very beautiful, and the other very remote from beauty. With regard to the parts which are found ſo proportioned, they are often ſo remote from each other, in ſituation, nature, and office, that I cannot ſee how they admit of any com- pariſon, nor conſequently how any effect owing to proportion can reſult from them. The neck, ſay they, in beauti- ful bodies ſhould meaſure with the calf of the leg; it ſhould likewiſe be twice the circumference of the wriſt. And an infinity of obſervations of this kind are to be found in the writings, and converſations of many. But what relation has the calf of the leg to the neck; or either of theſe parts to the wriſt? Theſe propor- tions are certainly to be found in handſome — eas wen ecar Cen 1756 On the SUBLIME ſome bodies. They are as certainly in ugly ones, as any who will take the pains to try, may find. Nay, I do not know but they may be leaſt perfect in ſome of the moſt beautiful. You may aſſign any proportions you pleaſe to every part of the human body; and I undertake, that a painter ſhall religiouſly obſerve them all, and notwithſtand- ing produce if he pleaſes, a very ugly figure, The ſame painter ſhall conſider- ably deviate from theſe proportions, and produce a very beautiful one. And in- deed it may be obſerved in the maſter- pieces of the ancient and modern ſtatu- ary, that ſeveral of them differ very widely from the proportions of others, in parts very conſpicuous, and of great conſideration; and that they differ no leſs from the proportions we find in living men, of forms extremely ſtriking and agreeable. And after all, how are the partizans of proportional beauty agreed amongſt themſelves about the Proand BEAUTIFUL 1797 proportions of the human body? ſome hold it to be ſeven heads; ſome make it eight; whilſt others extend it even to ten; a vaſt difference in ſuch a ſmall number of diviſions! Others take other methods of eſtimating the proportions, and all with equal ſucceſs. But are theſe proportions exactly the ſame in all handſome men? or are they at all the pro- | portions found in beautiful women? no- +: body will ſay that they are; yet both ſexes are undoubtedly capable of beauty, and the female of the greateſt; which advantage I believe will hardly be attri- buted to the ſuperior exactneſs of proportion in the fair ſex. Let us reſt a moment on this point; and conſider how much difference there is between the meaſures that prevail in many ſimilar parts of the body, in the two ſexes of this ſingle ſpecies only. If you aſſign any determinate propottions to the limbs of a man, and if you limit human beauty to theſe proportions, when you 178 On the SUBLIME find a woman who differs in the make and meaſures of almoſt every part, you muſt conclude her not to be beautiful in ſpite of the ſuggeſtions of your imagina- tion; or in obedience to your imagination you muſt renounce your rules; you muſt lay by the ſcale and compaſs, and look out for ſome other cauſe of beauty. For if beauty be attached to certain meaſures which operate from a principle in nature, why ſhould fimilar parts with different meaſures of proportion be found to have beauty, and this too in the very ſame ſpecies? But to open our view a little, it is worth obſerving, that almoſt all ani- mals have parts of very much the ſame nature, and deſtined nearly to the ſame purpoles; an head, neck, body, feet, eyes, ears, noſe and mouth; yet Provi- dence to provide in the beſt manner for their ſeveral wants, and to diſplay the riches of his wiſdom and goodneſs in his creation, has worked out of theſe few and ſimilar 8 and members, a di- OS verſity - and BEAUTIFUL. 