confined in its operations, to the number, bulk, and distance of its particular objects?" Surely, every sense is confined, as much as the sense of feeling, to the number, bulk, and distance of its own objects. Sight and feeling are, in this respect, perfectly on a level; neither of them can extend beyond its own objects. The turn of expression is so inaccurate here, that one would be apt to suspect two words to have been omitted in the printing, which were originally in Mr. Addison's manuscript; because the insertion of them would render the sense much more intelligible and clear. These two words are, with regard :"— "it is very much straitened, and confined, in its operations, with regard to the number, bulk, and distance of its particular objects." The meaning then would be, that feeling is more limited than sight in this respect;' that it is confined to a narrower circle, to a smaller number of objects.

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The epithet" particular," applied to "objects," in the conclusion of the sentence, is redundant, and conveys no meaning whatever. Mr. Addison seems to have used it in place of 'peculiar,' as indeed he does often in other passages of his writings. But "particular" and peculiar,' though they are too often confounded, are words of different import from each other. Particular" stands opposed to general;' ' peculiar' stands opposed to what is possessed in common with others. "Particular expresses what in the logical style is called species; 'peculiar' what is called differentia. 'Its peculiar objects,' would have signified, in this place, the objects of the sense of feeling, as distinguished from the objects of any other sense; and would have had more meaning than " its particular objects." Though, in truth, neither the one nor the other epithet was requisite. It was sufficient to have said simply, its objects.'

"

"Our sight seems designed to supply all these defects, and may be considered as a more delicate and diffusive kind of touch, that spreads itself over an infinite multitude of bodies, comprehends the largest figures, and brings into our reach some of the most remote parts of the universe."

Here again the author's style returns upon us in all its beauty. This is a sentence distinct, graceful, well arranged, and highly musical. In the latter part of it, it is constructed with three members, which are formed much in the same manner with those of the second sentence, on which I bestowed so much praise. The construction is so similar, that if it had followed immediately after it, we should have been sensible of a faulty

monotony. But the interposition of another sentence between them, prevents this effect.

"It is this sense which furnishes the imagination with its ideas; so that by the pleasures of the imagination or fancy (which I shall use promiscuously,) I here mean such as arise from visible objects; either when we have them actually in our view; or when we call up their ideas into our minds by painting, statues, descriptions, or any the like occasion."

In place of," it is this sense which furnishes,”—the author might have said more shortly, this sense furnishes.' But the mode of expression which he has used, is here more proper. This sort of full and ample assertion, "it is this which," is fit to be used when a proposition of importance is laid down, to which we seek to call the reader's attention. It is like pointing with the hand at the object of which we speak. The parenthesis in the middle of the sentence," which I shall use promiscuously," is not clear. He ought to have said, 'terms which I shall use promiscuously;' as the verb "use" relates not to the pleasures of the imagination, but to the terms of fancy and imagination, which he was to employ as synonymous. "Any the like occasion"—to call a painting or a statue" an occasion," is not a happy expression, nor is it very proper to speak of "calling up ideas by occasions." The common phrase, any such means,' would have been more natural.

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"We cannot indeed have a single image in the fancy that did not make its first entrance through the sight; but we have the power of retaining, altering, and compounding those images which we have once received, into all the varieties of picture and vision that are most agreeable to the imagination; for, by this faculty, a man in a dungeon is capable of entertaining himself with scenes and landscapes more beautiful than any that can be found in the whole compass of nature."

It may be of use to remark, that in one member of this sentence there is an inaccuracy in syntax. It is very proper to say, "altering and compounding those images which we have once received, into all the varieties of picture and vision." But we can with no propriety say, " retaining them into all the varieties;" and yet, according to the manner in which the words are ranged, this construction is unavoidable. For retaining, altering, and compounding," are participles, each of which equally refers to, and governs the subsequent noun, "those images ;" and that

noun again is necessarily connected with the following preposition, into." This instance shows the importance of carefully attending to the rules of grammar and syntax; when so pure a writer as Mr. Addison could, through inadvertence, be guilty of such an error. The construction might easily have been rectified, by disjoining the participle "retaining" from the other two participles in this way: "We have the power of retaining those images which we have once received: and of altering and compounding them into all the varieties of picture and vision ;' or better perhaps thus: We have the power of retaining, altering, and compounding those images which we have once received; and of forming them into all the varieties of picture and vision.'-The latter part of the sentence is clear and elegant.

"There are few words in the English language, which are employed in a more loose and uncircumscribed sense than those of the fancy and the imagination."

