39 



women. The general conversations are more and more in- 

 structive: there is less sensuality, but more true pleasures, 

 and rational enjoyments. This leads to a more judicious 

 cultivation of the Jine arts; yet not alike of every branch. 

 There are some, as we shall see hereafter, which do not 

 thrive much on democracies. It must be owned, that, in' 

 republics, there is often a pragmatic spirit, a certain hard- 

 ness and unbending nature; perhaps, too, a certain same- 

 ness of character. In free governments, the people are the 

 best and most munificent patrons of all the liberal and 

 pleasing arts. It is remarkable, that, in England, the Jine 

 arts have flourished, and yet have experienced very little 

 patronage from the sovereigns. Simplicity of manners, mo- 

 deration, frugality, regard to decorum, are the virtues of a 

 republic. Evei-y man is interested in the exercise of these 

 virtues, because it is necessary to the well-being of the 

 state. Every man, therefore, is an inspector of the conduct 

 of his fellow citizens, a censor of manners, and a restraint 

 on what is wrong. In a republic, by this means, the mo- 

 ral sense will be particularly cultivated and refined; and 

 the perfection of this sense is intimately connected with 

 a correct taste and judgment. Purity of mind, and una- 

 dulterated taste, are essentially requisite to success, in the 

 higher walks of poetry; and to that cGrreetness and i-ecti- 

 tude of spirit, which alone are able to relish the sublime' 

 graces of poetry, and become the parents of sound criti- 

 cism : while the forms of the good and fair, the excellent 



and 



