example, may at the fame inftant produce two oppofite feelings, the pleafant emotion of wonder, and the painful paffion of terror: the novelty of the object, produces the former directly, and contributes to the latter indirectly. Thus, when the fubject is analyzed, we find, that the power, which novelty hath indirectly to inflame terror, is perfectly confiftent with its being in every circumfance agreeable. The matter may be put in the cleareft light, by adding the following circumflances. If a lion be firft feen from a place of fafety,' the spectacle is altogether agreeable without the leaft mixture of terror. If again the first fight puts us within reach of that dangerous animal, our terror may be fo great as quite to exclude any sense of novelty. But this fact proves not that wonder is painful it proves only, that wonder may be excluded by a more powerful paffion. Every man may be made certain from his own experience, that wonder raised by a new obje& which is inoffenfive, is always pleasant; and with respect to offenfive objects, it appears from the foregoing deduction, that the fame muft hold as long as the fpectator can attend to the novelty.

It

Whether furprise be in itself pleasant or painful, is a queflion no lefs intricate than the former. is certain that furprifc inflames our joy when unexpectedly we meet with an old friend, and our terror when we flumble upon any thing noxious. To clear that queftion, the first thing to,

be remarked is, that in fome inftances an expected object overpowers the mind, fo as to produce a momentary ftupefaction: where the object is dangerous, or appears fo, the fudden alarm it gives, without preparation, is apt totally to unhinge the mind, and for a moment to fufpend all its faculties, even thought itself'; in which state a man is quite helplefs; and if he move at all, is as like to run upon the danger as from it. Surprife carried to fuch a height, cannot be either pleasant or painful; because the mind, during fuch momentary ftupefaction, is in a good measure, if not totally, insensible.

If we then inquire for the character of this emotion, it must be where the unexpected object or event produceth lefs violent effects. And while the mind remains fenfible of pleasure and pain, is it not natural to fuppofe, that furprife, like wonder, fhould have an invariable character? I am inclined however to think, that furprise has no invariable character, but affumes that of the object which raises it. Wonder being an emotion invariably raised by novelty, and being diflinguishable from all other emotions, ought naturally to poffefs one constant character. The unexpected appearance of an object, feems not equally entitled to produce an emotion diflinguifhable from that

3 Hence the Latin names for furprife, torpor, animi Aupor.

which is produced by the object in its ordinary appearance the effect it ought naturally to have, is only to fwell that emotion, by making it more pleasant or more painful than it commonly is. And that conjecture is confirmed by experience, as well as by language, which is built upon experience : when a man meets a friend unexpectedly, he is faid to be agreeably furprifed; and when he meets an enemy unexpectedly, he is faid to be disagreeably surprised. It appears, then, that the fole effect of furprife is to fwell the emotion raised by the object. And that effect can be clearly explained: a tide of connected perceptions, glide gently into the mind, and produce no perturbation; but an object breaking in unexpectedly, founds an alarm, roufes the mind out of its calm ftate and directs its whole attention to the object, which, if agreeable, becomes, doubly fo. Several circumftances concur to produce that effect: on the one hand, the agitation of the mind, and its keen attention, prepare it in the moft effectual manner for receiving a deep impreffion: on the other hand, the object, by its fudden and unforefeen appearance, makes an impreffion, not gradually as expected objects do, but as at one ftroke with its whole force. The circumflances are precifely fimilar where the object is in itfelf difagreeable *.

4 What the Marefchal de Saxe terms le cœur humain is no other than fear occafioned by furprife. It is owing to

The pleasure of novelty is easily distinguished, from that of variety: to produce the latter, a plurality of objects is neceffary; the former arifes from a circumflance found in a fingle object. A

that caufe that an ambufh is generally fo deftructive; intelligence of it beforehand renders it harmless. The Marefchal gives from Cæfar's Commentaries two examples of what he calls le cœur humain. At the fiege of Amiens by the Gauls, Cæfar came up with his army, which did not exceed 7000 men, and began to intrench himfelf in fuch hurry, that the barbarians, judging him do be afraid, attacked his intrenchments with great fpirit. During the time they were filling up the ditch, he iffued out with his cohorts; and, by attacking them unexpectedly, ftruck a panic that made them fly with pre. cipitation, not a fingle man offering to make a fland. At. the fiege of Alefia, the Gauls, infinitely superior in number, attacked the Roman lines of circumvallation, in order to raise the ficge. Cæfar ordered a body of his men to march out filently, and to attack them on the one flank, while he with another body did the fame on the other flank. The furprife of being attacked when they expected a defence only, put the Gauls into diforder, and gave an eafy victory to Cæfar. A third be added no may lefs memorable. In the year 846 an obftinate battle was fought between Xamire King of Leon and Adoulrahman the Moorish King of Spain. After a very lorg conflict, the night only prevented the Arabians from obtaining a complete victory. The King of Leon, taking advantage of the darkness, retreated to a neighbouring hill, leaving the Arabians mafters of the field of battle. Next morning, perceiving that he could not maintain his place for want of provi

gain, where objects, whether coexiftent or in fucceffion, are fufficiently diverfified, the pleafure of variety is complete, though every fingle object of the train be familiar: but the pleafure of novelty, directly oppofite to familiarity, requires no diverfification.

There are different degrees of novelty, and its effects are in proportion. The loweft degree is 'found in objects furveyed a fecond time after a long interval; and that in this cafe an obje& takes on fome appearance of novelty, is certain from experience: a large building of many parts variously adorned, or an extenfive field embellished with trees, lakes, temples, ftatues, and other ornaments, will appear new oftener than once: the memory of an object fo complex is foon loft, of its parts at leaft, or of their arrangement. But experience teaches, that even without any decay of remembrance, abfence alone will give an air of novelty to a once familiar object; which is not furprifing, becaufe familiarity wears off gradually by abfence thus a perfon with whom we have been

fions, nor be able to draw off his men in the face of a victorious army, he ranged his men in order of battle, and, without losing a moment, marched to attack the enemy, refolving to conquer or die. The Arabians, aftonished to be attacked by thofe who were conquered the night before, loft all heart; fear fucceeded to aftonishment, the panic was univerfal, and they all turned their backs without almoft drawing a fword.