464 Pktfurcfrem rifible Qbjefts, &V. [Book X*. 



The pleafure afforded by rifible objefls * is not 

 that tranquil pleafure which arifcs from the con- 

 templation of beauty, neither is it pure or unmixed 

 pleafure. Contempt, or fome painful paffion, is ge- 

 nerally in fome degree compounded with the rifible 

 idea. 



The primary conitituents of beauty feem all of them 

 to be fuch as promote gentle agitation, and thus in- 

 creafe our fenfe of life. Such are, ift, Lively colours, 

 where they are not fo ftrong, or the application fo con- 

 tinued, as to produce p^i j-. The young man couched 

 by Chefelden thought fcarlet the mod beautiful co- 

 lour, and of others the gayeft gave him moft pleafure* 

 The firft time he faw black it gave him great uneafi- 

 nefs J. idly, Variety and contrafts of colours, where 

 the tranfition is lively, without being too abrupt. 'Fe- 

 males of tafte make much ufe of this principle in the 

 choice of their ornaments of drefs. jdly, Certain 

 founds and combinations of them, analogous to thole 



* RifibiKty is often productive of pleafure, as are fome other af- 

 feftions which have no relation to what is called beautiful. Beauty 

 feems mofl properly applied to a pleafmg idea excited by> fome ex- 

 ternal objeft ; but molt frequently our ideas of beauty arife from, 

 afibciations, as the fenfe of propriety, eafe, &c. &c. 



f- " It is evident that gay colours, cf all kinds, are a principal 

 fource of pleafure to young children ; and they feem tt llrike them 

 more particularly, when mixed together in various ways." Hartley 

 pn Man, Prop. 22. 



" In adults the pleafure? of colours are very languid in com. 

 parifon of their prefent aggregates of pleafure formed by ailbcia- 

 tion. Ibid. 



Green, the middle colour of the feven primary ones, is moft 

 grateful. 



J Chefelden's Anatomy, p. 301. The boy couched by ChefeU 

 den was mofl pleafed with red, perhaps, becaufc it was the com-, 

 pleteft exertion of his newly acquired faculty. He dreaded black* 

 probably, becaufe it reftored him to his former ilate, and was in 

 (kfl a partial negation of fenfe, 



Of 



