INTRODUCTION. 7 



beauties or deformities of nature which enables a person at once to 

 decide. 



This subject might be pursued through numerous volumes, until 

 the mind became fatigued, or perhaps bewildered, and still have 

 to regret the object of research remained in obscurity. 



Thus much may be concluded upon the subject, — that taste is a 

 faculty of the human mind as generally diffuse d as any other ; and 

 that it cannot be limited to the refined classes of society, since 

 persons in the humblest stations have discernment to discover, and to 

 be delighted with, the beauties of one subject more than with another ; 

 still their ideas of taste are usually of an uncultivated description, 

 the objects with which they are pleased being of a ruder character 

 than those which are admired by polished and more enlightened 

 minds. This will induce the conclusion, that taste is a faculty 

 capable of improvement by education and elegant associations. 

 Although it is admitted that taste is universal, it is not believed 

 to be possessed in an equal degree by all ; perhaps there is a greater 

 inequality in the distribution of this, than of any other faculty with 

 which the human mind is endowed. Taste is also assisted by what 

 is denominated genius. The term genius is frequently confounded 

 with that of taste ; but, upon investigation, the difference is ob- 

 vious; — taste induces the admiration of any superior work of art, 

 while genius possesses the power of producing it. A person may 



