Analysis erf Taste. -l 



of the forms of solid bodies; as when we view a tree, it would other- 

 wise appear to us a flat green surface, but by association of ideas we 

 know it to be a cylindrical stem with round branches. This association 

 of the ideas acquired by the sense of touch with those of vision, we 

 do not allude to in the following observations, but to the agreeable 

 trains or tribes of ideas and sentiments connected with certain kinds 

 of visible objects. 



Sentiment of Beauty. 



Of these catenations of sentiments with visible objects, the first is 

 the sentiment of Beauty or Loveliness; which is suggested by easy- 

 flowing curvatures of surface, with smopthness; as is so well illustrated 

 in Mr. Burke's Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful, and in Mr. Ho- 

 garth's analysis of Beauty; a new edition of which is much wanted 

 separate from his other works. 



The sentiment of Beauty appears to be attached from our cradles 

 to the easy curvatures of lines, and smooth surfaces of visible objects, 

 and to have been derived from the form of the female bosom; as 

 spoken of in Zoonomia, Vol. I. Section XVI. on Instinct. 



Sentimental love, as distinguished from the animal passion of that 

 aame, with which it is frequently accompanied, consists in the desire 

 or sensation of beholding, embracing, and saluting, a beautiful 

 object. 



The characteristic of beauty therefore is that it is the object of love; 

 and though many other objects are in common language called beau- 

 tiful, yet they are only called so metaphorically, and ought to be 

 termed agreeable. A Grecian temple may give us the pleasurable 

 idea of sublimity; a Gothic temple may give us the pleasurable idea 

 of variety; and a modern house the pleasurable idea of utility; music 

 and poetry may inspire our love by association of ideas; but none of 

 these, except metaphorically, can be termed beautiful; as we have no 

 wish to embrace or salute them. 



Our perception of beauty consists in our recognition by the sense 

 of vision of those objects, first which have before inspired our love by 



