clumfy manner, are always deftitute of Gran

deur.

SECTION XLII.

CONTRACTION of Stile is another great Diminution of Sublimity. Grandeur requires Room, and when under too much Confinement, cannot move fo freely as it ought. I do not mean here Periods, that demand a proper Concifenefs; but, on the contrary, those that are curtailed and minced. Too much Contraction lays a Restraint upon the Senfe, but Conciseness ftrengthens and adjufts it. And on the other fide, it is evident, that, when Periods are spun out into a vast extent, their Life and Spirit evaporate, and all their Strength is loft, by being quite overftretched.

SECTION XLIII.

LOW and fordid Words are terrible Blemishes to fine Sentiments. Those of Herodotus, in his Defcription of a Tempest, are divinely noble, but the Terms, in which they are expreffed, very much tarnish and impair their Luftre. Thus when he fays, *" The "Seas began to feeth," how does the un

I

*Herod. 1. 7. c. 191.

couth

couth Sound of the Word feeth, leffen the Grandeur? And further, "The Wind (fays "he) was tired out, and those who were "wreck'd in the Storm, ended their Lives ve << ry disagreeably.” To be tired out, is a mean and vulgar Term; and that, difagreeas bly, a Word highly difproportioned to the tra gical Event it is used to exprefs.

2

Theopompus, in like manner, after setting out fplendidly in describing the Perfian Expe dition into Egypt, has spoiled all, by the Intermixture of fome low and trivial Words: "What City or what Nation was there in all "Afia, which did not compliment the King "with an Embaffy? What Rarity was there "either of the Produce of the Earth, or "the Work of Art, with which he was not "prefented? How many rich and gorgeous "Carpets, with Veftments purple, white, and "particoloured? How many Tents of golden Texture, fuitably furnished with all "Neceffaries? How many embroidered Robes " and fumptuous Beds, befides an immense "quantity of wrought Silver and Gold, Cups and Goblets, fome of which you might "fee adorned with precious Stones, and o "thers embellished with most exquifite Art "and costly Workmanship? Add to these

"innumerable forts of Arms, Grecian, and "Barbarian, Beafts of Burden beyond com"putation, and Cattle fit to form the most "luxurious Repafts. And further, how many "Bushels of Pickles and preferved Fruits? "How many Hampers, Packs of Paper,

and Books, and all Things befides, that "Neceffity or Convenience could require? "In a Word, there was fo great abundance "of all forts of Flefh ready falted, that "when put together, they fwell'd to pro"digious Heights, and were regarded by "Perfons at a distance, as fo many Mountains 66 or Hillocks piled one upon another." He has here funk from a proper Elevation of his Sense to a fhameful Lowness, at that very Inftant, when his Subject required an Enlargement. And befides, by his confufed mixture of Baskets, of Pickles, and of Bags, in the Narrative of fo grand Preparations, he has fhifted the Scene, and prefented us with a Kitchen. If upon making preparation for any grand Expedition, any one fhould bring and throw down a parcel of Hampers and Packs, in the midft of maffy Goblets adorned with ineftimable Stones, or of Silver emboffed, and Tents of golden Stuffs, what an unfeemly Spectacle would fuch a Gallimawfry

prefent

prefent to the Eye! It is the fame with Description, in which these low Terms, unfeafonably applied, become fo many Blemishes and Flaws.

Now he might have fatisfied himself with giving, only a fummary Account of those Mountains (as he fays they were thought) of Provifions, and when he came to other particulars of the Preparations, might have varied his Narration thus: "There was a great mul❝titude of Camels and other Beafts, loaden "with all forts of Meat requifite either for "Satiety or Delicacy:" or have termed them, "Heaps of all forts of Viands, that would "ferve as well to form an exquifite Repast, "as to gratify the niceft Palate ;" or rather, to comply with his Humour of relating Things exactly, "all that Caterers and Cooks could ce prepare, as nice and delicate."

In the Sublime, we ought never to take up with fordid and blemished Terms, unless reduced to it by the most urgent Neceffity. The Dignity of our Words ought always to be proportion'd to the Dignity of our Sentiments.

Here we should imitate the Proceeding of Nature in the human Fabric, who has neither placed thofe Parts, which it is indecent to mention, nor the Vents of the Excrements, in

open view, but concealed them as much as is poffible, and “removed their Channels (to "make use of Xenophon's Words*)_to_the "greateft diftance from the Eyes," thereby to preferve the Beauty of the Animal entire and unblemished. 3

To pursue this Topic further, by a particu lar Recital of whatever diminishes and impairs the Sublime, would be a needlefs Task. We have already fhewn what Methods elevate and enoble, and it is obvious to every one, that their oppofites muft lower and debase it.

SECTION XLIV.

SOMETHING yet remains to be faid, which, because it suits well with your inquifitive Difpofition, I shall not be averse to enlarge upon. It is not long fince a Philosopher of my Acquaintance difcourfed me in the following manner.

It is, faid he, to me, as well as to many others, a juft Matter of Surprize, how it comes to pass, that in the Age we live, there are many Genius's well-practifed in the Arts of Eloquence and Perfuafion, that can difcourfe with Dexterity and Strength, and embellish their Stile in a very graceful manner,

Xenoph. 'Aоnuor, 1. z. p. 45. edit. Oxon.

but