ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the influence of religion, custom, and law upon literature, and the influence of literature upon religion, custom, and law. Perfect virtue is, in the intellectual realm, perfect beauty. There are connections between the impression that perfect virtue makes upon us and the feeling aroused by all that is sublime, whether in the fine arts or physical nature. Literature can derive its enduring beauty only from the most perfect morality. Liberty, virtue, honor, knowledge: an imposing procession of man in his natural dignity, these related ideas of the same origin could not exist separately. The idea of happiness has been almost entirely lost sight of in the midst of efforts that seemed at first to seek it; selfishness, by depriving each person of the help of others, has greatly reduced the degree of happiness that the social order promised to all.
