Rev. Air. Hall's Inquiry concerning 
difeafe. Yet he nurfes it with the greateft 
afliduity j fancies himfelf formed of nature’s 
finefl clay; and looks with contempt, on the 
coarfe delights of his fellow-creatures. By de¬ 
grees, he becomes unfit for the common duties 
of life, and is cut off from the bleffings, and 
advantages of focial intercourfe. 
But we need not appeal to a few inftances of 
individuals. The prevailing manners of whole 
nations may be brought in proof, that tafte has 
no influence favourable to virtue. It is fcarcely 
neceffary to remark, that Athens was once the 
feat of learning, tafte, and refinement. The 
liberal arts were cultivated with the greateft care 
and attention, and rofe to a pitch of perfection, 
which has been generally imitated, but never 
excelled. A tafte for elegance was fo univerfally 
diffufed among all ranks of people, that even 
a herb-woman, we are told, could deteCt a very 
fmall deviation from propriety of lpeech.* Tafte 
could not pofiibly have a fairer, field, wherein to 
difplay its natural effeCts. But the hiftory f 
of thofe times, and the moral leCtures of Socrates, 
fufficiently evince, that the Athenians were a 
people, addicted to every kind of fenfual plea- 
fure: at once, refined and voluptuous, licen¬ 
tious and effeminate. 
* Xenoph. Memorab. paffim. 
f Rollin’s Antient Hiftory, vol. IV. 
When 
