every mind endowed with any degree of sen- sympathies or emotions, and external objects sibility, somewhat better than the brightness may be either such as occur to whole classes of the colours, or the agreeableness of the of men, or are confined to particular indi smells that are then presented to our senses. viduals. Among the former, those that ap They are kindred conceptions that consti-ply to different nations or races of men, are tute all the beauty of childhood. The forms the most important and remarkable; and con and colours that are peculiar to that age, are stitute the basis of those peculiarities by not necessarily or absolutely beautiful in which national tastes are distinguished.themselves; for, in a grown person, the same Take again, for example, the instance of fe forms and colours would be either ludicrous male beauty-and think what different and or disgusting. It is their indestructible con- inconsistent standards would be fixed for i nection with the engaging ideas of innocence in the different regions of the world;-in of careless gaiety-of unsuspecting confi- Africa, in Asia, and in Europe;-in Tartary dence;-made still more tender and attract- and in Greece; in Lapland, Patagonia, and ive by the recollection of helplessness, and Circassia. If there was any thing absolutely blameless and happy ignorance-of the anx- or intrinsically beautiful, in any of the form ious affection that watches over all their ways thus distinguished, it is inconceivable tha and of the hopes and fears that seek to men should differ so outrageously in thei pierce futurity, for those who have neither conceptions of it: if beauty were a real and fears nor cares nor anxieties for themselves. independent quality, it seems impossible tha These few illustrations will probably be it should be distinctly and clearly felt by on sufficient to give our readers a general con- set of persons, where another set, altogethe ception of the character and the grounds of as sensitive, could see nothing but its oppo that theory of beauty which we think affords site; and if it were actually and inseparably the only true or consistent account of its na- attached to certain forms, colours, or propor ture. They are all examples, it will be ob- tions, it must appear utterly inexplicable tha served, of the First and most important con- it should be felt and perceived in the mos nection which we think may be shown to opposite forms and proportion, in objects of exist between external objects and the senti- the same description. On the other hand, i ments or emotions of the mind; or cases, in all beauty consist in reminding us of certain which the visible phenomena are the natural natural sympathies and objects of emotion and universal accompaniments of the emo- with which they have been habitually con tion, and are consequently capable of reviving nected, it is easy to perceive how the mos that emotion, in some degree, in the breast different forms should be felt to be equally of every beholder. If the tenor of those beautiful. If female beauty, for instance illustrations has been such as to make any consist in the visible signs and expression impression in favour of the general theory, of youth and health, and of gentleness, vi we conceive that it must be very greatly con- vacity, and kindness; then it will necessarily firmed by the slightest consideration of the happen, that the forms, and colours and pro Second class of cases, or those in which the portions which nature may have connected external object is not the natural and neces- with those qualities, in the different climate sary, but only the occasional or accidental or regions of the world, will all appear equally concomitant of the emotion which it recals. beautiful to those who have been accustomed In the former instances, some conception of to recognise them as the signs of such quali beauty seems to be inseparable from the ap- ties; while they will be respectively indif pearance of the objects; and being impressed, ferent to those who have not learned to inter in some degree, upon all persons to whom pret them in this sense, and displeasing to they are presented, there is evidently room those whom experience has led to conside for insinuating that it is an independent and them as the signs of opposite qualities. intrinsic quality of their nature, and does not arise from association with any thing else. In the instances, however, to which we are now to allude, this perception of beauty is not universal, but entirely dependent upon the opportunities which each individual has had to associate ideas of emotion with the object to which it is ascribed:-the same thing appearing beautiful to those who have been exposed to the influence of such associations, and indifferent to those who have

The case is the same, though, perhaps to a smaller degree, as to the peculiarity of nationa taste in other particulars. The style of dres and architecture in every nation, if not adopted from mere want of skill, or penury of mate rials, always appears beautiful to the natives and somewhat monstrous and absurd t foreigners;-and the general character and aspect of their landscape, in like manner, in not associated with substantial evils and in conveniences, always appears more beautifu and enchanting than the scenery of any othe region. The fact is still more striking, per haps, in the case of music;-in the effects of those national airs, with which even the mos uncultivated imaginations have connected so many interesting recollections; and in the de light with which all persons of sensibility catch the strains of their native melodies in strange or in distant lands. It is owing chiefly to the same sort of arbitrary and national as

sociation, that white is thought a gay colour history of this great people, open at once bein Europe, where it is used at weddings- fore his imagination, and present him with a and a dismal colour in China, where it is used field of high and solemn imagery, which can for mourning; that we think yew-trees never be exhausted. Take from him these gloomy, because they are planted in church- associations-conceal from him that it is yards and large masses of powdered horse- Rome that he sees, and how different would hair majestic, because we see them on the be his emotion!" heads of judges and bishops.

