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 rashnefs or inadvertence.

Reflecting on the various expreffions of our emotions, we recognife the anxious care of Nature, to discover men to each other. Strong emotions, as above hinted, beget an impatience to exprefs them externally by speech and other voluntary figns, which cannot be fuppreffed without a painful effort: thus a fudden fit of paffion, is a common excuse for indecent behaviour or opprobrious language. As to involuntary figns, thefe are altogether unavoidable: no volition nor effort can prevent the shaking of the limbs nor a pale vifage, in a fit of terror: the blood flies to the face upon a fudden emotion of fhame, in fpite of all oppofition:

Vergogna, che'n altrui ftampo natura,
Non fi puo' rinegar: che fe tu' tenti
Di cacciarla dal cor, fugge nel volto.

Paftor Fido, act 2. Sc. 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: thefe, however, remain not altogether in obfcurity; for being more frequent than violent paffion, the bulk of our actions are di rected by them. Actions therefore difplay, with fufficient evidence, the more deliberate paffions; and complete the admirable system of external figns, by which we become skilful in human nature.

What

3

What comes next in order is, to examine the ef fects 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 fubject makes a capital branch of human nature: it is peculiarly useful to writers who deal in the pathetic; and to history painters it is indifpenfable.

It is mentioned above, that each paffion, or clafs of paffions, hath its peculiar figns; and, with refpect to the present subject, it must be added, that these invariably make certain impreffions on a fpectator: the external figns of joy, for example, produce a cheerful 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 aimed at.

Secondly, It is natural to think, that pleasant paffions fhould exprefs themselves externally by figns that to a spectator appear agreeable, and painful paffions by figns that to him appear difagreeable. This conjecture, which Nature fuggefts, is confirmed by experience. Pride poffibly may be thought an exception, the external figns of which are difagreeable, though it be commonly reckoned a pleasant paffion: but pride is not an exception, being in reality a mixed paffion, partly pleafant, partly painful; for when a proud man confines his thoughts to himfelf, 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 pleafant emotion, and a difagreeable object one that is painful. According

to this law, the external figns of a pleafant paffion, being agrecable, muft produce in the spectator a pleafant emotion: and the external figns of a painful paffion, being difagreeable, muft produce in him a painful emotion.

Fourthly, in the prefent chapter it is obferved, that pleafant paffions are, for the most part, expreffed externally in one uniform manner; but that all the painful paffions are diftinguifhable from each other by their external expreffions. The emotions accordingly raifed in a spectator by external figns of pleafant paffions, have little variety: these emotions are pleasant or cheerful, and we have not words to reach a more particular defcription. But the external figns of painful paffions produce in the fpectator emotions of different kinds: the emotions, for example, raifed by external figns of grief, of remorse, of anger, of envy, of malice, are clearly distinguishable from each other.

Fifthly, External figns of painful paffions are fome of them attractive fome repulfive. Of every painful paffion that is alfo difagreeable, the external figns are repulfive, repelling the fpectator from the object: and the paffion raised by fuch external figns may be alfo confidered as repulfive. Painful paffions that are agreeable produce an oppofite effect: their external figns are attractive, drawing the fpectator to them, and producing in him benevolence to the perfon upon whom thefe figns appear; witnefs diftrefs painted on the countenance, which inftantaneously infpires the fpectator with pity, and impels him to afford relief. And the paffion raised by fuch external figns may alfo be confidered as attractive. The cause

of

See pallions explained as agreeable or difagreeable, chap. 2. part s.

of this difference among the painful paffions raifed by their external figns may be readily gathered from what is laid down, chap. 2. part 7.

It is now time to look back to the queftion propofed in the beginning, How we come to understand external figns, fo as to refer each fign to its proper paffion? We have feen' that this branch of knowledge cannot be derived orignally from fight, nor from experience. Is it then implanted in us by nature ? The following confiderations will incline us to anfwer the question in the affirmative. In the first place, the external figns of passion must be natural; for they are invariably the fame in every country, and among the different tribes of men: pride, for example, is always expreffed by an erect pofture, - reverence by proftration, and forrow by a dejected look. Secondly, we are not even indebted to experience for the knowledge that thefe expreffions are natural and univerfal for we are fo framed as to have an innate conviction of the fact: let a man change his habitation to the other fide of the globe, he will, from the accustomed figns, infer the paffion of fear among his new neighbours, with as little hesitation as he did at home. But why, after all, involve ourselves in preliminary obfervations, when the doubt may be directly folved as follows? That, if the meaning of external figns be not derived to us from fight, nor from experience, there is no remaining fource whence it can be derived but from na

ture.

We may then venture to pronounce, with fome degree of affurance, that man is provided by nature with a fenfe or faculty that lays open to him every paffion by means of its external expreffions. And we cannot entertain any reasonable doubt of this, when

when we reflect, that the meaning of external figns is not hid even from infants: an infant is remarkably affected with the paffions of its nurfe expreffed in her countenance; a fmile cheers it, a frown makes it afraid but fear cannot be without apprehending danger; and what danger can the infant apprehend, unlefs it be fenfible that its nurse is angry? We muft therefore admit, that a child can read anger in its nurse's face: of which it must be fenfible intuitively, for it has no other mean of knowledge. I do not af firm, that these particulars are clearly apprehended by the child; for to produce clear and diftin&t perceptions, reflection and experience are requifite: but that even an infant, when afraid, muft have fome notion of its being in danger is evident.

That we should be confcious intuitively of a paffion from its external expreffions, is conformable to the analogy of nature: the knowledge of that language is of too great importance to be left upon experience; becaufe a foundation fo uncertain and precarious, would prove a great obftacle to the formation of fo cieties. Wifely therefore is it ordered, and agreeably to the system of Providence, that we fhould have nature for our inftructor.

Manifold and admirable are the purposes to which the external figns of paffion are made fubfervient by the author of our nature: thofe occafionally mentioned above, make but a part. Several final caufes remain to be unfolded; and to that task I proceed with alacrity. In the first place, the figns of internal agitation difplayed externally to every fpectator, tend to fix the fignification of many words. The only effectual means to afcertain the meaning of any doubtful word, is an appeal to the thing it reprefents: and hence the ambiguity of words expreffive of things that are not objects of external fenfe; for in that

cafe