The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Preface
• Key to Abbreviations and References
• Introduction
• 1.: The Manuscript
• 2.: The Lectures
• 3.: Considerations Concerning the First Formation of Languages
• 4.: Rhetoric and Literary Criticism
• 5.: System and Aesthetics
• Bibliographical Note
• Lectures On Rhetoric and Belles Lettres: Lecture 2D.
• Lecture 3D.: Of the Origin and Progress of Language 1
• Lecture 4tha
• Lecture 5. A
• Lecture 6.THA: Of What Is Called the Tropes and Figures of Speech. B
• Lecture. 7. A
• Lecture. 8. A
• Lecture. 9tha
• Lecture. 10tha
• Lecture. 11 a
• Lecture. 12.THA: Of Composition
• Lecture. 13 a
• | Lecture. 14 a
• Lecture 15tha
• Lecture. 16th. a
• Lecture XVII. A
• Lecture Xviii a
• Lecture. Xixth. a
• Lecture. XX.THA
• Lecture Xxist. a
• Lecture Xxiida
• Lecture Xxiiida
• Lecture Xxivtha
• Lecture XXV. A
• Lecture Xxvitha
• Lecture Xxvii a
• Lecture Xxviiitha
• Lecture Xxix a
• Lecture. Xxx a
• Considerations Concerning the First Formation of Languages,&c. &c.1
• Appendix 1 (see P. 32) the Bee, Or Literary Weekly Intelligencer, For Wednesday, May 11, 1791.
• Appendix 2 Table of Corresponding Passages

Lecture. 13 ^a

Mr Smith.

Monday Dcr 20 1762

That way of expressing any quality of ^b an object which does it by describing the severall parts that constitute the quality we want to express, may be called the direct method. When, again, we do it by describing the effects this quality produces on those who behold it, may be called the indirect method. This latter in most cases is by far the best. We see accordingly Shakespeares descriptions are greatly more animated than those of Spenser. Shakespeare as he wrote in Dialogues had it always in his power to make the persons of the Dialogue relate the effects any object had upon them. Spenser describes every thing directly, 1 and has in adhering to this plan described severall objects direc<t>ly which no other author attempted in that manner. {Spenser was constrained to take this method because he dealt in Allegoricall Personages without Existence or form but what he conferred on them} ^c Pindar, Homer and Milton 2 never attempt to describe musick | 161 directly, they allways do it by relating the effects it produced on some other creatures, Pindar 3 relates the effects it had not only on the earthly beings but even goes to the Heavens and to Tartarus for objects that might strengthen his description. {Mr Hervey 4 has imitated the passage here mentioned in an extremely beautifull manner ^d but tho the circumstances are as well or perhaps better pointed out than in Pindar yet one chief beauty is lost, by his ommitting the effects of the Musick on Jupiter himself, the thunder bolt falling from his hand and the eagle[s] settling herself at that particular moment on his hand. In the merchant of Venice 5 Musick is described by the effects it produces. The man that hath not musick in himself} ^e But this which none of these Great men ever attempted Spencer has not only attempted but has succeeded in ^f : In the account of the knight of temperance destroying the bower of bliss. 6

The describing or expressing internall invisible objects is a matter of far greater difficulty. One would imagine that it would be easy to express an externall one in either of the forementioned ways; But we find it requires no inconsiderable degree of skill to accomplish this into considerable perfection. | 162 But whatever difficulty there is in expressing the externall objects that are the objects of our senses; there must be far greater in describing the internal ones, which pass within the mind itself and are the object of none of our senses. We have here no parts into which we can seperate them nor any by describing which we can convey the notion we desire. {The easiest way of describing an object is by its parts, how then describe those which have no parts} ^g

