DISSERTATION

IV.

0f tbs Standard of Tafle.

_
H E great variety of Talles, as well as 0f
Opinions, which prevail in the world, is too
obvious not to have fallen under every one’s ob-
fervation. Men of the mofl: confined‘knowledge
are able'to remark a difference inthe narrow cir—
cle of their acqyaintance, even where the perfons
have been educated under the fame government”,
and have earlyimbibed the fameprejudices. 'But"
thofe who can enlarge their view to contemplate
diflant nations and remote ages, are flill more

furprifed at the great inconfifience and con-

tradiélion. We are apt to call barbarous what-

ever departs widely from our own tafie and ap-

prehenfion: But foon find the epithet of reproach

retorted on us. And the highefir arrogance and

felf- conceit is at lafi flartled, on 'obferving an

equal afl'urance on all fides, and fcruples, amidfl:
Inch 3. contefi of fentiments‘, to pronounce po-

fitively in its own favour.

As this variety of tafle is obvious to the mofl:

carelefs enquirers {0 will it be found, on exami-
‘5
L 2 nation,
 :64 15 I s -s 2 1.155171" 'I'romnvs'
nation, to Be fimi gram ih'irellity’thmsin hp:-

peirshcs: maximum: WM:MM£

witfi regatta to beauty? ‘atid dfiamiuysdf aJlJtindfi,
evéfi'whfl‘e'ihéfi geiiéljul, Wquii‘sfitheufams
Tfléi‘c are behu‘iméiiiniaemyi “:13an which
.
itfipm‘t Manse, “616m (Mini; mndtfllhms
Miss nihichel massages, ~an,iwr
in
uppucssisn- 6f men's; .msy m ism
ifii’lévdihwwms-prmr» IWW
assuming ,‘vtiidwmmgiiufiimsafiflm
bounds; wad, amimm 5mm
chine MWIUM Mfimgmmfiuiqzw
mes 9 and-kin found, mmmflfafiwha
i Ja
very amen: nuirg to .mo'mekpldfimm:
‘fifms of‘oplnm and March“ hm»
psifife: Twmmmm
'

found «silica: What: in pmicmmss

h‘lbfa finality-than in appointee. Afimlhe
lieu of this team commonly with “81996111923
terry ; and file m“ lama-Dim},
WWW tsunami- Milifit ham
flicyigmfid in 1110th.35
"
no! wavy as

L'. 1'5". .1 . '. . s , 1s J; 'aamgl'r! P2,”-

.
mamas who Mfl':mity: on: War;
moietiha‘n one-Fenian, amnflimd £11.00de
cjfhiééfunde’f {HH'fOFmaT dbfirmiiqns; andicoiup-
meqmwwmtrmfi
._
LS 1911);} ; .7 and
 or (rm jSIANnAkDJQF mm. :95
and mac-mag abdificmmnmmm $353111}:
greaterflan mfinfi fighgifi mpg“ It is indeed
obvious; Mum”: of:911193691153 M474! .4889
“newit: applauding jam malty” [3435
35:11de 9M9“: wmucityv-,.and.in: blcming
tbcropéofimqualidcc Evan 999;:sad asher am:-
that, am cmmu: shit-fly «1un
to think: thc, imagination, an yqt ofoppd,
frqgg
Hmmfiownim limiting. ‘todriacglqatcth 1mg
mfliipésemgmd- to" Maw their dqulgufl;
,,

2:14 Hartman-the. fame vhtuna and Vices. .Thic

.

great; unanimity is rufualiy afcribed to the inflat-

cnccof planar Mon; which. in all thefe cafes.
maintains fimilar {entimcnts13 all men; and
Pre-
vents thefe controvcrfies, to which the abflrafi
fence:- cm: {0 much» “99%-. 59 far asthc
minimity i: ml. the account may hit. admittfid
a: {aficfiflnry-:But it Inuit alfo be allcwcd, that
{sale put of £11: {ceminghamany in metals may
be Itceumcd fol: from. the, ‘1er nature 0f lan-

gauge. The word, virm, withits, equivalsafi

in every tongue, implies .praifqf as tth Qf 4:4qu
does blame: And no one, without the mail ob-
viou: and gtoliefi imppyicny. could afiX'rc-
pmda to a term. which in general “[6 is w.-
dctfiood a good am“:3119'; 13:89:: applauffia
m

idgxnmqmcs Mapcrphatianr Homc’. 5

whcmhc L 3‘ generai‘a
:06 D'IJSHS {E R' Tnhfl} *QiNJ-TI‘E.
general precepts,where he, MW” any (“Gh-
muneverbe controvcrtnd, but it in VFlngh-v
was. that When Wham Particular Piéiflm 9f
mums» andmyfiffimihflmfm khdédk-bfid ‘

findgnceinwwnhemtermixes a muchm
dogma offcg’ogity in theform: and ‘3‘CW3
andfsaudm the lattgr, than Fmdm would admit
9f..; The {age 11%;;43the Grufi poet{gems £9
«Hamil! Jiee. and mien, and afinmnlm
them without any neceflity or even advantage:
Bu; his- mog'e fcrupulous .--fon in the fgefielj'ppic
miter expofes himfelf to the mgfi imafingnt
perils, rather than depart ftom the exafiefi Jinn
oflruth and veracity. ,
-

.,' THE admirers and followerrof tho fibrin

infifi very m uch on the exceflcnt‘maim
Whiéh aré-int‘erfperfed throughout‘that wild fir-
inrrnance. But it is to be {uppofed, tlflt an:
M55: words, which corréfpomi to the ”Egfifl,
minty, jufl‘lce, temfierance, meéknefi family,
were fur-2h as, from “he conflant ui'e’ offfilat
tongue, mufi always be taken ‘i‘na good fair5
and it would have argued the greateflIgnorance,
not oFmraIs, but of language, a: have nim-
filmed? thbm fill! any epithets, Was thofe bf
'

'Ipphufkahd approbation; But woufl we how,

"
whether
 0? “Tyre fermmm dF“TASTE. 207
whether the pretended prophet hid‘ really at...
fiifled djufi Ehti'th'ent' ofmbthfl? Let us attend
i8 fiélfiamfiofiyand we that” {Bonfindg' that be
“this jib“!6W E89 imameflfiachety; in.

WEYJ’fiaétf, revenge, bigotry, 13' are

T

flitéi‘lf ideahpatiliie with ‘éinitbd facility. N0

neatly rule of right {cam there tobe attended to»,
fidWy with} is Hamid or priifed; {0''Hr only
ataflmsbenenetatorbmftrutto the hue
Oizainfi'mu :‘3 '31:“ tiJJ
‘
..
1.. who»
.J ":J

J
'<1TithHkfltofdéliv'efingt‘me' genera} precepts
iflfiiiiey”ls itdéed Very" {mall-1. Whoever recom-
ME hay moralI virtues, really does no more
than is implied in the terms’ themfhlves. 3
The
lymph, who invented the word may!” and
doiitiu ~a good fade, inculcatad more nidarly
and tunnel) more eficacioufly, the precqubi am-
456, than any pretended legiflator or prophet,
1who flould infer: fuel: a maxim in his writing.
01‘ all exptafions, thofe, which, together with
tint: Other meaning. imply a. degree either of
blame or appfiflntion, an: the knit liable will:
pflmud or mitaken. , ,
. ,.

