Canning called on a French refugee in 1794. The conversation naturally
turned on the execution of the Queen, then a recent event. Overcome by
his feelings, the Parisian threw himself upon the ground, exclaiming, in
an agony of tears, "La bonne reine! la pauvre reine!" Presently he
sprang up, exclaiming, "Cependant, Monsieur, il faut vous faire voir mon
petit chien danser." This contrast, though natural in a Parisian, was
unnatural in the nature of things, and therefore injurious.
236. Secondly, when the general influence, instead of being external, is
an attribute or energy of the thing itself, so as to bestow on it a
permanent character, the contrast which is obtained by the absence of
that character is injurious, and becomes what is called an interruption
of the unity. Thus, the raw and colorless tone of the Swiss cottage,
noticed in Sec. 42, is an injurious contrast to the richness of the
landscape, which is an inherent and necessary energy in surrounding
objects. So, the character of Italian landscape is curvilinear;
therefore, the outline of the buildings entering into its composition
must be arranged on curvilinear principles, as investigated in Sec. 144.
237. Thirdly. But, if the pervading character can be obtained in the
single object by different means, the contrast will be delightful.
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