179 verſity hardly ſhort of infinite in their diſpoſition, meaſures, and relation. But, as we have before obſerved, amidſt this infinite diverſity, one particular is common to many ſpecies; ſeveral of the individuals which compoſe them, are ca- pable of affecting us with a ſenſe of lovelineſs; and whilſt they agree in pro- ducing this effect, they differ extremely in the relative meaſures of thoſe parts which have produced it. Theſe conſide- rations were ſuthcient to induce me to reject the notion of any particular pro- _ portions that operated by nature to pro- duce a pleaſing effect; but thoſe who will agree with me with regard to a par- ticular proportion, are ſtrongly pre-poſ- ſeſſed in favour of one more inde- finite. They imagine, that although beauty in general is annexed to no cer- tain meaſures common to the ſeveral kinds of pleaſing plants and animals; yet that there is a certain proportion in each ſpecies abſolutely eſſential to the beauty „„ of 180 On the SUBLIME of that particular kind. If we conſider the animal world in general, we find beauty confined to no certain ' meaſures; but as ſome peculiar meaſure and relation of parts, is what diſtinguiſhes each pe- culiar claſs of animals, it muſt of neceſ- ſity be, that the beautiful in each kind will be found in the meaſures and pro- portions of that kind; for otherwiſe it would deviate from its proper ſpecies, and become in ſome fort monſtrous: however, no ſpecies is ſo ſtrictly confined to any certain proportions, that there is not a conſiderable variation amongſt the individuals; and as it has been ſhewn of the human, ſo it may be ſhewn of the brute kinds, that beauty is found in- differently in all the proportions which each kind can admit, without quitting its common form; and it is this idea of a common form that makes the propor- tion of parts at all regarded, and not the operation of any natural cauſe; indeed a little conſideration will make it appear that it and BEAUTIFUL. 181 it is not meaſure, but manner, that creates all the beauty which belongs to ſhape. What lights do we borrow from theſe boaſted proportions, when we. ſtudy ornamental deſign? It ſeems ama- zing to me, that artiſts, if they were as well convinced as they pretend to be, that proportion is a principal cauſe of beauty, have not by them at all times accurate meaſurements of all forts of beautiful animals to help them to proper proportions when they would contrive any thing elegant, eſpecially as they frequently aſſert, that it is from an obſervation of the beautiful in nature they direct their practice. I know that it has | been ſaid long ſince; and ecchoe d back- - ward and forward from one writer to another a thouſand times, that the pro- portions of i building have been taken from thoſe of the human body. To make this forced analogy complete, they repreſent a man with his arms raiſed and extended at full length, and then de- ſcribe a fort of ſquare, as it 1s formed by M7 paſſing 182 On the SUBLIME 182 On the SUBLIME paſſing lines along the extremities of this ſtrange figure. But it appears very clearly to me, that the human figure never ſupplied the archite& with any of his ideas. For in the firſt place, men are very rarely ſeen in this ſtrained po- ſture; it is not natural to them; neither 3s It at all becoming. Secondly, the view of the human figure ſo diſpoſed, does not naturally ſuggeſt the idea of a ſquare, but rather of a croſs; as that large ſpace between the arms and the ground, muſt be filled with ſomething before it can make any body think of a ſzuare. Thirdly, ſeveral buildings are by no means of the form of that par- ticular ſquare, which are notwithſtand- ing planned by the beſt architects, and produce an effect altogether as good, and perhaps a better. And certainly nothing could be more unaccountably whimfical, than for an architect to model his per- formance by the human figure, ſince no two things can have leſs reſemblance or 5 Wy. than a man, and an houſe or te; and BEAUTIFUL. 183 temple; do we need to obſerve, that their purpoſes are entirely different? What I am apt to ſuſpect is this: that theſe analogies were deviſed to give a credit to the works of art, by ſhewing a con- formity between them and the nobleſt works in nature, not that the latter ſerved at all to ſtpply hints for the perfection of the former. And I am the more fully convinced, that the patrons of proportion have transferred their artificial ideas to nature, and not borrowed from thence the proportions they uſe in works of art; becauſe in any diſcuſſion of this ſubject, they always quit as ſoon as poſſible the open field of natural beauties, the ani- mal and vegetable kingdoms, and fortify themſelves within the artificial lines and angles of architecture. For there is in mankind an unfortunate propenſity to make themſelves, their views, and their works, the meaſure of excellence in every thing