It is‘very manual for.

us sip-foe]: 3391!:ch 4f ,

2298.;Male, bywbiqh the “axiom: fflnmis

ate-m may. be “domicile meatetlfifiu 12345
-t
L 4. cifiou
 200 'n F“ B I? 151130 N'N‘:

fiber *3“; anmiuimen, d'

Meagan.» “'vl) Incl. ., ma!-
.r' 1 11‘“): I; .cIJ-
:3J13'q 31'!le

*-
Tm: is M“ an

(I fill hopes offuccefi Fatima: “MM“

”creme be Wlimumsmmny
We! «act. The “mice,- h' hm
«equate between jedgmcut warm as
Justina: tight 3- Widtinmhca n-
5ferehce’ to-‘xtothing beyond itfeif,’ ant NM
.1331, wherever: mis mkiéueefitg Bind}
determinations" of the underfhnding. an inn:

sigh; ensure. they hm

"farmstea- a

hing beyond themfdm,‘ so wit, real matter-6f

-M; and acne: ”swath:
Reward. Among a tbOlJfa-fld damn! owns
which different may entertain of the Edie
men

'fixbjeét, there is one, and but ohe, the is j'flfl:

and true; and the only dificél‘ty‘i'e to‘fii‘ifid
aftertain it. On the contrary, a thoufmdflm-
rent fentiments, excited by the fame objea, are

'
all right: Becaufe' no fenfimerrt repi‘efelmavhat
.
really
15 m the objeét. Itonlf marks: Mn
conformity or relation betwixt the o "Mined
'

.the organs orfaculfiesof {be 11116153 MW‘Mt

'

‘ '
conformity did not really? exifi‘, the mm‘eht
'could never'
"
WWW Heflfiulmt’yflfiho
quality
 ar'mE wmmn 0F TASTE «9‘
«Inner in ding mfdm : It sweater-Ly it
the mind which contemplw'thun a and mi?
mind pcrmiyea a different balmy. Que Melt
my mm. m deformity: :whare mint it
finfiw of. My 3. and 03st individual wall“
mm imhh'm Mm Mt. m
of others. To that.
{ending to vreglatcxhgfg
thc rail m» at seal (1qung £3. £5 39* filfiflfifw
m :nguim two pmtend to akfirtain .tht ml
mo: m1 bitter. Accmdiag to thqdifmfitim-
'ertht my thefame china may he hath {met
:ond bitten and the proud) has jyfily (lug;-
nin‘ed it to be fruitlcfs to difpntc conmming
m It is my natural. and cyan quittw
twink.“ :xtcnd this 3mm mini, ap-mll
.ubodily {afie ; and gum commonvfenfc, which
43,12; 9km at. variance with philofophfi elbcgially
pith thq fogptical kind, is found. in we intim-
at 15:11, to agree in pronomicing thc fans. ‘1?-
fifipnr

$9.13. .61th this .m; by Minna into_ a»

Mamba» wins to hm, arcamw the fwéfion of
6011119011 fcnfg; then: is centaiqu3 (packs of
gm {cafe which appofcs.lt, put leak ferns
91M“)! and ,gcfi{ai1} 1;.1 Whg9v££ 3931‘!"
33359399311311”J(af fiékggm ngix:
"
3311; 3‘15}
 'flo firs'Ts E MM "JP 1"0 if 1%)
Ogilb} and mm, or“ Bilijan’ and’3Mfifi
how 56 mm tho’Wh}: ‘6ka
game, ~tha1’1 rt"- hEhadflrnHintainea‘i flamtéi
5?." as’htgh
'aflW“oi'ThWWI 915 we“
is £118 deem: Thong}: new Bayer: +3qu pét-
’

rd‘hs, Who givethe mercan- to the‘forinér 1h:—

thoré'; no one pays 'atttdtion' t’o fuch a’ trifle;
andwe pronounce th’e fentffiieut
withouthruple
bf‘t’heCe pretended Cl’lt'rcsto be ahfii'rfl ah?" 113'i -

eculous. The principle 0‘? the natural equafi‘y

or tafiesrs then totafly forgot, and While We act--
mit of 'it on {ome‘occafiong where the objeaé
’
feem near an equality, it appears 'an extravagant
paradox, or. rather apalpabl'e abfurdity, where
objeas fo di'fprop‘ortioned are tom'pa'red togEthetj.‘
, 4...,4-5 *‘. '-: .

Hi

I’i‘ is‘eviaent, that nbne of the rules of com-3

pbfition are fixed by reafonings‘ a'privrij‘or can

be efieemed abfl'rafi condufione of the under-r

fianding, from comparing thofe habitudes aria”

re1atibnsof ideas; which are eternal and‘ii'm-J
mufahle. Theirzfonndation is ‘the 'fame with

that of a“ the "pra‘é’fical fe'ien‘ces, eXpe‘rience"

nor are they any thing but general oBfervatiO‘ns,
what has been univerfally found to
concerning
pfeafe m an
countries and”m all ages. Mahy of
the beauties hfpoetry; and” even Of- eloquence
1 -

are
 STANDARD OF TASTE. 11 .1
OF THE .

“0 Wdcdon falfltood anti fiaien, on hyper?

balms/metaphors: Mm abufe or mcrfionef
stallions from. their: naturalmeaning '1 9
mm {311m qfrhe inflame. and to new
dqcegevery expreflion to geometrical. truth am!
W: WDflid be the mofi contrary to the law
of criticifnp,. becau[e1t would! produce a work,

which; by Juoiverfal exPerience has been found.

the: mqfl. ipfipiti apd difagreeable. But though
Boggy; capo never {quit to emit truth, it mufl:
becogfined by, rules of art, difcovered to the
author eitherbyagenius or obfervation. If fome
negligent or irregular writers have pleafed, they
have pot pleafed by their tranfgrefiiohs of rule
Gambler! but in fpite. of thefe tranfgreflions :.
They have poiTciTed other beauties, which were
cqurmable to jolt criticifm; and the force. of
tbefe beauties has been able to overpower cen-
flue,i and give the mind afatisfaaion fuperior to
the. difgufl arifing from the blemilhes. 1!:ng
pleafes; .but not by his mooftrous and ,impro-l-
bable fiflions, by his bizarre mixture of the fe-
rionsand comic fiyles, by the want ofcoberence ..

it; his fiories, or by the continual interruptions

oi his narration. He charms by the force and
clearnefs of his
expreflion, by the readinefs and
variety of his irweotions,‘ and by his natural
L pié’tures
 m D LS‘S Edi: TIA ’1‘ I“ OiN' IV
1-"in m mefim'dlr their. gi- she
Dfilflm mankind: Md home: his fault:
Quin-Mumopt.fabhfaéfiem .mymuombh
Mimi} 5Wdefilflfidtq Did out phantomw

stile from Mevpmmffifi [mm-which we dua-

-

mime, we, this.va he no ohjeflion u;

criticifm in ganged: It would only be an 9b:-
Mm to theft partieuhr rules. of Sritisifma
‘

which would efiablilh Inch dyeqqfiemceto be

faults, and would reprefetit they: a5 uniflfir-Ialiy
hlmcablm If they are found :9 pleafc, they
cannot be faults; let the plcafiue, which they

produce, be ever {0 unexpcéled and unaea‘

countable.

