(Originally Written January 4, 2008 in the Journal)
"The Sublime"
By Edmund Burke
That which is sublime invokes a response in us.
Astonishment is the greatest response the sublime can invoke.
Astonishment occurs when the soul has all of its motions suspended so that we can think on nothing else and yet be unable to reason upon that object that has astonished us.
Terror and fear have more power to rob the mind of reason than any other passion.
Fear is an "apprehension of pain or death"
That which is terrible or invokes fear in us is therefore sublime.
In order for something to truly terrify, it must be obscure.
Well Mr. Burke, you were useless!
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