Beauty

l now enter, in order to place it upon a deeper and more scientific foundation. If I can here show that, in the material qualities of the objects of nature and art, there exist e

natural beings, or of the arts which relate to these respectively. Many partial views of perfect truth and great interest have been taken, and by every one of these it will be my duty here to profit: but, from the failure just pointed out, no philosophical and systematic doc

phers, I pretend here only to take one larger view-to analyze, to

respectively to inanimate, living, and thinking beings, and to the useful, ornamental, and intellectual arts which

it, that I make any pretence. The materials have long been presented by all the great writers on the sub

TIO

EAUTY IN INAN

"It would be absurd," he observes, "to say that all things affect us by association only; since some things must have been originally and naturally agreeable or disagreeable, from which the ot

gure, its size, its motion, it is in reality possessed of so many different beauties

es from regularity[12] and simplicity; and viewing the parts with

ould have set down as the fundamental and first characteristics of beauty, instead of relative

hy an object, by means of the particulars mentioned, ap

ges of objects than can be done, with the utmost attention, where these particulars are not found." And he subjoins: "This final cause is, I acknowledge, too slight, to account satisfac

rated would have been evident; for, without them, these characteristics of the object could not exist: simplicity, regularity, uniformity, order, &c., are the very elements of accordan

do apart, when it occupies the whole attention. For the same reason, even a single object, when it divides the attention by the multiplicity of its parts, equals not, in strength of impression, a more simple object comprehended in a single

ike those of a square, it makes one entire impression; whereas, the attention is divided among the sides and angles of a square.... A square, th

hus contribut

rceive it to be formed according to a certain rule. Thus, a circle,

beautiful than a parallelogram, because the former exceeds the latter in regularity and in uniformity of parts. This is true with respect to intrinsic beauty only; for in many instances, utility comes in to cast the bala

uniformity contribut

ty is lost by a great inequality of these sides: it is also lost by their approximating toward equality; for propo

ion contribu

partly owing to inferiority of order in the position of its parts: the sides of an equilateral triangle incline to each other in the same angle, which

utes to the beauty

e agreeable, without being arranged in any order. But though regularity, uniformity, and order, are causes of beauty, there are also other caus

e destitute of all the qualities which have just been enumerated-simplicity, regularity, uniformity, proportion, order; and conformably to the principles I have laid down in a previous chapter, they can present only relation

ss. Hence, Burke makes smoothness his second characteristic of beauty, and that far more truly than he makes littleness its first, fo

fined to himself; and probably to his own imagination acting through the medium of his favorite system: for, except in the communication of the sexes, which affords no general illustration, and ought therefore to be kept entirely out of the question, I have n

ind of perverted reasoning, whic

rty, and, consequently, when there is not the slightest sexual bias, smooth objects are generally found to be

bility than Payne Knight hereby shows himself to have possessed, he would have seen that smoothness affords us as much pleasure as any smell, but that, as it would have been always troublesome, and often impossible, to apply our fingers to smooth surfaces, we genera

light upon the eyes; and these reflections are all that the eye feels, or naturally perceives.... Such are all objects of cut-glass or polished metal; as may be seen by the manner in which painters imitate them: for, as the imitations of painting extend only to the visible qualities of bodies, they show those visible qualities fairly and impartially....

harpness, &c., has no analogy with disagreeable angularity of form. To produce the brilliance and splendor which he calls angular, and describes as so offensive, we polish crystalline and metallic bodies in t

nimate things, which fall under the cognizan

s, their taste is modified, with regard to colors. But the preference of light and del

of darkness [night], is expressive of gloom and melancholy." And he adds: "Whether some colors may not of themselves produce agreeable sensations, and others disagreeable sensations, I am not anxious to dispute." Bu

estored to sight by Cheselden, who tells us that the first time the boy saw a black object, it gave him great uneasiness; and that, some

of its outline, or from its appearing to act as a partial extinguisher applied to his eyes, which, as every object that he saw, seemed to touch them, would,

h and ferocity of the animals which utter them. By opposite associations, he accounts for the beauty of the notes of birds. And he says, that there is a similar sublimity or beauty, in the tones of the

he ear, fills it with more real noise, than the discharge of a cannon a mile off; and the rattling of a carriage in the street, when faintly and indistinctly heard, has often been mistaken for thunder at a distance. Yet no one ever imagined the beating of a child's drum, or the rattling of a carriage over

