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and admiration or terror is the imprefllon made by natural fub- 

 limity. 



The other queflion concerning the reprefentation of pafTion 

 we fliall alfo be enabled to determine by the principles already 

 ftated. The clafs of moral fublimity has been defcribed as 

 comprehending whatever is confidered as ennobling the human 

 charadler, the fuperior energy of intellcdual or moral qualities. 

 The agitation of paflion may indeed give occafion to the exer- 

 tion of that mental vigour which ftruggles to fubdue it, or to 

 the difplay of that elevation of mind to which it fuggefts fplendid 

 and glowing images of great objefls, but it does not appear that 

 the tumult of paflion is itfelf the object of our admiration. 

 Dodor Stack, in an efTay publiflied in the Tranfadions of the 

 Academy, has obferved, that fome of thofe paflages which exhibit 

 the agitations of the refolute charader of Othello may be called 

 fublime, and I agree with him in the obfervation, whilft I differ 

 from him in the principle ; they are fublime, not becaufe they 

 are paffionate, but becaufe they evince the habitual heroifm of 

 Othello. When he wifhes to brave the utmovl violence of florms, 

 if after every tempeji come fttcb calms, the fublimity of his cha- 

 rader does not confift in the warmth of his love, which might be 

 felt as much by a feebler nature, but in the magnanimity, which 

 proves his attachment by the dangers for which he would con- 

 fider fuch a meeting as an adequate reward. In the ^ame 

 manner, his farewell to thofe great objeds which had once 

 employed his thoughts is indeed fublime, becaufe it exhibits 

 to us a great mind, even when linking under the attacks of 



paflion, 



