of tragedy-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　OF　TRAGEDY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　David　Hume

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1757

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　





　　　　　It　seems　an　unaccountable　pleasure；　which　the　spectators　of

a　well…written　tragedy　receive　from　sorrow；　terror；　anxiety；　and

other　passions；　that　are　in　themselves　disagreeable　and　uneasy。

The　more　they　are　touched　and　affected；　the　more　are　they

delighted　with　the　spectacle；　and　as　soon　as　the　uneasy　passions

cease　to　operate；　the　piece　is　at　an　end。　One　scene　of　full　joy

and　contentment　and　security　is　the　utmost；　that　any　composition

of　this　kind　can　bear；　and　it　is　sure　always　to　be　the　concluding

one。　If；　in　the　texture　of　the　piece；　there　be　interwoven　any

scenes　of　satisfaction；　they　afford　only　faint　gleams　of

pleasure；　which　are　thrown　in　by　way　of　variety；　and　in　order　to

plunge　the　actors　into　deeper　distress；　by　means　of　that　contrast

and　disappointment。　The　whole　heart　of　the　poet　is　employed；　in

rouzing　and　supporting　the　compassion　and　indignation；　the

anxiety　and　resentment　of　his　audience。　They　are　pleased　in

proportion　as　they　are　afflicted；　and　never　are　so　happy　as　when

they　employ　tears；　sobs；　and　cries　to　give　vent　to　their　sorrow；

and　relieve　their　heart；　swoln　with　the　tenderest　sympathy　and

compassion。

　　　　　The　few　critics　who　have　had　some　tincture　of　philosophy；

have　remarked　this　singular　phenomenon；　and　have　endeavoured　to

account　for　it。

　　　　　L'Abb偂�Dubos；　in　his　reflections　on　poetry　and　painting；

asserts；　that　nothing　is　in　general　so　disagreeable　to　the　mind

as　the　languid；　listless　state　of　indolence；　into　which　it　falls

upon　the　removal　of　all　passion　and　occupation。　To　get　rid　of

this　painful　situation；　it　seeks　every　amusement　and　pursuit；

business；　gaming；　shews；　executions；　whatever　will　rouze　the

passions；　and　take　its　attention　from　itself。　No　matter　what　the

passion　is：　Let　it　be　disagreeable；　afflicting；　melancholy；

disordered；　it　is　still　better　than　that　insipid　languor；　which

arises　from　perfect　tranquillity　and　repose。

　　　　　It　is　impossible　not　to　admit　this　account；　as　being；　at

least　in　part；　satisfactory。　You　may　observe；　when　there　are

several　tables　of　gaming；　that　all　the　company　run　to　those；

where　the　deepest　play　is；　even　though　they　find　not　there　the

best　players。　The　view；　or；　at　least；　imagination　of　high

passions；　arising　from　great　loss　or　gain；　affects　the　spectator

by　sympathy；　gives　him　some　touches　of　the　same　passions；　and

serves　him　for　a　momentary　entertainment。　It　makes　the　time　pass

the　easier　with　him；　and　is　some　relief　to　that　oppression；　under

which　men　commonly　labour；　when　left　entirely　to　their　own

thoughts　and　meditations。

　　　　　We　find　that　common　liars　always　magnify；　in　their

narrations；　all　kinds　of　danger；　pain；　distress；　sickness；

deaths；　murders；　and　cruelties；　as　well　as　joy；　beauty；　mirth；

and　magnificence。　It　is　an　absurd　secret；　which　they　have　for

pleasing　their　company；　fixing　their　attention；　and　attaching

them　to　such　marvellous　relations；　by　the　passions　and　emotions；

which　they　excite。

　　　　　There　is；　however；　a　difficulty　in　applying　to　the　present

subject；　in　its　full　extent；　this　solution；　however　ingenious　and

satisfactory　it　may　appear。　It　is　certain；　that　the　same　object

of　distress；　which　pleases　in　a　tragedy；　were　it　really　set

before　us；　would　give　the　most　unfeigned　uneasiness；　though　it　be

then　the　most　effectual　cure　to　languor　and　indolence。　Monsieur

Fontenelle　seems　to　have　been　sensible　of　this　difficulty；　and

accordingly　attempts　another　solution　of　the　phaenomenon；　at

least　makes　some　addition　to　the　theory　above　mentioned。＇2＇

　　　　　'Pleasure　and　pain；'　says　he；　'　which　are　two　sentiments　so

different　in　themselves；　differ　not　so　much　in　their　cause。　From

the　instance　of　tickling；　it　appears；　that　the　movement　of

pleasure；　pushed　a　little　too　far；　becomes　pain；　and　that　the

movement　of　pain；　a　little　moderated；　becomes　pleasure。　Hence　it

proceeds；　that　there　is　such　a　thing　as　a　sorrow；　soft　and

agreeable：　It　is　a　pain　weakened　and　diminished。　The　heart　likes

naturally　to　be　moved　and　affected。　Melancholy　objects　suit　it；

and　even　disastrous　and　sorrowful；　provided　they　are　softened　by

some　circumstance。　It　is　certain；　that；　on　the　theatre；　the

representation　has　almost　the　effect　of　reality；　yet　it　has　not