d so frequent a result of the violent contact of bodies, that we sometimes mistakenly ascribe power to objects, of which we ha

losophers who consider these as the natural signs of passion or affection, and who believe that it is not from experi

involve, are too much to the purpose to be omitted here, and which in re

ery case, our experience should gradually lead to the forma

ong and short, increasing and diminishing. The two first divisions are

uch qualities, are distinguished by such sounds; and this association is farther confirmed f

not only from the observation of inanimate nature, or of animals, where, in a great number of cases, such sounds distinguish objects with

, &c., principally, I believe, from all moderate, or restrained, or ch

erates by producing some degree of astonishment. This association, also, seems

that quality which is signified by other qualities of sound. A loud or a low, a grave or an acute sound prol

expression, and signifies the sudden c

in the same manner, the incre

fies the gradual diminu

shes another

and one general perception of beauty. In many beautiful

pport the doctrine of natural appropriation and p

forms, not objects in nature. But, on referring to inanimate ob

st elementary and the most readily assumed in nature. This form, accordingly, is presented by the drops of water and of every liquid, b

presented by inanimate bodies under

n the sequel, be as clearly seen, that each of the other classes of natural beings presents beauty of a different kind, which similarly characterizes it. Hence, no rationa

riters, it seems surprising, not merely that they should not have seen this to be the case, but, that it should not have led them to observe, that there exists also a second beauty, of living beings, and th

ies in nature, which possess hardness, strength, or durability, are distinguished by angular forms. The greater part of those bodies, on the contrary, which possess weakness, fragility, or delicacy, are distinguished by winding or curvilinear forms. In the mineral kingdom, all rocks, stones, and metals, the hardest and most durable bodies we know, assume universally angular forms. In t

TIO

BEAUTY IN LI

f the first and fundamental beauty, that of inanimate beings, are

e parts, which, in ascending through the classes of natural beings from the simplest to the most complex, are t

ost in character the inanimate bodies from among which they spring. They assume the simplest and most universal f

em when, like them, it is tender, that such elementary characters give way to the purposes of life, namely, growth

s, appears to be almost universally the material condition of growth and reproduction. Every new

ion of a delicate frame, without any remarkable appearance of strength, his fifth condition in beauty; and he here erred only from that want of

and as this, amid other twigs and tendrils, will greatly vary, so will their productions rarely continue long in the same straig

ants assume the simplest and most universal form in nature, the round one, so

their texture, and of their being overpowered by the weight of the flower.... In the smaller and feebler tribe of flowers, as in the violet, the daisy, or the lily of the

ariety. They vary their direction every moment, as Burke observes, and they change under the eye by a devia

ar conditions, viz: "Thirdly, to have a variety in the direction of the parts; but, fourthly, to have those parts not angular, but melted

fect to the need of changing impressions, in order to enliven our sensibility, which do

d, as we see in the number of flowers and of their petals, in that

ies of beauty, namely, contrast. This strikes us when we at once look at the

teristics of beauty, none tend to render our

w remarks on the errors which Ali

s with the idea of delicacy, leads us to believe the operation of some force to twist it into this direction."-This, however, is no defect arising from the bending form not being abs

ssive of fineness, of tenderness, of delicacy, or such affecting qualities; and he th

or angular lines. The known delicacy, however, and tenderness of the vegetable, at least in this climate, prevail over the general expression of the form, and give it the same beauty which we generally find

nd of angles, than afterward when the weight of the flower weighs down the feeble branches, and describes the easiest and most varied curves."-But he answers himself by adding: "The circumstance of its youth, a circumstance in all cases so affecting, the delicacy of its blo

balsam, merely from its singular transparency, which it is impossible to look at without a strong impression of

ess conspicuous than that of

ION

BEAUTY IN TH

ters of inanimate, and those of living beauty, are still more

me the same rounded form; but, as thinking beings are necessarily moving ones, their bones are hollow

consists, like plants, of trunks, branches, &c.; and the surface of their bodies, the skin, is formed by a tissue of these vessels. Accordingly, both the vessels them