Burr though all the general rule of an are

founded only on expcrkme and on the ohfervga-

tion of the of human-{13mm
common‘icntiments
we mufi not
imagiqe, that, on every occafiou,

the feelings of men will be confotmmlefie thgh

mics. ‘I‘hofie finer emotions of
'

minimal
are of very tender and delicate nature, and
a

require the concurrm of many (wearable dir-

'

epmfiencesc‘to make them play with facility and

exaétnefs, ecgqxding to.£heir general 356.112,,
blimed @[incrifilcao The 1898; mm: Madmen:
to finch Mall 15:99,}gr {the leak imam] 515.9
order,
 OF 'THE STANDARD‘ (31? TASTE. 1:3

cider, marl» their mode», and confbunds

tfienépeéafiw'ef memblmuchim.
When'we'
..

mnmkeedexwmof fishmeerc, 3nd

“Mugabe mete‘fianylbehuty bdefbfihity,
wb anathema: with are sweeper time tad
place, and bringithe
inner fuita‘bleflfuafien
to a

afiddifpofitiom‘ perfea' {eternity of mint}, =4

'A
recolleéfioh of ‘thbught, a due intention to the
objeéf ;‘ #215fo flickerrcumflmees Be wantlfig
our experiment will be fall'acious, arid we [hell

be unable to judge of the catholiC' and' urfiverfd'

Beauty.' “The relation, which nature his placed
betw‘lxt the firm and the {entimeng wifl at lea“
be more chrome; and it will require greater
accuracy to trace and difcem it. We {hall be
We tb afeertain its influence not (a much from
die operation of each particular beauty, as from
the, durable admiratién, ’which attends theft:
Works, that have furvived all the cap’rices of
made ané1mg, all the mifl'akes of
I

lgnerente
all“Envy
Tris limeHwy-her, Mao pleafed at 1:19:39
and Rommo Ilrmfland years ago, is {fill admired!
nefmiir and “at-London; All the 'changes' 69 -

elm gamer, religion, and 'lee

«been eble‘Eb We his glory Au-
haveinot
thority
 2I4 D [S S E RITEE-H? l Ohfi'flfie
therity or premezmyugiflefidmmw {with
tn.a.hadrpoct pr 0mm hutilfiemammewflé
new wearable mgeaeula. gWhee Hartman
Menagerie, emimduhywpftemvm mm.
reigmra, the «chmmttifidifliimedu and him
faultsflees" in their true mumm- 0» the» 6013*
tram, a) real germs. the lagerhis. works, endure.
and the. mere widenthey nefpl'szd, .thc 310$
Queer: is the admiration which the-meettmfi:
Envy and jealpufy have too‘ melt pl-acelin a
narrow circle 5 and fenfiliar, acquaintancp
even

with his perfon may diminiih the applaufe due

to his performances: Butwhen thefc pbfirua'tons

are removed, the beauties, which are naturally

fitted to excite agreeable {entiments immediately.

difplay their energy; and while the world en.—
du-res, they maintain their authority over. the
minds of men.

11‘ appears then, that amidfl all the variety

‘and caprices of tafle, there are certain
genegal
principles of approbation or blame, whofe in-
fluence a careful eye may trace, in all operations
of the mind. Some particular forms or qualifier»,
from themigipal firuéture of the intcrna'lfabric,
arecalculaeed'to pleafe, andpgheregto difpleafq;
andxif they-fail. 91’ their efiefl: in my particular
'

infiancc,
 OF'.THE'£THNB.ARD @ TASTE. at";
meme; "it"fisffrbmifme appmm'defefl orim:
perfeaionli‘n’the bigtfl. A r'fizm in a'feirer would
:26! infi! on his' palatéiueraMe‘Hto idecia‘e eon!-

earning Havoui‘s‘;"~fior'woufi one, afi'eaed with

the
jaundice,"pfefend ‘fb gfiie'a were flit]:re.
gard to celéurs. :11" each Creature, there13 a
Mfld’finfle’dflfeflifi'flate‘f and ’theforhaer atone
Can-‘36: fuppdfea io‘a'fl'ofil hs fi'flue‘fifinéérd (if
'

tfiflié‘efifl'efitfinent. "1?!th mama ‘fiate of the

engine; there- bean‘efit’lfé m- a‘confiderafle uni-'1'
formity’of‘ fentiment among men,‘ We may
thence derive an'idéa' of the perfe&' and uni?-
vCrfal beauty; in like manner as the appearance
of objcfis in da'y-light t0* the eye of a man in.
health {3 denominated theif true and real colour;
eVen whfle colourIS allowed t6 be merely}

phantafrn of the fenfes.

‘
‘

MANY and frequent are thedefeé’ts in the in-

“ternal' organs, which prevent orweakén the in-
fluence of thofe general principles, 'on which dc;
pends our fentiment of beauty or
d‘ef'ormity'
Though fome objeé'is, by the firuaure of the
mind, =abe néturally calculated to give pieafure, if
is hot to be eXpeéied, that 111 every individua‘l'
thc'plea'fure‘ wifl‘be eqnnally'felt Pifl-‘Mla‘r in:
a‘nd fitfiafion§ ect‘uf,‘which either ‘throw
-~

créenfs
-
"
a falfe
 2:6 D 1’93 3 INF QTT'IIO N 'IV’.’
3411531: urine-lfifi'nrzhildwflnm
Wcmqfig. In thar Imagination tha‘p'dpm’
gamma ”mg
-

; mi; 59' 2' .