The causes of these internall facts, or objects are in like manner either internall or externall. The internall are such dispositions of mind as fit one for that certain passion or affection of mind; and the externall are such objects as produce these effects on a mind so disposed. {There can be but two ways of describing them, by the Effects they produce either on the Body or the mind: both these are indirect} ^h A mind not ruffled by any violent passions, but calm and tollerably serene; filled with some degree of joy not so great as to withdraw the attention, is that | 163 state of mind in which one is most disposed to admiration. Tis in this state the poets have been when they have burst out into those Raptorous expression<s> on the pleasures of a Country life. The Calme tranquill scene it affords would then be most agreable. If any beautifull object is presented to one in these circumstances, he is fixt in the place he was in, his arms fall down loose by his sides, or if the emotion is very violent are laid across his breast, he leans forwards and stretches out his neck, with his eyes fixt on the object and his mouth a little opened. The ⁱ affection he feels is mixt with some degree of desire and hope ^j towards the object and this inclines to draw nearer towards ^k it, imagining | 164 that by coming nearer towards it he will enjoy it in greater perfection. {A Cottage Seen at a Certain distance is an agreable object and we are apt to Suppose the Inhabitants of a Cottage (perhaps contrary to Experience) inno<c>ent and happy} ^l This ^m affection is most apt to take place in those of an easy pleased temper; but not in one where vanity or selfconceit is predominant; such persons are too much engaged with themselves to be greatly affected with other objects.

Any new object affects one with surprise particularly if it be great and important. This affection does not as the other fix the person to his place but makes him start back, his hands streatched out and his eyes staring. The turn of mind most fitted to this is when ⁿ If the Object is grand he is fixt to his place, but does not as in the first case desire to approach the object, he rather inclines to draw back. This is what we properly call admiration. It does not partake of hope or desire but rather of a reverential awe and respect, that gives one a fear of dis| 165pleasing. {Surprise is most violent on their first beholding the object, but admiration gradually increases, comes to its greatest height and again decreases.} The turn of mind that inclines one most to this is ^o

Other passions affect the body still more violently and distort it in different ways. We do not mean that all these should be described but only such as are most striking and distinguishing. ^p The different passions all proceed in like manner from different states of mind and outward circumstances. But it would be both endless and useless to go thro’ all these different affections and passions in this manner. It would be endless, because tho the simple passions are ^q of no great number, yet these are so compounded in different manners as to make a number of mixt ones almost infinite. It would be useless, for tho we | 166 had gone thro all the different affections yet the difference of character and age and circumstances of the person would so vary the affects that our rules would not be at all applicable. Grief is the passion that affects Mezentius, Evander and the mother of Euryalus, 7 but its effects on them are very different. Mezentiuss ^r at the same time ^s {In Mezentius the Effect it produces on a ferocious Tyrant abandond by his Subjects, pursued by the Venegance of heaven, is a contumacious fury and despair. ^t The Grief of Evander was perfect Weakness such as naturally became an old man who had lived in Innocence and Simplicity} ^u Evander is affected with a plain simple grief, The mother of Euryalus displays a sort of vivacity in her grief ^v common to that sex after they have passed a certain age; their passions ^w seem then (conterary to what happens to men) to have acquired greater strength and accuteness than they had before. | 167 {This diversity of the same affection in different characters is finely instanced in the Sentiments of our first Parents on quitting Paradise 8 —Eve she regrets Leaving the flowers and Walks and chief the Nuptial Bower—Adam in a very sublime passage the Scenes where he had conversed with God} ^x

