LECTURE IV. THE SUBLIME IN WRITING. HAVING treated of Grandeur or Sublimity in ex ternal objects, the way seems now to be cleared, for treating, with more advantage, of the descriptions of such objects; or, of what is called the Sublime in Writing. Though I may appear early to enter on the consideration of this subject; yet, as the Sublime is a species of Writing which depends less than any other on the artificial embellishments of rhetoric, it may be examined with as much propriety here, as in any subsequent part of the Lectures. Many critical terms have unfortunately been employed, in a sense too loose and vague; none more so, than that of the Sublime. Every one is acquainted with the character of Casar's Commentaries, and of the style in which they are written; a style, remarkably pure, simple, and elegant ; but the most remote from the sublime, of any of the classical authors. Yet this author has a German critic, Johannes Gulielmus Bergerus, who wrote no longer ago than the year 1720, pitched upon as the perfect model of the Sublime, and has composed a quarto volume, entitled De naturali pulchritudine Orationis; the express intention of which, is to shew, that Cæsar's Commentaries contain the most complete exemplification of all Longinus's rules relating to Sublime Writing. This I mention as a strong proof of the confused ideas which have prevailed, concerning this subject. The true sense of Sublime Writing, undoubtedly, is such a description of objects, or exhibition of sentiments, which are in themselves of a Sublime nature, as shall give us strong impressions of them. But there is another very indefinite, and therefore very improper, sense, which has been too often put upon it; when it is applied to signify any remarkable and dis G tinguishing excellency of composition; whether it raise in us the ideas of grandeur, or those of gentleness, elegance, or any other sort of beauty. In this sense, Cæsar's Commentaries may, indeed, be termed Sublime, and so may many Sonnets, Pastorals, and Love Elegies, as well as Homer's Iliad. But this evidently confounds the use of words, and marks no one species, or character, of composition whatever. I am sorry to be obliged to observe, that the Sublime is too often used in this last and improper sense, by the celebrated critic Longinus, in his treatise on this subject. He sets out, indeed, with describing it in its just and proper meaning; as something that elevates the mind above itself, and fills it with high conceptions, and a noble pride. But from this view of it he frequently departs; and substitutes in the place of it. whatever, in any strain of composition, pleases highly. Thus, many of the passages which he produces as instances of the Sublime, are merely elegant, without having the most distant relation to proper Sublimity; witness Sappho's famous Ode, on which he descants at considerable length. He points out five sources of the Sublime. The first is Boldness or Grandeur in the Thoughts; the second is, the Pathetic; the third, the proper applica tion of Figures; the fourth, the use of Tropes and beautiful expressions; the fifth, Musical Structure and Arrangement of Words. This is the plan of one who was writing a treatise of rhetoric, or of the beauties of Writing in general; not of the Sublime in particular. For of these five heads, only the two first have any particular relation to the Sublime; Boldness and Grandeur in the Thoughts, and in some instances, the Pathe tic, or strong exertions of Passion; The other three, Tropes, Figures, and Musical Arrangements, have no more relation to the Sublime, than to other kinds of good Writing; perhaps less to the Sublime, than to any other species whatever; because it requires less the assistance of ornament. From this it appears, that clear and precise ideas on this head are not to be expected from that writer. I would not, however, be understood, as if I meant, by this censure, to represent his treatise as of small value. I know no critic, ancient or modern, that discovers a more lively relish of the beauties of fine Writing, than Longinus ; and he has also the merit of being himself an excellent, and, in several passages, a truly Sublime, writer. But as his work has been generally considered as a standard on this subject, it was incumbent on me to give my opinion concerning the benefit to be derived from it. It deserves to be consulted, not so much for distinct instruction concerning the Sublime, as for excellent general ideas concerning beauty in Writing. I return now to the proper and natural idea of the Sublime in composition. The foundation of it must always be laid in the nature of the object described. Unless it be such an object as, if presented to our eyes, if exhibited to us in reality, would raise ideas of that elevating, that awful, and magnificent kind, which we call Sublime; the description, however finely drawn, is not entitled to come under this class. This excludes all objects that are merely beautiful, gay, or elegant. In the next place, the object must not only, in itself, be Sublime, but it must be set before us in such a light as is most proper to give us a clear and full impression of it; it must be described with strength, with conciseness, and simplicity. This depends, principally, upon the lively impression which the poet, or orator has of the object which he exhibits; and upon his being deeply affected, and warmed, by the Sublime idea which he would convey. If his own feeling be languid, he can never inspire