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cause of beauty, and has au entire section on that 

 particular point : I imagine, however, that Mr. 

 Burke was there considering the subject with a 

 different view ; for it is clear that, as I have con- 

 sidered it, nothing can more exactly accord with 

 his general principles. Mr. Burke's aim throughout 

 his Essay, is to shew that love is the constant effect 

 of beauty ; while every thing that creates awe, or 

 even respect, is allied to the sublime : he points 

 out that the sublimer virtues, which approach to 

 mental perfection, are less engaging than the softer 

 virtues ; some of which (as compassion, for in- 

 stance,) border upon weakness. It is on this same 

 idea, as [ conceive, that in the section I allude to, 

 he supposes that there may be some kinds of bodily 

 weaknesses and imperfections, more attractive, and 

 thence more conducive to beauty, than the absolute 

 exemption from all defects — 



" The faultless monster which the world ne'er saw," 

 I must own, however, that there is, in my opinion, 

 a very essential difference between the two cases : 

 it is undoubtedly true, that there is an awful se- 

 verity in the higher virtues and in a perfect moral 

 character exempt from all human frailty; but there 

 is nothing severe or awful in the fresh and tender 

 colours, and in the graceful form of youthful beau- 

 ty, however perfect, considered in themselves : the 

 Antinous, and the Venus de Medicis, are only at- 

 tractive ; so, probably, both in form and colour, 

 was the Venus of Apelles : and if the Belvidere 

 Apollo strikes us with a sort of awe, it is from the 