The addition of certain objects tending to the same point are often of great benefit. The L’allegro of Milton and his Il penseroso are ^y set out to great advantage by the various additional personages joined in the Scene.—These additionall objects may be of three kinds, 1^st such as are immediately effected by the principall objects and tend to give strength to the design in View. 2^dly Such as are not produced by the principall object but are connected with it and are of the same kind and tend to produce the same emotion and 3^dly Such as neither are affected by the object nor are connected with it, but are ^a some way suitable to the main design and tend to produce the same emotion. When Vi<rgil> ^b describes the tumbling of a torrent down a Rock | 168 he strengthens the Picture by describing a traveller astonished and surprised on ^c hearing it below him. 9 The Rocks themselv<es> broken, steep, and hanging over the ground is an object very agreable in a country scene. Titian often added a goat climbing on these rocks to his pleasant ^d landscapes; this added greatly to the agreablenes of the Rocks, ^e but when he drew the Shepherd lying along on the ground and diverting himself with beholding its motions, he made a great addition to the mirth and pleasure of the piece. The Humming of a swarm of Bees and the cooing of a turtle give us ideas agreable and soothing, but this is greatly hightned when Virgil describes Meliboeus 10 lulled a sleep by their soothing sound. These are examples | 169 of the first kind where the additionall objects are affected by the principall one. ^f (We may observe here that a landscape is where the chief object is the innanimate or irrationall part, and a historicall where the human figures are designed chiefly to attract our attention.) The 2^d Method is that which Milton makes use of in his L’allegro. The Mi<l>kmaid singing along, and the mower sharping his Scythe 11 etc. do not immediately respect the landscape ^g described but are ^h connected with it and tend to excite the same ⁱ emotion. {Salvator} Rosa ^j has drawn many Landscapes ^k in which the Rocks, Cascades, Woods and Mountains make | 170 objects. Here he often places a philosopher meditating under the shade of the ^l mountain, a magician at the mouth of a cavern, and a Hermit amidst the desarts and Forests. Here neither the Philosop<h>er is contemplating the mountain, the magician the cavern, nor the Hermit the Desert. But these objects are connected together and excite the same emotion. {A Philosopher Reading on a Book} ^m The Philosopher adds to the awfull majestick appearance of the mountain, the magician to the Gloomy horror of the Cavern. The Hermit tends to excite in a strong degree the emotions we are apt to conceive at the sight of a desert.—Solitude gives us an idea of something | 171 very awfull, we imagine that some Superior beings are generally present in such places, and when we do not see them we conceive them to <be> present tho invisible. The fairies, Nymphs, Fawns, Satyrs, Dryads and such divinities were all inhabitants of the ⁿ Forest. {If they are ever brought into the City it is in the Silence of the Night which is a species of Solitude} ^o In such places all communication with superior beings is conceived to be had; Propheticall inspirations and Revelations have all been given in solitude. It was not in the Palaces of Troy but on the Solitary mountain of Ida that the Goddesses are said to have presented themselves to Paris. By this means Hermits and other religious persons are fit additions to such solitary places where we would have an awfull and gloomy emotion ^p excited. ^z

{Poussin in his night piece has added the story of Pyr<amus> and Thisbe, as of the same sort with the rest, but here there is no connection and the unsuitableness renders the effect not very agreable. The same he has done in ^q others where he has brought in the history of Phocion. This sort where there is no connection seems proper in historicall paintings because ^r }

| 172 {We shall now give some generall rules for the description of Objects and 1^st The whole ^s } of the objects described should tend to excite the same emotion otherwise the end will not be answered. Where the chief design is to excite mirth and chearfullness nothing should be brought in that is gloomy or horrible, and on the other hand where we would raise awfull grand sentiments the whole must tend that way. Miltons L alleg and Il p {Penseroso} ^t answer exactly to this rule. Thomson seems frequently to have ^u broke throw it. The Plan he laid down of giving an account of the Seasons often lead him ^v to describe objects of different and conterary natures. By which means his descriptions tho sometimes good enough lose their effect, in raising any strong emotion. ^w

| 173 2^d Another thing that is necessary is that the description should be short and not taedious by its length. But here there is a difficulty, to attain this conciseness and at the same time bring in those circumstances which give a description vivaciety and force. This may often be accomplished by picking out some of the most curious and | 174 striking circumstances, which may suggest the others to the reader. This Virgil has done excellently in the description of the death of an Argive commander where he says

Sternitur ^x et Dulces moriens meminiscitur Argos—A Poet of less merit would have made him express all the tender sentiments this naturally suggests to the reader 12 . This Thomson has done in the description of the man dying in the Snow. 13

| v.172 {3^d A 3^d Direction may be, that, We should not only ^y make our circumstances all of a piece, but it is often proper to Choose out some niece and Curious ones. A Painter in Drawing a fruit ^z makes the figure very striking if he not only gives it the form and Colour but also represents the fine down with which it is covered. The Dew on Flowers in the same manner gives the figure a striking resemblance. In the same manner in description we ought to choose out some minute circumstances which concur in the general emotion we would excite and at the same time but little attended to. Such circumstances are always attended with a very con<si>derable effect.} ^a

