reforming the corrupt propenfities which too LTCT. frequently prevail among mankind. Elegant speculations are fometimes found to float on the furface of the mind, while bad paffions poffefs the interior regions of the heart. At the fame time this cannot but be admitted, that the exercise of taste is, in its native tendency, moral and purifying. From reading the most admired productions of genius, whether in poetry or profe, almost every one rifes with fome good impreffions left on his mind; and though these may not always be durable, they are at least to be ranked among the means of difpofing the heart to virtue. One thing is certain, and I fhall hereafter have occafion to illuftrate it more fully, that, without poffeffing the virtuous affections in a ftrong degree, no man can attain eminence in the fublime parts of eloquence. He must feel what a good man feels, if he expects greatly to move, or to intereft mankind. They are the ardent sentiments of honour, virtue, magnanimity, and public fpirit, that only can kindle that fire of genius, and call up into the mind thofe high ideas, which attract the admiration of ages; and if this spirit be neceffary to produce the most diftinguished efforts of eloquence, it must be neceffary alfo to our relishing them with proper tafte and feeling.

ON

LECT.

1.

ON these general topics I fhall dwell no longer; but proceed directly to the confideration of the fubjects which are to employ the following Lectures. They divide themselves into five parts. Firft, fome introductory differtations on the Nature of Tafte, and upon the fources of its pleasures. Secondly, the confideration of Language: Thirdly, of Style: Fourthly, of Eloquence properly fo called, or Public Speaking in its different kinds. Lastly, a critical examination of the most distinguished Species of Compofition, both in profe and verfe.

TH

TASTE.

11.

HE nature of the prefent undertaking LECT. leads me to begin with fome enquiries concerning Taste, as it is this faculty which is always appealed to in difquifitions concerning the merit of difcourfe and writing.

THERE are few fubjects on which men talk more loosely and indiftinctly than on Tafte; few which it is more difficult to explain with precifion; and none which in this Courfe of Lectures will appear more dry or abstract. What I have to fay on the fubject shall be in the following order. I shall first explain the Nature of Tafte as a power or faculty in the human mind. I fhall next confider how far it is an improveable faculty. I fhall, fhew the fources of its improvement, and the characters of Tafte in its moft perfect ftate. I hall then examine the various fluctuations to

LECT. which it is liable, and enquire whether there

JI.

be any standard to which we can bring the different taftes of men, in order to distinguish the corrupted from the true.

TASTE may be defined "The power of "receiving pleasure from the beauties of na"ture and of art." The first question that occurs concerning it is, whether it is to be confidered as an internal fenfe, or as an exertion of reafon? Reason is a very general term; but if we understand by it, that power of the mind which in fpeculative matters difcovers truth, and in practical matters judges of the fitness of means to an end, I apprehend the question may be easily answered. For nothing can be more clear, than that Tafte is not refolveable into any fuch operation of Reason. It is not merely through a discovery of the understanding, or a deduction of argument, that the mind receives pleasure from a beautiful prospect or a fine poem. Such objects often strike us intuitively, and make a strong impreffion, when we are unable to affign the reasons of our being pleased. They fometimes ftrike in the fame manner the philofopher and the peafant; the boy and the man. Hence the faculty by which we relifh fuch beauties, feems more nearly allied to a feeling of fenfe, than to a procefs of the understanding and accordingly, from an exter

nal

II.

nal fenfe it has borrowed its name; that fenfe LECT. by which we receive and diftinguish the pleafures of food having, in feveral languages, given rife to the word Tafte in the metaphorical meaning under which we now confider it. However, as, in all fubjects which regard the operations of the mind, the inaccurate ufe of words is to be carefully avoided, it must not be inferred from what I have faid, that Reafon is entirely excluded from the exertions of. Tafte. Though Tafte, beyond doubt, be ultimately founded on a certain natural and inftinctive fenfibility to beauty, yet Reason, as I fhall fhew hereafter, affifts Tafte in many of its operations, and ferves to enlarge its power *.

TASTE, in the fenfe in which I have explained it, is a faculty common in fome degree to all men. Nothing that belongs to human nature is more general than the relish of beauty of one kind or other; of what is orderly, proportioned, grand, harmoniou«, new, or fprightly. In children, the rudiments of

*See Dr. Gerard's Effay on Tafte.-D'Alembert's Reflections on the ufe and abuse of philofophy in matters which relate to T'afte.-Reflexions Critiques fur la poësie et fur la peinture, tome ii. ch. 22-31. Elements of Criticism, chap. 25.-Mr. Hume's Effay on the Standard of Tafte.-Introduction to the Effay on the Sublime and Beautiful.