accidental association through all the divisions and that the forms, and colours, and materials, of which it is susceptible; and, indeed, the task would be endless; since there is scarcely any class in society which may not be shown to have peculiar associations of interest and emotion with objects which are not so connected in the minds of any other class. The young and the old-the rich and the poorthe artist and the man of science-the inhabitant of the city and the inhabitant of the country-the man of business and the man of pleasure-the domestic and the dissipated, -nay, even the followers of almost every different study or profession, have perceptions of beauty, because they have associations with external objects, which are peculiar to themselves, and have no existence for any other persons. But, though the detail of such instances could not fail to show, in the clearest and most convincing manner, how directly the notion of beauty is derived from some more radical and familiar emotion, and how many and various are the channels by which such emotions are transmitted, enough, perhaps, has been already said, to put our readers in possession of the principles and general bearings of an argument which we must not think of exhausting.

Before entirely leaving this branch of the subject, however, let us pause for a moment on the familiar but very striking and decisive instance of our varying and contradictory judgments, as to the beauty of the successive fashions of dress that have existed within our own remembrance. All persons who still continue to find amusement in society, and are not old enough to enjoy only the recollections of their youth, think the prevailing fashions becoming and graceful, and the fashions of twenty or twenty-five years old intolerably ugly and ridiculous. The younger they are, and the more they mix in society, this impression is the stronger; and the fact is worth noticing; because there is really no one thing as to which persons judging merely from their feelings, and therefore less likely to be misled by any systems or theories, are so very positive and decided, as that established fashions are beautiful in themselves; and that exploded fashions are intrinsically and beyond all question preposterous and ugly. We have never yet met a young lady or gentleman, who spoke from their hearts and without reserve, who had the least doubt on the subject; or could conceive how any person could be so stupid as not to see the intrinsic elegance of the reigning mode, or not to be struck with the ludicrous awkwardness of the habits in which their mothers were disguised. Yet there can be no doubt, that if these ingenuous critics had been born, with the same natural sensibility to beauty, but twenty years earlier, they would have joined in admiring what they now laugh at; as certainly as those who succeed them twenty years hereafter will laugh at them. It is plain, then, and we think scarcely disputed, out of the circles to which we have alluded, that there is, in the general case, no intrinsic beauty or deformity in any of those fashions;

that are, we may say, universally and very strongly felt to be beautiful while they are in fashion, are sure to lose all their beauty as soon as the fashion has passed away. Now the forms, and colours, and combinations remain exactly as they were; and, therefore, it seems indisputable, that the source of their successive beauty and ugliness must be sought in something extrinsic, and can only be found in the associations which once exalted, and ultimately degraded them in our estimation. While they were in fashion, they were the forms and colours which distinguished the rich and the noble-the eminent, the envied, the observed in society. They were the forms and the colours in which all that was beautiful, and admired, and exalted, were habitually arrayed. They were associated, therefore, with ideas of opulence, and elegance, and gaiety, and all that is captivating and bewitching, in manners, fortune, and situation-and derived the whole of their beauty from those associations. By and bye, however, they were deserted by the beautiful, the rich, and the elegant, and descended to the vulgar and dependent, or were only seen in combination with the antiquated airs of faded beauties or obsolete beaux. They thus came to be associated with ideas of vulgarity and derision, and with the images of old and decayed persons, whom it is difficult for their juniors to believe ever to have been young or attractive:

and the associations being thus reversed, in which all their beauty consisted, the beauty itself naturally disappeared.

The operation of the same causes is distinctly visible in all the other apparent irregularities of our judgments as to this description of beauty. Old people have in general but little toleration for the obsolete fashions of their later or middle years; but will generally stickle for the intrinsic elegance of those which were prevalent in the bright days of their early youth-as being still associated in their recollections, with the beauty with which they were first enchanted, and the gay spirits with which they were then inspired. In the same way, while we laugh at the fashions of which fine ladies and gentlemen were proud in the days of our childhood, because they are now associated only with images of decrepitude and decay, we look with some feelings of veneration on the habits of more remote generations, the individuals of which are only known to us as historical persons; and with unmingled respect and admiration on those still more ancient habiliments which remind us either of the heroism of the feudal chivalry, or the virtue and nobleness of classical antiquity. The iron mail of the Gothic knight, or the clumsy shield and naked arms of the Roman warrior, strike us as majestic and graceful, merely because they are associated with nothing but tales of romantic daring or patriotic prowess-while the full-bottomed periwigs that were added to the soldier's equipment in the days of Lewis XIV. and King William-and no doubt had a noble effect in the eyes of that generation

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now appear to us equally ridiculous and un- ' consequence of a sort of resemblance or anbecoming; merely because such appendages alogy which they seem to have to their natuare no longer to be seen, but upon the heads ral and appropriate objects. The language of sober and sedentary lawyers, or in the pic-of Poetry is founded, in a great degree, upon tures of antiquated esquires. this analogy; and all language, indeed, is full of it; and attests, by its structure, both the extent to which it is spontaneously pursued, and the effects that are produced by its sug gestion. We take a familiar instance from the elegant writer to whom we have already referred.