’7 a 01,; :‘u 115:3)

3‘-
~

Oklahoma oath; whyhalytiul “(ht

propwll‘cntimu of Beauty, nthe mnbof 11m
ébtdry 0f Imaginatm which is William»
cohvcy a humility {of I-‘tlwfo fin‘er emodwta.
IFhie delicacy everymlpmtgdi to: I Egan-poo:
Within: and refinedmmmm (fiat
or {entimeot to its flaodaxd. But as our inten-
tion in this differtation is mingle fame light of
to

1ho the fafiogs of {ensuing

undmfiandingwith
it- will be ptovper to give a mom: am dofie
nitloo of delicacy, than has hithutnhmcdfi
tempted. And not to draw our tphihiphy
from too profound 3 (ounce, we Ml have new
comic to a noted Rory in Don Quinn. as; _

‘e. 51::

’:Tu with good team for: Sold» 103%

{quire with the great. Rafe; that I ”Mai to ban
a.jndgmcnt in wine-t. This is _a 351611in 65519;];
fit; imam family. Twoof my #03359 4!?!“
.

mo; oallod mgire: theit: gainimwf ..-a MM

.which- wMuppdd- to 11¢ flflfiuflnfi 59358 191,4
.onduf agoud Mtge:- GHQ ofzdbcmm
m

mufflers it. w aimmum

grnflefliomcpfl-
nounccs
 \

or THE STANDARD =0! TIESTB’. 2:7. .

malice! thorium haw, wait” in a;

{mu}! tafhr‘of' linker, which hpfldfléim-
The other, after ufing the fame mm...

gives alfo his verdiéi:In favour of the wine, but

Willis infirm-f staffs ofmIII-‘1! he
(:an *iafily-difiinguilb. You «not. ilmghm
how mlr they mm_bad)-ridicukd For M
judgment. Bull
whohughed in tha end? On.
'

anpqiag: the hogihnd, then was found an

tbkmym 0H haywith t huhcm W
dad on it."
a
‘
1"

Tm great reimbhnee hem usual and»

*

Wyatt's“ My leach uuo apply this fiery.

Thought Ninth“ hm. and deformity.
no not! than [wort and bitu‘, an not qualities

if! 0115*, but belong mainly lathe fendnmntl

internal or external; it mufi her: allowed, that
there are
qualiticsiin objcaa, which are
cutain

Why ploduae theft: Wifedw

me to

'ilgd. 231%qu qualities may bait-tad in.

11 En! [kg-cc or ‘ma’y be mild and confugmdcd
dim each ache-'1‘," it" often happens, that the tab
ism: afified-fifi‘Mh'm‘huthufifim Jar-'3
‘nfit able'to d‘lflinguifl: hbtlwpmiadn'flamun,

WWfierpchfinhqmoymfimd.‘
Whmfiougaamfo flan; inn aflomuhing
to
'
‘

331:1“) I?
 m D 1 8‘5 EE'R in who?! 31v.
to flaw thfim gaan‘id alt-the fau'ué rim {6 ma
as'to peflecivefievéryiingrtdiefit In“ 'thb'icémfiéfli
fiw«z'3ThlbweJ': “It fléfléadylbfi'ttfiflei; 1W!!!”
we emplcfiytthefe «iwm‘merhamai lamleait
phbsitailttmfc. ,1 Hebe‘ztbia thugéhiéfialbiuiwéf
bemyram afiufe'g hainga'duadm fhéin mm
medals, :mzd‘fioifithebbkmfibmdf mipleue’a
Wplacafes; when pflofomedJiugw and mmgh
aqua; AndJIE mwmmasgitia ‘iuitdhfii
_
mud cm-upofit'rpn and flu {manna 6196501526}
nor-tin organs with .3 ~fenfibk'e (Night or WHE-
nefs, we cxclnée the pcrfon. .firom =31} ,pvetcnfiiius
to thin
szlitacy. To produhe‘ théfl: gonad
rules or. wowed patterns (if 'mfifiion lisfilfii
.

finding the key with the leather!) mfigqa um

a

jufiified ”tin. mdifi. of Smabfi: ”Mfiflflflfld

' '

confounded thofc pretended. judgeb, Twholififlfl

_condcmne_d them. Though the hogfhcad had

heme: bcqn emptied, tho tafie of the but wa’dfiill
equally delicate, and that. oLtht mauqfly
dullmdlmguiadm Batitmdd mum
diam}: so. have viewed 1h¢fi1poimityq [01qu
form, to the Mon dump-5r de
In like manner, thoughfib beautbvbfiwfitiflg
-

had new hm: www.- creme“

misprinciples ; sduongh) and would! 1110612195211
0mm acmwka thundifigum
\. 0f
 OF: THE “STANDARD QFJTJAm- M9

«figfiflaw031141 flhufiffibfififldfi “find *di'fiv‘uifldg"

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mcfifiem'mm hempqurabletm thief 3W3?

mulmt is, lelnqtybambmn {@035}!ch ‘filcmfi
QB bidxfifigfin 1Wermnglmalwayfianfiflz «pen 13”
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wfifiulatgfientimenta ”mafia to «than: {O Na

W33; 1.31:: when-m; [filbWihlm anaavgwad
mam qfiam when muumuhis‘priwph
bxmmplesg M .opetalil9m11fwm :h‘b‘i- Town*
PW 1113!” $39.9 he aflmedgsuo .bo‘cqnfprmle
ablfiztodbfi pbineiplm; gwhdmwa prbwqfithati the:
fii‘mcrprmciplqmay b‘a 1applibd~to- the prbfcne'
‘

cafeévmberefhe-did‘not perceive not fuel its ipu'

W: 51¢ mull: concludes, upon the’wholc, that 1

mafiaultalieainhimfclf, indxhat he wants the.

mwmwbichis mqalfite to make him ’fenfiblc':
GlIQVWerRIHy and every blemifh, in any coma1
mfitignpr dikourfe.

’T 131 askmwledgcd to be the perfefiion of

{Wkfle m ficulty, to perceive with exaanfifs
hmnhm «hjafis; and allow ndthing'bo
oftnpbitg nmimmb nbfirvauion; The fmaRel‘
~

Mdjnad are; which. hm fenfible to the"

eyes-tbefiMb118 thatcrgan, and the mere ela-
home: itsmakg and c«mpbfiti«n A good palatc'
ifi nottried byfirms flavours; but by: mixturc" ‘

finfllmgndnenm when: 1amno!Rillfshfiblc'

of
 no 231515 E'R TA ’1‘ r o “W W“
of
cad!) part, uotwithfianding miriuten’efg and’
ltS

its confufion with ihc refi. In lik'c‘ manner, h'

qtuclfi ind acute
perception beauty
of
J J”
and defer;
Iliity Muff he the perfeaton disarm affiftflh‘:
not tad a man bé fatisfied with himi’éli, fiviiiie
Dmfpefis,ntha't an“)! excellclfce 61‘ bléifiim‘fit'a
mourfe has ‘pafi’ed jhirn 1£1nobfertrecfl‘ In this
«fifth;- pe'rfeéiiofi 0f the min, and thepetfcc‘;
den of the {mic or feeiing, are fbitnd’ to be united.
A wet-y delicate palate, on many occalibns, why
he a great inconveriiencfe both to a man'himik'lf‘
and‘to his fr’i’cnds; but a delicate_'tafieof wit! ‘6!"
Beauty 'mufl aIWays b: a 'defirélble- quélity; hr-
cade-it-is thfl {cured of all the Faicfi: méiaflr
Went enjoyments. of which human mm
is Tmptible. In this decifion‘, the Ehtimenh
of all mankind arc‘ agreéd Wherever you ém'
fix or aftertaina
delicacy of tafle, it is {are to
Rammed of; and th: heft way affixing It13
tn appealto that}: models and principles. "hid:

_
have been efiabliflxed by the uniform approhafim
mi experience of nations and 8g”.
‘

,Bu'r though- there be mutually a. very wide

difiemnce in point of delicacy between 050‘ DER)"
8311 mm», nothings tends further ‘to CM
'

and“NW“ 5W “lent, that!firm: in a [at-

ticul a:
 OE ,TH,E ,STANDARD OF TASTE. zzt

ticular art, and the frequent, furvey 9t

cqntem-
piatiohof 115111;ch {peciegt qf beauty. When,
a
3

obflfitfis pfany 111930 fitfl

prefeqted tot” em?
are

or
331:)? ination, the (eqtlment, Iwhich; W99“
tfieh‘l;a. 13ohfcgrgand canfufie(cg; 31143 ‘11:,me
ii!in ,gteat meafute, $1196an9fprmgunqiw
concerning their Int-rite or defefls, The tattle
.3

camgt the fevetal exceilqnqespf mg

Qfifcteive
P?!?"3.‘%3311111911leis M10611")? #5191111?
c9111; charaé’tet 30f each emilenqzuafld m
831%itsduality and degree if it3pr91gqugge 11;:
1n.gcttetal to
be beautiful 91:. 11qu
whole
t1§ 3the utmofl: which can be .mpetf’qd, w
9153thisjudgment a perfqtl, f0 upmafijfcd,“
119$”th deliver with great hefitatien and m.
{51331319, 3_Bgit allow bit}; :9 aqthitge exmgmh
thOff: gbjeéts,.3 his feeling becomes umefiaa;
and .yiee; He not only petccives the .hemim"
aqd defeéie of each part, but marks the my.
gqufhipg fpeeies. of each quality,. and align: k
[13115113112pgaife 0!,szblame- A cigar andudjm
{entimeht
attend? him throughihe whpjgfiuugy.
of the ob}e&s, and he difcems that very de-
get.6,904 W offiepmbmen 0! difplafine.
“1191:2391; mm. 11111111,; fittedto may,
TMQ Meant. whfihfintned {amalgam
ham] 911:: the. M1: .5135 ”alumni”
t

1 .: greater
 222 '35? 8'8 '11 Ii T 'A "r‘r ON "11??
greater perfeé’tion in its operations; and can
pro-
of
"nounce, without danger mii’talte,concerning
-

The merits of each

performanoeIn a word,
the fame addrefb and
dextenty,whichgraéhce
gives to the execution Of any work,IS 3112,) ac-
quired, by the fame in the JudgmgofIt.
means,
So
advantageous praé’ticeto the dtfcernment
'

1s

6r béauty, that
before wecan pronounce judge.
ment on any work of1n1p9rtance, it. will even
be requifite, that that very individual
perforrp
ance be more than once perufed
by us, and
be furveyed in difi'erent lights, with attention
and deliberation. There is a flutter or hurry
of thought, which attends the firft parietal ofiany
piece, and which confounds the genuinefenti-
ment of beauty. The reference of the parts is.
not'difcerned: The true charaflers of 11er are
little
difiinguifhed: The feveral perfefiiions and
defeéts feem wrapped up in a {pedes of confuv
Lion, and prel'ent thernfelves indifiiné’gly to we
to mentionr'that these131%
Not
imagination.
ecies of beauty, which, as ins florid andfu.
’
-

perficial, pleafes at firfi, but heingfoundincom

patible with a juit exprefl'ion eithcrlof futon or
paflion, foon palls uponthe Rite,rand inherite-
je3’ted with difdain, at
value.
leaii:
rated at a much lower
IT
 0F;- FEEE SIEAFPWQ: gist??? m

I‘r1s impoflihle to contmue in the praéhce of

contemplatmg anyorder ofiaeaut‘yawithoutBeing
frequently obliged to forth camparlfim between
dnii‘t’evérai fpeciés and degrees ofexcellency,and
eitimhtl’ng‘ their proportton to each other. A
rnah, who has had no opportunuy of COmparing
the difl'erent kinds of
heauty,1s indeed totally ,un-
quililiédto pronounce an opinion With regard
461211311111an ptefent’ed' in ‘him. By comparifon
M' Wt! 111: «he Epithets of praiie or
Blaine, and
leafii’itowto aflign the due degree of each. The
coarfefl dawbing Of a fign-pofi contains a cer-
tain hiiit'e of colours and exaé’rnefs of1mitation,
which are fo far beauties, and would afi'eét the
‘

Indian with the

11111111 of a' peai’ant or
higheft ad-
..
11111311011. The mofl: vulgar ballads are not en-
may defittute ofharmony or nature, and none
butd perfon, familiarized to fuperior beauties,
would prOrrouncetheir numbers harm, or narra-
tioniunintere‘fting. A great inferiority of beauty
‘gidesfi paiti no a pet-{on convert'ant1n the highefi
encellcney OF the kind, and15 for that reafon’
pronounceda deformity: As the moft finifhed
ohjnét, with which we are acquainted, is natu-
mily- erd_ to have reached the pinnacle of
and to he entitled
pdcwon,
5H1. 3 it! La
to the highefl ap-
plaufe,
7
on D- I SSE R'T AT 1'0 fl 1%.:
plaufc. A man who has had
oppqtunitics of
(wing, and mining and 1:053th "the {aim}
performances, Med in mm w d In;
aims, can alanine melanin-of swank «his
Mao h'n view, ad aim its mafi«
among the produaions of gains. ....

Bar to usable him d3 fully!» We

mole

this undertaking, he mull 1min"; H9 mind he:

from all raj-dice, and allow nofltingtpwm
his canfidcradon, but damn dojea, whid: is.
{mammoth examination. W4: may 955mm,
that every wank (#311,131 Older tomb
ducfiefl m the mind, mufi he arrayed-ind
curtain point af View, and cannot be- My. m-
Jiflledby perions, whdfe rfituation, halo: migh-
mry, is notwnfiarmable to'that required byfln
pnrformmce. An orator addxefl‘ec mar :03
wticulm audience, and mufl hue a wad ~to
theirpavticular genius, interefis, opinions, ’pF-
Tm, andprejudices ; omen-wife he hopes h vain
to govern their refol-Utions, and inflame .their

afiéfiom. die)? even than datum

Should
fume prepofl'cffims agaihfi him, however unrea-
Rmahle, he mull 1101:ka this'difadvadugc; _

but before he enters Mica, unit en.-

upon-the
Gamma; to concilia'e their afieflien, and sequin
their
 01." THE STANDARD OF TASTE: :2;
their good graces. A critic of a difi'erent ageor
aim, whoflioxfld pemfe this dikoufl'e, mufi
haven“ ti'H'e circumfla‘hces'in his eye, and mail:
place him!!!“ in the fame ‘fituation as the audi-

ence, in order to form a true judgment of the

oration. In like manner, *whcn any'work-is ad-
dreEed to the public, though I ficuld have I

friendihip or enmity with the author, I mull dc.

