THE fame inverfion of that principle, which is here infifted on, displays itself in common life, as in the effects of oratory and poetry. Raise fo the fubordinate paffion that it becomes the predominant, it fwallows up that affection, which it before nourished and increased. Too much jealousy extinguishes love : Too much difficulty renders us indifferent: Too much fickness and infirmity difgufts a selfish and unkind parent.

WHAT fo disagreeable as the difmal, gloomy, difaftrous ftories, with which melancholy people entertain their companions? The uneasy paffion, being there raised alone, unaccompanied with any fpirit, genius, or eloquence, conveys a pure uneafiness, and is attended with nothing that can soften it into pleafure or fatisfaction.

ESSAY

ESSAY XXVI.

T

Of the STANDARD of TASTE.

HE great variety of Taftes, as well as of opini

ons, which prevail in the world, is too obvious not to have fallen under every one's obfervation. Men of the most confined knowledge are able to remark a difference in the narrow circle of their acquaintance, even where the perfons have been educated under the fame government, and have early imbibed the fame prejudices. But those who can enlarge their view to contemplate diftant nations and remote ages, are still more furprized at the great inconfiftence and contradiction. We are apt to call barbarous whatever departs widely from our own taste and apprehenfion : But foon find the epithet of reproach retorted on And the highest arrogance and felf-conceit is at last startled, on obferving an equal affurance on all fides, and fcruples, amidst fuch a contest of fentiments, to pronounce pofitively in its own favour.

us.

As this variety of taîte is obvious to the most carelefs enquirer; fo will it be found, on examination, to be still greater in reality than in appearance. The fentiments of men often differ with regard to beauty and deformity of all kinds, even while their general difcourfe is the fame. There are certain terms in every language, which import blame, and others praise; and all men, who use the fame tongue, must agree in their application of them. Every voice is united in applauding elegance, propriety, fimplicity, fpirit in writing; and in blaming fuftian, affectation, coldness, and a falfé brilliancy: But when critics come to particulars, this feeming unanimity vanishes; and it is found, that they had affixed a very different meaning to their expreffions. In all matters of opinion and science, the cafe is oppofite: The difference among men is there oftner found to lie in generals than in particulars; and to be lefs in reality than in appearance. An explication of the terms commonly ends the controversy; and the disputants are furprized to find, that they had been quarrelling, while at bottom they agreed in their judgment.

THOSE who found morality on fentiment, more than on reason, are inclined to comprehend ethics under the former obfervation, and to suppose, that in all questions, which regard conduct and manners, the difference among men is really greater than at first fight it appears. It is indeed obvious, that writers of

all

all nations and all ages concur in applauding juftice, humanity, magnanimity, prudence, veracity; and in blaming the oppofite qualities. Even poets and other authors, whofe compofitions are chiefly calculated to please the imagination, are yet found, from HOMER down to FENELON, to inculcate the fame moral precepts, and to below their applaufe and blame on the fame virtues and vices. This great unanimity is ufually afcribed to the influence of plain reafon; which, in all thefe cafes, maintains fimilar fentiments in all men, and prevents thofe controverfies, to which the abstract sciences are fo much expofed. So far as the unanimity is real, the account may be admitted as fatisfactory: But it muft alfo be allowed, that fome part of the feeming harmony in morals may be accounted for from the very nature of language. The word, virtue, with its equivalent in every tongue, implies praife; as that of vice.does blame: And no one, without the most obvious and groffelt impropri. ety, could affix reproach to a term, which in general ufe is understood in a good fenfe; or beftow applaufe, where the idiom requires difapprobation. HOMER'S general precepts, where he delivers any fuch, will never be controverted; but it is very obvious, that when he draws particular pictures of manners, and represents heroism in ACHILLES and prudence in ULYSSES, he intermixes a much greater degree of ferocity in the former, and of cunning and fraud in the latter, than FENELON would admit of. The fage ULYSSES

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ULYSSES in the GREEK poet feems to delight in lies and fictions, and often employs them without any neceffity or even advantage: But his more fcrupulous fon in the FRENCH epic writer expofes him. felf to the moft imminent perils, rather than depart from the exacteft line of truth and veracity.

THE admirers and followers of the ALCOR AN infift very much on the excellent moral precepts, which are interfperfed throughout that wild performance. But it is to be fuppofed, that the ARABIC words, which correfpond to the ENGLISH, equity, juftice, temperance, meekness, charity, were fuch as, from the conftant use of that tongue, must always be taken in a good fenfe; and it would have argued the greateft ignorance, not of morals, but of language, to have mentioned them with any epithets, befides those of applaufe and approbation. But would we know, whether the pretended prophet had really attained a juft fentiment of morals? Let us attend to his narration; and we shall foon find, that he bestows praife on fuch inftances of treachery, inhumanity, cruelty, revenge, bigotry, as are utterly incompatible with civilized fociety. No fleady rule of right feems there to be attended to; and every action is blamed or praifed, fo far only as it is beneficial or hurtful to the true believers.

THE