We cannot afford, however, to enlarge any farther upon these considerations, and are inclined indeed to think, that what has been already said on the subject of associations, which, though not universal, are common to whole classes of persons, will make it unnecessary to enlarge on those that are peculiar to each individual. It is almost enough, indeed, to transcribe the following short passage from Mr. Alison.

"There is no man, who has not some interesting associations with particular scenes, or airs, or books; and who does not feel their beauty or sublimity enhanced to him by such connections. The view of the house where one was born, of the school where one was educated, and where the gay years of infancy were passed, is indifferent to no man. There are songs also, which we have heard in our infancy, which, when brought to our remembrance in after years, raise emotions for which we cannot well account; and which, though perhaps very indifferent in themselves, still continue from this association, and from the variety of conceptions which they kindle in our minds, to be our favourites through life. The scenes which have been distinguished by the residence of any person, whose memory we admire, produce a similar effect. Movemur enim, nescio quo pacto, locis ipsis, in quibus eorum, quos diligimus, aut admiramur adsunt vestigia. The scenes themselves may be little beautiful; but the delight with which we recollect the traces of their lives, blends itself insensibly with the emotions which the scenery excites; and the admiration which these recollections afford, seems to give a kind of sanctity to the place where they dwelt, and converts every thing into beauty which appears to have been connected with them."

What, for instance, is the leading impres sion we receive from the scenery of spring? The soft and gentle green with which the earth is spread, the feeble texture of the plants and flowers, and the remains of winter yet lingering among the woods and hillsall conspire to infuse into our minds somewhat of that fearful tenderness with which infancy is usually beheld. With such a sentiment, how innumerable are the ideas which present themselves to our imagination! ideas, it is. apparent, by no means confined to the scene before our eyes, or to the possible desolation which may yet await its infant beauty, but which almost involuntarily extend themselves to analogies with the life of man! and bring before us all those images of hope or fear, which, according to our peculiar situations, have the dominion of our hearts! The beauty of autumn is accompanied with a similar exercise of thought: the leaves begin then to drop from the trees; the flowers and shrubs, with which the fields were adorned in the summer months, decay; the woods and groves are silent; the sun himself seems gradually to withdraw his light, or to become enfeebled in his power. Who is there, who, at this season, does not feel his mind impressed with a sentiment of melancholy? or who is able to resist that current of thought, which, from such appearances of decay, so naturally leads him to the solemn imagination of that inevitable fate, which is to bring on alike the decay of life, of empire, and of nature itself?"

There are similar impressions-as to the sort of scenery to which we have been long A thousand such analogies, indeed, are sugaccustomed as to the style of personal beau-gested to us by the most familiar aspects of ty by which we were first enchanted-and nature. The morning and the evening preeven as to the dialect, or the form of versifi- sent the same ready picture of youth and of cation which we first began to admire, that closing life, as the various vicissitudes of the bestow a secret and adventitious charm upon year. The withering of flowers images out all these objects, and enable us to discover to us the langour of beauty, or the sickness of in them a beauty which is invisible, because childhood. The loud roar of troubled waters it is non-existent to every other eye. seems to bear some resemblance to the voice of lamentation or violence; and the softer murmur of brighter streams, to be expressive of cheerfulness and innocence. The purity and transparency of water or of air, indeed, is universally itself felt to be expressive of mental purity and gaiety; and their darkness or turbulence, of mental gloom and dejection. The genial warmth of autumn suggests to us the feeling of mild benevolence;-the sunny gleams and fitful showers of early spring, remind us of the waywardness of infancy;flowers waving on their slender stems, impress us with the notion of flexibility and lightness of temper. All fine and delicate forms are typical of delicacy and gentleness

occasions

In all the cases we have hitherto considered, the external object is supposed to have acquired its beauty by being actually connected with the causes of our natural emotions, either as a constant sign of their existence, or as being casually present on the ordinary of their excitement. There is a relation, however, of another kind, to which also it is necessary to attend, both to elucidate the general grounds of the theory, and to explain several appearances that might otherwise expose it to objections. This is the relation which external objects may bear to eur internal feelings, and the power they may consequently acquire of suggesting them, in