s, with proper strength and agility, the insertions of the muscles are too hard and sudden, their swellings too bold, or the hollows between them too deep, for their outlines to be beautiful; nature softens these hardnesses, and plumps up these vacancies with a proper supply

bending, varied, and contrasted lines are multiplied: by their union, they mark the outlines of different parts, as in the region of the neck, of the bosom, at the sho

s; much enbonpoint producing round lines, and

s to this kind of beauty; and to them succeed t

t lines and square forms, are correspondingly deprived of beauty

varied, becomes extremely interesting.-In human beauty, consid

f intricacy is produced. The undulating lines which cross in every direction,

d insensible swell, the variety of the surface, which is never for the smallest space the same, the deceitful maze, through which the unsteady eye slides giddily, without knowing where to

, "to show how excess ought to be avoided in intricacy, as well as in every other principle, the very same head of hair, wisped and matted together, would make

cteristics of beauty. This consists of the organs by which they receive impressions from, and react upon the objects around them-the first o

if ill distributed in this respect: and objects, to a great extent destitute of the other characters of natural beauty, become beautiful when r

autiful in a greyhound, are pleasing in consequence of the idea of agility which they convey. In other animals, less agility is united with more strength; and, ind

uberance; and the exquisite undulating transitions from the convex to the concave tendencies, could not be multiplied with any success. In fine, our rule for judgi

een made to it by some of the ablest writers on the subject-objections which have generally their origin in the narrow vi

ple, the wedgelike snout of a swine with its tough cartilage at the end, the little sunk eyes, and the whole make of the head, so well adapted to its offices of digging and rooting, would be extremely beautiful."-And so they are, when the beauty of fitness

eens, when that served a selfish and venal purpose. The sentence just quoted shows that his gallantry was as ignorant as it was mean. He here asserts by implication that women are less useful than men, although it is to women that the care of

ting, or running, ever present themselves."-Is running, then, the proper use of the leg in woman! Rousseau more truly thought its use was to fail in running, or not to run! Is eating the only use of her mouth! This,

bjects. But in these, so far is perfection, considered as such, from being the cause of beauty, that this quality, where it is highest in the female sex, almost always carries with it an idea of weakness and

What, then, are the peculiar physical characters of beings thus

would have been more correct to say that symmetry is this peculiar characteristic. There is little resemblance between the parts of o

brows, of the ears, of the hemispheres of the bosom, and of the different parts of which the limbs are composed; and the for

ess of corresponding parts; and that symmetry is

direction of the eyes, squinting, twisting of the nose or lips, unequal magnitude of the he

contribute to fitness,

ng only one eye, or one ear, than for having only one nose or one mouth; yet if we were to meet with a beast with one eye, or two noses, or two mouths, in any part of the world, we should, without inquiry, decide it to be a monster, and turn from it with abhorrence: neither is there any reason, in the nature of things, why a strict parity, or relative equality, in the correspondent limbs and features of

e could not conveniently walk upon one leg, or, indeed, on any unequal number of legs: and there being two sides in the moving organs, there are necessarily two in the sensitive organs, which are mere portions of the same general system. Thus it is locomotion to be performed th

second character of this kind of beauty. As this part of the subject has be

d, the source of the beauty of what is strictly and pr

n of limbs, in a running footman and a waterman, in a wr

sent, and the emotion they wish to excite. The form or proportions of the features of Jove are different from those of Hercules; those of Apollo, from those of Ganymede; those of the Fawn, from those of the Gladiator. In female beauty, the form and proportions in the

s of the form, but those of every limb, are different; and that the pleasure we feel in these propo

e; for, even in the same countenance, and in the same hou

TIO

TY AS EMPLOYED I

the fine arts; and I shall endeavor to show, that the objects of each of these are char

ornamental arts are characterized by the delicate, bending, varied, and contrasted forms of living beings; and that those of the intellectual arts are, in their

to the existence, conditions, and objects, of natural beings-but in the common intelli

f Useful

perception of means as adapted to an end, which of course implies, t

oduct of useful art can we perceive the extrinsic beauty, until

great extent. Hence it is that an irregular dwelling-house may become beautiful, when its convenience is striking. Hence it is that, in the forms of furniture, machine

objects, the more obvious will their utility be, and the more beautiful will

rdant and agreeable relations-simplicity appears to be the most efficient; and in