whatſoever. Therefore arid, obſerved, that their dwellings were moſt N 4 com- 184 On the SUBLIME commodious and firm when they were thrown into regular figures, with parts anſwerable to each other; they trans- ferred theſe ideas to their gardens; they turned their trees into pillars, pyramids, and obeliſks; they formed their hedges into ſo many green walls, and faſhioned the walks into ſquares, | triangles, and other mathematical figures, with exact- neſs and ſymmetry; and they thought if they were not imitating, they were at leaſt improving nature, and teaching her to know her buſineſs. But nature has at laſt eſcaped from their diſcipline and their fetters; and our gardens, if nothing elſe, declare, we begin to feel that mathe- matical ideas are not the true meaſures of beauty. And MY they are full as little ſo in the animal, as the vegetable world. For is it not extraordinary, that in theſe fine deſcriptive pieces, theſe innumerable odes and elegies, which are in the mouths of all the world, and many of Which haye been the entertainment of ages, C, - and BEAUTIFUL. 185 ages, that in theſe pieces which deſeribe love with ſuch a paſſionate energy, and repreſent its object in ſuch an infinite variety of lights, not one word is ſaid of proportion, if it be what ſome inſiſt it is, the principal component of beauty; whilſt at the ſame time, ſeveral other qualities are very frequently and warmly mention- ed? But if proportion has not this power, it may appear odd how men came ori- ginally to be ſo prepoſſeſſed in its fa- vour. It aroſe, I imagine, from the fondneſs I have juſt mentioned, which men bear ſo remarkably to their own works and notions; it aroſe from falſe eaſonings on the effects of the cuſtomary figure of animals; it aroſe from the Platonic theory of fitneſs and apti- tude. For which reaſon in the next ſection, I ſhall conſider the effects of cuſtom in the figure of animals; and after- wards the idea of fitneſs; fince if propor- tion does not operate by a natural power attending ſome meaſures, it muſt be l either 186 On the SUBLIME either by cuſtom, or the idea of utility; there is no other way.
SE CT. V. Proportion further conſidered.
IF I am not miſtaken, a great deal of L the prejudice in favour of proportion has ariſen, not ſo much from the obſer- vation of any certain meaſures found in beautiful bodies, as from a wrong idea of the relation which deformity bears to beauty, to which it has been conſidered as the oppoſite; on this principle it was concluded, that where the cauſes of de- formity were removed, beauty muſt na- turally and neceſſarily be introduced. This I believe is a miſtake. For defor- mity is oppoſed, not to beauty, but to the compleat, common form. If one of the legs of a man be found ſhorter than the other, the man is deformed; becauſe there is ſomething wanting to COlm— COlm— and BEAUTIFUL. 8% complete the whole idea we form of a man; and this has the ſame effect in na- tural faults, as maiming and mutilation- produce from accidents. So if the back be humped, the man is deformed; be- cauſe his back has an unuſual figure, and what carries with it the idea of ſome diſeaſe or misfortune; ſo if a man's neck be conſiderably longer. or ſhorter than uſual, we fay he is deformed in that part, becauſe men are not commonly made in that manner, But ſurely every hour's experience may convince us, that a man may have his legs of an equal length, and reſembling each other in all reſpects, and his neck of a juſt ſize, and bis back quite ſtrait, without having at the ſame time the leaſt perceivable beauty. Indeed beauty is ſo far from belonging to the idea of cuſtom, that in reality what affects us in that manner is extremely rare and uncommon. The beautiful ſtrikes us as much by its novelty as the deformed itſelf. It is thus in thoſe ſpecies cies 183 On the SUBLIME cies of animals with which we are ac- | quainted; and if one of a new ſpecies were preſented, we ſhould by no means wait until cuſtom had ſettled an idea of proportion before we decided concern- ing its beauty or uglineſs. Which ſhews that the general idea of beauty, can be no more owing to cuſtomary than to natural proportion. Deformity ariſes from the want of the common propor- tions; but the neceſſary reſult of their exiſtence in any object is not beauty. If we ſuppoſe proportion in natural things to be relative to cuſtom and uſe, the na- ture of uſe and cuſtom will thew, that beauty, which is a poſitive and power- ful quality, cannot reſult from it. We are fo wonderfully formed, that whilſt we are creatures vehemently deſirous of novelty, we are as ſtrongly attached to habit and cuſtom. But it is the na- ture of things which hold us by cu- ſtom to affect us very little whilſt we are in poſſeſſion of them, but ſtrongly when when and BEAUTIFUL. 