the pax, which make* me m> little acquainted with the fmatc that I cannK etea tdl fer a momeiii bow long it will be coaciiMwd. whether it will bt cfttirtly iatcmipced by or reaewed ia me aftar death, aad whidl ni^ he mvlttplted Jo I doo't knew how ^aoy ditfereoi beings uul ^roIoa;«ed by cootplicated aaflcnnga withooa my betog any the wiKr tor it, how I ay cao a principle of this aort ideotify my pmcnt wkh my fiitcrc intcrcui, aad make mc aa tsoch a pantcipator in what doe* not ai all affect mc u il* it vcfr actually iaipteMcd oo my aeoK*^ It i* plaia aa thta coaaciona betajc may be decompounded, eotireiy dcatroyedi renewed again, or multiplied in a great oumber of beiagi, aad aa. whacbcrer of iheae taJie* place, it caoaot produce the leaM alteration b my feeient bcin^ that what I am doci not depend oo what I ten to op, and that there it ao commuDic^on between my hiivre interest*, uid ibe raodic* by which my peetent coadoct mait be gorcTDcd. Thit can do more be iitfleenccd by what may be my future feeliaga with reapeci to it than it will then be poaaible for me to alter ray part condHci by triihiBg that I had acted difleraitly. I cannot therefore have a princniw of active aelf-iMcrett arnmg ou of the immediate cooncc- doo between my preaent aad lunirc lelf, for no aach ceoaectioa cxitta, or ia poanbte. I am what I am in apite of the lutuv. My feclingf, action*, and iotemu imm be dctcnniord by came* alreacly exiuing and acting, aod ate abvolutdy iedcpendcoi of the fiitBre. Where (here i« not an iDterconiTtraaiiy of fcelin;;!!, there can be oe ideotity of bteretta. My perwaal btereai in any thing muat refer dtber to the interett excited by the acnaal imprtwioa of the obloct which cannot be feh before it exiatt, and caa taat no looyr tarn while the impcctnon lattc, or it nay refer to the particular aaaaet ia which I tm mechanically a0ected by the Uut of my own tmpmaiaaa ia the flhtcncc of the object. I can therefore have ao proper peratwal iatereai in my loturc impreuions, liace neither my idns ^ foture object*, not my fcdiagi with reaped to them cui be exdtcd cither directly or indirectly by the imprcinona ibemtelfc*, or by aay ideu 4J*
4
ON THE PRINCIPLES OP HUMAN ACTION
^jg fcdingi KcoinpainriDg them, wilbiMit a complete tnn^)o«itM»i of the order in whkh cnVcu follow ot»c another in lutvrc. — The only KMoa Tor mj prrfrmng siy Ivturc intctm to lh«l of other* nwit ariM from my antidptiag it with greater waimth of p(c*c&[ iaugini- tion. It \» tliii greater livdlDets and force with which 1 can eot«r into my (iniire feelifl|p, that in a maoDcr i(l«ntilie« thetii with my prcMot betDji and thit ootMo of identity bang aaoe formed, ibc mind make* n*c of it to cireqgtben n't habotna] pcopensity, by giving to pertoiul motive* a reality aod abaolote truth which they can ocTct have. Hence it hat been inleTred that my real, luWanml interott in any thiM molt be derivrd in *ome indirect manner from the impreMioo of the object itself, a» if that could bare any Mtrt of conunuaicatioo with my pr«*eM fecliag»i or excite any iniereu to my mind bat by mean* of the imacinataoo, which is naturally adccted in a certain manDcr by the prot^cct of futore good or erQ.
foi- vn. I s ■
431
fi
REMARKS
ON
IE SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
I FiHb I owe the rradrt two cxpUnstiont, onr r«lBtiiij[ to the u*ocia- tion of ideas, from which Hartley tad other writer* hjtve deduced the origin of all wur affcctioos, even of telMovt iuelf, the other relating to the tnecL-iDJcal iiriociple of Klf-inierest itated by HeNctiua.' It vu my firn inicntion to hate f;ivcD at the eod of the preceding emy a geticra! account of the nature of the will, and to hart tritd at leatt to dig down a little deeper into the (bundation of human thoughu tad action* thun I have hitherto done. At preteni I have laid ande all thought* of thii kind a* I have neither time nor ttrength for n:ch an undertakiaf; i ind the most that I *h*1I attempt i* to poim out *uch contradiction! and dilliculties in boUi thetc lyxtemt a* may leiwfi the weight of any objcetioni drawn from ihem against ihe ooe I hare Btated, and leave the atgumrnt a> aboTc explained in it'* original force.
To begin with the doatinc of Rinnciation.
The general principle of astociation a* bid down by Hanley ii ihiai that if any given *en*a(ioo, idea, or nioiion be for a number of limn cither accompanied, or immediately followed by any other KTi*aiioB» idea, or muBCuIar motion, the recurrence of the one will atrcrwaid* ncchiinically give riae tci that of the other. By nmrrLiifff /e/hnMd I mean tlettly folhu'id : for luppooc A to be auociated with B, and B with C, A will not only produce B and C iDtermcdiately, but will
I I do not mnn ihti tldvfijni wii ihr Am who csneeivrd thi hfpotbMh htre tpukcn of (Fat t i\o doi think he hiil wil enough to fiitrnl rrcn *a inttftwa* ■titurlilji) but It wM lliiough Iiim 1 bcllex ihsl thi> notion hii ittaloH I*** pmrat popuUiily, tnd in Ttiate purlicularly il hai harl, t im ntUin, ■ wrry grnrtil infliicncr on (he nalionsl chsnclar. Ii wm broufhl forwiirt in the otoii forciblr manner by ihr uiitrn of ihe l»t ctntory. an-l ii i> cipteMly (UttJ, ind cl»rty iniwrmi by Biihnp Bulirr in ibc Preface lo hii Strtnoni >■ iht Ralli* Chi|*l. Alter Berkeley'! Emy on Viiion, I <Jo not koow o[ my wnrk bttm uaith <he itlenliua of iboie who wuuM lejin to think itiin iheie uKU roeta- phyiicil Dlacounei fiei<hcil at the RvtLt' Chapel.
43+
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
in time produce C immnliMdy without ibc intcrvcnuon of B. A math etna Qci an would [Mrthsp hcrr ask how tliii can ever be actually proved : Tor though it teciiiH rcaioiuble to «uppo«e that the bflumce of A if it vxtcod to D should alto g,o a little farlber to the next idea, ind join iodirectly and tccreily with B io producing C, yet u the connection between A and B muK be luonger than Jiat betwcea A and C, if in any cane the connection between the fo(mer become gradually to weakened an to dissolve of iltelf, the latter muu fail of courae, and therefore C can never follow A. except whco B itandt equirocalty betweeti them. Thi» question would go upon the *up- jiotiition, tnat B und C muit alway* be impreariont of exactly the same kind and degree of siiengib, which ii not the ca«e. A, though more remote from C, may yet be more intimately connected with it than with B from letera! other causes from the greater «renBth of the impresoion, from t-imilarity, Stc. (Thia implici by the bye thai the etiect of associatioD depends on the conjuociioa of many ciicum- it3Dce», and principles of aciion, and is not simply determined by the relation of proximity or remoteness between our ideas with reipeci to dme or place.) Thus if a pcrion hai done a number of good ■ action), which have been ob»ervcd with pleasure by another, thi» approbation will be afterward* a«tociatc\l with the idea of the person, and the recollection of the benevolent disposition which gave birth to those actions remains when the particular manner in which it wai exerted is forROtten. Fit*t, becau»e the frelitie is the principal ' or strongest circumstance. Secondly, the atcocution of our idea* ■ with moral qualities is evidently auistcd, and forced into the same eenerat direction by the simplkity and uniform character of our feelings compared with the great variety of things and actions, which makes it impossible to combine such a number of distinct forin^ under the same geneial notion.
What I hare here stated is I beliere the whole extent and compass j of the law of association. It ba> been said thai thii principle is of' itself sufficient to account for all the phenomnu of the human mind, ' and is the foundation of every rule of morality. My dc«igo ia to shew that both these assertionK are abooluiely faUe, or (bat it is an ^ absurdity, and an express contradiction to aupposc that sMOctaiion it either the only mode of operation of the human mind, or that it i< the primary and most general principle of thoujtlit and action. — But first of all it will be necessary to consider the account which Hartley himself ba* gieen of this principle as depending on the mechanical communication of motion from the icat of one idea to that of tbe next and to on, according lo a certain local arrangement of ihne < kUaa ia the brain, u certainly if thought ia c^ried on in this
HEMv\RKS ON THE
nuooer, ihtt i«, by mcafla of fibtaiioof, h u dJiBcdt to conceits of it** being prodiKtd by iny other mcaoi thu the accidental juiiling of J thew one ai^aiait the other, which it wkM it meant by auocinitoo.
There are two or tlitcc gcivctiJ obtcrrvioni which will be of usci ia cooductioji at tbrou{;li ihii ini^uiry. In the titic place it appnr«* H> me certain that every impresnon or idea it uioduced to auch « taaaaa at to ilTect or be perceived by the whole brain at ooce, or is innsciliaie tucoewion, that is, before the actioo cca«ea. Foi if we ■Dppow ■ certain degree of retembliDcc to wbiiBt between two ideaa, the pcrceptioo of the one will always be rare to exdtc a recollectiooj of the other, if it ut at all worth rememberbg. I mean for innaiicc ] if a perton »houtd in totuc cirange place nidJcoly tev ui exccUcnC picture of (heir dead father or motber, I tuppoK there can be fw doubt but the picture would call up the memory of the perton wboml it reienibled with an initintAneau* and ifrcHtttble force. Now thisj could not alwayn happen but on the tuppotition that the vinblei impreMioo of the picture waa conveyed to every part of the btain, an otherwise it muat be a mric accidcoi whether it would ever come to contact with that part of it* where that dii>tinct tet of rvcollcctioMj wat lodged which it wan calculaied to excite. Ii h evident that thi force with which the imprewion of the picture acu upon the mind it] tuUequmt to the recollection of the likcnetii and not the cauK of iM^A tiacc the picture of any other pcifion would act phynically upoa my] mind in the same muBoet. It may be worth tenurking here that the itrcneth, or habitual or recent recurrence of any ideii nuke* it more eaaily recollected. I might tec a picture of a perton whom I had not oncn iren and whoac lace did not nt atl tntereit me at tlie time without recollecting whotc it was though the likencM thoaU be never to great. The frequent recurrence of the inutstion on the othei hand if Jthu bad Tt'« usual effect rcndcrt the recollection of the object lew certain or at any me Ictii vivid etery time, till at latt what remain* of it it entirely loat, and coofuundcd with the imitation.' Again, it it alto certain thai the proximity of the pad* of an object 10 one aoothcri or of one object to another object ia of itcelf a sufficieot and necc*«nry rea»oci tor their recollection to tucce«ioa or toftether, in the tame order in which they were actually perccifecl. Unlet* (hi* were ilie caac. we could never rccollea any thmjt at a)l« , at every object la neceatarily compoacd of prta, and thote again of othera without end. Now how are we to reconcile this with th«l first-mentioned inference thnt thought it uniformly and neceuarilyj
' No iloubl thr pictntt ii itwayi lookcil al wiih ■ very •IIITcrcM (tcltoc ftaalt what It wuuld liave been, if tbe jilej o( the pertoD hid otvef becD 4intMtly aaucialdl ailh IL
436
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
communicaMd to twy pan of Uie thinkby; nubitancc i If thought ii [iroduced in such a maoner, that the ihock it jfnmediaieljr felt in (hoac paitm neatctt the teat of the individual impre«*ion, and i« indeed ■ute to cxdic thought in ihem without c<rer alFcciing the remote putt of the biain in the nine manncf, it teemt itrnngc that it'* own com- munication over the whole brain should be m rapid and cert^o, while the force with which it is sent along (ib implied tn its conlinMl power of produdog other ihoujthis by simple impulae) it lo unctiua).
The reader will I hope bsTe the good-nature to pardon some iocon- nitencies of exprewion in Irestiiig of thi« tubject. In order to ditprovc the theory which I am combating I matt firit astume it's truth, and 00 on talking of tit itali of our Lkai, ilie £fimi fartj af lit irain, lie tcmmimiration of ihoughl by mpuUt, tUL, till it is clearly ■hewn that the hypothesis to which all thcK expressions refer it in reality good Ibr noihinj;.
Though I do not see my way out of tlie dilemma here stated, and I find I have eogagetl in an uadiTT^kinj; 1 im nut equal to, I think I have seen enough of the difficultiei belonging to it to be able to reject the Hanldan hypothctis ai directly incompatible with a fair and compreheniive ricw of the subject. For, first, it hu been shewn above that every ides, or perception is commnnicated to all the pan* of the brain, or to the whole sentient principle, whatever this i* smiposed to be. Or the same thinf; might be shewn ftom the oaturc of conscionsnetc.' That there t« some faculty of tbia sort which open* a direct communication between our ideas, so that the tame thinking principle is at the same time consciout of differcDt impressions, and of their relations to each other, i* what hardly any person who attends in the least to what passes in his own niind and is not detcrmiBcd to reason himself out of his tenses will I should think ^ deny. In other wordi, when any two ideas or parti of an idea (for there it do JitTereoce in iliit respect) as ihote of two li;;hted candles, or the top and bottom of the lame candle are impietied at the same time on oilfcrcnt part* of the brain, before these ideas cm be perceived ID cooiKCtioo a* making parts of .1 whole, or can be accompanied with a coMCtoaaneti of each other's existence, we must suppose them mutually to affect the scats of action belonging to each other, or else to be uoiied ia tome commoD principle of though, the same compring Bowcr being exerted upon botli. Witbont tuppoting tbeir dutiact unpresnons thus to meet in the same poi Dt, il seems a thing impostibte to conceirc how any comparison can take place between different
' ConKiouinn* u here ind ill ilant (wlien snj p*rli<ul>t lUcM 11 Isiil upon it] used in it't Tl^olotiol trnS), a* litsnlly Uic umc willi feuttraiM, the knawinf at perceiving nun; ihinp by ■ simpla set.
437
REMARKS ON THE
inipmiHMw cxtuiDg M the ttiac lime, or between onr pant, sad jirtM^nt rmprcniodtt '^ c*cr to cxplaio what ii mrini by nyingt / ftrttnut nub and tilth etfftti, I rtmtntkfr tuth and tittk rvenlj, linCC these diAercDi impmHont are evidemlv tcferreil to the ume cooKiou being, which idea of tndividiuiity could ncTct have been to macb coQCcitcd of if there were no other conncctioA between our idea* thaa. that whkb ftrites lVon> (be juxupo«itioD of the pittkle* of msRer on < whkh ihcf Are wverally imprcwtd. The mere juxtajiowtioa of the parts of ilic thinking tub«ivic« on whtcb diSeicot ideaa are tiapreMcd will DCTCr produce any thing nwre than the actsal juxupotiiioo of the ideu tbcmtelvct, unaccom panted by any conKioiumcn of their having thii reUtiim to each other : for the mind in thti ca*e coo- •ining of Dothing mote than a lacceiuion of matetial point*, each part will be tenuble of the corretponding part of any object which i* imprc*aed upon it, but can know Dothin)t of the impreMion which ja muc OD any other lun of the >anie >ubtiance> except from it'* reaction tm the «eat of the 6ttt, which h coatruy to the nppontioa. In ahort, to attempt accounting at all for the nature of contcioumeM from the prnximtty of ditTcrcni imprcuiona, or of their 6uxioaal porta to each other in the brain Kerns no leu absurd than it wodd be ta itnagiDC that by placing a number of perion* together in a line we ibowd prodiice in them an immediate conacioumeH ud perfect knowlcdfic of what was caaMiig in each other'a mioda. If cooKiouwcM ia to be deduced at all from the circumatance of place, it noM be thU dideient impreHions occupy exactly the tarae place. Ooe place bai no identity with another : however thin the partition between one idea and another, the disiinciion rouai be aiabiolutc and complete, and miut confine each idea at effectually within ii't own bouadi in thii Euita«tical motaic-work of the brato, u if the aoltd ^kulU oi ten pJiilotopher* were interpoted between each. 'Hiere i* flaochcr cob< nderatioo to be attended to, which ti thai teniible imprcwiona appear to be contbually made on the Kxme port o{ the brain lo auccenion :— with reipect to thoae received by the eye, a new set of objects b almost cvpiy moment tmpteitcd ua the whole organ, and con>et{acotly traiumilled along the nen-ct to the uroe receptacle in the brain.' It fbllowi Irom thit la«t obacrvntian in particular (which it not a ■peculative refinement but a plain matter of fact) thsi the cphcre
* ThoM or cht Uruch nlmii o( the Kruwil viiirty in ihi* ropecl hom ibt pnfral ililTuiioa of ch>l kuu over (he whale bod}, mil Ihine u-hith ^eptorl oa htarinc from ttK *fniU piit of the ear which It in general dalinctly irTKt«<l hf 1 (Dunit tc the HRit (imc. A> la rhe tattc ami imtll, the •(kniiUnti tapbcd la | lh<M ttnitt in toth m for the mail pan In icl on • Jirft profKirliDn tt the OTfifl ' It oatt, (liauch only ■■ inlcrvab. The tlinclion of tmelli n huilly diMintvltbaUa] like that of loun^tt.
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
occupied by diflcrtDt vibntioos la cooaundy the aunc, or thu Uiv ume Kjion of the bnio belong* cqaally lo a ihouund ililTercnt imnrctnona, >nd cotwequcotly that the mete circunutxicc of liiuaiion it miut^cient to account for that complete dittinciDefa, of which oar iilcai arc c.ipable<
1-rom all thr»c con nidrra lion* taken together I cannot help infcrrbg the fallacy of the HartlciaD doctiinc of vibrational vrliich ill alODD goe* on the tuupotition of the moat exact diMinciioa and rvjuFu arrangement of the ptaett of our ideaa, sad which therefore cannot be elfectually tccoacOed with any reusoning that exclude* all local diitinction from having a *hare in the mechanical operation* of the human mind. For it we tuppouc the (UCccMion of our ideal to be cairied on by ibc communication of the impultc belonging to one idea to the contiguous cell, or dormitory of aoothcr idea foimerly aiaociaird witJi it, and if we at the taint time cuppote each idea to occupy a lepataie cell which ix iniiolablci and which it h.u entirely to ttaelf, then undoubtedly the ideai thiu called up will follow one another in the lame order in which they were ori{(inally exdtcd. But if we take away thii imaginary allotment of leparali- parcel* of the brain to different idea* and iuppo«e the »3mc lubtiancc or principle to be coiutantly impiestcd with d succewon of dilferent ideai, then there aeem* to be no afsignable teaton why a viliratoiy motion accompanied with thought tn patsing front one part of the thinking »ub«tance to the next ^ould not excite any other idea which had been impreued there, a* well ai the one with which that particular vibration had been otiginally aMOciated, or why it ihould not by one general impul*c equally excite them all. It i« like nuppotiog that yoo might tread on a oett of addcri twined together, and provoke only one of them to ttbg you. On the other hand to aay that ihie tpeciet of elective utKui^y ii determined in it'i operation by the greater readineu with which the idea of a particular irapreasion recall* the memory of another impreitioo which co-exitted with it in a nCate of aeniible excitement i* to repeat the fact but not {that 1 can perccin) in any manner to account for ii. Let nny one compare ihi* account with the one gii«'n by Hartley of hta own piinciple, and he will be able to jud^>
But farther, eren if it could be thewn that the duarine of vibrauoaa account! utiifactorily for the aaaociation of the idea* of any one sente, (a* thoK of the tight for example) yet nirely the very nature i>f that principle mu»t cut olf every tort W communication between the ideal of different Kmae*, (a* thoK of tight and hearing) which may h.ive been aisocisted in the order of time, but which with rcipeci to actual lituation must be farther removed from one another than
439
REMARKS ON THE
»aj idtM of (he laatt aeiuc, lU wbaicver dinaacc of tme thty tatf hart been wT«ially imptmed. If from the toj> of ■ long CoM banco hill I beat the dmaat whiAle of a tfanuh which Mcrai to cook op froin tome warm woody theliR' bcyood the edge of the tiill, thu •Ottnd coming fiint oi'ct ihc rocki whh a mingled fe«Ui)g of Kran^^PU and jar, the idea of the pUc« aboni me, and the iroajjiiBry one brjrond will all be comlnned together in Rch n maaner in mjr mud u ta_ becotne iniepirable. Now the doctnoc of vOtratwo appear* ab«ok to exclude the ponibility of the union of all thMc into one lut idea, becauK aa tlie whoit of tluU principle it tbgadcd on the grcaiet caM and certainly with whkb one local trnprcMion it fuppoaed to pa« into the aeai of the next, and the greater force with which it act* there than it can do farther olf, the idea of a ncible object caoi nerer run into the notion of n tound, nor vice *mJ, thete imFradood bring of courK cooTeyed along diifcreni nerret to different and vcryj remote parts of tlie brain. Perhap* it will be wd that all itf impreaMd at the tame moment of time may be snppoacd to be a«rig to particuUt cvmpaitmenU of the brain ai well at wfaefc the cxt object* arc cootiguou*. To thti 1 ihould antwer that nich a rap|MMi^i tion doc( not at all account for what I hate uid above with re«pect tal ooBfCioiuneM and the .iMociacion of idea* from (imilarit)-, &c. and] wcondlyt tht* fuppo«itioD it neither included in Hartley'* theory, nor' doe* it aeem to be comMiiblr with it, at there it no other reaion on the common material hypoihetii fur tnfening the conliguity of ouf ideal in the hcAin than the contiguity of their exwrnal objecu, and the imprei»ion of ihoM objects on corieipooding pans of the external »cQtible organ.
The whole of Hartley'* tyaicm i* (bunded on what teem* an entirely gratuitoun tuppotition, riz. the imaginary communicaiion of our ideajt to particular place* in the brain to corrcapood not only with the relation! of external object*, but with the order of time. Thii vuppoKiiian can never be reconciled with the inference meatioDcd tboTc (to go no fiinhef ) that thought in communicated lo every part of the thinking lubntance by an immediate and uniform impolM. For though we ihoulit suppoic that it ii communicated in one manner to what may be called ii i primary jtaJ, and in a diluent manacf orer the rest of the brain, yet wc shall otill be a* much at a Iota aa CTer to thew a reoaon why it's primary naion Rhould always excite the aniociatcd or contiguous ideas, while it's indirect or eccondwy action haii no power at alt to excite any of the idea*, with the (pbetea of which it oecciEuily comc» in conuct in it'* general diffuaion ever the whole brain, that ia by it'i liniple impulw. Thia it not all. There is another circumatance which mu«t entirely prerent the Icau 440
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
tue being madt of thii dHiinction. which i* th» auociatcd idn* »n not prOMrlj luch a« ur cooiiguout id placci but nil mich u axe coo* nected in (mmm of time, the reUtion of place not being M all MMntial in the quemon, for idem thai ha»e been inipretsed togethet «rc atwnyi recoUected u parti o( the >.ime complex im])retui)i), without any ref;ar<l to the proximity or rrmoteneu of (heir direct, primary •eats in the bruin, considered as distinct locul imprcMiot>ii, A« hu been explained above with retpect to tounds and TJnihle objedt) where the a«tociation mutt ciidentlf sriu from what 1 have called their accondary, or relitite action*, or, if yoo will, their najeiout ii&iu, that ii thoie which are not confined to a particular apot in the circumference of the brain, but affect the ([enersl principle of thoti]tht| whatever thii may be, whether compotcd of extended, material patta, or indiviiibic. Now if thc»e Kcondary or conaciout idea> which we may represent a» coniinualTy poating backwarda and fnrwardi like couriers in all direction* through all quarters of the brain to meet each other and exchange accounri are io fact the only inMroment* of UMciation, it ie plain that the accouat given by Hartley of that principle lalU to the gtouod at once, 6rat becauw that account affordi no explanation of any of the Mtociatian* which take place in the mind, excepi when there ii an immediate communication between ihe primary lotD of the aiBociatcdidrai; secondly, becau*ethe*e •ccondary or contciouf ideas bcbg tpread over the whole brain, or rather being imprened on ilie tame thinking principle cannot have any particular connection with or power to call up one another or the contniy frotn any circuniaiances of local diitinction, which is thus completely done away. — The doctrine of vibrations suppose* the order of place and the order of time to correspond exactly in all combinationt of out ideas, and that it ii^ owing to this circumnance entirely that tho«e idcaa which have been impreued nearly at the tame time have after- ward* a power to call up one another from the facility with which they must bo auppoied to pats from thei( own primary seat* into the coDtij^uous ones of the associated ideas. I have endeavoured to shew 00 Ibe contrary not only that there it no regular local arrangement of our ideas to corrctpond exactly with thr order in which they cohere together in the mind, but that there appcara to be no diitinciion whatever io this reiipect, that they all bcloog abtolutely to the same place or JDternal teal of coDSCtotisneat, tliat tlit* want of ditunctien is u CTidcDi fact with respect to the luccetatve irapresaions which are nade on the tame pans of the body, and coniequently on tlie same part* of the thinking substance, and that it may be deduced generally from the nature of thought itself, and the aasociaiions which arise from timilarity, &c. that this principle most be entirely nugatory with
44 >
REMARKS ON THE
Kcpect to the aMociationt of the icteu oS different ksm). cvcr though it (houM bold true with reapect la thote of anjr ooc *en«e,' lastly tbu ■U idcM impreoed at the tame tiine acauire a power of exciiiog OOA another ctcc after withoiit any rceaid to the colncideiice of tbeir imaginary (cat* in ibc brain (according to the material hypotheth) Mtd that therefore the true account of the principle of laaociauon NUul be dctircd from the tint cauK* vii. the coinctdcKe of tJOK, and not from the latter which bean so macuer of |ffoponion to tbe etTecti produced.
The account indeed which Hartley bat in one pbce gi<'en of ■UCCcf*ive nuociation a* dittinct from (yncbronoui seeait to have no nccCMary connectioo with ihi« Uat-nientkiiictl fnindplc. He taya, P>ge 69, ■ If A and B be vibration* imptsMcd ncceMivelyi then will ■ the latter part of A, viz. that port which remuM after the impTCMioD ■of the object ceatea, be modified and altered by B, at the ume tiinc 'that it will a little modify and alter it, till at laot it be quite over-
* powered by it, and end in it. It foUows therefore that the uccnaiTc
* mipreiuioa of A and B niAicicntly repeated will to alter the
* mnJulisry *«bat<tncc, m that when A :* imprettcd alone, it't latter
* part ahall not be lucb a* the «ole impre(i)DD of A re<iuire«i but lean ■towards B, and end in / at Uit. But B will ooc excite « in a ' retrograde order, tiiDce, by iu[>pi>tiuon, the latter pan of B wa» not ' modified and altered by A, but by lonie other vibration, luch a* C 'or D.' Firii of all, thin account wrni* to imply that the ataocJated imprc*tion> A and B arc the only oact made oo the raiod, and that they extend over the whole medullary nbuancc. In chi> cmc when the action of A cease* or grow* very weak, we may foppotc that the tendency to B will be gradually revired, and U Uu completely over- power that of A, becaute the*e are the only impreuioni exiiting in the mind, and it mu*t contcqucntly incline to one or other of them, which would be equally the co*e, whether they had been imprcMcd together, or not. Otherwise we miwi iiuiipo»e the impretaioo* thiu innde *uccetf<i«ely to have a dininct local communication vrith each otlier, or there u no ccason given why A ahouid excite 6 more ibao juiy other vibrntioa iinpietsed on the brain in general, or on the teat of i in pitriicular. Vve muM beside* thi» suppose the vibration* A and B to have a particular line of direction, as well a> primary tphere of action in the brain to account for B'l not excitiaE a in the reverse order, tie. The quettion i* how the impreMion ot different object*
' Tbc nKthod tikrn hy HiiliFy in ilitallini the siMcitltooi, which uke place bclwno iht i<f«it of each ot the hhk* one by onr, urn him the tiaublc al cipliininE thote whicJi take pUc< bclwcen iht idtii of ilifTTTvitt icnici at ihr ttait time.
44>
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
at the Kimc time, or in (|uick «ucc«MioD give* the idea i>f one of tboac objecK > power to excite the idet of tlic other, though the object it ttbwot i and it i* no iniwcr to thi« juration to uy, tiat A being oftea rqicated in connection with B, when it i* aftetwirdi excited, ' le»na toward) B, and cnd> in it.' Hartley njt by way of breaking the dilKculty, that the lauer part of A i* altered and modilied by B. Thi« it erident enough while B really act* upoa the khic* : but why thould it be modified by it in the absence of B ^ Thit modiiicaiion of the latter nan of A by B is not the iniertnediate csuic of the excitement of i, for i, 'he rejircienuiive of B, ntiut be excited, nt leuT imgieffcctly, before it can modify A ( B iiicif beinj; nothing) and the point it bow A, or a excite* the moTeinent connected with B and that only, not bow, auppoiing thii coancctiua between thcni to be e«ubli)hcd, the one gradually naue* ioto the other, and end* in it. I think Hartley constantly minakei tracing the order of palpable elFccta, or overt acu of the mind for explaining the cauic* of the cooiMCtion bciwccD there, which he hardly ever doc* with a true nMtaphjTMca] feeling. Kvcn whcic he ii greateat, he i« always the phytiologttt rather than the melapbyiician.'
Perbapa a better way tu let about diicovering the due to the principle of aHOciation, letting atide all idea* of cxteniion, coniiguiiy. Sec. would be by contidering the manner in which the lame contcioua principle may be «nppOKd to adapt it»elf to, to combine, and aa it were Tccoocilc together ihc actiuni of different objecta inipresied on it at once, and lo all of which it ii forced to attend at the lame time ; by which means tbeie acreral imprcsuon* thui compelled into agree- ment, and a kind of mutual undcriuoding one with aaother afterwards
' I have ttwiyi hiii the iime ftcl^Qf with ft*pc<l la Hirtlfy (iilil grinlinj hit pOH-er 10 tke utmuti] whith >■ plraiuitljr uprtueil a in aid luthoi, Roger Eicon, quoUil by Sii KcneliTi Digby iu hii aniwci to BiDwii. 'Tbotc iluilcnu,' hr >tyi,
* who buiy Ihemvlvrt much *ilU tiah noli^in* '■ nUl« wholly ra tht f>nls»ir, do *h>rilli' ever txc<^mc Monenui for ■bttnctrd mrtiphyiicil tpKuljiinnt ^ tlv one
* having bulky fnunililion n( mitKt or ol Ihc atci'lcDO of <I la mIIIc upon, (it iht *iri«t with one foot i) thr other flyin| coiiiioDiLJj, tvm lo * IfiKninj: piicl^ in
* lh« Mlbtil ait. And i«ot«intty, it hith leee (uunlly doifiI, thit xhe ttttun ' DHkcmukltiw. vho coQvcriE tttogciticF with Imo, Apiret, »nd othci JiiTirRiicci 'of quulity, hiH Klriom provri (niiacnl in nctiphyiiclu or ipMuUlrvc 'livisily.
