434 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



connected: the one estimates power 

 and capacity, the other judges of 

 their produce and application. — 

 Whatever relates to habit, whatever 

 arises from the moment of action, 

 the burst of passions, their play on 

 blood and muscles, are, strictly 

 speaking, without the physiognomic 

 sphere, whose true object is the 

 animal at rest. Were man and 

 man as easily discriminated as the 

 lamb and the tiger, the physiog- 

 nomist's would be an useless science ; 

 but since both lamb and tiger may 

 dwell in human frames, he surely 

 deserves our tlianks, who points 

 them out to us before we wound 

 the one or sink beneath the other. 



Origin and Nature of (he Senli- 

 menl of Adndralion in the human 

 JMiiid ; from Cogan's Treatise on 

 the Pasfiions. 



THAT excellence which is the 

 subject of admiration, may 

 either consist in the intellectual 

 powers of mind, or dispositions of 

 the heart. Admiration may be 

 excited by the contemplation of 

 greatness and extent of genius, by 

 indications of superior talents, by 

 plans and pi'ojects which discover 

 great ingenuit}'' in contrivance and 

 invention, or unusual skill in the 

 execution. It is often excited by 

 extraordinary exertions of benevo- 

 lence; such as dangers encountered 

 to protect and save a friend, a stran- 

 ger, or an enemy ; the greatness of 

 the sacrifice made to misery, and the 

 compassion that excites to extra- 

 ordinary acts of mercy. In short, 

 the objective cause of admiration is 

 whatever indicates a superior de- 

 gree of wisdom, ingenuity, good 

 sensCj or benevolence. To such 



qualities it is properly confined. — 

 Power abstractedly considered is 

 not the object of admiration ; though 

 the dignified or benevolent exer- 

 tions of power to the production of 

 good, may excite the highest de- 

 gree of admiration, and render it a 

 very strong emotion. 



It is obvious that the range of ad- 

 miration is from the simpler appro- 

 bation of the mind up to the most 

 lively sensation, according to our 

 conceptions of the extent of excel- 

 lence, and also the degi-ees of our 

 interest in its effects. It is also 

 blended with various other emotions 

 according to different circumstances 

 attendant upon the passion. It is 

 frequently introduced by surprise; 

 when, for example, the discovery 

 of these excellencies is sudden and 

 unexpected; and then it becomes a 

 vivid emotion. It is generally con- 

 nected with some degree of wonder ; 

 as we are so frequently ignorant of 

 the causes which enabled any one 

 greatly to excel ourselves or others: 

 but as it is always excited by the 

 real discovery of some qualities, it 

 is not to be confounded with an 

 emotion that proceeds from igno- 

 rance and embarrassment, previous 

 to the discovery. When the evi- 

 dences of wisdom or goodness ex- 

 ceed our utmost comprehension, or 

 proceed far beyond the usual extent 

 of excellence itself, they may excite 

 astonishment. 



Whatever is good, or productive 

 of good, is the proper object of love; 

 excellence must of consequence be 

 peculiarly calculated to excite the 

 affection in a superior degree; hence 

 the pleasing and intimate connec- 

 tion between love and admiration. 

 When these are united with grati- 

 tude, they constitute the happiest 

 and sublimest affection <« of tue soul. 