us with any strong emotion. Instances, which are extremely necessary on this subject, will clearly show the importance of all those requisites which I have just now mention ed. It is, generally speaking, among the most ancient authors, that we are to look for the most striking instances of the Subtime. I am inclined to think, that the early ages of the world, and the rude unimproved state of society, are peculiarly favourable to the strong emotions of Sublimity. The genius of men is then much turned to admiration and astonishment. Meeting with many objects, to them new and strange, their imagination is kept glowing, and their passions are often raised to the utmost. They think, and express themselves boldly, and without restraint. In the progress of society, the genius and manners of men undergo a change more favourable to accuracy, than to strength or Sublimity. Of all writings, ancient or modern, the Sacred Scriptures afford us the highest instances of the Sublime. The descriptions of the Deity, in them, are wonderfully noble; both from the grandeur of the object, and the manner of representing it. What an assemblage, for instance, of awful and sublime ideas is presented to us, in that passage of the XVIIIth Psalm, where an appearance of the Almighty is described?" In my distress "I called upon the Lord; he heard my voice out of his tem"ple, and my cry came before him. Then, the earth shook " and trembled; the foundations also of the hills were moved; "because he was wroth. He bowed the heavens, and came "down, and darkness was under his feet; and he did ride upon a Cherub, and did fly; yea, he did fly upon the wings "of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion "round about him were dark waters, and thick clouds of the sky." Here, agreeably to the principles established in the last Lecture, we see with what propriety and success the circumstances of darkness and terror are applied for heightening the Sublime. So, also, the prophet Habakkuk, in a similar passage: "He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and "drove asunder the nations. The everlasting mountains were "scattered; the perpetual hills did bow; his ways are everlast"ing. The mountains saw thee; and they trembled. The "overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered his "voice, and lifted up his hands on high." The noted instance given by Longinus, from Moses, "God "said, Let there be light; and there was light," is not liable to the censure which I passed on some of his instances, of being foreign to the subject. It belongs to the true Sublime : and the Sublimity of it arises from the strong conception it gives, of an exertion of power, producing its effect with the utmost speed and facility. A thought of the same kind is magnificently amplified in the following passage of Isaiah : (chap. xxiv. 24. 27, 28.) "Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, and he that "formed thee from the womb: I am the Lord that maketh all "things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth "abroad the earth by myself....that saith to the deep, Be dry, and "I will dry up thy rivers; that saith of Cyrus, He is my shep«herd, and shall perform all my pleasure; even, saying to "Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy P "foundation shall be laid." There is a passage in the Psalms, which deserves to be mentioned under this head: "God," says the Psalmist, "stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumults of the people." The joining together two such grand objects, as the ragings of the waters, and the tumults of the people, between which there is so much resemblance as to form a very natural association in the fancy, and the representing them both as subject, at one moment, to the command of God, produces a noble effect. Homer is a poet, who, in all ages, and by all critics, has been greatly admired for Sublimity; and he owes much of his grandeur to that native and unaffected simplicity which characterises his manner. His descriptions of hosts engaging; the animation, the fire, and rapidity, which he throws into his battles, present to every reader of the Iliad, frequent instances of Sublime Writing. His introduction of the gods, tends often to heighten, in a high degree, the majesty of his warlike scenes. Hence Longinus bestows such high and just commendations on that passage, in the 15th book of the Iliad, where Neptune, when preparing to issue forth into the engagement, is described as shaking the mountains with his steps, and driving his chariot along the ocean. Minerva, arming herself for fight in the Vth book; and Apollo, in the XVth, leading on the Trojans, and flashing terror with his Ægis on the face of the Greeks, are similar instances of great Sublimity added to the description of battles, by the appearances of those celestial beings. In the XXth book, where all the gods take part in the engagement, according as they severally favour either the Grecians, or the Trojans, the poet seems to put forth one of the highest efforts, and the description rises into the most awful magnificence. All nature is represented as in commotion. Jupiter thunders in the heavens ; Neptune strikes the earth with his Trident; the ships, the city, and the mountains shake; the earth trembles to its centre; Pluto starts from his throne, in dread lest the secrets of the infernal region should be laid open to the view of mortals. The passage is worthy of being inserted. Αὐτὰς ἐπεὶ μεθ' όμιλον Ὀλύμπιοι ήλυθεν ἀνδρῶν, |