of the delicacy of taste and passion-第1部分
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OF THE DELICACY OF TASTE AND PASSION
David Hume
1741
/SOME People are subject to a certain of
; which makes them extremely sensible to all the
accidents of life; and gives them a lively joy upon every
prosperous event; as well as a piercing grief; when they
meet with misfortunes and adversity。 Favours and good
offices easily engage their friendship; while the smallest
injury provokes their resentment。 Any honour or mark of
distinction elevates them above measure; but they are as
sensibly touched with contempt。 People of this character
have; no doubt; more lively enjoyments; as well as more
pungent sorrows; than men of cool and sedate tempers: But; I
believe; when every thing is balanced; there is no one; who
would not rather be of the latter character; were he
entirely master of his own disposition。 Good or ill fortune
is very little at our disposal: And when a person; that has
this sensibility of temper; meets with any misfortune; his
sorrow or resentment takes entire possession of him; and
deprives him of all relish in the common occurrences of
life; the right enjoyment of which forms the chief part of
our happiness。 Great pleasures are much less frequent than
great pains; so that a sensible temper must meet with fewer
trials in the former way than in the latter。 Not to mention;
that men of such lively passions are apt to be transported
beyond all bounds of prudence and discretion; and to take
false steps in the conduct of life; which are often
irretrievable。
There is a of observable in some
men; which very much resembles this of ;
and produces the same sensibility to beauty and deformity of
every kind; as that does to prosperity and adversity;
obligations and injuries。 When you present a poem or a
picture to a man possessed of this talent; the delicacy of
his feeling makes him be sensibly touched with every part of
it; nor are the masterly strokes perceived with more
exquisite relish and satisfaction; than the negligences or
absurdities with disgust and uneasiness。 A polite and
judicious conversation affords him the highest
entertainment; rudeness or impertinence is as great a
punishment to him。 In short; delicacy of taste has the same
effect as delicacy of passion: It enlarges the sphere both
of our happiness and misery; and makes us sensible to pains
as well as pleasures; which escape the rest of mankind。
I believe; however; every one will agree with me; that;
notwithstanding this resemblance; delicacy of taste is as
much to be desired and cultivated as delicacy of passion is
to be lamented; and to be remedied; if possible。 The good or
ill accidents of life are very little at our disposal; but
we are pretty much masters what books we shall read; what
diversions we shall partake of; and what company we shall
keep。 Philosophers have endeavoured to render happiness
entirely independent of every thing external。 That degree of
perfection is impossible to be : But every wise
man will endeavour to place his happiness on such objects
chiefly as depend upon himself: and is not to be
so much by any other means as by this delicacy of
sentiment。 When a man is possessed of that talent; he is
more happy by what pleases his taste; than by what gratifies
his appetites; and receives more enjoyment from a poem or a
piece of reasoning than the most expensive luxury can
afford。
Whatever connexion there may be originally between
these two species of delicacy; I am persuaded; that nothing
is so proper to cure us of this delicacy of passion; as the
cultivating of that higher and more refined taste; which
enables us to judge of the characters of men; of
compositions of genius; and of the productions of the nobler
arts。 A greater or less relish for those obvious beauties;
which strike the senses; depends entirely upon the greater
or less sensibility of the temper: But with regard to the
sciences and liberal arts; a fine taste is; in some measure;
the same with strong sense; or at least depends so much upon
it; that they are inseparable。 In order to judge aright of a
composition of genius; there are so many views to be taken
in; so many circumstances to be compared; and such a
knowledge of human nature requisite; that no man; who is not
possessed of the soundest judgment; will ever make a
tolerable critic in such performances。 And this is a new
reason for cultivating a relish in the liberal arts。 Our
judgment will strengthen by this exercise: We shall form
juster notions of life: Many things; which please or afflict
others; will appear to us too frivolous to engage our
attention: And we shall lose by degrees that sensibility and
delicacy of passion; which is so incommodious。
But perhaps I have gone too far in saying; that a
cultivated taste for the polite arts extinguishes the
passions; and renders us indifferent to those objects; which
are so fondly pursued by the rest of mankind。 On farther
reflection; I find; that it rather improves our sensibility
for all the tender and agreeable passions; at the same time
that it renders the mind incapable of the rougher and more
boisterous emotions。
。
For this; I think there may be assigned two very
natural reasons。 In the place; nothing is so
improving to the temper as the study of the beauties; either
of poetry; eloquence; music; or painting。 They give a
certain elegance of sentiment to which the rest of mankind
are strangers。 The emotions which they excite are soft and
tender。 They draw off the mind from the hurry of business
and interest; cherish reflection; dispose to tranquillity;
and produce an agreeable melancholy; which; of all
dispositions of the mind; is the best suited to love and
friendship。
In the place; a delicacy of taste is
favourable to love and friendship; by confining our choice
to few people; and making us indifferent to the company and
conversation of the greater part of men。 You will seldom
find; that mere men of the world; whatever strong sense they
may be endowed with; are very nice in distinguishing
characters; or in marking those insensible differences and
gradations; which make one man preferable to another。 Any
one; that has competent sense; is sufficient for their
entertainment: They talk to him; of their pleasure and
affairs; with the same frankness that they would to another;
and finding many; who are fit to supply his place; they
never feel any vacancy or want in his absence。 But to make
use of the allusion of a celebrated French'2' author; the
judgment may be compared to a clock or watch; where the most
ordinary machine is sufficient to tell the hours; but the
most elaborate alone can point out the minutes and seconds;
and distinguish the smallest differences of time。 One that
has well digested his knowledge both of books and men; has
little enjoyment but in the company of a few select
companions。 He feels too sensibly; how much all the rest of
mankind fall short of the notions which he has entertained。
And; his affections being thus confined within a narrow
circle; no wonder he carries them further; than if they were
more general and undistinguished。 The gaiety and frolic of a
bottle companion improves with him into a solid friendship:
And the ardours of a youthful appetite become an elegant
passion。