༢༠ ༩T• THE LOUNGER. 75 "feeling and generofity unaccountably forfake "him. Scarcely ever has he been known to "relieve the diftreffes he is fo willing to pity, "or to exercise the generofity he is so ready "to applaud. The tenants on his estate are "fqueezed for rents higher than their farms "can afford; his debtors are haraffed for pay"" ments, in circumstances which might often "plead for mitigation or delay. Nay, I know "fome of his pretty near relations, for relief of "whofe neceffities I have applied with fuccefs "to others, after having in vain folicited Wood"fort's affiftance to relieve them." I confefs I did not thank my friend for thus undeceiving me, and felt something painful in being obliged to retract an opinion which it had afforded me fo much pleasure to form. But afterwards, when I had time to recover from this little fhock to my feelings, which my friend's information had given, I began, like him, to speculate on this seeming contrariety of character; and though that of Woodfort may perhaps appear fingular, I am afraid that, in a certain degree, there are not wanting many inftances of a fimilar kind; and that if we look around us with obfervation, we shall frequently discover men who appear to feel, nay, who really feel much tenderness at the tale of woe, and much applause at the recitals of generosity, who yet, in real conduct and in active life, feldom difcover either much generofity or much fenfibility. To account in some measure for this appearance, it may be obferved, that when a representation is given of fictitious distress, it is done in fuch a manner, and with fuch circumstances. accompanying it, as have the most powerful tendency to affect the heart. In a tragedy, where the object is to move, or in a novel, where the author means to produce the fenfation of pity, every circumstance which can produce that effect is collected, and every thing which can diminish it is carefully removed. Thus a representation is given of characters and fituations, which, though not unnatural, feldom exift; the detached parts may frequently be feen; but all the incidents united together, attended with thofe circumstances in which they are held out, and accompanied with none of a different or difcordant fort, are feldom beheld in real life. The mind, therefore, may be affected with a fictitious story, or a tale of woe, when it will not be affected with a real event occurring in common life; because that real event cannot be perceived in all thofe ftrong colours, and mingled with all thofe attracting circumstances, with which a romantic ftory may be wrought Some circumstances may occur which will up. diminish our intereft in the persons who really fuffer, while there may be others wanting which would increase our sympathy with their fituȧtion. Thus Woodfort may be exceedingly moved by a well-written novel, founded on the oppreffion of the rich and powerful over the poor and humble; yet, in the cafe of his own tenants, he may not be affected with their hardships. He may perfuade himself, it was their own indolence which produced their distress; he may quote inftances of landlords who had bettered the condition of their tenants by railing their rents; and fet up ideas of public improvement against the feelings of private compaffion. It may be obferved further, that when a fictitious story of diftrefs is told, or when a melancholy event happens, which has no connection with ourselves, there is no interfering interest. or inclination of our own to diminish our pity or our fenfibility. The mind is led to give the fenfations that are excited their full sway, and to indulge in them to their utmost extent. Obfervers upon human nature have frequently remarked, that the contemplation of objects of diftrefs gives a melancholy pleasure to the mind. Persons of fenfibility are well acquainted with this pleasure; and when a story of distress is fet before them, they feel much enjoyment from indulging in it. The mind in this fituation dwells and feeds upon its object, and every tender emotion is called forth. But when a real event happens in life, with which we ourselves may be in fome refpect connected, instead of dwelling upon it, or nourishing the feeling of diftress which it produces, we may endeavour to avoid it, and to fhut it out from our thoughts, because its indulgence may interfere with fome other favourite feeling or inclination. Woodfort, though affected with the reprefentation of diftrefs, produced by poverty or want in those with whom he had no connection, was not affected with that of his own relations, probably because it hurt his mind to think that he had relations who were poor; and he therefore thrust the fubject from his thoughts, as people fhun those scenes in which they once delighted, if they recall misfortune or record difgrace. It must also be remarked, that the indulgence in that fenfibility which arises from the contemplation of objects of distress, is apt to produce and to flatter a conscious vanity in the mind of the person who gives way to fuch indulgence. This vanity turns and refts upon itself, and without leading to action, it fofters a felfifh and contracted approbation of our own feelings, which is catched hold of, and ferves as a kind of fub ftitute ftitute in place of the consciousness of real goodnefs. It ought likewife to be attended to, that the fenfations which arife from the indulgence in representations or tales of diftrefs with which we ourselves are unconnected, require no fort of exertion; the mind repofes quietly upon the contemplation of the object, without being called forth to action; but when the diftrefs of others occurs in real life, if we are to relieve it, fome exertion is neceffary, and some action of our own must be performed. Now, a man may take pleasure in the paffive feelings of fenfibility (if that expreffion may be used), when he will avoid every thing which requires active exertion. Hence the mind may be open to the feelings of compaffion and tenderness, may take delight in indulging them, and by that means acquire great acuteness of fenfibility, when it may harden and shut itself against every object, where the giving way to the feelings which fuch object produces requires real activity and exer tion. To this it may be proper to add, that the very indulgence in the paffive feelings of fenfibility has a tendency to produce indolence, languor, and feeblenefs, and to unfit the mind for any thing which requires active and firm exertion. While the mind contemplates diftrefs, it |