Unlike Love and Malevolence, Fear is a form of pain, often of the severest kind. As with pain generally, the relief or rebound may amount to pleasure; and there are occasions when such pleasure has a positive or surplus value. A small fright is sometimes more than compensated by the joyous reaction. This especially happens in sympathetic frights, as in the incidents of romance and the drama.

Still more important, however, are the bearings of the emotion on the two great sources of genuine pleasureMalevolence and Love. Malevolence delights in crushing its victims, and in all the tokens of that result. Now to induce the quakings and signs of fear is one of the marked proofs of success, and is relished accordingly.

On the other hand, the exercise of pity and protectorship is all the more grateful, the more prostrate the objects of the feeling; and terror is the proof of prostration.

8. Among the forms of strong Emotion entering into Literary Art, are the different modes of what is termed EGOTISM: under which may be included the Pleasure of Power; Self-Love, Self-Esteem; Pride and Dignity; Sense of Honour; Self-importance; Vanity.

These are not fundamental feelings of the mind; being, in fact, largely made up by contributions from the powerful emotions just named. Yet, however derived, they are named and referred to, apart from their supposed constituents.

It is only within narrow limits, and under special restrictions, that these great volumes of sentiment can be evoked by the literature of emotion. One notable case is Flattery, and its opposite, Reprobation or Vituperation. In some instances, the poet singles out an individual for lofty encomiums; as seen in the Odes of Pindar, in the praises of Augustus by Virgil, and of Mæcenas by Horace.

More common is the flattery of a whole nation, at the expense of other nations; as in our own patriotic odes. To flatter humanity in general seems not beyond the power of a poet; notwithstanding that to raise one person, we must depress some others: while the pleasure of the depreciation is part of the case. Man is said to be god-descended, and thus raised above the beasts that perish. Our noble in

EGOTISM.-RANGE OF SYMPATHY.

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stincts and high faculties are praised in the same way, and by the same comparison.

Longfellow flatters our human capabilities, in the wellknown stanza beginning

Lives of great men all remind us

The Rhetorical arts of eulogy will appear in connexion with the poetry of the moral sublime.

For the present, it is enough to refer to such leading devices as Contrast and Innuendo, for rendering flattery effective, while depriving it of the vice of fulsomeness.

There are good and also refined modes of flattery, as Literature abundantly testifies.

There is delicate flattery in Dekker's line—

Honest labour bears a lovely face.

Another form of the sentiment is—

An honest man's the noblest work of God.

Burns has exemplified the highest flight of this form of flattery, intending to soothe the wounded spirit of the poor and down-trodden of mankind

A man's a man for a' that.

There is an effective mode of indirect flattery, in the apparent moral depreciation of mankind. This is carried so far as to imply great capabilities in the first instance. Only a superior nature could be so sinful, as is said. We should very much resent being made out at once feeble and bad.

The opposite of Flattery is Vituperation, an art cultivated in all ages, and a principal outlet to our malign sentiments.

In connexion with the group of Qualities, named the Ludicrous, Humour, Wit, the arts of Vituperation will be fully illustrated.

9. Of great importance in Literary creations is a right understanding of the power named SYMPATHY.

As a spur to humane and virtuous conduct, Sympathy is the counteractive of our Egotism or Selfishness. It is in close relation to the tender and amicable emotions, and is called into play by the delineation of pain, misery or distress.

In another aspect, it is the power of entering into, or realizing, the feelings and situations portrayed in literature. One of the aims of poetry is to body forth characters and incidents that recall the choicest phases of our own personality. It was this that gave Alexander his interest in Homer: the character and exploits of Achilles reflected the

great conqueror's own egotism. According to Goethe, the poet is welcome to the lover, because he can best express and body forth the love-passion. This peculiar interest attaches to ordinary biography. Much more can it be evoked by the set purpose of the imaginative creator of poetry and romance.

10. In connexion with the exercise of the Understanding, there is pleasure in discovering Similarity in Diversity, UNITY in Multitude.

The agreeable surprise attending novel comparisons is one of the charms of a work of original genius. Yet further, when the mind is overwhelmed by a multitude of unconnected details, the introduction of a plan that imparts unity is felt as a joyful relief. (See, afterwards, HARMONY.)

11. Allied with our Activity in the pursuit of Ends, there is an attitude of suspense and engrossment, occasioning a special form of pleasure, greatly cultivated in literary art. It is called the interest of PLOT.

In modern Romance, this interest is cultivated to the utmost. It will be exemplified under a subsequent head (AIDS TO QUALITIES).

12. Although the Beautiful and the USEFUL are in many ways contrasted, yet the utilities of life, if freed from all repulsive accompaniments, may be brought within the circle of Art pleasures.

A good crop in the fields, or a well-filled larder in the house, is not considered an object of beauty in the same way as a picturesque view, or a fine statue; but from their agreeable associations, they can be used for literary interest.

;

In Plato's Dialogue, Hippias Major, the theory that would refer beauty to Utility is refuted by the example of a basket of dung, which is useful without being beautiful an objection equally applicable to an apothecary's jar of leeches. Such cases, however, have to be excepted. Whatever produces immediate revulsion, however valuable for certain ends, is not a proper subject for the poetical or literary art. There will be occasions afterwards for drawing the line between admissible and inadmissible forms of painful interest.

The exercise of commanding Power in bringing forth the

PLEASURE OF IMITATION.

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utilities of life, as in machinery, is a subject of standing interest: as will be seen under the quality of Strength or Sublimity.

13. Provided the grosser forms of indulgence are kept out of view, our agreeable experiences generally may be ideally depicted in polite literature.

The reaction from pains and disagreeables of the senses is often acutely pleasurable; and the idea of it can also be made pleasurable. In particular, the deliverance from burdens, from any over-exertion or strain of the active organs, gives a joyful rebound, which enters into the pleasures of conscious energy or Strength and to express such rebound is within the sphere of Art. The delights of Liberty after restraint make an inspiring theme in poetry. This is one of the cases where pain is allowed to be represented in Art; the pain being the necessary preparation for the reaction that gives the delight. The reader of the Pilgrim's Progress has to share the pain of Christian's burden, together with the depressing sense of his trials, before rejoicing in his final deliverance.

The inferior senses-Touch, Smell, Taste and Organic Sensibility-yield pleasures in the reality, and these can be so represented in idea as to impart a certain amount of gratification. The pleasures of Appetite can also be ideally suggested, but under the restraints imposed by Taste and Morals. The indulgences of muscular exercise and repose, when presented in ideal pictures, are acceptable to all that can take delight in the reality.

14. Among the emotional effects of the poetic art, we are to include the Pleasure of IMITATION.

The

This is a far-reaching effect in the Fine Arts. painter and sculptor deal largely in portraiture and imitation. The poet depicts scenes, actions, and characters; and the fidelity of the resemblance contributes to the charm of his work. (See IDEALITY.)

15. The primary pleasures of mankind are the starting-point for numerous Associations, which have a value as enjoyment both in the reality and in the literary representation.

Association clothes with interest a great number of

objects originally indifferent, and greatly enlarges the poet's resources for stirring up pleasurable emotion. Reverence and sanctity can be imparted, by usage, to places, things, persons, observances, incidents and events. Even stones can assume a hallowed interest, as the coronation stone of the Scottish kings, the sacred stone of Mecca, the ruins of Jerusalem.