an enquiry concerning human understanding-第6节

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by　means　of　the　near　relation　of　the　objects；　from　the
beginning　to　the　end　of　the　narration。

　　　　　The　same　rule　takes　place　in　dramatic　poetry；　nor　is　it
ever　permitted　in　a　regular　composition　to　introduce　an
actor　who　has　no　connection；　or　but　a　small　one；　with　the
principle　personages　of　the　fable。　The　spectator's　concern
must　not　be　diverted　by　any　scenes　disjoined　and　separated　from
the　rest。　This　breaks　the　course　of　the　passions；　and
prevents　that　communication　of　the　several　emotions　by　which
one　scene　adds　force　to　another；　and　transfuses　the　pity　and
terror　which　it　excites　upon　each　succeeding　scene　until　the
whole　produces　that　rapidity　of　movement　which　is　peculiar
to　the　theater。　How　must　it　extinguish　this　warmth　or
affection　to　be　entertained　on　a　sudden　with　a　new　action
and　new　personages　no　way　related　to　the　former；　to　find　so
sensible　a　breach　or　vacuity　in　the　course　of　the　passions；
by　means　of　this　breach　in　the　connection　of　ideas；　and
instead　of　carrying　the　sympathy　of　one　scene　into　the
following；　to　be　obliged　every　moment　to　excite　a　new
concern；　and　take　party　in　a　new　scene　of　action？

　　　　　But　though　this　rule　of　unity　of　action　be　common　to
dramatic　and　epic　poetry；　we　may　still　observe　a　difference
betwixt　them　which　may；　perhaps；　deserve　our　attention。　In
both　these　species　of　composition　it　is　requisite　the　action
be　one　and　simple；　in　order　to　preserve　the　concern　or
sympathy　entire　and　undiverted：　But　in　epic　or　narrative
poetry；　this　rule　is　also　established　upon　another
foundation；　/VIZ。　the　necessity　that　is　incumbent　on　every
writer　to　form　some　plan　or　design　before　he　enter　on　any
discourse　or　narration；　and　to　comprehend　his　subject　in
some　general　aspect　or　united　view　which　may　be　the　constant
object　of　his　attention。　As　the　author　is　entirely　lost　in
dramatic　compositions；　and　the　spectator　supposes　himself　to
be　really　present　at　the　actions　represented；　this　reason
has　no　place　with　regard　to　the　stage；　but　any　dialogue　or
conversation　may　be　introduced　which；　without　improbability；
might　have　passed　in　that　determinate　portion　of　space
represented　by　the　theater。　Hence；　in　all　our　English
comedies；　even　those　of　C/ONGREVE；　the　unity　of　action　is
never　strictly　observed；　but　the　poet　thinks　it　sufficient
if　his　personages　be　any　way　related　to　each　other　by　blood；
or　by　living　in　the　same　family；　and　he　afterwards
introduces　them　in　particular　scenes；　where　they　display
their　humors　and　characters　without　much　forwarding　the　main
action。　The　double　plots　of　T/ERENCE　are　licenses　of　the
same　kind；　but　in　a　lesser　degree。　And　though　this　conduct
be　not　perfectly　regular；　it　is　not　wholly　unsuitable　to　the
nature　of　comedy；　where　the　movements　and　passions　are　not
raised　to　such　a　height　as　in　tragedy；　at　the　same　time　that
the　fiction　or　representation　palliates；　in　come　degree；
such　licenses。　In　a　narrative　poem；　the　first　proposition　or
design　confines　the　author　to　one　subject；　and　any
digressions　of　this　nature　would；　at　first　view；　be　rejected
as　absurd　and　monstrous。　Neither　B/OCCACE；　L/A　F/ONTAINE；
nor　any　author　of　that　kind；　though　pleasantry　be　their
chief　object；　have　ever　indulged　them。

　　　　　To　return　to　the　comparison　of　history　and　epic　poetry；
we　may　conclude　from　the　foregoing　reasonings　that　as　a
certain　unity　is　requisite　in　all　productions；　it　cannot　be
wanting　to　history　more　than　to　any　other；　that　in　history
the　connection　among　the　several　events　which　unites　them
into　one　body　is　the　relation　of　cause　and　effect；　the　same
which　takes　place　in　epic　poetry；　and　that；　in　the　latter
composition；　this　connection　is　only　required　to　be　closer
and　more　sensible　on　account　of　the　lively　imagination　and
strong　passions　which　must　be　touched　by　the　poet　in　his
narration。　the　P/ELOPONNESIAN　war　is　a　proper　subject　for
history；　the　siege　of　A/THENS　for　an　epic　poem；　and　the
death　of　A/LCIBIADES　for　a　tragedy。

　　　　　As　the　difference；　therefore；　betwixt　history　and　epic
poetry　consists　only　in　the　degrees　of　connection　which　bind
together　those　several　events　of　which　their　subject　is
composed；　it　will　be　difficult；　if　not　impossible；　by　words
to　determine　exactly　the　bounds　which　separate　them　from
each　other。　That　is　a　matter　of　taste　more　than　of
reasoning；　and　perhaps　this　unity　may　often　be　discovered　in
a　subject　where；　at　first　view；　and　from　an　abstract
consideration；　we　should　least　expect　to　find　it。

