Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

442 A CRITICAL DISSERTATION ON
sublihie, is an awful and serious emotion ; and is heightened by
all the images of Trouble, and Terror, and Darkness.
Ipse pater, media nimborum in noQe, corusca
Fulmina molitur dextra ; quo maxima motu
Terra tremit ; fugere ferse -, & mortalia corda
Per gentes, humilis stravit pavor ; ille, flagranti
Aut Atho, aut Rhodopen, aut alta Ceraunia telo
Dejicit. ViRG. Georg. I.
Simplicity and conciseness, are never-failing characteristics of
the style of a sublime writer. He rests on the majesty of his sen-
timents, not on the pomp of his expressions. The main secret
of being sublime, is to say great things in few, and in plain words :
For every superfluous decoration degrades a sublime idea. The
mind rises and swells, when a lofty description or sentiment is
presented to it, in its native form. But no sooner does the poet
attempt to spread out this sentiment or description, and to deck it
round and round with glittering ornaments, than the mind begins to
fall from its high elevation ; the transport is over j the beautiful may
remain, but the sublime is gone. Hence the concise and simple
style of Ossian, gives great advantage to his sublime conceptions j
and assists them in seizing the imagination with full power. *
Sublimity as belonging to sentiment, coincides in a great mea-
sure with magnanimity, heroism, and generosity of sentiment.
"Whatever discovers human nature in its greatest elevation ; what-
ever bespeaks a high effort of soul j or shews a mind superior to
pleasures,
* The noted saying of Juluis Cssar, to the pilot in a storm; " Quid times?
" Casarem venis ;" is magnanimous and sublime. Lucan, not satisfied with thia
simple conciseness, resolved to amplify and improve the thought. Observe, how
every tLme he twists it round, it departs farther from the sublime, till, at last, it
ends in tumid declaniatron.
Sperne minas, inquit, Pelagi, ventoque furenti
Trade sinmii. Italiam, si coelo audlore, recusas,
Me, pete. Sola tibi causa hsc est justa timoris
Vedorem non nosse tuum ; quern numina nunquan*
Destituuut; de quo male tunc fortuna meretur
Cum post vota vcnit ; medias perrumpe procellas
Tutela secure mea. Coeli iste fretique,
Non puppis nostrae, labor est. Hanc Cssare pressam
A fluftu defendit onus.
■ Quid tanta strage paratur,
!g«oras? Quaerit peiagi calique tumultu
Qvid praestet fortuna niilii.
PUARSAL. Vf J78«