189 when they are abſent. I remember to have frequented a certain place, every day for a long time together; and I may truly ſay, that ſo far from finding plea- ſure in it, I was affected with a fort of wearineſs and diſguſt; I came, I went, I returned without pleaſure; yet if by any means I paſſed by the uſual time of my going thither, I was remarkably un- eaſy, and was not quiet till I had got in- to my old track. They who uſe ſnuff take it almoſt without being ſenſible that they take it, and the acute ſenſe of ſmell is deadened, fo as to feel hardly any thing from fo ſharp a ſtimulus; yet deprive the ſnuff-taker of his box, and he is the moſt uneaſy mortal in the werld. Indeed fo far are uſe and habit from be- ing cauſes of pleaſure, merely. as ſuch; that the effect of conſtant uſe is to make all things of whatever kind entirely un- affecting. For as uſe at laſt takes off the painful effect of many things, It re- duces the pleaſurable effect of others in the % the % 190 On the SUBLIME the ſame manner, and brings both to a ſort of mediocrity and indifference. Very juſtly is uſe called a ſecond nature; and our natural and common ſtate is one of . abſolute indifference, equally prepared for pain or pleaſure. But when we are thrown out of this ſtate, or deprived of any thing requiſite to maintain us in it; when this chance does not happen by pleaſure from ſome mechanical cauſe, we are always hurt. It is ſo with the ſecond nature, cu- ſtom, in all things which relate to it. Thus the want of the uſual proportions in men and other animals is ſure to diſguſt, though their preſence is by no means any cauſe of real pleaſure. It is true, that the pro- portions laid down as cauſes of beauty In the human body are frequently found in beautiful ones, becauſe they are ge- nerally found in all mankind; but if it can be ſhewn too that they are found without beauty, and that beauty frequent- ly exiſts without them, and that this beauty, where it exiſts, always can be _ aſſigned / and BEAUTIFUL. 197 aſſigned to other leſs equivocal cauſes, it will naturally lead us to conclude, that proportion and beauty are not ideas of the ſame nature. The true oppoſite to beauty is not diſproportion or. defor- mity, but »g/neſs; and as. it proceeds from cauſes oppoſite to thoſe of poſitive beauty, we cannot conſider it until we come to treat of that. Between beauty and uglineſs there is a ſort of mediocrity, in which the aſſigned proportions are moſt commonly found, but this has no effect upon the paſſions. | SECT. VI. FITNESS not the cauſe of BEAUTY.
T is faid that the idea of utility, or of a part's being well adapted to an- ' [wer its end, is the cauſe of beauty, or indeed beauty itſelf. If it were not for this opinion, it had been impoſſible for the doctrine of proportion to have held its 192 On the SUBLIME its ground very long; the world would be ſoon weary of hearing of meaſures which related to nothing, either of a natural principle, or of a fitneſs to an- _. ſwer ſome end; the idea which mankind moſt commonly conceive of pro- portion, is the ſuitableneſs of means to Certain ends, and where this is not the queſtion, very ſeldom trouble themſelves about the effect of different meaſures of things. Therefore it was neceſſary for this theory to inſiſt, that not only arti- ficial, but natural objects took their beauty from the fitneſs of the parts for their ſeveral purpoſes. But in framing this theory, I am apprehenſive that expe- rience was not ſufficiently confulted. For on that principle, the wedge-like ſnout of a ſwine,” with its tough cartilage at the end, the little ſunk eyes, and the whole make of the head, fo well adapt- ed to its offices of digging, and rooting, would be extremely beautiful. The great bag * to the bill of a pelican, a . thing and BEAUTIFUL. 