268 



of the most ugly and disgusting objects in 

 nature; and yet it is physically impossible, 

 that an exact imitation should .exhibit 

 qualities not existing in its original; but 

 the case is, that in the originals, animal 

 disgust and the nauseating repugnance of 

 appetite, drown and overwhelm every 

 milder pleasure of vision, which a blended 

 variety of mellow and harmonious tints 

 must necessarily produce on the eye, in 

 nature as well as in art* if viewed in both 

 with the same degree of abstracted and 

 impartial attention/' 



" I have listened," said Mr. Seymour, 

 " with much pleasure, for I think there is 

 something very ingenious in this explana- 

 tion ; still, however, I have many doubts 

 and objections. The first is, that when I 

 see that all the parts are ugly, I can hardly 

 bring myself to call the whole beautiful, 

 merely on account of those mellow, har- 

 monious tints you mention : much less can 

 I bring myself to call the parts themselves 

 beautiful, or, (what I find is the same 

 thing) picturesque. Were it true indeed, 



