posely contrived to give a greater relish for the interesting parts of the compofition. A small garden comprehended under a single view, affords little opportunity for that embellishment Diffimilar emotions require different tones of mind; and therefore in conjunction can never be pleasant * gaiety and sweetness may be combined, or wildness and gloominefs; but a compofition of gaiety and gloominefs is diftafteful. The rude uncultivated copartment of furze and broom in Richmond garden, hath a good effect in the fucceffion of objects; but a spot of that nature would be infufferable in the midst of a polifhed parterre or flower-plot. A garden therefore, if not of great extent, admits not diffimilar emotions; and in ornamenting a fmall garden, the fafeft course is to confine it to a fingle expreffion. For the fame reason, a landscape ought also to be confined to a fingle expreffion; and accordingly it is a rule in painting, That if the fubject be gay, every figure ought to contribute to that emotion. It follows from the foregoing train of reafoning, that a garden near a great city ought to have an air of folitude. The folitarinefs again of a waste country ought to be contrasted in forming a garden; no temples, no obfcure walks; but jets d'eau, cascades, objects active, gay and splendid. Nay fuch a garden fhould in fome measure avoid *See chap. 2. part 4. imitating imitating nature, by taking on an extraordinary appearance of regularity and art, to show the bufy hand of man, which in a waste country has a fine effect by contraft. It may be gathered from what is faid above*, that wit and ridicule make not an agreeable mixture with grandeur. Diffimilar emotions have a fine effect in a flow fucceffion; but in a rapid fucceffion, which approaches to coexistence, they will not be relished: in the midft of a laboured and elevated description of a battle, Virgil introduces a ludicrous image, which is certainly out of its place: Obvius ambuftum torrem Chorinæus ab ara En. xii. 298. The following image is no lefs ludicrous, nor less improperly placed. Mentre fan quefti i bellici ftromenti Chap. 2. part 4. E E qual tauro ferito, il fuo dolore Verfo mugghiando e fofpirando fuore. It would however be too auftere, to banish altogether ludicrous images from an epic poem. This poem doth not always foar above the clouds: it admits great variety; and upon occafion can defcend even to the ground without finking. In its more familiar tones, a ludicrous fcene may be introduced without impropriety. This is done by Virgil in a foot-race; the circumftances of which, not excepting the ludicrous part, are copied from Homer †. After a fit of merriment, we are, it is true, the lefs difpofed to the serious and fublime but then, a ludicrous fcene, by unbending the mind from fevere application to more interesting subjects, may prevent fatigue, and ferve our relish entire. Æn. lib. 5. + Iliad, book 23. 1.879. pre 1 CHAP. ty, in order to fhow how we are affected by thefe circumstances, a doubt occurs, what method ought to be followed. In adhering clofe to the fubject, I forefee difficulties; and yet by indulging fuch a circuit as may be neceffary for a fatisfactory view, I probably fhall incur the cenfure of wandering.-Yet the dread of cenfure, ought not to prevail over what is proper: befide that the intended circuit will lead to fome collateral matters, that are not only curious, but of confiderable importance in the science of human nature. The neceffary fucceffion of perceptions may be examined in two different views; one with respect to order and connection, and one with refpect to uniformity and variety. In the firft view it is handled above *: and I now proceed to the fecond. The world we inhabit is replete with things no less remarkable for their variety than for their number: thefe, unfolded by the wonderful * Chap. I. VOL. I. U mechanifin mechanism of external sense, furnish the mind with many perceptions; which, joined with ideas of memory, of imagination, and of reflection, form a complete train that has not a gap or interval. This train of perceptions and ideas, depends very little on will. The mind, as has been obferved *, is fo conftituted, "That it can by no effort break "off the fucceffion of its ideas, nor keep its at"tention long fixt upon the fame object:" we can arrest a perception in its courfe; we can fhorten its natural duration, to make room for another; we can vary the fucceffion by change of place or of amusement; and we can in fome meafure prevent variety, by frequently recalling the fame object after short intervals: but ftill there must be a fucceffion, and a change from one perception to another. By artificial means, the fucceffion be retarded or accelerated, may be rendered more various or more uniform, but in one fhape or other is unavoidable. may The train, even when left to its ordinary course, is not always uniform in its motion: there are natural causes that accelerate or retard it confiderably. The first I fhall mention, is a peculiar conftitution of mind. One man is distinguished from another, by no circumftance more remarkably, than his train of perceptions: to a cold languid temper belongs a flow courfe of perceptions, * Locke, book 2. chap. 14. |