193 thing higlily uſeful to this animal, would be likewiſe as beautiful in our eyes. The hedgehog, fo well ſecured againſt all aſ- faults by his prickly hide, and the por- cupine with his miſſile quills, would be then conſidered as creatures of no ſmall elegance. 'There are few animals, whoſe parts are better contrived than thoſe of a monkey; he has the hands of a man, joined to the ſpringy limbs of a beaſt; he is admirably calculated for running, leaping, grappling, and climbing: and yet there are few animals which ſeem to have leſs beauty in the eyes of all man- kind. I need fay little on the trunk of the elephant, of ſuch various uſefulneſs, and which is fo far from contributing to his beauty. How well fitted is the wolf for running and leap- ing? how admirably is the lion armed for battle? But will.any one therefore call the elephant, the wolf, and the lion, beautiful animals? I believe nobody will think the form of a man's legs fo well | Q adapted \ 194: On the SUBLIME: adapted to running, as thoſe of an horſe, 4 dog, a deer, and ſeveral other creatures; at leaſt they have not that appearance: yet L. believe: a well- faſhioned human leg will be allowed far to exceed all theſe in beauty. If the fitneſs of parts was what: conſtituted the lovelineſs of their form, the actual employment of them would undoubtedly much augment it; but this, though it is ſometimes {d upon another principle, is far from being al- ways the caſe. A bird on the wing is not fo beautiful as when it is perched; nay, there are ſeveral of the domeſtic fowls which are ſeldom ſeen to fly, and which are nothing the leſs beautiful on that account; yet birds are ſo ex- tremely different in their form from the beaſt and human kinds, that you cannot on the principle of fitneſs allow them of their parts being deſigned for quite other purpoſes. I never in my life chanced — * fly; and yet be- Eb 5 fore, .
and BEAUTIFUL. 195 fore, very long before I conſidered any aptitude in his form for the aerial life, I was. ſtruck with the extreme beauty which raiſes that bird above many of the beſt flying fowls in the world; though for any thing I ſaw, his way of living was much like that of the ſwine, which fed in the farm-yard along with him. The fame may be ſaid of, cocks, hens, and the like; they are of the flying kind in figure; in their manner of moving not very difterent from men and beaſts. To leave theſe foreign examples; if beauty in our own ſpecies was annexed to uſe, men would be much more lovely than -women; and ſtrength and agility would be confidered as the only beauties. ' But to call ſtrength by the name of beauty, = to have but one denomination for the qualities of a Venus and Hercules, fo - totally different in almoſt all reſpects, is furely a ſtrange confuſion of ideas, or abuſe of words. The cauſe of this con- fuſion, I imagine, proceeds from our fre- O 2 quently 195 On the SUBLI ME quently perceiving the parts of the hua man and other animal bodies to be at once very beautiful, and very well adapt- ed to their purpoſes; and we are deceived by a ſophiſin, which makes us take that for a cauſe which is only a concomitant; this is the ſophiſm of the fly; who ima- gined he raiſed a great duſt, becauſe he ſtood upon the chariot that really raiſed it. The ſtomach, the lungs, the liver, as well as other parts, are incomparably well adapted to their purpoſes; yet they are far from having any beauty. Again, many things are very beautiful, in which it is impoſſible to diſcern any idea of uſe. And I appeal to the firſt and moſt na- tural feelings of mankind, whether on beholding a beautiful eye, or a well- faſhioned mouth, or a well-turned leg, any ideas of their being well fitted for feeing, eating, or running, ever preſent themſelves. What idea of uſe is it that flowers excite, the meſt beautiful part of the vegetable world? It is true, that the * ; inand BEAUTIFUL: 197 infinitely wiſe and good Creator has, of his bounty, frequently joined beauty to thoſe things which he has made uſeful to us; but this does not prove that an idea of uſe and beauty are the ſame thing, or that they are any wy dependent on each other.
SRC. T. We The real effects of FITNESS.
