SUBJECTS SUITED TO PURE STRENGTH.

69

there is, besides maleficent and beneficent agencies, a considerable range of the more strictly neutral aspects of sublimity.

The characteristics of pure Strength are given in the dimensions of simple Space-namely, extent, height and depth. In the actual world, vastness of expanse, loftiness and abysmal depth, have the effect of power, and are recognized sources of the emotion of Sublimity. The objects that possess these qualities in a high measure-as the wide ocean, great prospects seen from an elevation, the starry expanse,-being easily represented to the imagination, enter into the poetical renderings of strength.

Dead pressure in enormous amount is an addition to the sublimity of space dimensions, as in the mountain masses, and the solidity of the earth, moon, planets, sun and stars.

The Celestial Grandeurs may be quoted as the least dependent on the added emotions of maleficence and beneficence. The sun, moon and planets, and a few scattered stars as landmarks, would serve all the useful ends of objects shining in the sky; the rest do neither harm nor good. The exercise of imagination upon the countless celestial hosts-suns, stars and galaxies-scattered at distances on an enormous scale of vastness, gives no other feelings than the simple emotion of the Sublime.

The subject is rarely worked in this unmingled form, as we shall see by the illustrative passages relative to pure strength.

Time or duration, in large periods, has an elating influence, from its comprehending numerous stirring events-the changes of nature and the revolutions of mankind. The historical sublime is gained by a retrospect of the human records. Still larger, although necessarily more vague, is the sublimity of the geological and the cosmical past. Here everything turns upon the art of verbal presentation. Time, in the abstract, is nothing; the effect on the mind needs the recital of grand and imposing incidents and changes in sustained and harmonious phraseology.

The interest of Time readily lends itself to the pathos of death and decay. Its purity is best attained in the great cosmical past, and in the supposed future of the universe.

Time and Space assist one another in the conception. Each taken by itself must be filled up with definite portions in order to widen the imagination of the whole.

VOCABULARY OF STRENGTH.

Language contributes to Strength in two ways: namely (1) by adequately representing an object, situation or event, possessing the quality; (2) by its own emotional meanings and associations.

Each of these has its peculiar conditions or laws; although most commonly we operate in both ways at once. The first is the more laborious to all concerned. The goodness of our vocabulary on this head depends upon the abundance and expressiveness of its words and phrases, whether for description of still life or for narrating actions and events. Intellectual adequacy, coherence and intelligibility must be secured in combining words of the purely descriptive class.

The easier mode of working lies in the use of emotiontinged words and phrases, of which the English language has an ample stock. These we shall now pass in review.

The two modes may be illustrated by comparing a geographical sketch of the Alps with a poetical description. Both may yield an effect of sublimity, but in different ways.

Our feelings connected with the Holy Land are almost entirely due to the emotional language of Scripture. The pictures given by travellers and geographers need an intellectual effort to conceive, and are, at first, disenchanting.

Emotional words as such are unsusceptible of being defined. One way of handling them is to state the classes that they severally come under, and the speciality of each as distinct from other members of its class. The word 'grand' belongs to the class of words of Strength, and has a special meaning determined by its application to cases. This meaning can be fixed by examples, by contrasts and by synonyms. A coloured sunset, a lofty peak, a succession of thunder and lightning outbursts, are grand. A pelting, pitiless storm of rain or snow is strong without being grand. Nothing that is mean or insignificant can be in itself grand, while yet the insignificance of a cause or of an instrument adds to the grandeur of an effect.

Another way is simply to enumerate, as best we can, the emotional effects associated with a word, after having given its intellectual signification. This method would apply to many class-terms, as sun,' star,' mountain,' ocean,' 'angel,' 'king,' 'hero,' 'father,' 'lover,' 'tiger,'

6

EMOTIONAL MEANINGS OF WORDS.

71

'serpent,' lamb,' eagle,' 'lark,' 'rose,' 'violet,' oak'. Each of these terms has a certain signification as knowledge: to which is added a group of associated feelings. The sun has a definition in Astronomy, which is purely intellectual; for poetry, it has farther meanings: power,' 'sublimity of vastness,' 'mighty influence,' 'beneficent' and 'maleficent' by turns.

It has also to be observed that emotional associations of opposite character sometimes attach to the same word. Thus, "night" is a gladsome term, when we think of night as the season of rest and repose; it has terrifying or repulsive associations, when it calls up darkness and evil deeds. So, "rock" raises agreeable feelings, when we view it as the emblem of stability or of security and protection; it is otherwise when we regard it as the instrument of destruction. Again, "death" has both pleasant and painful associations attaching to it, and which of the two will be suggested on any particular occasion, depends entirely on the context.

Hence in Poetry, in order to harmonize, we need to be aware of the emotional meanings of the terms that are brought together; and if necessary, to state these meanings in justification, or in condemnation, of any one grouping. So, in Oratory; where the public speaker, whose object is to persuade, has to calculate what is likely to be the emotional effect of his language on the audience.

REVIEW OF THE VOCABULARY OF STRENGTH.

I. NAMES OF SUBJECTS OR CLASSES.

Beginning with Subjects of Strength-as already divided into Physical, Moral, Intellectual and Collective-we may exemplify as follows:

Physical, Personal (in connection with Man).—' Giant,' 'Samson,' 'Goliath,' 'Hercules,' 'athlete,' 'wrestler,' 'prizefighter,' 'conqueror,' Olympian victor,' 'tamer of steeds,' 'lion-slayer,' wielder of the axe,' 'thrower of the javelin,' strong of arm,' 'fleet of foot,' 'brawny figure,'' muscular proportions'.

(Animals). Lion,' Lion,' tiger,' elephant,' ' war-horse,' 'bull,' 'ox,' 'king of the forest,' monster of the deep,' 'eagle,' vulture,' whale,'

cobra'.

