Though motion and force are each of them agreeable, the impreffions they make are different. This difference, clearly felt, is not easily difcribed. All we can fay is, that the emotion raised by a moving body, resembling its cause, is felt as if the mind were carried along the emotion raised by force exerted, resembling also its cause, is felt as if force were exerted within the mind.

To illuftrate that difference, I give the following examples. It has been explained why smoke afcending in a calm day, fuppofe from a cottage in a wood, is an agreeable object *; so remarkably agreeable, that landscape-painters introduce it upon all occafions. The afcent being natural, and without effort, is pleasant in a calm ftate of mind it refembles a gently-flowing river, but is more agreeable, because afcent is more to our taste than defcent. A fire-work or a jet d'eau roufes the mind more; because the beauty of force vifibly exerted, is fuperadded to that of upward motion. To a man reclining indolently upon a bank of flowers, afcending fmoke in a ftill morning is charming; but a fire-work or a jet d'eau roufes him from that fupine posture, and puts him in motion.

A jet d'eau makes an impreffion distinguishable from that of a waterfal. Downward motion

being natural and without effort, tends rather to quiet the mind than to rouse it: upward motion

Chap 1.

on

*

on the contrary, overcoming the refiftance of gravity, makes an impreffion of a great effort, and thereby roufes and enlivens the mind.

The public games of the Greeks and Romans, which gave fo much entertainment to the spectators, confifted chiefly in exerting force, wrestling, leaping, throwing great ftones, and fuchlike trials of ftrength. When great force is exerted, the effort felt internally is animating. The effort may be fuch, as in fome measure to overpower the mind: thus the explosion of gun-powder, the violence of a torrent, the weight of a mountain, and the crush of an earthquake, create astonishment rather than pleasure.

No quality nor circumftance contributes more to grandeur than force, especially where exerted by fenfible beings. I cannot make the obfervation more evident than by the following quotations.

-Him the almighty power

Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky,
With hideous ruin and combuftion, down

To bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell

In adamantine chains and penal fire,

Who durft defy th' Omnipotent to arms.

Paradife Loft, book 1.

-Now ftorming fury rofe,

And clamour fuch as heard in heaven till now
Was never; arms on armour clashing bray'd
Horrible difcord, and the madding wheels
Of brazen chariots rag'd; dire was the noise
Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss

Of

Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew,
And flying vaulted either host with fire.
So under fiery cope together rush'd
Both battles main, with ruinous affault
And inextinguishable rage; all heaven
Refounded; and had earth been then, all earth
Had to her centre shook.

Ibid. book 6.

They ended parle, and both addressed for fight
Unfpeakable; for who, though with the tongue
Of angels, can relate, or to what things
Liken on earth confpicuous, that may lift
Human imagination to fuch height

Of godlike pow'r? for likeft gods they feem'd,
Stood they or mov'd, in ftature, motion, arms,
Fit to decide the empire of great Heav'n.
Now wav'd their fiery fwords, and in the air
Made horrid circles: two broad funs their shields
Blaz'd oppofite, while Expectation stood

In horror: from each hand with speed retir'd,
Where erft was thickeft fight, th' angelic throng,
And left large field, unsafe within the wind
Of such commotion; fuch as, to fet forth
Great things by fmall, if Nature's concord broke,
Among the conftellations war were fprung,
Two planets, rushing from aspect malign
Of fierceft oppofition, in mid sky

Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound.
Ibid. book 6.

We shall next confider the effect of motion and force in conjunction. In contemplating the planetary system, what strikes us the most, is the spherical

spherical figures of the planets, and their regular motions; the conception we have of their activity and enormous bulk being more obfcure: the beauty accordingly of that system, raises a more lively emotion than its grandeur. But if we could comprehend the whole fyftem at one view, the activity and irrefiftible force of these immenfe bodies would fill us with amazement : nature cannot furnish another scene fo grand.

Motion and force, agreeable in themselves, are also agreeable by their utility when employed as means to accomplish fome beneficial end. Hence the fuperior beauty of fome machines, where force and motion concur to perform the work of numberlefs hands. Hence the beautiful motions, firm and regular, of a horfe trained for war: every fingle step is the fitteft that can be, for obtaining the purpofed end. But the grace of motion is vifible chiefly in man, not only for the reasons mentioned, but because every gefture is fignificant. The power however of agreeable motion is not a common talent every limb of the human body has an agreeable and difagreeable motion; fome motions being extremely graceful, others plain and vulgar; fome expreffing dignity, others meannefs. But the pleasure here, arifing, not fingly from the beauty of motion, but from indicating character and fentiment, belongs to different chapters *.

* Chap. II. and 15.

I

I fhould conclude with the final caufe of the relish we have for motion and force, were it not fo evident as to require no explanation. We are placed here in fuch circumftances as to make induftry effential to our well-being; for without industry the plaineft neceffaries of life are not obtained. When our fituation, therefore, in this world requires activity and a conftant exertion of motion and force, Providence indulgently provides for our welfare by making these agreeable to us it would be a grofs imperfection in our nature, to make any thing difagreeable that we depend on for existence; and even indifference would flacken greatly that degree of activity which is indifpenfable.

VOL. I.

R

CHAP.