'H EN I excluded proportion ni fitneſs from any ſhare in beauty, I dd not by any means intend to ſay that they were of no value, or that they. ought to be diſregarded in works of art. Works of art are the proper ſphere. of their power; and here it is that they Have their full effect. Whenever the wiſdom of our Creator intended that we ſhould be affected with any thing, he did not confide the execution of his de- 94 to the languid and precarious ope- O 3 ration 198 on the SUBLIME ration of our reaſon; but he endued it with powers and properties that prevent the underſtanding, and even the will, which ſeizing upon the ſenſes and imagigation, captivate the ſoul before the underſtanding is ready either to join with them or to oppoſe them. It is by a long deduction and much ſtudy that we diſcover the adorable wiſdom of God in his works: when we diſcover it, the effect is very different, not only in the manner of acquiring it, but in its own nature, from that which ſtrikes us with- out any preparation from the ſublime or the beautiful. How different is the ſatisfaction of an anatomiſt, who diſcovers the uſe of the muſcles and of the ſkin, the excellent contrivance of the one fur the various movements of the body, and the wonderful texture of the other, at once a general covering, and at once à general outlet as well as in- Jet; how different is this from the affe- n — poſſeſſes an ordinary man at at the ſight of a delicate ſmooth ſkin, and all the other parts of beauty which require no inveſtigation. to be perceiv- ed? In the former caſe, whilſt we look up to the Maker with - admiration and Praiſe, the object which cauſes it may be odious and diſtaſteful; the latter very often ſo touches us by its power on the imagination, that we examine but little into the artifice of its contrivance; and We. haye need of a ſtrong effort of our reaſon to diſentangle our minds from the allurements of the object to a conſide- ration of that wiſdom which invented fo powerful a machine. The effect of Proportion and fitneſs, at leaſt fo far as they proceed from a mere conſideration E of the work itſelf, produce approbation, 2.
the acquieſcence of the underſtanding, but not love, nor any paſſion of that ſpecies. _ When, we examine the ſtru- Cure. of a watch, when we come to know thoroughly the uſe of eyery part of it, ſatisfied as we are with the fits O 4 neſs 200 On the SUBLIME neſs of the whole, we are far enough from perceiving any thing like beauty in the watch-work itſelf; but let us look on the caſe, the labour' of ſome curious artiſt in engraving,” with little or no idea of uſe, we ſhall have a much live- lier idea of beauty than we ever could have had from the watch itſelf, though the maſter-piece of Graham. In beauty, as I ſaid, the effect is previous to any knowledge of the uſe; but to judge of proportion, we muſt know the end for which any work is deſigned. Accord- ing to the end the Proportion varies. Thus there is one proportion of a tower, another of an houſe; one proportion of a gallery, another of an hall, another of a chamber. To judge of the pro- portions of theſe, you muſt be firſt ac- quainted with the purpoſes for which they were deſigned. Good ſenſe and experience acting together, find out what is fit to be done in every work of art. We are rational Creatures, and in all our "7 works and BEAUTIFUL. 2or works we ought to regard their end and purpoſe; the gratification of any paſs ſion, how innocent ſoever, ought only to be of ſecondary conſideration. Herein is placed the real power of fitneſs and proportion; they operate on the underſtanding conſidering them, which ap- proves the work and acquieſces in it.
The paſſions, and the imagination which principally raiſes them, have here very little to do. When a room appears in its original nakedneſs, bare walls and a plain cieling; let its proportion be ever ſo excellent, it pleaſes very little; a cold approbation is the utmoſt we can reach; a much worſe proportioned room, with elegant mouldings and fine feſtoons, glaſſes, and other merely ornamental furniture, will make the i imagination revolt againſt the reaſon; it will pleaſe much more than the naked proportion of the firſt room which the underſtand- ing has ſo much approved, as admirably _ for its purpoſes. What I have here . ESTES >: wa 5 2 4 3 * 13 Uh 9 1 If , 4 { 1 . OH; — GERI: ie.
> r nf 202 On the SUBLIME here ſaid and before concerning propor- tion, is by no means to perſyade people abſurdly to neglect the idea of uſe in the works of art. It is only to ſhew that theſe excellent things, beauty and pro- portion, are not the ſame; not that ther * wither of * be e.