Moral.-1. 'Hero,' victor,' champion,' combatant,' 'fortitude,' 'manliness,' 'hardihood,'' courage,' 'endurance'; 'bold,' 'brave,' 'courageous,' 'fearless,' 'dauntless,' 'magna

nimous,'' resolute,' 'determined,' 'with face set like a flint,' 'patriotic,' 'chivalrous,' 'just,' 'upright,' 'dutiful,' ‘truthful'. 2. Names of the amiable virtues that may become sublime by implying unusual self-restraint: humility,' 'meekness,' 'gentleness,' 'humanity,' 'generosity,' 'philanthropy'.

Intellectual. Wise man,' 'scholar,' 'philosopher.' 'dungeon of learning,' 'Coryphaeus,' 'facile princeps,' 'poet,' 'scientist,' man of parts," commanding intellect,' 'towering ability,' 'intellectual giant,'oracle,'' luminary,' 'Solomon,'' Daniel,' 'star'; 'talent,' 'genius,' 'inspiration,' 'wit,' 'erudition,' 'invention,' 'ingenuity,' 'fame,' 'celebrity,' 'renown'; 'long-headed,' 'far-seeing,' 'thoughtful,' 'meditative,' acute,' critical,' 'reflective,' 'deep'.

Moral and Intellectual.-'Commander,' 'general,' 'director,' 'leader,' ' adviser,' 'guide,' 'monitor,' councillor,' statesman,' 'diplomatist,' 'Nestor,' 'sage,' 'man of sagacity,' 'reformer,' 'lawgiver,' 'preacher,' 'peace-maker,' 'arbitrator,' 'orator,' 'teacher'; 'shrewdness, prudence,' discretion'.

Collective. People,' 'nation,' 'kingdom,' 'state,' 'realm,' 'commonwealth,' 'body politic,' community,' 'city,' 'town, 'province,' 'population,' multitude,' 'mass,' 'horde,' crowd,' host, army,' fleet,' 'battalion,' 'regiment,' 'squadron,' 'church,' 'school,' 'fourth estate' (press), 'the world,' 'the human race'. 'Throne,' dominion,' 'empire,' 'sway,' authority'; 'king,' ' prince of the earth,'' despot,' 'tyrant'.

Also the names of the nationalities that have attained historic greatness: Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Macedonia, Rome, Arabia, Turkey, Germany, France, Britain.

II. NAMES OF CONSTITUENTS.

MALEFICENT STRENGTH.

6

Pure Maleficence without pretext or justification.—‘Injure,' hurt,' persecute,' trample,' destroy,' 'tear to pieces'; 'blood-shedding,' 'hate,' 'hell-hound,' 'fiend,' ‘torment,' torture,' 'rob,' wound,' 'murder,' 'destroy,' 'vandals,' 'tease,' 'irritate,' annoy,' 'harass,' 'vex,''molest, 'cruelty,' 'diabolical malice,' 'spite,' 'ill-will,' 'venom,' 'bile,'gall,' 'persecute,' 'grind,' 'tyrannize,' 'oppress,' 'mutilate,' maim,' 'torture,' rack,' 'make mischief,'

NAMES OF CONSTITUENTS OF STRENGTH.

6

73

truculent,' 'detract,' 'calumniate,' 'disparage,' 'depreciate,' 'slander,' libel,' misrepresent,' 'garble,' 'backbite,' 'defame,' 'vindictiveness,' malignant chuckle,' 'punishment,' wrath,' 'rancour,' 'condemnation,' glut your ire,'' make to smart,' 'rebel,' 'conspire,' 'plot,' 'intrigue,' 'assassin,' 'rise,' 'pitiless,' 'ruthless,' inexorable'.

With pretext, and by way of retribution.—'Anger,' 'revenge,' 'retaliation'.

Righteous Indignation.

The same vocabulary qualified by just cause shown; also more special terminology.-'Avenge,' 'punish,'' recompense,' chastise,'' correct,' reprove,' 'rebuke,' 'thwart'; retribution,' 'penalty,' 'castigation,' 'brought through the furnace,' 'humiliation,'' affliction'.

Destructive Energy.

'crush,'

Motive not specially expressed.-' Break,' 'shatter,' 'ruin,' 'overturn,' throw down,' 'hammer,' 'explode,' blow up,' 'flood,' 'burst,' 'blast,' 'shiver in pieces,' choke,' 'swallow up,' 'uproot,' apply the axe,' scourge,' 'smite,' 'fell,' 'abase'.

เ

War and Conflict.

'Attack,' 'vanquish,' 'capture,' 'rout,' 'scatter,' 'devastate,' 'slaughter'; 'fury,' ferocity'; 'shot,' 'broadside,' cannonade,' 'level to the ground,' 'pillage,' 'plunder,' 'rout,' 'fire and sword,' 'siege,' siege,' storm,' 'massacre,' 'ravage,' 'carnage'; 'victory,' 'trophy,' ' triumph,' 'ovation'.

Frighten, intimidate,' terrify'; cowed,' 'terrorstricken,' 'aghast,' 'put to flight'; 'shock,' 'quake,' 'crouch,' 'daunt,' 'dismay,' 'petrify,' 'panic,' 'consternation'.

Create,'' produce,' 'plan,' 'build,' 'sustain,' 'renovate,' 'construct,' erect,' rear,' fabricate,'' organize,' establish,' uphold,' stimulate,' cherish,' 'revive,' quicken'; 'benefactor,' ' author,' 'restorer,' liberator'.

Some of these may come under the head following.

NEUTRAL STRENGTH.

Power, as such, with maleficent or beneficent possibility. -'Force, energy,' 'activity,' might,' 'cause, origina