* Nor ■fiin, the prafcHim ol Ihrie icienca in IW olhci »l>, Mutfa kn cm It 'b« (iptctcd, that in uctllcnt phytrcian, whoM fancy ■• slwiyt fnutlil with the ' matdiil drop Ihil h* pretcribnh hii ipolhrciTy to oompouo'l hii oii-licino of, 'and whoM lunt<) ut inunl to th< <uttinf wf, and «]ki to ihr intftction of
* ■niiomiHtt boiliei, ihonld euily ind ititb inccnai, flic \m ihoughii it <o (oHniii
* 1 fiBtt, II ■ pan i&teUecl, i wpmtcd and nnbudied muI.' — I lonlcii I fetl in teaain); Hiitlry lonuthint <<> the nay id which ihi Diy><(i niuit hive done ihut
' Df in (heir old oak Ircct. I fttl nay tidra pr«a<d hari], and bored with pointi of natty inftnncti pild up on* upon anotbrr arithout bcinf ibl« tvct to tmolint
443
REMARKS ON THE
^^
retain a paninlw tendency or ditpMUiaa to unite logetlicr, ih^t is to Mv, the nuod when thfown back into the tune note by tbt recurrraec of any one of tbete idnt it of couiw put ioto the way of adnittiiog or IitwiBg ntOTC mdily to my othn of the istnr tct of idou tlua ts aitf other idna of a dtffemi t«t not m> hhadtd ind hannoaized with k. It Kvmi u if th« miiul wu laid open to all ibe impictdotu which bad be«n made upon it at any girea time, the monent aoy one of thcTn tccalli a itatr or feeling habitually in i]ni*on with the reK. By touching a certain *p<<n]^ all obitaclcs arc rcntovcdi the doon fly Open, and the whole gi>Uery ■■ mcd at a tingle gtance. — The mind haa a capacity to pnform any eotnalrx action the eaiier fof having perfotmrd the tame action befora. It will cosmittnitly have a ditpoaitioQ to perfomi thai action rather than any other, the other cimmttaDces beio;; the tame. I imafioe that attociaiioo i« to be accounted for on the rety tame principle at a man** being able to compfchcnd or laie m a matbenudcal dcmoaHratioa the better for going over it a number of time*, or to recogiute any well-koown object, a« the figure of a mm fof instance ia the middle of a common, looner than a ttunp of a tree, or piece of a rock of twice tbc tize, and of jutt at remarkable a tbape. — In like maflMT. or at leait coo- riiiently with thia, u-e nay nippose, if one imprcnion it rery bkc another, though noi m/cciiUeJ with it, that the mind wiD in that case ttide more naturally, will feet lets repugnance in putti^ from the recollection of the one to that of the other, that ii from it'* actual Ustc into a itate very little dilferent ftom it thao into one of a totally diHereot kind. When any particular idea becoract pfedominani, the tun which it thua given to the mind must be favoufable~to the reception or recollection of any othei idea, which require* but little ,
lB)wd(, or cslch • gtimpac of tbc KtutI woilil wilhout rae. I an tamchow ' Wcdgtd in bclimn ililTcrcnt rottt of mMeiiit abjcctt, om^werlut nc bjr Ihrir lhran(, ind (tom which t ha*« no power la ttctft, bol at which I naithn know nor unri)rtl>n<l iny Itiinc. I enniunlly ut nbjrctt mslliflinl ifts nie, nvt powm It work, I linow no (ntnn why onr lhin( (ellowi ■DOtbcr M that Mnw- ihing rile ii (onjunMl up bflwHo ihcm. which h« » liltb tfftitat CMtneclMB w^lh «f<h« Ai thty htvr with or» ucthrr ; — he ilwin reiioat from the eoocfvtf object, aol Uata the tbaliMI in eucnlial pntperiin a( thiBt«. mi >a hu whole booli I do not believe thai ihnc b one (ooJ ddailiun. It wssld be ■ ba4 mjr to <1e«rib« a nian*t character to a^y that he bail a wiie Dihcr e« a fo^ljah too, aod yn ihii ia tho way in which Mmlty itcline* idrat by atalini what pmvdn then la the miii'l, •nH whM rOTnrt aftrt Ihrni. Thua he rfrfmo th( will la ht 'that Idea, 'or nuiv ifmni which rreceiJei ittioD,' at 'i diaire, ot avcnion tuficitMly ttroof ' to produce ■ctloo,' tic. lie gi*« you the outwaid fi^a at thhigi in ibc ordo' m which he eooeeive* ihefn <o follow one aDother, neva the dcmontttMiaa of Rrliin conaequrncn frum Ihe known nature of their auaa, which alone it true rcunnlnj. Nri-nlhejru, it i* noi la be (orfottin, that he wti aloo ■ frtat nio. Sea hia Chafitcr on Memory, Ac. 444
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
alteration io ilic entc of tbc mbil to admit it. A ilight mra of the ictvvn on vrliich tht tcosion of ih« mind depend* will Kt it lifiht to ihe fom iriiuitrd. Whrn the Jicttial Stale of the nuod agree*, or falls in wiib Bonie prCTiuui icniicacyi (he c0b(t which tbc Utcot idea makea to pj» into a state uf excitement must be mace powcfluJ ihaa it would tic without this co-opcratiuD, and where the other cimm- stancei arc indilfcrem miun olwayt \k ctfeciual. Thtit the actnal feeling of warmth must have a tendency to call up any old ideaa of the utne kind : r. g. tO'day being a ?cry warm day put me in roiad of a walk 1 took iD a hot day last dummcr. Here however another dil!iculty occun : foiT the very oppotiiioo of our feelings u of heat and cald frequently produce* a transition in the mind from the one to the other. This may be accounted for io a loose way by luppoiing, that the Ktiuggic between very opposite feelings producing a lioleot and perturbed state of mind excites attention, and make* the raind more sensible to the shock of the contrary impression to that by which it it prcoccupiied, as we find that the body is more liable to be afTcctcd by any uppoiire exirtmes, as of heat and cold, immediately ■ucceediog, and counteract in It each other. De tliit aa it may, all chincB natuialiy put us in mind of their conirarieM, cold of beat, day of night, Scc. These tbice, tit, atauciatiuo, similarity, and contrast I bclicTc indiule all the general sources of connection between our ideas, for as to thai of cauae and effect, it seems to be referable (a* faurlld fay Pticstley) or at leatl chiefly so to the first clasa, that of CommOB Msuciation. — I hope no one will think mi- weak enouf(h to imagine that what 1 have here stated is eren a remote and faint approach to a satial'actory account of the matter. Every attempt of thm son must be light and inelfeciuni without lirit ascertaining (if that were posublc) the roanocr io which our idea* are produced, and the nature of conic iousnca*, both of which I am utterly imable to comprehend. 1 have endeavoured simply to point out what it ia that i* to be accounted for, the general feeling with which a reflecting man should *et out in search of the truth, and the impowbility of ever arriving at 'n, if at the outset we completely cover over our own feelings with maps of the hrain, dry akulls, musical chords, pendulums, and compauct, or chink of looking into the bottom of out own mind* by mean* of any other inatrument than a sharpened intellect.
What I at first ptopo*ed was lo shew, that auociaiion, however we may mip|)0»c it to be carried on, is not the only source of con- nection between our ideas, or mode of ojieraiioo of the human mind. This bai been ataumed iodirccdy, and 1 think proved with respect u> similarity, &c. Here however a shrewd torn naa been given to the vgumeni by the Hanleiani, who, admitting vimilarily among the
4*5
REMARKS ON THE
CMuei of connecuon between our ideai, deny that it ii aay objectioa to their doctrine, (on ttuit thii tery exani]ilc b euUy retolred into aJ caic of meic aMociatuw. Simibrity thtj ny ii nothing but paitialj uaimeM,and thtt where pan of a thing hu been tint iwociMcd wUfa] cetttts ctrciHiMixncn. n&d it aftcrwardi conjoined with othen^j mikin;; in Tuct two dilfrrenc objectt, ti't recurrence in the iccood] intunce will i]eceM:irity rccull the circuiattancc* vntk which it aiiodited in the fitM.' — In general we luppow that if we meet ■ perKin in the ttreet with x lace reiembUng some other face with which wc arc welt nc^ukintcd, the rcuon why the one put* lu in mind of ihc other it ibia iki me u Sir lit alher ; and wc ihould he little di*-
Ctcd to bclieTe any one who lold aa Krioiuly that in reilhy we had fore KCf D the one nun't noae u]ion the othcr'i fnce, and that thia old impTCMioa or very identical objea brought along with it tli« other idMu with which it had been formerly anociated. Thit accoimtj would be fuActcaily cootrary to common »enae and feding, and I) hope to ahcw ih;ii it ha* as little connection with any true n^tlety thinking. No mrtaphyncian will I im nurc be diipooed to controrcftl this who uk<-( the iroable accuntrly to compare the meaning of the rxjiknatioD with the terms and tiecc«*ary import i>f the law of MaoctK* tioit. For let an impranoa which I received ycaterday be in crery i potdble rctpect the nme with the one which I rcceired to-day, nill , the one impresiion is not the other ; they are two ditlinci imprenioaa j cxiecing at di^ercni time*, and by the tuppocition tiMOciaied with verw dilTerciit circumatancet. The one from having been coexiitcnt with certain circunutJiDce* haa a power by the law c^aMociatkioof exdiing the recollection ofthote ctrcumsiaDcei whenever it is ittelf recollected : the other hai the time power OTCt that particular combinaiiaa of circumctancct with which it wan utociatcd, merely because they were 10 impmicd together on the mind at the tame mometit of lime. To (ay therefore that a pircicular property of sn object hai a power of exciting the ideas of aevcril other jiroperties of another object, of which it never made a part, on the principle of aMuciation, ii a con- tradiction in terms. It'a being cMentially or comparatively llie nmc with another property which did actually make part of lucb an object no more prorrt the conKqucnce* which fairly result from the principle of ataocifliion tli;in it would follow from my looking at the lane objea at which another hi* been looking, that I must forthwith be imprciaed with all the ideas, feelings and imaginationa which ba*e been passing in his mind at the time. Tliis laat ohheiration has beco objected to on the ground that there ii no cooneaion whatever between one man'* ideas, and another's. No doubt : but then it
4-.6
' S(c Priollry's Letters to a Pliilusaphitsl Untvlicver.
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIU8
fpllowi iLB clearly (and that ii all I Rieani to «bcw) that ibc abiiract identity of the objccii or inipmiiom Aoet not of iuclT produce thi* connrciion, *o thui the perception of the one mu«t needs bring along with it the aMOcintol ideaa belooging to ihc other. The object* or idea* are the «arn« in both caae*, it' that wrcc all: but ihia is not I mlScieDt to prove thai they niusi have the lame accompaninieniK, or IMOciations, becjiute in the one cate they are imprested on dilfcrent minds, and in the other on the aamc tnind at dilfcrent times, which i« cxpreitly cooirary to the principle of aatociaiion, unlets we uiaame by the help of a verhaJ sophifm that the tame generical idea it the lame aiaociaied idea, and thin again would lead to the ab«urd coo- ■equenoc above staled. It it not here ncceuary to give a tcgubr definition or account of what in general conHlitaiet nmencM, or to inquire whether strictly speaking «uch a relaiion can ever he said to ■ubitit between any two nitignabic object*. Such an iacjuiry would be i^utte foieixn to the purpote. and I wish to avoid as much U poMible all uwles) common-place tubcletiet, all such a* whichever way they are determined can make no alteration in the state of the ai^mcDt. It i* plain in the preacnt inirtancc for example that when it )t stated that a particular idea hating bcrn once auociaied with ^Tvn citcumstu)ce«, the tamf idea will ever afietwirds excite the recollection of those circum stance*, all thai is meant is that the idea in the latter ci»c must be a fraJuclian, coniinualion, or properly a recollection of the former one, lo as to retain the impression of the accidental modifications by which ihnt idcji was originally affected. It muit be *o far the same as to bear the same relation to the surrounding ideas, as to depend for what it ts on what it bat been. Rtid ooQoect the pre«cnt with the mm. It ninst be the old idea lurking in tlie mind with all It's old stsocialiona hanging about it, and not an entirely new impression with entirely new auociations. Thia idea must therefore be originally derived from an individual impmtioo in conindiitinction to half a dozen different one* potMMang the same absolute properties: for the whole point tursi upon this, that such and such idea* have not aaturally any sort of connection with certain other ideas, but that any one of tbeie ideas having been actually associated with any of the others, tU* occidenul lelatioii begets a peculiar and arcilicial connection between them which is continued along with the remenibnoce of the idea* themselve*.
Mr. Mac-lototb. I remember, explained this principle in his lecturci in the following manner. I^ says be, any geademan who baa beard me in this place tCMJay should by chance pass by iliit way to-morrow, the sight of Lincoln's-Inn Hall will upon the principle we •re BOW examiotng bring along with it the recollection of some of
■M7
REMARKS ON THE
the pcrwos he hM met with the day before, perbap* of tome of the reaMiuBlt* which I have the hooogx to deliver to this udieoce, ot io abort any of iboae concomitaot circiuiMtaDce* with which the Hgtat| of LiDColoVlnn Hilt has been pnriootlv auociitcd io hia la'tad, 1'hu it a correct verbal ttutemmt, but h ia liable to be miiundetatood. Mr. Mac-Iatoih i* no doubt a nun of a very clear uoderiuadiag, c( > u irapoHDg elocatkiD, a very able ditputaoi, and a lery metapbyuall Uwycr, but by no meant a profound nwtaptiyucun, not quite a BerketcT >n mblJety of dittinction. 1 will iry a* well ai I un able K> help him out in his explaaaiion. It ia dear that the nnble ima^c . of LincolD's-lDn Hal! which any one haa prMcoud lo hia aeotea m' any gives monwot of time cannot have been frevioatfy aMociatcd witk ^ Other imagca and perccjrtiont. Neither i* a renewed acnaible impre*- •ion of a paniciilar object the wtnc with or in any manner related to a forrotr recollected impfcaHOD of the umc abject except from the rcaemblance of the one to t)ie other. There can be no duubi then of tbe oaonection between my idea or recollection of LiocolnVInn H^l yeiierday, and the aModated ideas of tbe peraona whom 1 law there. Of the thing! which I beard, the question i* how do I get thU idea of ycBiefday'* imprcMion from teeing Lincoln'«-Inn Hall to-dsy. The dtfficalty ) aay ia aoC in connecting ilic link* in tbe chain of previously auociatcd idea*, but io airivinc at the firu link, — io paaam^ from a ))re»ent tcosation <o the iccolTcction of a paai object. Now ihi* can never be by an act of uuociatioo, became it h aeU*. evident that the present can never hare been previoualy aaioaated with the paac. t.vcry beginning of a ccric* of aMociations, that U every departure from the continued beaten truck of old imprcaMona or ideaa remembered in regular luccewion therefore impliet und mtut be accounted for from tome act of the mind which does not depend od UMcUlion.
Aaaodation ia an habitual relation between continuationa of the •ame idea* which act upon one another in a certain manner aimply becauac the original imprewions were excited together. Let ABC repreaent any Miociated impraiiion«. Let o it bt tbe idca« leit in the mind by these imprc»«ona, and then let A M N repreaent a repetition of A in conjunction witli a different ict of objecta. Now a the idea of A when excited will excite 6 c ot the ideas of B C by iusociaiion, but A an piirt of the lenuible imptcision A M N cannot excite i i by atrociation, because it hai never been aaaociatcd vitb fi C, because it it not, like n, the production of the fetmci impreaiiOB A, but an entirely new imnresnion made from without^ totally unconnected with the <ii^i. l undertUDd then from the nature of usMiciatiau liow <i will excite b t, but not how A excitev a.
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
^
I undcrtund how my thinkiDg of Ltncoln't-Ino Hull, the imprMiioa or jrnicrdiiy, ^udd aI*o lead me to ihink of oilier things coonecled with that imprcKion according to (he principle of uwcution : but I cannot tec how, according to thu principle, there it any more connection between my Keing L.incolnVInn Hall lo-day, and recollcctiDg my hating seen it yctterday t)ian iherc it between (he palace of ii(. Cloud, and the hovel in which Jack Shepherd htd himtcif when he etcaved out of Ncwgute. Certainly the &ew impretsioQ ia nut the old one, oor the idea of the old one. Wtut n it then that when thit second impTea»ion it made op the miixl detcrminei it to connect it*elf with the iarst more thin with any other indilTcfeai impreuion, what cairieii it forward in that particular direction which it occctury to it't linding out ii't fellow, or letting atidc thii geographical reaaoning, what it (here in (he action of the one 00 the mind that ticcctsarily revive* that of the othn ! All tbia hai clearly nothing to do with auociition. A nuesiion however occurs here whkh pcrplexci the lubiect a
rid deal, and which I (hall Mate and aniwer am concisely a« I can. have hitherto endeavoured to shew that a particulai' prewin ImprrMTon unnot cxcicc the recollection of a put imprewiOD by aawciation, that i*, that idcai- caEioot be aald to cxcile one another by. wociation whicb luivc ncvci bccD auodLttcd. Hut will ii may be aaked whether a prcaeni impresiicD may not excite the idea» aatociated with any limilar impression, without Gmt exciting a dininct recollec- tion of the nimitor impresaion vrith which tbry were aikociatcd. Now, however we may reconcile it with the loregoing tcaioning, it it certainly a fact thai it does do to. And I conceive it will not be diffictilt to account for thb, according to the explanation above hinted at of the principle of anaociatioa : for wc may in general auppote any similar state of mind to be fiavourable to (be readmiuion, or recollection of the idean already aisociated willi such a sate of mind, whether the similariiy is produced bv a revival of the old idea, or by ihe recurrence of a Mmilar external object. In this cane however we mutt tuppote that atwciation i* only a particular and accidental ef!ecl of lome more jcneril prinetpte, not the wle-moviog «pting in" all combinations which take iilace between our idea* : and trill more, (bat nmilarity itself niunt be directly a very strong source of conQCCtion between them, sbce it extends beyond Ox nmilai ideas themselvca to any ideas attociated with them. On (he other hand according to the Harileian theory of UMxJation as carried on by the connection of different local imprctaion*, which alone makea it difficult fo admit umilatity m a distinct source of connection between our ideas, I am utterly unaUe to conceive how this elTect csn ever take place, (hat ia, VOL. vu. : 1 r 449
REMARKS ON THE
I coDtcod thai there mun be in thii cue a ditcct comtDunicauon between the ocw trapreauuo, aad the timtlar oid one before tbetc can be any ponihtc rciioti fiic the revival of the aitwaiid idea*, aod then the Mmc dit^culty will return at before^ why one limibr impreMion iboald tuvr a natural tendency to CXCitc aoothcr, which lendcncy cannot be accounted for front anociitioQi for it goe* before it. aod on lhi» hypotheua i» abioluiely occctMry to account ^w it. — Whatem relate* to local cODoection must be coniioed to the radividiul impreMion and cannot poioibly extend to the claM or gttaii, Suppote usociation to depend on the actual juxiapoiition of two, or more local ini]ire»iont which being lhu> accidentally brought together bare thrown a sort of grappling ironx ocer one another, and cootinoc to act in concert in consequence of this intniediaic local commiiiucuioci. It is clear thai in thie caae none but the individual, or numerical imprttuons so united can have any power over each other. No matter how like any other intprcKiion tnay be to any of the anociated ortca, — if it doe4 not agree in place at well aa kind, it might m well not exiat at all ; it't inlluence cat) no more be felt in the acM of the lirsi, than if it were farcel of another iatcllect, or Hoatcd in the regions oi' the moon. Again auppoae aatociatioa lo connitt not in coDneciing dilTerent local !mpreMion«, but in reconciling diffcreDt heterogeneous actions of the taroe thinking principle, ■ in irobdutng the * one even to the very quality of the other,' here the diipoaiiioo tij' the raind being the chief thing concerned, not only ihote very identical imprettiona will coalesce together which have been previoaily aBsuciaied, but any other very similar iniprenion* to these will have a iiicility in cxciiinji one another, that ii in acting upon the mind at the aame time, their ainociation depending solely on the habitual die- poiition of the mind to receive nich and luch impressiona when preoccupied by certain other*, their local relation to each other being the lame in all caaet. — The moment it ii adiititted not to be aece«tary to association that the very individual imprtuions should be actually revived, the foundation of all the bferencea which have been built on this principle is completely done awav.
Aiaociution ii then only one of the ways in which ideas arc rccollecicd or brought back into the mind. Another view of the subject remains which is to coofidct their cffi^cis after they get there as well BR how they are introduced, why certain ideas alTect the mtod dilfcreatly from others, and by what mean* tvc are enabled to fonn compariaoQs and draw inferences.
It aasocialiun were every thing, and the cause ot every tbiagf then could be no compariion of one idea with another, no retttoaing, no abstraction, no regular conirivsocc, no witdom, no general mwc of
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I I
SYSTEMS OF HARTLKY AND HELVETIUS
right intl wfODf;, no tyiiipathy, du roK»ighi of any thiojc, ia tiuirt nothing thai i* aKtituI, or honounUe to ibe human mind would be left to it. Accordingly the ubcttors of thi* theory have aei themtclfes to shew, thai juJgmtal, imiigm.ilnn, he. arc mere wordii (liat really signify nocliinj; but ccrt;iin aitoctationt of iitcat following one another in the Mine mechanical order in which they were originally inijireiaed, and that all our feelingt, t.istet, habiu and actioat apring from the Kinic Jource. A» I know of no proof whaleviT iliat him, or can be gircn of either of these pii[:iduxe* but that many of our opinion* are< prejudice*, and thxi many »f our feelings ariK from babii, 1 ahill state ai concisely ai! I c^ rav reatoni for thinking that usociatioo alone docs not account either (or the proper ojicrationa of tlic under^ Biiudingi or for our moral feelinga, and voluntary actioM, or that there are other general, original, independent faculties ecjually necenarjr and more important in ihc * building up of the human mind.' In every companion made by ilic mind of one idea with another, that U perception of ngrcemeot, or disagreement, or of any kind of relation between them, I conceive thai there in wmetbing implied which is eucmially different from any utociaiion of idea*. Bctore I proceed, howercf, I mutt repeat that in this question I stand merely on the defeniive. 1 have no poiitive tnfercnces to make, nor any noreltie* to bring forward, and I have only to defend a comnioDKnae feeling agaioU the refinements of a false philosophy. I understand by aasociation of ideas the recollecting or perceiving any two or more ideas together, or immediately one after the other. Now it is cvotended that this immediate succession, coexistence or juxtaposition of our ideal b all that can be meant by their compariion. It is therefore a qucMion in this cue what becomes of the ideas of likeness, ei^ualityi &c. for if there is tto other connection between our ideas than what Brines from potitire association, it seem* to fallow that all object* KVn, or if yon pleate thought of together niuil be ecjunlly like, and that the likeness is completely done away by separating the object* or ■uppuing thecn to be separated. As these idea* are lomc of the clearest and most important we hare, it may be reasonably demanded that any attempt to account for them by remlving them into other idea* with which ibey have not at (irtt sight the leui connection ■hould be perfectly clear and satitfactory. Let un lee how far thia baa been done. It has been contended then that tlie only idea of C4]uality which ibc mind can posiibly hare ia the recollection of the tnttiUr mfrttthn made by the meeting of the coDliguoui pojnt*, or end* of two urait lines for example.^ Here two <]ue«tioni will
* Sm Etsayi by T. Cooptr of Miaclxsut. Thb very CMiout anilpi* mi atM lcliTen<l irilS pnt t'sviiy by Mr. Mu-lntiMh to the awtifhyiial lUMltat) of
♦S"
REMARKS ON THE
ante. The (iitt i* whtther ibc idra of d^uatity i« merely a particuhr way of cflondcriog contiguity. Secondly, vrltethcr aisociation, that it the lucceMioti ot ^xtapMiition of o«r itJe«i can cTct of itself' iiTDtliice (he idei o( thi* relatioo between tbcni. Mj firit ob)rci will be to inquite whetlict ilie perccpliaa of the cqualuy of two line* U tlie tame wilh the perccplioa of the contiguiiy of their cxtfemiiiea, whether the one idea oeceaiarily iochidet every thing tliat tt contaioed in the other.
1 we two point* touch one anothcfi Ot thai then i* ao Mnribk iotenml between them. What poMtbte connection ii there between Ibis idea, and that of their beinjt the bouodariea of two line* of rc|ua] length i It i( only by drawing a«i tbote point* to a cenaio diatance tfaat I ^t the idea of any line* at all ; tbey matt be drawn out to the Mine di«unce before they can be e<|Dal ; and I can hare do idea of their being equal without dividing that e<)ttal dinance inio two diaiinct part* or linct, both of which I moit contider at the ume time si Gouuned with the tame limrta. If ihc idea* merely tocceeded oae aaothcTt or even coextiied at diitinct image*, they would itiJI be perfectly unconnected wiih each other, each being abaoJutcly con- tained within itself, and there brioK ''o coounao act Oif attCMioa to both to uniic them tojcethcr. Now the qucction i* whether thu ■ perccplino of the e<|ualiiy of thete two line* u not profietly an idea I of conijiariton, (in the »en«e in which every one utc* aod fed* ibeae wortli) which idea ouiQot pouibly be expreated or defined by any other retaiion between our ideat, or whether it it oaty a roaod-aboal way of getting at [be old idea of tbe coincidence of their ]ioiaia or ends which ccri^tinly ii nut an idea of compariton, or of the rctatkn between equal quantiiict simply becaune there arc no qianttliea to bv GOiDporcd. The one rclatet to tlic agreen>ent of tlie tiling* thest> «clv<« one with another, the other to their local titiuuoc. There i* DO proving any farther that ibete idea* are dilTetent, but by appealing to every man'i own hrcait. If any one thould choo*e to autrn that two and two make tix, or thai the ran it the moon, I can only aotwcf by taying that thetc idciiR as they exiit in my mind are toully difTemii. Id like manner I am conncioiu of certain o{)crationt in my own mind in comparing two c^iual linct together eatcntially dtHcreni from the perception of the coDtiguity of ibeir extremitiet, and I therefore con- clude that the tdeat of equality and contiguity are not the tame.
LldcuIaVlnu. I confrH 1 Like injrraultj, bovtwr Rii»pplie<l, it SnU but ■ Dian't awD : but (he <luU, incclcil, potnpcraa rcprtiiioo al eunienic ii DM lo be ni>«uRd with pitiencc. In tettitrng what la aot our own, the only inctii miMt be ia the choict, or juilfinrnl. A nun, hu<Kvcr, wilbont orijjiniiliiy may ft! hive cominoa •cnw inri comnMn honnly. To be ■ hawker of worn-oui ptr4<)(>tet, tad i Mndcr to tDphittrji dcnotct in-l<cH i AeipttiU imhilion.
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SYSTEMS OF HAHTLEY AND HELVETIUS
N
TIk icCDiid ({uctuoa it whethct the idn of cootiguiiy iuclf i« ait Idea of mere Maocuaoti, that i* whether it ii nothing more th^m the recollection of a compoiuid •ctiBaiiun. I f by «eauiioa ii to be undcf • nooil tlic direct intpreuion ot (be partu of any outvraid object on cortcbponding parti of in cxtrniled living nibiiancc, by which means the general miH i* conrerted from n dead inio a living thing, and that this is the only diffetcrice that lake* [ilnce, then I deny that ihii CombiDMioa of lirin{| atoms, thU dilFusioa of animal senubiliiy, however exquintc or ihrillia^t (o the tlightnt touch, will ever ];i*e tlie iilca ofjvJa/iaa. of any kind whether of contiguity, coexiwcnce, or any thing eUc either immediately at the time or by recollection after- ward*. It hat been nid that to Jiel ii to lUnli, ' imlir nl pmjtr.' I believe ihsi this is true of the human mind, bvciute the human mind is a thinking principle, it ii nstural to it to think, it canaot foci ^ ^viih^ul thitiking : bat this maxim wouM not be at nil true of tuch a human mind ai a detcribcd by iheie philuiaj'liers, which would be equally incapable both of thouj^ht, and feeling at it exuti in us. A* thu dutincttoo is very difficult to be cxprcised, I hope I may be allowed to express it in the beet way that I am able. Sunpote a Dumber of animslcultc as a heap of mile* in a rotten cli«t«c lying as dote logclhei ai they can stick (though the example sliould be ot something 'more drossy and divisible,' of something leu reasonable, xpproaching never to pure MTitttion than we can conceive of any crcatuic ilutt cxercites the (unctionn of the meanest inniinct.) No one will contend thai in thi» heap of living matter there it any idea of the number, position, ot intricate involutions of that little, lively, re«Ieu tribe. This idea is evidcatly not contained in any of the paru tcpariiely, nor ii it contained in all of them put together. Thai is, the ag^^rej^ate of many actual (eDuiions is, we here plainly sec, a totally dillerent thbg from the collective idea, comprehension, or raa/ciniiwii of those tentaiioa* as many things, or of any of their relation) to each other. We may go on multiplying and corabaning •entation* to the cad of time without ever advanci&g one step in the other proce«(, or producing one single tliought. But to what 1 would ask docs this supposition dilfcr from that of many distinct particles of matter, full of aniination, tunibliog about, and preaiin;> againtt each other in the same brain, except that we make u>e of thti brain as a common medium to unite their dilTereoi dcvuhoiy action* in the same general principle of thought, or coo*doun»eM i Therefore if there is no power in this principle bni to repeat the old itory of Kosattoo over agua, if the mind is but a sort of inner room where the iraagea of exwnial tbiogs like pictures in a g^lery are lodged tafe, and dry ont of the reach of the turbulence of the aenaes, but remaining a* distinct
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REMARKS ON THE
iron, Mil if I m»j *d «y u petfectlj unlLaowa tu ooc aaothn- u tbe pidutei on a wall, there being no general (acuity to orerlook uid gin ooticc of iKcir »cicta! imprcwoiK, thii mcdnim i* without any uar, Ui« hypothMJs ii to fu an cncucnbrancc, not an adrantage. To pcrcrifc lli« Tclauon of one thing to another tt it aot only ncce«ury thai the idna of the thing* tbeniKlvci tbould co-exist (which would tigcify nothing) but tlut tbcy (hould be [iercd««d to co-exi«i by tbe Mme coniciou* uodcrtunding, or that th«ii diflercnt akctioM iliould be Ml at the name inHaoi by the umc being in tbe ttrictcn bcOM. If I ant a»ked if I conceive clearly how thia n pomblc. I aai««r no:— perhapi uo one ever will, or can. But [ do undentand ck-arly, that tbe other aupjioMtion it an abiutdity, and can never be reconcilra whb the naiure of thought, or cuntciouineu, of thnt power of which I have an abaolute certainty in my own mind. If any one who still doobls of thii will gire roc a itati»faciory rcaion why be dcnie* (be ntiM cooKioiunrM to dilferenc minds, or thinkn it neccitary to ciicuniKribe thii principle within the limit* of the *nnie brain boi upon the ni[^MMi- (ion chat one brain it one power, in tome tort modifying and reacting upon all tlie ideaji contained in it, I thall then be ready lo give up my dull, cluudy, Engliib myitidnn for ihe clear aky of French meia- phytic*. Till then it it in vain to [ell me that the mind think* by •cntation*, that it tbca think* moiL caipluticall]'i then ool)' truly when by decompounding it's essence it come* at lui to rcdcci the naked impression of roaietial object*. It !* eaty to make a bold aMcrtioiif and jual at eaiy to deny it i and I do not know that there ta any authority yet citabliihcd by which I am bound to yield an implicit a»cnt to every extravagant opinion which some man of celebrity hu been hardy enough to adopt, and make othcr» believe. It doe* not lurcly follow that a thing i* in be dialielievcd, the moment any one thinks proper to deny it, merdy because it has been gencfaJly bclicrcd, as if truth were one entire paradox, and tingularity the only claim to authoriqF.'