, uniformity, proportion, order, &c.,

hairs, spoons, &c., cannot be too uniform, because they are adapted to uniform purposes; but it woul

where the purpose is similar, and the deviation which is admissible is slight, this becomes a sub

cture. The most beautiful columns would have shocked the sight, if their mass had not corresponded to that of the

ign different proportions to the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian; but no architect will maintain, that the m

their entablatures. A greater superincumbent mass, required shorter and thicker columns; a less superincumbent mass, longer and slender ones. Many experiments, much observation, were requisite to determin

lumns that determined, of course amid infinite experiment and observation, the nature of their ornaments. Hence, the Doric i

and, still more than all, of antiquity, which are so strongly connected with such forms, the pleasure whi

of beauty, Burke only confounds this kind of b

When we examine the structure of a watch, when we come to know thoroughly the use of every part of it, satisfied as we are with the fitness of the whole, we are far enough from perceiving anything like beauty in the watchwork itself;

, and of the mind of the observer. A hill, a valley, or a rivulet, may be beautiful, and it will excite an emotion of pleasure when its beauty is discerned; but it may produce no desire or passion

must know the end for which any work is designed;" he forgets, that, in the instance of the barber's block, &c.,

Ornament

, and dress-the particular arts by which our persons are more or less closely invested;[14] and all of them, then, require beauty of the

nsual pleasures for their purpose; and this I consider as distingu

ants, and therefore its beauty is evidently

und in the vegetable kingdom, in the forms of flowers, of foliage, of shrubs, and in those assumed by the young shoots of trees. It is from the

re; while it is common also in the figures designed by painters and sculptors, for the purpose of decoration. The other line, which he calls the line of grace, is the former waving line, twisted round some solid body. Twisted pillars and twisted horns exhibit it. In all the instances which he mentions, variety plainly appears to be so important an element of this kind of

, it, in its choicest and ornamented parts, imitates both the rigid trunks, and the delicate and bending forms of plants. Its columns, tapering upward, are copied from the trunks of trees; and

ghtness, by the interposition of its volute, as if the superincumbent weight had but gently pressed a soft solid into a scroll. The Corinthian expresses the utmost lightness, by forming its capitals of foliage, as if the weight above them could not crush even a lea

ons, it is the delicate, bending, varied, and

or other. How inelegant would the shapes of all our moveables be without it? how very plain and unornamental the mouldings o

g require direct and angular lines, because in such parts we require the expression of stability and strength. It is only in the minute and delicate parts of the work, that any kind of ornament is attempted with propriety; and whenever ornaments exceed in size, in their quantity of matt

hief beauty depends on the adoption of winding forms in drapery, and of wreaths of flowers for the head

not much farther than dressing both arms alike, and having the shoes of the same color. For when any part of d

that active curiosity, and those movements of imagination, to which

t, that, in the head-dress, they seek for bending lines and circumvolutio

ecisely over the middle of the forehead; and if two are emplo

n waving lines, not only on the head, but the bosom, and the skirt of the dress, the former are in general regularly placed, either on the median line of the pers

and communicate to others-they, therefore, assume the varied forms of that system; whereas, diamonds, attached generally to mental organs, or organs of sense, are significant of mental feelings,

Intellectu

, characterized chiefly by animal forms, as in gesture, sculpture, and painti

mental arts, it is bodily or sensual pleasure; and in t

all the operations of mind. In philosophy, general theorems become beautiful from this simplicity; and polished manners receive from it dignity and grace. Th

elementary beauty influence intellectua

e or the picture, offensively harsh and glaring-if the landscape-gardener, in the one, or the picture-cleaner, in the other, have exerted their unhappy talents of polishing, all the magic instantly vanishes, and the imagination aveng

