Burke Edmund Of the Sublime and Beautiful

Odnośniki

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

on the eye in such a manner as to be perceived at once; but by
moving the eye, we gather up, with great celerity, the several
parts of the object, so as to form one uniform piece. If the former
opinion be allowed, it will be considered,^3 that though all the
light reflected from a large body should strike the eye in one
instant; yet we must suppose that the body itself is formed of a
vast number of distinct points, every one of which, or the ray
from every one, makes an impression on the retina. So that,
though the image of one point should cause but a small tension of
this membrane, another and another, and another stroke, must in
their progress cause a very great one, until it arrives at last to the
highest degree; and the whole capacity of the eye, vibrating in all
its parts, must approach near to the nature of what causes pain,
and consequently must produce an idea of the sublime. Again, if
we take it, that one point only of an object is distinguishable at
once, the matter will amount nearly to the same thing, or rather
it will make the origin of the sublime from greatness of
dimension yet clearer. For if but one point is observed at once,
the eye must traverse the vast space of such bodies with great
quickness, and consequently the fine nerves and muscles
destined to the motion of that part must be very much strained;
and their great sensibility must make them highly affected by this
straining. Besides, it signifies just nothing to the effect produced,
whether a body has its parts connected and makes its impression
at once; or, making but one impression of a point at a time,
causes a succession of the same or others so quickly as to make
them seem united; as is evident from the common effect of
123
whirling about a lighted torch or piece of wood: which, if done
with celerity, seems a circle of fire.
Sect. X.
Unity Why Requisite To Vastness
It may be objected to this theory, that the eye generally receives
an equal number of rays at all times, and that therefore a great
object cannot affect it by the number of rays, more than that
variety of objects which the eye must always discern whilst it
remains open. But to this I answer, that admitting an equal
number of rays, or an equal quantity of luminous particles, to
strike the eye at all times, yet if these rays frequently vary their
nature, now to blue, now to red, and so on, or their manner of
termination, as to a number of petty squares, triangles, or the
like, at every change, whether of colour or shape, the organ has a
sort of relaxation or rest; but this relaxation and labour so often
interrupted, is by no means productive of ease; neither has it the
effect of vigorous and uniform labour. Whoever has remarked
the different effects of some strong exercise, and some little
piddling action, will understand why a teasing, fretful
employment, which at once wearies and weakens the body,
should have nothing great; these sorts of impulses, which are
rather teasing than painful, by continually and suddenly altering
their tenor and direction, prevent that full tension, that species of
uniform labour, which is allied to strong pain, and causes the
sublime. The sum total of things of various kinds, though it
should equal the number of the uniform parts composing some
one entire object, is not equal in its effect upon the organs of our
124
bodies. Besides the one already assigned, there is another very
strong reason for the difference. The mind in reality hardly ever
can attend diligently to more than one thing at a time; if this
thing be little, the effect is little, and a number of other little
objects cannot engage the attention; the mind is bounded by the
bounds of the object; and what is not attended to, and what does
not exist, are much the same in effect; but the eye, or the mind,
(for in this case there is no difference,) in great, uniform objects,
does not readily arrive at their bounds; it has no rest whilst it
contemplates them; the image is much the same everywhere. So
that everything great by its quantity must necessarily be one,
simple and entire.
Sect. XI.
The Artificial Infinite
We have observed, that a species of greatness arises from the
artificial infinite; and that this infinite consists in an uniform
succession of great parts: we observed, too, that the same
uniform succession had a like power in sounds. But because the
effects of many things are clearer in one of the senses than in
another, and that all the senses bear analogy to and illustrate one
another, I shall begin with this power in sounds, as the cause of
the sublimity from succession is rather more obvious in the sense
of hearing. And I shall here, once for all, observe, that an
investigation of the natural and mechanical causes of our
passions, besides the curiosity of the subject, gives, if they are
discovered, a double strength and lustre to any rules we deliver
on such matters. When the ear receives any simple sound, it is
struck by a single pulse of the air, which makes the eardrum and
125
the other membranous parts vibrate according to the nature and
species of the stroke. If the stroke be strong, the organ of hearing [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

zanotowane.pl

doc.pisz.pl

pdf.pisz.pl

angamoss.xlx.pl