' Thii lu^j'^ "^ cuQiciouiDeu, Iht most ttatnu«,lhr motl impotlant of alt olhrn, the nioii lillrti uiib tnminc in(ipliat)le<«nlTailicliDnt,lhit which bM> tht (omjilticfl dtriiiir* (0 ilw mutttr-of-fxt philanphy ■nd tan 01117 he Mmlaptd bjr the patient •dUcUiiiK of 0 n»n*> own ipiiil hii been iccotdlaglf piucil otti by tat hrrd of ptiiluiophcn from I.ockc ilnwDwiiilt. Then 11 ■ *tiott uatt ibout it In HarlUy in which h« ftitlf itnitt the potiibilily <>( sny luch ihinf. Lot n^l I htv« glrridy uiH >)iouli> Ihmforc tu iritut]i<irnt lo fi( tht atunlion tt tht rn<lcr on I luliJFCi whith he may ihiak (jiiiit rinloitcd, I will tM tht iccounl whicb Rouiieau hii fivtti of the urrie ii]t>ject, whoir mlhorily doe* not w<i|ll the Ina with uc bcciuac h i> uniuppoiicil by tht Logic of CDotllUic, or the book De I'Elpril.
*Mc vgki d»a lout aimi ifir dc I'taiittiKe 4i I'onhrn, qut de Ii (nkWM, Eniuitf je reflechia tur U* objcli dc met aenattioDa, et trounot en niei U lb(«tl£
4S4
I
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
I
■
1 nerer could male? much of the tvbjcct of rral rcUtioni i& nauire. But in whaterer vny we dctrrminc wiili mpcct lo ihcm, whctlicr ihcy lie absolutely true in [laturcp or are only the creatuics of the mind, ihcy cannot exist io nature afier the tune manner that thcjr exist in the human mind. The fonni of thingi la iiaiur« at« Aianifold i they only become one by beinfi united io the ictmc common principle of thought. The rcUtion* of the thinci thcmMlvet u they exiit wpirately and by thcmHlve« must ihctefore be very different
lie In cnmpir«r,jc mt tent dauc d'uoe (arte letliK que jc ne WToit pu ■volt
'Appircevoir, c'mI HOlir | tomprcr, cW jii|n : juirr cl KDllr nc loot p» Ii njnw tboK. Ptr ti •tiHlion, U* o(ij«It *'offreni ■ tnni lipiih, <t<iln, teli ^u'ilt •anf iiat li Nitun ; pir Is compiraiion, jt It* t«ina(, jc lc> Inntpgtit, poui linii riirr. j« lei fan I'lin aai I'lulrc, par prononcrt lur Itur dtlf&ciut ou car kur ■lm>l>luilc,e( Etnciilcmcntiur loui Icun rappona. Sdon moi, U (mbIU diatinttlvt lie I'hn ttltl, an inlellifcnl «l rie pauix>ir -leaner ua kth i <r loot, or. Je chtrcht en nln ilina I'lIH purrmcnl tcniitif MItc fcir« IntrlligeDU, qui aupcrpsw, ft pLji» qui prnnoncr i j' nr la tauroia voir Hana ta nalorv, C<i itit ptnH irntira cb>i|ur objfl Kpari^nKnt, ini memc il aentira Vvtijal total forme 'lt> <lFi>a, miia a'ajFint autuae lor« pgut In ttpUtr I'us iDC I'autrt, il nc ka canipatara jimaia, il ne ha jugen polnl.
' Voir <leui olijeu i ti fola, n'eit fta voir Irura rappoita, oi jumr it< leur* dllTcTTDcca; (ppcitcvoir ptuaieura objeta lei uoi bora itt) aatrea, n'tal fn lea nonibin. ]e puia aroir au mcme ioaunt I'lilee d'oa t>ind bilon tt d'un petit b^ion aula lea companrt aani Ju^r que I'un cat plm petit qae Ttutre, cornmc }e puii \-oir ) la foil nu main rntiirr nni dirt It compta ric mti rioi(ta. Cri iictt Compiraiivea, fjm [tMiJ, f.'ti frr.i, ile mfm* que lea idee* Dumalquea li'aa, de irur, Ik. nc torn ceriaineinenl pi ilea aeniaiioaa, ^unique mon taprii ne lea produlae, qu'l roctuion dc mci icnutiuna.
'On nova dit que )*al» lenaitif diatingue lea MniatiDni lea unea dct autna par In difffrtncaa qa'ont cnlr'ellea era memei aeaaaliona ; ctci demand* ripUcition. Onud In wiUMioat lont rlitTirinlra, I'etre ataiilif In ■liMiniur par Ifuta olffibcMnt qiuad elle* aoni tembUbln, il lea diitinfui p>Ke qu'il icnl Ira unea hort det aulfca. Autremenl, conunent dial uiw ttaulion ilmulliaei! dlalinfiu- roit-il deal oljeta efauiF tl (aad[«tt n&MMlNBtDl qu'll conlondit en deui objua, et le* prit pour It mfme, tur-taut d*Dl an Ijntfine ou I'on pretend que In lenaallona rcpreacntititti de I'ltcnrfue ne aoat polnc clendues.
'Quand lea deua arnaationa i comparer aont apper^ura, laur rmpreaaion rat tt^tt dtaquf objfl cat Hnti, In dtui annt amlia i mail tanr rappnri n>at pu aenii pour ctU. Si Ui ja|«iD«nt dt e* rapport aitoit qyone atnaation, & me venoil uni<|vem»nt -te t'objet, mta jii|:*meni oc me tromperoient junaia, paliqu'il n'at jamsit faul que je lente ce que je aena.
*PDU(quai •loflc eai.ee que ]e me trompc nir le lepport de ce* deni balonai *ur-tout t'lli ne tont pu paralletca I Povtquoi, di*-Je, par anrnple, que k petit baton eat le liera du irand, tandia qu'il A*cii eat que ke quart f Ppurquni I'lmafC, qui nt la aenaation, n*«*t tlk paa cDnfgrnx i *oa morltk, qui til I'objit I Ceat qna j* auil ictifqiitnd i« ja|f, qnt roHtatim qui compart tat fautivt, tl qut mun Bltadtmtiu, qui joir le* nppMt*, mel* wa trrvura i U m'ai dn lenutloai qui M montrenl que lea ubjeia.
*A}oulet i tela use t^Deiuui qui von fr*pper«, je m'aaaurc, qsind tou( y ram fcaat ; c'nt ^u »1 noui elloaa purement pnatfa dan* t'«a*|( dc n«a moi, U afif
4SS
REMARKS ON THE
from their relaiionis u perceived by ihc raisd where tfaey have to imncdiiuc comtnuoicsuoa with each other. The thinet thcnuclfva can only han ihr ume rL-laiioe to each athcf that the ideu of tbingc haee in dilfcrrnt mioAt, at that our Hnublc impircutons raiuc h^vc to one loutlict brfurc vre lefef them to wiDG inward coivkhku [irinciptr. Without thii coancctjoo between our idn> in tbc miod there could be no pci'rercncc of one thing to asMher, do choice of mraai to codi, that i«, no roluntJtry actioa. Snppote the idcu or imprctMons of any two objrcu to he jirrlrctly dittiaci and rind, mpjioee tbem moreover lo he mcchaoically oiioeialtd logtther in my mind, and that thejr bear in fact just the ume proportion to each other that the object* do in ntlure, that the one i* attended with ju«t h> mach more pleanrc thaa tbc other, and t* to much more detirable, what efieci can iht* of itaelf have but to produce a proportionable deigree of unthinkin]t com- pJaceocy in thcdtncrent feeticgt belonging to each, and a propottiofiBUe liegrce of tchcmcncc in the blind imputtc, by which 1 am attached to each of them leparaiely and for the moment^ If there it no per-
Zion of the relation between difTercot feelings, no proper companion he one with tlie other, there may indeed be a monger impulav toward) the one than there is towards the other to the dinercnt «eal« of perception which they teverully atTect, bm there can be bo reaiooable attachment, no preference of the one to tlie other in (he •ame genrral principle of tlioughi and action. And conac^ui^ntly on thi» xupgioHtion if the objecta or feeling* are iocoinpatiblc with »cb other, I, or rather the di^reot aenMUc beingi witliin me will be drawn diifiercDt way*, each according to it'i own pariicular bUa> blindly pcrtliting in it's own choice without crer thinking of any other interen than it'* own, or being in the lea*l affected by anv idea of tbc general good of the whole wntient being, which would be a thing utterly incomprehensible. — To {wrccive icUiiodi, if not to chooac between good and evil, to prefer a grcBlcr good to a }c»« a luting to a tranaiciW enjoyment belong* only to one mind, or tpitit,
aiil«it tatt'cut lucun comniunicstain t il noni nana impeMiblc ilo cunnuilre IVSj le COTM que naD* louthoni, ti I'obJFi ijuc uuim voyoai loni le ni(in<. Ou noin i •entmoM Jarnali licn hoo ilc nuui, ou il y auroii poor noui cinq iuIuim KDiiblti, ilonc noui n'miiiuni nul moy«D dVppetcCTOir riileniili.
'Qu'fln ilonnc ttl ou lei ttom a CMt« fom dc mon nprit qui rtpprotbe M i pan mt* •caasiinot | qn'on I'appeUt attnilion, mcditcilon, tcAunai, mi ca on voudra ) loujouit cd-il vrai qu'clle ax en moi tt non lUni lc» tlw«M^ qut e** moi t(ul ijiii 11 produii, quoi^ je nc li prD^M qu^ I'octMua ilt I'lmfnMioa qu« /a»t lUT nioi Ic) ol^el*. S«iu ecrc mutrc ile Kniir au ile ne pM icntirt j> le >uli 'rciamincr plot ou nula* cc que Je leni.
* Ic n« mil clone pt •implement un etic tenillif et piuif, mail bo etre iclif ct inlollipni, «t quoi qv'cn dac la Bhiloaopbic, J'oietai ftittoin t rhunaeur <lc pentir, Jtc' — Ehiu, beginning of the ihiH, or tod of tat MMDd Tolome.
1
l^--^'
^'0..
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
the mtad tlui is m uurit wbJdi is ibe ccouc ta wJucii aU hi* tbotighu nK«t, and die (n.utcrfprinx by which all hit Mriiooa Ara gotcriKd. Every thing ii one in taiaic, and govcrnnl by un abtolute tin[iulM> < The mind of man atoac ii lelative to other ibin^s ■< rcprMcnu OM it«clt' but ni«ny ihiap cxticing out of iitelf, i( doci dm therefore rcpfe'ttlt tlie trulb by being wniibic of one thing but many tluojf (for nature, it*» object, in nunifoM) and though the thingt tbcnuclvc* Mb ibcy really cxiii oinnot go out of thcniiclve« into other thingi, or •:om)>ioni!te their natures there !> no reaton why the ininJ wliich if meiely rcpresentuiive tbould be confined to iny ooe of then more ihxn to any other, and a perfect unJer&tinilin^ thuultl coniprebead ''•ihem ^I M they irc all cimtalneil iii nuiure, or in a/l. No une oliject or idea therefore ought to imfel ibc mind (at ii't own cake but a* it i* rcialiiY to other thing*, nor ic a moiirc true or natnral in reference to the human mind nictely bccaute it exist*, uolew we at the Mine time aujmoie it to be sirutiitei than all oiltcrs.
But to rcttini. I conceive timi that taKtioo necesMrtiy implies thought or foreiigbt, that is, tlut it is Dot sccountcd for fium mere aasociatioo. All (oluntAry tictiun intplici a view to coeiicquencea, a peroeptioQ of the analogy between certiia action* alre^idy jtiveo, and the particular action then to be employed, also a knowledge of the connection between certain actions and the clfecti to be prnducnl by ihco i and lastly, s Acuity of conitHiUDC all ibcK with paiticulat circumstances so is to be nble to judge bow far they -.ut likely to impede or aisin the accoraplishiDent of our purposes, in what manner it may be necesinry lo vary our cxctlioni according to the luturc of the case, whether a greater or less degree of force is rc^joircd to produce the effect, &c. Without thik 'discourse of reason,' this ctrcumipeeiion and conipariton. it seems to be »s impossible for the bunun niiml to minuc any regular object u it would be for a man hemmed in nn all tides by the walls 01 bouaet and bbod alleys to sec his way clearly before bim from one end of London to the other, or lo go IB 1 straight line from WeMtninstcr to Wappiog. One would think it would be sufHcicnt to Mate the quettion in order to shew that mere aiKtciation or the mechanical rccturence of any old inijireHiioiu in I oettain order, wliich can never exactly correspond with the given drcunstuice*. would never tatUfactorily accoum ( withont the aid of some oUief (aculiv) for the complexity and nibtle windings and perpetual changes tn the motifea of human action. On the hypotbesit nere spoken w, I could have no curaprehennfe idea of things to check any immodiate, paaning impulse, nor should 1 be ;^Ie to make any inference with respect to the coitsrqiacnce* of my actions whenerer there was ibc Icatt alteration to the circunwtancn in which I must
457
a 1.
*.r-
REMARKS ON THE
■ct. If however thU itcoeral itatcment dot* not convioct thotr who iit« unwilline to be convinced on the nibject, I hope the nattre of the objection wil! be made tnfliciently clear in the courte of the ■rgnmcot.
SccoodJy, it i* necnury to Tolilioo that we ihould nippotc the ima^Btry o^ £ctirral idcut of thing* to be cfficieot onaact ot action. Il ia implied in the theory wc are combaiisg Uut *onw ion of idctu are elficieot motives to action, becatue sMociation ittetf conain* of Idea*. HaUt can be noihioE but ilie impulsive force of certkia pby^cal impremiuDi nurvinng in their idea*, and productnf; tlte aunc clfecta M the original impreMion* lhem»clTei. Why (hen ihoold we Ttfiue to admit the mme, or a limilnr t>owcf in any idcai of the naiDc kind, twcauw they have been combined by the imagination with different circumtuncea, or because a great many ditferent ideu have gone to make up one general feeling ? Why, if the inherent tiualitiea of the ideal arc not changed, abould not the etfecia which dcpnid on ihote i^u-iliiict be the tame alia! It cannot be pretended that ibere ia something in the nature of all idea* which renders them inadequate to the production of muscular nction, the one being a mental, the other a physical eiaence. !''or ideas arc evidently the inRTumcat* of aaiociatJoni and Rku«i therefore one way or other be the efficient cauiea of voluntary action. The ideaa of iniaginatiQii and rtaaoa nuiat be analogous to those of memory and association, or they could not represent their Kvcral ohjccta, which ia abaiud. — It la to be remembered that the tendency of any idcaa to produce action cannot be aacribcd in the lirtt instance to the accidcntu association between the original tmpreaBioo and some particular aaion, for the action ia an inmediatie and natural connequence of the impreuioo. and would equally follovf from the same imprearion in any other circumttaaces, and ought to follow from any other idea partaking of the same general nature and [Topcnics. The proper effects of auociition can only apply to tliote cases, where an impression or idea by being utoctated with another has acquired a power of exciting actions to which il waa inelf perfectly indiflerent. But this power cannot always be trana- (crred from one imprestion to another, for there must be some original impression which has an inherent independent powet to prodoce action.
I do not know how far the rulea of phi loaophi zing laid down bjr Sir Isaac Newton apply to the question, but it appears to me an evident concluuon of conution aeose not to seek for a remote and bditect cause of any effect where there it a direct and obvious one. Whenever therefore a particular action fbllowi a eii^n inipienioiii if there is nothing in the imprcnion itself incompauble with such an effect, it seems an absurdity to go about to deduce that action iroro
4S»
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
lome otbet Uiipretdon, which liai no au>tt riftlit to it's production than that which it immnliately ;ind obviotuly connected with it. In general it may be Inid il»wn .-u -.i prin<tple of al) sound icamning that whcfr thcie arc many thingt actiially cxitting which may be autjttwd ii* (he C3u»eii of Revei;il known c^ecl*, it ia best to divide thoK cflecti among them, not aibitracily to by the whole weight of > complicated ■erics of effect* on the Bitouldcn of tionie one of them, generally singled out for no other reaton than bccauae it is the most remote and theidbre the least probable. For ihii there can be no more rcaton than (or tuppcMing when I i«e a large building Handing on a number of pillars, toai the whole of it is secretly upheld by some main ^Uar in (he drntrc, and that all ihc other pill.irt stand there for shew, not IMC. The principle that ihe fewest causes [lossible are to be admitted is certainly not troe in the abstract; and the injudicious upplic^lion of it has I think been pfuducEivc of a greM deal t>( labc reuoniDf. TTnqucstion.iUy, where there i» do appearance of the exisicocc of certain cauiiei, they are to be admitted with caution : «re ate not fancifully lo multiply them aJ /it/turn merely because we are not satiifipd with thouc that do appear, much less are wc (o multiply tbem gratuitously, without any reason at all. But where the supposed cum BCtudly exist, where they ate known to exist, and hare an obtioua connection with certain ifTeciE, why deprive any of ihctc UUSC9 of the ml ictivity wbich they wein to possess to make some one of tbem tee) and stageer under a weight of coosetjucnces which nature nerei meant loTay upon it? Thi« misuken notion of lirnplicity has been the general fault of all syitcm-mikers, who are so wholly taken up with some favourite hypothesis or principle, that they make that tlie eole bioge on which every thing else turns, and forget that there is any other jiower really at work in the universe, all other cauaet 1>eing set aside as (alie and nugatory, or elte ri^tolred into that one. — There it another princijilc which has a deep foundation in nature that bas also served to iirenetben the same feeling, which is, that things never act alone, tliat almost every effect that can be mentioned is a compound remit of a series of causes modifying one another, and that iht true cause of anything is therefore seldom to be looked for on the surface, or in the fint diiiinct agent that
Ereseou itself. This principle consistently followed up doe* not Dwe^<r lead to the auppotilioo that the immediate and natural cause* of ibingi are nothing, but that the moK infliru and remote are something, it proves that the accumulated weight of a long succcition of real, rfltcicnt ciuks it generally far greyer than tliat of any one of them separately, not that the operation of the whole series is in itaelf mill asd void but aa tlie efficacy of the fittt sensible cause ii
4S9
HEMARKS ON THE
Uanunittcil downwBfda bjr sHOCUtion (hiougb ihc whole chain. AiuiciMiou hii bem nuutatd m the Iculiag principle in ihr opera- tioQB uf the hunun mind, ind tbca maile ihe only one, foigettJng dm thai nature miut be the fi>und*lion a{ CTCcy milicial pnDci])I«i and »ccnndly that with reipcct to the mult, cfcn where attoduioti bu faxd the gTMtctt influence, hihil in ai bcij Ixit a hnif-woiker with nilure, (or in proportion at ilie hxHi becoraca inveu'niie, we nun tU]ipOK a. greater ni*mbn ot aaual iotprcMioaf id bivc CoiKUffvd ia pfodiKing it.'
AMOciatioo may relate only to feeling*, luhii tmplic* scuiMi k dii- ^ pooiiioo to <lo tonwtluttg. Let lu tuppote then that it wetv ponible to account in tfaii way for all thone jlTcaiorK which rchte to old object*, and idnu, which depend on lecallinj put fccliagt by looking Ixick inio our mrnioricR. But ibc moiucni you introduce actkn (if it i$ liny ihiug more tiun an inioluntary repetition of cenxin modoaa without cichei end or object> a meie trick, and ibtcnL'c of mind^ thii principle C4n be of no ute without the aid of aome other faculty to cnxble ua to nppty old auociaced feelingi to new circumuaiKC*, and to give the will n new direction.
Mr. Mac-lnto(h in hi* nublic lecturea lued to deny the exiitence of luch a ferling an general bcnc»o!e«ce or humantiyt on the ground that all our aifcciion* necctMrily owe their fi*e lo |>anicnlar previous ■tMciatioDS, and that they cannot exiit at all unWt iltey have been excited b«fore in the aame mantier by the sunc objccia. If I were diapoted to enter farticalarly into thii ijuciiian, 1 might mv in the Grn place that luch a feeling at general bencTolence or kioaneM (o perMn) whom we have ncTer icco or heard of before doei cvint. I (houtd not scruple to charge any one who should deny ihii with the ai'ilti JUft, with prevaricating either to hinitclf, oi others. It it a nuxim which thcic gentlemen seen) to be unaequaiotcd with thai it ia ncccMary to strain an hypotheiii to make it lit the facta, doc to deny ihe facts becaute they do not square with the hypotbetit. It generdly hJippens, that, when a mctaphy«ical naradox is firtt started, it is thought tulhcicnt by a vague and plausiote explanation to reconcile it tolerably well with known facts : afterwards it is found to be a sbotttr way and saTours more of a certain agreeable daring in maiter* ot philosophy and dashea the spirit of oppocitioa sooner to deny tite facta on the strength of the hypothesis. —Indepcml en Oy lio«e*et of all exjierinieDtal proof, the ccaioning as it is applie,! confuiet iiMlf. It is said that habit is necessary to produce affection. Now suppose this, in what Miuc i* the principle true i If the pcrtont, feelitigt asd
' [ ben ipeak of ■uociseiaa •■ dtitfsct fr«« luutlaatiM or the rlltcu ut aovclir. 460
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEV AND HELVETIUS
actions must be rxacily and litrrnlly the umr in both cutt, there mi be DO luch tiling »* hubtt ; the »imc objcctR uid ciicumMances that influmved me ti>day caoDot |>otaibly inHueocc me to-raotraw. Take the exunple of a child to whose welfatc the attenitun of the parent u coQftantly directed. The timp]e wuctta of the child are never exnctly ■he umc in tlieowclvc*, the accidental circtimit.'incec wiih which iliey are combined arc nccc»tarily trying every moment, nor arc the aentiincnts and temper of the nther lew liable to constant and imperceptible ttuciuationk Tbcie aubclc ckanget, however, and lhi« ditriniilarity in tubordtnaie circumAanCH do not prcveni the tiither'* aflection for the child from becomiDJi U iBvetcrate habit. I f there- fore it ii iticrely an extnioidinary degree of reaetnblance in the objecia which produce* an extt^iordiniiry deErce of ttrengih id the habitual sfTection, a more remote and imperfect reanoblaDCc in the object* ought to produce propariioiiihlc cRect«. i'or example, the criet of ■ ■traDger'i child in want of food arc timilar to thoK of hit own when hungry, the cxprcniooi of their countenRocet are limilui it ia alio deruin that wholesome food will prodace ainulur elFecta ujkiu both, &c. I am DOt here inquiiinf; into the degree of iaierest which the mind will feel for an entire stranger (though that qnettioo ww well SMWcred long ago by the iiory of the fianuritao.) My object ii to •hew that aa lo mere theory there it no eitcniiJ difference between the two caaea; that a loniiiuKJ h.-ibit of kindneu lo the tame perKin tmpliet the lame power in the niiod a a general dispoiiiion to (eel for other* in the lurae aituiition j :in>i iliit the at[cm]ii to reuon un utn of a acnte of right ind wrong and make men believe that ihey can only feel for thcmictvec, ur ihcir immediate connectiont i* not only an indecent but a very bungling piece of aopbistry.— The child'* bci&g peraonally the umc has nothing to do with the education. The idea of peraonal identity i« a perleclJy gcnerical And aburjci idea, altogether dattlnct frotn aitociation. Any other atiifictal, and general connection between our ideas (aa that of the tame apedci) might as well poM for aatociatioo.
The commentators on Hartley have either not studied or not nndcrtiood him. Otberwiee his lyiteni could not hnve heen supposed to favour the doctrine of •elfishnes*. My quarrel with h is not that it ptovM my Uiiag aeainn the noiioa of dnintereMednesK, but that it proves nothing. He luppofen that the human mind is neither naturally stilish, ttor naturally benevolent ; that vie are e(]uatly indiScCeot lo our own future tuppiocs* or that of other*, and eijually capable of becoming inietevitd in eitbef according to circunutancr*. rS<-e hU account of the origin of telf-love, page J70.) The difference
tureen ibt* account, and the ooe I have endeavoured to defend ia
461
BEMABKS OS THE ■ ^■91
Mi
ocnvod Dov
'iavUcb it is ■«— i fcr • nrwiD ■ gnK bbAo «f : ToMffOKltedte; SB ^ MMdn b* «r fumcAr taet ti faat ofaiaas can a^
. dw ■ luBd'orsH ^?b^ ■<> w pl^*' tk MBV tyyo «iM Mfve liifciw mndaam^ w yriM ■ oelaHa of » M^ip^M Md » put nf TriTMa Stoad^ A rMM fnr iiMriiin iu gniMiBM* mint ha«c mob a&tr fce hid latntd u walk »(mU ■M tt lUe M |p> froa OBC raon t» miwIiu &iim dtr mere fotte of U^ (te M fro* Tiddinf n, or nko- baag Uidlir Gvried Arvirl hj the imftif^ Ut foat aaaoamtmtmA mfiU to mikiig «Im Mbaac He »asU na apa« thr docn, gK canaiM WBQ^ the clwi»,&Bo>vf tkntroM; he wooid oas^ imr Umdcn vU hb m* wide opcailM he veoU odMnte do tfiad-iaU^ Be
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HEI.VETIUS
1 would be worw off without hia undcnunding th*n witfacnii hit Mcht.
I He misht feci his way without hu eyct. but without hit undcntaMiHK neither hii handi nor eye* would be of any ua« lo hi(u. He wuuM be iocorrigible to (aU* and bniite*. Whoei-er bu •ccd a blind hane MUgrr against a wall and then dart back from il awkwan) ioA ^ffigfaccil, may hai« »ome idea of the mt^tUe whkb wc tbould con- ttaoily ferl »t ihc rlFccta of out own actiortfi, bot oot of the obaii&ttc ■tupidiiy with which wc «houId pcr«iK in them.
To lhi» it i» rejilicd. thai the account here pwn doet noi tndiide
'all the ■tcociarioiu which mlly take place : that the wkocialions are general at well at pciiticukr, that there i« the aiiociation o( the gcorral idea or a futfoie, o( the wordi lo wt!i, M ga JortoM-iit, &c. and that ihcK general gxiociatcd idcai, and the teelingi connected with theni >re aiillicient to carry the child lorward to the pl»cc he hu in Ttew ■ccordiDg to it'» prticular »ituaiion. A»iociation they uy doct not
L^ply that the very tame iDcchaaicol moiionir should be ax'>>" excited
'!d the lamc order b which tbey were oti£iiijlly txcitcd, foi that loni; iraint of active a«ocialioDS may be ttantferred from one object to another from the accidental coincidence of a tingle cimimitance, Irotu a vague abttraction, from a mere name. Thi* principle doei not theicfoTc r<«eit)ble a book, but an alphabet, the lootc chords from which the hand of a master draws their accustomed sounds in what order he plcme*, not the machinery by which an inttnimeni it made to play whole lunei of it*eU in a let order.
1 have no objection to make to thia account of nHodalion but that nothing will follow from it, and that nothing it explained by it. Let us tee how it will affect the question in dispute. — ^'c will therefore letura once more to the c^c of the child learning to wulk. How then doei thi* exDlanaiion account for his not ruanine againU any
I object which ttaiHu in his way in the pursuit of a favourite play-thiog, if he hai not been used to meet with the tame interruption before? Why doc* he not QO straight on in the old direction in which he ha*
I alway* followed it? — Became he i* oinid of the blow, which would be the consequence of his doing so, and he thetefwe goes out of hi* way to avoid it. This suppose* lliat he has met with blow* before, though not in running aitcr his ball, nor from llut particular object which be dreads, nor fiom one situated in the same way, or connected with the same aHOciatiun*. But this ditTcrcnce in of no importance according to the elan : lor it it not neceiury that his fear or the effort which it leads him to make should proceed from the recollection of a former blow recurring in it's proper place, and stopping him by mechanical tympathy, as it had actually done before, in the midst of hi* career. He is atopped by t)ie idea of a pain which he hit not
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if I could DOC avoid an object in the amc way ih» I had formnly done I fhould not uicmpt to avmd it at &I1, but remain cguitc licl|ilca*. Tliirdlyt beouw the ideu of future objecta baiins "" ciTcct jt all oo mjr Ming* or actiona, and the conaectioa between the original asioctaled imprcHiooa bein^ the ttrongen and tnoit certain of all othcn, any particulai train of mechanical impul>e* bring once >ct in motion would necefsarily go on in the old way norcurained by any idea of conaeqacncrt till cbcy were Mopped again by actual piia. — It it plain how«rcr that die activity of the undemaodiflg prevent* ihia rough rebuke of experiencet ihAt the will (and our acUona with it) beads and turai and winda according to evcty cbanj;e of citcunwtanoe* ami impulse of imaeination, that we need only foretee certain eril* aa the cDMcqacncet ol our actiont in order to a\oid them. The tap- poailion tbat the idea of any particular motion necetaaty to a ^vcn end, or of the different motion* which combined cogeihcr con«titutc aome regular action i* auilicirnt to prodnce that action by a aubtle law of aatociation can only apply to thoae difetcnt motiona after they are willed, not to llie willing them. That ia, tlierc mutt be a pteviuui delcrnuaatiuD of the wiit, or feeling of remote good connected itith the idea of the action before ic can hivc any elTect. The i<tca of any action mutt be in itaclf perfectly iDdirTetcot, being always adranugcoua, uieleM, or niiachievous according to circutnatancca. I cannot there- fore ace any reaaoo accordinj; to thia hypotheaia why I ahould will or be tDclined to make any exeittooi not originating tn tome raechaoical impulie that happcna to be atrongcat at the time, merely becauac liiey may be nccc4*ary to avoid an imaginary evil which of it»clf doct not cauae the ilightcoi emotion in my mind : on the contnry, if the barely thinking of any external action i* alway* immediately to be followed by that actnin without a particular warrant from the vrill, there could be no auch thing at reaaonable action among men, our ■Ctioas would be more tidiculoua thin iboK of a monkey, or of a man pOMcnaed with St. Viiui'a <lance i they would resemble the diaeaaed ttarta and lit* of a madman, not the action* of a reaaonable being. We ihould thrutc our handa into the fire, daih our hcadt agains the watt, leap down precipice*, and commit more abturditie* every moment of our live* than were performed by Don Quixote with ao much labour and atudy by way of penance tn the heart of the Brown Mountain. The mommiytn o( ibe will i* necetaary to ptt direction and conataiicy to any of our ucttoni i and thia again can only be determined by the idea* of future good and evit, and the connection which the mind perceive) between certain action*, and the attainment of the one or the prcrention of the other. If our action* | did not naturally alide into thia track, if they did not follow the I VOL. til. : 1 a 46$
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productjoiii of a fpteo rod are irilled, not becaoic tho*e ten mean* have been alreadjr utsociated vitli that parucuUr end (fbc thtt doe« Dot happen once in a thouiand timea) but because (ho*c ntMnti are known to be ioteparablc fiom the attainment of that end io ibc given circuniBtaDcee.
