194 GRECIAN AND GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. 0£l. I9, 



That fome natural objefls are in themfelves more 

 beautiful than others will fcarcely be denied, even by 

 the mod fccptical reafoners. I fliould not think it pof- 

 lible, for example, if a toad and a peacock were 

 prefented together, that any human being could be 

 found, who would not at once, and without hefitation, 

 admit that the peacock was the moft beautiful objedl 

 of the two. This example, if the fact be admitted as 

 here ftai.ed, would feem to prove that there is fomc 

 univerfal llandard, or criterion of beauty, altogether 

 independent of fancy, falhion, or caprice ; fmce it is 

 fuppofed that all mankind agree in one uniform deci- 

 fion. In this, however, as in many other cafes, though 

 the oppofite extremes be clearly dilllnguilliable from 

 each other, yet where they deviate, even but a little 

 from the extremes, the diftinclion becomes lefs appa- 

 rent, and foon is loft in confufion. We are thus led to 

 believe, that if there be a real llandard for beauty, that 

 Itandard is of a nature which cannot be eafily recog- 

 Txifed. Even in regard to natural objecls men will 

 differ -, but in refpedl: to artifcial objefts, this diverfity 

 oi opinion is fo great, and fo liable to perpetual fluftu- 

 ;ition and changes, that an attentive obfervcr finds him- 

 ielf at a lofs to form any decided judgment whatever. 

 It is foimd by experience that long habit reconciles us 

 to fafhion in drefs, fo entirely, as to make us think, in 

 lime, a thing is extremely elegant and becoming, which 

 at the firfl: appeared ridiculous and difgulting, and 

 which, in a fl\crt time, we again ridicule as frightful 

 and autiquaked. Should any one afk why tlie prcfent 

 fafhion is beautiful beyond others, abundance of rea- 

 fons would be affigned, which would for the moft part 

 fatisfy the perfon who adduce<l them •, nor would he 

 be at a lofs to turn into ridicule tlie abfurdity of the tafte 

 of thofe who preceded him. But this is only a proof of the 

 verfatility of the human genius, ;ind the art by which 

 felf-love impofes on the human mind. So omnipotent is 

 the power of habit, in regard to this particular, and' fo 



