feelings. The fine arts are contrived to give pleasure to the eye and the ear, difregarding the inferior fenfes. A tafte for these arts is a plant that grows naturally in many foils; but, without culture, scarce to perfection in any foil : it is fufceptible of much refinement; and is, by proper care, greatly improved. In this refpect, a tafte in the fine arts goes hand in hand with the moral fenfe, to which indeed it is nearly allied: both of them discover what is right and what is wrong: fashion, temper, and education, have an influence to vitiate both, or to preferve them pure and untainted neither of them are arbitrary nor local; being rooted in human nature, and governed by \ principles common to all men. The defign of the prefent undertaking, which afpires not to morality, is, to examine the fenfitive branch of human nature, to trace the objects that are naturally agreeable, as well as thofe that are naturally dif agreeable; and by these means to discover, if we can, what are the genuine principles of the fine arts. The man who afpires to be a critic in these arts muft pierce ftill deeper: he must acquire a clear perception of what objects are lofty, what low, what proper or improper, what manly, and what mean or trivial. Hence a foundation for reasoning upon the taste of any individual, and for paffing fentence upon it: where it is conformable to principles, we can pronounce with certainty that it is correct; otherwife, that it is incorrect, incorrect, and perhaps whimsical. Thus the fine arts, like morals, become a rational science ; and, like morals, may be cultivated to a high degree of refinement. Manifold are the advantages of criticism, when thus ftudied as a rational fcience. In the firft place, a thorough acquaintance with the principles of the fine arts, redoubles the pleasure we derive from them. To the man who refigns himself to feeling without interpofing any judgment, poetry, mufic, painting, are mere pastime. In the prime of life, indeed, they are delightful, being fupported by the force of novelty, and the heat of imagination: but in time they lose their relish; and are generally neglected in the maturity of life, which disposes to more serious and more important occupations. To those who deal in criticism as a regular science, governed by juft principles, and giving fcope to judgment as well as to fancy, the fine arts are a favourite entertainment; and in old age maintain that relish which they produce in the morning of life *. In the next place, a philofophic inquiry into the principles of the fine arts, inures the reflecting # (L Though logic may subsist without rhetoric or po"etry, yet fo neceffary to thefe laft is a found and cor"rect logic, that without it they are no better than "warbling trifles." Hermes, p. 6. mind to the most enticing fort of logic: the prac tice of reasoning upon fubjects fo agreeable, tends to a habit ; and a habit, strengthening the reasoning faculties, prepares the mind for entering into fubjects more intricate and abstract. To have, in that respect, a just conception of the importance of criticism, we need but reflect upon the ordinary method of education; which, after fome years spent in acquiring languages, hurries us, without the leaft preparatory discipline, into the most profound philofophy. A more effectual method to alienate the tender mind from abstract science, is beyond the reach of invention and accordingly, with respect to fuch fpeculations, our youth generally contract a fort of hobgoblin terror, feldom if ever fubdued. Those who apply to the arts, are trained in a very different manner: they are led, ftep by step, from the easier parts of the operation, to what are more difficult; and are not permitted to make a new motion, till they are perfected in those which go before. Thus the science of criticifm may be confidered as a middle link, connecting the different parts of education into a regular chain. This fcience furnifheth an inviting opportunity to exercife the judgment; we delight to reafon upon fubjects that are equally pleasant and familiar: we proceed gradually from the fimpler to the more involved cases; and in a due courfe of difcipline, custom, which improves all our faculties, bestows acuteness on that of rea fon, fon, fufficient to unravel all the intracies of phi. lofophy. Nor ought it to be overlooked, that the reafonings employed on the fine arts are of the fame kind with those which regulate our conduct. Mathematical and metaphyfical reasonings have no tendency to improve our knowledge of man; nor are they applicable to the common affairs of life: but a just taste of the fine arts, derived from rational principles, furnishes elegant fubjects for conversation, and prepares us for acting in the focial state with dignity and propriety. The science of rational criticism tends to improve the heart no lefs than the understanding. It tends, in the first place, to moderate the selfish affections by sweetening and harmonizing the temper, it is a strong antidote to the turbulence of paffion, and violence of pursuit: it procures to a man so much mental enjoyment, that, in order to be occupied, he is not tempted to deliver up his youth to hunting, gaming, drinking*; nor his middle age to ambition; nor his old age to avarice. Pride and envy, two disgustful paffions, find in the conftitution no enemy more. formidable than a delicate and difcerning taste: If any youth of a fplendid fortune and English education ftumble perchance upon this book and this paffage, he will pronounce the latter to be empty declamation. But if he can be prevailed upon to make the experiment, he will find, much to his fatisfaction, every article well founded. the the man upon whom nature and culture have bestowed this bleffing, delights in the virtuous difpofitions and actions of others: he loves to cherish them, and to publish them to the world: faults and failings, it is true, are to him no lefs obvious; but these he avoids, or removes out of fight, because they give him pain. On the other hand, a man void of taste, upon whom even striking beauties make but a faint impreffion, indulges pride or envy without controul, and loves to brood over errors and blemishes. In a word, there are other paffions, that, upon occafion, may disturb the peace of fociety more than those mentioned; but not another paffion is fo unwearied an antagonist to the fweets of focial intercourse: pride and envy put a man perpetually in oppofition to others; and difpofe him to relish bad more than good qualities, even in a companion. How different that difpofition of mind, where every virtue in a companion or neighbour is, by refinement of taste, fet in its ftrongest light; and defects or blemishes, natural to all, are fuppreffed, or kept out of view! In the next place, delicacy of tafte tends no lefs to invigorate the social affections, than to moderate thofe that are selfish. To be convinced of that tendency, we need only reflect, that delicacy of tafte neceffarily heightens our feeling of pain and pleasure; and of courfe our fympathy, which is the capital branch of every focial paf fion. |