464 



ON THE ORIGIN, CONNEXION, 



with a fixed and clandestine desire to injure, degenerates into malice; 

 the foulest, most despicable, and most devilish of all the passions that can 

 harass an intelligent being, and the most opposite to the character of the 

 Divinity ; for God is love, and the stamp of benevolence is printed on ever}* 

 part of creation. 



De secretes beautes quel amas innombrable I 

 Pius r Auteur s'est cache, plus il est admirable • * - 

 What boundless beauties round us are displayed J 

 How shines the Godhead mid the darkest shade J 



Such, then, are the numerous and diversified famihes that issue directly 

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

 1 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 remain- 

 ing passions of the heart are joy and sorrow : of equal weight and mo- 

 ment 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 

 gravitation, extends to remote objects ; and it lightens the severest labours 

 by its foretaste. It is the breath, the nectar of heaven, and the high re- 

 ward 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,- con- 

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

 somewhat farther in the scale, exultation ; beyond this, rapture or trans- 

 port, — for the terms, as applied to this passion, are synonymous ; and ad- 

 vanced 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 jangled, out of tune and harsb ; 

 That unmatcned form and feature of blown youth 

 Blasted with ecstasy. 



Combined with activity, joy produces the hght-hearted family of cheer- 

 fulness, gayety, mirth, frolic, and jocularity ; the best and most lively pic- 

 ture of which that the world has ever seen, is given by Milton in his A]» 

 legro, mirth being here placed at the head of the whole. 



Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee 

 Jest and youthful Jollity, 

 Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles. 

 Nods, and becks, and wreathed smiles, 

 Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, 

 And love to live in dimple sleek ; 

 Sport, that wrinkled care derides, 

 And Laughter holding both his sides. 



* Racine le fils. Poerae de la Reliffion, 



