XXXII.] THE GROUNDS OF THE MORAL NATURE. 61 



eye. Violent contrasts of light and shade, or of colour, are 

 not beautiful, or at least are less beautiful than gradation. 

 The same is true of form as of colour : a mixture of Greek 

 and Gothic details, for instance, would be condemned by 

 those who are best qualified to appreciate the beauty of 

 either alone. Slight changes and gradual transitions, on 

 the contrary, are demanded by the eye. A vast expanse 

 of a single colour, or the endless repetition of a single 

 form, may be beautiful, but its beauty will be of a low 

 order : a mucli higher kind of beauty is due to variety 

 of colour where the masses are not too large, as in the 

 case of flowers among foliage ; and the highest of all 

 beauty of colour is that which is due to the almost imper- 

 ceptibly graduated combinations of tints ih sunset skies. 

 The soundness of these principles is generally admitted. 

 An artistic design in which they are observed cannot fail 

 to have many of the elements of beauty, though it may be 

 commonplace and Unmeaning; while a design in which 

 they are violated can scarcely be beautiful at all. I think 

 it will be generally admitted that these artistic principles 

 are based on our natiiral and instinctive liking for slight 

 changes and dislike of great ones ; and I believe I have 

 shown how these feelings have their roots in the deepest 

 laws of life. 



I have now endeavovired to give an account of the 

 origin of some of those feeKngs which are independently 

 generated in consciousness, and transcend mere sensation. 

 I have successively considered the love of life, the sympa- 

 thetic and social feelings, and so much of the sense of 

 beauty as consists of the love of gradual variety, or 

 variety in unity ; and I have endeavoured to trace them 

 directly to their roots in the nature which we have in Roots of 

 common with all living beings, whether sentient or insen- ?™°ti°^3 

 tient. I do not believe that their origiii is in any way organic 

 traceable to the laws of the association of ideas ; though ^^^* 

 I have no doubt that the laws of association have very 

 much to do with their development, as indeed they have 

 with every mental process whatever. I am, of coiirse, aware 