　　　　　It　is　evident　that　H/OMER；　in　the　course　of　his
narration；　exceeds　the　first　proposition　of　his　subject；　and
that　the　anger　of　A/CHILLES；　which　caused　the　death　of
H/ECTOR；　is　not　the　same　with　that　which　produced　so　many
ills　to　the　G/REEKS。　But　the　strong　connection　betwixt
these　two　movements；　the　quick　transition　from　one　to　the
other；　the　contrast　betwixt　the　effects　of　concord　and
discord　amongst　the　princes；　and　the　natural　curiosity　we
have　to　see　A/CHILLES　in　action　after　so　long　repose　　all
these　causes　carry　on　the　reader；　and　produce　a　sufficient
unity　in　the　subject。

　　　　　It　may　be　objected　to　M/ILTON　that　he　has　traced　up
his　causes　to　too　great　a　distance；　and　that　the　rebellion
of　the　angels　produces　the　fall　of　man　by　a　train　of　events
which　is　both　very　long　and　very　casual。　Not　to　mention　that
the　creation　of　the　world；　which　he　has　related　at　length；
is　no　more　the　cause　of　that　catastrophe　than　of　the　battle
of　P/HARSALIA；　or　any　other　event　that　has　ever　harpooned。
But　if　we　consider；　on　the　other　hand；　that　all　these
events；　the　rebellion　of　the　angels；　the　creation　of　the
world；　and　the　fall　of　man；　　each　other　in　being
miraculous；　and　out　of　the　common　course　of　nature；　that
they　are　supposed　to　be　　in　time；　and　that；
being　detached　from　all　other　events；　and　being　the　only
original　facts　which　revelation　discovers；　they　strike　the
eye　at　once；　and　naturally　recall　each　other　to　the　thought
or　imagination　　if　we　consider　all　these　circumstances；　I
say；　we　shall　find　that　these　parts　of　the　action　have　a
sufficient　unity　to　make　them　be　comprehended　in　one　fable
or　narration。　To　which　we　may　add　that　the　rebellion　of　the
angels　and　the　fall　of　man　have　a　peculiar　resemblance；　as
being　counterparts　to　each　other；　and　presenting　to　the
reader　the　same　moral　of　obedience　to　our　Creator。

　　　　　These　loose　hints　I　have　thrown　together　in　order　to
excite　the　curiosity　of　philosophers；　and　beget　a　suspicion
at　least　if　not　a　full　persuasion　that　this　subject　is　very
copious；　and　that　many　operations　of　the　human　mind　depend
on　the　connection　or　association　of　ideas　which　is　here
explained。　Particularly；　the　sympathy　betwixt　the　passions
and　imagination　will；　perhaps；　appear　remarkable；　while　we
observe　that　the　affections；　excited　by　one　object；　pass
easily　to　another　connected　with　it；　but　transfuse
themselves　with　difficulty；　or　not　at　all；　along　different
objects　which　have　no　manner　of　connection　together。　By　　　　　
introducing　into　any　composition　personages　and　actions
foreign　to　each　other；　an　injudicious　author　loses　that
communication　of　emotions　by　which　alone　he　can　interest　the
heart　and　raise　the　passions　to　their　proper　height　and
period。　the　full　explication　of　this　principle　and　all　its
consequences　would　lead　us　into　reasonings　too　profound　and
too　copious　for　these　Essays。　It　is　sufficient　for　us；　at
present；　to　have　established　this　conclusion；　that　the　three
connecting　principles　of　all　ideas　are　the　relations　of
；　；　and　。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SECTION　IV。
　　　　　Sceptical　Doubts　Concerning　the　Operations　of　the
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Understanding。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PART　I。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　A/LL　the　objects　of　human　reason　or　enquiry　may
naturally　be　divided　into　two　kinds；　to　wit；　；　and　。　Of　the　first　kind　are　the
sciences　of　Geometry；　Algebra；　and　Arithmetic；　and　in　short；
every　affirmation　which　is　either　intuitively　or
demonstratively　certain。　；　is　a　proposition
which　expresses　a　relation　between　these　figures。　；　expresses
a　relation　between　these　numbers。　Propositions　of　this　kind
are　discoverable　by　the　mere　operation　of　thought；　without
dependence　on　what　is　anywhere　existent　in　the　universe。
Though　there　never　were　a　circle　or　triangle　in　nature；　the
truths　demonstrated　by　Euclid　would　for　ever　retain　their
certainty　and　evidence。

　　　　　Matters　of　fact；　which　are　the　second　objects　of　human
reason；　are　not　ascertained　in　the　same　manner；　nor　is　our
evidence　of　their　truth；　however　great；　of　a　like　nature
with　the　foregoing。　The　contrary　of　every　matter　of　fact　is
still　possible；　because　it　can　never　imply　a　contradiction；
and　is　conceived　by　the　mind　with　the　same　facility　and
distinctness；　as　if　ever　so　conformable　to　reality。