, indeed, of the pleasure which we receive from the representation of a fine drama: but, nevertheless, if a single note of the voice be absolutely cracked and out of tune, so

contends for; for sensual beauty could never act thus powerfully, if it poss

the observation of Hogarth, who on this subject observes, that all the common and necessary motions for the business of li

al arts, as that indeed constitutes the most valuable portion of his work, I shall conclud

ndifferent kind; and our sense of the beauty or sublimity of every object

can generally, when we please, confine our consideration of it to the qualities that l

roys, for the time, our sensibility to the beauty of every composition,

s uniformly first excited by the presence of the object; and whether the general impression we receive is that of

bject is fitted to excite, if it produce not a train of kindred t

of thought being immediately awakened in the imagination, an

images in our minds, very different from those which the objects themselves present to the eye. Trains of pleasing or of solemn thought arise spontaneously within our minds; our hearts swell with emotions, of which the objects before us seem to afford no adequate cause

nfined to the qualities they present to our senses, or when it is to such qualities of their composition that we turn our regard. It is then only we feel the sublimity or beauty of their productions, when ou

eems to take place in those trains of thought that are produced by objects of taste, is that of resemblance; the relation, of all others the most loose and general, and which affords the greatest range of thought for our imagination t

use into our minds somewhat of that fearful tenderness with which infancy is usually beheld. With such a sentiment, how innumerable are the ideas which present themselves to our imagination! ideas, it is apparent, by no means confined to the scene before our eyes, or to the possible desolation which may yet a

mployment of imagination, increases al

cenes, or airs, or books, and who does not feel their beauty or sublimity enhanced to him by such connexions. The view of the house

mposed of ideas capable of exciting some affection or emotion; and that not only the whole succession is accompanied with that peculiar emotion which

tenderness. The images suggested by the prospect of ruins, are images belonging to pity, to melancholy, and to admiration.

fect which is produced upon the mind, by objects of taste, may be considered as

cter. They are either gay, or pathetic, or melancholy, or solemn, or awful, or elevating, &c., according to the nature of the emotion which is first excited. Thus the prospect of a serene evening in summer, produces first an emotion of peacefulness and tranquillity, and then sugg

dressed to the imagination; and the pleasures they afford are desc

OF THIS

present, I have, in this chapter, endeavored to take new and larger views; and, by an examinat

hich are so intimately connected with mere existence; that the elements of beauty in living beings, consist in adding to the preceding the delicacy, bending, variety, contrast, &c., which are connected with growth, and reproduction; that the elements of beauty in thinking beings, consist in adding to the preceding the symmetry, proportion,[15] &c., which are connected with fitness for sense, thought, and motion; that the elements of beauty in the objects of useful art, consi

bjects, uncertainty and doubt have been thrown over the whole. The remaining writers have consequently been led to adopt, as characters of beauty, only one or two of these elements, which were consequ

e trouble than any one I have ever investigated, except that of my work on the mind;[16] nor without some physiological knowledge, do I think tasks of this kind at all practicable. Generally speaking, each branch of knowledge is most surely advan

THE PRECED

TIO

THE PICTUR

n that of the picturesque. There are few disputes as to the former; many as to the latter.

Price, on the contrary, has given so many admirable illustrations of it, that its characteristics are before every reader.

larity, roughness, &c., enter into all scenes of a picturesque description; and the

exposed by the earth falling away from it, and which must itself be swept away by the first wind that may blow against it in an unfavorable direction-the almost ruined cottage, above and beyond these, whose gable is propped up by an old and broken whe

ailed to observe, that the irregularity and roughness are but the signs of that which interests the mind far more deeply, nam

t melancholy which these have inspired; or if the monument revive the memory of former times, we do not stop at the simple fact which it records, but recollect many more coeval circumstances which we see, nor perhaps as they were, but as they are come down to us, ven

hat the pathetic does to them in poetry. Hence, speaking also of ruins only, Alison says: "The image

th and the principle which it affords; but I think it better t

TIO

OF LAU

fly to vindicate the latter, who knew much more of the human mind than the

nd contrariety, exhibited, or supposed to be united, in the same assemblage." And elsewhere he says: "Laughter arises from the view of two or more inconsistent, unsuitable, or incongruous

lation of cause and effect, from unexpected likene

rly incongruous, but when a change of color from black to red is suggested,

us it will probably be. If, as in the last example, there be an opposition of dignity and meanness, as well as of likeness and dissi

ct seems, indeed, so clear

some eminency in ourselves, by comparison with the infirmity of others, or with our own formerly." And elsewhere he says: "Men laug

hat incongruity in the same assemblage described as the fundamental cause of this sudden conception of our own superiority, laughter, as Beattie has shown, "will always, or

