from each other, both of them produced by pleasant emotions that are fimilar; of which, the one may be represented by addition in numbers, the other by harmony in founds. Two pleasant emotions that are fimilar, readily unite when they are coexiftent; and the pleasure felt in the union, is the fum of the two pleasures: the fame emotions in fucceffion, are far from making the fame figure; because the mind, at no inftant of the fucceffion, is conscious of more than a fingle emotion. This doctrine may aptly be illuftrated by a landscape comprehending hills, valleys, plains, rivers, trees, &c.: the emotions produced by these several objects, being fimilar in a high degree, as falling in eafily and fweetly with the fame tone of mind, are in conjunction extremely pleasant. This multiplied effect is felt from objects even of different fenfes, as where a landscape is conjoined with the mufic of birds and odour of flowers; and results partly from the resemblance of the emotions and partly from the connection of their caufes : whence it follows, that the effect must be the greatest, where the causes are intimately connected and the emotions perfectly fimilar. The fame rule is obviously applicable to painful emotions that are fimilar and coexiftent. The other pleasure arifing from pleasant emotions fimilar and coexiftent, cannot be better explained than by the foregoing example of a land scape, scape, where the fight, hearing, and smelling, are employed: befide the acumulated pleasure above mentioned, of fo many different fimilat emotions, a pleasure of a different kind is felt from the concord of thefe emotions. As that pleasure resembles greatly the pleasure of concordant founds, it may be termed the Harmony of Emotions. This harmony is felt in the different emotions occafioned by the visible objects; but it is felt ftill more fenfibly in the emotions occafioned by the objects of different senses, as where the emotions of the eye are combined with thofe of the ear. The former pleasure comes under the rule of addition: this comes under a different rule. It is directly in proportion to the degree of refemblance between the emotions, and inversely in proportion to the degree of connection between the caufes: to feel this pleasure in perfection, the resemblance between the emotions cannot be too ftrong, nor the connection between their caufes too flight. The former condition is felf-evident; and the reafon of the latter is, that the pleasure of harmony is felt from various fimilar emotions, diftinct from each other, and yet fweetly combining in the mind; which excludes caufes intimately connected, for the emotions produced by them are forced into one complex emotion. This pleasure of concord or harmony, which is the refult of pleafing emotions, and cannot have place with respect to those that are painful, will VOL, I. I he be further illuftrated, when the emotions produced by the found of words and their meaning are taken under confideration *. The pleasure of concord from conjoined emotions, is felt even where the emotions are not perfectly fimilar. Though love be a pleasant paffion, yet by its foftnefs and tenderness it refembles in a confiderable degree the painful paffion of pity or of grief; and for that reason, love accords better with these paffions than with what are gay and fprightly. I give the following example from Catullus, where the concord between love and grief has a fine effect even in fo flight a subject as the death of a fparrow. Lugete, ô Veneres, Cupidinesque, Et quantum eft hominum venustiorum ! * Chap. 18. fect. 3. Next Next as to the effects of diffimilar emotions, which we may guefs will be oppofite to what are above defcribed. Diffimilar coexiftent emotions, as faid above, never fail to diftress the mind by the difference of their tones; from which fituation a feeling of harmony never can proceed; and this holds whether the causes be connected or not. But it holds more remarkably where the causes are connected; for in that cafe the diffimilar emotions being forced into an unnatural union, produce an actual feeling of difcord. In the next place, if we would estimate the force of diffimilar emotions co-exiftent, we must distinguish between their caufes as connected or unconnected: and in order to compute their force in the former cafe, fubtraction must be used instead of addition; which will be evident from what follows. Diflimilar emotions forced into union by the connection of their caufes, are felt obfcurely and imperfectly; for each tends to vary the tone of mind that is fuited to the other; and the mind thus diftracted between two objects, is at no instant in a condition to receive a deep impreffion from either. Diffimilar emotions proceeding from unconnected causes, are in a very different condition; for as there is nothing to force them into union, they are never felt but in fucceffion; by which means, each hath an opportunity to make a complete impreffion. This curious theory requires to be illuftrated by examples. In reading the defcription of the dismal wafte, book 1. of Paradife Loft, we are fenfible of a confufed feeling, arifing from diffimilar emotions forced into union, to wit, the beauty of the defcription, and the horror of the object defcribed. Seeft thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, Save what the glimmeriug of these livid flames And with refpect to this and many fimilar paffages in Paradife Loft, we are fenfible, that the emotions being obfcured by each other, make neither of them that figure they would make feparately. For the fame reason, ascending smoke in a calm morning, which infpires ftillness and tranquillity, is improper in a picture full of violent action. A parterre, partly ornamented, partly in disorder, produces a mixt feeling of the fame fort. Two great armies in act to engage, mix the diffimilar emotions of grandeur and of terror. Sembra d'alberi denfi alta forefta L'un campo, e l'altro; di tant' afte abbonda. Vibranfi i dardi, e rotafi ogni fionda. Ogni cavallo in guerra anco s'apprefta, Rafpa, |