424 On Genius. 
by his mother to watch the cradle of an in- 
fant. The child smiled in its sleep; and 
young West, smitten with the beauty of the 
expression, seized a pen and endeavoured to 
delineate it upon paper. His attempt was 
eminently successful and warmly applauded ; 
and from the time of this first unassisted essay, 
he continued passionately devoted to the art 
of design. Be it however remembered here, 
that if there beany thing in our nature, which 
deserves the name of instinct, it is the pro- 
pensity to imitate; a propensity, which ad- 
heres to the human being under all cireum- 
stances and is perpetually urging him to try 
his hand, in the rude and simple essays of art. 
The unexpected success of West's first attempt 
at design, combined with the admiration and 
praises of his friends, created in his mind that 
strong association of delight and conscious 
pride with his art, which kindled an undying 
passion for it and prompted him to exeel in it. 
The only circumstance in the original con- 
stitution, which, from the birth, I ean con- 
ceive to have any influence in determining 
the course of the Genius, must be an ex- 
traordinary perfection in some one of the 
senses. Thus a peculiar delicacy of hearing 
may be supposed to preduce a musical com- 
poser; a fineness of sight or touch to make 
