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An ESSAY on SUBLIMITY o/' WRITING. By the 

 Rev. RICHARD STACK, D. D. and M.R.I. A 



J^ONGINUS, in his juftly-admired treatife an the fublime, Read ijth 

 has laid open to our view its five principal fources : Boldnefs or ^^*'p^"y» 

 vigour in the thoughts, vehement and enthufiaftic paflion, 

 invention of figures, fplendid didion, and compofition with 

 dignity and elevation. Some critics before him having con- 

 founded the two firft conftituents, he fhews the neceflity of 

 keeping them diftind, becaufe there are fome paflions, as pity, 

 grief and fear, which are rather contrary to the fublime : And 

 again, there are numberlefs inftances af fubHmity without any 

 pafilon. Had he treated as copioufly of the pathetic as of the 

 reft, he had probably given us equally interefting and beautiful 

 matter : But we are told he referved this curious fubjedt for a 

 feparate work. It has not, however, been left unnoticed. A 

 great critic of our own age and country hath touched the fubjedl 

 [A- 2] with 



