Study of Man is engaged about the mortal, "the worthlefs part of himself, and he has "ceased to cultivate Virtue, and polish his nobler part, the Soul."

The Scope of our Authors Reflexions in the latter part of the Section is this; that Genius can never exert it felf or rife to Sublimity, where Virtue is neglected, and the Morals are depraved. Cicero was of the fame Opinion before him, and Quintilian has a whole Chapter to prove, that the great Orator muft be a good Man. Men of the finest Genius which have hitherto appeared in the World, have been for the most part not very defective in their Morals, and lefs in their Principles: I am fenfible there are Exceptions to this Obfervation, but little to the Credit of the Persons, fince their Works become the feverest Satyrs on themselves, and the manifeft Oppofition between their Thought and Practice detracts its Weight from the one, and marks out the other for public Abhorrence.

An inward Grandeur of Soul is the common Centre from whence every Ray of Sublimity, either in Thought, or Action, or Discourse is darted out. For all Minds are no more of the fame Complexion than all Bodies of the fame Texture. In the latter Cafe our Eyes would

meet

meet only with the fame Uniformity of Colour in every Object: In the former, we should be all Orators or Poets, all Philofophers, or all Blockheads. This would break in upon that beautiful and useful Variety, with which the Author of Nature has adorned the rational as well as the material Creation. There is in every Mind a Tendency, tho' perhaps differently inclined, to what is great and excellent. Happy they, who know their own peculiar Bent, who have been bleffed with Opportunities of giving it the proper Culture and Polish, and are not cramped or restrained in the Liberty of shewing and declaring it to others! There are many fortunate Concurrences, without which we cannot attain to any quickness of Taste or Relish for the Sublime.

I hope what has been faid will not be thought an improper Introduction to the following Treatise, in which (unless I am deceived) there is a juft Foundation for every Remark that has been made. The Author appears fublime in every View, not only in what he has written, but in the manner in which he acted, and the Bravery with which he died; by all acknowledged the Prince of Criticks, and by no worse Judge than Boileau, esteemed a Philofopher worthy to be ranked with Socrates and Cato.

LONGINUS

LONGINUS

ON THE

SUBLIME.

Y

SECTION I.

OU remember, 1 I my dear Terentianus, that when we read over together 2 Cecilius's Treatife on the Sublime, we thought it too mean for a Subject of that nature, that it is intirely defective in its principal Branches, and that confequently its Advantage (which ought to be the principal Aim of every Writer) would prove very small to the Readers. Befides, tho' in every Treatife upon any Science two Points are indifpenfably required; the First, that the Science which is the Subject of it be fully explain'd;

B

plain'd; the Second (I mean in order of writing, fince in Excellence it is far the fuperior) that plain Directions be given, how and by what Method fuch Science may be attain'd: Yet Cecilius, who brings a thousand Inftances to fhew what the Sublime is, as if his Readers were wholly ignorant of the matter, has omitted, as altogether unneceffary, the Method which, judiciously observed, might enable us to raise our natural Genius to any height of this Sublime. But perhaps, this Writer is not fo much to be blamed for his Omissions, as commended for his good Defigns and carneft Endeavours. You indeed have laid your Commands upon me to give you my Thoughts on this Sublime, let us then, in obedience to those Commands, confider whether any thing can be drawn from my private Studies for the fervice of 3 those who write for the World, or speak in publick.

But I request you, my dear Friend, to give me your Opinion on whatever I advance, with that Exactness which is due to Truth, and that Sincerity which is natural to yourself. For well did the Sage answer the Queftion, In what do we most resemble the Gods? when he replied, In doing Good and Speaking Truth. But

*

fince

* Pythagoras.

fince I write, my dear Friend, to you, who are vers'd in ev'ry Branch of polite Learning, there will be little occafion to use many previous Words in proving that the Sublime is a certain Eminence or Perfection of Language, and that the greatest Writers, both in Verfe and Profe, have by this alone obtain'd the Prize of Glory, and fill'd all Time with their Renown. For the Sublime not only perfuades, but even throws an Audience into Transport. The Marvellous always works with more furprifing Force, than that which barely perfuades or delights. In moft Cafes, it is wholly in our own Power, either to resist or yield to Perfuafion. But the Sublime, endued with Strength irrefiftible, ftrikes home, and triumphs over every Hearer. Dexterity of Invention, and good Order and Oeconomy in Compofition, are not to be difcerned from one or two Paffages, nor fcarcely fometimes from the whole Texture of a Difcourfe. But 4 the Sublime, when feasonably addreffed, with the rapid force of Lightning has born down all before it, and fhewn at one stroke the compacted Might of Genius. But these, and Truths like thefe, fo well known and familiar to himself, I am confident my dear Terentianus can undeniably prove by his own Practice.