ferving a man's conduct for a course of time, we discover unerringly the various paffions that move him to action, what he loves and what he hates. In our younger years, every single action is a mark not at all ambiguous of the temper; for in childhood there is little or no difguife. The fubject becomes more intricate in advanced age; but even there, diffimulation is feldom carried on for any length of time. And thus the conduct of life is the most perfect expreffion of the internal disposition. It merits not indeed the title of an univerfal language; because it is not thoroughly understood but by those who either have a penetrating genius or extenfive observation. It is a language, however, which every one can decipher in fome measure; and which, joined with the other external figns, affords fufficient means for the direction of our conduct with regard to others. If we commit any mistake when fuch light is afforded, it never can be the effect of unavoidable ignorance, but of raft.nefs or inadvertence. In reflecting upon the various expreffions of our emotions, voluntary and involuntary, VOL. II. R we we must recognise the anxious care of Nature to discover men to each other. Strong emotions, as above hinted, beget an impatience to express them externally by speech and other voluntary figns, which cannot be fuppreffed without a painful effort. Thus a sudden fit of paffion is a common excufe for indecent behaviour or harsh words. As to the involuntary figns, these are altogether unavoidable. No volition or effort can prevent the fhaking of the limbs or a pale vifage, when one is agitated with a violent fit of terror. The blood flies to the face upon a fudden emotion of shame; in fpite of all oppofition: Vergogna, che'n altrui ftampo natura, Paftor Fido, at 2. fc. 5. Emotions indeed properly fo called, which are quiefcent, produce no remarkable figns externally; nor is it neceffary that the more deliberate paffions fhould, because the operation of fuch paffions is neither fudden nor violent. These however remain not altogether gether in the dark. Being more frequent than violent paffion, the bulk of our actions are directed by them. Actions therefore display, with fufficient evidence, the more deliberate paffions, and complete the admirable system of external figns, by which we become skilful in human nature. Next in order comes an article of great importance, which is, to examine the effects produced upon a fpectator by external figns of paffion. None of thefe figns are beheld with indifference: they are productive of various emotions tending all of them to ends wife and good. This curious article makes a capital branch of human nature. It is peculiarly useful to writers who deal in the pathetic; and with respect to historypainters, it is altogether indispensable. When we enter upon this article, we gather from experience, that each paffion, or class of paffions, hath its peculiar figns; and that these invariably make certain impreffions on a spectator. The external figns of joy, for example, produce a chearful emotion, the external figns of grief produce pity, and the external figns of rage produce a fort of terror even in those who are not aim ed at. Secondly, it is natural to think, that pleasant paffions fhould exprefs themselves externally by figns that appear agreeable, and painful paffions by figns that appear difagreeable. This conjecture, which Nature fuggefts, is confirmed by experience. Pride seems to be an exception; its external figns being disagreeable, though it be commonly reckoned a pleasant paffion. But pride is not an exception; for in reality it is a mixed paffion, partly pleasant partly painful. When a proud man confines his thoughts to himself, and to his own dignity or importance, the paffion is pleasant, and its external figns agreeable: but as pride chiefly confifts in undervaluing or contemning others, it is fo far painful, and its external figns difagreeable. Thirdly, it is laid down above, that an agreeable object produceth always a pleasant emotion, and a disagreeable object one that is painful *. According to this law, the See chap. 2. part 7. external external figns of a pleasant paffion, being agreeable, must produce in the spectator a pleasant emotion; and the external signs of a painful paffion, being difagreeable, must produce in him a painful emotion. Fourthly, in the present chapter it is obferved, that pleasant paffions are, for the most part, expreffed externally in one uniform manner; and that only the painful paffions are distinguishable from each other by their external expreffions. In the emotions accordingly raised by external signs of pleasant paffions, there is little variety. They are pleasant or chearful, and we have not words to reach a more particular defcription. But the external figns of painful paffions produce in the spectator emotions of different kinds : the emotions, for example, raised by external figns of grief, of remorse, of anger, of envy, of malice, are clearly diftinguishable from each other. Fifthly, emotions raised by the external figns of painful paffions, are some of them attractive, fome repulfive. Every painful paffion |