part from this partidulac flotation; and confiden-
ingmyfflf as a" man-in general, forget, if—poi'flh
bie, my individual being and my peculiar cir-‘
cumihnces.- Ahperfon, influenced by prejudice,
canplhs not with this condition; but obfiinately
maintains'his natural pofition, without entering
into that required by the performance. If the
'

work be addrefed to perfons of a difi'erent age-or

nation, he makes no allowance for their peculiar
vievvs and prejudices; but full of the manners of
his own times, rafhl y cordemns what feemed ad-
mirable in the eyes of thofe for whom alone t1!
dikourfe was calculated. If the work be executed
forthe public, he'never fuficiently enlarges his
comprehenfion, or forget: his interefls as afriend
orenemy, as a rival or commentator. By this
means, his fentiments are perverted; nor have

_
the fame beauties and blemilhes the fame influ-
ence upon him, as if he had impofed a groper
M - violence
 $326 1116 SERTATI ON IV.

violeneeon his imagination, and had forgot him-

felffor moment. So far his mile
a
evidently
‘
fiandard'; ahd of.
departs from the true
corne-
_q11enr;e loies all credit and a«thority.
11
1

11‘1s wellitnown, that, inall queilions, («l1-

linitted to the underflandjfig, prejudice is moii:
deiirliéhve of found judgment, and perverts all
operations of the intelleéft'ual faculties: It is no
leis contrary to good taile; nor has it leis influ-
ence to corrupt our ientiments of beauty;It
.

(fie-
longsto good/35]} to check: its mi-luence1n both
.
Cafes; and in this 1:115:61,»well as in many
others, reafon, if not an eil‘ential pm of taiie,
..
is at leail requiiite to the Operations of this latter
faoulty In all the nobler
produaioneofgenius,
relation and correipondence of
there13 a mutual
parts; nor can
either the beAyties or. blemlib;s
be perceived by him, whoie thought is not 1::-
,
pationsenough to comprehend 3allthofe parts,
and compare them with each 0th”, in prder, to‘
perceive the confiilence and umfornutxof the
Every work of art has aU'o gcertain ei1d
whole.
“or purpoie, for which it is calcdated; and is to
be deemed more or leis perfeét, as it is more or leis
wfitt‘Cd to.attain this end. Theobjeétof eloquence
is to perfume, '01 to infiruél, of poetry to
-

.
:-
_.
"
’4“
1".
-l
hiilory.
pleaic
 on THE STANDARD OF "rAsCrE. 'gz‘z;
pleafe by means of the paflions and the imagi-
nation. Thefe ends we muff carry conitantly
in view, when we perufe any performance 5
our

and we mull be able to judge how far the mbans

employed are adapted to their refpeétive purpofes.
Befides,every kind of compofition, everi the .

molt poetical, is nothing hut a chain of propo’fi-

. tions and reafonings ,
not
always indeed the
jufiefi and mo“: exaét, but {till plaufible 1and
fpecious, however difguifed by the colouring of
the imagination. The perfons, introduced1n
tragedy andepic poetry, muff be reprefented as
reafoning and thinking, and concluding and.
ailing, fuitahle to their charaéters and circum-
fiances; and without judgment, as well as tafie
and invention, a poet can never hope to {noceed
in fo delicate an undertaking. Not to mention,
that the fame excellence of faculties wh lch con-
tributes to the improvement of-reafon, the fame
clearnefs of conception, the fame exaanefs ’of
'

diftinétion, the fame viva‘city of apprehenfion, are

efl'ential to the Operations of’true tafle, and areits ‘

infallible concomitants. Itfeldom,or never hap-

pens, that a man of fenfe, who has experience in
any art, cannot judge of its beauty ,' and it is no
lefs rare to meet with a man, who has a
jufi
*'
underflanding.
tafle, without found M
a

2
T111113,
 -— ,
I

m DISSERTATION-IV.

THUS, though the principles of tafte be unis

verlal, and nearly, if not entirely‘the fame in all’
then3 yet few are qualified 'togWe judgment‘on
of art, or eftablr‘fl’r their own fentlment
any work
as the fiandard of beauty. The organs ofutter--
nal fenfation 'are feldom 'l'o perfieét as to allow.-
the general principles their full play, and pro-c“
duce a feeling Correl'pondent rd thbfe principles:
They either labour under fome defect, 'or are
vitiated by {orne diforder3 and by that means,
excite a fentiment, which may be pronounced
erroneOUS. When the critic has no delicacy;
he judges without any'diflinfiion, and isonlyz
affeé’ced by the'grofl'er and more palpablequalities
of the' objeél: The liner touches pifs unnoticed
and difregarded. Where he is not aided by
praé’rice, his verdiét is attended with confulion
and hefitation. Where no comparifon has been
employed, the molt frivolous beauties, {rich as
rather merit the name of defeéls,‘ are the 'objeé‘le
'of his' admiration. Where he lies under the-ind
fluence of prejudice, all his natural feat-intents
'

are perverted. Where good fenfe is wanting,

he is not 'qtralified to difcern the beauties of de-
lign and realbning, which are the high!!! and
moi’c exeellént. Under fume or ether or? their
'6‘
4- imper-
'

;,
 or Tits
STANDARD 03 TASTE. 229
imperfections, the generality of men labour;
and hence a true judge in the finer arts is. ob- .

fervod, even during the mofl

polifhegl ages, to
hefo me charaéler: Strong fenfe, united to
a

delicate {antimony improved by practice, per-

feéted by consparifon, and cleared of all preju-
dice; can alone ”entitle. critics .to this valuable
Charafier; and the joint. verdizt of fuch, where-
ever they- are who found, is the true
flandard
d'taflr. ano‘ beauty. -

,t

BUT where are fuch critics to he found.P By

what marks are
they be known? How
to
‘di:
flinguilhuthem from pretenders l" Thefqflcj'ue-
{lions embarrafling; and-feem to; throw“ us
are

back into the fame uncertainty, from which,

during the courfe of this diil'ertation, we have
endeavoured to extricate ourfelves.

BUT if we confidcr the matter arigbt, thel'e

are queflions of (not, not of {enthnenn 'Whe-
ther any particular perfon he endowed with good
fenfc and a delicate imagination, free from pro-v
judice, maydtcn be the fubjoél: of difpute, and
be liable great difcuflion and enquiry: But
to

that finch a chat raélscr is valuable and eflimablc

will be agreed by all mankind. Where thefc .

