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fol. 42v 'Of the Sublime' (Pt I, Sn II, Ch III) (3.129-30)
5 < <first - how it is generally received secondly> . how it may be received.
Thirdly . how it <ought to be received .>
<Now whatever has been done - that is difficult to do> - must of course
<in those persons who can perceive its difficulty .> >#71#
10 in the purity of their conceptions of the Ideal .
And that of Ideas of Relation will lead us to compare them as
originators of new and just thought. <and to observe the moral
truth> <as it<s> <is> new {ness constituting <to> vigour of imagination} it
will lead us to observe the <sacredness> action
of the Imagination . as it is just. It will lead us to>
15 its newness <being the test of> {proving} vigour of imagination . {&} Its
greatness
<the test of> {constituting} moral truth . <the two highest and <best>
noblest>
20
fol. 43r Chapter III of Part I, Section II: 'Of the Sublime' (3.128?)
Chapter I of Part I, Section II: 'General Principles respecting Ideas of Power' (3.117)
83
always in some degree productive of the sensation of the sublime . It does
not matter . however - whether the sensation received be always worthy
of such a title . its is invariably a pure and noble pleasure. and exalts
the mind in the degree in which it is felt . We shall endeavour
5 to ascertain how and wh<ere>y it is felt in the highest degree -
#72#< In order to form <&> a high idea of power . we must see it or feel it in
operation . In order to its operation there must be something for it
to overcome . and <in order> therefore some resistance to it. But if any
thing can in any degree resist it. it cannot be irresistible It is not
10 therefore from those powers which overwhelm ^ {and annihilate} resistance that we
receive
the greatest idea of power - <f>but from those which only overcome resistance
The highest art therefore . which is not <so much> an effort . but an Emanation
<in wh> <before which matter> . in which all is conquered - and all attained .
does not so much impress us with the idea of power as that which, less
15 perfect in its victory - leaves us some conception of whaqt is has opposed . >
1st The idea of power which we receive from a calculation of unseen difficulty
and an estimate of unseen power. is never to impressive {vivid} as that which we
receive
from the present sensation of the one resisting . & the other overwhelming .
In the one case the power is imagined. and in the other . felt . <Thus>.
<s>Supposing
20 ourselves even capable of ascertaining <in our own persons> {for ourselves}. the truth
of what is
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MW