ception of beauty without involving more or less of happiness, we can in some degree understand how it is, when the idea or image of the Supreme Being takes possession of a purified and holy mind, that it becomes a fountain of blessedness, perpetual and unutterable. But in regard to beauty, material as well as moral, it is to be recollected that all beauty is practically nothing, and is the same as if it had no existence, unless it is perceived. And the light of moral beauty is not perceptible, and, from the nature of the case, cannot be perceptible to the mind which is itself involved in moral obscuration. Accordingly it is said in Scripture, "Blessed are the PURE IN HEART, for they shall see God." These expressions imply that the moral excellence of the Deity cannot be fully perceived, and the blessedness attendant on its perception cannot be fully realized, except by hearts that are themselves. morally pure. This is a great truth; and is as strongly founded in philosophy as it is express and unquestionable in religion. Accordingly, as the heart becomes pure, the upward glory is let in. At first dimly, like the glimmerings of the new moon, and afterward in full-orbed magnificence. And hence it frequently happens, that those who have laboured, through a large portion of life, to correct their moral deformities, and begin at last, through Divine assistance, to bring their souls into a morally right position in reference to the Supreme Being, speak of the enlargement of the Divine manifestation, of glory accumulated to glory, and of happiness poured upon happiness. "The Sun of Righteousness," we quote the language of one who thus describes his own personal experience, "has been gradually drawing nearer and nearer, appearing larger and brighter as he approached, and now he fills the whole hemisphere; pouring forth a flood of glory, in which I seem to float like an insect in the beams of the sun; exulting, yet almost trembling, while I gaze on this excessive brightness, and wondering, with unutterable wonder, why God should deign thus to shine upon a sinful worm. JL.-O وو CHAPTER V. NATURE OF MORAL SUBLIMITY. § 242. Remarks in explanation of the moral sublime. WE proceed now to remark further, as incidental to the main subject of the Moral Sensibilities, that there is a Moral Sublimity as well as a Moral Beauty. Such is the constitution of our mental being, that we naturally regard those actions of men as Morally Sublime which, in the first place, are morally good in their character, but which are characterized by being put forth under such circumstances as strongly to affect our feelings. Moral sublimity, accordingly, does not appear to differ from Moral Beauty so much in kind or nature as in degree. There appears to be a progression from the morally Beautiful to the morally Sublime, which is precisely analogous to what we have already seen to exist in respect to the Beautiful and Sublime in the natural world. All, therefore, that seems to be necessary to an understanding of Moral Sublimity, in distinction from Moral Beauty, is to contemplate some of those traits which are morally beautiful, under such circumstances as will present them to view in an increased and intense aspect. It is chiefly the intensity of the morally beautiful action which enhances it to the character of moral sublimity; because an energetic or intense action, when it comes under our notice, necessarily produces in us a corresponding vividness or intensity of emotion; and it seems to be conceded, that the inward emotion, when founded upon a true perception of the object, and not in any way perverted and weakened in itself, may justly be regarded as the true measure both of beauty and sublimity. Whenever, for instance, we look abroad upon men, and witness the trait of unconquerable fortitude ; whenever we behold great self-possession in sudden and fearful emergencies, or see a readiness to share voluntarily in another's sufferings, or become acquainted with other moral excellences of a like kind, we cannot but experience a strong emotion. It is not easy, by a mere form of words, to communicate an exact notion of this feeling, except, perhaps, in the circumstance of its great strength. It is evident, however, that it is analogous to that agitation, and heaving, and expansion of the soul, which exists when we contemplate what is vast, and terrible, and mighty in nature. § 243. Instances and illustrations of the moral sublime. At the celebrated pass of Thermopylæ, three hundred Spartans met, and fought with the Persian army of a million. The remark was made by some one of the Spartans at the commencement of the battle, that the Persian arrows would fly so thick as to obscure and shut out the light of the sun; the reply of Dieneces was, "So much the better, for we shall then fight in the shade;" and this has justly been set down as an instance of moral sublime. That short reply, made almost with a degree of levity, disclosed a mind which, in the defence of its country and its country's rights, was prepared to meet every hazard, and to make the best of every form of adversity. Such instances of striking calmness and self-possession amid great dangers are not unfrequent, and seldom fail to enlist a strong feeling in their favour. On some urgent occasion Julius Cæsar put to sea in an open boat; a violent storm arose, and the pilot discovered great terror. "Quid times," said the Roman, "Cæsarem vehis."