Chap, ii.] ' Rural Beauties. 467 



man, becaufe from fociety he has derived all his 

 choiceft pleafures j but whether white or black is to be 

 preferred, whether an aquiline or aflat nofe, will, per- 

 haps, depend on early aflbciations to determine. 



The influence of aflbciation over our fenfe of beauty 

 is further obvious in this, that fcarcely any man exifts, 

 who does not annex to particular fets of features good 

 and bad moral ideas j and thefe will probably be drawn 

 from particular perfons. I knew a celebrated painter, 

 whofe beft hiftorical figures all bore fome refemblance 

 to himfelf ; and others have been known, who con- 

 ftantly copied their own wives as the perfection of 

 beauty. 



Rural beauties are fo compounded of the primary 

 constituents of beauty, united with fo many things that 

 gratify our appetites and fenfes, together with many 

 complex pleafures, fuch as fports and paftimes, the 

 amorous pleafures, &c. that it is no wonder thefe, 

 with the encomiums of others, which have always 

 an influence on imitative animals, ftiould make them 

 die almoft unceafing theme of poets. Of the beauties 

 of art I lhall treat in another chapter. 



Hha 



