HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY. 5

hereafter) from that which is infpired by greatnefs,though we have but one word to denote them.

Thefe sentiments, like all others when infpiredby one and the fame object, mutually supportand enliven one another : an object with whichwe are quite familiar, and which we fee everyday, produces, though both great and beautiful,but a small effeft upon us ; because our admira-tion is not supported either by Wonder or bySurprife : and if we have heard a very accuratedescription of a monfter, our Wonder will bethe less when we fee it ; because our previous know-ledge of it will in a great measure prevent our8urprife.

It is the dehgn of this Effay to consider parti-cularly the nature and causes of each of thefe sen-timents, whose influence is of far wider extent than *

we should be apt upon a careless view to ima-gine. I shall begin with Surprife.

S -E C T I O N Ï.

Of the Effect of Unexpcctcdnefs , or of Surprife.

"W hen an object of any kind, which has beenfor some time expected and foreseen, presents it-self, whatever be the emotion which it is by na-ture htted to excite , the mind muft have beenprepared for it, and muft even in some measure ,

have conceived it before-hand ; because the ideaof the object having been so long present to it,