ness of exercise to a favourite end; but she may also aim at the distinction of surpassing the generality in what she does for them. In working to secure the affection, admiration, esteem, or following of others, there is already the twofold satisfaction of putting forth our active energies, and compassing a highly gratifying return; yet at no point of our nature does the extra ingredient insinuate itself more forcibly. It is not simply the pleasure of being loved, admired, esteemed, followed, but the being one or all of these in superior measure that the human breast often craves for. The enjoyment of love and esteem is not enough without distinction and monopoly. At least such is the tendency of the unchecked pursuit of the luxury of power. This is one form of Jealousy.

8. There is a great pleasure in Bending the Wills of other men by force, authority, terror, or persuasion. This comes home at once to the feeling of superiority. We measure ourselves by another person whom we utterly subdue and prostrate, and feel elated by the degree that our agency passes his. The terrified aspect, and the submissive gestures, of the weaker party feed the sentiment of power in the stronger, and that quite apart from the comparison with third parties incapable of such effects. The conventional bearing of inferiors to their superiors is meant to echo and acknowledge power by submission. The headship of a family gives scope for the sentiment of power in various ways; and in some minds this is the principal enjoyment of the position. The schoolmaster can both command and form his pupils. Every grade of wealth and rank, above the lowest, brings in the pleasure of influence. The action of man upon the lower animals extends the position of power in humanity generally. To command the service of some animals, and to trample upon and destroy others, are modes of exercising the pride of ascendancy. The sports of the field would be neutralized by men's tender sympathies, but for the gush of exultation felt in bringing a living creature to the dust,

9. The possession of State Office gives in a high degree the sentiment of power, and this is the return for the labours

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The

of government to the inheritors of wealth and fortune. sovereign, the minister, the official, the military officer, the judge, the magistrate, the ecclesiastic, have each their quota of the sweets of authority. When a man wielding the power of a nation goes forth to conquer other nations, he but panders still farther to this boundless craving. The acquisition of enormous wealth has no other fruit than the luxury of power. The millionaire feels the ascendancy that he exercises, and has often a still more intense delight in imagining the many possible ways that he could make his influence tell. In a free community, the price of power is perhaps by no one more enjoyed than by the chosen leaders of large parties. have attained an influence from their eloquence, or their wisdom, naturally plume themselves by a comparison with inherited power. It is grateful to be consulted in matters of high importance, and to be permitted to suggest or originate large schemes and operations. Without being called in, men are exceedingly prone to offer counsel to the state, or to interfere in cases of imposing interest.

Men that

10. The position that Science gives is occasionally of a very commanding kind. The application of scientific laws. sometimes imparts great power in practical operations; and at other times gives a solution to perplexing enigmas. Hence a feeling of elation may be generated by the discovery of new facts or principles, by the possession of extensive knowledge, or by the opportunity of promulgating ascertained truth. The pleasure thus derived is shown by the desire to get at new truths, for the sake of the effect experienced through having the lead in so great an agency. Pretenders to discoveries generally go in advance of the real discoverer, and the anxiety for success relaxes the attention to evidence.

11. The masterstrokes of Fine Art peculiarly affect the artistic mind with the feeling of superior and commanding ability. Before the public are admitted to judge, the artist has judged for himself, and has been elated with the sentiments of power and complacency. In proportion as the effects in fine art are more telling than many other effects, the plea

sures of the operating mind are more intense. Take, as a familiar example, the gifts cf speech, as in oratory or colloquial brilliancy. The charm of such effects is so great, and, because the reward is immediate, reacts so powerfully on the mind that can produce them, as to give a more than ordinary elation, and to lead to the employment of unscrupulous means. It is only necessary to indicate the practice of sacrificing truth to point and effect both in oratory and in conversation.

12. The operation of the love of influence may be traced deep in the familiar habits of society. The expansion of one's sphere is sought by interference with the liberty of our fellows; by censoriousness and judicial assumption over the conduct of others; and by the tendency to meddle and push one's self forward in everything that happens. Intolerance has its firmest root in the passion for the exercise of power. It is not enough that people form opinions and contract likings or aversions to act upon for themselves, they must also impose the same line of conduct upon all around them. The love of power shows itself as paramount over the love of sensual indulgence; in the exercise of ascetic self-control, men have found a compensation for the loss of other enjoyments. This choice would be shown in its purity, if such persons were always content with imposing privation on themselves, but when they require also the concurrence of every one else, it is at best but the relinquishing of individual indulgence in return for a wide command.

