DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48955#0154
i48 EPIC and DRAMATIC Ch. XXII
cause, may afford a lesson , upon the presumption
that what hath happened may again happen : but
this cannot be inferred from a story that is known
to be a fiftion.
Many are the good essefts of such compositions.
A pathetic composition, whether epic er dramatic,
tends to a habit of virtue, by exciting us to do
what is right, and restraining us from what is
wrong ’. Its frequent pictures of human woes,
produce, beside, two effects extremely salutary :
they improve our sympathy, and fortisy us to bear
our own misfortunes. A moral composition ob-
viously produces the same good effects, becauseby
being moral it ceaseth not to be pathetic it en-
joys beside an excellence peculiar to itself ; for it
notonly improves the heart, as above mentioned,
but instrufts the head by the moral it contains.
I cannot imagine any entertainment more suited
to a rational being, than a work thus happily il-
lustrating some moral truth: where a number of
persons of disserent charafters are engaged in an
important aftion , some retarding, others promo-
ting, the great catasirophe : and where there is
dignity of style as well as of matter. A work- of
that kind has our sympathy at cpmmand ; and can
put in motion the whole train os the social affec-
tions : our curiosity in some scenes is excited, in
others gratified; and our delight isconsummated
5 See chap. parti, sed. 4'
cause, may afford a lesson , upon the presumption
that what hath happened may again happen : but
this cannot be inferred from a story that is known
to be a fiftion.
Many are the good essefts of such compositions.
A pathetic composition, whether epic er dramatic,
tends to a habit of virtue, by exciting us to do
what is right, and restraining us from what is
wrong ’. Its frequent pictures of human woes,
produce, beside, two effects extremely salutary :
they improve our sympathy, and fortisy us to bear
our own misfortunes. A moral composition ob-
viously produces the same good effects, becauseby
being moral it ceaseth not to be pathetic it en-
joys beside an excellence peculiar to itself ; for it
notonly improves the heart, as above mentioned,
but instrufts the head by the moral it contains.
I cannot imagine any entertainment more suited
to a rational being, than a work thus happily il-
lustrating some moral truth: where a number of
persons of disserent charafters are engaged in an
important aftion , some retarding, others promo-
ting, the great catasirophe : and where there is
dignity of style as well as of matter. A work- of
that kind has our sympathy at cpmmand ; and can
put in motion the whole train os the social affec-
tions : our curiosity in some scenes is excited, in
others gratified; and our delight isconsummated
5 See chap. parti, sed. 4'