On Genius. 379 
the nursling of Melpomene (d) had wandered 
through the pathless haunts of the Muses, 
untrodden as yet by human foot: and spurn- 
ing the withered garlands, which had been 
soiled in other hands, had culled a wreath 
for his brow of fresh flowers, still dripping 
with the dews and fragrant with the sweets of 
Castaly.(e) 
Wherever then we apply to a writer or an 
artist of any description the term Genius—if 
we analyze the impression, which the word 
leaves upen the mind; we shall find it, I 
apprehend, involve the idea of the three cir- 
cumstances before enumerated ; vividness of 
conception; enthusiasm of purpose; and ori- 
ginality, or what may be called freshness of 
sentiment, which is occasioned by his mind’s: 
perpetually discovering new relations between 
its ideas, and which awakens, in its expres- 
sion, a peculiar interest and delight. ‘The 
man of Genius, if we may judge by the 
transcript which he gives of his impressions, 
looks at nature, as we may say, with an eye 
of his own. He surveys every object, under 
the influence of some reigning association, 
which gives an individuality of character to 
his mind; and not through the medium of 
(d@) Hor. Carm. IV. 3 (e) Lneret.. IV. 1—5, 
