mind it will be convenient to fufpend the inquiry, till we be better acquainted with the nature of external figns and with their operations. These articles therefore shall be premised. The external figns of paffion are of two kinds, voluntary and involuntary. The voluntary figns are alfo of two kinds: fome are arbitrary and fome natural. Words are arbitrary figns, excepting a few fimple founds expreffive of certain internal emotions; and these founds, being the fame in all languages, must be the work of nature. But though words are arbitrary, the manner of employing them is not altogether fo; for each paffion has by nature peculiar expreffions and tones fuited to it. Thus the unpremeditated tones of admiration, are the fame in all men; as alfo of compaffion, refentment, and defpair. Dramatic writers ought to be well acquainted with this natural manner of expreffing paffion. The chief talent of a fine writer, is a ready command of the expreffions that nature dictates to every man when any vivid emotion Struggles for utterance; and the chief ta lent lent of a fine reader, is a ready command of the tones fuited to thefe expreffions. The other kind of voluntary figns, comprehends certain attitudes and geftures that naturally accompany certain emotions with a surprising uniformity. Thus exceffive joy is expreffed by leaping, dancing, or fome elevation of the body; and exceffive grief by finking or depreffing it. Thus proftration and kneeling have been employ'd by all nations and in all ages to fignify profound veneration. Another circumstance, still more than uniformity, de monstrates these geftures to be natural, viz. their remarkable conformity or resemblance to the paffions that produce them*, Joy,. which produceth a chearful elevation of mind, is expreffed by an elevation of body. Pride, magnanimity, courage, and the whole tribe of elevating paffions, are expreffed by external geftures that are the fame as to the circumftance of elevation, however diftinguishable in other refpects.. Hence it comes, that an erect posture is a fign or expreffion of dignity: See chap. 2. part 6. Two Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall, Paradife Loft, book 4. Grief, on the other hand, as well as refpect, which deprefs the mind, cannot for that reafon be expreffed more fignificantly than by a fimilar depreffion of the body. Hence, to be caft down, is a common phrase, fignifying to be grieved or dispirited. One would not imagine, who has not given peculiar attention, that the body is fufceptible of fuch a variety of attitude and motion, as readily to accompany every different emotion with a correfponding gesture. Humility, for example, is expreffed naturally by hanging the head; arrogance, by its elevation; and langour or defpondence, by reclining it to one fide. The expreffions of the hands are manifold. By different attitudes and motions, the hands express defire, hope, fear: they affift us in promifing, in inviting, in keeping one at a diftance: they are made inftruments of threatening, of fupplication, of praife, and of VOL. II. horror: horror they are employ'd in approving, in refufing, in queftioning; in showing our joy, our forrow, our doubts, our regret, our admiration. These geftures, so obedient to paffion, are extremely difficult to be imitated in a calm ftate. The ancients, fenfible of the advantage as well as difficulty of having thefe expreffions at command, bestowed much time and care, in collecting them from obfervation, and in digesting them into a practical art, which was taught in their schools as an important branch of education. 1 The foregoing figns, though in a strict fenfe voluntary, cannot however be reftrained but with the utmost difficulty when they are prompted by paffion. Of this we scarce need a ftronger proof, than the gestures of a keen player at bowls. Obferve only how he wreaths his body, in order to restore a stray bowl to the right track. It is one article of good breeding, to fupprefs, as much as poffible, these external figns of paffion, that we may not in company appear too warm or too interested. The fame obfervation holds in fpeech. A paffion, passion, it is true, when in extreme, is filent*; but when lefs violent, it must be vented in words, which have a peculiar force, not to be equalled in a sedate compofition. The ease and truft we have in a confident, encourages us no doubt to talk of ourselves and of our feelings. But the cause is more general; for it operates when we are alone as well as in company. Paffion is the cause; for in many inftances it is no flight gratification to vent a paffion externally by words as well as by gestures. Some paffions, when at a certain height, impel us so strongly to vent them in words, that we speak with an audible voice even where there is none to liften. It is this circumftance in paffion, that justifies foliloquies; and it is this circumstance that proves them to be natural +. The mind fometimes • See chap. 17. + Though a foliloquy in the perturbation of paffion is undoubtedly natural, and indeed not unfrequent in real life; yet Congreve, who himself has penned feveral good foliloquies, yields, with more candor than knowledge, that they are unnatural; and he only pretends to justify them from neceffity. |