[ >5 ] 



not well be defcribed in fo fublime charaders as that of 

 Othello. The grief of Conftance has a ftronger claim to ilib- 

 limity: In her we contemplate not the charader of the woman 

 diffolved in all the tendernefs of paffion, but the s;lowing aft'ec- 

 tion of the mother, exalted by the dignity of the queen. 



Dr. Blair, in his Ledures on this fubjedt, acknowledges the 

 pathetic in fome inftances to be a proper fource of the fublime. 

 It were to be wifhed that he had in fome manner defined 

 thofe inftances ; but this matter he has left entirely at large, 

 and contents himfelf with pronouncing againft the judgment of 

 Longinus, that Sappho's Ode contains nothing of the fublime, 

 although it will generally be allowed highly pathetic. Had 

 he thought fit to take this part of the fubjed in hand, the 

 refledions with which I have troubled the Academy I fliould 

 probably have deemed unnecefTary. Upon Sappho's Ode I will 

 not venture to give any decided opinion — I fliall only endea- 

 vour to apply the principles already advanced to this queftion, 

 as far as they feem either to fupport or oppofe the opinion of 

 Longinus. 



The great critic introduces the ode with this critical obfer- 

 vation, " that of necefTity it muft be a great caufe of the 

 " fublime to feled the principal circumftances which rife out 

 " of the fubjed, and by their compofition to form' one entire 

 " body ; both which excellencies are found in this Ode." And 

 he fubjoins to them a more particular account of the nature 

 of thofe circumftances : — " Do you not wonder," fays he, 

 " how at the fame inftant her foul, her body, her voice, her 

 " ears, her eyes, her colour, all feem utterly loft to her ! How 



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