13. We have thus rapidly indicated a few of the prominent examples of the sentiment in question, and in so doing have signalized the features of the emotion. The quality of it is remarkable, not merely for intensity of pleasure, but for endurability and continuance, both in reality and in idea. Being connected with the exercise of our active power, as decidedly as tender emotion allies itself with repose, we naturally expect to find it developed in the active temperaments. Indeed, we may pronounce it the essential sweetness of activity. Ranking as a first-class emotion, there is in it something remarkably cheering, supporting, and hilarious, giving an erect carriage,

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and an easy bearing as of one well-sustained by inward. vitality unabated by obstruction. According to the intensity of the feeling in any one case, do we find it operating to inspire voluntary efforts, possessing the mind, directing the trains. of thought, and influencing the convictions. There is, however, a peculiarity attending it of great practical importance; namely, the circumstance dwelt upon from the outset that being essentially a feeling of reaction and relief, it subsists upon comparison, and dies away as the contrasting condition ceases to be felt. Hence it inflames the imagination of minds labouring under obstruction, difficulty, and inferiority, these having the most lively estimate of that which power gives a deliverance from. Such minds utterly exaggerate the pleasure of a position of actual sway and unchecked abundance. This consideration has not been overlooked by moralists and preachers, in attempting to supply correctives to ambitious fancies and dreams of bliss attainable through the removal of some actual pressure. The moment of success gives a thrill that is not exaggerated; but this can be renewed only through the renewal of the foregone struggle, or the lively presence of the contrast. A still more grave consideration attaches to the sentiment of power as a habitual gratification, which is, that no high measure of it can be enjoyed except by a small number of persons at the cost of the great mass of living beings.*

14. The pains of Impotence are shown under resistance, frustration, difficulty not overcome. The misery of Failure, besides the loss of some wished-for advantage, is liable to contain the farther mortification of a disclosed weakness. In the case of a menial or inferior position, there is the sense of littleness in the result of one's labours; the whole existence

*There is room for much additional remark upon the simple concurrence of agreeable exertion with agreeable results (apart from the sentiment of elation at superior might), wherein lies a good part of the substantial happiness of life. To be successful in a congenial profession, or pursuit, expresses a large volume of felicity. A succeeding chapter will incidentally contribute to the examples of this position. See Chap x.

of one person being spent in contributing to, perhaps, the hundredth part of the existence of another person.* Still worse is the position of absolute dependence, which aggravates powerlessness by terrors. But perhaps the situation of greatest chagrin is to be defeated in a fairly matched contest. 15. I shall notice farther only one other aspect of the painful side of the exercise of power; namely, the form of Jealousy experienced when one's importance is interfered with, or detracted from, by other persons. It applies to every species of superiority, command, influence, ascendancy, direction, and to the love, admiration, or esteem falling to one's share. In proportion as these are cherished by the mind, does one feel hurt, shocked, grieved, or enraged by the attempt to derogate from them in any way. This sentiment of jealousy is the most odious aspect of exaggerated self-importance. Great superiority of position is at best an invidious thing, from implying so much inequality among mortal men, and rather needs to be softened by bearing one's honours meekly, than made more stern by jealous exaction.†

* A great expended force with a trifling result has a contemptible effect in the eyes of a spectator, unless pity, anger, or some other passion is roused as an antidote. This is one of the occasions of many-caused laughter. 'Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.'

+ Something, perhaps, is needed to define more clearly the relations of the feeling now discussed with the egotistic sentiments forming the subject of the foregoing chapter. I am of opinion that Self-complacency and the exultation of the consciousness of Power have totally distinct roots in our system-the one springing from tender emotion turned self-wards, the other occurring in the exercise of our activity-and yet the two mingle their branches together in actual experience. A man, not much given to self-consciousness and self-regard, may still have, in a high degree, the pleasurable sentiment of his own superior efficiency; if he has, besides, indulged a fond affection towards his own personality, as he would to a son or a friend, there is a feeling of complacency and self-admiration superadded. The tender and passive emotion is in this case evoked to supplement the emotion of activity. It depends upon the tone of the individual constitution whether the sentiment of power shall be enjoyed in its singleness, or whether a tributary from the fountain of tenderness shall mingle largely in the current. Hard natures, little prone to warm affection in any shape, awell in the active emotion. These are the men, like the elder Dionysius, the despot of Syracuse, who enjoy power to such a degree as to despise public pprobation, and possibly also self-approbation.