Cause of Pain and FearI HAVE before observed, [1] that
whatever is qualified to cause terror is a foundation capable of the
sublime; to
which I add, that not only
these, but many things from which we cannot probably apprehend any
danger, have a similar effect, because they operate in a similar manner.
I observed
too, [2] that whatever
produces pleasure, positive and original pleasure, is fit to have beauty
ingrafted on it. Therefore, to clear up the nature
of these qualities, it may be necessary to explain the nature of pain
and pleasure on which they depend. A man who suffers under violent
bodily pain, (I suppose the most violent, because the effect may be
the more
obvious), I say a man in great pain has his teeth set, his eyebrows
are violently contracted, his forehead is wrinkled, his eyes are dragged
inwards, and rolled with great vehemence, his hair stands on end, the
voice is forced out in short shrieks and groans, and the whole fabric
totters. Fear, or terror, which is an apprehension of pain or death,
exhibits exactly the same effects, approaching in violence to those
just
mentioned, in proportion to the nearness of the cause, and the weakness
of the subject. This is not only so in the human species; but I have
more than once observed in dogs, under an apprehension of punishment,
that they have writhed their bodies, and yelped, and howled, as if
they had actually felt the blows. From hence I conclude, that pain
and fear
act upon the same parts of the body, and in the same manner, though
somewhat differing in degree; that pain and fear consist in an unnatural
tension
of the nerves; that this is sometimes accompanied with an unnatural
strength, which sometimes suddenly changes into an extraordinary weakness;
that
these effects often come on alternately, and are sometimes mixed with
each other. This is the nature of all convulsive agitations, especially
in weaker subjects, which are the most liable to the severest impressions
of pain and fear. The only difference between pain and terror is, that
things which cause pain operate on the mind by the intervention of
the body; whereas things that cause terror generally affect the bodily
organs
by the operation of the mind suggesting the danger; but both agreeing,
either primarily or secondarily, in producing a tension, contraction,
or violent emotion of the nerves, [3] they agree likewise in everything
else. For it appears very clearly to me, from this, as well as from
many other examples, that when the body is disposed, by any means whatsoever,
to such emotions as it would acquire by the means of a certain passion;
it will of itself excite something very like that passion in the mind.
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