There ia however aootbcr objection to tbc diiintemted hypothesis, which was loDK ago stated hy Hobbcih RuchefocauJt, ud the iuatbor of the Fable of the Beet, and hat been nnce adopted and gloMcd over by Helrciiui. It ii preinided that in wiihing to rclictc the di>tce«*M of other* we on]; viih to rcmoic the uncaaicett which phy creates in our own minds, that all our action* ate DcccuatiJy adifh, at ihcy all afiie from aontc feeling of pleasure or pain exttiing in the mind
rof the iodiridual, and that whether we intmd our owb good or lKS~ of oUien, tlie immediate gtaiificatton connected mrith the idea of any object U the aole moiire which dctcimineii lu in the puriuit fifii.
Fim, thia objection doei not at all affect the queiiion in dispute. For if it is allowed that the idea of the pleasure* or paint of othert excite* an iramcdiaic iaietcti in the mind. If we feel sorrow and ■DXicty foe their tnuginary di«tic»cs exactly in the same way that we do for our own, and arc impelled to action by tlie tane motives, whether the action has for it'i object our own go«xl or that of others, the nnturc of man at a roluotary agent must be the same, the ctfect of the principle imjiclling him must be the Rsme, whether we call thii pttnciple self'lote, or bcnevolcocc, or whatever rclinenients we may intioduce into our manner of cxplaiaiog it. The celation of man to himself and others as a moral beinjt it plunly determined, fur wbcUier
•t re^rd to the future welfare of himself and uUien ii the real, or only the ostensible motive of hi* actions, they all tend to one or other of thece objects, and to one as directly ;i> the other, which is the only thing worth inquiring about. All that can be meant by the moti disinteretted benevolence must be tbi» immediate sympathy with the Geclinu of others, and it could never be supposed that mao is more imme&Mcly aflecicd by the interests of oiliers than he can be even by hit own. If by self-love we understand any tiling beyond ilie impulse of the present moment, it cm be no more a medianical thing lluin the mott refined and comprcheoiivc benevolence. I only contend then that we are naturally intcrettcd in the weliatc of others in the same sense in which we are «aid to be tntereilcd in our own future welfare. Self-love used in the sense which the above objection implies mutt therefore mean tomethin); i-cry dillercat from an exclusive principle of deliberatCt calculating telfidioett, which must render ua mdifieccDt to every thing but out own adrantage, or from the lore of
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pkjual plcMnre ud arcraon to phyKcal foia, wbich would produce DO jotemt ia toy tMt tnuiUe inifceMWiiit.
.SupjKwioji thcTcfurc that oar mOK gnierou* feelings and actMMU acre e^Bivocal, the object onltr bearing a ihcw of disintercucdncMf the motive being alwayi *cllnh, thii would be no rcasuo for Kjecaa^ Um cooimun u*c of the term dumtrrrilrtl trruvtlnve, wbicb i.j.jirLUti BOtliiog mote tluin an immedtBtc rcfcrrDcr of otir a«tiotM to the good of othtrif at Mlf-totc exprcMc* a cootcioui reference of them ut oar owo Kood, It niean« to an end. Tbit it ibe proper mraotog of the terroi. If there ii anr impropriety in the one, the other nttMt be ojiully obiectiottablcf tbc ume dUacy lutkt uodcr bodi.
Scconjf}', the ob^ctioD it not trae in luclf, th« it, I see no reasos Ibr rctolriag the Irclinc* of compaMioo, Jcc. into a priocipic ot HKCfaaaicaJ Mlf-tovc. '1 hat tlic tiwtivc to iction exina in the ouad of the pct«ao wlio KU U what no one can deny. The poMioa excited and the imprewioa fffoducii^ it muk-. oece«nrily alTVct iJke lodividtul. There lawt Rltnys be lonK one to feel and act, or there could be no (ucb ihing lu feeling or actloa.' It cannot ihcreibre be implied a« a condition in the love of oihcrt, thai Ibii love iJiould aoi bc/r/i by the perion who luvet them, for thia would be to uy tJut be mutt love them and not tore tbrm at tiie umc timer wl>ich Ik palpabJe ■unmiie. Thi« abwrd infeience. I uti could nn-er be implied ia tbe common use of ibc lerma, as tt coiud nei«r be imagined that io order to feel for otbert, we mun xa reality feel tioibing- Tbii diatinction prove* clearly that it it nlwayx the iodividual who iWwr, but no) that he olwayt tovu himitl/; for it i» lo be pmumcd that the word ulfhM lomc meaning in it. and it would h.iie abtolutdy none U all, if nothing more were intended by it tlijn any object or imfim»oa exiatisg io tbe mind. Self-love would merely tigoify the lots of aomethiog, and the diatJBClion between our»elve« arid Mhera be quite confounded. It therefore become* nctxtaary to tet limits to the mcaoinit of the term.
Fint, it may Mgnily, ai explained above, tbe love or afleciioa excited by tbc idea of our own good, and tbe conBcioua purMtit of it S» a gcticra), remote, ideal thing. In thit acnse, tJiat if cooiidrred with rcuwct lo the |iropoiei1 end of our actions, 1 have ibcwm Mllicientfy that there i« no exclusive principle of nelf-love in tbc human nuod which contiantly impel* uk to ptttme our own advantage and nothing but that, and that it mutt be equally abrard to coiiMdcr either (cirTovc or benevolence a* a physical operation.
Another udm of the term may be, that the indulgcDce of certain affections ncemsuily tends wilhcut our thinUng of it to our immediate ■ Sn BMraei to Butkr't SctwcM.
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gratificAtioD, aad that ihc impulic to prolong a state of pltitun- and put a itop to whatever gi«ei the mind the lean uncaMne» i> the rul ipring and over-ruling [irincipte of our RCtionii. No m.iitcr whether the tmpre»*ion exiiting in my mind i* a KD8»tion or in irfca, whether h i» an idn of my own good or that of another, it'* efi'cct od ibe mind h entirely owing to thtt involuntary attachment to whatcrer contribute* to my own gratjlieation. and avcnioa from actual pain. Or the mind i* *o conttructed that without fbtethougbt or sny reKectioD on itnlf it hu a natural tendency to prolong and heighten n ttacc of pleasurable feeling, and indtanily remove every painful feeling. This tendency mnrt be wholly uncoo*ciou«i the moment my own grstilicarion i* indirectly adrerted to by the mind aa the eonw<)lKiicv of iadulgiag certain feelings, and lo become* a distinct motive to action, it rciura* back toto the limit* of dclibctwc^ calcuhttnx lellishneia ; and it has been shewn that there is notliiag in the idea of our own good which raaLen it a proper molire of action more than that of other*. There appear* to be ai tittle propriety in makiog the mechanical tendency to our own good the foundation of humaa actions. In the finti pl.icr, ic maybe mfficicni to deny the mere matter of fact, that such is tlic natural diipoution of the hurnaB miod. We do not ou every occasion blindly consult the interett of the moment, there is no instincliTe, unerring bias to our own good, controuling all other impu!»cs, and guiding them to it's own purposes. It ii not true that in giving way to the feelings either of sympathy or ntioDftl self'intcicst (by one or other of which feelings my actions Vut coaMamly jtovemedM I alwavt yield to that impulie which ia accon>p.-inied With mo»t pleasure at the time. It is true that I yield to the stronKeiC inclin.itiun, but not that my ttrongett inclination is to pleasure. The idea of the relief I may atlord to a peiMio in extreme dintrcts in not necessarily accompanied l>y a correspondent degree of plt«surable sensa^on to counterbalance the painful feeling his immcdi^e distress occations in my mind. It ii ceruin that «onietimei tlie one and someiimes the other mxy j^eiail without alcetin^ my purpow in the least : I am held to my jHitpuw by the idea (which 1 cannot get lid of^^of what aootlier sutlers, and that it it in my power to allevbt« bia surFering, not that that idea is always the mo«t agreeaUe contero-
' Ai {ar i> the lore of pio'l at htffiatt* ofentti ■• a jrrneral (>rinc>i>[e of ictioD) it it in ihii wiy. t hin tuppoiril thii frinttple ta be i( the bortom of sll ont •cllou*. bfciuK I Ai'l nu ilniic lo rstcr inis the quciiuia. If I ihaulil erce tnUi the fill) whiib 1 hsve befsa, 1 ihill endoTDBr l« thtw that llit lovt uf ls|iplQE» tvcn ia (lie mo>t ttrncnl ksk iti>n n«l account far ihc pMtlae* ef dmb. Idc love of tfutK, snO thf lo-rc of pomr tn I Ihink <1iitinct principln of nttitm^ lod mix Hith, uiil ouiiiity ill ovr pumiils. Set Butler m quiMri swn.
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piwiofl I conU have i'lw Btna ■ onm wiiwd by omiHl ad rcoaOectMMiw "M *^ ** cov^ ^^^ cofaay, W om «* ilnk« them o^ mo i&o^h «c «n«T to do it. Wky don a of the !ova ilvifi tarn noad to took « taoiba ur t&aa betxtf { Wbj doa tbe aniom bm unae« UoMtlf bv d«cffiD( •■ tfe ■tiMHii of bii tml ? Not &wn tbe iiIbmow k afticd* te^ Wkj tlm ■^jM'li^ it be **'*"***^''" ^ **■** the &dnci of aNnoMoot Bencfoiicy* Ac cutaec pairtly Knate tbe vtad, tw hccane nd is ao br m . diM ooMrifaoBe to ov own wwftttioB? ThoK vho «{DB|fj ^pcnbm ibt atoK pttfnl dsix* of &icadih% ot lanuaiiy do «M 4s tftu from tbc iittwWMPt ^mficsiovi tfnsdtt^ tf « x ■ as owp to ton ■way &on i wyjif st to fiuevc faioit aod ti nt nnad wvtc oat aoTBMcd hf a mbm of tntk, sad of tlw teal coa«e^og«>eei of k'fl >ctioo^ we itwld not the dittnna of ethen with tbe uiseaanof IfiMfiag ai «c go to K« a mgcd* becaxne we kaow that tfar ; adi be gmnr than tbe pais. Tbrtr it iadccd a £d« aad kiod of fceliog wbkh m goatratd diognber by a raped to tUt mctioa of Mty oo oar ows anda, aad whkb tbctelaR Mroaglj 10 oiattasniib tbe trae. So then a a &be (or, : tvaacd acll-iatcitA* Wc vevy onteu inttfik noai tfaon^ we know thai n it aetxMMj to oor ■*"'?'tt H dbJKt; aod u other nam nadergo tbe auM jnM j ordt; to BTOid Kuae greater enl *t a '^'-nrrr — In tbc teBae wbicb I ibe oojectHia iinptiati imj love oi aiirtfbef v aot tbe lotw of uijhJT J bat aa it opcratea to pcoduce mj owa good, loe aaoo a i ' ID be BecnamcaDy attaened tOt or to Itj &on> every idea or n vmfh aa it aCecta it witb picanie. or pna. And tf ibaa ' Ta*T^ It 'p'ffn* wall iooic ■eoprvty be bjo to be actuated by a i of ■eriuwtcil or praciicsl aetfjove. If bowcver ibcie iciicipk rmlattqg aqr aBacbatsi lo etbcn by nj ewa ooa* _ very Enlc waarhrinn vriU be left Iw ^ aNchaaical tbeacy. tecoodlyt tbe ml queMioa w. why do we Mimtbiir wwfc iBi It aecma w« ate €m DnpeQcd by lelHove IS frel I tbe peonect of aaother > atDcTBigf la order tbat tbc moe ptiBuufe aa '^I'T*** ***** ^fn fog pundvca Bay ailei aaiiu '*"f** aa to w^ fid ai dm BneawBWi by eadeavoariag to pRvcoe tbc arifisiag wlKb ia Ar caate of it. It ia abnrd to ny ibat ia aatpaMiaaaiiBg tbe of oihert we are only affected by oar ova pais or thia very paia ariari troo oor cotapaiaMo^ It la yaijia^ tne ciSeci beiorc tbe eaaae. Brrore 1 caa be aflccccu by aty ova paB^ I ans onL be pet b poB. u 1 aan aflecsed by« or fed pais and aBeeov at aa idea f yjariiit b aiy migf^ wbicK idea n afitbrr dob ttadf sacaA idea ofay own pain, I woader ia what teaie tbai caa bw caBid tk 470
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SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
love of siyKlf. A^d, I am ef]tially at a Im* to concrifc how if the pain which thU idea girt* me don not impel me to get rid of il i> k iprci Mf pain or a* it actually aflcctt myself a« a diitinct, ■nomeotary impreHioa, bat a« it ii conmcted with onhtr nlm, that ia, i« nipfwced to alTcct aao(h«r, bow I aay thia on be cooiidered as the effect of •elf-loTT. The objectt tSon or straQk of the miod b not to remove the idea or immedBte feeling of potn from the iodiridiul or 10 pot a uop to that liceliog a* it alliKU hu temporary intcrcK, but to produce a disconnection (whatever it tiuy co«t him) between certain ideas of other things exiHiag in his mind, namely the idea of pain, and the idea of a&ochcr Dcraoo. Self, mere phyncal telft it entirely forgotten both practically 3ImI conacioualy. My own good !> kneitber the cxciiing cause tior the immediate retult of the feeJrog by ^ which I am actuated. I do not ihrink from ihc idea of the pain which another feci* ai it affcctt myacif, but it excitei rcpugoance, uneaHoets, or actitv aTcrboo in my mind as it slTecia, or it connected with the idea of another ; and it it because I know that ccrtaia actiont will preTtnt or remove that pain from that other pcrwc 'soDordiog to the manner in which I hare perceived effects to be cmnecied together in nature, that I mtf tbote action* for that purpote, or that thcit ideas take hold of my Blind, and a.Teci it in tocb ■ maimer at to prodace tbeir volition. In ihort, the change which the mind endeavonra to produce it not in the relatioa of a certain I painliil idea to itself as perceiving it, but in the relatioa of certain ' idea* of external thingt to one another. If this is not tuflicient to naakc the dittinctiixt intelligible, t cannot express it any better. 'Oh, bnt ' (it will be said) ■ I cannot help feeling pain when I tee another in actual pain, or get rid of the idea by any other means than by relieting the person, and knowing that it cxius do longer.' Bm i will thii prove that my love of others is regulated by my love of myself, or that my self-love is lulMervient to my love of others i What hinders me from immediately Ternoving the painliil idea front; my mind but that my sympathy with others stands in the way of it.'' liiat thtc iadepeadcnt attachment to the good of othns is a lainral,' unavoidable feeling of the human mind is what I do not wish to deny. | It is also, if you will, a mechanical feeling; but then it is odther a i pbytscal, nor a aelfiili mechaniun. I see colours, hear soanda, feci \ beat, and cold, and bdieve that two and two make four by a certain mechaoiim, or from the necessary structure of the human mind ; but it does DOC follow that all this has any thing to do with self love..^ One half of theproceas, nainely the coenccting the sense of pain wiili the idea of it, is evidently contrary to self-love; nor do 1 see any more reason for aKribing the uneasiness or active impulte which
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REMARKS ON THE
fblloiH ID that principle, since my own )[ood ti neiUKr (lioaght of ia it, DOT doct it follow from it exc«^ indiiYClly, dowly ^ind con- ditionally. The roecbanicul tcoJeocy lo my owo cmc of grAtifiCiiuua i> >o &r from bebg; the real ipcioe or noiural motive of mm[i«Miiin (hu ii it cooUMttry overruled and ddnied bjr tt. If it abould be answered that tliMc restriction* and modilicjttions of tlic principle of •eir4ot« arc a neccMary conseqncDcc of the nature of 4 tbtokiog bctqg, then I uy that it it oonKote 10 talk of ntecbanicsl telf-lo«c to coa- nectioo with a power of rellection, that ia, a mind c^nble of p«rc«ra>g the coa(e<|acnce« of things beyond itself, and of being ameted bf tbcin> To Ilk therefore whether if it were possible to get rid of my own nncuincu without wpposing the unraaineu of aoothcr to be removed I should wish to remore it, U foreign to tlw purpo«e ; for it is to suppose thai the idea of another's uneasineu is not an immedUtr object of uceuineM to me, or ihst by making a diiliaecioa of rcAcctian between the idea of wh:it uoihef tuStn, and tlie oneMSDess it caissc* in me, the former will ceur to give me any uoeaaineu, which ia a cootradiction. A quesboo might as well be put whether if pleann gave me pain, and pain pleasure, I ihould not like pain, aad dislike pleasure. So long as the idea of what another mlTcr* is a oecesaary 'source of uneasiness to mc, and the inotiTc and guide of my actions, it is DOC true that my only concern it for myself, or that I am governed aolely by a principle of self-interest. — The body has a mcchaaicsl tendency to shrink from phydcaJ noio : this may be called niechanicaJ self-love, because, though ihc good of the indivkluBl is not die object of the Action, it is the immediate and natural rifect of it. The laon- menl which is dictated by nature is directly followred by the cesauioa of the psin by which the iodividuitl was annoyed. The evil is com- ttletely removed with reipeci to the individual, the moment the object ■a at a diiia,nce firom him 1 but it only exists at it aiTects the individual, it ia therefore completely at an end when it cease* to nifect him. The only thing tieccuary therefore is to produce this chan^ in the relation of the body to the object ; now ihis is the exact tendency of the impulse produced by bodily pain, tliat is, tt shrinks ai the piain aad /r«n the object. The beinp does not suifct a moment longer than he lean Ixlpit : for there in noticing that thoold induce him to remain in 'pain. Tlie body it not tied down to do penance under the discipline of exteroAl objects, till by iiilfilling certain conditioot, Ironi which it reap* no beneht, it obtnint a release; all it's excrrioni tend imrttediatety to it's own relief. The body (at least according to the account licre spoken of) is a machine so contrived, that, at fui as depends 00 itcelft it always tends to it's own good, in the mind, on the contrary, iber« are oumberlest lets and irapedimcBta that interfere with this object 471
SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
iiueparabte from it's very Harare ; the body nrivc* lo produce ntch ahcrations in it's rclstton to oihri thing* at conduce to it'i owo advaou/r, the iiiiod Ktkt to alter tbc rckiiona of otlirr thingt lo one uoother i the body io^^ei it's own good, for it tends to it, ilic under- , Btandtng i* not govvcned tolely by thii principle, for it it coiuiMDtly aiming ni other object*. To make the two caie* of physiciil uneasinesK, and oompaiuoD psrallel, it would be nccctM-ty to *ii]>poM either on in*oliiiiury tendency in the mutclei to remove ei-ery painful object front another tlirough mcchanicjil sympstby, or that the real object of coinpa&iioo vat, to remove tbc ocitoui uneasiness, occasioned by the idea of ancicber's pain, u an :LtMitract icnsatioa exiiiing tn my nund, totally unconnected with the idea which gave r»c to it.
Laatly, should any desperate meta]ibyiiGb.n periist in adinning that my love of other* is still the love of myself because the iropreMiaD exciting my sympathy must exist in my mind and so be a part of myself, I should answer that this is using words without affixing any dtstioct meaning to thetn. The love or alfectioD excited by any | general idea exbting in my mind can no more be said to be the love ' of mynelf than the idc.i of another person is the idea of myself because it ii I who perceive it. This method of reasoninii, however, will not go a gieJt way to prove the doctrine of an abstract principle of self- i merest , for by the same rale it would follow chat I bate myself in hstiog any other |>ersoQ. Indeed upon this principle the whole structure of language is a continued absurdity. Whatever can be made the object of our thoughts must be a part uf our»el»es, the whole world ii contained within ut, 1 am no longer -Inhn or James, but every one that I know or can think of, I am the least part of myself, my sclf-intnest is extended as far as my thought* can reach, I can love no one but I must love myself in him, in hating others 1 also bate myself. In this sense no one can to much as think of, much lesa love any one bendc* himself, (or he can only think of hit own ihuuglits. If our generous feelings are thui to be construed into sellithncte, our malevolent onet must at least be allowwl to be diiinietcined, for they are direttcd again«t ourselves, that is against the ideai of ceilain pertons in our minds. If 1 can have no feeling for any one but myi«If, I can have no feeling oiitui any one but myself. Suppose I am seized wiili a fit of rage against a man» and lake up a knife to stab him, the quantity of malice, which according to the common niitipn is here directed against another, must according to thii lyttem fall upon myself. 1 tee a man sitting on the opponitc aide of a table, towards whom 1 think i feel the greatest rancour, but in liict I only feel ii againhi myself. For what is this man whom t think I ace before me but an object existing io my mind, and therefore a prt of
473
a£MARKS ON THE
mjtM! Tfcr iviwd vlndt I mc ii aot ■ nal wmvrd, box as iaagt 'm^nmtd sb aijr nad ; md tlw acaul hlow wbcfa I «rikc vnh it bdag cat flf mjmU, (Cor tkat ■• igifaiMLle) bM M auks ef Dj swa, « iW bcag ■ham I lutt mUa mkIC « ■jpmIC If I ■■ Mwy» MCfiril)! tlv objea of ay own tbeo^u aad actioai, I ■■« hitc, lorc^ aen^ or tub ojaett a* it haiyn*. It k ffrwlrrf br a no)^ aaaa^Ctoa thm iKoevokscc if oaJya doitc u fntomg ae idea of aoothcf'a fitwart n amt'* own niDd, bacaaae tluc iika exnia tLcre: aalrnkacc nnat tfaCTcfate be a diifaairiBa to pfolaeg ibc idea of |Mia a oar** 9*s aiad (at Ak ame naaoa, dnc it. to iajora oor'Mdf, far hf iU( pMoanphy m one ea ban a mm^ idea wlncb doe* noi reftt to. aoe any iwiialar wfaicb doet not lai^wm ia wlE — If by telTlove be meaot -"'"-g man than tbe attadnwU of tbc mind to ay object or idea "p^Tfg io id or the cooscctioe bfiwwn aay objrct ot ida pcodadag ^IftnJna ami tbr «atr of miiKl prodoctd by ii. ibii ii mcrriy tbc i iiiibihiii eoBuettioo |j«iaieen caaw and cAct, and tbe lotv of rrery thng nas be tbe love of myaelf, (ot tbe lore of tntj tbint bnmi be tbe lore of tbe object exdug it. On tbc contrary, if by idf-tove be meaM my i^irhnatpn to or tamcK to lay object ia oooKqaoia of ii'a iffrrriin me pctmnaHy or 6ob die mrooger aad bwr iaimrdiatr anooer ia «lncb fitttiM objects tad aapvMMBa act apoa mot taen it canaot be ifimed without m abasrfty that all aiectioo whatercr *■ adUorb So if I aee a naa wonoded, lad ibii li^ht occanon* io lae a pio&l (eeliag of tymMthy, I do otic in thit cue led fee myactf, Nciaa bttween that idea ot object impreaacd on aiy mind aad ibc MiaM tccBag wfaicb feUowt tbnc U w> racb poMtne ceoacction aa then ii between the iafiictiOB of tbc maie wound on my owa body ; and tbe phyaical pain wUch fellowt it. WU it be preteaded by aey ooe, oa wboae brain the totncaciet of BKtaphymci have not bad tbe sme efieci u the rcadinx of roauuce* bad on the renowned kmebi of La Maocba, that a piece of wood which I tee a man cutuBg ie piece*, and §0 ia an object exiding ia my miod, i* a pan of rayvlf ifi ibc ame aeaae aa a leg or an arm i For my owa pan, at 1 am not at all alTectcd by tbc hackiog aad bewiag which tbii piece of wood fcceiTca, or all tbc blow* wuh w4iich it tiap, wUch are to me mere banalem Boambe* in tbc air, it aeemi to me a very diflerem thing. Tbe ooe idea it myaelf in a noiple, venr abetract amtt indeed, tbe other idea ii mytclf in the common emphaucal kmc, it i* a teduplicalioo or aggraration of tbe idea. The obJKt become* myvlf by a doiMc tif^t, I am Kntible n (he object a* well a* <b iL I ihouk! aay, then, that when tbc tight of aaothcr peraon wonDdcd excitca a feeUn|( ot compauion ia my mtnd, thi* ia not 1 aclfiah ficclit^ In aoy narrow or ♦7+
^STEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
degrading «rn»c of the word, which b the only thin^ in dispute. (If tdfi»hnn* is to mean gcot-roiiiy, there is an end at once of the dispute.) And thui fur thi> nluin reason, tliat the conncctionl between the viiiilile impreiiion and the feeling of pain it nf a toiallyi different kind from the connection between the iVelinc of pain, anal the wme wound when inflicted on my own body. The one n att affair of tcneation, the other it entirely an aflfair of imaginatioD. My. love of other* cannot therefore be huilt upoe ilie lore of myKlf, conaidering ihia laat aa the elfect of ' phyiical Hoaibitity,' and the mometit we resolve self-love into the rational purniit of a remote object, it has been tJiewn that the lamc remaning applies to both, and that the love of otbcrt has the lamc necctMf y foundaiioD in the human mind a» the Iotc of ourtclvcR.
475
NOTES
NOTES "THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESIAY I. ON THE PROSE STYLE OP POETS I. Dtjtii rijJ, cu. S« vol. viii. f. ]tg (*f ymi t/it^ EtjfUit li^).
'Tint unfcilhct'il two-leggtd tUag, i too.'
Drydca't M—ltm tad Atiucfitl, i. 170. Urflumr JItn e»J titrfi. C(. ' Striininf hsnh •1Ik«<I> ho'I nnplcaiini
ihiifi? ffoiKo stU y^iai. 111. (. tbi Mmu tji tm lilm. t>'j*vliy wn pabliihcri in iSlfi Iht LcJ tf ikt t$lii in iti|; I othtr novcU (allawc>l. ui<l, niih the tinfirsn of Ht'Jj ilm OjmM/iii, publltbtJ b 1I17, Sir Wiltcr*! work «v» confined to aonlt until ibt Ehuc at UaltJtm Hill \a itll. SioH publicljr ickoawlcrffcd kli tuthotihip of lb« the Iftvitity Nevth on Feb. i], xixf.
6. rif tramitadm tf Oiatn'i ftmi, ^mrt Micphtnon'i (i7}G'iT96) to-nlled
mntlattooa wck publiibed in 1741-176;.
Sttfiniiuj'i CkarjtUrliati. Citrtilfiuia tf Mm, Attuun, Ofuitmi md Tittn (1711), ■ coltMlion uf tht ooilu of Aolhony AtkXty Coop«r (li7t> 171}) third Earl of Shiftethury, who, U)>i Siiigwiili, wo '(Ik lirtl U mikr i»ychi>lot<c4l tipcricnir Ihc bnaia of ilklti.' Mr. W. C Hiililt uyi Itiil Hiitili'i ilUnlioa wit >l[avm to (hi* <*«rk in BukriviUt'i tditiont whith bii fithcr i> nffuwuttil u it*din( in Ihc oil ptintinf ««tCBled m 1I04.
Ffr£fu ntUtim. OittUt, at. ).
Ittmi Tnii. Min Hornc Tuokc (t?]6-i 111) vr*l dectcd Member fat Old Suum in iSoi, iflet uatucccofuUir con.leriing Wtttminilei in 1790 and •7«-
Tif PfiTtia if Kiullit, JtkUnlHii, —d lAm. Sir Godfrey Kntlirr (i64t> ■ 71}), painur of the Kil-C>l CInb Portniti, and Joaarhtn RkhudMD (c iiiyi74i], *'">• ■'^"* KncUir'i tlcath, su (oaaidacd (hr bead of bia prDfcaaion.
7. Ill mrmiri if lit 'VHi*/ ^kJi. Wordawonh') ' A Poel't Epilaph,' CjUt/u fa*. Chailn Jamc* Fo> (l749'illo6).
LrJ Stontimi. Diiid Murray ( 1 7t7-i79i}.>lip)aRiaIiil anil ttalatnan, wcnnd Earl of Miaafitld (179;) anil tldMtwn of D)vid,iinh Viacount Stonnonl, who difit in 174S. S. Ti ttmt tr^rfh ifflU tmpt. Hjmtu, ill. 1.
luma M^ini. 'Tu nihil lovlti dica fntinv* MiottTi,' Horace, Di Atu /«, \t%. jAh dUatiit . . . t HMt ua. Priot,isUiItAa/C*Mai(i,ii.rp.66-«S,
479
THE PULtfi ^PEA£E&
r~ ■ , -, f " Tiii Hill
Mtffmd immt. Cf. ' A* mmk « *«t.- .Jin »*•« l|. n« MtMkr'i Win. lUt • J OiMW ^Hfn ^ «>av
n> ■ ••■■<* j*Mrrf AuMHMik l|*>dk aa !&■ ^HiBa MBita fcw ■■am
afdw C«nB>cfc.r<toar]ii«lh. (?«{.
4
Til ,0mf^fm^m D^^ tiljri. A. T^mrt^n. r»«Ai f iit. i Bin I
rra(k tTji*, Mrf WW* Mbhm •( tjii la terry Uji, Sw mL mJ
MM«(9SBMiMa^tk B« wnalMBCkifcht ■ fc af J— '^^^
ITM- **^ (4liM a Hril ill},
lUMtitiM m w»fif»4 wtt >^ piiign'r — CM— »«&■
it. OU FMr, fd Bmrrm, mi Ltmir. TbaM r«U(T (l4ol-»Ui) ■« (k «r»Mw> (i«6i) I Rakn tolen (i;7;-l&«o) W t>w . ~
fiftiilt»iMlHilliLnh»w(i4)i-i}tS),8iilwt.»a<wn*»Ta< (•M9).
Mj»0iitftm mi trr' ~ '
EfflSt u Dr. jlrtailmf, I. ]4
made poet-lmmn
IM Moop'* to TMfc, lal naaU^ri Ui mi, I. 141.
I
1
n> «r^ tfMtrtwy. Ltw/t t^mr 'i £1*0, ■. Tit Amtl» tf KimU^mi E£it ^ tit Rutmhtr. Uifb H>nl** mib, riri ~ - ■ - m e>6tia, AmmIc I<mmj. mU TtmttH^mk,
•7.
Krmdmir, s AmJtff FinN>
fill iffMimi h lif UduMitr. Mir
Arth II, ilii.
A wca»4 una
ftfa IhC(J rma 0«u 1*, tii, la
♦«0
NOTES
ESSAY II. ON DXBAMS
*Aet
Pram Vk ^'<w Mtvtfy M^mi-h, *T>hlt Talk. >iV Drna^ai,' Ko. 17, V0L7, ill J.
I 17, Dr. Sfmrmiiim. t. G. Sputheim, phmologiil (r776-rt]i). Set TJ«
Pl^iiinmitmi ^lum «/ Dri. CoiV «■/ J^ovArni.^M^'rf « « A»attnt*l L ahT J^riMl^ful Ar«Bna(na {^ tli Nirtmrn ^nUm m lettrtl, mi ^ Air
^H Brmm ptr6nU', ili$. Sm *1m iIw EtMf on f, ij7,tf nf.,Mn,*Oa
^H Dr. Spnrihtiin*! Thior;.'
^H iS. tmfarlHS nt Jiit^/itS iKriy. Htmitt, >. I.