altogether　that　effect。　However　we　may　be　hurried　away　by　the

spectacle；　whatever　dominion　the　senses　and　imagination　may　usurp

over　the　reason；　there　still　lurks　at　the　bottom　a　certain　idea

of　falsehood　in　the　whole　of　what　we　see。　This　idea；　though　weak

and　disguised；　suffices　to　diminish　the　pain　which　we　suffer　from

the　misfortunes　of　those　whom　we　love；　and　to　reduce　that

affliction　to　such　a　pitch　as　converts　it　into　a　pleasure。　We

weep　for　the　misfortune　of　a　hero；　to　whom　we　are　attached。　In

the　same　instant　we　comfort　ourselves；　by　reflecting；　that　it　is

nothing　but　a　fiction：　And　it　is　precisely　that　mixture　of

sentiments；　which　composes　an　agreeable　sorrow；　and　tears　that

delight　us。　But　as　that　affliction；　which　is　caused　by　exterior

and　sensible　objects；　is　stronger　than　the　consolation　which

arises　from　an　internal　reflection；　they　are　the　effects　and

symptoms　of　sorrow；　that　ought　to　predominate　in　the

composition。'

　　　　　This　solution　seems　just　and　convincing；　but　perhaps　it

wants　still　some　new　addition；　in　order　to　make　it　answer　fully

the　phaenomenon；　which　we　here　examine。　All　the　passions；　excited

by　eloquence；　are　agreeable　in　the　highest　degree；　as　well　as

those　which　are　moved　by　painting　and　the　theatre。　The　epilogues

of　Cicero　are；　on　this　account　chiefly；　the　delight　of　every

reader　of　taste；　and　it　is　difficult　to　read　some　of　them　without

the　deepest　sympathy　and　sorrow。　His　merit　as　an　orator；　no

doubt；　depends　much　on　his　success　in　this　particular。　When　he

had　raised　tears　in　his　judges　and　all　his　audience；　they　were

then　the　most　highly　delighted；　and　expressed　the　greatest

satisfaction　with　the　pleader。　The　pathetic　description　of　the

butchery；　made　by　Verres　of　the　Sicilian　captains；　is　a

masterpiece　of　this　kind：　But　I　believe　none　will　affirm；　that

the　being　present　at　a　melancholy　scene　of　that　nature　would

afford　any　entertainment。　Neither　is　the　sorrow　here　softened　by

fiction：　For　the　audience　were　convinced　of　the　reality　of　every

circumstance。　What　is　it　then；　which　in　this　case　raises　a

pleasure　from　the　bosom　of　uneasiness；　so　to　speak；　and　a

pleasure；　which　still　retains　all　the　features　and　outward

symptoms　of　distress　and　sorrow？

　　　　　I　answer：　This　extraordinary　effect　proceeds　from　that　very

eloquence；　with　which　the　melancholy　scene　is　represented。　The

genius　required　to　paint　objects　in　a　lively　manner；　the　art

employed　in　collecting　all　the　pathetic　circumstances；　the

judgment　displayed　in　disposing　them：　the　exercise；　I　say；　of

these　noble　talents；　together　with　the　force　of　expression；　and

beauty　of　oratorial　numbers；　diffuse　the　highest　satisfaction　on

the　audience；　and　excite　the　most　delightful　movements。　By　this

means；　the　uneasiness　of　the　melancholy　passions　is　not　only

overpowered　and　effaced　by　something　stronger　of　an　opposite

kind；　but　the　whole　impulse　of　those　passions　is　converted　into

pleasure；　and　swells　the　delight　which　the　eloquence　raises　in

us。　The　same　force　of　oratory；　employed　on　an　uninteresting

subject；　would　not　please　half　so　much；　or　rather　would　appear

altogether　ridiculous；　and　the　mind；　being　left　in　absolute

calmness　and　indifference；　would　relish　none　of　those　beauties　of

imagination　or　expression；　which；　if　joined　to　passion；　give　it

such　exquisite　entertainment。　The　impulse　or　vehemence；　arising

from　sorrow；　compassion；　indignation；　receives　a　new　direction

from　the　sentiments　of　beauty。　The　latter；　being　the　predominant

emotion；　seize　the　whole　mind；　and　convert　the　former　into

themselves；　at　least　tincture　them　so　strongly　as　totally　to

alter　their　nature。　And　the　soul；　being；　at　the　same　time；　rouzed

by　passion；　and　charmed　by　eloquence；　feels　on　the　whole　a　strong

movement；　which　is　altogether　delightful。

　　　　　The　same　principle　takes　place　in　tragedy；　with　this

addition；　that　tragedy　is　an　imitation；　and　imitation　is　always

of　itself　agreeable。　This　circumstance　serves　still　farther　to

smooth　the　motions　of　passion；　and　convert　the　whole　feeling　into

one　uniform　and　strong　enjoyment。　Objects　of　the　greatest　terror

and　distress　please　in　painting；　and　please　more　than　the　most

beautiful　objects；　that　appear　calm　and　indifferent。＇3＇　The

affection；　rousing　the　mind；　excites　a　large　stock　of　spirit　and

vehemence；　which　is　all　transformed　into　pleasure　by　the　force　of

the　prevailing　movement。　It　is　thus　the　fiction　of　tragedy

softens　the　passion；　by　an　infusion　of　a　new　feeling；　not　merely

by　weakening　or　diminishing