Pagina 451 van 1391

Again, Plato objects to the imitative arts that they express the

emotional rather than the rational part of human nature. He does

not admit Aristotle's theory, that tragedy or other serious

imitations are a purgation of the passions by pity and fear; to

him they appear only to afford the opportunity of indulging them.

Yet we must acknowledge that we may sometimes cure disordered

emotions by giving expression to them; and that they often gain

strength when pent up within our own breast. It is not every

indulgence of the feelings which is to be condemned. For there

may be a gratification of the higher as well as of the

lower-thoughts which are too deep or too sad to be expressed by

ourselves, may find an utterance in the words of poets. Every one

would acknowledge that there have been times when they were

consoled and elevated by beautiful music or by the sublimity of

architecture or by the peacefulness of nature.