+ N..the whole; if ſuch parts in human bodies as are found pro- portioned, were likewiſe conſtantly found beautiful, as they certainly are not; or if they were ſo ſituated, as that a plea- ſure might flow from the compariſon, which they ſeldom are; or if any aſſign- able proportions were found, either in plants or animals, which were always attended with beauty, which never was the caſe; or if, where parts were well adapted to their purpoſes, they were con- * and BEAUTIFUL. 203 conſtantly beautiful, and when no uſe appeared, there was no beauty, which Neuen os ey. But ſince, in e ſpects, the caſe is quite otherwiſe; we may be ſatisfied, that beauty does not depend on theſe, let it owe its we to what 4 it will, 1 2 Perfetion not tho cauſe of BEAUTY: HERE is PROT notion current; pretty cloſely allied to the former: a Perfedtion is the conſtituent cauſe of beauty. This opinion has been made to extend much further than to ſenſible objects. But in theſe, ſo far is is perfection, confidered as ſuch, from being the cauſe of heauty; that this quality, where it is higheſt in the female ſex, Almoſt always carries with it an idea of weak- 204 On the SUBLIME weakneſs and imperfection. Women ar very ſenſible of this; for which reaſon, they learn to liſp, to totter in their walk, to counterfeit weakneſs, and even fick- _ In all this, they are guided by na- Beauty in diſtreſs is much the — affecting beauty. Bluſhing has little leſs power; and modeſty in gene- ral, which is a tacit allowance of im- perfection, is itſelf conſidered as an ami- able quality, and certainly heightens every other that is ſo. I know, it is in every. body's mouth, that we "ought to love perfection. This is to me a ſuffi- cient proof, that it is not the proper object of love. Who ever ſaid, we ought to love a fine woman, or even any of theſe beautiful animals, which pleaſe us? Here to be affected, there is no need of the concurrence of our will, ww and BEAUTIFUL, 205 How far the idea of BEAUTY may be applied to the qualities of the MIND, OR is this remark in general leſs applicable to the qualities of the mind.. Thoſe virtues which cauſe ad- miration, and are of the ſublimer kind, produce terror rather than love. Such as fortitude, - juſtice, wiſdom, and the like. Never was any man amiable by force of theſe qualities. Thoſe which engage our hearts, which impreſs us with a ſenſe of lovelineſs, are the ſofter virtues; eaſineſs of temper, compaſſion, — kindneſs and liberality; though certainly thoſe latter are of leſs immediate and momentous concern to ſociety, and of leſs dignity. But it is for that reaſon that they are ſo amiable. © The great vir- tues turn principally on dangers, puniſh- ments, and troubles, and are exerciſed 5 rather 206 On the SUBLIME rather in preventing the worſt miſchiefs, than in diſpenſing favours; and are there- fore not lovely, though highly venerable. The-fabordinate turn on reliefs, gratifi- cations, and indulgences; and are there- fore more lovely, though inferior in dignity. - Thoſe perſons who creep into the hearts of moſt people, who are cho- ſen as the companions of their ſofter hours, and their reliefs from care and anxiety, are never perſons of ſhining qualities, nor ſtrong virtaes. It is racher the ſoft green of the ſoul on which we reſt our eyes, that are fatigued with | beholding more glaring objects. It is worth obſerving, how we feel ourſelves affected in reading the characters of Cæſar, and Cato, as they are fo finely drawn and contraſted in Saluſt. In one, the ignaſcendo, largiundo; in the other, ni] lurgiundo. In one, the miſeris perſugium; in the other, malis perniciem. In the latter we have much to admire, much to reverence, and perhaps ſome- 181 2 Th thing and BEAUTIFUL, 207 thing to fear; we reſpect him, but we reſpect him at a diſtance. * The former makes us familiar with him; we love him, and he leads us whither he pleaſes. To draw things cloſer to our firſt and moſt natural feelings, I will add a re- mark made upon reading this ſection by an ingenious friend. The autho- rity of a father, ſo uſeful to our well- being, and ſo juſtly venerable upon all accounts, hinders us from having that entire love for him that we have for our mothers, where the parental authority is almoſt melted down into the mother's fondneſs and indulgence. But we gene- rally have a great love for our grandfathers, in whom this authority is removxed a degree from us, and where the weakneſs of age mellows it into ſome- thing of a feminine partialitꝛ.
208 On the SUBLIME 8 E CT. XI.
How far the idea of BEAUTY may be applied to VIRTUE.