212 Criticism upon Akenside'a Pleasures of the Imagtnatien, [April 1, 



novelty in urging us to Ihc Improvement 

 «f our iulellcctuiil lowers, from which 

 it would secnj, that the author means 

 new, in place of wonderful. It must, 



however, be admitted, that novcKy is in 

 some measure allied to wonderful, for 

 an emotion of the latter sort cannot 

 Lc excited Ijy objects with which we 

 arc familiar ; but, at the fiamc time, 

 something farther than novelty is surely 

 icquisitc to excite that affection. The 

 author then proceeds to illustrate the 

 influence of beauty upon tiie mind, and 

 here ho seems to have failed moro tlian 

 any where else. His description of 

 beauty in natural objects, it cannot be 

 denied, is very fine and classical ; but 

 really, after painting in very lively co- 

 lours the young and lovely Dionc, it 

 was surely unnecessary to break off, 

 rather in an abrupt manner, to remark, 

 that *' beauty never reigns where licalth 

 and active use are strangers ;" and that 

 a careful mother, sensible how apt her 

 l)oy is to go astray in this respect — 

 Illumes the lieadslrong impulse of desire, 

 Aud sanctifies Lis choice ; 



ihat is to say, tells him that he mnst 

 not betake himself to houses of a certain 

 dcscrijition, but enter into the blessed 

 state of matrimony with sonic meek 

 and modest virgin. He afterwards 

 makes use of some obscure terms as to 

 beauty, and truth, and good, being one ; 

 and, certainly with much inconsistency 

 in a work irpon imaginary pleasures, 

 asserts that tliere can be no enjoyment 

 w ithout the " sanction of eternal truth or 

 undeccitful good ;" remarks, not very 

 appropriate in describing the influence 

 of beauty, and which would tempt one 

 to suppose that the author had either 

 met with some frowns from the fair sex, 

 or that his mind was impervions to the 

 impressions of female beauty, — love 

 with liim being altogether Iheoretical, 

 —(350-390.) He, however, takes oc- 

 casion to hint, somewhat obscurely, to 

 be sure, at that charming and consola- 

 tory doctrine, the omnipotence of truth, 

 — a doctrine which, since his day, has 

 been so widely diffused and establislieil. 

 Indeed, it is to the honour of Aken- 

 side, that tlnonghout this poem he pays 

 that devotion to truth, and to that elas- 

 tic substance, the human mind, which 

 they so justly deserve. 



An enumeration of the other means, 

 contributive to the jdeasures of the 

 imagination, is then given, and which 

 evinces the most correct acquaintance 

 with the philosophy of the human mind. 



It is here very justly remarked, that it 

 Is moral beauty which the mind con- 

 templates with the greatest dcUghl; 

 but, having made this enunciation, tlic 

 poet has been in tlic first instance nios-t 

 unhappy in his dliistratioii. AftcK 

 stating that beauty of colour, aud the 

 other cliarnu of nature, arc more lovely 

 when — 



Life's holy tlame and pierciag sense are 



given. 

 And active motion speaks the temper'tt 



soul} 

 it might consequentfy be cxpectciJ, 

 that an example would be given from 

 " the human face divine ;" but no, he 

 brings before the imagination the bird of 

 Juno, which, as every one knows, is a 

 peacock, a very beautiful animal, to be 

 sure, but it would really requif c a i)rctty 

 strong imagination to discover the 

 beauties of its soul. Eut, not conteut 

 with such a grovelling illustratioji, a 

 prancing steed in a dusty plain, auil 

 faithful dogs joyfully playing with one 

 another, are also adduced. These can- 

 not be admitted as very happy cxani- 

 ])les of stimidants of that most delight- 

 ful emotion in the mind, which is excited 

 by the contemplation of natural and 

 moral beauty united. From this degra- 

 dation the author, in the course of a few 

 lines, ascends to the beauty of the divino 

 mind j illustrative, however, of that 

 gradation, which is observable througli- 

 ont the works of nature. But for these 

 inconsistencies an atonement is after- 

 wards made, by lieantifully exclaiming, 

 that mind, within itself, contains the 

 living fountains of all that is beauteous 

 and sublime; and he concludes witll 

 asking, if any thing in this cajiacious 

 scene can half dilate our souls so 

 mudi as — 



When Brutus rose 



Refulgent fioni the stroke of Caesar's fatc^ 

 And Rome again was free. 



The Second Part comnicnecs with 

 some beautiful observations upon the 

 state of poetry and the fine arts during 

 the dark ages, aud exulting in tlieii 

 havuig at last found a secure, and, it is 

 to be hoped, an everlasting asylum in 

 our own happy land. After this, the 

 author hastens to record those adventi- 

 tious, or secondary circumstances, which 

 heighten the pleasures derived from the 

 imagination. Of these, the sweets of 

 sense, the peculiar state of the mind, the 

 influence of truth, an acquaintance with 

 the laws of nature, and the perception 

 of design iu tUc creation, arc all very 

 happily 



