Puslapio vaizdai
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term, as well as for the distinction of the character, and likewise to point out the reasons, why roughness, sudden deviation, and irregularity, are in a more peculiar manner suited to the painter, than the opposite, and more popular qualities of smoothness, undulation, and symmetry; and to shew that the picturesque may justly claim a title taken from the art of painting, without having an exclusive reference to it.

If it be true with respect to landscape, that a scene may, and often does exist, in which the qualities of the picturesque, almost exclusively of those of grandeur and of beauty, prevail; and that persons unacquainted with pictures, either take no interest in such scenes, or even think them ugly, while painters, and lovers of painting, study and admire them: if, on the other hand, a scene may equally exist, in which, as far as the nature of the case will allow, the qualities assigned to the beautiful are alone admitted, and from which those of the picturesque are no less studiously excluded, and that such a scene will at once

give delight to every spectator, to the painter no less than all others, and will, by all, without hesitation, be called beautiful*: if this be true, yet still no distinction of character be allowed to exist-what is it, then, which does create a distinction between any two characters? That I shall now wish to examine; and as the right of the picturesque to a character of its own is called in question, I shall do what is very usual in similar cases, inquire into the right of other characters, whose distinction has hitherto been unquestioned: not for the sake of disputing their right, but of establishing that of the picturesque, by shewing on how much stronger and broader foundations it has been built.

Envy, and Revenge, are by all acknowledged to be distinct characters; nay both of them, as well as many of our better affections, have been so often personified by poets, and imbodied by painters and sculptors, that we have as little doubt of their distinct figurative exist

* Letter to Mr. Repton, page 137.

ence, as of the real existence of any of our acquaintance, and almost know them

as readily. But from what does their distinction arise?-from their general effect on the mind? Certainly not; for their general effect, that which is common to them both, and to others of the same class, is illwill towards the several objects on which they are exercised: just as the general effect of the sublime, of the beautiful, and of the picturesque, is delight or pleasure of some kind to the eye, to the imagination, or to both. It appears, therefore, from this instance, (and I am inclined to think it universally true) that distinction of character does not arise from general effects, but that we must seek for its origin in particular causes; I am also persuaded, that it is from having pursued the opposite method of reasoning, that the distinction between the beautiful and the picturesque has been denied. The truth of these two positions will be much more evident, if it should be shewn, that the causes of envy and revenge

no less plainly mark a distinction than their general effect, if singly considered, would imply a unity of character. The cause of envy, is the merit, reputation, or good fortune of others; that of revenge, an injury received. These seem to me their most obvious and striking causes, and certainly sufficient to distinguish them from each other: but let the most acute metaphysician place in one point of view, whatever may in any way mark the boundaries which separate them; then let his distinctions be compared with those which I have stated to exist between the beautiful and the picturesque, and if they be not more clear, and more strongly marked, why should they have a privilege which is denied to mine?

It has been argued by some, that the sublime, as well as the picturesque, is included in the beautiful; that such distinctions as Mr. Burke and myself have made, are too minute, and refined; and that the picturesque especially, is only a mode of

beauty*. What then are envy and revenge? are they in a less degree modes of hatred? Yet those who are most averse to any distinctions in the other case, would hardly object to it in this, or venture to say that all the useful purposes of language would be answered, if there were only one term, to express every different mode of illwill towards our fellow-creatures. In the usual progress of society towards refinement, as new distinctions arise, new terms are invented; and it is in a great measure from their abundance, or their scarcity, that the richness, or the poverty of any language is estimated, while its precision no less depends on the accuracy with which they are employed.

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It may here very naturally be asked, how it could happen that certain distinctions of characters, which, according to my statement, are plain and manifest, should so long have been very inaccurately made out,

*The difference between the general, and the confined sense of beauty, is discussed in my letter to Mr. Repton, page 195.

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