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plex, than any, we have yet examined. It comprehends the Beauty of color, arifing from the delicate fhades of the complexion; and the Beauty of figure, arifing from the lines, which conftitute different features of the face. But the principal Beauty of the countenance depends upon a mysterious expreffion, which it conveys, of the qualities of the mind; of good fenfe, or good humor; of candor, benevolence, fenfibility, or other amiable difpofitions. It may be observed, that there are certain qualities of the mind, which, whether expressed in the countenance, or by words, or by actions, always raise in us a feeling fimilar to that of Beauty. There are two great claffes of moral qualities; one is of the high and the great virtues, which require extraordinary efforts, and is founded on dangers and fufferings; as heroism, magnanimity, contempt of pleasures, and contempt of death. These produce in the fpectator an emotion of fublimity and grandeur. The other clafs is chiefly of the focial virtues; and fuch, as are of a fofter and gentler kind; as compaffion, mildnefs, and generofity. Thefe excite in the beholder a fenfation of pleasure, fo nearly allied to that excited by beautiful external objects, that, though of a more exalted nature, it may with propriety be claffed under the fame head.

Beauty of writing in its more definite fenfe characterizes a particular manner; fignifying a certain grace and amenity in the turn either of ftyle or fentiment, by which fome authors are particularly diftinguifhed. In this fenfe it denotes a manner neither remarkably sub

lime, nor vehemently paffionate, nor uncommonly fpark. ling; but fuch, as excites in the reader an emotion of the placid kind, resembling that, which is raised by contemplation of beautiful objects in nature; which neither lifts the mind very high, nor agitates it to excefs; but spreads over the imagination a pleafing ferenity. Addison is a writer of this character, and one of the moft proper examples of it. Fenelon, the author of Telemachus, is another example. Virgil alfo, though very capable of rifing occafionally into the fublime, yet generally is distinguished by the character of beauty and grace rather, than of fublimity. Among orators Cicero has more of the beautiful, than Demofthenes, whofe genius led him wholly toward vehemence and ftrength.

So much it is neceffary to have faid upon the fubject of Beauty; fince next to fublimity it is the moft copious fource of the Pleasures of Tafte. But objects delight the imagination not only by appearing under the forms of fublime or beautiful; they likewife derive their power of giving it pleafure from feveral other principles.

Novelty, for example, has been mentioned by Addi son, and by every writer on this fubject. An object, which has no other merit, than that of being new, by this quality alone raifes in the mind a vivid and an agreeable emotion. Hence that paffion of curiofity, which prevails fo generally in mankind. Objects and ideas, which have been long familiar, make

too faint an impreffion, to give an agreeable exercife to our faculties. New and strange objects rouse the mind from its dormant ftate by giving it a fudden and pleasing impulfe. Hence in a great

measure the entertainment, we receive from fiction and romance. The emotion, raised by Novelty, is of a more lively and awakening nature, than that produced by Beauty; but much shorter in its duration. For, if the object have in itself no charms to hold our attention, the glofs, spread over it by Novelty, foon wears off.

Imitation is another fource of pleasure to Taste. This gives rife to what Addison terms the Secondary Pleafures of Imagination, which form a very extensive clafs. For all imitation affords fome Pleasure to the mind ; not only the imitation of beautiful or fublime objects by recalling the original ideas of beauty or grandeur, which fuch objects themselves exhibited; but even objects, which have neither beauty, nor grandeur; nay fome, which are terrible or deformed, give us pleasure in a secondary or represented view.

The pleasures of melody and harmony belong also to Tafte. There is no delightful fenfation, we receive either from beauty or fublimity, which is not capable of being heightened by the power of mufical found. Hence the charm of poetical numbers; and even of the concealed and loofer measures of profe. Wit, humor, and ridicule open likewise a variety of pleasures to

Tafte, altogether different from any, that have yet been confidered.

At prefent it is not neceffary to purfue any farther the fubject of the Pleasures of Tafte. We have opened fome of the general principles; it is time now to apply them to our chief fubject. If it be asked, to what class of thofe Pleasures of Tafte, which have been enumerated, that pleasure is to be referred, which we receive from poetry, eloquence, or fine writing? The answer is, not to any one, but to them all. This peculiar advantage writing and difcourfe poffefs; they encompass a large and fruitful field on all fides, and have power to exhibit in great perfection, not a single fet of objects only, but almost the whole of thofe, which give pleasure to taste and imagination; whether that pleasure arife from fublimity, from beauty in its various forms, from defign and art, from moral fentiment, from novelty, from harmony, from wit, humor, or ridicule. To whichfoever of these a person's tafte is directed; from fome writer or other he has it always in his power to receive the gratification of it.

It has been usual among critical writers to treat of difcourfe, as the chief of all the imitative arts. They compare it with painting and with feulpture, and in many refpects prefer it justly before them. But we mut diftinguish between imitation and defcription, Words have no natural resemblance of the ideas or ob

jects, which they signify; but a statue or picture has a natural likeness of the original.

As far however, as a poet or hiftorian introduces into his work perfons really speaking, and by words, which he puts into their mouths, represents the converfation, which they might be fuppofed to hold; fo far his art may be called imitative; and this is the cafe in all dramatic compofition. But in narrative or defcriptive works it cannot with propriety be fo called. Who, for example, would call Virgil's description of a tempeft in the first Eneid an imitation of a storm? If we heard of the imitation of a battle, we might naturally think of fome mock fight, or reprefentation of a battle on the stage; but should never imagine it meant one of Homer's defcriptions in the Iliad. It must be allowed at the fame time, that imitation and defcription agree in their principal effect, that of recalling by external figns the ideas of things, which we do not fee. But, though in this they coincide; yet it should be remembered, that the terms themselves are not fynonimous; that they import different means of producing the fame end; and confequently make different impreffious on the mind,

ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF LANGUAGE.

To

O form an adequate idea of the Origin of Lan guage, we muft contemplate the circumstances of mankind in their earliest and rude ftate. They were

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