f \ 



AND CHARACTER OF THE PASSIONS, 411 



De secretes beaut6s quel amas innombrable ! 

 Pius I'Auteur s'est cacli6, plus il est admiiable !* 

 Wiiat boundless beauties round us are dis'play'd! 

 How shines tlie Godhead mid the darkest shade ! 



Such, then, are the numerous and diversified families that issue directly or 

 collaterally from the passion of desire, or of aversion as its opposite. I 

 stated this passion to be almost universal in its range, and I submit to you 

 whether this statement has not been verified. 



The two other radical sources into which we are to resolve the remaining 

 passions of the heart are joy and sorrov/ : of equal weight and moment in 

 the scale of life, but less numerous and complicated in their offspring ; and 

 which will, therefore, detain us but for a few minutes. 



Joy, when pure and genuine, is a sweet and vivacious affection. It is the 

 test and index of happiness or pleasure. Its influence, like that of gravita- 

 tion, extends to remote objects ; and it lightens the severest labours by its 

 foretaste. It is the breath, the nectar of heaven, and the high reward which 

 stimulates us to a performance of our duty while on earth. 



Joy, like several of the preceding passions, has different names assigned 

 to it, in its different stages of ascent ; at its lowest point, it is ease, content, 

 or tranquillity ; at a certain elevation, it is called delight or gladness ; some- 

 what farther in the scale, exultation ; beyond this, rapture or transport — for 

 the terms, as applied to this passion, are synonymous ; and advanced far 

 higher, it is ecstasy — joy so overwhelming as to take away the senses, and 

 prevent all power of utterance. Among the Greeks, however, the term 

 ECSTASY was used in a more general sense, and applied to any overwhelming 

 affection, whether of joy or sorrow ; and Shakspeare, who has often carried 

 it farther than the Greeks, occasionally makes it a feature of madness or 

 mental distraction, which is not passion but disease. The following from 

 his Hamlet is an instance of this signification : — 



Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, 

 Like sweet bells jaiigied, out of tune and harsh ; 

 That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth 

 Blasted with ecstasy. 



Combined with activity, joy produces the light-hearted family of cheerful- 

 ness, gayety, mirth, frolic, and jocularity ; the best and most lively picture 

 of which that the world has ever seen, is given by Milton in his Allegro, 

 mirth being here placed at the head of the whole. 



Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee 

 Jest and youthful Jollity, 

 Uuips, and cranks, and wanton wiles, 

 Nods, and becks, and wreatned smiles, 

 Sucli as hang on Hebe's cheek, 

 And love to live in dimple sleek; 

 Sport,, that wrinkled care derides, 

 And Laughter holding both his sides. 

 Come, and trip it as you go 

 On the light fantastic toe. 

 And in thy right hand lead with thee 

 The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty. 



Possessing features in many respects similar, we meet with another lively 

 tribe, which are equally the offspring of joy, but of joy in alliance with an 

 ardent imagination. These are sentimentalism, characterized by romantic 

 views or ideas of real life; chivalry, which is the sentimentalism of gallantry, 

 caparisoned for action, and impatient to enter the burning list. 



Where throngs of knights and barons bold 

 In weeds of peace high triumphs hold. 

 With stores of ladies, whose bright eyes 

 Rain influence, and judge the prize. 



* Racine le fils, Pofime de la Religion. 



