Fielding, Sarah (1710-1768) and Jane Collier (bap. 1715, d. 1755)

The Cry: A New Dramatic Fable

London

Printed for R. and J. Dodsley in Pall Mall

1754

There are "inherent and predominant" passions in the soul

If then it be true, that man is left at liberty by choice and deliberation to fix on his own path, nothing is more demonstrable than that he can choose but one road at a time. An illustration from the objects of our senses will make this yet more clear and intelligible. Was a man to mount on horseback in order to go from Cobham toLondon, whilst he pursues his proper path he by every step arrives nearer his purposed end: but if on first setting out he turns his horse's head towards Guilford, and spurs on in the Portsmouth road, altho' he should swear with the utmost vehemence that his journey would end in London, yet will he never arrive thither, till by conviction of being in the wrong he is prevailed on to turn into the right road. The traveller in this case would be called mad, who whilst he was visibly spurring his horse towardsPortsmouth, should assert that he was journeying full speed towards London: yet in what concerns the human mind, every man expects to be allow'd in his perfect senses, whilst by various fallacies he endeavours to prove that to be the only true path to perfection which he himself through some favourite passion or inclination hath chosen: There appears to be but two grand master passions or movers in the human mind, namely, Love and Pride. And what constitutes the beauty or deformity of a man's character, is the choice he makes under which banner he determines to enlist himself: but there is a strong distinction between different degrees in the same thing, and a mixture of two contraries. Thus a man may be more or less proud; but ifPride be his characteristic, he cannot be a good man. So a man may be more or less attracted by love, and rouzed to benevolent actions; but whilst he preserves Love as the characteristic of his mind, he cannot be a bad man.

But we here speak of the inherent and predominant passion in his soul; for the being ensnared by temptation into the temporary gratification of appetites, is entirely foreign to the present purpose.
(Vol III, pp. 128-30)

Government::Rule and Subjection::Rule of Passion

Searching "predominant passion" in HDIS

2 entries in ESTC (1754).

See Fielding, Sarah and Jane Collier, The Cry: A New Dramatic Fable, 3 vols. (London: Printed for R. and J. Dodsley in Pall Mall, 1754). <Link to ESTC>

Ruling Passion

06/05/2004