lively, and diftinft difcerning of all the
beauty, truth, and juftnefs of the thoughts
and exprefiions, which compofe a difcourfe.
It diftinguiihes what is conformable to elo-
quence and propriety in every character,
and fuitable in different circumltances. And
whilft, with a delicate and exquifite fagaci-
ty, it notes the graces, turns, manners, and
e'xpreffions mofl; likely to pleafe, it perceives
alfo all the defedts which produce the con



fand different forms, in profe or verfe,
a declamatory or concife, fublime or fim-
ple, jocofe or ferious ftyle, 'tis always the
fame, and carries with it a certain cha-
rafter of the true and natural, immediatehii
perceived by all perfons of judgment. We :
cannot fay the ftyle of Terence, Phasdrus,
Salluft, Csefar, TuUy, Livy, Virgin, and
Horace, is the fame. And yet they hav«
all, if I may be allowed the expreffion, a
certain tindlure of a common fpirit, which
in that diverfity of genius and ftyle make*
an affinity between them, and a fenfible dif-
ference alfo betwixt them and the other
writers, v/ho have not the ftamp of the beft
age of antiquity upon them.

I have already faid, that this diftinguifh-
ing faculty was a kind of natural reafqn
wrought up to perfeftion by ftudy. la
reality all men bring the firft principles of
tafte with them into the world, as well as
thofe of rhetoric and logic. As a proof of
this, we may urge, that every good orator
is almoft always infallibly approved of by
the people, and that there is no difference



trary effeft, and diftmguifhes precifely ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ fentiment upon this point, as
wherem thofe defeds confift, and how far ^uUy obfcrves, between the ignorant and
they are removed from the ftnct rules ot jj^g learned.



art, and the real beauties of nature.

This happy faculty, which it is more eafy
to conceive than define, is lefs the effeft of
genius than judgment, and a kind of natu-
ral reafon wrought up to perfeftion by
ftudy. It ferves in compofition to guide
and'direft the underftanding. It makes ufe



The cafe is the fame with mufic and paint-
ing. A concert that has all its parts well
compofed and well executed, both as to in-
ftruments and voices, pleafes univerfally.
But if any difcord arifes, any ill tone of
voice be intermixed, it (hall difpleafe even
thofe who are abfolutely ignorant of mufic,



?L?l"^^^!"!"f^„i.^".^''-'_^^°?i.^!l™'"'"^ They know not what it is that offends them.

but they find fomewhat grating in it to



to it, and keeps it always in fubjedion. It
confults nature univerfally, follows it ftep
by ftep, and is a faithful image of it. Re-
ferved and fparing in the midft of abun-
dance and riches, it dlfpenfes the beauties
and graces of difcourfe with temper and
wifdom. It never fuffers itfelf to be daz-
zled with falftiood, hew glittering a figure
foever it m-ay make. 'Tis equally offended
with too much and too little. It knows
precifely where it muft ftop, and cuts off,
without regret or mercy, v/hatever exceeds
the beautiliil and perfeft. 'Tis the want
of this quality which occafions the various
fpecies of bad ftyle; as bombaft, conceit,
and witticifm ; in which, as Quintilian fiys,
the genius is void of judgment, and fuffers
itfelf to be carried away with an appear-
ance of beauty, qnoties ingeminn judkio carets
\J fpecie honi fallitur.



their ears. And this proceeds from the tafte
and fenfe of harmony implanted in them by
nature. In like manner, a fine pifture
charms and tranfports a fpeftator, who has
no idea of painting. Alk him what pleafes
him, and why it pleafes him, and he can-
not eafily give an account, or fpecify the
real reafons; but natural fentiment works
almoft the fame effed in him as art and ufe
in connoiffeurs.

The like obfervation will hold good as to
the tafte we are here fpeaking of. Moft men
have the firft principles of it in themfelves,
though in the greater part of them they
lie dormant in a manner, for want of in-
ftruflion or refledlon; as they are often
ftifled or corrupted by a vicious education,
bad cuftoms, or reigning prejudices of the
age and couoiry.