, and is daily, produced by the perception of inc

of the morning, when we are so far from conceiving any inferiority or turpitude in the author, that we greatly ad

he queerness of the com

the rudder

ships they steer

as any person or party, practi

t if any one hath been tickled with the passage to whom the same thought never occurred, that single instance would be sufficient to subvert the doctrin

the former, and silly rhymes by the latter; nor can any one duly appreciate or be pleased with either, to whom thi

he knows to be wiser and better than himself; for, on these occasions, the greatness of the joke, and the loudness of the laugh, are, if I rightly remember, in exact proportion to the sagacity

tude? Could not one imagine a set of people jumbled together by accident, so as to present a laughable group to those who know their characters?"-Undoubtedly; but the

ot uncommon in very risible dispositions, is utterly inexplicable upon Hobbes's system. For, to consider the thing only with regard to the laugher himself, there is to him no subject of

from a sudden conception of some eminency in ourselves, by comparison with the infirmity of others, or with our own formerly. For me

s solely under the notion of inferiority, as the person triumphed over." He, on the co

m that he is very proud."-A man may contemn the errors both of himself and others, without pride: and, indeed, in contemning the former, he proves himself to be far above that sen

ike Hobbes, thus attacked by less o

ION

RECEIVED FROM REPRESEN

e been proposed to

are the better. Hence, the passions which in themselves are the most distressing, are, for this purpose, preferable to the

onvey a feeling which is agreeable. Nor is it true that the stronger the emotion is, so much the fitter for this purpose; for if we exceed a certain measure, instead of a sympathetic and delightful sorrow, we ex

We have still a certain idea of falsehood in the whole of what we see. We weep for the misfortunes of a hero to

t we are conscious of no such al

ot softened by fiction, raises a pleasure from the bosom of uneasiness, a pleasure which still retains all the featur

dress, which Hume's hypothesis implies, is in direct opposition to the fundamental maxim, that "it is essential to the art to conceal the art;" and that the supposition that there are two distinct effects produced by the eloquence on the hearers, one the sentiment of beauty, or

selves;" and we are said "to pity no longer than we fancy ourselves to suffer, and to be pleased only by reflecting that our sufferings are not real; thus i

s evidently too g

gth, and quite satisfactorily. I regret to say that his own is

er period, it falls to my lo

ction be what it will in appearance, if it does not make us shun such objects, if on the contrary it induces us to approach them, if it makes us dwell upon them, in this case I conceive we must have a delight or pleasure of some species or other in contemplating objects of this kind.... Our delight in cases of this kind is very greatly heightened

as never perhaps enunciated. A very l

storical narration, and dramatic representation; in each, the affection of the mind is very different; and nearly al

, justly observes, that "the same object of distress, which pleases in a tragedy, were it really set before us, would give the most unfeigned un

uld have added] from what we should be eager enough to see if it was once done. We delight in seeing things [aft

afford a very different conclusion from Burke's, of our beholding unmerited suffering with deligh

ation or an earthquake, though he should be removed himself to the greatest distance from the danger. But suppose such a fatal accident to have happene

fliction, or of seeing it historically narrated; for, in this his illustration, it is the latter, and not the former, that he supposes-nay he now says "no man is so strangely wicked as to desire to see destroyed!" &c. Indeed, it is quite plain that,

of poetry, painting, and music; and when you have collected your audience, just at the moment when their minds are erect with expectation, let it be reported that a state-criminal, of high rank, is on the

rescue impossible, would assuredly be fled from by every person of feeling and honor; as we read of in the public papers, lately, when a murder of that kind was perpetrating by some one of the base l

a sort of momentary deception, but it is only children, and very simple people, utter strangers to theatrical amusements, who are apt to be so

ress is never so perfect, but we can perceive it is imitation, and on that principle are somewhat pleased

e consideration that tragedy is a deceit, and its representations no realities. [We seek no satisfaction of the kind: we know it to be a dec

asure of imagination. He himself has said: "Imitated distress is never so perfect, but we can per

n; our reason is never imposed upon; our imagination is alone engaged; we are perfectly conscious that it is so; and we have all the sensibility, fine f

ich they know to be fictions, and yet are both inattentive and unfeeling in respect of the actual objects of compassion who live in their neighborhood, and are daily under their eye.... Men may be of a selfish, contracted, and even avaricious disposition, who are not what we should denominate hard-hearted, or unsusceptible of sympathetic feeling. Such wi