^H 11. HtM-tffrauJ iriim. Macttli,tu
^H 14. AMaf jtiliriwy. Tnati* Allcrhiir]! (i66i-i7}i], Biihop of RschnHr,
^H JiMbiti inil cantiDvertiiliti, an-l caTr«>fan>lmt of Pope *i>4 Svvifl. Sec
^^M alM *dI. tin. l^ifTti m lit MmgM C*mit tfrnttt, f, 14,
^^1 Iiai n in cui. Pntiut, Sti. in. ya.
^M Tit Nnm Ehru. KouMtiaV A'umW// IMait (17(0), SIx»ae Pinlc,
^H Lam xu.
ESSAY IlL ON TUB CONVBRSATION OP AUTHORS
Prom Tit UttJm Mdf««v, 'Table Talk, iti.,' Sep. 10, llio, iipied 'T.. WlourilDW Hut,' ml. >. The (oatBolc whicli folloui vat not rrpiinlcd tnra llw Mifuiac. T)w E*ur wat *1h poblxho! ■• 'Tabic Talk, *.* Tii Nttt M*"*fy M^t^im,tiv. 14, Vol. f, I tit. Stt ihe EaMfOn Pcnoni enc WDuU wiah 10 havr mD.'
*or (ll pcrioiu ipoaicn ti DebaiJBg Societin are ibe tnon iBtoleFible anil itouble- Mmc a) a(.|uain(UKe. Ttwy tuw a («ut>nl t'eaire Le heai thenuclvn ulk, ted ilevtt ItaBv whal tay one tiac wiabei la heir. Tbty ulk iixnunllf, ami aif nothin;. They ire loud, olfinaiR, in.i mnmoD-pIaa. They try lo pi (hr rat of Ihr campnf ■■ ih<7 fcl Ihr nr ot ibe Chaii, which, havin( got, Ihf7 will not 1(1 go. They biil ioni« gnrrrl(n.ling in'livirlual (ii if ii vat 1 oar-harifeneJ ■nlanonxt} with poM anil vtfiA jHutancf, an<l turn « .InwinK-tDoni inio a brar- fudtn. Tbtj haw atl (he ptoliiily iml unwidflinta of aulbcaihipi wiihoul my itt tbe loLiilil^, aad bdtf alj the ambition of oraton to ihtne, without (he ability, ibc (icuie, »r the iDdlnaiioii oa the pirt of othen to atunrt (o (hun. I Laaw one of (lii* elan in piiliiubf who hai oo more buiinna in tay party of bilk* and tcalltnwn, with hia apUy.fool nusnen inJ lanii train of awkward aptechn, Ihas ihc Drafftn of WaatJey.'
i{. /U4 ffiu p»rr. Pnltta* te Hit CMiiittrj Ttitt, 6a.
H* II Mr Atl mhM iHJr s guJ lir. flu Kitv n/rtm F^tmama, u. i. See
vol. T.. Litltru m lite DumuU Tj»iCfr J ili Ap tf£&*tittk. p. 184. Ih/Ti H»iiti^. New U»nfMiig Umitnirj, h- ja Eiuy « (<W Prmeifla ^
Ctb fifiA, H fiir i« neruu itiir PrtJtti, amJ Jaimiii de daoM Eifttr if luirtmnn /ntriitJ m itiCui. By Jcihra Tull (irjl). Th* Feuith iiitioa coBlainH in Inlrariuaina by WitluiD CcbUU. St« TMi Tia.V. p. lot aiul noir. Tir FMtKfttr ^ SnJtf WJIUm C*bbelt (i7(i-ill>}. "bo MtU^I at BMky, HuDptlUre^ la the utiy ycari of (be Dineltealb ceotuiy.
VOL. VU. I 2 H
alio vol, VI.,
481
^iV"^ J
r^-mm -mm, ^t> -.-..- » j ^- -^ ' 111. ^M
lY dr.
T»^
i»«rlH|<l— H i»-«Mlfciy « ■■MiJapt. ^^
■twrrfcHliiiiffciUi' ^^.
^■ilh»- a ikir ^i^te <■ taaadaM'«u- ' ■■IB (her III I III! ^ frntl) H^whi
et*-'-- ' ■. ».-
fl»«— n»«ii|iiiCi It 3wBMlR%Miriv*'nkPlctiin»u
Can.* JHii^p Mil. 1» itw iMi f I wiiliit 'Ob IH] i—i iiiw ii1» i»wh i»
+»»
NOTES
Cnlcridgt, hcrt 4nil thronthaul (he enay. NiJ P . edniil PhiUipi, Kcrinry lo Charli* Abbott, S^kn of t)w
HouM of Commont. St* Ltaib't £<iwri, H. Hiiliti, i. pp. 76, 4i9,eie> Ct/MiW ■ Rcir-A-lmiFil Jimei Bsmty (i7;o-iKii}, btMhtr of Fanny
Barney ifli! iiitbur of ihc (unoii* CinWonnrf ltiu*rft/itt fiytga md
IXitttmtt m til Strlk Sia er hiijit Oaam (iSoj-ld;}, { *oU. He uiltrf
■ilh CapCiin Cnok in twu of hit loyfet. ytm WHn, lit nficr tf Tahttft Ltiuri. OrtfottI Liiifi, tu^ ef Sir Jtit
T^t^mi Ui f Vfcufi, VHU firii K^ii frilii hj a Gmlimtm, t diKinJtnt *f
SiMklffa^i^ trtr /iv ttmJ'iJ jtsfi (1796). S(c Linib't Lirrirt, t4. utilt, 1. IP, 90, tif. and Tit Ljmii, iSg7, pp. i«-6. Tuntiiif hit lit Uiiir nJ if a Imr'i lin. LiHi-i of &r Jtk» TiSaaf, tic.
(k< iWvc), in > Icller Uia\ * D>iy la Shillow.' Still of Muitcc Abism,
who ditt frf lovr for iwHC Annt Pi^e. See L«mb'* review of ibf tjnatt
in r^ Eramittr, Sep. ;, iRig, >n<l Leigh Hunl'a rrprinl of il in Tit
ItJiattf, Jia. 1^ itii. Lamb w>i tutpccltri of havin( ha>l a ihara in hia
fiienii diiif ichooiniile'i book. A . WiUUm A)Tton (1777-tSst}, mnaiol critic ind «ilitOT of Chtrlea
Knlfhl'i Mxaitl Liir-iry.
Alt. ft . Mr>. Reynolili, Limb'a ' ugt womtn.'
Af. B> Maftin Cbvrlrt Unmet, Latnb*i frieti'i, ihe Ion of Admini 0Dnwy« Tit'itiir'f'itflluJnK^a.' Thomai HdIccoFi, See Vol. tl. p. tll ffMf. Ttf Crsifm fjTParf Amm*. tmoianuel Kint'i vcotk wm pnbtiihcd in 17(1, Mift-nun. In the Tempi*, irberr the Limba ricirlerl for «i(hl ycaii it ihe
beebmiD^ of the n^fidccnih «al4T7h jt. Tit BiipMAU LtirtttM. CoUiitlft'i buck wti publiiheil in ill?.
Liit A»ri!%' ciiin, * Like ihoM of mi'tlt, (hurl and tit btlween.' Blait't
r*r Cr»vt, j)i. Cf, Vol. V. U<tvii F* rir Hm^iii ArA, p. 1 }o. Ur, Diitct *f lit M*mm, Fiancii Douce (d. i8;4},ant)^i/ian,3hikr>pnriui
»^bt, tnd keeper of minuictipu in ihe Ktitiih Muatum. L. Il . . . Irtfiul Ufd. Lclfb HuDt'l fiilier, luic Hunt, ■•-■■ ■
fiirhadiao. j11ifiu»la in^innoAi irsi. Probably quoted fiam Ben lantan'i Dimrvtriit,
LxiT^ Dc Sbakciprare NMtrati. See Vnl. iv. Tii Sfait tf tii Aii, nou
10 p. J 16. J9. !Ar , tivikittt, lame* Nonhcote (ly^t-itji),
40. Ittar ■ ittni mj(w. Jamei Sheiidas Kooirlte'i fitgiMu (iBlo], *. 1.
41. Fmli. Hciniich Fueuty or Henry PomII, poiiiait-pilatti tai art cilllc (1741-1 Kit). l-'<'' Vol.i^-Tii S^it^iir Agi,p.t}}.
tkrrdfl. John Pbilpol Ciirrin(i*(i>-iSi7j, the Iriih advncile,
Mri, ImiUtiJ. Eliubtlh Inthbild (irjj-itll}, oateliil, Jramaliat and
^^^K AOrj Iftt/mmffifi. Miiy WoUaloneeiart Godwin (lySf-lTtrJt of &e
^^^y PMlMhit tfiit ti'[ka tfWami {tjfl).
^^^^^ Frfm mt» n dntj rw. Purtdiu Lm, i. 74).
^^1 A TaUi Ttit. See nole 00 aourcc o( tbit cMty, above.
^H nrw ftn/dr. John Wolcot, 'Fctcr fio'Ur* (l7]>-ili9), phyainan, tiliriH
^^H and poti.
^^^^^ Mtn. M . Mit. Monlatu, BmiI Moala|v'i third nifr, (he widow of
^^^^ft Tbomal Skmtt anrt moJier |liy Skeppei) of Mn. Btjin Willa Procler,
^^^^f She mairM HMMatu about tlo6,
^^^^il- tt—i't. Huul'i.
4«3
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
H 'i. NMibcMiV
H-y—^t. lUjiloa'*.
A Dum TrvKtim. 'Thto6tn Tl— rhii (■7oy-i7)i],
frimil at R<'»nc»u. Sr ftfUf rUiw. taSaCfortr E4htft|(**<«w4]rrbACM*/Jtf*^ for wtf It Utt t rni. Minn Fnocii BaBMMiA \jeaa M Bta \im*m.
r«iMe4 te keuMMt aari Ffaukt** C«Mf i(a (1647) [iV bcM cMMtnL £ Mfir MM A««. TaWbMtilMr. Set VoL 11. 7.iiJ^ K^nota*
rr.9oiM ist.
nil Itn mtl Mtiiitn pttl thtoal] OvU. Ai r<b U< fr. Ilk }. WtUai pmntti. Liiub'i Jvn*^ mklra M Cambriiltt^ Avon Ij, iSltt. n« Mrn* r mM. Ua4«vbU4)« Ctorft D*tr. Sn Lamb'i -kMrlMiaa him in •O>(or4 ia iW VmiUm ' (£u9> ^<A«).
w
ESSAY V. ON REASON AMD IMAGINATION
44. nil tnartwiPVrtf. Kiwg H^it^i Ul^ \. \. 4$, A> <i< smtM^ Wmw. QniMiii^ III. 4. 'Skb* M oT ic'
4&. TV) iJU/«n it< r'ji'/i im. r^i JEmMk, BiMk til.
..41 B^ !■ «• ti'-fvf. Burlu, if Mw « J MUi £.*"' (I^vli, B«li^ >, ». 141). Cf. *Im Youbc, Ltirf/rtmi,t. I7T, lad Tit jiWtMtBr, Ho, it.,
rif Z^u M««n tfJUr. Fa. Crtmm.uiaiai dii^ tf lii Utf Bim* ««/ 1 till mtmnti tf iki Si. Hta. Ckiriii Jjmn ft*, fgittrr vMi Mtr urtt^rw* I «■ til Ptilk ami FriwMr Ltji, iRsh. Th* naitk ibont Buikc*) MJpk T B«( Htm to )u*> bMB nadi hy Lorrt HoUaM.
l.*^ HtilamJ. HtorrRklurd VuuUFu.lliitd Lord H<)Uw4{l77}.tS4o).
ji^ir^ «Uf x'™^ ' TkDu(ht( lint koiht lai worili tlui UiiB.* Gny** Fngnii t/Pti^ tto.
45. Orm<^ Sktp. Tha ahalitiomM (i71S-iSij), whow Memoin by PriMa
HMre wtrt publiihtil in iSio. 49. JUr. BiiUm. Sec VoU tr. 7ht Sfirit »f iti ^^ pp. il«,(ruf,
JW' Aftraf nifMiflr- WlUivD Paley'i (l74]-iS05] 1/ird/ m^ PUHit^
fuUirf^f wu psblitlwd la ijUj. Ttthr'i tj/ir efNitv. Abrabim 'Hittti"! (iro(-i774) Ttt LMi t/Nsl^» FvujS (j ¥!>:■., t76t-l77t) *u ibrinfdt b]i Hailitt. Sn VoL tv, of Uh
prcxnl cdiiion, u, ]7i>}t$. Til Hrm/tfit*. ttradiu LtM. ir. )9J. CfUi la ihtirur Ufir: CamFtvll'i IwUc/'j fTtfl^.
J I. TtitUuiut t^miniiuaiitit i/M'. Cteawf. The oioiory of Oessv CaMiJn| (1770-1817) Hit noted for lu <liuicil turn.
Em imnmnt. Ct, *ib unu iliKt omnn,' Viitil'i yCantf, IL 6{-C
yifat Ml aw rnim. Poft't Emi^ nt Mtn, Kf. t, it. {■■ <f intit MB MTf [nuktj (Am. Colilaoiitli'i Dttrrttd fill*/!, ^4.
MhAMCiurtii. Publiihcl 1761. 14. *i)aictni) ^M«/$>,' Webnci'i iiaccly (i6i;>.
Cfw iJit mimj f^ir, Cf. ' Give ui piov.' Hamlit, iii. I.
Ow fwiA t/mtmn. TrMti a*J Criuiia, 111. 3.
nea ioir m ifitaiaiiH. Macirtk, m. 4. j;. 5erJ ■/ tin f'»i tnd nmr. Htmlii, in. i.
Tt fill viisi U^t urt. Gray, 0.^r r> ^Airrrfiy,
484
NOTES
BiSAV Vr. ON APPLICATION TO STUDY
iM»g»t
, VoLi
, 111),* Table TilL,!
Hunt
5(. M'<t»t lit Ptkttr. Kicbird Wilun (1714- lyti), 'The Enflith Cbudr.* ji. Mirii^J. C«OT|c MatUnil (■76i-iIOi4], pftlnlet of Muntrjr m«m( lad hnmUr IMc.
&«iM MiamH. See mfr, note lo p. t.
Tit M*ar m Jilifh if, Mtthi*, u, t.
Dimir. Ballhitu Dennrr, t Gtitnan porlriit pBintir (t6t{-ir49).
n in * l>ii)p<»M •■■■ CI. ' Ky minil la me a liint^ain ■>,' bf Sir BdwaM D]wr,
A Uui mirrtr, Omw, T*f Tjit, 1. 7«i<a.
A/M iirWifu. Woiiliueith'i KtmJuihii anJ liidifrmJtit,^^. t.
T*r ChUrrm ia tit Vmj >'utt»U, DtmM, IlL 6.
1<rt* fhi. Cf. I'cniui, &f. Ti. {9, ' Tens eti JBm fillut,'
^Hh^U•' [bri|(b[rtl] Htevn tfi*vmitt, Kr*£ Hiirj f, Prolofut. 58. W«» -*;
57-
Vlf iKimu nrf«|F. XW HnrpF f . *. t.
' Hi/i nrMMrrli. Lt*fl Ifttiir '1 1,411, (, S.
■ Strike in tbt ilsrk, off«ndin| byt by chioo, Sncb m ibc bliaijfald bloat of Itaoont*,'
Ui)>ilen, Tit H:itJ jm^ lU PtfJktr, 1. ]1|^
Hat drtmi it Mr tnaik tmJfu£iJitfirA af»h.
'At lit
A) I hnil pu(f«i| it forth iii'l tncktd it an Lilu bnaih.'
DcaaiiMBt and Flttcher** PUttitr, t. 5,
T*i ftJmr mrnaa. ff ordnrorlb, TUlfn AUtf. Co. Fnf<iliwtf»t€4. a.
'lAkt to the Pontic k* W1i«4c icjr curtcnt inij (ompuliivc mutm Ne'tr fecU retltlDt ebb, etc. 0*kA^ ei. J.
GrMn nut Mr frmni. Pi)(c'« Siuy «• Mt*, Epa. 11. ttA. 6t. Tlk Prmt tf F»airri. 'The title la gtneraLI/ i;iwn 10 PurhHiut, the Oittk HlntM (c. 40a B^.}, but Hiililt rc(«t to Ripliael. Stirtltf. SiItdIm H«), Nr^paliUn piinlrr, muticiin and poci (t6t{-lfi7j), Sr JtiHt KtymtUi'i Duavm. VtMohti 1771, (Ic.
TM Rt^. W. SttfiirJ. Hia Lifi e/ P»gpi Brtnaliti wa* pnbliabtd at Lmnool in itoi. 6). ViffrUiiiUi*. UmA/,!.;.
r. Ctiitit, Stc Vol, IV., Tit &trii tf lit jlp, pp. 3)4 M Mf. 6), Ptritvtrtmit, Jttr mf JttJ, TrtiJmt dvj C'nii4a^ III. 3. 64. NeJ Stfilj,m dit Tttlf. Sta No, 163, April 1;, I7I0. 6j. tU*tr <"^>a{r( "■" ttt?"^' Drvdan, AhimJtr'i Ftm, loi, Abo ef. ' Stal taSmt and btfiiutiot Mill,' Owptr^ Tit r<a>, lu. 617. Ptfiiiuw, iW ilfir//'. £ tiJi, jv. 1}. (6. Dr. Bimrtj. Cbtrlea Burnejr (be elder [(7ifr-i$i4}, biatorlan ot muaic.
4»5
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
ESSAY Vn. ON LONDONERS AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
From Tk tttm Mmtify Matfim, Na. i*, voL nii. itaj, 'TibU Talk, vn.*
66. Mr. Bladnmti . . . CatU^. Sa Vol. vi. TsUi TaO, Dole 10 p. yt.
67. «9M^ Hj^ Ptrt. EthRCfc'a Tit Mjm i/JliiJr, *. i. CI. Hi it iwp •/ «U ii u>-f^t. * I *Ri iBanarch of all t awvcy.' Cowprf '•
I'ttta iiiff»ui It ii tfarim fy ^Unmltr SiUrrk. C9. A itrkir n ilfiimi (J jiuwi. A *b«y~tort or (him aoctionMr, $e« voL n>
Jlfr. Sfihtf^t Cmtmtikmt tmu to f. 459. jI ikfuUir iM K^Jttifi ififiMf, ll will bt toanobend ikit iIk Morn kc«l
■ bee 104 fclinc wmfaMiM, 19 Ratdllfc Mijhwi)'. See De Qmlacey*
NvrfrpcfunAritf «H» t/ri* Fm Ami. Pfmml. &■( ^ftnaar ^ Lmdm, 17^ fts. A mil-known and nnch
■Mreciaud top«cnphk>l iccoant tlu( fUMil throofh imni c4kloM id
(he uriy ycm of liM (calury. m*r, lt,a/> IU!lfi'm,rlr imW. Hldu'i Hill, fotmitlT in S4. Jolia Scrcct.
Clerkrnmll. The inilciloBti on ihe Crett Nixlh KotJ wen meuBreil
from hcti. TO, Qdir-CiUtr. The liwtn >l ttt, Miiilcn L>n(, • faVDorilf ruorl D( Parwo*!
irlio (Bcnahci! the Litin molto evrr ihc <loar, 'Hunoi ttil buic fao
homo.'
Uvwr wartiiiN fffri. Pope, An Eimj m Ouitum, 737-8. tfUkttfdtit HwK. For Uil> (Peataovillc) ia-1 BafBioe VOlt (Klag'i
CroM) lee VoL 11. oMc lu p. lot. Stiaur* Rrattk. Al PecUiam. Sec Vol- »- 7dM> TaA, Dole to p. II. Ctth mtrtnj mr. Woriliwenh, ' Linci wrilttn in Euly Ssrini' ILyrittt
B*tl*il, 1791}. TAvf '1 ■M^ib i*iw» *i *4»f*. One of Mogrc'i "Iiiili McMici.' Bnlltmt. toba Abriluni, Uiiur uigcr (i7T4-lt)6]. 'He wu,* *uJ Sb
WaKer Molt, *g bciil of sn acior, but an anEcl of a tXttfa' He
lifr by Hllinf Lriil prncdi in London iCrretB u % boy, tnidc aa enorm<
fortvnt at ihr gtiiinl Icnnr Mafer of hii day, anil a^uandrtrd il in bullilin
St. fimci't Thfitir init buylii( the C»la»eum id Reitoc'i Park (Sec Vo
VI. M'. Ni-iintiii CtuvrminUf note u p. 419).
J>iriiirR. J. B. DuruMt, abi(a ^te the Ultrrrj Gmnt of Jane 16 ia4 July ], ili4). 71. Aa itar tj Si, 0wirde'r etut, Cf. * We roae both al an inuint,ui4 fou^t a litnf hour by Shrfwrtury clock.' I ATm* Hi*ry If. ». ^ Caf iwygw- iturf. A tivcrn ami ira-giTntn in Nnrlh London bc(w««i Maiilcn Ldoe and Hocbuih Lane. Stt Vol. ti. r<lA 7WH, p. I6-39. 71. fir lewtiWilJf wk/«/&r«fti. 7*( ftW r> ffO*, Act in. 1.
Iff/i M dt JtTatf. In Chancery Lane, kepi by RndtU the pujlUaL
Vol. (I. Tatti TiUt, noie (o p. lot. Tin f—i Jm. Rithar-1 ]*tft (i;i(-l7l«),aulhor of £J^ Hitt. AmiktijCMia, The ilMil (1671-171^], auibor of a iNKWif yPw/luifi^ ' (17 1 j). 7J. Mr. Omtur , . , lit /ilMtmgtr !■ lit Ptulf^. Sec Mimtrn */" W. M«aJia
It. )I0. Ha re<l name wBi,ip|iiTeniIy, Fiihc[,of DukeSuecl,Sl.Ja 74. T4> A>>7 i/l^l Kimr tfBelumm. T'utrMt SitiiJy, vUi. 19. ji~ Stt KawJ Ttili, f3. tl. ^ I tfi. Sec VoL I. pp. Ill, il Uf.
Tia italt '1 ii< (a* y <Hr («<//. R. B. Sbeiidio'a Tin Dtnaa, m. f.
486
NOTES
j6. Saimiiitr, Kini. joho Binniiicr (i7(o-tl]6}, Thomii King Ci7]»-ito5).
Mr. Jtuia S^llstu. I Kill HiU'j ly., u\. 1. 77> A tfttmalf. 'The Phonii Pimlir !• i vul ipcCiei tlonc' Cowley, Tint
KSSAY VIII. ON THE SPIRIT OP OBLIGATIONS Prom Tlu ffra MuuMj Mcfauw, ■ Tibh Tkllc, xi.J Na ];, Vol. i. iSm-
L ^Irf iflfftdffj. Terence, HtavJanlmorMmmsty 1. I. 1- Afdi' »-iirAi jr rji« iwi^j^/f ixvul. Hamtti^ iv. 4. Btnifti iluir ■«, 'f(. YoBn('» Ti« Rrvrnft, ». *. I. M'lif ifTvi. Wi }ur Utr //, 11. 7.
1. jMt. ifiOtf/va. Williim Wilbcrfarw (i7S9-i8;i)i the prliunentMy letiki of the iDlL^Uvcry «*ii)c. Sec Vol. ir. 7it ijUr^f tj tt> A^i, pp.
tj. ^n (in> (ilaw. Papc^ Thi Rafi tf lla Led, a., If-ll.
' If 10 her th>:« •Dine (rmilt rrrort (ill. Look oa her dec, lad you'll far^rl 'on alL'
A Htmv4. John Hawii-I (1716-1790), piiioa phiUnlliroput,
A Sir Hidttn L»tft. I76g-ii(4. At j*tIor ot Nkpatron In St. Httuu be
cnduTCd much ub]<H]u^. Charity o^fft m miblitiidt ofa^u I Ptirr, iv. 1, T*i mraMit frj-exi en fir lliaitii mtmxiM. Sbroc** Stnlimmitl Itrmj. The
Bourbonnoii. Ttlit. Fnn;ou JoKph Tilmi (t76]-iSi6J, one of ibc greitNt of Frtncb
ti*tic iclorl. S4. Mr, JmiiUt FuUint. WilUim, eldcii (on of ibi novtliit (tfiS-lSto). H«
WW ini>[i>tr>l( (or Witiminitcr. Ctltnl Bttk. In .jw.'u. A^nliiiur 16 J aunJ liiieditjt MtKhtik, v. ), fi{. ^ llilli Iniiir ihtn lit *■;'/'- Putlti viii. (.
..An/ ti-iia I iMiitt itji ia imwriaf viingi, Hiet-in *iiJ EArti, Pirl t. Scene 1. Tit f/rm ^ektit Jo»i I ntltr mik men p/toArr, I NoithcoteV (6. Star [Oprn] .Viuki. Th« worrit ibic optnol ibe on <loor in AH Bak» aad
lit Firta Tlimi. %j. Til lau M'. jJkoMtw. Rjcharil Briatlry Sberiilui died in iflit.
CaMia imiUfir iinlmn, ■! hi<l riihti coia my hurt, ■nd rirop my blooil
for drachnu*.* JuStn Crior, it. j.
ESSAY IX. ON THE OLD ACS OF ARTISTS
From Til Ntm Mctklj M*i4*ini, No. jj. Vol. >iiLv itl), 'Ttble Talk, nit.'
■ I. Mr. NiUttin. Jaicph Nollekeni, dieil in iS)}.
A mu't a mt»fit t' liii.' Bumi,' l« tbere for hnneit poverty.' I9. Cianlrj. Sir Fr*n<ii LtitiK Chinlny [xyti-ii^t). The weilih he iccumu- liled by meini of hi( art wif itiven to tb« Royil Aciiltiny lor (he purcluie of m>rifi of in cjKColed ia Greil Dnlalii. llmt virtmiii iimtrlft» Hut, Cf. ' I luve not yet forfot mytdf to •lone.'
Pofc, KJiuu fi AbilarJ, X^. Ai vfi/t a vWrttri n> Imtui hrd, PartAhi Ltd, in. 411.
487
NOTES
107.
loS.
■ Of.
III.
MI.
Bfftr. John Hopfacr (ij'ff-iIioJifortntl «*4 iMlwft faiatfr,whe
CDOtUcil la ^ir Jili «f irctn >a4 dilUrea.
. Mi. W. C. HailitI n|c«ti tbat Codwia it ncani.
Th-v. J. M. W. Turn<i,llKpn(rnE^Bdili»*cipcpiio(cr (it7!-*I{<)- Fir wiBir, iwjHir i/mj*iim/. Poft't Eltf m Mm, Bp. I*. *Si,ipplie4 M
Bkod. **". WtlUactdb l!>irtf CorJrru^it. Set oiMi, aolc to p. I). 7> /{rsD atrmil oauiimi tm fial. Ansultcmtt Tti Ari tf PfamMMg Ht»lit,
Book IT. Til ACh Hrmiii. Sh nl. n. TjliSr TM, net* m ;<. 9}.
Mr.C . Crokc*.
Noit. RKhuJ Cua»l(TlM<(iT)i-iSii),lkt ilrvaatkt, ittaibt* by OoU-
UDUb I* ' ibc Tcnnec ct B>|bnd.' Urrtdiimi idi, Htpncf, IV ^a Pul^ lit. JtmatdC^m*. A •ninm bf John G*; (i6M-i7]>K F^Me' ■* (>»
Hi7(a>rk«t wirh lliaJTri mutic, i'}!. Sn iW IM cWv* •> ft u. M'. Cn^, Gc«ae C10I7 (i7So~ig6oK Mtbc* of the rom«nc« tA S^tiUti
(ttif I, ud ■wncrmi atbn *Mk(. n* £9^ ikd^ t/Attttn. PloUUf [he R»t>I SMMy for tht i4nK>.
llM*l of Otnewl LiMiUBH, fodnJcJ ilij. Ciolr »i ao the (oannL Sir jhJrtm tTjtu. Tofai Odfi (i779-itM) oowl, A" 'fWrm «>a> >/
fil.w iit, WH rabWwd (■ •!». CtlMihtitt. HtmUl,i. r. Sf rrv iMlf. Pkirt Van itct Fia (i6i(.|Mo), «bsM (Mkn cb^H
(he (imily uiw to Uly ; piimct (o' WmplMilM lirtb) of ihc BciiKNi vf
ibeCoMtWCbnlau.
ESSAY XI. ON SlTTtNO FUR ONE'S PICTURB »( MmMMl^ M4r«>AiH, No. j{. Vol nil, il*h 'T>bl> Talk, a.'
T>> ii>zf*r i< til tirtti. Tlx Antbv Umicir poiaicd ■ wul) fOftriil in «Ui of ■ poM ol4 WDiain wbam he atit nor Maathglcf la ilo], fW. C H.]
Ifkn ti tti m m, tn lt»|, vka tht iklfr w» a Vu 67111 rWi ■"d Uailarua MiaiMn at Wen id SkraoAn . . . Tit pittsrt ii Hill in a fair MaM «<M>au ration. HT. C. U.]
TUUu Mr. Cfk. joha Opic (t7*t-l*07)> bialark*! painur.
AioJuWi (T ihv^ MH. FpMIk £«><, r. 1 57.
T^ Bwttirft. Sr >eL n. Jtf'. Kftcin't Cwmnrtiw, oou U p. 4J4.
Htfft ^itmj if mtti. C(.ni.r,IJ<larHmiit Xmjliii Ffi, aMt lop. I«7.
ftaifii msititi < ^^^w tf SmtI Gnrf, Ht marrital, abeat i6j^Matia Rolitvfii, Ennil-4i«()ita' of Ibt firit Karl cf Cowiic. Sw CtawMTiai gf /.HI AMm^ jr.A «** J<w> i»V< f. 91, arficfc NacdNOte It nportad aa arodi lailfc HmBu for U*i*( (Ivui ihe B«l*i BMBt m Oafcr. The thangr froai Cowper I* Com, m (iveo •> ika fnwni text, b te(»»M of SB <rr>tiuB.dinctioB to that clftrt bcfcia4 iLc'CoalCDU af Ika fim VolaiBi,' in Ibi oripnl xtitkn.
jI ftivf */ Or ■<« ^ .AJta . . . l^;f . lata AMbv. PMniU
p*>aHr[ri7}o-i7S7)<BuH*«l^rI>*oKU. S« Ifc4(wn^* DkUaony.
nU rnrtrOjaimd ia X^va^ m.
'TMak }o«, if Laon bad ben Penircfa'a witc, H« maid b«ic wrtaaa aoiiaeti all hia lift f '
Dtm Jum, Canto in. SUMa I,
489
THE PLAIN SPEAKEH
H^. Si. Frnt. in Roannu't Jmlk M /d KmvtUt i/Aor (1760).
■ I J. TiO iti tnit diiii ai II. OfitAb, IT, ).
> Ll|hl-wla|'J toy at (euhtr'd Capld.'
OiiiiU, t. J. Ctuitm. AMonSo C«n«M (i;f7-itit),VcaMi»B<cslpU(. Iti- Ti4 tiMrU/riitrk£. Popt'a £Jb>u » ^UUrJy io(.