M 3 . doubts
 Dsl'SaSlrfR T A T} 0‘ N IV.
'°

230

doubtsoccur“,I men qan do no more than in other

difpntahk Miami, which are fubmitted to the
underfimdihg ;. They mull: produce the heftar-
germ-rm whleh theirinvention faggefls to them ;
the}: tuna" acknowledge a'true‘ and decifive flan-.-
_
dfl-d' to exifi' fomwhere, to wit, real exiflence
and‘matter of an, and they, mufl: have induL-
’

gence to Inch as «life: from them in their ap-

peals to this fiandard. I: is {uficient for air
préfent purpofe, if we have proved, that the
tafte of all individtials is not upbn an equal

footing, and that fom'e’ men in general, however

difficult to be particularly pitched upon, will be

acknowledged by univerfal fcntiment to have a

preference above others.

..

BUT in reality the dificulty of finding, even

in particulars, the fiandard of tafte, is not ('0

great as is reprefented. Though'1n fpeculation,

a certain
we may
readily avow criterion in {ci-
enceand deny it in fenfiment, the matter is found-
in pnétice to be much more hard to afcertaintn
the formermfe than1n the latter Theories of
ahfiraé't philofophy, fyfleme of profound th
cology
have prevailed dung one age: 1;: a fucceflive
period, thefeahute been .univwally “MSW
The” ”NEW-mm dcflfindé chcnbcp-
; nee
 ‘

OF. THE STANDARD OF TASTE; 2

5r
rics and fyflem's have fupfirlled' our: place, which
again gave my to their fueceflhm And nothing
has been
experienceé rimre iiehle to the revolts-n
this of chance «new:Ithndlhaie‘prmdedr
decifioi’as of fiiefnceu :‘fl‘hezsoobdomot the dime.
with 'Jtlse‘hcam‘ies 69mmpoetry. Jeri!
efiififbfionsiof infirm uhdImwé areIn re, aftet
a littletiara,
to-grtin-mpuhlimitoigm, which they ,

uranium fanciful Iflnflarlmufizflbro, and Epi-I.

wins-mid Dg’cam‘rése may [uqceflively yield” to
“rather But We: and Virgil maintain an
.

M1: undifputed empire. over the minds of

mm The abflxat‘l philofopby of Cicero has loft
its credit The vehemence of his oratory is {fill
.

the 013538: of our admiration.

_
TH oUGH men of delicatetafle are the"
rare,
at: eairly to be in
oiiiinguiflrcd focietjr, by the
{oundnefs of their underflanding and the {ope-I
{iatity of their faculties above the refl of man-II
kind, The afcendant, which they acquire, gives
a prevalence to that liVely approbation, with-
which they receive any produélione of genius,
and fenders it generally predominant. Many
then, when left to themfelves, have but a. faint
antl'dubious' fiercefiion of beauty, who Yet; am

domed riiMfigII-any‘fihe'lh'oko, Iwhioh. is

mafia-IIEmy Whart-
polnmrtou’ M4 miration.
 I

232 'fi'flé’s’filgfilfl WW 1'30 N'IIV': "

mnmumwmmmam cad: of
film: newdomcrfmn. Andwhough prejudices
a timerthey nevermiteln cale-
mly'pmvflfor
first“ mam fiuatwthe memo; =but? y'seht at
left tb Wee or ”mute ml: juib fe ntmnt. I

And thus though a civilized nation may eaflyh

mifiakgnIn the choice. of their admired philpfo-

pher, they never have been found long to errin
their afi'eélion for a favourite epic or tragic all-than

BU 'r' notwithflandingall our endeavours tofirt

i! flandand of tafle, and reconcile the variousap-
prehenfions of men, there {till remain two {ounces
of variation, which, tho’ they be not fuficient
to confound all the boundaries of beauty and de-
formity, will often ferve vary the
to
degrees of
r
approbation or blame. ‘The axis the digit-j
'

rent humours of particular men 5 the other,- the.

particular manners and opinions of our
age and
country. The general principles of taite are “Ill-1
.
form in human nature: Where men
vary in
their judgments,fome defea' or perverfion in the
faculties may commonly be remarked; pro-
ceeding either from prejudice, from want of
praétioe; or Twant of delicacy 5 and there is j ufl:
__
reefer! for approving onetdbe md mndemning '

m0“!!! Buhwhere there: is Mfitohe diverfiuy in

sh internal from abumrndmash :enr
'

‘s
tircly
*
t-
 OF THE STANDARD OF T561133. 2.3.3
tireiy bl amelefs on both fidcs, and leaves no room
togive. one the- preference above. the-other; in
thatcafe a certain diverfity-of judgment is unr

ivoi'dlble, and we fee!!! in vain {0! a Mad,

bywhich: we can reconcile the contrary femi-
Items
'

' -

A young man, whofe pafiions are warm, will

be more
fenfibiy touched with amorous and ten-
derunages, than a man more advanced1n years
who takes pleafure1n W112: and philofophical pre-
feaions concerning the conduct of life and mo-
deration of the paflions. At twenty, Ovid may
be the favourite author 5 Horace at forty 5 and

Perhaps Tacitus at fifty. Vainly would we, in

fuch cafes, endeavour to enter into the {enti-
thents of others, and divefi ourfelves of thofe
propenfities, which are'natural to us. We chufe
our favourite author as we do our friend, from

a contormity‘of humours and difpofitions. Mirth'

or pafiion, fentiment or reflection 5 which ever-

of there mofi predominates in our temper, it

gives a peculiar fympathy with
us' the writer,
who '

refembles u's: ‘

Qua perfonis more plenfed

with the fublime-5
anather with the tender 5 a third with raillery
One has a
firong femfibility to blemiihes, andIs
cmelyiflmqofi edgpfinefe: .Amhee .hae1
1
0‘ g M 5
'

a more
 2131 DISSERTATION IV.
a inore lively feeling of
beauties, and pardons
twenty abfurdities and defeéts for one elevated
ofpatbetic ftroke. The ear of this man is end;

titel'y turned towards concifenefs and energy,

that than is delighted with a copious, rich, and
harmonious expreflion. Simplicity1s afi'eéted by
'

one, ornament by another. Comedy,tragedy,

fa't'ire, odes' have each their partizans, who pre-
fer that particular
fpecies of writing to all others.
It15 plainly an error in a critic to confine his ap-
probation to one fpe’cies or {tyle of writing and
condemn all the rcft. But it is almoft impoflihl:
not to feel a predileétion for that which fuits our

‘
fiarticular turn 'and difpofition. Such preferences
are innocent and unavoidable, and can never rea-
fonably be the objeé’t of difpute, becaufe there
is no fiandard, by which they can
bedecided.
For alike reafon, we are more pleafed With.
piétures of charaé’ters, which refemble fuch as
are foundIn our own age or country, than "with

thofe which defcribe a difierent {et of cufioms.,

’Tis not without fame efl'ort, that we
reconcile
curfelves to fimplicity of antient manners,
the
and behold
princeHes drawing water from a
-

fpring, and kings and herbes dreliing their own

vié’tuals. We may aliowIn
general: thiit the re—

prefentationof fuch manners is. noFault

J- the;
1n

nor deformity1n:-rthe piece 3 eat we are

author,
.. not
 OF THE STANDARD OF‘TA‘rSTE.
235.
not fenfibly touched with them. For this
fo
reafon, comedy is not transferred eafily frorn‘one: ‘

age or nation to another. A

Franc/man or Eng-.13
If/bmiz is not pleafed with the Indria of Tarmac,
orC/itia of Macbiaml, where the fine Jadyhupon
whom all.the play turns, never once appears top
the fchtators, but is always kept behind the .

fcenes, fuitahlc to the referved humour of the.

antient Greeks and modern Italians. A map of...‘

learning and refleétion can make allowangefor;

thefe peculiarities of manners; but a common
'

audience can never diveft themfelves [o far,of

their ufualideas and fentirncnts ale to rclifh pic-
tures which no way refemhle them.

