vi

that we have no right to disregard his authority when he

comes to treat of Pleasure.-Hamilton's definition of Pleasure,

the basis of the following chapters.-Its chief points.-Defect

Page 3

of the definition.-Division of the inquiry

CHAPTER XI.

MIXED PLEASURE.

The difficulty of separating Pain from Pleasure.-Theological state-

ment of the fact-and the mystery that belongs to it. The

earliest well-wrought theory of Pleasure that it is an escape

from Pain.-How the doctrine was expounded by Kant.-

Man never is but always to be blest-and lives in a never-

ceasing pain.-Pain may subsist without Pleasure, but Pleasure

cannot subsist without Pain.-The object of the Creator bene-

ficent in such an arrangement—and it is not ungrateful to say

that he keeps us by design in continued pain.-The doctrine of

the mixture of Pain with Pleasure is true, but inadequate.-

The great point to be observed is that Action is the prime law

of Pleasure.-Significance of this fact as to the law of Energy.

-Vicissitude but another name for Energy.-That Pleasure is

heightened by proximity to Pain.-How Pleasure is produced

in the agitation of Pain.-Painless death.-The Pleasure of

violence-even the violence of death.-The Pleasure of mar-

tyrdom.-A change of Pain is pleasurable-and we long for

Pain in the midst of Pleasure.-The most familiar form of

pleasant Pain-the luxury of Grief.-How the heart takes a

sly comfort. On the undercurrents of Pleasure which may be

found in even acute sorrow-as the pleasure of Expression.-

Men are vain of their exceeding Passion.-The pleasure of

Conceit mixed with the pain of Bereavement.-The pride of

Tears. Summary of the foregoing illustrations-The great fact

to which they bear witness as to the pleasure of Activity.—

Critical application of this law of Pleasure. The painfulness

of the Pleasure produced by the Drama.-On tragic Pleasure-

And why the tragic passions are summarised under the names

of Pity and Terror.-On the painfulness of Comedy-Illus-

trated by Sir Philip Sidney.-How the comic sense is divided

into Wit and Humour-and how this division of the comic
emotion corresponds with the division of tragic emotion into
Pity and Terror.-On a curious relation between Wit or Hu-
mour on the one hand, and Pity or Terror on the other.-
Summary of the chapter as to the connection between Action,
Pleasure, and the Drama.-The nature of Dramatic Action.
-The double meaning of the word Action as applied to the
Drama

Page 33

CHAPTER XII.

PURE PLEASURE.

Is Pleasure ever free from Pain ?-Statement of the common doctrine.
-Plato maintains the existence of pure Pleasure. The dialogue
in which this doctrine is urged.-Aristotle's doctrine is the
same. Summary of the views of Aristotle and Plato.-I. On
pure Pleasure, in so far as it exists in sense.-Examples of
painless Pleasure in the senses; and the original painlessness of
these sensations is not to be denied because they may be after-
wards associated accidentally with touches of Pain.-The con-
dition of pure Pleasure-its Harmony.-This is the second
great fact concerning Pleasure which deserves notice.-But it is
difficult to define in what the harmony consists.-An example
to illustrate the difficulty of defining what constitutes fitness;
That the fitness must be in the mind as well as in the object it
regards.-II. On the pure pleasure of Conceit.―That the pleasure
of Conceit has two chief sources-habit and sympathy.-On
Conceit engendered by habit.-On Conceit engendered by Sym-
pathy; that is, the pleasure of Imagination-but is this conceit
of Pleasure a reality or an illusion?-Proof that the pleasure of
Conceit is real.-Man wants but little here below.-How much
of Pleasure depends on Conceit.-Examples.-The singularity
of Joy.-We are always intermeddling with each other's Joy,
and setting up Pleasure as the standard of Truth.-The pleasure
of Conceit is not only real but pure.-The pleasure of Conceit
we must always explain as in some way a fitness.-The diffi-
culty of defining Pleasure without falling into contradictions.--
The contradiction involved in speaking of painful Pleasure.-
The contradiction involved in speaking of pure Pleasure.―The

contract between repose and action.-How pure Pleasure finds

its expression in Art.-On the contrast between the Dramatic

and the Beautiful.-It is not at first sight evident-yet it is in

a manner recognised in the current phrases of Criticism.-The

looseness of the manner in which we speak of the Beautiful.—

Further examples, to show that in strictness we recognise the

Dramatic as opposed to the Beautiful-that in the Dramatic we

look mainly for truth of action-and truth of action appears

chiefly in strength.-Examples of truth and power of dramatic

action in its main lines, but want of Beauty.-What is Beauty?

The question is so difficult, that in despair of answering it the

philosophers have turned sceptics-and the answer of those

philosophers who are not sceptical of Beauty are of little value.

All that Science can teach us of Beauty.-Summary of the

chapter

Page 65.

CHAPTER XIII.

HIDDEN PLEASURE.

It is necessary now to examine a series of facts connected with
Pleasure which have been hitherto neglected.-All Pleasure
self-forgetful; and as compared with Pain, difficult to be de-
scribed. We say that it passes understanding.-Consciousness
in Pleasure a mistake.-We become conscious of our Happiness
when it is passing away.-Some further illustrations of the
unconsciousness of Enjoyment.-The unconsciousness of Plea-
sure has different degrees of intensity.-We are familiar with
the fact of this unconsciousness when it is imperfect.-We re-
fuse to believe with some philosophers that the worth of life
lies in strong Consciousness.-In health the sense of Existence
vanishes.-Suicide springs out of extreme Self-consciousness.—
How the French speculate on Suicide.-M. de Montalembert.-
St. Marc Girardin on Suicide.-Suicide and Love.-If the doc-
trine of the unconsciousness of Pleasure be allowed to pass when
stated mildly, it is difficult of acceptance when stated in full
force. The pleasure of Trance.-Oriental legends in illustration
of the pleasure of Unconsciousness.-Oriental philosophy in
illustration of the same doctrine.-Illustrations of the same doc-
trine in English writers.-Charles Tennyson.-George Eliot.-