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vents be tolerable, or not worse than infipid. We may also obferve, that we are much more fubject to delufions of this kind when dramatic performances are exhibited on the stage, and have their effect fupported by the scenery, by the dreffes of the players, and by their action.

If this remark, that our own imaginations contribute highly to the pleasure we receive from works of invention, be well founded, it will explain the reason why men of accurate discernment, and of underftandings fufficiently polifhed, often differ widely from one another, and, at times, widely from themfelves, in their opinions concerning works of tafte. The imagination is a faculty of a nature so verfatile and fo variable, that at one time

is animated and fruitful of images; at other times, it is cold, barren, and languishing. At a fruitful moment, it will embellifh the dulleft performance with the moft brilliant ornaments; it will impofe

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pofe them on you as genuine, and fo entice you to bestow applaufe. At other times, it will be niggardly, even of the affiftance that is neceffary. Hence, too, the reason why critics of active imaginations are generally difpofed to favour. Read a performance, even of flight and fuperficial merit, to a person of a lively fancy, and he will probably applaud. Some ideas ftrike him: They gather a group of images in his own mind; they please him, and he perceives not, in the ardour of the operation,, that the picture is his own, and not that of the writer. He examines it coolly: The phantom that pleafed him vanifhes: He is afhamed of the delight it yielded him, and of the praises he fo freely beftowed. It follows alfo, on the fame principle, that men of lively imaginations receive more exquifite pleasure from works of fancy, than thofe whose inventive faculties are not fo vigorous. Upon the whole, it is manifeft,

that

that a great portion of the delight we receive from poetry and fine writing, depends no lefs on the state of our own minds, than on the intrinfic excellence of the performance. It is alfo obvious, that, though the description of a paffion or affection may give us pleasure, whether it be described by the agent or the spectator, yet, to those who would apply the inventions of the poet to the ufes of philofophical investigation, it is far from being of equal utility with a passion exactly imitated. The talent of imitation is very different from that of description, and far fuperior *.

No writer has hitherto appeared who poffeffes in a more eminent degree than Shakespeare, the power of imitating the paffions. All of them feem familiar to him;

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The author of the Elements of Criticifm is, if I miftake not, the first writer who has taken any notice of this important diftinction between the imitation and defcription of a paffion.

him; the boisterous no less than the gentle; the benign no lefs than the malignant. There are feveral writers, as there are many players, who are fuccessful in imitating fome particular paffions, but who appear stiff, aukward, and unnatural, in the expreffion of others. Some are capable of exhibiting very ftriking reprefentations of refolute and intrepid natures, but cannot fo eafily bend themselves to thofe that are fofter and more complacent. Others, again, seem full of amiable affection and tenderness, but cannot exalt themselves to the boldness of the hero, or magnanimity of the patriot. The genius of Shakespeare is unlimited. Poffeffing extreme fenfibility, and uncommonly susceptible, he is the Proteus of the drama; he changes himself into every character, and enters eafily into every condition of human nature.

O youths and virgins! O declining eld! O pale misfortune's flaves! O ye who dwell

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Unknown with humble quiet! Ye who wait
In courts, and fill the golden feat of kings:
O fons of fport and pleasure! O thou wretch
That weep'ft for jealous love, and the fore wound
Of conscious guilt, or death's rapacious hand
That left thee void of hope! O ye who mourn
In exile! Ye who thro' th' embattled field
Seek bright renown; or who for nobler palms
Contend, the leaders of a public cause!
Hath not his faithful tongue

Told you the fashion of your own eftate,
The fecrets of your bofom * ?

Many dramatic writers of different ages are capable, occafionally, of breaking out, with great fervour of genius, in the natural language of ftrong emotion. No writer of antiquity is more diftinguished for abilities of this kind than Euripides. His whole heart and foul feem torn and agitated by the force of the paffion he imitates. He ceafes to be Euripides; he is Medea; he is Oreftes. Shakespeare, however, is most eminently diftinguifhed, not only by thefe occafional fallies, but by imí

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* Akenfide

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