It is not, I imagine, from objects of excellence in the arts, that the mind receives the first impressions of taste, though from them the impressions, we have already received, may be strengthened and improved.  The truths they exhibit awaken the recollection of what has pleased us in nature; and we exult in the confirmation of our judgement and taste on finding those objects represented, by genius, in their best and fairest light.  Of course, the excellence we perceive in the fine arts, which is always relative to moral excellence, must tend to the improvement of taste.[A]

[Footnote A:  L’esprit de l’homme est naturellement plein d’un nombre infini d’idees confuses du vrai, que souvent il n’entrevoit qu’a demi; et rien ne lui est plus agreable, que lorsqu’on lui offre quelqu’une de ces idees bien eclaircie et mise dans un beau jour.  BOILEAU, Preface.]

But, though the arts are thus beneficial to the growing principles of taste, reflecting a few individuals, it is well known that their establishment in every nation has had a contrary effect on the community in general; for, in proportion to the encouragement given them, as that encouragement immediately promotes two of the most pernicious principles that can affect the human heart, the most destructive of moral virtue, namely, the love of fame and the love of riches, the general diffusion of corruption must ensue, and of course the extinction of the natural principles of taste, or relish of the human soul of what is truly beautiful, truly honourable, truly good.

To conclude.  I will not presume to say, that a man without taste is without virtue; but I think I may venture to say, that it is only as he can have virtue without loving virtue, that he can have virtue without having taste; the definition of taste being, according to my apprehension of its perception, the love of virtue.  And, as that love springs from, and tends to, the source of all virtue, all good, may I not add, that it is but as a man can be religious without devotion, that a man can be religious without taste? the sentiment of devotion seeming to be, an aggregation of our most virtuous, most refined, conscious, energies of soul, in the awful vertical point of sublimity.

  ’From thee, great God, we spring, to thee we tend,
  Path, motive, guide, original, and end!’

    JOHNSON.

THE END.

William Andrews Clark Memorial Library:  University of California THE AUGUSTAN REPRINT SOCIETY

General Editors

H. RICHARD ARCHER, Clark Memorial Library
R.C.  BOYS, University of Michigan
E.N.  HOOKER, University of California, Los Angeles
JOHN LOFTIS, University of California, Los Angeles

The society exists to make available inexpensive reprints (usually facsimile reproductions) of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.