the Influence of tafle on Morals. 239 
was not luft; their good nature, oftentation ; their 
dignity, pride; and their fenfe, cunning.” 
From thefe, and numberlefs inftances of refined 
depravity, which modern times will furniffi, one 
might almoft be tempted to conclude, that the 
effeCts of tafte are fo far from being favourable 
to virtue, that they have rather a pernicious ten¬ 
dency. But I mean not to bring fuch a heavy 
charge againft a faculty, which, connected with 
reafon and religion, will, doubtlefs, enlarge the 
fphere of our innocent enjoyments. I wifh only 
to difprove the affirmative of the propofition, 
and fhew, that tafte cannot reafonably be con- 
fidered as a moral principle of action : that, un- 
affifted by reafon and good fenfe, it becomes fub- 
fervient to the purpofes of folly and extravagance; 
and that, connected with a bafe and fenfual heart, 
it unhappily ferves to embellifh guilt, and glofs 
over the deformity of vice. 
Let tafte, however, be cultivated, as thefource 
of many elegant pleafures: but let it ever be 
cultivated, in fubordination to found morality. 
Tafte can ill fupply the want of moral difeipline. 
Where there is no fuperior principle, to check, 
the aflaults of an alluring temptation, the heart 
muft fall an eafy prey. A truly virtuous cha¬ 
racter, fet off by a juft tafte, is not only engag¬ 
ing, but even beneficial to mankind : while, on 
the contrary, a vicious character, however dif- 
tinguilhed for tafte and elegance, becomes only, 
the 
