IS TASTE. 



of longer duration, or the prospect of relief less probable^ 

 the action becomes more and more morally grand and heroic. 

 Let us next imagine, that the comrade, to whose relief the 

 soldier makes this generous sacrifice, is one whose enmity 

 he has formerly experienced on some interesting occasion j 

 and the action is not heroic merely, it is sublime. 



It is in the moral conduct of our fellow men, that the spe- 

 cies of sublimity is to be found, which we most gladly re- 

 cognise, as the character of that glorious nature, which we 

 have received from God, — a character which makes us more 

 erect in mind, than we are in stature, and enables us not to 

 gaze on the heavens merely, but to lift to them our very 

 wishes, and to imitate in some faint degree, and to admire 

 at least, where we cannot imitate, the gracious perfection 

 that dwells there. — Brown. 



Questions. — 1. What illustration is given of the emotions of 

 beauty and subUmity which arise from contemplating the works of 

 nature ? 2. Tlie works of human art ? 3. What is the example for 

 illustrating moral beauty and sublimity ? 



LESSON 10. 



Taste. 



Fhie Arts, the arts generally distinguished by the appellation fine, 

 are poetry, music, painting, sculpture, and engraving, with 

 their several branches. To these may be added architectur« 

 and gardening. 



The word taste has two general significations : one literal 

 or primitive relating to corporeal sensations ; the other figu- 

 rative, referring to mental discernment. This metaphor 

 would not have been so general, had there not been a con- 

 formity between mental taste, and that sensitive taste which 

 gives us a relish of every flavour. The subject of this lesson 

 •j^ mental or intellectual taste. 



Without the emotions of beauty and sublimity, there would 

 be no taste to discern the aptitude of certain means for pro- 

 ducing these emotions. On the other hand, w-ithout the 

 judgment, which discerns this order, in the relations of means 

 and ends, there would be no voluntary adaptation of the 

 groat stores of forms and sounds, and colours, for producing 