But



Book II. CLASSICAL AND HISTORICAL. 421



But how depraved foever the tafte may
!be, it is never abfolutely loft. There are
ceitain fixed remains of it, deeply rooted
in the underftanding, wherein all men agree.
Where thefe fecret feeds are cultivated with
care, they may be carried to a far greater
, 'height of perfedion. And if it fo happens,
'jthat any frefh light awakens thefe lirlt no-
Itions, and renders the mind attentive to ihe
lirnmiitable rules of truth and beauty, fo as
|to difcover the natural and neceffary con-
'jfeqliences of them, and ferves at the fame
Itime for a model to facilitate the applica-
tion of them; we generally fee, that men of
the beft fenfe gladly caft off their ancient
[errors, corred the miftakes of their former
.judgments, and return to the juftnefs, and
idelicacy, which are the efFeds of a refined
itaite, and by degrees draw others after them
linto the fame way of thinking.

•To be convinced of this, we need only
.look upon the fuccefs of certain great ora-
itors and celebrated authors, who, by their
jnatural talents, have recalled thefe primitive
jideas, and given frefh life to thefe feeds,
'which lie concealed in the mind of every
man. In a little time they united the voices
'of thofe who made the beft ufe of their
reafon, in their favour; and foon after
gained the applaufe of every age and con-
idition, both ignorant and learned. It would
'be eafy to point out amongft us the date of
the good tafte, which now reigns in all
.arts and fciences, and by tracing each up to
iits original, we ftiould fee that a fmall num-
iber of men of genius have acquired the na-
i:ion this glory and advantage.

Even thofe who live in the politer ages,
iviihoLit any application to learning or ftudy,
jio not fail to gain fome tincture of the
JDrevailing good tafte which has a ftiare,
j.vithout their perceiving it themfelves, in
[:heir converfation, letters, and behaviour.
There are few of our foldiers at prefent,
A'ho would not write more correftly and
ileoantly than Ville-Hardouin, and the
other officers v/ho lived in a ruder and rriore
JDarbarous age.

I From what I have faid, we may conclude,
}:hat rules and precepts may be laid down
or the improvement of this difcerning fa-
;ulty; and I cannot perceive why Quinti-
ian, who juftly fets fuch a value upon it,
Tiould fay that it is no more to be obtained
3y art than the tafte or fmell ; Non magis
irte tmditur, qua?n gujlus a7/t odor; unlefs
le meant, that fome perfons are fo ftupid.
Old have fo little ufe of their judgment, as



might tempt one to believe, that it was ia
reahty the gift of nature alone.

Neither do I think that Quintilian is abfo-
lutely in the right in the inftance he produces,
at leaft with refped to tafte. We need only
imagine what pafles in certain nations, in
which long cuftom has introduced a fond-
ncfs for certain odd and extravagant difties.
They readily commend good liquors, ele-
gant food, and good cookery. They foon
learn to difcern the delicacy of the feafon-
ing, Mdien a Ikilful mafter in that way has
pointed it out to them, and to prefer it to
the groffnefs of their former diet. When I
talk thus, I would not be undcrllood to think
thofe nations had great caufe to complain for
the want of knowledge and ability in wliat is
become fo fatal to us. But we may judge
from hence the refemblance there is between
the tafte of the body and mind, and how
proper the firft is to defcribe the charac-
ters of the fccond.

The good tafte we fpeak of, which is that
of literature, is not limited to what we call
the fciences, but extends itfelf impercepti-
bly to other arts, fuch as architedure, paint-
ing, fculpturc, and mufic. 'Tis the fame
difcerning faculty which introduces univer-
fally the fame elegance, the fame fymmetry,
and the fame order in the difpofition of the
parts ; which inclines us to a noble fimpli-
city, to natural beauti.s, and a judicious
choice of ornaments. On the other hand, the
depravation of tafte in arts has been always
a mark and confequence of the depravation
of tafte in literature. The heavy, confuf-
ed, and grofs ornaments of the old Go-
thic buildings, placed ufuiilly without ele-
gance, contrary to all good rules,- and out
of all true proportions, were the image
of the writings of the authors of the fame
age.

