THE C

Introduction. On Taste 12

PART I

Section I. Novelty 31 Section II. Pain and Pleasure 32 Section III. The difference between the removal

of Pain and positive Pleasurea 33 Section IV. Of Delight and Pleasure, as opposed

to each other 35 Section V. Joy and Grief 37 Section VI. Of the Passions which belong to Self-

preservation 38 Section VII. Of the Sublime 39 Section VIII. Of the Passions which belong to society 40 Section IX. The final cause of the difference between

the Passions belonging to Self-preservation, and those which regard the Society of the Sexes 41

Section X. Of Beauty 42

Section XI. Society and Solitude 43 Section XII. Sympathy, Imitation, and Ambition 44 Section XIII. Sympathy 44 Section XIV. The effects of Sympathy in the distresses

of others 45 Section XV. Of the effects of Tragedy 46 Section XVI. Imitation 48 Section XVII. Ambition 50 Section XVIII. Recapitulationb 51 Section XIX. The Conclusionc 52

PART II

Section I. Of the Passiond caused by the Sublime 57 Section II. Terror 57 Section III. Obscurity 59 Section IV. Of the difference between Clearness and

Obscurity with regard to the Passions 60 Section [IV.]e The same subject continued 61 Section V. <Power> 64 Section VI. Privation 70 Section VII. Vastness 71 Section VIII. Infinity 73 Section IX. Succession and Uniformity 74 Section X. Magnitudef in Building 76 Section XI. Infinity in pleasing Objects 76 Section XII. Difficulty 77 Section XIII. Magnificence 77 Section XIV. Light 79 Section XV. Light in Building 81

Section XVI. Colour considered as productive of the Sublime 81

Section XVII. Sound and Loudness 82 Section XVIII. Suddenness 83 Section XIX. Intermitting 83 Section XX. The cries of Animals 84 Section XXI. Smell and Taste. Bitters and Stenches 85 Section XXII. Feeling. Pain 86

PART III

Section I. Of Beauty 91 Section II. Proportion not the cause of Beauty

in Vegetables 92 Section III. Proportion not the cause of Beauty

in Animals 95 Section IV. Proportion not the cause of Beauty in the

human species 96 Section V. Proportion further considered 101 Section VI. Fitness not the cause of Beauty 104 Section VII. The real effects of Fitness 107 Section VIII. The Recapitulation 109 Section IX. Perfection not the cause of Beauty 109 Section X. How far the idea of Beauty may be applied to

the qualities of the Mind 110 Section XI. How far the idea of Beauty may

be applied to Virtue 111 Section XII. The real cause of Beauty 112 Section XIII. Beautiful objects small 112 Section XIV. Smoothness 113 Section XV. Gradual Variation 114 Section XVI. Delicacy 115 Section XVII. Beauty in Colour 116 Section XVIII. Recapitulation 117 Section XIX. The Physiognomy 117 117

Section XXII. Grace 119 Section XXIII. Elegance and Speciousness 119 Section XXIV. The Beautiful in Feeling 120 Section XXV. The Beautiful in Sounds 121 Section XXVI. Tasteg and Smell 123 Section XXVII. The Sublime and Beautiful compared 123

PART IV

Section I. Of the efficient cause of the Sublime and Beautiful 127

Section II. Association 128 Section III. Cause of Pain and Fear 129 Section IV. Continued 131 Section V. How the Sublime is produced 132 Section VI. How pain can be a cause of Delight 133 Section VII. Exercise necessary for the finer organs 134 Section VIII. Why things not dangerous produce a

passion like Terror 134 Section IX. Why visual objects of great dimensions are

Sublime 135 Section X. Unity why requisite to Vastness 136 Section XI. The artificial Infinite 137 Section XII. The vibrations must be similar 138 Section XIII. The effects of Succession in visual objects

explained 139 Section XIV. Locke’s opinion concerning darkness,

considered 141 Section XV. Darkness terrible inh its own nature 142 Section XVI. Whyi Darkness is terrible 143 Section XVII. The effects of Blackness 145 Section XVIII. The effects of Blackness moderated 146 Section XIX. The physical cause of Love 147

Section XX. Why Smoothness is beautiful 149 Section XXI. Sweetness, its nature 149 Section XXII. Sweetness relaxing 151 Section XXIII. Variation, why beautiful 152 Section XXIV. Concerning Smallness 154 Section XXV. Of Colour 157

PART V

Section I. Of Words 161 Section II. The common effect of Poetry, not by raising

ideas of things 162 Section III. General words before ideas 163 Section IV. The effect of Words 165 Section V. Examples that Words may affect without

raising images 166 Section VI. Poetry not strictly an imitative art 171 Section VII. How Words influence the Passions 171

INTRODUCTION ON TASTE 1

On a superficial view, we may seem to differ very widely from each other in our reasonings, and no less in our pleasures: but notwithstanding this difference, which I think to be rather apparent than real, it is probable that the standard both of reason and Taste is the same in all human creatures. For if there were not some principles of judgment as well as of sentiment common to all mankind, no hold could possibly be taken either on their reason or their passions, sufficient to maintain the ordinary correspondence of life. It appears indeed to be generally acknowledged, that with regard to truth and falsehood there is something fixed. We find people in their disputes continually appealing to certain tests and standards which are allowed on all sides, and are supposed to be established in our common nature. But there is not the same obvious concurrence in any uniform or settled principles which relate to Taste. It is even commonly supposed that this delicate and aerial faculty, which seems too volatile to endure even the chains of a definition, cannot be properly tried by any test, nor regulated by any standard. There is so continual a call for the exercise of the reasoning faculty, and it is so much strengthened by perpetual contention, that certain maxims of right reason seem to be tacitly settled amongst the

most ignorant. The learned have improved on this rude science, and reduced those maxims into a system. If Taste has not been so happily cultivated, it was not that the subject was barren, but that the labourers were few or negligent; for to say the truth, there are not the same interesting motives to impel us to fix the one, which urge us to ascertain the other. And after all, if men differ in their opinion concerning such matters, their difference is not attended with the same important consequences, else I make no doubt but that the logic of Taste, if I may be allowed the expression, might very possibly be as well digested, and we might come to discuss matters of this nature with as much certainty, as those which seem more immediately within the province of mere reason. And indeed it is very necessary at the entrance into such an enquiry, as our present, to make this point as clear as possible; for if Taste has no fixed principles, if the imagination is not affected according to some invariable and certain laws, our labour is like to be employed to very little purpose; as it must be judged an useless, if not an absurd undertaking, to lay down rules for caprice, and to set up for a legislator of whims and fancies.