Conciseness in the expression may also be attained consistently with the Strength of the imagery if every member of a sentence represent one | 175 at least and if possible two or three different Circumstances. This makes the description still more lively. Thus in Milton Il pen and L’all almost every word tends to convey some idea suited to the Subject, and the same may be seen in Virgils account of the horse dying in the Murrian. 14

{Another direction is that the Circumstance Pointed out be a Curious one, and if such as is not subject to common observation then it will be sure to strike. Thus we are greatly pleased with those Paintings of flowers or fruits which represent the down or the dew, which is not what is commonly observed altho to it the fruit and flowers owe their Lustre} ^b

[a]MS 12

[b]last four words replace describing

[1 ]This ignores (what would be relevant to Smith’s distinction) Spenser’s habit of presenting objects as observed by a particular onlooker; hence the prominence of verbs like sees and seems, and the frequent (dramatic and moral) discrepancy between appearance and reality in The Faerie Queene.

[c]Hand B

[2 ]On Milton, exceptions might be the conclusion of L’Allegro, the canzone At a Solemn Music, or celestial music at various points in Paradise Lost. See S. Spaeth, Milton’s Knowledge of Music (Princeton 1913).

[3 ]Pythian Ode, i.1 ff.

[4 ]John Harvey (see above, i.150 n.2), A collection of miscellany poems and letters, comical and serious (1726), 62–4, ‘To Sir Richard Steele’.

[d]last five words replace very excellently

[5 ]V.i.71–88.

[e]second sentence is a later addition by Hand A, the third by Hand B

[f]it deleted

[6 ]The Faerie Queene, II.xii.70–1. Guyon’s destruction of the Bower of Bliss follows, 83 ff.

[g]Hand B

[h]Hand B

[i]passion deleted

[j]numbers written above change the original order hope and desire

[k]in hopes deleted

[l]Hand B

[m]passion deleted

[n]blank of six letters in MS

[o]blank of two and a half lines in MS

[p]The no deleted

[q]replaces be

[7 ]Aeneid, x.833–908; on Mezentius’ hateful character, viii.481 ff. Evander: xi.148–81. The dead Euryalus apostrophised by his grieving mother: ix.475–502.

[r]is that of one deleted

[s]ra (for ‘rages’?), then almost two lines blank

[t]blank of six letters in MS

[u]Hand B

[v]conterary to deleted

[w]their passions replaces they then

[8 ]Paradise Lost, xi.268–85 and 315–29 respectively.

[x]Hand B

[y]all deleted

[a]of the deleted

[b]blank in MS

[c]written over at

[9 ]Perhaps Aeneid, ii.304–8: but ‘stupet inscius . . . pastor’, not ‘viator’. The simile imitates Iliad iv.452 ff.

[d]objects deleted

[e]last nine words replace of itself is a pleasant object

[10 ]Eclogues, i.54–6.

[f]For deleted

[11 ]L’Allegro, 65–6.

[g]bef deleted

[h]of the deleted

[i]idea deleted

[j]inserted by Hand B in blank left

[k]of deleted

[l]object deleted

[m]Hand B

[n]des deleted

[o]If . . . is in Hand A the rest in Hand B

[p]of deleted

[z]and tend to pro wrongly deleted

[q]replaces with

[r]–cause stands alone at top of v.171 blank of six letters in MS

[s]1st The whole repeated at beginning of 172

[t]Hand B

[u]brought deleted

[v]in deleted

[w]They ought all to have been arranged in such an order as not to have contrasted one another but tended to the same end at top of 173, deleted, with five blank lines before 2d Another thing that is. . . . .

[x]in humum deleted

[12 ]Wounding of Antores; Aeneid, x.781–2 reads

• sternitur infelix alieno vulnere, caelumque
• aspicit et dulcis moriens reminiscitur Argos.

[13 ]Seasons, Winter, 276–317 (as in 1730–46 editions).

[y]choose out deleted

[z]ine deleted

[a]v.172 note is keyed in after in the Snow by a caret

[14 ]Georgics, iii.498–502. Cf. the ox’s death at iii.515 ff.

[b]Hand B, bottom half of 175