The good tafte of literature reaches alfo
to public c'.iftoms and the manner oHiving.
An habit of confulting the beft ruks upon
one fubjed, naturally 1" ids to the doing it
alfo upon others, Paulus /Einilius, whofe
genius was in univerfuliy fr.tenfive, having
made a great feaft fur 'he entfrtainment of
all Greece upon the conqu:ft of Macedon,
and obferving that his gueli:: loooked upon
it as concluded with more elegance and art
than might be expeded from a foldier, told
rhem they were much in the v/rong to be
furprifed at it; for the fame genius which
taught how to draw up an army to advan-
tage, naturally pointed out the proper difpo-
fition of a table.
E e 3 But



ELEGANT EXTRACTS,



Book 11*^



420

was the native and original country of the Tafte, fimplc and uniform in its princi-

graces and fine arts. But I fhould be very pie, is varied and multiplied an infinite

uajuft, if I did not make my chief ac- number of ways, yet fo as under a thou-

knowledgments where they are more pecu- fand different forms, in profe or verfe, in

liarly due. If your modefty will not fuffer a declamatory or concife, fublime or fim-

me to draw that pifture from which I bor- pie, jocofe or ferious ftyle, 'tis always the



rowed my ideas of elegance, I am bound
at leaft, in honefly, to difclaim every me-
rit but that of copying from a bright ori-
ginal. ^Jker.



fame, and carries with it a certain cha-
rafter of the true and natural, immediatelyi



^ 232. General RefieBions^ Jipon ivhatis
called Good Tajte.
Lett res.



perceived by all perfons of judgment
cannot fay the ftyle of Terence, Phaedrus,
Salluft, Cjefar, Tully, Livy, VirgiK, and
Horace, is the fame. And yet they hav«
From Rollin's Belles all, if 1 may be allowed the expreflion, a
certain tindlure of a common fpirit, which
in that diverfity of genius and ftyle makes
Tafte, as it now falls under our confider- ^^ ^^^^^^ between them, and a fenfible dif-
ation, that IS, with reference to the reading (^^^^ce alfo betwixt them and the other
of authors and tompofition, is a clear, vvriters, v/ho have not the ftamp of the beft
lively, and diftinft difcermng of all the age of antiquity upon them,
beauty, truth, andjuftnefs of the thoughts j h^^^ ^i.^^^y f^j^^ ^^at this diftinguifli-
and expreffions, which compofc a difcourfe. -^^^ f^^^^^^y ^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^f j^^^^j^l ^^^(^j^
It diftinguifhes what is conformable to elo- wrought up to perfeftion by ftudy. In
quence and propriety in every cnaracler, reality all men bring the firft principles of



and fuitable in different circumtlances. And
whilft, with a delicate and exquifite fagaci-
ty, it notes the graces, turns, manners, and
e'xprefllcns moft likely to pleafe, it perceives
alfo all the defefts which produce the con-
trary effecT:, and diftinguifnes precifely
wherein thofe defefts confift, and how
they are removed from the ftrift rules of
art, and the real beauties of nature.

This happy faculty, which it is more eafy
to conceive than define, is lefs the effeft of
genius than judgment, and a kind of natu-
ral reafon wrought up to perfeftion by
ftudy. It ferves in compofition to guide
and direft the underftanding. It makes ufe



tafte with them into the world, as well as
thofe of rhetoric and logic. As a proof of
this, we may urge, that every good orator



is almoft always infallibly approved of by

the people, and that there is no difference

'P of tafte and fentiment upon this point, as

*^^ Tully obferves, between the ignorant and

the learned.