the poet has connected with human emotions a variety of objects, to which common mind could not discover such a relation. What the poet does for his readers, however, by hi original similes and metaphors, in these high er cases, even the dullest of those readers do in some degree, every day, for themselves and the beauty which is perceived, whe natural objects are unexpectedly vivified b the glowing fancy of the former, is precisel of the same kind that is felt when the close

of character; and almost all forms, bounded by waving or flowing lines, suggest ideas of easy movement, social pliability, and elegance. Rapid and impetuous motion seems to be emblematical of violence and passion; -slow and steady motion, of deliberation, dignity, and resolution;-fluttering motion, of inconstancy or terror;-and waving motion, according as it is slow or swift, of sadness or playfulness. A lofty tower, or a massive building, gives us at once the idea of firmness and elevation of character;-a rock bat-ness of the analogy enables them to force hu tered by the waves, of fortitude in adversity. Stillness and calmness, in the water or the air, seem to shadow out tenderness, indolence, and placidity-moonlight we call pensive and gentle; and the unclouded sun gives us an impression of exulting vigour, and domineering ambition and glory.

man feelings upon the recollection of all man kind. As the poet sees more of beauty nature than ordinary mortals, just becaus he perceives more of these analogies an relations to social emotion, in which a beauty consists; so other men see more o less of this beauty, exactly as they hap pen to possess that fancy, or those habits which enable them readily to trace out thes relations.

It is not difficult, with the assistance which language affords us, to trace the origin of all these, and a thousand other associations. In many instances, the qualities which thus sug- From all these sources of evidence, then gest mental emotions, do actually resemble we think it is pretty well made out, that the their constant concomitants in human nature; beauty or sublimity of external objects is no as is obviously the case with the forms and thing but the reflection of emotions excited motions which are sublime and beautiful: by the feelings or condition of sentient be and, in some, their effects and relations bearings; and is produced altogether by certain so obvious an analogy to those of human con- little portions, as it were, of love, joy, pity duct or feeling, as to force itself upon the no- veneration, or terror, that adhere to the ob tice of the most careless beholder. But, what- jects that were present on the occasions of ever may have been their original, the very such emotions.-Nor, after what we have al structure of language attests the vast extent ready said, does it seem necessary to repl to which they have been carried, and the na- to more than one of the objections to which ture of the suggestions to which they are in- we are aware that this theory is liable.-I debted for their interest or beauty. Since we beauty be nothing more than a reflection o all speak familiarly of the sparkling of wit-love, pity, or veneration, how comes it, it may and the darkness of melancholy-can it be be asked, to be distinguished from these sen any way difficult to conceive that bright light timents? They are never confounded with may be agreeable, because it reminds us of each other, either in our feelings or our lan gaiety and darkness oppressive, because it guage:-Why, then, should they all be con is felt to be emblematical of sorrow? It is founded under the common name of beauty very remarkable, indeed, that, while almost and why should beauty, in all cases, affect u all the words by which the affections of the in a way so different from the love or com mind are expressed, seem to have been bor-passion of which it is said to be merely th rowed originally from the qualities of matter, reflection? the epithets by which we learn afterwards to distinguish such material objects as are felt to be sublime or beautiful, are all of them epithets that had been previously appropriated to express some quality or emotion of mind. Colours are thus familiarly said to be gay or grave-motions to be lively, or delib-mentary affections which it is its office t erate, or capricious-forms to be delicate or modest-sounds to be animated or mournful -prospects to be cheerful or melancholyrocks to be bold-waters to be tranquil-and a thousand other phrases of the same import; all indicating, most unequivocally, the sources from which our interest in matter is derived, and proving, that it is necessary, in all cases, to confer mind and feeling upon it, before it can be conceived as either sublime or beautiful. The great charm, indeed, and the great secret of poetical diction, consists in thus lending life and emotion to all the objects it embraces; and the enchanting beauty which we sometimes recognise in descriptions of very ordinary phenomena, will be found to arise from the force of imagination, by which

Now, to these questions, we are somewha tempted to answer, after the manner of ou country, by asking, in our turn, whether it b really true, that beauty always affects us i one and the same manner, and always in different manner from the simple and ele

recal to us? In very many cases, it appea to us, that the sensations which we receiv from objects that are felt to be beautiful, an that in the highest degree, do not differ at a from the direct movements of tenderness pity towards sentient beings. If the epithe of beauty be correctly (as it is universally) a plied to many of the most admired and e chanting passages in poetry, which consi entirely in the expression of affecting sent ments, the question would be speedily de cided; and it is a fact, at all events, to remarkable to be omitted, that some of th most powerful and delightful emotions th are uniformly classed under this name, aris altogether from the direct influence of suc pathetic emotions, without the interventic