94 Literary and Philosophical Society. 



An attempt to show that a Taste for the Beauties of Nature 

 and the Fine Arts has no influence favourable to Morals. 

 By the Rev. Samuel Hall, A.M. Read May 15, 1782/ 



and extract the following : — 



* The very ingenious author of the " Elements of Criti- 

 cism " tells us, that there is a strong and close affinity 

 between taste and the moral sense. " Taste," says he, " in 

 the fine arts goes hand in hand with the moral sense, to 

 which indeed it is nearly allied." ^ . . . 



' " It is a remarkable circumstance," says Brown in his 

 *' Essay on the Characteristics," that, " in the decline of both 

 the Greek and Roman States, when religion had lost its 

 credit and efficacy, this very taste, this species of philosophy, 

 usurped its place, and became the common study and 

 amusement both of the vile and vulgar " (p. 230). . . . 



' But we are further told, " that a taste for the beautiful 

 scenes of nature, not only composes and harmonises the 

 temper, but disposes the mind to acts of piety and devo- 

 tion, by raising our ideas from nature to nature's God." ^ 

 The thought is pleasing and ingenious, but must not be 

 admitted without many exceptions (p. 233). . . . 



' A taste for elegance was so universally diffused among 

 all ranks of people (in Athens) that even a herb -woman, 

 we are told, could detect a very small deviation from pro- 

 priety of speech."^ Taste could not possibly have a fairer 

 field wherein to display its natural effects. But the 

 history^ of these times and the moral lectures of Socrates 

 sufficiently evince, that the Athenians were a people 



' Vol. i. p. 226. 2 Elevi. Crit. Introduc, p. 7. 



^ Percival on a Taste for the Beauties of Nature. 



* Xenoph. Memorab., passim. ^ Rollin' s, Ancient //istory, vol. iv. 