Or iiwl.iW( /^ia Amtf (4( ,^ir (bf^ TbamiBB, n> CufA a^ JmdUtma,
Timt ffia pimtt. TbofDMA, A Ar** m Ma4t,
■ If. I<«J Krfftl. AufaMiu VtKmial %*ffe\ (iTi{>iTS(),«<ie of the En|
AAmltilt. He M)d Ul mtoai in cOwniM I, Sir H«gh PiUoer, <oiitl-surlialkd fo acmiitlini (k Pnoch Dot to etuac aflcr iniJcciiiTt battlt olf ItihJnt, 3*ih Julj 177K. Roiti nrRC sciiaitUd.
Mr. C r . , . maJt i*r Mmh uvi. S<* lUmnrd, K. S^ IK,, 1*11. June
i}, ill}, for Croktf'a nnnrki, 116. Tp at Ui IfUi/M. WMl&eM wu bvitd in 1770. WWn the cafBn wu optotd in I7i4> ikc body wu fouari U be pttfleo. Sec L. TjpctOMB'i i-^r, u. 6oi-]. PonUy it •■ to ihii tktt Hulitt rtfan. V«ra, *«W>^ MdrM r* « <Ax.
Thia KMiUe wknn mat ion (a btmoie A kaoAtA clO'l.
ES3AV XII. WHETHER GENIUS IS CONSCIOUS OF ITS POWERS
"•»■
117. AxWirtb. Henry St. Jaha,ViKoaat Balin|t*«kc|l^>-t7J<)i *(*'**dub, writtr tod (rtcixl o( l^pc
£r M'MI/iia '1"£'r- Diplomaiiit and cu>riil (■6i<-l7««>).
&» aw inijf. Tabu &»", i. 1.
A fiamix gtstJiy sll. Ftrt£ti Lett, 1, 47a. iiS. Mtttritm imftrttal tf*i. Ovid, Mil-, u. 5.
Oar^niia^BM ti>lM4iijiM^[D<iu]. niwa i/j4ilau,i. i,
foiw ACavW. Stc iitir, noic (0 p. t. tM. 7^ fJt^, (b iilHiiita, fir .nvK^. Lraih't ' Lino on ibe Cckkrued Pictura by Llontrda d* Vioci, tailed "The Virgin of Uic Rociu.'"
Tittifi itffanai »' fJtni. Topc'i EfniU n Mr.Tfmti, I, U.
Iwnt4 Ml ii tfatmUui. St* toL vi. TaMr Tdii, BMt lo p. 90.
Mf mirnt t* iw ■ H'ldtm ii. From Sir Edward Dm'* iTiic ia Bjrd** Pimtmt «iiJ Oaarn (MSi).
Tllar i^ttB t/MJltimit. Set voL nit, X^cnm h >fe £<t{AU CJaJt Ifrittri,
Sipiv OrlmJi Fr>V>ia.<J>. In Dckkrr'i Ti> Hwtf JTIm, Part II. S«« vol. *. Lttnm m (it Lit4riiairr tfdu Agr tf F.H**iilk, pp. ]]{, rr w.
VMiWr ir X)r<t<*. John WttHin (f -t. i6lj) and Thomu Dtkk« (t. 1574-1. i6jt). Sec vol. V. Ijilnrti n (t( DraoalH Z,rlirrdnr( t/ikt Att
Siili^ In hi) Ltriva « Ihtmtiu An *aJ Uitnitrt, See *a1. a.
tUaranrri tf Xttiiifut'i PUyi, note Co p. 171. T'f iJii.nc o/" IJitrn. Lrigh Hunt'i Matk, with ■ didieatlon (ratn Suirey
Jiil waa pubtitbed in iSij.
490
IK.
NOTES
ma
III. 113.
Iftim itt mi^tly fill. Kipnlcon.
Criii «<' ofi* "• It" l>f '/dH ttmf*tu Cf. H*mlH, iii. a.
' Vau wauU nuaA ate fiom my loiml note 10 <6xt lop of my compui.'
ao'l n. 1. ' An ejTie of diildrtn, llltit cy»«», lint ejy out on iht lop of qucnioo.'
Mr. Irrd,im rtctmrnndi iki vtlumi i/Cit'aiuriHiti. S« lol. til. of the fictent
(dilinn foi Hatlilt't Citrtfiirnrki, ind piniciitari of iheir publiolion.
The book wit fivaunbty rtvicwcJ in the Liiira'j G*WH for Jaly 11,
tii%. Til Siaj i/Rimini. Publt>lu<l in 1816, toi »ni|cly rericwiH In BlmrhtHtifi
MagttiT*, May itiK. ^ ^JiMii i/fif'f. Stc vol. tr, n* Sfiril ^iti ^r, doIe M p. Jj).
Lsfi tiris.1 nui nmivirufirf. Bacon, /Uvdiict»H»i ffLtfrnmg, B«ok 1. 114, <4. P. £. Alinndtr Pm, Etqnitt. Tirji nir II win. S*tdm, xx. 7.
II{. F4if.diic<lgi>n/ !■ Atr Jitfrniyn a/lmt [ipaccl. Cowpci, ftnirrmiH, L 84. Til _fiut a/ *a<m M tri[tl. sit RimitaidlmiHr, 11, 1,10-1. Strilimf-Fair. A r»nai» fiir wii htlil at Weil Smiihlirlri, tt}j-if J5 about
th* lime of thr fnliral of Si. BiitholomcK, Aui[utt 14. Til Ufi nUinttr a»d t^i rlsJ uiiiiu. Cowfri, Ttn Tut, v. 901.
116, Bii nfmuirmii. 'UccSilii miKroi cnmbc icpeiiia niafiinoa,' JuvtnkI,
¥11. 154. jtmilnl CvaL Annlbalc Cancci (i;6o.i6q91, painlei of the FainMt CiUciy. in Komc.
117. ' IjrviftT L*vi.' Con^vc't conu'ly, 169;. Mai MrlUr. Hirnrt Mellon (177^-11)7), laler, DuchMi of St. Albia'i.
Stir bcfin an the ilage ti a ehilU In boyi' punt, vat iatiorfund by ShfTirlan to l.on'lun, where the playe4 ' Lydia Lanyuikh ' In Tii R/^ttli^ at Ofory Lanr, January >79S, in^i became a popular hoyH^n. Mr. Coutia, ihe Irniktt, fril in love wiih hcf, am) tnarfi«i| bet aoon aft« Ihe death of hia uife in 1814, an>l O'ben be die.) m i^ii bit wraith paiK-i to her. Ib iSj? ahc maiiiti! WiUiam, Dulie of St. Albin'i, whoae age wii 17, Afta providiajf hanilaametv for him, the kit l)ie bulk of bet property Co H>. CootU' gtanddaughlit, MiM Angela Bur<letl.
BU Pj/wc. (i7{7.fiSo{.)
Stwuiiifr, John Bannriter (i7(o-il]6].
ESSAY Xllt. ON THE PLEASURE OF HATING
Lima » « ^Jir. Probably thon in Tii Uipti (Byron, Shelley in-J Hant'i Quirldl)^, (ol. 11. 177. tlS. T»i rtilJt f/timdm Undmni. Muhft, 1. 5.
Wi M'. 6<L'ii iiitr%t: StUtiu tnJ BnMi/^1, Pari 1. 1 I j. Latt line but one^ lufKr, 1 1 ilip for * Dttur*.* 119. Ifi luiairiii M iTRB ftfiiJMi •/ Fai*! But tf Marijt. A folio edition wu pnbtiahed by •otacriplion by Thomai Kelly, Lonrion, iSll. Cffi/f litii^p I ttdr. III. 4.
Pmtftittmi. Jereiny Beaiham'i nimt for hit method of priion (optrviiion. See vol. IT. Tite S^irtr 1/1*1 ^, note 10 p, 197.
49»
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
rAsr
119. Mr. Om^t imfmiMi FntiUap^u. CL nL u. FtEait»l Enffi
121-7, Mr, Iromi . . . CtltJmiMa CiafiL Sk *aL n. T^ ^irit y lb
p. Ill, a itf. ' fu prtaj, ilKmik a fUpt. AO '■ Win tUl Emit Wdi, 1. 1. Ufm lUi tani and tIaJ ^ amt. Mtdrtli, 1. 7. I ]o. Oai^ [o'b <laia(] (m*<jr«r. Htmlti, m. X. A wtHI, t A mjaprmt for 'Aloust*' n«r wiKi «M( /bkmm <i Ikuii. OitdU, I. )- 1)1. Efktlr It RiirriSmiluj.Eij. 5a tlw Letter of Elia to Robot Suvtbey, '. id Tlu L—dam M»i*timi,Qet. lilj.
TUr / ^uif ka™ ciUi'atiJ, See dao, tbc E«7 * Oa the rmiw iiil U 'I, AMiion.-
li ' ' l]l. tf f loMpb Hnmcof the Pipe Office, oot (he RuTical M.P:
I Limb'i Ltrrin, cd. W. C. Hiilit^ i. ]6i, Dotc ■].
I Cartn lAaa ai a diiijiijQr At Cedt. JJha C^iar, a. i.
f £ H Lcifb Hunt.
Jtim Scon, f John Scott (■7S]-ilii), Editor of T/tt LomJmm Mn who died from ■ wonsd recej*ed in ■ dacl (rum CbriMic, Lou friend.
Mri. • MoDtlgs.
I B t Burney.
Sam imttmiitiaiiifir kmrt tf ihrjial. At Yt* Liii It, a. 7.
Ftlirwi of no mark. I ATm^ Henry J/'p, ul* t. 't t Hume. I '' 1^1. Mr. ICaikmgan ^vhu avtryfianriur. Cf. -nl, f. TMt Spirit cf iJU .
• Mr. Liim. Jnhn LiiloD (1776-1S46).
1 34. Gone into ike ^vailet of limt. * But thou unonp the wattcm of tiue mm ShjktipfJFr'l Sortruli, 111. I Mr. Msort' I Lc^iei tf i*e An£e/i. Of Mr. Moon't poem,pDbliiheil fni J;
1S23, five cditioni were exhaulled in one yoir. Sitlinjr in my tpivlrw. Bemmont aad F[eLcher't FkiUiltr^ V. 5.
[Heired from i theeptoie]. The mne of poetry it drank.
' The wine of life ii drawn, and tbe rocrc lee* I , It left thi* vault 10 brag of.'
I ' Macitlif II.
J 135. Play [ipon]iuyrA Amarylliim the tkaJe. LynJaj^ 6j.
I FoKtkill. The reiidence of ' Valhek " Beckford,
V To every good vjork rtprobtile. Efiith 10 Tifui, i. 16.
' 136. Of ivkom ike iBor/d vtai net ivirtiy. Epittle to tke Heiretot^ x'u j3.
'i Thii ■uiai imxe limr a mjutry. ' Thii w« tome time a paradox, but noi
time give) i( ptoof.' Hamlet, iii. i. The rati flueked from tke forekead of a virtuait love.
It ' ■ ' Tjkei off the roK
f From the fair foreheid of in inaacent love
I And teU ■ bliiler there.'
Hamt/it, ni.
j 137. Kole. Tie Seniinel. See vol. Vl. Converialioni ofyiuwel Nitlitolt, p, f ig
' footnote.
Daddy Rallon, III Scotl'l Hear! o/Midloliian,
493
■s
NOTES
ESSAY XIV. ON DR. SPURZHEIMS THEORY
Dri. Gdll tti^ Sfinrtiim. S« dBir, Ciaiy On Urnisi.
/f tat miirt mm lao 'uJ ifaigi mtiuri. tdaihlkf I, {.
Drmui lit ainaim. Tvt^ii f/i^it, i. ;■
W»tH i/ndi di [nmi itmali (ilrlr limlilri. OlMh. I. ].
HtTt tr irxii . . . iLutiJ j»J ttfOffJ wiik On. Dnden, AiuUtm lurf
jtikiivflkl, 1. 1 14. Cf. ilw ■ ilmilir ptwcfc in AiAinn {Tit SfitiM-n, ;to). Ifiii ceiir witiiirt if li*t filt aaJ maru. CL 'cnierpiiKi ol gnu pitb *iu>
monwiiE.* ffcnAr, iit. i, ^ItiH ititgi ari Jan it tlU grtnurtt. S. Ltilt,*xiii. j: Tlr /Uciimnl. By B«n Jodmh, liio. MalihtMli. NitoUt Nftlcbnaclu {i6]S-i7i;],bIhm Di^KMinvi* A Jt(
fi^iV mi pul>liihfil in 1674. Cnkim Caila. •Cooil LtuncelOl Oobb*,' ^l"^" V ''"■'"i "• >- Tlir, »,iJ, ■) rAiii '0 'ill H ite. Hamin, 1. ;. T*i l*-inJtr/ml Maiariw. TU IfsKirrfil Ma^*tm,c MarvtlUmOrMitltytr
Niw lfi*Uf fiiarunvr, a jouinil of the liiUr half uf l)ic r)(;lilw nih cntiny,
Willi viryini lillc*. KiBg FfjMtaJ. PoMibly Ibt ttlrrrnn ii i« ihc Cortn havinit In fttAitttnt
Itavc Cariii (whichci ihey tu<l citricil him} ituring the (icfc by llu PrciKb
on 0<t. I, ■■[], in oi-lcr 10 make tn-mi will) the Pruch. hfeUfm, « ric nfA' 'if ^•^. llemlil, I. J.
Notr. Dr. Cnn^ d/" EJsnturgi, The pbnnotogifaJ Cnmbei wcrr CmvfV (irBB-iSsS), W,S. •o<! moral phili.%anphtr, anil hit brother, Anilrtw {179?- it47},diKtor of mcilitinr- fW)' n hmitlf. 'I am no) auJy witty lnmyMl(,bul Ihc cibk thM wit k in
tKaa men.' i Ki*i IIibiji IK, 1. t. Not*- SfinuJrrmg i^aticf. At Tm LUt tr, n. J.
ESSAY XV. ON BGOTISM
ij!. Jtn>j Ca^tyin' vth. 1 *"•< Htm'j If., ii. 4.
^«M anJ itl/-tv*trii. *S«lf and viin concril,' Km£ Riitirtl IL, m, ■• Gtirir^ iti'iU'l ffiit »^mt trtrid. ynJin Cmi't 1. »,
160, Mr, Mil]', itr iult aatt ta f. rSj.
Til fratui Lt'J CIahVv. John Scoti, Laid Eldoo t*7;t-iSjS), who h»
■ID lave loi llurilurt or irl. Madami Caialani. AagctinC(UU(il{l77i|-il49) the popular Itslitn linirr. Sb* mailc ^10,000 in fonr montht in London* til. Til lart Ci^iKtlltr (F.rdi:*t). Thomia Eciklnc, ir$0-lSl). itl. El frafiir vh^m vivn£ pir^irt laaui. Jonnil, viu. Sj. 16}. tKitJiK li }*ui/M4 rf ii' tiiUrtm, S.MaMiew,ii. If. IVcw nf hrtad *f» lit Vattri, Bala^ li. 1 . fftn (hUmiih «u> lalUt ft i&f. S«< Botwcll't JiUum {c.l. C B. HUl],
ii.iji. Hirmfi MiJiigiiaa. Tlic Rcv.Jimo Heivry'i (1714-175!) MtJ'aaiiiiti a»J Ctarimfiarifu wrrc high!}- ctlecmrd in (heir flay. 1(4. »Viw//. RichaH Wnti[l(i76s-it]6].
Aftllia KatMrntK. Miria Anna Ancflica KiiiffnianD (1741-1(07), a S»tM
Saialcr of (chkfly) fcmak chuicLetl, maay of which wm cngnvcd by larulcui.
FAGI
"17. Ijl.
IJ9. 140.
141. "M-
146.
'47- U9-
'51- .5«.
'57.
49S
Mm
:SJ:
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
jfthfirii. ih R(tluri4 Alkwrifkc (l7)t-<79l>-
A till ^ IpnrtiKt. CjmiiBattUu ).
Tit utifpiM wnK la mdtf imti. Nifolmo, o( tomt. He ilM oa May j
«"■ (lyu).
AiiX" "^ '''V '*" *"' '>*"*'- PUUffimt, ■li. «).
ffwlll*/ '< inif «>*«> il HI. JUdittiA, t. |,
OtUntAt «Mi nf JmIuh •/ttjait In 'tf ii'/' ix, Srr ••», p. too.
Hun * I'tifttg [nMtaftim] H*Mtt. t'oft'i Mini HiHjift, iS4'{.
tSSAV XVI. HOT AND COLt)
|4«. /iW, nU, milii, mJ Jrj. F*'*iiu Liu, ti. i«t.
Nttkt tai miti uw f*<i ^tmm. Hamit, vt, 7. 171, imw( ruw tipi/Cn Ini.
•Il !• ■ (utlllar Uanio dim, «id (IfMlAn lov*,' ^^
n fc i>y^ if*^ C(. /r«/(>, (T. in, It,
//«>. Not otwTc btcM), fc«t whttt be liMtcB,* 17]. Uirt 4II ImtHittn, Ch«»Mf. frttrm, ijo.
Hf Mi/^ 1^^ iW .A'U^' ftrnfit. Hm^, 1. {.
VttuMi irtmStr. U* lliutin da fyspi it Sitrmtmait.
Km*. M'. .^MrAir. litoUUx J*n>e« Scittnt, \UxtytttH LmiI AUnfeq »lia piactiwit in th* Norlhtm Circuii •ml Lsnmkirc S*«*lacw till tlojl lliillii n«i*ftl ( rampIinMnlir)' iMWr (ram SnrMl oa iIk patillcalaMi ol Ftimiftn tf Htmm Atii—. (>R Fnr CrofMhai tft Llur^tj Famllr^ I. 9I'}, iii'l Mimnrt, I, 111, Md/<ir, Htt t* friniifUt if Hn
amm a*%wlH« ntwJ. Trf ifM £*Wr, ik. ik. cfaip. j ].
Nat*. Mr. SlufiirJ. itt *mU, •«« 1« p. 4i.
n« wtv'Wfu'tr fU>{ M iwik I JCnf J/rw^ /f ., i. }•
JM<Jar flf Mttlltrt*. Mmnthr Mti^tt in. t.
ffiHtaH'i TrMlli h C^faiba. btthMir I1m^>u4*« (1740-111 j) book WH pBblliM in iffo-A •( KUnibtri. 76. JW( ntf wiUhr Jhi iat^tit ift. * Bm dtdJ-raU wiotti mMt iokabil 1 nrlWtMMf Xj*n«r>,A(t II. 1.
L»tt fmtfM. Iltmbi, I*. J.
Tj** lii it»J lit Ghdi frmJi tkm. Dndm, Abwaniir't ftaUy laj.
Afftumiii **i iriMiii r« Awl. 1 Ti*f fiV*-f IV^ III. I.
• A mmi up Tiriitf'/aJi f iffli' Trmr^m Sia»Jf,tu. )4.
•:<•
»;*
SSSAY KVn. THE NEW SCHOOL OF RKFORM
ll«. CW !«>«■ Mr*. Pkad, la hn Amtdta tf lit tit fr»»i/ %toH pW»«M atattttnin. r4. O. 8. Hitt, >. 104), -riiM > • Dctf rildnu^ mU he t* «t «Nt itj) «u « man to my nrj hmn't c«tteni 1 Im iMua | r«ol, imi hi iHtd 1 r«cw, i»* h» hiwJ • ''^ 1 h* wa* ■ ««. gg^ ittr.' Sm »1m (oI. '. Tit KtuJ TiUt, f. loj. ,
49*
NOTES
if I. tlifii^wd Jtjitiiiiif, Scott'i Htfi tf MiiUitum, voL t. chip, xii,
jt (MiionwmH. * Dcvoutl)r to be wiihc'l.' lUmkt, in. I.
tfkii mtrt filitslj caa Jail i» erulvtt Spentu'i Attu^rmi, c iht FtU tf lit Buinrfiu, 17. iS}. Getd^Uladri, Ct. Mtrrj Ifttntt ■• 3i 'judiciaui oillailo,' in-l Kn[ l,4«r, IV. c, <>lnnj;r sillailrt.
Mr, lltUfti. John Cicn HobhouM (ijtb-itfq), Byton'i fritnil.
Oni !/'*'« 't" J />'■*" « '•' Afc''* M«u<. Jinifi Mill (l77J-lS}6), who, in ■pile of hii riiiital bpdioRi, wit appuimc^ Auuunt'Eumiiici of InillKR CoiT*ipDniienff m ttiq,
Tkiir ^iijtit ciT iki Kdmt^irgi ^rt'inp. TAr tP'riimiuutr K£9JfWt Itnancvd by Bcnlliiai in>) t'liM ti)r ftiwtin;, wit foundoil in tgnuarv iRif. Ill firtt nDmberi conliiaot ■ itripi of iiuulii on the EJinitrrl (cl. ft",f- jSi) ) JUJ^tuniltl vi% HjiinD«'l In the rhir-l number (JuLy idJ4, voL lu p. 17^1 ] ■□d the grtldc on Moort') Lift >/ iJirrida» appennd in the Buinber ror Oclobrr, 1II15, vol. iv. pp. ]?i.407. The jlluilei) 10 Shttidan 1* la unmCffUfuT jdvcnnLrrr will br fnunil on p, 404.
Bxon'i Ki>i)t, Of ftfania^i i%J CivU L'/i.
l%^. A Jisiiflinffianuniij.
' " Biuki _ e>Iibl»hei< It CalcutU in 1S18
Tin I'ttimni tf Mr. Butkint^m. Jjnirt Silk BnckinEhim (irSe-llf^l e>Iibl»hei< 11 CilcutU in 1118 1 papei olltil IW Ca<'»n-i ^tvi*!, which ceniureil the tbuie* of the Intlian GoverfuncaU in-l t*Af luppretieii by Joha
Ailinii, teinponry Govefoor-Oeneril, in April, i8lj.
Mr. Hall. HnbrrI Halt, (be cclcbralcd Bsplitt pmther [1764-1(11). Hi* rrmcival from Lcicntrr, wherr he had irrvcd aa paator nf the Bapliat conifrrEaiinn fni iweniy yort, la Briatnl, look pU<t in 1II16, when be •nciec'lei) Di. Kylaail it head of th< Biptiil Collffr al Briitol ind p4itai of Bcaailinead Chape L i%%. Sir Kiiia/J Bittlmiirt. Caurl phy«i({>n 10 Willlim and Anae. He illol in
1719, after hivtnf wrilten lii epica in aiity book*. it6. Sr Rtifl fill . . . ithit frinitg. i7;o.iS;o. He carried on ■ coltm factory al Butv with great (ucceM, and devoUd much lime to the lmpro*«- fnent of machinery.
E/rmaai t/ PUmcal £cwwiy, If ytmn MHI. Jomct Mill'i work w*t publiahed in ill).
Priiuifia sf FtUiitnl Eeinmf. By John Rimiay M'Culloch (t7l9-tllfi4). rubiithed itio.
Srrjiiff It^l Htf;! difima dirt ifavU it. John Byrom, On IM FnJi hrMvrt^ llanJil jnd BtmiMitJ,
M,. M , > Jomci Mill (i77!-i<J«).
M'. P. t> ThuniDi Love Pcacoeli it ninfll ! He wit Ihs aulhoi at SiaJtJafAni (iKiX), the poem pctaibly refcrnd lo a> JtMepe in H»litl'« nole to f, 1S7. Pfscock allackeil po4tr)r in bit ftf Agn tf PttfJ, con- tiibuled to Ollier't Littrarj Pitlti Bxi in igi«, and irii antwererl by Shelley in hit Dr/rnti ifPtify, TfaouRh Peacock hat not beeJi ■HDCiated with Utilicariia^iiRi, yel hit place at tlie Itxlia-ltoute, where he wi) a felluw.flcili u) Jimci Mill'i, may have lent colour lo ihe tituniplinn thai he wu 'one of ibtm.'
Mr. Pi . Franii* Place, eaitical reformn (l77i-i(;4).
Til Leu Mn. Thomat Campbell'i (Kwin Tii Ijii Maa wm prinltil in ihe iVen> MiniHy Magamifi, voL I, No. }j, ill]. Perhapt Uailill hid iti title in mind. lis. Ttitrtafitr ti ii iaffva. a K'mgUmry /f ., iti. t. 'Theteiflct %t they be.'
Prmria paiki, Hamliifi. ^,
♦9J
49'
i^^is!t^
in. ham
ttmmt. fc- I kwi 1 in Tl»il«- ■ > lubi
zbra
.M.^»L
'tJijfi'^m.t.^
tr xvttt. OK Tta sc*unc«iHBis succmm un
T TO
rTiA,..*
»«.
rwin.
itoW
■TM-tSof.;
19I, Cam A^wMw. TW liti ii| I
Jhwu-H yM?. J-*-- " — - ^-- ■— > — p-g^ , I ■ ^ Sv tid. I*. Tit Iftm if fit Ap, f. 111.
imrrmtmUi UMt. - - ' '^ ■ '"l' 1 il 1 Yji li
OWWrfu^ «i>«n M«M Tdoki l«c4.
Ifuitmm^i'Utmmii Sec "- - '- " j*^ --*- 'f imi 1 j J_u J
r<i^, £>f , "4. n ». 44t.*WUe }« w polrxt pManaiaa of 'faa m
■■4 Mcniwa W bl* (irtiM^wt Mt, dAp^ PiMtiuw it ca«u Mt 1*1 tmmt r<«w*^ <)»' r^w o^r iainvd' (U W Freack IvMll 'sMMratof cht •&« !--■--■ - --^-r^ -1- "-I ■mill, h* tW aotij ' MlulMli«lU/w«BlnarWMlJ«nr . . . 'A* W Iu4 «Ka Mcn h»M «(■>•*« b« oNikki —"fa"— ^m, )„ ^^
tiM wiUi hb ■>■ luMi. Htwtaf kadi Ih iUi |«»tmi, iW JiIm
IMM4 bk <M (of Ihc UM tUM, SMi MilH *Im (> ••• ttu< fftKOtod
I
akk.
<l7{f ltot),OTMk MfeUw
1
49<5
NOTES
n> AtmUrJit OUSvtm. Sa t—r, note Ur p. 6.
r^ iHi tffrrktfi lii [rami ■lUtij SMr Im^. CokridK*. Ci. Til ^trit tf
Dmn Smu » TW»* Bi Iwn. lohaDBa(,tkt*»ibUc<lo<tM'| JjoobBabaKii lii'i-iiuih CtrauB caytcic
uuctviuJ I* it'tyiatnt mmit, Hamttif In, 1.
Tin titiM^ frul i<Mt. Tlu>nnoa*( Ciutfi i/ItJiima, I. lis.
JVfli (jr f KKW f((iM jtr JUivnrin. BraiiiM*, A/s^imm CUI^^Jn^ * MaBM ipcum.
7itM|^ y JtU all bKntlr^tt. ■ CwiaMtin, liii. 1 , 1. »oo> 7m I'wmf^^ilip- yyi tfiifKi. 5. Muttrtu, vti. ■(.
Uafia fimm. See nL n. TdtiV 7*0, sou to p. 17.
Tt [II lii ttt't rf iki tujiois vvU. JmlauCtur,!. i. loi. Mni^inwir. Hotir.Sm. I. r*. 4]. i»x. ftx/Matti lUnit. Vngil, XvJ, II. 774.
Ifni* h^Jhu trtw. I Ki*[ llm'jr tl'^ 11. i.
Tm i<^fi' ka tai€'i. GtAitmak'* AmMmw) h.
^ mkI n/air. Tliomton. CmU t/liMfa, n. xy
FdlJlM, mi iJiamti itrir wrMffm, f^aiui IaH, i. 461.
Htw U n,, Mf M tU nml. BuAu, ^ iMir » < AUli 1>^ <i»Vii, Boh*, V, t4sJ. !«]. afi'i intriftitJt rf Ml. H*mi\fd SifJf. Triititm SktiJj, lu. \a.
0* liM fmu Tbc nOra^m a«it ' IVliil*nI Ml hu mark.' Conptvt, Tit
F*r «vM«l^ itrm n fa nm^M'J. Wallet ■ O/Lm, !%•>(• :
* For waman (bora lo bt rantrol'il} Stoop l» tbt forwuil «n<J Ui« bol'l 1 Aden ihe luggh(7 lOii ibc prouil, The gxj, tiie ftolic, *nU the loud,*
104. Douliliit, lif firtn't a ai pm. Bullvt'i HmM^ti, Pitt II. Canto lUi 1. 7i<> ari i/ia-l *h'/ Juifvij. Set mL 1. Titr A»W 7«M, p. $4. W wkir nium 1 iurw vary ti/tii, llinudf.
8a» ar lii Sk**nffarr. The eott'l thctulul lavcrn in llw Pkua, Cavtnt Garden. Ste Tiaibt' Hiarj if C'lJi ami Cti-U/i tn LmJf, cil. itib,
p. 417. 10;. ffii «jir nnwr » firai. S«* vol. 111, PeSikal Rtujt, p. f 7 ui<l nMo.
Tir traafiJ griuonri, <r<. Cf. Butkr, Jtifiiitimi ta air AnvAifilH M fVawf (Silici ifi/ti, k\. Piynt, II. 164).
'Ihi^ijv* 'iHMkr,' ii^i Om. Lctttr l» Riduiit Wui, May 17, 174).
W ma 1/ X""" ' Htxtmi IS i^Mt. Cr. nl. 1. Tik K>w(^ TjUt, f. 95.
>ViiTcr fV</.;/««s. In ihi Duke of SuckiDghaiu't KtiitruHtijt).
Niiii laiiiuau Ttttncr, WmiMmmi'—hj, i. i.
rugaiirry tiai iHiiit lUdmUt^dtMtf ittiM. Cny'* iTAxh I ■ ■
L^Jy M*ry Ifntlty MimmpH. {<,lliqo-ijtt), Ihe coitnpon'rinl of Popt hn<f Ad4iioa,
ji. P. E. AlcitnJti Pope, G»)iiit(.
Bft MM iavi litfiM iff itil mirral ml. Ihmlll, III. t.
Til 'uS Miy if Dant Siiriu. Oavlit Rllcbie, a ilnrf, of Uaoor, PnUet- ■hiTC, w» Iht 0Tl(>n>t of KUhcnilu, lh( niatk l>wMf, In Scolt'i novel M a\UA. S« 7*1 Li/i trJ Aitiim tf iti S&ft Omar/,!, DfvU Riitiw, nmmmlj lalliJ BtmJ Dtvw, byWiUam Chamban, Bdinbnr|b^ tiao.
106. 107.
TOL. VII. : 1 1
497
r '.. = .£ t-
"_:?_
^ V
•, ' f ^ -
NOTES
at J. FmBumJ m lii Tttntii. Act m. t. 114. Stritml jtil tM»«. In FxIJia^'i Awnli*, Bsok v. dup. 1, Lt^ C . CMtlnnth.
Filamimai tut tr*a. Ft'tHu Ltil, 11. 6fl. ai;. McrfHi WiSi^ij. Eticbard Ovtey, Mirtjiit WrlIc«I«y (i7fio-i844]i Oaitrnor'0«Dtnl at Iii'lii. Ht «(■ iiU'lt ■ Kni{fai of the Gitwr lad fanlpi Minkler ou hit rclurn Tram Madrid itUllicr he wtalu AinkMUddr In ito^.