'AND here there occurs a refleéiion, which.

may, perhaps, be ufeful in examining thecele-
brated controverfy concerning antient and mo-
dern learning; where we often find the one fide-
’¢xcufing any feeming abfurdity in the antients‘
from the mannersof the age,and the others re-
to admit this excufe, or at leaft, admit-
fufingit for the
ting only as an
apology author, not

for the‘performance. In niyOpinion, the pro-

per boundsIn this Tohject have feldom been fixed
between the parties. Where any in-
contending
nocent peculiarities of matters are reprefe‘nted
‘

Inch asthere abeemeritioried

”M‘ 6""
~’ ,"they ought é’er- ‘5" 1*
.

tardy
*

‘H-I-a
2'36 Drss'ER'rA'r‘ioN IV
'

and a man whoIs [backed

tainly to be admitted,
with them, gives an evident proof of falfe deli-
'

cacy and refinement. The poet’s monument

more

durable than mull Fall to the ground like

bra/3‘,
common brick or clay, were men to make no

allowance for the continual revolutions of man-

ners and culloms, and would admit nothing but

what was fuitable to the prevailing fafhion. Muff

we throw afide the piétures of‘ our anceftors,
becaufe of their wits and fardinp ales.? But Where
and decency alter from one
the ideas of
morality
age to another, and where vicious manners are

defcribed, without being marked with the

proper
charaé’ters of blame and difapprobation, this
mull be allowed to disfigure the poem, and to be
a
deformity. Icannot, nor' is it'prdperl
real
ihould, enter into fuch {entiments ; and however
I may excufe the poct,on account of the manners
of his age, I never can relifh the compofition.
The want of humanity and of decency, {'0 con-
fpicuous in the charaéters drawn by thumb of
the antient poets, even {ometimes 'by Homer
and the Greek tragedians, diminifhes confident-
bly the merit of their noble performances, and
gives modern authors a great advantage over
them. We are not interefied in the fortune:
and fentiments of fuch rough heroes: We are

dil’pleafed to find the limits of vice and virtue fo

 OF THE- STANDARD OF TASTE. :37

confounded: And whatever indulgence we may

give the 1vr1ter__on account of his prejudices, we
cannot prevail on ourfelves to enter
into his fen-

tinients, ,or hear an afi'eé’tion to charaéicrs, which

we plainly difcover to be blameable.

THE cafe1s not the fame with moral princi-

pies as
with fpeculative opinions of any kind.
Theft; are in continual flux and revolution. The

$311emhtaccs a
differentfyflem from the father.
ray, there
fcarceIS any man, who can boafl of“

great confiancy and uniformity

In this particular.

Whatever {peculauve errors may be found111 the

polite writings of any age or country, they (11:.

113611-1111 little from the value of thofe compoli-
tionst. There needs but a certain turn of‘thought
or
imagination to make us enter into all the Opi-
nions, which then prevailed, and relifh the fen-
conclufions derived from them. But
timents or

violent effort1s requifite change

a
very” to our

judgmentof manners, and excite fentiments of

love or hatred, different
approbation or blame,
from thofetto which the mind from long cufiom
has been familiarized. And where aman is con-

fident of the reétitude of that moral flandard, by

which he judges, he15 ’[ufllyjealous of1t, and will
not
pervert the fenfiments of his heart for a mo-
ment, in complaifance to
anyWriter whatever.
I
011”
 QBDIS§ERTATIONIK
OF all {peculative errors, thofe which
regard
religion, are excufable1n compofitions
the molt
of genius, nor is it ever permitted to judge of
the civility or wifdom of any people, or even of
fingle perfons, by the 'groflheis or refinement of
their theological principles. The fame good
fenfe, that direéts men in the
ordinary occur-
rences of life, is not hearkened to in
religious
matters, which are fuppofed to be placed en-
tirely above the cognizance of human reafon.
Upon this account, all the abfnrdities of the pa-
gan fyflem of theology muff be overlOoked by
every critic, who would pretend to than a jufi
notion of antient poetry; and our pofterity, in
their turn, mufl have the fame indulgence to
their forefathers. No religious principles can
ever be imputed as a fault to any poet, while they
.remain merely principles, and take not fuch
flrong pofl'eflion of his heart, as to lay him under
the imputation of bigotry or fryer/7143a. Where
that happens, they confound the fentiments of
morality and alter the natural boundaries of vice
and virtue. They are therefore eternal
blcuflfheg,
1

according to the principle abovementioned, nor

are the
prejudices and falfc opinions of the age
to juflify thorn.
fuficient
*
,

".I're
 or. 111111: STfiNDA‘RD or TASTE.
2'39

’TLS efléntial to the‘Romam catholic religion

toinfpire aviolent hatred to every other worthip
and
reprefent all pagans, mahometans, and he-
'ret‘ics as the objects of divine wrath and venge-
ance. Such fentiments, though they are in reality
extremely blameable, are confidered as virtues
by the zealots of that communion, and are re-
prefented1n their tragedies and epic poems as a
kind of divine heroifm. This bigotry has disfi-
:gured two very fine tragedies of the Franc/2 thea-
'_tre, Po/z'eué‘h' and fit/Jalz'a, where an intemperate
zeal for particular modes of wothip13 {ct of?
..
with all the pomp imaginable, and forms the
predommant charaé’rer of the heroes.“ What
I is this,” lays
“
the
heroic 70nd 70/215“, finding
'

to

her in difCourf'e with Marian, the midi of

_,Baal “
Does the daughter of David fpeak to
“this traitor? Are
you not afraid, left the earth
i
forth flames to devour
:9{hould open and pour
u'hOth‘? Or that thefe holy walls lhould fall
.
'ii'iz‘a cfiill}
«1‘
myou together 3 What15 his
purpol'e?
Why enemy of God hither to poi-
domesi'that
f‘3“‘1'011 theair, which we breath, with his horrid

““pt’elimce3'” Such'fentirhents are received with

ihteafle of Parr: but at
611 the'
greatappletufie “would be full much
,

'Eorzd'm the wastage. as

pleafed to hear ficbiller‘ ‘e‘ll figamemmn, that he

I was