sublime; the sublime also may exist, where no passion is directly expressed; there is however no sublimity where no passion is excited. That sensation of sublimity, which arises from the greatness of the thoughts and imagery, has admiration for its basis, and that for the most part connected with joy, love, hatred, or fear; and this I think is evident from the instances which were so lately under our consideration. How much the sacred poetry of the Hebrews excels in exciting the passions, and in directing them to their noblest end and aim; how it exercises them upon their proper objects; how it strikes and fires the admiration by the contemplation of the Divine Majesty; and, forcing the affections of love, hope, and joy, from unworthy and terrestrial objects, elevates them to the pursuit of the supreme good: How it also stimulates those of grief, hatred, and fear, which are usually employed upon the trifling miseries of this life to the abhorrence of the supreme evil, is a subject which at present wants no illustration, and which, though not unconnected with sublimity in a general view, would be improperly introduced in this place. For we are not at present treating of the general effects of sublimity on the passions; but of that species of the sublime which proceeds from vehement emotions of the mind, and from the imitation or representation of passion. Here indeed a spacious field presents itself to our view for by far the greater part of the sacred poetry is little else than a continued imitation of the different passions. What in reality forms the substance and subject of most of these poems but the passion of admiration, excited by the consideration of the Divine power and majesty; the passion of joy, from the sense of the Divine favour, and the prosperous issue of events; the passion of resentment and indignation against the contemners of God; of grief, from the consciousness of sin; and terror, from the apprehension of the Divine judgements? Of all these, and if there be any emotions of the mind beyond these, exquisite examples may be found in the book of Job, in the Psalms, in the Canticles, and in every part of the prophetic writings. On this account my principal difficulty will not be the selection of excellent and proper instances, but the explaining of those which spontaneously occur, without a considerable diminution of their intrinsic sublimity.(A) Admiration, as it is ever the concomitant, so it is frequently the efficient cause of sublimity. It produces great and magnificent con ceptions and sentiments, and expresses them in language bold and elevated, in sentences concise, abrupt, and energetic. "Iehova regnat; contremiscant populi : "Vox Iehovae super aquas; "Deus gloriae intonat; "Iehova super aquas valīdas. "Vox Iehovae potens; "Vox Iehovae plena majestatis."4 "Quis tui similis inter Deos, Iehova! "Quis tui similis, verendus sanctitate! "Extendisti dextram, absorbet eos tellus."5 Joy is more elevated, and exults in a bolder strain. It produces great sentiments and conceptions; seizes upon the most splendid imagery, and adorns it with the most animated language; nor does it hesitate to risk the most daring and unusual figures. In the Song of Moses, in the Thanksgiving of Deborah and Barak, what sublimity do we find, in sentiment, in language, in the general turn of the expression! But nothing can excel in this respect that noble exultation of universal nature in the Psalm which has been so often commended, where the whole animated and inanimate creation unite in the praises of their Maker. Poetry here seems to assume the highest tone of triumph and exultation, and to revel, if I may so express myself, in all the extravagance of joy : "Dicite, regnat Deus omnipotens ; "Posuit stabilis moenia mundi, "Rerum validas torquet habenas. "Resonent sylvae; resonent montes; Regat ut populos legibus aequis ; Nothing, however, can be greater or more magnificent than the representation of anger and indignation, particularly when the di 4 PSAL. xxix. 3, 4. 5 EXOD. xv. 11, 12. 3 PSAL. xcix. 1. vine wrath is displayed. Of this the whole of the prophetic song of Moses affords an incomparable specimen. I have formerly produced from it some instances of a different kind; nor ought the following to be denied a place in these Lectures. "Nam manum meam ad coelos attollo "Et dico, ut ego in aeternum vivo, Sanguine confossorum captorumque, "De capite capillato inimicorum."7 Nor is Isaiah less daring on a similar subject: "Nam dies ultionis in corde meo est, "Et annus quo meos redimam venit: "Tum mihi salutem praestitit brachium meum, "Et in aestu meo ebrios et attonitos reddidi, The display of the fury and threats of the enemy, by which Moses "Dixerat hostis, persequar, adsequar; "Dividam spolia, exsaturabitur anima mea; "Stringam gladium, exscindet eos manus mea: Grief is generally abject and humble, less apt to assimilate with the sublime; but when it becomes excessive, and predominates in the mind, it rises to a bolder tone, and becomes heated to fury and madness. We have a fine example of this from the hand of Jeremiah, when he exaggerates the miseries of Sion : "Arcum suum hostili more intendit; dextram firmavit velut inimicus; "In tentoria filiae Sionis iram suam instar ignis effudit."10 But nothing of this kind can equal the grief of Job, which is acute, vehement, fervid; always in the deepest afflictions breathing an animated and lofty strain; 7 DEUT. xxxii. 40-42. 8 ISAI. lxiii. 4—6. 9 EXOD. XV. 9, 10. 10 LAM. ii. 4. "Aestuat ingens "Uno in corde pudor, luctusque, et conscia virtus." "Ira eius discerpit me, et hostili odio prosequitur; "Hostis meus acuit contra me oculos suos. "Fauces suas contra me distendunt; "Corona facta invadunt me iaculatores eius; "Effundit in terram fel meum. "Aliis super alias plagis continuo me profligat; "Impetum facit in me sicut bellator."11 In the same author, with what magnificence and sublimity are sorrow and desperation expressed! "O si bilance mea libretur calamitas, "Iustaque trutina moles cumulati mali ! Superat iniquo pondere arenas aequoris : "Nec temere inaestuat gemitu erumpens dolor. Adigat trisulci vim coruscam fulminis, Miserumque plaga subito interimat simplici." The whole poem of Job is no less excellent in the expression and excitation of terror, as the example just now quoted sufficiently demonstrates. To this commendation, however, the prophetic writings seem to have the fairest claim; it being indeed their peculiar province to denounce the Divine judgements upon guilty nations. Almost the whole book of Ezekiel is occupied with this passion: Isaiah is also excellent in this respect, although he be in general the harbinger of joy and salvation. The following terrific denunciation is directed by him against the enemies of Jerusalem : "Idcirco omnes manus solventur, "Et omne cor hominis liquescet; "Et consternati angoribus, et cruciatibus correpti, "Alter alterum attoniti respicient; "Instar flammarum vultu ardente. "Ecce dies Iehovae advenit; Caligabit sol in ortu suo, "Nec splendorem suum effundet luna. "Et animadvertam in orbis malitiam, "Et comprimam arrogantium fastus, "Propterea coelos faciam contremiscere, "In excandescentia Iehovae exercituum; Jeremiah is scarcely inferior, though perhaps his talents are better "Viscera mea! viscera mea! praecordia mihi dolent! "Tumultuatur intus cor meum; silere non possum ; "Nam vocem buccinae audivisti, o anima mea; clangorem belli ! "Clades super cladem proclamatur, nam devastata est omnis haec terra: "Subito vastantur tentoria mea, momento mea vela. Quousque videbo vexillum, audiam clangorem buccinae !— "Aspexi terram, ecce autem informis est et vacua ! "Coelosque, nec lucent amplius!"14 It would be an infinite task to collect and specify all the passages that might be found illustrative of this subject: and probably we shall have more than one opportunity of discoursing upon these and similar topics, when we come to consider the different species of the Hebrew poetry upon which, after requesting your candour and indulgence to so arduous an undertaking, it is my intention to enter at our next meeting. 13 ISAI. xiii. 6-13. 14 JER. iv. 19, etc. |