Zttru t/Mki. Millon't J-'AlSitn, 110.
lutrj K'Uiat. ThoniH Cnkinr [i7fo-itij}, A^nialt m-l t.oiil Clunallor.
LtrJ Sumift. Charkv, Earl SlMihopc (i?^]-!!!*]. Ht mi « ilrtnuoui
Til Orua iftMtM, Tile Itar-nthled km af the ifticnib <«Btur]> romiiic*,
ftuWin tad Ortt*, Dihrraiie itu IfiU Mtti sf t'tmm. A Stijr til nw3 lUritif-tm lit vjttdt. Es>l of RoKumnioil, iraniUumtif
Honcc't^i P*idt*, ili-i. Cf. Wri ftfiKd, t4«>" "T- LarJ EUta, Sn iibis no'* t« p. i((. 116. Grr-i ^im gttit mKsAi, Sn dM>, nou to p. it}.
Ffiii'i Ft'iitfTmar, I751. Xi%. AUira»jii\khy*miunlti. CairpcT, T*i T<«ii, t*. 49. 119. O/mimu uuitmm, P*pt, Mtr*l £■•«)•< iil. jo^-io.
GsJ Alnlgiiy'i gnttm^. Drjiltti'* AMtrn tij AtMnfM, I'tn 1. ifj.
C D— — . OtOTfc Dyer (■7{5-il4i), KiitclUoniu* wriUr.
LamVt Amiai XullHvni. C'ii«,<H. Ainftr, ^ all.
Sm
ESSAY XX. ON RKADINO OLD HOOKS
From Tit Lmitm Mti—ha, Feb. it»\, nX, in. p. tiS, 'Tabic Talki vliV titntd T,
t%a. LtJj Mr[m. (i?!)?-!!^;) A wriin of Iritti (totiM mil of nihrr
muMlUiMoua waik » ihr nilf yrsn of thr itis(U<nih cantury. B«for<
bar Durriait in 1 1 1 1 hr c irorki bort btr maiikn iiinif, Syloty Unrtnion.
Hotury, Tit tf'U Imt Girl, ■ noiioail uli, publiiked b ilo6,pia*c.<
thfaU(li Mwn (ititiaiii in lin> y«*n. ,<4uffaiiw. Thoniai H*pc't {i77ft-ilit) IfMtcrn ronunoc pubUalud iSi).
■nd wimly praiKd by itir tJait'fi Xnvrv. 0f4M"". (bduiM d( Statl'i nonl nu publiihc4 ia itoi. /• litir unom x&w. tdaittii, I. 7. A»i>m MrlUr. TbODMaTl »il Fitldinf*) publiihrt (17D7-17M] *t
rrapMt Millar, •ic.'uid Dr. JahoaMi | 'he hat railed ibt price of liuraliwc '
(BoawtU't JU»m, td. O. R. Kill, 1. iSy). lie vat fuececdcd by hii
paitaer, Thosui CkIcU ihe eldct. TttfUi Suti F*ftf%. A Cdlitiim if Suu ftjtri (mwii rala. folio, 1741)
by Jaha Tkwlte (i(r6-lA«t}. He ■•• S«(ie1ary of StMe duriac ik
PrMi«taral*. 5frjm&mlhy<i'r£u«ri' PuhUabadaa Jtfii»(ilb*f«in litoaBd |6«I. He
wai tbt IhM (vrilar, nyi Dr. Jahnoni. who fa*c todenee M Ea|llali rrole. HI. Fv ttmtku tmd/v 'tmtmtrtKi. IUmSt\it. {.
B'titimMi. ^one'i Tnit'tm SKitUf, Baok ill. cbip. }{.
TttMtmun tflMf f*t. In P"'["i fittlt.
Tirm/vmUra M tH Mtfatrub. 7W yfvi, Hotk xiil. char- 7.
499
"!
tX4
Sec *oL
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
HI. T^ Jiifmiii tatMn THiatfan tnJ Jjikt. XM. Book ill. ctaa. 1.
fffr .lAMr*! Utnrt. Iti4. B«vk ni. chiy . j. HI. Tin ftffm Jtlki^. lUmlHfUi, t.
ItiHtmn Hua JAh, Grmy On * Oium Finfti t/El*m CUtpt lO. TtiMitn-^foi. A pnUiihtaf houK ia LtMeahill Strtel, wbkh
fai the tn4 « Uk <i(hM(ath and Ikr kcfiadld| of ihc alnelecnth cvSlMfw*,
popular bij|hl]r.CD]ourc4 rvRiisca. Ctit'i f*cltl^iiin. Stc roit. t.-n.ti(Cotki'tStlKi BMlKti tf Br'auk tfmwb
{174*). Mr. W. C. HatlillM}* Hulni btaam ■ci|ii>in{t.r wiili lU* bosk
(hroBfli bu fatbcr btlof an oiifiiut tnUttlkr to tbc Htm. M',. lUikl,^! nmtittf t*i Frat. AaoRadcllfft't (1764-1 tij] bo«k<
fshlUKd in 17^1. 9bmH i» lit HMDl. KntUiJim, i, 9.
Tn Jm>i lAnfwri &u.( JrAM df i/tfitff. Boole (. ch*p> {.
/*«•!•■ ..l^biai . . . M'l. Slif-SJf, Book IT. thap. 14.
CimU-i T'Sin. Thonui Chabb'i (I&79-I747] !''«" ■•' fwtl— aj WV«i
mrt publiihtil in lii vgl*. gfo., i;;^. Ht ww«itelii. F*lt,/'it'^il, tu. ttrtdht Imi, u, {6a.
' la miidaloi miati la«t.' Note. .4 /'HiW, wta iatf uw hntrjfiift. Cbuki Lamb.
TM. ra/i, p. 141. ^niiif / itJ irvt' ut* tt^nimtt^. Dr. Faasu, Sant 19. lUrilij, Ikmi, Btrtritj, Divjil Hmlcv {■79{->7!7) vhow O^vn^fHsi m
Ml* were publiihtd ia 1749 ; Dtvl'J Hune (171 1-1776) ; Ceorge Bnkalay,
BUiopaf Clayoc (lbi{-i r;})- l^tl^i XuM M (^ //»*ja (/•JtriupJof. iGfO. ffiMn. Tbomii Hobbri (i;ll-t679] »< ibc LrcMtldi (i65i). Til Sendl Ctr'tii. Publitbed 176a. /AaH I fin limektfi. S« vol. i, Tir JliaaJ raUr, 'Oo the CbaracH(«r
RoiIHCill.*
Suiurtd tiU ttrijpfn. Wofdwartb, Atay PlHum. Tlf £iBi;iu. Publiihct! 176^
Sir F»ffm£ Finirr . In Si" C<or|f Etifertrt'i tmnflj TiU Ma* r/MtJt {t^ji). »if. LmrtiUJiift! An cipTTiiinn of RantKiiiX CtyViiiMi, Li*. I*. ^ /pai r« I'ff' a twi^. Kmm Urnrj yilUi 111- 1. MaritM CtiiitiM II J jMtry tnl, Lamb't &«■« W iW •ntiar i/ftwu faUlti
naJi' itt matn •/ llar'y CtrwtvtlL Mr. Ktatt'i £vr 1/ Saiv .Igati. Publtthcd iSlo, C^mt liii litf^Rcri. Matktti, iv. 1, T^fr-mtei'i mtft. Ktttt, Evi i/Saii Ai*n, BUiifi . . . •mikUcitJtfqii'uMtilmii. lUJ. tftrdlfVHrJlfWudl. lUmill, II. 2, TA( piM frMiiir ia rA> Ca/id'aaua Cttftl. Iniaf. Sm aair, p. 1 19. t!6. Wi Mi >dr/ >il"^aairil/tr '^ warir-(^i*{i [W«olu1. ^lab ilii. 1,
Gmkit Sfrmii tf tfaiir. Finkhcd in 1774. Ct, vol, v, Ltsiam tm ttt
DrtmtiM UurmJuntfiM Ati 9f EhnaUti, o. j6l. StUIn', KMm. t7$i. SuAU. Giving mjf iittt [fum] yiwrr. ^ l^t* Liii It, ii. i. y»iiJtitii Tilth a' M'u F'l. Cbatattni in Conprw'i LnH fir Lrrf
{169J]. Vilenlloc WM Uciwtoo'i ftcal pari, aad F. lUjmoldi declared
|O0
NOTES
thn the love iMot betwMD Jick Buiniiur ■■ Tallle tad Mn. Jm-Im t) Mbt Prui wji < pr<itublf ocnrr lurpsMcl in rich nalunl tomeij.' iti, Kaaw ivr <w.
'Were it my cue la ftthl, I ahould hive knawn il Without ) ptompm.'
Ofir/fs, a. ».
Jifm ti I* fsrr. Sec t*tt, nott la p. 14.
r^ alttrMii Sr Huttfhrij Drvj. Sli Humphry D117 (l^rS-illf), njttf 1 philuiophcr, 117. Thi dniau ClrmnlMt, In Riehitdion't Sir Cti'Ul draUitm (1755).
W7fi fvm fist tmJ tin. • line *n<l Kkh.' All\ ITtH lisi E1J1 ma, 1. t.
Gt*vt*\iti'm . . ,] in ay ^•vi'i u^r. Hi^/.
Mirinsif. Hmry Micktntie'i (i74t' lip )7>'i«i'( <<■%■/»■• poblilhtd in 1777, lii 7t»< >(lcr the Mit» b/ FeiiH[.
Mill . Probably the Udy o( Liiir Amirii.
Tiai &gamntt,JSiH at II vui, TViirrdu £i«iyi Book TI. chap. io(Th( Slorj of Le rnrer),
M( mr^ «f thi Havik. BoccKcia'i limmirM, }lh J*)), qth Morjr. Sn v«l. V. Lnluru git rir DrmmMic Liwarw/ tfiki Aft if SHatiitk, note l« p, 147,
Fv^vht' . . . ItetTWHfi^ OStrr. 1706.
^ our ^(Ht/ ['*"] 'ivj: lUMiiriA, 11. J.
Emitimtd villi o-JSBri. Ptrediu /.All, II. K4].
H'ttfirm ta^ntiya leil. Itid. 1. (91. lit. f'MjIiil nftii lii irwmulniii, liiJ. I. ^i^i.
Hi, hti an mrlt. Ccn/^mi, *. 6.
At Eiitjf (■ Mjrriagt. No (uch cwit by Wor>i(wnnh ii it pmcnt kaown lo «iii(. ItWDiild tetmeithtrth^i * MiTrlA);F ' ii 1 miieiinl (01 lomr other word, 01 that HitlllC vni mituki n in ihe aulijci:! iif iht ouy nftrtril to by Coli^rjil^. Haxlite it probably rrcallinf ■ cnnvcmiion wiih Colrri^lKT In Sh>npihi(( It the btfinniiit oC 179S (cf. *My Fiitl Aci|aiintintc oilh Poctt'), Il which time j4 Lrnp it lit Baitf af I.lti.Uf (i79l) wu the only nouMe protir uitrk which Wordiworth hid pulliihfil.
Note, h iii> tit frtwrl E^l t Jim» MiitliniJ, eighth Earl of LaudErrialg (i7{9-ili;ij), lUccccJcil hii fither in Augutl ITJ^. 119. IVtnki tf ^1 eatfuatn. 1 'Awnir, i. 15.
Cteriftitmt Hiify tflirO'anJ Ritti^jett. 1704.7.
fl«iIn£iitJ. Rilpn Hnlinthcii't CirMiV'ii tf EKgltnit, Siulsinli, til JriiM*dt, IJ77, anil lattr tnui*.
Sr^vr. John Siow'i (i5ij!-i6o;} Ergfyti CtrM^fri, i56i,aail Uler inuo, and it Shrt^t tf Ltnbt, 1 f 9S. and lietr iNuea.
rmV'f'i Wirtkui. Thomu fuUer"! (l6oS>lA6i) Tii Hiiurj a/* iki Wcfint ^Eiritnil, 1661.
>yt tfififi' a JUfit: 161].
* T*urrj and TinJarti.' ibti,
G'kr'MrJmi. Francnca Guiccianlioi [i4Sj-tJ4o}, mtlior of 1 Hfnory ol Italy from 1494 10 i;|i.
Til Lvtm t/Pi'iiiii aa/Sifim^i. Ceivinln' lait irarh, the •teilicatioa of which mu wriiien loui rliyi Ufotc hii ilcilh. A traaalalion from ibt Pleach trai priatcfl in Lonrlaa in 1619, in<l from ihc Spinith in il;*.
GaSaiM. Ceivasta' (iiu work, a pjtlonl lomancr, prinlcd at AInU in
■S'i-
Aauktr Tltrrfu, WoritiWDitb'a Ttnm VmmmJl.
- -^ •■•^ ^i
-.3.--1 ■ M
J1— . J- _
if _ tJ^
T -^^-
rz. ^_-
NOTES
essAV rxii. on nioPLi! of sfnse
From TU LmJim Md^vciw, April illl, iroL III. p. %it, *1^hlc TiUl, lE^'
141, CjU^. Tbeanlhworiht Icwt.
rA> ^(iBirr, grmitJtMig. 'Thi |n<it, jnnurr, iaiidioiM, )ptin|t-«iUtil,
fclTCt';«uc4, gnta-tyti pkiloMpkax' Bnrkr, ^ Liatr It « AUlb LtrJ
(W^Ji, Bohii, T. 141). 94). B^itir. RicluH lUito, (be NosconromiiM Diviae (l&t;-l^i). Ste
vol K. iff'. Si^ient'i C—wiatMM, p. ](,^ Hji Ten ft iMwi, It virj wi. Htmki, in. a.
Note, nc Sffhi hpMtIm, See *oL nt. Ptlaital Mn»fi, nMc (0 r> ]]t •Eld *dL VI. r>M r^, noU tn f. I st. jfG. Mr. Sitll^'i Pnmaiai UatmU. PaUyxd in itM. Shtltey «U droncil ia illl (Sr fnetiMtr], G*-/**! '«^ Hjdrtt. Pa'aiif Lttl, II, 6U. Ifai lyt HViri. yti Tcf Ijl4 ft, ti. J.
/('In *t imuiJkJ lii ^tni. Til KtfMt. Book I.
Fuji i/wiK umi, jti I'm iilt ftj It. 7. 147. CIrntcKcilii $iie«/. Sec vol. iv. nt Sfifii i/'itt Agt, BMe U p. t90>
Pr'ataf f^lttn. ' P»er mca') eoutfo, [vlnce*' pUoe*,* Meni^M tfl^tmiit, I. a.
lb Uiknl I^futs. Ca/Jnvr'i Trtvli, A Voyji;* lo LifUi, chiptrr 1, 14^ VSiM «a *( rMM>. P»f<'t fun n Mta, 1. iS.
W>> [wlKtt] nUrwi «ml ibw^ & Mair4m, vi. 19.
iVi'trntr, flli—i<«iy^»Mrt. Set vol. n. TMi Ttlt, Note to f. IIA.
Aa tirit tfehiUrt*. Hamlit, 11. I.
>f Ps—fotm. Sm «■»! nott Is p. 114.
St -^Btri til ituf-lm. Ki*r Hr*n f., 1. 1.
SMimi [cMti*t]< ^M, nSgHt* ligki. U fmrrtx, lio,
Tlra' t^Mcl <w»»iijtrf ririB. S. M^ntm, uti. 7j. 3(«. Mtittiad atifr^K ttloMf. Btotktm't Prr*<iftrt tf Mttlt mi Lifi'ibrita,
(tup. iW. I xX. Sec vol. rv. Hit J^ni t^ Mi ,.^, p. 196 lod nMe. tjl. & r»i (aya} lit h^ MirnUMt/f'nRfr, iv. i.
7if nritv 1^ St. tmm, Ooilwin'> Tab t/df SUttmk Crmtr^ ipporad in
•799- Tii »MUr ^ itt eUiiktl Jt,ii(r. Godni. AVaw iif mA. Herao, Or Af Pan., 7U iji. jLtUfit'i v^*[t. O'lt^ Piftait, Book tnii.
Hgckm {IritlMnt] Autvx t/ imfM*. /rii){ Hntj X., Prolofiie.
ESSAY xxtit. ON A-vncurrv
FfOB nr LtmJm M^awt, M*r •>», Vol. tii. ^ $17. *Tible Talk i^ lilDcd T.
vfaU Xef n Grtf. Btlkird ** 6nt lo b* a * nltqut/ L»d; A«n Beraifd (i7;o-iti;) xtaiowle^toJ iIm lolbonhjo 10 Sir Wthrr Seati ■■ itij. 153. £>w^, tuUiil, jmi /Ul */ «nt. •WeVinr. »>«iUe >Dd fuU of *CBt.' QritUmi, f». 5.
5«>5
THE PLAIN
II-
7V
M*
»H
IVW* *< MPT. At
Omt^mi, Own, «■
n>(!^i>/^>fi»,Mtimi'fOrmm. Talk Gmlat'* , 7tt Cttrmtf Atmn. A^m.MI.>*< nL ifSb fU ftmt m Himt. ik^\.%,m im.
ipn« W knawWgE, i« tkr tinwi M SoIm.
(t*l I). I7 TtwniM CarjtW <• nrx-til jj. (TMii «w htmt an, I GnMjlMn, jKi. •■. IttfiU i*mt ^m) wtf^ M'f. ShMiw iBT. S«f *«L I. rir JtwW '
Uf. Ifti Ct*MWn^M<4fly«r'i Fl^ft.f. ittMriaMs ; ka4 Rail
Dtimttli Mtint. Mr. BtrVt KiJlHikm. ThcM «*te paUiiAH b 1790, nM 1791. <
l^^ JUm Kmmlfl IjOir. Scr Tb TlMr, Aa^MI t> ■>><>• ll ««
tffral la Wilhn^arH lo ••« hb irtd JbAmm* to sitniitc ibe tittim t»
by tl» *pf(«aa(t at rhr {JaMB. t6o. Ori»-vtiapJ,nmJiriliu dnfMr. Cmy'* Oil tm 4 0rHn( Prnftrt ^f
attlft. Sm >IM ml. *I. Ltnmti H lb Prmmttn LitrrMttt «f Ut '
X4uIm1, BMt r* p. tfi. l6t. Ttt gUrf kirt^ur m tt 'nttlU. itNMat, *fU. ll,
»)»
»(r
]
"(/■
4
RSSAY XXtV. ON THB DIPrSRENCE BRTWIiE>f WRITINO AND SPEAKING
fnm Tit larndm Mtt^umt, July itio, V«L u. f. H, *TiUa ttfiwil T.
t6i. • S^n mtUt; m. Bacnn, T*» jj^iww— * ^Lmmiuu Boufc ti^ l(|. r Mr. W. C. Htilllt lUM* (hi* <•■■ Ceortc FlMchrr, who,
liriiihr J*«T^ Mino u» from Notiinthun aliMit tJi6, ■n>l bcEU
(iMMilbuM I* ptr!oi(lMl ll(*r«lurt.
n*0 Urn im nJiH Im Jtvitkji, Ximr Uiury ^.,1. t. ["I* Mill'] ■^4. MtvJ lU titiy urmi t/Rtmt. J Jin C^t^, lU. t.
rrm
OftelCli
Frumki tfiufi^t Mpwi. WttOt, iti. j.
tt-ttQiJ 0 «nV/ rJ* >Cnv JmNOMf . P^tJiu tttjamd, IT. 1(9.
bcEU
I
lin|i,' IImM. III. 1 1 ■ndAMMKM' Kgifi Dnam
}Dnam,Ut.
504
NOTES
Crww J nal. Milton't Chmi, ;6i. l6j. BMItml lim jri rrtmtlntr^ f MlJlimmtr fflrtl'l Drt^m, til, I.
tt^ftdham. William Witntham (■^{O'lXio]'. S««tur; at SUM (or Wit
under Piti, mi tgtua iltcf I>>tt'> dolk. Mr. Ciiirul[/i CtKinHi ad Pifmltm. Two ai)<ln*Ni apioM Pill, i;qj,
nputil illicit in Miuy mAii Ovht Tmn. M'. rM«MJ*( TVi^Mi. Tin Tritm . . . amkiif cUuKr f/"!!! ftliiii^
lt$¥'„ ^y. TUhMl/, iMf I* • »■• ri<W i» Jir. JUm9, »t4 nvittJ if iM
inimrir, } vail. ■795'6. ThcloiU Ci7t4-iSi4} wm * ImIvrt on clontlon
■■ well u « reformer. Tit iilf-iaimi v»nli. Mthttk, t. J. Tiw irmv€ atlmt^ [imulmury] fii'itfi. Driytan, Eitjj fa HAn7 StywaUt,
Eif. Firt aaJ sir. Amnjaai Onftifa, ■••» \ ttti Kiai Unry V^ ui. 7. StmJawJfiry. Maiinli,y. ^. tit, A Cmmta^aa, tit. Ci. Buikc, Kt/tnmi ta Ut Ktvtlaltm » F'taa (&i'«r
Wit, 04. ]**]«(, a. io|). tfi.i J..J _j>i—-. _/ j-p—— cf_ ■ trithtODii Kont and (Dod dlMntlon,'
Hamlit, II. 1. ^ mtai a^vtd 4imitt. M«ta4, in. 4. iJ«r ihtfiattmxg vKtim. Hamtii, m. 4,
' 1 lud nlhcr bt ■ kitttD iml try mew . . . Or 1 ilry wherl (nw on ihe ule-tFec'
1. X^Awj/f. MI. I.
t/tt iant »ti naUi4. Cww, 47 ■;, 167. ■!< niniWIni, ftriniif-fattJ fillvwt. Hamlit, iii. J.
OhmMpaWi Hamlti,ia.t. lU. fllf rtffMJ lit famtui Imti n Milit*. Tbough [h«e »«iit «n rtfrnei » ■dmirhvly b]p Burlu io Tikr StUimt autl Beaa/ijtl be iloc) not tceRi to httc quoted them xa the Houte of Commoat. It not Hitliil thinking of tlic ouvion upon which BTOa|liam iiif^l the quofalion with jmmoiM ciTcct at the <j,iiccn'> trial, itio t (Sn Gtriillr't Mtmnri, 11(99 ">*■• ■■ *^}
KHiai •HtfJ ia itaJ. Ptndin Ui', ir. <ri.
FM aill-tm. Cf. vol. n, T«i>'r T'Wl, p. 6; inr] oole .
L^JUnfel. Rotcrt Baaki Jcnkmian, Eirl of Liverpool {tTTO-tilS], Preoiifr of En|;liD<l 1(11-1^17.
Mr. in/iiam IfarJ. > WiUuim Wu4, fiaineler (i7l7-iS49}, »ho «U rccuraeil to Ptiliament »> iTory in ilti6 for 1)1* eily of LoDiioa.
Munv M ['and cadaeil uolo'] fidri>'iH<ar. Hamltt, i*. 7.
Satdanl tt rAt {'ntti (o the ttir '] fM.Vij. OlJffA, i. ].
T^i Uir LtrJ Ciatiam (iTol-i;?!). He btfin life u * ooroel of drafooai <S« p. 169).
r^r Ktaii iKall ht w^ linw. 1 Kr*t Hiwrj ly^ 11. J.
169. tli ifiii [tt'igkt] ji an lavng amitrily. £■ AfeTtlew, v>i. 19.
170. Afivitrmti ttaJr Hii\,lc) it. Tit IVg/tfu, 6J9. But the linn >re Mid of
ibc Somnour nol thi Monk. mlHaUffil. Hamltl,ii.i. ■7i> Mt. Piatt tfCitif Crti'. Frincii Place (i77i-il!4) the ndinl uUw. TramflfJ a<«Cr rir Uffi, Borke'a KiJIiiiuia h lit Frnni JIhWhIm. Sit e^amlt BirJai (i770.it44). He wu the tnoM populu politician of bli
SOS
»7(.
THE FLAIH SPEAXEfi
Dr.Jti^mUJM^tiA. S(cBa«Eir*£iAnLG^m.HiII.(ii.i3i^
Tbe'
»7»-
■tukr' ef Oe «.fi«tif << Law
dty be «• M.P. for thirtr-thnc ^on^ tb b*^ Ub
Cncnlmil Uierk*, aoJ ibcn bmnc ■
Rsbvt^ CBrtit nil Co. {ijjl-illf). Tir Sfudm [OmUw). Artbsr Onriow (iHi-ItA) wm decud Sfcdv rf
the Hook of Cfninn— ia 1711 *aA rc-dtcttil w 17]$, 1741, 1747 tat
(754- Hi RtiRii in 1761 with ihe n^BtxtioD o( bai| the inoc ^
nMM difBilicd hoUn of bi* oAce md aathnrny. (7nv iii nn /ira!r &adn /fsi. Popc'i Prelope 10 Mr. Aildaaa** Cm >a4
alio Ej^uli It Dr. Ari^kKi, 109. Tl^ leak mSj titit af-ntaA. Stnac'i Irun-dB jko^. Book m. cbi{k. 1 1. Hil tkt imat trrwttm mnd amdmMir. Sec voL t*., Tlv S/vrt sy^ifc .^p^ 2x7. t7]. SovUi mimatri. Xing Lar, iii. *.
^«i Dafwi. See *eL ti. TiU^ ^uU, p. S9. Ml. Making ikt nvH afftar lit itmr taum. Faradat Lait, t1.1i]. 174. jI* imJifirtm Hiuiy tj Jaaia U. Cfairlo Jama Fox*i A ^tarf tf dii tarlj Pari if tit Kt^m ^Jami du Saemd «*• pablbhril \j Ijttd HoUnd io I lot. A itllta[m ef Lri GrtmvUli. Fox wu Fgrdfo Secretmwy to tfar * bnd- bottomed'ar'All tbe TilraU' mmatrj, formed by Lord GmTiUe on the deilh of Pitt in 1S06. LUa prni u*i tmdtr Mm. Ttsc Nitb Kiaimtti, it. I. Ilmai in tin Lotvri. Id iloi. Sec Mtmtrn «/* fnUioi H«Win, t. 91. mJ
voL III. of tbe praenl edition. Tit Eltfutmct if ib BriiiiA Stm^ti^ p. 411. Gurrm: GiinfrinccKO Birbieii or CnercuiD da Cento, because of hii
•quint {] 190-1666], of Boli^ni. Dtnimiiini. Domenicho Zimpieri (1 jSi-1641), alio of Bologna. Di*i it viiaJ ifio a lubjici Hit a ttrfmt t BdhrII'i yaiiaeii, ed. G. B. HiU
{... 160).
iMiir u a NMi Lord. Borke died two yein after the pnblicitioa of bit LrlUr^ hii only important further writing being the Ltrtrr-M at ta Rttiiidt Piatt, 1796. Note. Tom Paha. Thomii Piiae {i7]7-i8o9) the deitt. 176. Til Ltviaiian. A Ltiitr 10 a NthU Lb-J (Bohn, v. 119). Tit Atke'Siiyii'ifiptm-ialii. Ibid., p. 14Z. Tit priud kitptf h'iadHr. ItU~, p. 137. Skill lit gaui ofgnrim [mercy] dii maakiai, Gray'i Eltgy^ 17. Tt tttvt rmmbt or bolclUi. Mathni^ III. I. Lturn 19 ivriii ilffw. Cf.
'Take time enough— 4II other ^ce> Will toon fill np their proper pUeei." Byron'i ' Advice to the Meur*. H and H to preach alow,' 8. And
llH)
* Learn to read ilaw ; all other grace* Will (bllDW in (beir proper plicei.'
Williim Walker'* An ef RtaJiwi. Til fkraH if A*drml PiOil. T. King Himtj IF., and King Hiwry Z'. I7S. Faiiili and gaaJ night. I King Htmy IF., iii. 1.
Dull ai lit tail liai ilimttrt. Goldimith, Tit Ttavrlltr, Jjx. ' SfaJi fitr,t milt Jark kiifin/t.' BacoD, Til AJvaactmtia ijf Ltjtm^r, Book I., iv. ;,
S06
»7i-
»77-
i I
NOTES
>79- BKtmt iiitllturiii tn^. Woomntth, Til Exitrptm, u\. 7];-£.
Dilttuao £<i*rr. Ad MMiiiian faun-lcil in ijn lo promow ttic miy of wulqac in In Bn|l*ii<l.
NMe. Annr. ASa^. >. ;l).
Kale PaBliaU Htmtt lit! yttt BkIi. A i^iiibor Wiltlim Hore'i, pobtliheJ in ttiQ.
Nov. Mr. CWywi. Chirlct Wilkin WilliiiniWyDnc (17; j-liso). He **l prafowd tor Sptikcc Jum z, tSi7> but Manaert-Sutton <•-■( pnftrrM Vt him. Ciiiniag iiid thil llic ontjr abjection tn bim n> ihit ' one woiiM be iCMnetimei trmpld to uj Mi. S^ueilur,' (lladiDS 10 hit tuioc. Sec vol. III. Ptlkitt! Eiiafi, QOtc In p. iij.
ESSAY XXV.
ON A PORTRAtT OF AN ENGLISH LADY, BY VANDYKE
ito. Wi0v «7 {f ameliaa. Ouaat'* Pnt^nt, 1 to.
Int IJJ. ill. THi imidt/^mri rffvnvi, OiiiiU, m. 4. [■SwdEini divil.'] tl}. Kf^iJ . , . vty t't/iify. CiMli,!!. y
MlKft rpr. BasAr, 1. ». 184. Tnd a* frimrtiijtii. Htmln.t. 1. tt}. ShifUlfgtJ. rsradiif Ltu, IK. 46f.
^ ^ N ttrram aai ttmrntrnJ. Htitltt, tit. 4. at;. /.Miw on^i. Cf.
'17ha, for llit poor nnnwn of bting (mart. Wtwid iMvt s itin( within i brotkn't heart F '
Ymidi^) Ion t/FMit, a. ■■ J.
190. A>'Wr l)P ikiftm'. WordMOTtli** riMmt AU^.
Cm rir<i w nlnri mJ ikt [rmnj frturi. Pope, Mt'tl Eiml, Ep. ti.
191. Tir vtiuli itliifj M FtniAill. ' Vithik ' Bcckfor J'l pli«. See tJw "wliime
of llulllt'i wiiiisfi on art. Til laat •/ lii fell m fitnrii. The ml a( the atxy tnm ibit poiM
apptireii in Htdill'i CimmiwfJjtii, lakes fnnn ^ii £j:«iHr, iStj. Koic. Diffi Mfiik tji, U PimtixH^ ifr. 19]. Mr. Ht/tBiU Cirr. WilUim Holwtll Cart (i7;S-itio), art cansointHr.
fit (ihibittd at iht Koyal AaAtmy from i7f7.|lM m m bmuitirf
tihibitor. Sir Cettii Maimtmt. Sir Gcorjc Koviril Scauouat, Bart. (l7{J-ltl7),
imittur piinler iod ulroa of iiliMi. Bbmw «aif taiwim tfttn. Bacon, DtdlcMton to Eanj), Trifia lijit *t air. OiiiJSt, 111. ]. n«>r». Juopo Roboali at Tinlorftlo (from hit fatbei'i tntilt, 4)tili|},
{t{iS*iS94), on* of Ruikio'f 'fiw lUpRSK piotcr*.'
