224 Rev. Mr. Hall's Inquiry concerning 
offer the Society a few fcarrty gleanings, after 
the full harvefl: had been gathered in. But l 
have no deffgn to invade the province of ano¬ 
ther. I fhall neither examine the principles, 
on which taffe is founded ; nor enquire, whe¬ 
ther it is more the child of nature, or of 
education, or the joint product of both. I 
fhall confine my remarks to the effects which 
taste, however produced, may be fuppofed 
to have on the moral character ; and Ihall 
endeavour to (hew, that its influence on the 
heart, is not favourable to virtue. 
A diftinguifhed Member of this Society, in 
whom the Scholar and the Gentleman are moft 
happily united, has, in an elegant paper, * fup- 
ported the reverfe of this propofition; which, 
it muff be owned, is no Angular opinion. It 
is maintained by very high authorities in the 
literary world; particularly, by Lord Kaims, 
in his Elements of Criticifm- a by Gerard, in his 
EJfay on ’Tajle ; and indeed, by many others, 
who have profefledly treated on this fubjedt. 
It may, perhaps, be the prevailing and popular 
opinion of the prefent day. But are we thence 
to conclude, that it is founded in truth ? Doc¬ 
trines are fometimes falhioned “ to the varying 
* The Paper here alluded to has been publifhed, fiuce 
it was read to the Society, in the volume of Moral Differ » 
tations, by T. Percival, M, D. &c» 
hour i” 
