"David Hume - Of Tragedy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hume David)

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 the sorrow. You may by degrees weaken a real
sorrow, till it totally disappears; yet in none of its
graduations will it ever give pleasure; except, perhaps, by
accident, to a man sunk under lethargic indolence, whom it
rouzes from that languid state.

To confirm this theory, it will be sufficient to produce other
instances, where the subordinate movement is converted into
the predominant, and gives force to it, though of a different,
and even sometimes though of a contrary nature.

Novelty naturally rouzes the mind, and attracts our attention;
and the movements, which it causes, are always converted into
any passion, belonging to the object, and join their force to
it. Whether an event excite joy or sorrow, pride or shame,
anger or good-will, it is sure to produce a stronger
affection, when new or unusual. And though novelty of itself
be agreeable, it fortifies the painful, as well as agreeable
passions.

Had you any intention to move a person extremely by the
narration of any event, the best method of encreasing its
effect would be artfully to delay informing him of it, and
first to excite his curiosity and impatience before you let
him into the secret. This is the artifice practised by Iago in
the famous scene of Shakespeare; and every spectator is
sensible, that Othello's jealousy acquires additional force