"There are few words-which are employed."-It had been better, if our author here had said more simply- Few words in the English language are employed.'-Mr. Addison, whose style is of the free and full, rather than the nervous kind, deals, on all occasions, in this extended sort of phraseology. But it is proper only when some assertion of consequence is advanced, and which can bear an emphasis; such as that in the first sentence of the former paragraph. On other occasions, these little words, it is,' and 'there are,' ought to be avoided, as redundant and enfeebling." Those of the fancy and the imagination." The article ought to have been omitted here. As he does not mean the powers of " the fancy and the imagination," but the words only, the article certainly had no proper place; neither indeed was there any occasion for the other two words, "those of." Better, if the sentence had run thus: 'Few words in the English language are employed in a more loose and uncir-i cumscribed sense, than fancy and imagination.'

"I therefore thought it necessary to fix and determine the notion of these two words, as I intend to make use of them in the thread of my following speculations, that the reader may conceive rightly what is the subject which I proceed upon."

Though "fix" and "determine" may appear synonymous words, yet a difference between them may be remarked, and they may be viewed, as applied here, with peculiar delicacy.

The author had just said, that the words of which he is speak ing were "loose" and "uncircumscribed." "Fix" relates to the first of these, "determine" to the last. We 'fix' what is 'loose; that is, we confine the word to its proper place, that it may not fluctuate in our imagination, and pass from one idea to another; and we determine' what is uncircumscribed', that is, we ascertain its termini, or limits; we draw the circle round it, that we may see its boundaries. For we cannot conceive the meaning of a word, nor indeed of any other thing, clearly, till we see its limits, and know how far it extends. These two words, therefore, have grace and beauty as they are here applied; though a writer, more frugal of words than Mr. Addison, would have preferred the single word 'ascertain,' which conveys, without any metaphor, the import of them both.

The notion of these words" is somewhat of a harsh phrase, at least not so commonly used, as the "meaning of these words."" As I intend to make use of them in the thread of my speculations ;" this is plainly faulty. A sort of metaphor is improperly mixed with words in the literal sense. He might very well have said, as I intend to make use of them in my following speculations,' This was plain language; but if he chose to borrow an allusion from "thread," that allusion ought to have been supported; for there is no consistency in "making use of them in the thread of speculations ;" and indeed, in expressing any thing so simple and familiar as this is, plain language is always to be preferred to metaphorical.-" The subject which I proceed upon," is an ungraceful close of a sentence; better, "the subject upon which I proceed."

"I must therefore desire him to remember, that by the pleasures of the imagination, I mean only such pleasures as arise originally from sight, and that I divide these pleasures into two kinds."

As the last sentence began with "I therefore thought it necessary to fix," it is careless to begin this sentence in a manner so very similar, "I must therefore desire him to remember;" especially, as the small variation of using, on this account,' or 'for this reason,' in place of " therefore" would have amended the style.-When he says, "I mean only such pleasures," it may be remarked, that the adverb "only" is not in its proper place. It is not intended here to qualify the verb "mean," but "such pleasures ;" and therefore should have been placed in as close connection as possible with the word

which it limits or qualifies The style becomes more clear and neat, when the words are arranged thus: by the pleasures of the imagination, I mean such pleasures only as arise from sight.'

My design being, first of all, to discourse of those primary pleasures of the imagination, which entirely proceed from such objects as are before our eyes; and, in the next place, to speak of those secondary pleasures of the imagination, which flow from the ideas of visible objects, when the objects are not actually before the eye, but are called up into our memories, or formed into agreeable visions of things, that are either absent, or fictitious."

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My

It is a great rule in laying down the division of a subject, to study neatness and brevity as much as possible. The divisions are then more distinctly apprehended, and more easily remembered. This sentence is not perfectly happy in that respect. It is somewhat clogged by a tedious phraseology. design being first of all to discourse-in the next place to speak of such objects as are before our eyes-things that are either absent or fictitious." Several words might have been spared here; and the style made more neat and compact.

"The pleasures of the imagination, taken in their full extent, are not so gross as those of sense, nor so refined as those of the understanding."

This sentence is distinct and elegant.

«The last are indeed more preferable, because they are founded on some new knowledge or improvement in the mind of man: yet it must be confessed, that those of the imagination are as great, and as transporting as the other."

In the begining of this sentence, the phrase, “more preferable" is such a plain inaccuracy, that one wonders how Mr. Addison should have fallen into it; seeing " preferable," of itself, expresses the comparative degree, and is the same with more eligible, or more excellent.

I must observe further, that the proposition contained in the last member of this sentence, is neither clear nor neatly ex pressed: "it must be confessed, that those of the imagination are as great, and as transporting as the other."--In the former sentence, he had compared three things together; the pleasures of the imagination, those of sense, and those of the understanding. In the begining of this sentence, he had called the pleasures of