This description by Sir William Hamilton, of the eruption of Vesuvius, is of a totally opposite character; and the sublimity of it, is almost entirely destroyed by the horrors it contains:

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"In an instant," he says, แ a fountain of liquid fire

began to rise, and, gradually increasing, rose to the "amazing height of 10,000 feet, and upwards: the "blackest smoke accompanied the red-hot, transparent, "and liquid lava, interrupting its splendid brightness "here and there, by patches of the darkest hue. Within "these clouds of smoke, at the very moment they broke "out, pale electrical fire was seen playing about in oblique lines. The wind, though gentle, was sufficient "to carry these blasts of smoke out of the column of fire, and a collection of them by degrees formed a "black and extensive curtain behind it, while other "parts of the sky were clear, and the stars entirely "bright. All this time, the miserable inhabitants of

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Ottajano were involved in the utmost distress and "danger, by the showers of stones which fell upon "them. Many of the inhabitants flew to the churches, "and others were preparing to quit the town, when a "sudden and violent report was heard, and presently "fell a vast shower of stones and large pieces of scoriæ, "some of which were of the diameter of seven or eight "feet, and must have weighed, before they fell, above

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one hundred pounds. In an instant, the town, and "country about it, was on fire in many places. To add "to the horror of the scene, incessant volcanic lightning was rushing about the black cloud that surrounded "them, and the sulphureous sinell would scarcely allow "them to draw their breath. In this dreadful situation "they remained about twenty-five minutes, when the "volcanic storm ceased at once; and Vesuvius remained "sullen and silent."

The sublimity of the first of these descriptions approaches the confines of the beautiful; — in the last, of

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the horrible. We must take great care, in the selection of sublime objects, not to choose those which are too horrible; or which remind us too intimately of danger; because, as the sublime always implies some mixture of pleasure, strong compassion and violent horror entirely destroy it. "All sounds," says Mr. Alison," in general "are sublime, which are associated with the idea of "danger; the howling of a storm, the murmuring of "an earthquake, the report of artillery. All sounds," he adds, "in the same manner, are sublime, which are "associated with the idea of deep melancholy, -as the "tolling of the passing-bell." Now, I confess I do not call either the murmuring of an earthquake, or the howling of a storm, or the report of artillery, or the tolling of a passing-bell, sublime sounds, but merely horrible sounds; they are so devoid of every mixture of pleasure, that they excite nothing but fear or compassion, according as we ourselves, or others, are most nearly affected by them: they are sublime in poetry or in description, but in real nature they are dreadful, and nothing else. In description, almost anything, however dreadful, may be made sublime by the prodigious mitigation of the real horror, which is always remarkable when the passions are excited at second-hand. As I have before traced a connection between that feeling of the beautiful, excited by the intervention of matter, and that which presents itself to the mind from the contemplation of moral qualities, it is equally easy, in this stronger and more marked feeling of the sublime, to trace a similar resemblance. All those qualities of mind which excite wonder, and any portion of fear, even that very subdued species of it we call respect, raise an elevated sentiment in the mind, precisely similar to the sublime of natural objects. Immense courage, whether active or passive, is easily sublime. "In the midst of this dreadful fire and carnage," says Voltaire, speaking of the battle of Fontenoy, "the English officers were seen,

"with the same coolness they would have displayed on "the parade, leveling the muskets of the soldiers with "their canes, in order that they might fire with due pre"cision." The death of General Wolfe is quite sublime, from the love of life being so entirely swallowed up in the love of glory. "Towards the end of the battle "he received a new wound in the breast; he was immediately conveyed behind the rear rank, and laid upon the ground. Soon after, a shout was heard, and one of the officers who stood by him exclaimed,' How they run!' The dying hero asked, with some emo"tion, "Who run ?' The enemy,' replied the officer, "they give way every where.' Now God be praised,' "says Wolfe, I shall die happy!' He then turned on "his side, closed his eyes, and expired."

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Firmness and constancy of purpose, that withstands all solicitation, and, in spite of all danger, goes on straightly to its object, is very often sublime. The resolution of St. Paul, in going up to Jerusalem, where he has the firmest conviction that he shall undergo every species of persecution, quite comes within this description of feeling. "What mean ye to weep and "to break my heart? I am ready, not to be bound only, but to die, at Jerusalem, for the name of Jesus. "I know that ye all, before whom I have preached the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more! Where"fore I take you to record this day, that I am pure "from the blood of all men. I have coveted no man's

silver, or gold, or apparel. Ye yourselves know, that "these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and "unto them which were with me; and now it is wit"nessed in every city through which I pass, that bonds "and afflictions await me at Jerusalem; but none of "these things move me, neither count I my life dear to "myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and "the ministry which I have received, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

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There is something exceedingly majestic in the steadiness with which the Apostle points out the single object of his life, and the unquenchable courage with which he walks towards it. "I know I shall die, but I have a greater object than life, -the zeal of an high duty. Situation allows some men to think of safety; I not only must not consult it, but I must go where I know it will be most exposed. I must hold out my hands for chains, and my body for stripes, and my soul for misery. I am ready to do it all!" These are the feelings by which alone bold truths have been told to the world; by which the bondage of falsehood has been broken, and the chains of slavery snapt asunder! It is in vain to talk of men numerically; if the passions of a man are exalted to a summit like this, he is a thousand men! If all the feebleness and fluctuation of his nature are shamed away, you must not pretend to calculate upon his efforts. Under the influence of sublime feelings, sometimes liberty, sometimes religious men, have sprung up from the dust, to shiver the oldest dominions; to toss to the ground the highest despots; to astonish ages to come with the immensity, and power, and grandeur of human feelings. In all desperate situations, these are the feelings which must rescue us: when prudence is mute, when reason is baffled, when all the ordinary resources of discretion are exhausted and dried up, there is no safety but in heroic passions, no hope but in sublime men. There is no other hope for Europe at this moment, but that high and omnipotent vengeance, which demands years of cruelty and oppression, in order that it may be lighted up in the hearts of a whole people; but which, when it does break out into action, is so rapid and so terrible, that it resembles more the judgments of God than the deeds of men.

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Men are very apt to be sublime when they speak of themselves, and give vent to those great passions which the important events of life engender. The speech which

Logan, the Indian chief, made to Lord Dunmore, in the year 1775, is full of sublimity. Though he was a great friend to the English, his wife and all his children were murdered by them: this unworthy return excited his vengeance; he took up the hatchet, and signalised himself against the whites. In a decisive battle, however, which was fought upon the great Kanhaway, the Indians were defeated, and sued for peace; and this was the speech made by Logan, which is so fine that its authenticity has been questioned, but it is now established beyond a doubt, by the testimony of Mr. Jefferson. "I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he entered Logan's "cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat? if ever "he came cold, and naked, and he clothed him not? During the course of the long last bloody war, Logan "remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. "Such was my love for the whites, that my country"men pointed as I passed, and said, 'Logan is the "friend of white men.' I had even thought to have "lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cressop, the last spring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan; not "sparing even my women and children: there runs not "a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature! "This called on me for revenge: I have sought it. I "have killed many! I have fully glutted my vengeance. "For my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace; but "do not harbour a thought that mine is the joy of fear: Logan never felt fear: he will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? not " one!"

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I am going to say rather an odd thing, but I cannot help thinking that the severe and rigid economy of a man in distress, has something in it very sublime, especially if it be endured for any length of time serenely and in silence. I remember a very striking instance of it in a young man, since dead; he was the son of a country