The cafe is the fame with mufic and paint-
ing. A concert that has all its parts well
compofed and well executed, both as to in-
ftruments and voices, pleafes univerfally.
But if any difcord arifes, any ill tone of
voice be intermixed, it ftiall difpleafe even
thofe who are abfolutely ignorant of mufic.



oftheimagmation, but without fubmitting They know not what it' is that offends them,

to It and keeps it always in fubjeftion. It ^ut they find fomewhat grating in it to

confults nature univerfally, follows it ftep ^heir ears. And this proceeds from the tafte

byftep, and IS a faithful image of It Re- and fenfe of harmonv implanted in them by

ferved and fparing in the midif of abun- ^^^^^^^^ j^ u^g ^^^^/^^ ^ f^^^ -^^^

dance and riches it difpenfes the beauties ^^arms and tranfports a fpeftator, who has

and graces of difcourfe with temper and no idea of painting. Afk him what pleafes

'^'^^"^•u }\^^'^' ^^''' • -'^ '/'^' him, and why it pleafes him, and he can-

zled with falftiood, hew guttering a figure ^^^ ^^^^j j^^ an account, or fpecify the

foeverit may make. Tis_equally offended _,.. ^^ V f^ , . rendment works



with too much and too little. It knows
precifely where It muft ftop, and cuts off,
without regret or mercy, whatever exceeds
the beautiihl and perfeft. 'Tis the want
of this .quality which occafions the various
fpecies of bad ftyle; as bombaft, conceit,
and witticifm ; in which, as Quintiiian fliys,
the genius is void of judgment, and fuflers
itfelf to be carried away with an appear-
ance of beauty, qjioties ingenhim judkk caret,
^ ^f (•"«' honi fallitur^



real reafonsj but natural fentiment works
almoft the fame effeft in him as art and ufe
in connoiffeurs.

The like obfervation will hold good as to
the tafte we are here fpeaking of. Moft men
have the firft principles of it in themfelves,
though in the greater part of them tbiey
lie dormant in a manner, for want of in-
ftruftion or refleftlon; as they are often
ftifled or corrupted by a vicious education,
bad cuftoms, or reigning prejudices of the
age and couotry.

But



Book II. CLASSICAL AND HISTORICAL.



But how depraved foever the tafte may-
be, it is never abfolutely loft. There are
certain fixed remains of it, deeply rooted
""iin the imderftanding, wherein all men agree.
'IWhere thefe fecret feeds are cultivated with
f'care, they may be carried to a far greater
1, [height of perfedion. And if it fo happens,
â– ' I that any frelh light awakens thefe firlt no-
tions, and renders the mind attentive to the
immutable rules of truth and beauty, fo as
to difcover the natural and necefl'ary con-
fequences of them, and ferves at the fame
; time for a model to facilitate the applica-
'jtion of them; we generally fee, that men of
'||the beft fenfe gladly caft off their ancient
lerrors, corred the miftakes of their former
Ijudgments, and return to the juftnefs, and
1 delicacy, which are the effefts of a refined
ij tafte, and by degrees draw others after them
into the fame way of thinking.

â– To be convinced of this, we need only
look upon the fuccefs of certain great ora-
tors and celebrated authors, who, by their
jnatural talents, have recalled thefe primitive
ideas, and given frefh life to thefe feeds,
which lie concealed in the mind of every
man. In a little time they united the voices
of thofe who made the beft ufe of their
reafon, in their favour ; and foon after
gained the applaufe of every age and con-
dition, both ignorant and learned. It would
be eafy to point out araongft us the date of
the good tafte, which now reigns in all
arts and fciences, and by tracing each up to
its original, we fhould fee that a fmall num-
ber of men of genius have acquired the na-
tion this glory and advantage.

Even thofe who live in the politer ages,
without any application to learning or ftudy,
do not fail to gain fome tindure of the
prevailing good tafte which has a fhare,
without their perceiving it themfelves, in
their converfation, letters, and behaviour.
There are few of our foldiers at prefent,
who would not write more correftly and
elegantly than Ville-Hardouin, and the
other officers v/ho lived in a ruder and niore
barbarous age.

