nerally operate with the fame uniformity, as our other intellectual principles. When these fentiments are perverted by ignorance or prejudice, they may be rectified by reason. Their found and natural state is finally determined by comparing them with the general Tafte of mankind: Let men declaim as much, as they please, concerning the caprice and uncertainty of.Tafte; it is found by experience, that there are beauties, which, if displayed in a proper light, have power to command lasting and univerfal admiration. In every compofition, what interefts the imagination, and touches the heart, gives pleasure to all ages and nations. There is a certain ftring, which being prop erly ftruck, the human heart is fo made, as to accord to it...

Hence the univerfal teftimony, which the most improved nations of the earth through a long feries of ages have concurred to bestow on fome few works of genius; fuch, as the Iliad of Homer, and the Eneid of Virgil. Hence the authority, which fuch works have obtained, as ftandards of poetical compofition; fince by them we are enabled to cok lect, what the sense of mankind is with refpect to those beauties, which give them the highest pleasure, and which therefore poetry ought to exhibit. Autho

rity or prejudice may in one age or country give a fhortlived reputation to an indifferent poet, or a bad artift; but, when foreigners, or pofterity examine his works, his faults are discovered, and the genuine Taste

of human nature is feen. Time overthrows the illufions of opinion, but establishes the decifions of nature.

CRITICISM-GENIUS-PLEASURES OF

TASTE-SUBLIMITY IN OBJECTS.

TRUE

RUE CRITICISM is the application of Taste and of good fenfe to the feveral fine arts. Its defign is to distinguish, what is beautiful and what is faulty in every performance. From particular inftances it afcends to general principles; and gradually forms rules or conclufions concerning the feveral kinds of Beauty in works of Genius.

Criticism is an art, founded entirely on experience; on the obfervation of fuch beauties, as have been found to please mankind moft generally. For example, Aristotle's rules concerning the unity of action in dramatic and epic compofition were not firft discovered by logical reasoning, and then applied to poetry; but they were deduced from the practice of Homer and Sophocles. They were founded upon obferving the fuperior pleasure, which we derive from the relation of an action, which is one and entire, beyond what we receive from the relation of fcattered and unconnected facts..

A fuperior Genius indeed will of himself, uninstructed, compofe in fuch manner, as is agreeable to the most important rules of Criticism; for, as thefe rules are founded in nature, nature will frequent

ly fuggeft them in practice. Homer was acquainted with no fyftem of the art of poetry. Guided by Genius alone, he composed in verfe a regular story, which all fucceeding ages have admired. This however is no argument against the usefulness of Criticism. For, fince no human genius is perfect, there is no writer, who may not receive affistance from critical obfervations upon the beauties and faults of thofe, who have gone before him. No rules indeed can fupply the defects of genius, or infpire it, where it is wanting; but they may often guide it into its proper channel; they may correct its extravagancies, and teach it the most just and proper imitation of nature. Critical rules are intended chiefly to point out the faults, which ought to be avoided. We must be indebted to nature for the production of eminent beauties.

GENIUS is a word, which in common acceptation extends much farther, than to objects of Tate. It fignifies that talent or aptitude, which we receive from nature, in order to excel in any one thing whatever. A man is faid to have a genius for mathematics as well, as a genius for poetry; a genius for war, for politics, or for any mechanical employment.

Genius may be greatly improved by art and ftudy; but by them alone it cannot be acquired. As it is a higher faculty than Tafte, it is ever, according to the common frugality of nature, more limited in the fphere of its operations. There are per

fons, not unfrequently to be met, who have an excellent Taste in feveral of the polite arts; fuch, as music, poetry, painting, and eloquence; but an excellent performer in all thefe arts is very feldom found; or rather is not to be looked for. Å univerfal Genius, or one who is equally and indiffe rently inclined toward several different profeffions and arts, is not likely to excel in any. Although there may be fome few exceptions, yet in general it is true, that, when the mind is wholly directed toward fome one object exclufively of others, there is the fairest profpect of eminence in that, whatever it may be.

Extreme heat can be produced, only. when the rays converge to a fingle point. Young perfons are highly interested in this remark; fince it may teach them to examine with care, and to pursue with ardor that path, which nature has marked out for their peculiar exertions..

The nature of Tafte, the nature and importance of Cri ticism, and the distinction between Taste and Genius, be-ing thus explained; the fources of the Pleafures of Tafte fhall next be confidered. Here a very extenfive field is opened; no less, than all the Pleasures of the Imagina tion, as they are generally called, whether afforded us by natural objects, or by imitations and descriptions of them. It is not however neceflary to the purpose of the prefent work, that all these be examined fully; the pleasure, which we receive from difcourse or writing, being the principal object of them. Our de-

fign is to give fome opening into the Pleafures of Tafte in general, and to infift more particularly upon Sublimity and Beauty.

We are far from having yet attained any fyftem concerning this fubject. A regular inquiry into it was first attempted by Mr. Addison in his Effay on the Pleasures of the Imagination. By him thefe Pleasures are ranged under three heads, Beauty, Grandeur, and Novelty. His fpeculations on this subject, if not remarkably profound, are very beautiful and entertaining; and he has the merit of having discovered a track, which was before untrodden. Since his time the advances, made in this part of philofophi cal criticism, are not confiderable; which is owing doubtless to that thinnefs and fubtilty, which are discovered to be properties of all the feelings of Taste. It is difficult to enumerate the feveral objects, which give pleasure to Tafte; it is more difficult to define all thofe, which have been difcovered, and to range them in proper claffes; and, when we would proceed farther, and investigate the efficient caufes of the pleasure, which we receive from fuch objects, here we find ourfelves at the greatest lofs. For example, we all learn by experience that fome figures of bodies appear more beautiful than others; on farther inquiry we dif cover that the regularity of fome figures and the graceful variety of others are the foundation of the beauty, which we discern in them; but, when we endeavour to go a step beyond this, and inquire, why regularity and