TerrorNO passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting
and reasoning as fear. [1] For fear being an apprehension of pain
or death, it operates in a manner that resembles actual pain. Whatever
therefore is terrible, with regard to sight, is sublime too, whether
this cause
of terror be endued with greatness of dimensions or not; for it is
impossible to look on anything as trifling, or contemptible, that
may
be dangerous.
There are many animals, who though far from being large, are yet
capable of raising ideas of the sublime, because they are considered
as objects
of terror. As serpents and poisonous animals of almost all kinds.
And to things of great dimensions, if we annex an adventitious idea
of
terror, they become without comparison greater. A level plain of
a vast extent
on land, is certainly no mean idea; the prospect of such a plain
may be as extensive as a prospect of the ocean: but can it ever fill
the
mind with anything so great as the ocean itself? This is owing to
several causes; but it is owing to none more than this, that the ocean
is an
object of no small terror. Indeed, terror is in all cases whatsoever,
either more openly or latently, the ruling principle of the sublime.
Several languages bear a strong testimony to the affinity of these
ideas. They frequently use the same word, to signify indifferently
the modes
of astonishment or admiration, and those of terror. [Greek] is in
Greek, either fear or wonder; [Greek] is terrible or respectable; [Greek],
to reverence or to fear. Vereor in Latin, is what [Greek] is in Greek.
The
Romans used the verb stupeo, a term which strongly marks the state
of an astonished mind, to express the effect of either of simple
fear
or
of astonishment; the word attonitus (thunder-struck) is equally expressive
of the alliance of these ideas; and do not the French étonnement,
and the English astonishment and amazement, point out as clearly
the kindred emotions which attend fear and wonder? They who have
a more
general knowledge of languages, could produce, I make no doubt, many
other and
equally striking examples. |
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