On Genius. 397 
felt before they can be excited, and which 
are founded on our original capacity of plea- 
sure and pain. ‘There is nothing artificial 
and elaborate in the productions of real Ge- 
niuses; their writings, like their characters, 
usually combine grandeur of conception and 
oftiness of purpose, with a playful gentleness 
of manner and a dignified simplicity of ex- 
pression. On minor points, men thus highly 
gifted may differ from each other ; but where 
the great questions of human weal and woe 
are concerned—where the generous and ex- 
alted emotions of the heart are interested— 
there, if we may judge by their writings, 
they cordially unite in one common sympa- 
thy—in one universal sentiment. On_ occa- 
sions like these, they seem borne by the native 
buoyancy of their etherial spirits above the 
vulgar prejudices and sordid passions of the 
crowd into a purer element of noble and vir- 
tuous enthusiasm. 
Ignea convexi vis et sine pondere ceeli 
Emicuit, summaque locum sibi legit in arce. (n) 
The hypothesis, which we have now stated, 
seems easily to account for that original dif- 
ference of mental constitution, which sub- 
sists amongst men, and which no education 
(n) Ovid. Metam, I. 26, 
