in the' Exercife of its Faculties. 11 g 
Other philofophers have afferted, that the 
reprefentation of an objedt pleafes, only by its 
interefting the pafiions. And fo far it is true, 
that the foul cannot be moved, or ftrongly affedted, 
without it. But does not even the lead: interefting 
objedt make a flight impreftion of pleafure, at 
leaft on the furface of the foul, if it is well repre- 
fented, and if an exadt fymmetry is to be feen 
between the picture and the original ? Every body 
muft have felt it j and it proceeds from this prin¬ 
cipal law in the nature of our fenfations—that 
any objedt becomes agreeable, whofe parts are 
fo formed, and fo difpofed, as to prefent the mind 
with an eafy, clear, and diftindt idea of the 
whole. 
What is called Contraft in painting, poetry, and 
eloquence, is another fort of fymmetry, which, by 
bringing contrary objedts near to each other, fets 
off the features of the one, by the comparifon we 
make of them with the features of the other. 
This relation has been taken from nature, in whofe 
works it feldom fails of having a pleafing effedt. 
It is from it, that the views in Switzerland, and in 
other mountainous countries, are fo particularly 
agreeable. The diffimilitude of the objedts, which 
the eye embraces, renders them all more ftriking, 
and helps the mind to get a clearer idea cf the 
whole. Thus,when fkilfully applied to the produc- 
tionsof art, contraft is generally attended with great 
fuccefs. We accordingly read, that the ancient 
I 4 fculptors. 
