presented on the reduced scale of a pic- 

 ture, than those of grandeur, and are like- 

 wise more familiar, and more immediately 

 obvious to the bulk of mankind : on which 

 Accounts I shall chiefly confine myself to 

 them in the present discussion. These two 

 classes of objects, though so distinct from 

 each other, have one common relation — 

 that of having had at all times a powerful 

 and universal influence ; and in that point 

 of view may be considered as one general 

 division : while another, may in the same 

 manner be formed of those objects which 

 seem to have excited little or no interest 

 or attention, till they were brought into 

 notice, and the principles on which they 

 deserved to excite it, had been pointed out 

 by the revived art of painting, and par- 

 ticularly that of landscape painting. It 

 is well known how vague and licentious a 

 use is made of the word beautiful ; but I 

 think it will be allowed that no qualities 

 so truly accord with our ideas of it, as 

 those which are in a high degree expressive 

 of youth, health and vigour, whether in 



