374 On Genius. 
ances, is decidedly opposed. Certain traces 
of originality, earnestness and vigour, in an 
individual’s mode of thinking or acting, seem 
to indicate something of a superior nature in 
the very structure of his mind; and however 
vague the language of people on this subject 
may usually be, we shall find, I apprehend, 
upon examination, there are some peculiar 
qualities of mind understood in every cha- 
racter to which the term Genius is applied. 
To point out these peculiar qualities of 
mind, to collect them into one view, and 
enquire whether they cannot be resolved into 
some common and fundamental principle, is 
the object proposed in the following Essay. 
Here a difficulty meets us at the outset. 
What is meant, it will beasked, by Genius? 
a word, it must be admitted, which excites 
no very distinct ideain the mind. But, in 
fact, the subject to be investigated is of so 
vague a nature, that we shall be under the 
necessity of using, for some time, a term 
which we cannot previously define, and the 
meaning of which will then only become pre- 
cise and distinct, when we have pursued it, 
like the unknown quantities of the algebraist, 
through various forms and changes, and 
brought our examination to a close. 
