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the other, whether a reprefentation of paflion can form a fublime 

 objedt. 



In anfwer to the former I would obferve, that the fublime 

 operates diredly on the aifedions, and therefore muft be con- 

 fidered as producing effeds of the fame kind with thofe which 

 are produced by the pathetic. Admiration and terror are the 

 efieds of the fublime. Dodtor Prieftley does indeed profefs to 

 exclude from them every kind of agitation ; but I fuppofe this 

 term not to be ufed in its ftridleft application, for he has derived 

 the fublimity which he attributes to the ideas of wealth, honour 

 and power from thofe circumftances which enable them to fill 

 and charm the foul. It has indeed been cuftomary to fpeak of 

 the emotion of fublimity, and Lord Kaims has diftinguifhed 

 emotion from paffion : " An internal emotion or agitation of tho 

 " mind," he fays, " when it paffeth away without defire, is deno- 

 " minated an emotion ; when defire follows, the motion or agi- 

 " tation is denominated a paflion." This diftindion may be of 

 importance to a moralift, but cannot be of any in the prefent 

 enquiry. Emotion and paflion, according to the examples by 

 which Lord Kaims illuftrates his diftindion, differ only in degree, 

 and the prefent queftion is about the kind and not about the 

 degree of the imprcflion made by a fublime objed ; but this 

 diftindion may be admitted, and yet the fublime and the pa- 

 thetic be confidered as producing effeds of the fame kind. The 

 emotion excited by the fublime of eloquence is frequently of an 

 adive kind. The celebrated oath of Demofthenes, by which he 

 deified thofe ancient patriots who had fallen in the plain of 



Marathon 



