Man of Feeling

If Mackenzie's purpose was to convey the emotional and sentimental character of mankind through this work, I think he effectively accomplished that task. By having his sentimental hero, Harley, experience such personal scenes and events, the reader cannot help but sympathize with the whirlwind of emotions present in each case. Our entrance into each emotional scene seems purposefully directed by Mackenzie, as though getting to the heart of the situation (i.e. where the geyser of emotions lies) is what matters most. In some ways, these abrupt entrances to different scenes mirrors the postmodern style, wherein fragments of situations are laid out in no particular order and the reader has to work hard to connect the fragments in order to understand the big picture. We are thus presented a character who is put through the emotional burdens of others and whom we see get engulfed by his passions at the end of the book.
Just a note: I was surprised that while reading this book I was also touched by the emotional events that provoked the protagonists's feelings. From the title of the book I thought the novel would be a discourse on emotions, etc. However, it turned out to be an intriguing piece of literature. Being a modern reader, I was apprehensive about how I would read the book. Yet, seeing how the "Man of Feeling" was able to strike my own nerves, I have to wonder at the responses that 18th century readers felt.