From what I have faid, we may conclude,
that rules and precepts may be laid down
for the improvement of this difcerning fa-
culty; and I carmot perceive why Qainti-
lian, who juftly fets fuch a value upon it,
Ihould fay that it is no more to be obtained
by art than the tafte or fmell ; Non magh
arte traditur, qunm gvfius aut odor; unlefs
he meant, that fome perfons are fo ftupid,
and have fo little ufe of their judgment, as



421

might tempt one to believe, that it was in
reality the gift of nature alone.

Neither do I think that Quintilian is abfo-
lutely in the right in the inftance he produces,
at leaft with refped to tafte. We need only
imagine what pafles in certain nations, in
which long cuftom has introduced a fond-
ncfs for certain odd and extravagant difties.
They readily commend good liquors, ele-
gant food, and good cookery. They foon
learn to difcern the delicacy of the feafon-
ing, when a Ikilful mafter in that v/ay has
pointed it out to them, and to prefer it to
the groflnefs of their former diet. When I
talk thus, I would not be und^rilood to think
thofe nations had great caufe to complain for
the want of knowledge andability in what is
become fo fatal to us. But we may judge
from hence the refemblance there is between
the tafte of the body and mind, and how
proper the firft is to defcribe the charac-
ters of the fccond.

The good tafte we fpeak of, which is that
of literature, is not limited to what we call
the fciences, but extends itfelf impercepti-
bly to other arts, fuch as architedture, paint-
ing, fculpturc, and mufic. 'Tis the fame
difcerning faculty which introduces univer-
fally the fame elegance, the fame fymmetry,
and the fame order in the difpofition of the
parts ; which inclines us to a noble fimpli-
city, to natural beauths, and a judicious
choice of ornaments. On the other hand, the
depravation of tafte in arts has been always
a mark and confequence of the depravation
of tafte in literature. The heavy, confuf-
ed, and grofs ornaments of the old Go-
thic buildings, placed ufually without ele-
gance, contrary to all good rules, and out
of dl true proportions, were the image
of the vvricings of the authors of the fame
age.^

The good tafte of literature reaches alfb
to public ciiftoms and the manner of living.
An habic of confulting the beft ruics upon
one fuojed, npturally 1 â–  tds to the doing it
alfo upon others, Paulus .^ilmilius, whofe
genius was {o univerfuhy e:.tenrive, having
made a great feaft fur ''"e entertainment of
all Greece upon the conquift of Macedon,
and obfcrving that his gueit^ loooked upon
it as concluded with more elegance and art
than might be expe(^ted from a foldier, told
them they were much in tlie wrong to be
furprifed at it ; for the fame genius which
taught how to drav/ up an army to advan-
tage, naturally pointed out the proper difpo-
fition of a table.
E e 3 But



422



ELEGANT EXTRACTS,



Book II*?1|



But by a ftrange, though frequent revolu-
tion, which is one great proof of the weak-
refs, or rather the corruption of human un-
derftanding, this very delicacy and elegance,
which the good tafte of literature and elo-
Quence ufually introduces into common life,
for buildings for inftance and entertain-
ments, coming by little and little to dege-
nerate into excefs and luxury, introduces in
its turn the bad tafte in literature and elo-
quence. This Seneca informs us,_ in a very
ingenious manner, in one of his epiftles,
where he feems to have drawn a good de-
fcription of himfelf, though he did not per-
ceive it.

One of his friends had afked him,
whence the alteration could poflibly arife
which was fometimes obfervable in elo-
quence, and which carried moft people into
certain general faults; fuch as the affeda-
tion of bold and extravagant figures, meta-
phors ftruck off without meafure or caution,
•fentences fo fhort and abrupt, that they left
people rather to guefs what they meant, than
conveyed a meaning.