ESSAY XXVI. ON NOVELTY AND FAMILIARITY From Tin Ntw UmiUj Atajtum, v«l. iiii., No. ;o, 1B15, hiiIi k^diElan*.
194. Cmtltm ijf 1 m*ii U » Urn. Ujimlti., *. I,
19;. Givt la ftnit. Htmki,m. 1.
197, StKt iti ktariri vnrfit. Kini RitlitrJ 11^ t. t>
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
I. n^ it» tm fulm 1m. Ptm^» MUm ^»d Miltrd.
I, • Tti Utm,ta-: ftf Mnrtf MmTv (l7{|). IM, Aw •/ V n< rri la tfuMH ftm. ■ iW «f • MH )■ ■TBOMlic faio.* tu^m Mm*. ■*■ 1. MO.
I.. . . . M. T1aMUMk*M««lMla-UMa'aD4*kiUtb>«i*kylfr.1
CHmUH. Umi'tw^ A ti»WMi «< ■Ml* Jriw iM iftor* ite. f MUwnv aW IhffJh Dm t^'iavw'i M*** " ludw Ftuus'a dMhcr. flir* It H yMt( «M 'J**. M«nl«l, Kfp^n, Bk. an. Ep<. 70. Set
A-tillwn't Sfttmw, Kv. 61. n> Am* Mt. KtmUi . . . MklitM til. Mmhtii mi Kimg Kitted Ul., M
tliT), Im nl. I. OdrfH-ifi t/ Slttitiftti'i Ftfjrt, immc to |k ift] MibltilMU 111). Mt, n> ,i^-fviml ^i-u. L'f.J.r.Kmhlf'irivU'iH fJnei, Yarlt,i7la,ili •0<(t KilMUfnMMraf Mn.li>(hUU'iHiHAu>J.'tl»ea t4, i(,
'• ■ 1 wlilaw'j A>B*** *«ki, K««rt « Ih* kaqa or Hm*^ . .
r— «>fa«». IlinH'i itH'iir (•7«*)- M'*- iHJao* ictarf in ii m
■<lir«i^w i*> Onwi. TIm mkmiI dtk of Lm\ Inii^rt T^ JEhmI 4m«
)•», Mf^i>Manb«wlP«hM«»ill»n. Pope** JU** «• Mm, Ir. a. «^H n.*Mii/'M. Dryfai. Ariw ■*.. r* i. ^H
(.WwWt/'L^lM>U JHUUh*. A-ft/i 0mm, <■. I. 'OtlwuliitTii •tl OMIpU*.'
fcaiM (Mk* *•«>; NnlN,Bi.4. 1*1. tWIi/wMMtlMMMr/^M.^ T^/ltMitk,a.t._
riM* sMmM iM«««te it« IV «>■ ' |M. Sk ML I*. tKi J^rat (/ 1
I
iM* SIMM iM«««te ite Aff WW a |>M. Sk ML I*, mi Wat ,/ Ji iiwl. ti. foM rJ^ BMN w ff. tio mJ u^. _!•■ tiM Uuut^ Ba^
IToWouv iliL
U^ 3ami s^.
■jl>lL.I»»T^t. GLkMMt
ir,r*«.
«
ikOiMr
NOTB&
)04. y—iStirt. In N. RdWi tnix'ljr {I7i0.
CJiUd. la N. Rowc'i ric Tur Pm^w (1703).
J^tn /j(rir itm/rum Btit. Mn.S>drloni wit * mcmlxtof Uk Chclttohiin
Compiay whtn ttK wu ncomairailad (0 the nolitc *f Carrlck, ind thtn
obuiiuti in enciRtment it Dryty Ltat (>7T^> i.*rj ir^r«i i«ri. S« MdwiD, Cmvtrttiitm *fLtd BjfMi, lSl« (v. lei). Sr iuw Mwfn VI tii nontij. He K«nu U bavt beta tmnty-Hfaat. S«
Valuit«'* Litrtt IV /ii jliifltn. Htrvty . . . dr lifAiiim. Tbc finl IcctDH) lo whkh be Mt forib bll VMW*
wtr* dclivtiTil in i6)4, in hb jSlh yt*t. BttMtj . . . SttJ f ymf. Biibap BerkclCT't Kiu* iraiardi a AVw
Ttiiij tf Fitii^ wu publithd in 1709- Hr wu born ia ifiKf. lUnlty' I ['i*t fuKlfli. DavM llirtltji't (>7oj-)7;7) imt worki Ottirtra.
am lit Mai (1749), wii bc|tuQ when b« m* aboDt (wrnty-liTt. i/n>( . . . Tn^iu <» Iltmtt Ntimn. Divid Hume'i (i7it-i77A) TrediM
•u publitbcd in 17)9. CaSltt. Oalilvo Gililei (■564-1641) wti ippolnMil nultienuillc^ prafeiuf
a( Piw when Iw hii twtnljr-fout. LtAuin. Gollfricil Wilhtim LaibniH (1G46-1716). He wu nfutA (
Donnr't Dtgsve 11 Ltipiig in hit twtntittb year on the frvund of hit
youth. £u'ir. LeoDii-l EiilFr ^l^<i^^t■;%^),ol BucL Al ihe ig« of ninptnn he wi*
M(oii<l ia 1 campelilion projetuil bjr the Va\» Aadeniy (er the bat traliM
on the muting of thipt. \Q7. M^itX indltu ijitf, * Wilh wsninn heel in J jfidify cunniuf/ I^AOrgrtf 141, 30S. £.ii> lit nam mri. Twil/i* iViitt, i. i.
Litf fapfiii ifri^J ['ihr inow drii']. Burnt, Tm 1* Slwtr.
MtnJrvilir. Bcmir't M>n<!cvUIe (i670?M7)3). lulhor of TU FtUt tf lit
Bai (1714).
RHmd tiiiiti, ««'« iro^i/i. Wetiiturotlh, Pliritiul Tail, ni.
ESSAY XXVII. ON OLD ENOLISH WRITERS AND SPEAKEftS
From Tit Aim- MsniUj Magxaint, vol. xiii^ No. 49, iti;, wilh iHrlilian*.
)il. Afji-aHa/f/. J»n FrtnjDii MsrmontiL (i7i]'i799), •nthor o( the Ctnin
MVMIM (1761).
Crtlilki. Protpcr Jolyol ile Cr«blUoa (1674-17411, drimiUc poci, Aliriiuar. Pierre Cailel ile Chtmbinn ile Mirrinii (iftlJ-i'^;). lufhei
of Afariinr (i7]i-i74i),a tamfscc and many coined let. Voluire Hid
he knew ill (he byr-paiha of llie humin bcmrt, bat not tbc hiuhway. Lm Ht'ft. Jtin Frinjnit 'lo li HH|)e (i739-i80]}> whoK workt bivt TCtid
It ■ iitndird of tileriiy crTiicitm. Tt iiHi liiitift tad a/tU. fVrf^in £«r, n. iS4> 0* tluijiirfmnuin. HtttlH, ili. 4. Note, jt iflmiiJ rdtiram i/CeUtmiiA. Wiihiaglon Irving c-litrd • 4.valume
edition of Tti AtuiiiUTini U^vli tfOtititr CMtrnwlk in itl} (Pun). 3 11- Ti* frtffr ituJy sftkt Fit*<i. *The pF«frr itutfy nf minkinii i* mtn,* J'cpe'l
£iMy M Mm, Ep. ii. jr. fvtwuMi. Cbirln Mtriottel ne Saint-Dwnii StifMar ile SiiM-Bmmoad
s«?
THE I'LAIN SPEAKER
pti)-i70)}, OM el the iDOM krillant at Fnsch latiriNa. H* m bvietf in WcHKioticf Abbtjr.
I..). Jl]. MfUnafi. OiriMOfhci Miilaw«'t /h. r«i>i (i(«4).
C^ttm Mtdva •' iri LvdUif mttl A*h niA/r « rniult. Sea CocMrMtaai ^Lati Byrm, f. \o%.
SMM'i'ifivFj IUmi m *ri ll^tmr.' Aclrrf i$46. wwrr'i '*f ««■ Z***! It F^M Dttn.' (l»jj.) FirJ't...'Tii FItf S*r'i t M'imt.' PrinUil t()l.
CmnWiiHu-rrvuvl. Pofc't £iMr «■ M<s Epiitk ii. Ij4. _
JI4. Mr, Sin. Sir M«ftln Artkir Sbce (i7;o-il{o), forliiu paialn from tfa> ■(V of 16 onwirdi. He irflt kal^ed (yon Mia( lUilc PrwUml of the lUysl AcadtMjp ia itjo. AarW fir MnMvi. Moon *aU ihc Bjrrofi M«nMan In Mnmy, Nowembcf
ttii, ind in Mar 1814 Kboa^ t»4 bninid ihrm. Note. Taia t/iM &*>^ir$. u. Tit BuruM —J ib TtSimM, publlahcJ in illj. JIJ. Ltmmattt^Ulrwk. Ct. X AlMlikw, xlx. 11,
DtununiUiiilaMiHitmmllb. St* vol. 11. TaMi TaJII, Mtc to ». 314.
316. SM&^i mm <■ DririWi Ptfy-Oaim. • Tlic lofnrd J«ta SUdui* c4ked
Dnylan'* Botk la the fnlin of 161 j-ii. Smw. 8m «Mr, nole la f. alf . i/iAailA/. Set titti, flOlc In p. Jif . (^■Jn. Williun Cimilen (isjl-lbljj, wboie Briunma WM fHbtiiheil in
ijl6. ^(n-Cr«nHfl<u. The pealal of the Mil; Dxiiib chiDajclsn (fl. end «l
lllh ctDtury}. C)i{[i(h. Sir Willijim Du|<l(l« (i6o;-t«S6>, anliqiuriiii, whote Mtminiiim
A^tktmm <ni publiihcii i6{;'i67i. ygj v>n*- (i7iT-l7tS}> HI* rcpuulion rcMi on hit Ldwn nlfaet Uun
m hi> prnchiDj.
317. Cin^i' Cuf"'!"'!! f" Jii' Probably the folio (dil ion t4 i£76-7 of jtm
StfrurifM tPiM Praitit^ Obui^mhit «■ tkt BtU «/ ^ti. Bf J«aafli
CanL a vsl>. 1 ihf i(<4K-i66ti ^utito tdiiion «r» in la toU, rir CM4U. S» ii*v, note to p. 141. Wwa. Thamu Wiiton (17*8-1790}, luibor of TAt Hbnry a/" B^lt^
Pwn (t?f4-i7li). The uiae iQiisFi It i|aon<l In voL t. iJccvn «■ m^
£a{£i4 Pmi, p. izo. Jit. MVa-CnniM*. Sec t>oL >. LttUun an lit F.i^M ^itt, aot< lo p, 14S. CMW fttnmi lirri atiJt, mijtuit p^iti. Wdtdivonh't f ii/a«ia farni Jiartfi litu rtfBrti. JM, }I9. BvtH n lit ow' t/Mim. AtMiut, it. 1.
Air finr Fnilti. Thr litiftiovi drunlurd in Bi4[fMiu.
T*t Uil m»J *!■>» nvi/ ^ M«a. itr^panirf wa> publkhed in ■ {14.
Namiy E^H'I. Cipliin of ihc imuniler't brig in kti.i[tmilti,
/l/ti ttr viitufttl. Ri^gtvulit, Hook it. chip. viii.
OU iriM-pinj. Cf. ' An (liou Ihctc, lTuc-pran|rr' etc. IhmUl, %. j,
Ai lit iifii if»Mvi. Pi'adui Lmi, tii. toi.
FmHMt It iti/ra. PsrtdiM l.nl, iii. 464.
ffimitdy maurtVMi. Pope** £ua)i m Aba, Ep. I. lU (• and Ooi! the »mi1 ■]
Sio
NOTES
j»i.
3"
3*3
Pfm, Htmfdtn, S)d'^. John Pfin (b. 15>4). one of ihc 'rt*e tntraben' ; Jolin llunjiilcn (i:94-i643],tlK opjuotnt af thip-nioncy ) utd AlfcrBcm Sidocy (i6ll-i68i!|, uccutH fat hit than in fhit RjW'houM Plot.
.Mr. JMuifr'' ""' •/">' CIvii. PublulLCO |SI4.
PvmH if E*xl>U M^tfiltd. *U«D OuuMi.wtU of Edtlkh undtlylcd '
Mariir. S«* inir, notr In p. t^j.
Ctitm/i ftm-C—Jirmitt't Mmmal. S« vol. itl. KSriitl tuf^ noH
[« p. lA;. Noll. TAr tuiihr e/ fVj[iuH. J)ni(t SbFtiilto Knowlt* (17S4-1R61).
MacKtily prviluMil /'r/iMi, hli b«l pliy, in ttio, ii Coviol Guidrn,
■ftcc it bil ■ppettnl in UK provinoea. Afr. Imimr. Edwiiil ltvin(|. Prjik^ariJ. Cf. * prick^meil cur of Icrlin'l,' Kia[ Hi*ry f^ 1,. 1. Tbi votJ
wu cammnnl)' applir'l to R4an><)iri'lt bccmtr of iIk lijfhi Mick iLull-cip
drivrn ont Iht nMil, which left the rirt opMcn. iiir J. &ibU[. (t6ag-i64r.) tfyeitrUy, Cmpnt, Swtetir-,Mj WtlUr. See v*U 1, Lftartt M Atr S^M
Pit'i and Drttjlii Liitrtari tf itt Aff i/'Mu/mI. Hftr. Tfttn'f ' MiA^n.' Antoinr Louii CUude Cumtc Daluti de Tticy
(r7(4-iS)6), vhoM B/fmtm rT idiui^'n wit pub[jth<d \zi 1H17-1S1I.
ESSAY XXVJtI. MADAME PASTA AND MADKMOISBLLB MARS
From the Ntw MimUj MtgrnJit, vdL iiii. No, 49, ilij.
314. MjidmtiiuIIi Mt't. Aunt FianjoiM DouttC-Monvd [1779-1147}, the cbvir
loiptriaailui of Molittc'i htroinct it llic 'Iticjln I''T4»{iI>. Htt fUlRr,
Mouut, wii tn ictor, ntfi lier TnoCher, Mtf>, tn jctrci*. JUnfiuit Paw, Ciuditli Puii, 1 Irwiih npcra.iinjet of Milinew birth
{i79S-iS6;]i. HfT pnttil triumpni vrcit in I'ltii inrl Loixlon bttirnn
1815 id.l li}]. 1:5. ATm. An luliia opcia, proilutcd it Niplri, Miy I787,uid ptaycd ■( the
Kiag'i Thealtc, LonJoo, May 16, 1(15, wllb Put* at 'Nioi.' ]*e, Siifitriba. Til trnUtr't Tttr, iv. %.
liy. Tiiarii itai ihirjiiii naiwt. ■ Though that hit joy bt joy, clc' OiUii,i,l. ]iS. &hlif'i RMin. ijSt,
Klifiiut'i MiuLii, Prirdricb GoUIirb Klopitock'i (■714'ifoj] potm «m
publithcd in I74t.i77i. ]I9. TUtr mtlt miimti . . . «i Itamfttit Cmrt. The Ciitaocl of Ripb«cl. Citnfj. S« .iiif, iiott to p. 89. CtMcriiu oni jirvtrtgn. (^Mi*r, la. b, sad iv. 1. ]}«. Note, ftttrit. A comcily of Sollx't, prodacei in till with Mile. Mua
in the lUU-rfile^ ]}i. Cirtin. Anne t.ouii (?iru>l(l'D<-Rouny-Trioton, French hii(orictl piintcr
inil wtitir (1 '67.1X14), I pupil of Divid. Almitiv CJuuakiiiit.1. Fianjoii Rene, Vicamic ile Chitcaubiiiuii {fjit-
184:1}, of noble Dkioq titrKllcn, Roy*llil ind arllei of perfe« pT«*e. IJ], Mtrrimu. J. P. L. M^imce. itt MaiUrtaf tf^btm Hntai,i.X-},\^.
.See iliD lui. v(. TMi Taik, note ta p. Jig. JJ4. Firtftm ttnlmitii. OiUIf, uu j.
5"
)
THE PLAIN SPEAKER
f
\
i
tSSAV <"gTT sDt VALTXK SCOTT, KAdX^ AKD SHAKISPEAl
jj^ "aiH ■! i III !■ I II !■! Gn». ^.;c«: f .^b™, ^ ;. n»i II *•— ■» Sec «i«. 9ja a ^ :=-.
Tit H-- mi tm Mjffm- Sa <?i. <:£. ^ ''aw t_f ^ £i^=m S^ P-^^4-
Dn-je. .Aa-ib «^ Air jfa.:- t;t. J4I. GJMr. C "--m^ Ijfc ". -fj lo: »=- 1—.
Cf'^Kjj ■'■^ -» r-'S-^ Sobkt'i J.*-* .^ers. Bdvk :;. -■ — ■ m. }^ La n ut = :« £*e. ' Nl at Sx :±ic «i>, :ae i^-: ^ =; -^
.V;.:t^ .•».- iz »-»c « iiift.z-1 Cj^ I^r. =. *_ f I MK.-^ Jtfc^ ^'iit-r «t-=i. r» Sept »■"
ii« I 17: ■-. Tin ir.-...- 1b cm. K. C:^ i--. - 4. Tar ^m ^ei j^^vul JUjJr^t. ^ ^-
Jmi »n nn >e9j k: ret f.
r-;i^-in ■.-j-»?^ =?;-*. *it» Y.-rt c:
:»^:ti- j j
NOTES
)«4- '/ y— ••^iJ' trnrm. OiWIi, lit. j, lOi lit Prtfmtk. tUd.
T*t imitpe fcnrH> Hiiitrt ami Arrtir, JCi^ 7*^> "'■ *■ Titi ttrwm SrMH miU CbkIb. Jaina C^—r, 1. 1. Mrtr^t. tn Cm/ M^KKnmg.
ESSAY X3CX. ON DEPTH AND SUPERFICIALITY
]47- A Z"— i" —dm limktr. t C*krU|C. Dr. ^mrtiam. Sn ma, not* lo p. t-.
t4'- %• 'vm' fiat^ Mill. 'Sj^ntBf di^ eo bn Mft *xk,' Ptr^dht £«•>, vnt. l6j.
n(*«v(M*£<rrfJ^I«B. Ttimi.Lorit Lytieltoo ( 1 744- ijjj), read— ri for fci* firortifKT. He HSU (9 bttc iliot ihrtc 4tfi aOBr > aoctonul wtnlat Sec Ou-ribm') Sni '/'Vr'i ■>• ^*S> Mtliir fclw^J^^. Bliabcth Brotmriai, wbn mi cncatrJ in I7t; for wUffSof u (ppmitiCB IB dcBth. 5m ii»I. ni. PiSiittI Ewjft ■<*(• ta rf. 110 wl ajl. jjl. C>Mb fH* ni^iiiltJrnr, A flanK of TotnUiui'l. ;;j. 9Mwr*Mawi twUm. MtdnK >. 1. JS*. VtamUMtfri. S. MmK 1*. 44-
N«M. SettWi'LitilifNtmfmruiJ: Sec *«l. ■•. 71l> ^tfrrr / (ti w^^ B..«tt8p. 171.
ESSAY XXJtI. ON RESPECTABLE PEOPLE
36s, BwftrMm tfmma. AUrirtt, 1. 7.
TV Gtrmtdfta J^ii It III rMnfptl. Tmh {/"vAbe, iv. ;.
Onc^ mu Jr^ ■ tmr. TbofBai Olwty. r-ar of iIk rrulnc vf EofUtb
tntiiliani, wm choknl bj tMioi too riKsvul^ leci>l beo^ kftcr • loa|
(ul. ^mter, hft mtiil^. Stt Pulkr'i Wtntln. Tl>c ttnrj U thai SpcaKr
pctldncd Elkibcth lliu >—
* 1 ni prsBii'il oa • tim* To hiie MMa« Id oqr Ayme; Pnm ibu Umc bbm thfa nma, I rtwlv'4 Bor ifcjmc nor renoo.'
j(j. Mil fewiaj—i BuHir. Sawiml BMkr (i6ia-iUQ}. Ht vai karM ia Si. Panl'i CbBtcfc]>i(<i, Covtst GcrJen, « 1^ tMfmm ef hJi Inciiri Wmkn LontMiillc «f ibf Tnupk. Tlttmtgrratwtdrmer^u, See «M#, ««te te p. Ijft. f ^ w Mmm ^Imti^ Mi tk. Jmft Aadrmu, KoA 1. 1. ftmr ftma. I« Jutf* Amirnat. TUc oUrMV </C^ji> 2;.:^. Tm 7wt, Boa II. 9. ffy IMjIirt rxeUimi. ['Or ilivn o( ca*M4i']. Peft*> £a«^ m Mm,
1**.^
*Xia
■n. J'aAu C«iw, uk i.
fOL. til, : 3 K
S'S
THr ri-AiN *r3iAE3:ii
f
Es:--i rrr:: -y tili n,jj.:>Tn ^ki thi stuiiif' lit s^j.:
^ti-fc J ; T ■:-'-*ii;;-, r^^K i:. -
^. lit IM^ 3 Et Pi^J
ftl*:-,^^- .'-HTr^ Jx^UTK iC^-C It. l.":rri. i ^ ^loUC iuT^i, ;*-
.V.-B .T -.-.
m J- -t >.-v.ji =■ :. =--...
i!
/
Jj. '"f». sr- Zt — -^"^s r<r "^I.jie r_i_i^,Ttt -"^r- -|.- f
---z,--r..v.
NOTES
];4. Cva^si'CWiAuifixr.' S** tti. I. Citrmun ^lUtmf^i't Fl^/S ■""
Wrirm >4i F'inJ. Colrridct'* Scrki of Kwn* (lto9-ttio),'la (M >• ihc formaiiM of imH rrincifilM in foUtici^ Mkcnb Mtf tditiM.'
Lfir a rfrvibiil fa^imt. FattAit Lt% it, 17.
Mb* /hIi mameriit^. B Fnitnm, J9. 175. Dtri/^ri liijUic. At 7W Lib /r, a. i.
Tfa fttct^t titt tt. Kimm, liii. I.
0^>Ura. ««ll>r,T. I.
fir litgnJa/lii aumoj. CI- 'Twai (or Uw foo4 «f n7 csaaVf that I AbdU bf ibrMd.' f jranhiT, Tlr &au* Sntiftm, ni. x, j;6. Tlr Aif/i t/MtnMy. W«cUr hirial reports Ann (oppllH iij pnbh (iHtu
" '59*-J- Mr. rirtrftrr i/rci wrf/ 1.7 'Cxb^j.' Sec nL *i. T^iU Tttt, tMtt m
Omi-tfiJ JU . ProUUy Jchm Uamj, wtw tail la« Uk tifbl ettanij^
lkni|li m iccitaM. 37;. Iflra (2ffr mnrr ilr tgt. TU Btggar^i Oftrt, Ait Kit.
Dmw rir Sm" nw Mnwr. Ottti*, 1. 1. J7S. Litr fmr liitrgm. Sitdiruk Xiariiit, f hak uij*.
Omi knrtn litivlmit-4 Uiir mMlkj. 1 Kmg Hmy ir., 1. J. Til LiltttL IVqwrtcilf revkw *hMh Ubu4 to Ipv nnbcn (iSii-j). See «oL ir. Til i^i' :/ lit j^, the E«iy on Lof d B)n», *a4 »s(« to
rr »5< »•* H9-
n> 7*b Xbff. Tbtoilnrt KMlt't Terj nptr.
Mr.Jtritm. WiUiu krdw (i7t>-lU4}.«iitat of Ibt Toiy &a(ttl3<
1 7), iBil iIkd irtrMified for thoty-tluM jmn viib ibt Liivtrj Gtmmt, nr i»mkir4)fittr. ? ■ miipiBil for Emmnn Office. J79. Af/. SUIi/i/tili'. Hulkeutt't father, Sii BrsJMniB, wm mi4e ■ fcarooet In itii, TV Shtllcy Varonrti (f bilJe Oanab SaMtx, mn creaM in
£&«ff«n«i •/" Cii/ii HtrtU. ICmthW A«ir«fMar y lir ^1* «■» •/
CiSdt HnUf tfuimg Dimrtinm mitt Haim fMtmf,titit» Xatf m
Jua«IUfe-«rrr(lllt). Tir mtmttr fr JWVtmanv. HsUmom wm ricCTpi to tSto br a bf
aajaritj. Tb £1117 « ill Sfifit ff MimtriJtj. HaiJiR'i mij •■• [ itlllhr f in (be
team* nmaha of Tb LJtn^. nil gniUmam inm rf't* £*r^ fo^M, Stt Bnoo'i i-MMn aarf ymn»lt
Ifli. Pr«tbrT«}, Tt. 167. Ct *«£ ». rit ^^ */ lir ^, ^ JM "^
now. Hk Piiiim tf JmifmiM. B|Taii^ poon •*■ fobliihril ni Ko, 1 o( Tc
•iVi. Ika^iktttMiulMiUtiU. PnblbbH in 1I17. Sec *oL *. Innrri <■
^tt^rmm^: PubUdadBlllt. HadSav h tit/ni. Fvs£m l*U, u. l«o. ttViA m 4*mm fir (via/, OlUU. nr. 3. FnttJU^d. mi.
l^kttj. Cr. *M7 ttkkit (pirit.' n> rnyrii. *. t. T»miwwhk frwfil. Pope, fJMMilr N i>-. Arhitllmtt tff-ieo. jti. Rr MVMM ^ (ir ■ CtartcUri ^Stohyw^'i f JI91.' See »L t. BMw(r*rl>'ol Nate m p. t66.
5M
ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
ftt.
Nti « (r«f iliitg. JM.
TAi fira fiag lit tfiumimut Rrtiirm JhI- S«*miDaie id p. iSi. lock*
nrj ttn noabo (Jta. iS>4)( ibe *nkk kbg wriiua by Jiian MA.
•MMtd bjr hit ••• JoU Sduui MUL Stc & Lolie Strplicii't Tt, X^t
IMBiarUMi, nl. in. p. »i, Jk Mr. PUa hu Mr. HMmt Idt frU tlttilim. Hobhoiac '
noiaitil WtMminiui *• sa i4vin<xd Lilmt iR 1818. KoH. Bm mt rill ittr, Fcr Ikk re mrk ot Ponom't tee Tot. «tLq Ltlwm
m Ui E^^iA CmiV H'riun, p. IJ,
AN ESSAY ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTION
Hutltl ha>t Bu-le thi'HiKOwry'irt (anh in ibitanjr aad had bf^na is wtiit Ikt tHif iMif •• ruty » iTfli wbcB hs b*4 kii nmnarabU nuciou *iii CtiXtriitt. Sr« lb* nnj ' Hj FirM AcfMiolMN* wkh Poelt.' He 4U aM, bMrtnr, wc(«4 in awlant hawlt ndfritaol brtht p«ei, )in<l when thi k>«k «Mnc to Ic r«Ui>be<l, iu Mk <*« dov ni Huall, lhso(ti Mr. W. C. Hutie (4f(B*»i, I. Ill) reUla tlul •CONdtoc to ■ ndllioa )a ttic fsnily it won te ■itmlriilun e< Mr. S<«tMl, (fterwirili Lord Abiagn. Hsilitt klnualf m-x ^„i W (W tarny, tad (sniiaiHlly (cfm to It la bn iMct wTttiag*. Sm imiiimIIi >l t«a>F |» JVTAm* C>J^>^, i«L i. pp. 403 M »}., wlicirB W txftMiat t^ oatut ■< Iht ircamML Cf. *Im tlwMUjoa'StU-Lowt'MidilM fragnenM «r kctanoa Racliih PWIoNfhy fiiM p^*^^ ^ ^^f^ Itimam, Ttw varUtiom maft to Uk (((ond edlthm from mnlnil bmh to iV MilMt** cop* face IHilaiiia^fMl No(«) m ttm m4 triUbc. ' "
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or «)r punoinc nr«c* Mnl iha*r. Notional coo< fcf h»cy oalp aa^a.'
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or PMibe, lictf boo^ with 1
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5i«
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NOTES raea
4]0. Tt ail/, at. Thia mmbicc, which K*nn ab«nK, ihoulil pcrhif* b((!a < I nuy idd ihit,' tU. Til* Aii^ OT (4r Imfnaliif ^Mftttti. RouMnu'i Akhvi M' Fttigmi u in /ni/n*nn jlr fimifditt fanti In ii— w, 17;;.
r*( S|i»ai ■/* AWi'f. Hidlit wtoktl]! mtltaiM (o Jnn Bteiiale « Mlitbau'l (itr{-i76o] the ^irjiw A^ Satan at BarMi d'Halb*<h (ifij- i7t9),publiilMil la 1770.
REMARKS ON THE SYSTEMS OF HARTLEY AND HELVETIUS
4]4> H»ilff. Djvid Hirlley (i7oj-i7(7),whoM (Uwwoiwn c« Moa, cnntainiiic
bii funoui ptiaciple «rtbs AHDciilion of Idtat, sppnrcri in 1744. Hihtiin. Clinic Ariran Hclvttiui (I7i!'l770i •rhoM' fimoui wwk
Or l.'Eifrimffatt4 in 17J8. VMr. ilMlrr M i*r Piv^ |« *u Srrmtm. Tbi ^^ S/nmm fttitld M
lit KtHi Citffi vtn fMuhtd ia I7»6. 441. jIi ItiiHi nifldnwj,trt. An inipcrfcci KDUnM. Piubably HiiliK vraie,
'Thii h« t>c«D opliioc'l,' (ic. 443. Kolc Sir Kenilm Di|b)-'t (i6aj-i66;] Oiumaiititi tfat XiNrtt MtAii
irtrr publiahcrl in 164}, Jin<l w^rc ifUrwarilt frc^uni I tjr reprinted in rtljtioni
oi (hit u ork.. 44t. NolF. PLibli(h*<t in I7£a. 447. Mr. Mji-httii, Sir Jimfi Miclkiaia*h*> iMiuni ca 'Tht La* «t N«tM«
nil Nitiont' were rielli>e[t-l ti Lliiuln'i Inn HiU in 1799. 4;o. * A tkUang,' lit. OMI^ Ae( 1. Scene j. 4JJ. *&iMtr tU fintr.' Thii Hretl-ltnowD aphciriim af tlie Scnutionil School ii
allrlbnteil to Doluti dt Tracy. Sn 4*ir, noM to p. ]!]■ Mirt imtf nJ SviiMi. Drydfo, Tlr Hnd »tj lU Pmllif,i. 319. 4J4. N«4p. CmiHUc. Biwnna <H CondilUt fi7i$<i7>o}, vhoM 7*mU in
SitwinH >ppnr«il in 17^4. Km*. TitiatI Dt r^ifrii. See ttt, nctc ta ^ 434.
Nate. 'Mtmtlf'tx. £kM(, Liv. i<r.(^(f(ii^ir rVltfa fnviri&MjHrd). 4!T- 'Ofhiwir f/'ruMa.* Uamtn, Act 1. Soenc 11. 404. 'Titrj r/Miral Simtimtml^' PnUilbcd in I-;). 44{, lM^*UtM. Sm Put U Book III, clufL*;*nd iG.
Edinbur|b ■ Pristid by T, rad A. Cohitmli
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