-We see in this incident, as in that of Dieneces, a marked degree of firmness; an indication of spiritual hardihood, which could stand unshaken both against the opposition of men, and the frowns and persecutions of the elements of nature. The reply of the wounded and dying Warwick, in the Henry VI. of Shakspeare, is full of a moral nobleness. "Somerset. Ah! Warwick, Warwick, wert thou as we are, The queen from France has brought a puissant power. Warwick. Why then I would not fly.” § 244. The moral sublime involves the morally beautiful. In the remarks which were made in a former part of the Work, in the Chapter on the Natural Sublime, the principle was laid down that sublime natural objects usually have a degree of beauty, and that a progression may be traced from the beauty to the sublimity. And the same principle, as we have already had occasion to notice, will hold good in respect to the Moral Sublime.-The idea which we wish to convey by this statement may be illustrated thus. The benevolent man is a pleasing or beautiful object; but when, in the pains and agonies of death, he requests with his dying breath that the poor may continue to be fed from his substance, the exercise of benevolence under such circumstances strongly excites our feelings; and ascending, as it were, from the region of mere Beauty, becomes an instance of the Moral Sublime. Again, whenever we see an individual undisturbed, composed, and even cheerful in ordinary difficulties and pressures, such an individual is undoubtedly an object of moral beauty. The trait of character which particularly interests us is firmness or strength of purpose. But let these misfortunes be increased, let him be driven from home and country, let the world, as it were, be combined against him, and the man who, in such circumstances, betrays no diminution of fortitude, but holds up an unshaken stability of soul amid the blackness of the desolations around him, is a sublime object.* * NOTE.—Emotions of sublimity, as has been repeatedly intimated, connect themselves with MIND and with mental objects as well as with MATTER and material objects. Furthermore, there seems to be ground for saying that there is a Natural as well as Moral sublimity, even when both forms of it are equally based upon mental manifestations. The emotions, for instance, which exist in view of great and wonderful § 245. A degree of moral sublime in acts of strict and undeviating integrity or justice. Instances of decided and unwavering integrity, not, perhaps, in ordinary circumstances, but when the sense of justice is strongly opposed by considerations of interest or of natural affection, have a degree of moral sublimity. Sometimes, however, instances, which are not remarkable in themselves, acquire a degree of sublimity by combination. One of the distinguished citizens of Athens may be adduced as illustrating this remark. Such was the undeviating rectitude of his life, that Aristides, by the unanimous consent of the Athenians, was surnamed the Just. Whether followed by the acclamations of the multitude, or driven into ignominious banishment, he always retained his truth and integrity; and many acts are related of him which are deserving of lasting remembrance. Being once called to act as a judge between two private persons, one of them declared that his adversary had greatly injured Aristides. "Relate rather, good friend," said he, interrupting him, "what wrong he hath done yourself; for it is your cause, and not my own, which I am now required to judge of.". We are aware that there is nothing particularly remarkable in this incident; but it illustrates the prevalent temper of the man, and shows how lively were his sentiments of justice, even on ordinary occasions. The people of America take a great satisfaction in acknowledging that a strict, inflexible integrity was one of the remarkable traits in the character of Washington. During a long life of the most trying public services, it is impossible to point out a single act where there is any reason to believe that he subjected his principles to his interest. Accordingly, in the view manifestations of Wisdom and Power, independently of any moral connexions, are the results of what may be called the Natural sublimity of the mental objects before us. But exhibitions of endurance under suffering, of self-possession in danger when duty evidently requires such self-possession, of benevolence, of unshaken truth, of honour, forgiveness, and the like, may properly be regarded, in distinction from the sublimity of mere Wisdom and Power, as instances of Moral Sublimity. |