Seneca anfwers this queftion by a com-
mon proverb among the Greeks; " As is
their life, fo is their difcourfe," Talis homi-
iiibus fnit oratio, quahs njita. As a private
perfon lets us into his chara6ter by his dif-
courfe, fo the reigning ftyle is oft an image
of the public manners. The heart carries
the underftanding away with it, and com-
municates its vices to it, as well as its vir-
tues. When men ftrive to be diftinguifhed
from the reft of the world by novelty, and
refinement in their furniture, buildings, and
entertainments, and a ftudious fearch after
every thing that is not In common ufe; the
fame tafte will prevail in eloquence, and
introduce novelty and irregularity there.
When the mind is once accuftomed to de-
fpife rules in manners, it will not follow
them in ftyle. Nothing will then go down
but what ftrikes by its being new and glar-
ing, extraordinary and affedted. Trifling
and childifti thoughts will take place of
fuch as are bold and overftrained to an ex-
cefs. We fliall affed a lleek and florid
ftyle, and an elocution pompous indeed,
but with little more than mere found
in it.

And this fort of faults



copy after him, and his ftyle becomes the
rule and model of the public tafte.

As then luxury in diet and drefs is a
plain indication that the manners are not
under fo good a regulatisn as they fliould,
be ; fo a licentioufnefs of ftyle, when it be-
comes public and general, ftiews evidently
a depravation and corruption of the unde^^
ftandings of mankind.

To remedy this evil, and reform the !
thoughts and expreffions ufed in ftj^le, it
will be requifite to cleanfe the fpring from
whence they proceed. 'Tis the mind that
muft be cured. When that is found and
vigorous, eloquence will be fo too ; but it
becomes feeble and languid when the mind
is enfeebled and enervated by pleafures and
delights. In a word, it is the mind which
prefides, and directs, and gives motion to
the whole, and all the reft follows its im-
preifions.

He has obferved elfewhere, that a ftyle
too ftudied and far-fetched is a mark of
a little genius. He would have an orator,
efpecially when upon a grave and ferious
fubjeft, be lefs curious about words, and
the manner of placing them, than of his
matter, and the choice of his thoughts.
When you fee a difcourfe laboured and
poliftied with fo much carefulnefs and ftudy,
you may conclude, fays he, that it comes
from a mean capacity, that bufies itfelf in
trifles. A writer of great genius will not
ftand for fuch minute things. He thinks
and fpeaks with more noblenefs and gran-
deur, and we may difcern, in all he fays, a
certain eafy and natural air, which argues a
man of real riches, who does not endeavour
to appear fo. He then compares this florid
prinked eloquence to young people curled
out and powdered, and continually before
their glafs and the toilet: Barha et coma
niHdos, de capjula totos. Nothing great and
folid can be expeded from fuch charaders.
So alfo with orators. The difcourfe is in
a manner the vifage of the mind. If it is
decked out, tricked up, and painted, it is
a fign there is fome defe<5l in the mind, and
all is not found within. So much finery,
difplaycd with fuch art and ftudy, is not the,
proper ornament of eloquence. Non eji or*
Tiamentum 'virile^ concinnitq.!.

Who would not think, upon hearing S»-



generaUy the .._ ..__, _j. ^ .

effeft of a fingle man's example, who, hav- neca talk thus, that he was a declared enemy



jng gained reputation enough to be followed
by the multitude, fets up for a mafter, and
gives the ftrain to others. 'Tis thought
honourable to imitate him, to obferve and



of bad tafte, and that no one was more
capable of oppofing and preventing it than
he ? And yet it was he, more than any other,
that contributed tq the depravatioii of tafte*

and



Book II.



CLASSICAL AND HISTORICAL.



'â–  land corruption of eloquence. I fhall take
!Occafion to fpeak upon this fubjeft in ano-
^> Ither place, and ftiall do it the more freely,
'"' I as there is caufe to fear left the bad tafte
'"^ for bright thoughts, and turns of expref-

* |fion, which is properly the charafter of Se-
'/ : neca, fhould prevail in our own age. And

* (I queftion whether this be not a mark and
[prefage of the ruin of eloquence we are

« I threatened with, as the immoderate luxury

it [that now reigns more than ever, and the

" I almoft general decay of good manners, are

i'l ! perhaps alfo the fatal harbingers of it,