5 6 On RYTHMICAL MEASURES. 



more perfect in his kind, and more highly improved, than ma- 

 ny who belong to his own fpecies. Accordingly, thefe plea- 

 fures have, in all ages, been fought after with eagernefs. Men 

 of the greater! abilities have employed themfelves in tracing out 

 their nature, inveftigating the different internal fenfes upon 

 which they depend, and difcovering the various objects that 

 are fuited to communicate them. The greateft efforts of hu- 

 man ingenuity have been directed to obtain thefe objects, and 

 to prefent them in their mod perfect fhate. 



Among the internal fenfes upon which thefe pleafures are 

 found greatly to depend, the perception of order and propor- 

 tion feems to have a principal place. Order and proportion are 

 generally difcovered, in a certain degree, in every thing that 

 communicates immediate pleafure, either to our fight or hear- 

 ing. When, from any particular circumftance, they happen 

 not to be perceived, the pleafure is always greatly abated ; in 

 fome cafes it is altogether deftroyed. That fome kind of ar- 

 rangement and proportion of parts is effential to every thing 

 which is accounted beautiful, is generally acknowledged. Lefs 

 doubt can be entertained with regard to the objects of hearing. 

 It is an eftabliflied fact, that no founds can give great pleafure 

 to the ear, unlefs they are related to one another according to 

 certain proportions, and are difpofed in a certain order. It is 

 equally eftablilhed, that when founds in fucceffion are fo re- 

 lated, the pleafure which they afford is very imperfect, unlefs 

 their refpective durations are regulated according to certain 

 meafures. Mankind are greatly diverfified with regard to the 

 power which they poffefs of perceiving thefe relations. Some 

 men have that power in a much higher degree than others. 

 Some men have a very nice perception of thefe relations in one 

 clafs of objects, while they feem to be fcarcely fenfible of them 

 in other claffes. Thefe differences amongft men are undoubt- 

 edly owing in a great meafure, to habit and cultivation. They 



feem, 



