AFFECTION, PASSION, TENDERNESS, FONDNESS, LOVE. THE first four of these words, then, so commonly, so constantly in use, are, although similar, certainly not synonymous; and the last, which always ought, and I hope often does comprehend them all, is not seldom substituted in place of its own component parts, for such are all those that precede it. Foreigners, however, will recollect, that the first of these words is usually adapted to that regard which is consequent on ties of blood; that the second naturally and necessarily presupposes and implies difference of sex; while the rest, without impropriety, may be attributed to friendship, or bestowed on babes. I have before me the definition of FONDNESS, given into my hands many years ago by a most eminent logician, though Dr. Johnson never did acquiesce in it. "FONDNESS," says the definer, "is the hasty and injudicious determination of the will towards promoting the present gratification of some particular object." "FONDNESS," said Dr. Johnson, "is rather the hasty and injudicious attribution of excellence, somewhat beyond the power of attainment, to the object of our affection." Both these definitions may possibly be included in FONDNESS; my own idea of the whole may be found in the following example: Amintor and Aspasia are models of true LOVE: 't is now seven years since their mutual PASSION was sanctified by marriage; and so little is the lady's AFFECTION diminished, that she sat up * British Synonymy, or, An Attempt at Regulating the Choice of Words in Familiar Conversation. By Hester Lynch Piozzi. In Two Volumes. London. 1794. This book has been long out of print, and contains much curious matter. Sir James Fellowes meditated a new edition of it. nine nights successively last winter by her husband's bedside, when he had on him a malignant fever that frighted relations, friends, servants, all away. Nor can any one allege that her TENDERNESS is ill repaid, while we see him gaze upon her features with that FONDNESS which is capable of creating charms for itself to admire, and listen to her talk with a fervor of admiration scarce due to the most brilliant genius. For the rest, 't is my opinion that men love for the most part with warmer PASSION than women do, at least than English women, and with more transitory FONDNESS mingled with that passion; while 't is natural for females to feel a softer TENDERNESS; and when their AFFECTIONS are completely gained, they are found to be more durable. AMIABLE, LOVELY, CHARMING, FASCINATING. These elegant attributives so the learned James Harris terms adjectives denoting properties of mind or body — appear at first more likely to turn out synonymes, than upon a closer inspection we shall be able to observe: while daily experience evinces that there is an almost regular appropriation of the words; as thus, an AMIABLE character, a LOVELY complexion, a CHARMING singer, a FASCINATING converser; the first of these appearing to deserve our love, the next to claim it, the third to steal it from us as by magic; the last of all to draw, and to detain it, by a half invisible, yet wholly resistless power. Nor does the epithet ever come so properly into play, as when tacked to an unseen method of attracting, for positive beauty needs not fascination to assist her conquests; and positive wit seeks rather to dazzle and distress, than wind herself round the hearts of her admirers; while there is a mode of conversing that seduces attention, and enchains the faculties. "When Foote told a story at dinner-time," said Dr. Johnson, "I resolved to disregard what I expected would be frivolous; yet as the plot thickened, my desire of hearing the catastrophe quickened at every word, and grew keener as we seemed approaching towards its conclusion. The fellow fascinated me, Sir; I listened and laughed, and laid down my knife and fork, and thought of nothing but Foote's conversation." Some Italian lines set by Piccini, with expressive dexterity, represent this power beyond all I have read, as descriptive of female fascination;* and every man who has been in love with a woman, not confessedly beautiful, feels his heart beat responsive to the verses and the music, when sung with the good taste they deserve. Will the lines be much out of place here? I hope not. In quel viso furbarello Ma fa l'uomo delirar. Quegli occhietti cosi vaghi Vi fa subito cascar. Vengon per ultimo i cari accenti, Perforza un cuor: Innumerabile Son l'incantesimi, Son l' arti magichi Del dio d'amor. The following imitation misses its effect, because the measure is unfavorable, yet may serve to convey the idea: In that roguish face one sees Sparkling from expressive eyes, Still we lose our peace of mind. *Her own description of Miss Streatfield's fascinations (ante, p. 477) is a bet ter example. Touched by her half-trembling hand, Numberless are sure the ways ANTIPATHY, AVERSION, disgust. The first of these disagreeable sensations we find chiefly excited I believe by inanimate things, or brutes. One man alleges his unconquerable ANTIPATHY to a cat; another encourages his AVERSION to a Cheshire cheese; and while English ladies think it delicate to faint at touch or even sight of a frog or toad, - Roman ladies, accustomed to noisome animals from the natural heat of their climate, fall into convulsions at a nosegay of flowers, or the scent of a little lavender water.* To such fastidious companions it would not be perhaps wholly unreasonable to feel a certain degree of DISGUST; and Arnold of Leicestershire tells us from experience, that increasing ANTIPATHIES should be particularly dreaded, as an almost certain indication of incipient madness.† AWEFUL, REVERENTIAL, SOLEMN. The last of these epithets begins the climax - A Gothick cathedral (say we) is a SOLEMN place; its gloomy greatness disposes one to REVERENTIAL behavior, inspiring sentiments more sublime, and meditations much more AWEFUL, than does a struc * So one hunting man complained that the violets spoilt the scent, and another that the singing birds prevented him from distinguishing the voices of his hounds. † Shakespeare has put a plausible defence of antipathies into the mouth of Shylock, Merchant of Venice, Act IV. Scene 1; and Coleridge, in Zapolya, treats an instinctive dislike as a providential warning: "O, surer than suspicion's hundred eyes Is that fine sense which to the pure in heart, ture on the Grecian model, though built for the same purposes of piety.* The word aweful should however be used with caution, and a due sense of its importance; I have heard even well-bred ladies now and then attribute that term too lightly in their common conversation connecting it with substances beneath its dignity — such mésalliances offend the sense of high birth natural to a Saxon.† AY and YES. The first of these affirmatives, derived from the Latin aio, is of the higher antiquity in our language, and still keeps some privileges of superiority, enforcing that which the other less decidedly asserts. It used to be represented in Shakespear's time by the single vowel I; see the long scene between the Nurse and Juliet, when told of Tybalt's death; but I recollect no later author who so corrupts it. We say in familiar talk, that Diana counsel'd her sister Flora against such a match; did she not, Sir? Yes, I believe she did. — Counsel'd her! exclaims a stander-by Ay, and controuled her too, or she had been his wife now.‡ BEAUTIFUL, HANDSOME, GRACEFUL, ELEGANT, PLEASING, PRETTY, FINE, Are, however desirable epithets, by no means strictly synonymous; and though, upon a cursory view, the six last appear included in their principal, which takes the lead, conversation will soon inform us to the contrary, while, talking of a GRACEFUL dancer now upon the stage, we shall find in her person, if not put into motion, no claim at all upon our first attributive: nor * See the description of the temple in The Mourning Bride, Act II. Scene 3. Johnson, to tease Garrick, used to say that it was finer than any passage of equal length in Shakespeare. Mrs. Piozzi, in a marginal note, questions its originality, but says she has forgotten from whence it was borrowed. †The word "mighty was common in the last century-as," mighty tire some." When Queen Caroline first came to England, knowing not a word of English, a discussion arose what one word would be most useful or least dangerous for her to know. Lady Charlotte Lindsay suggested no, because it might be pronounced so as to mean yes. A very pretty song of Lover's is called Yes and No. |