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fhew, that this is not owing to the bad taste of the Afiatics, but to the old language and popular religion of their country. But the truth is, that the very fame criticifin will be found to apply to the juvenile productions of every author poffeffed of a warm imagination; and to the compofitions of every people among whom a cultivated and philosophical taste has not established a fufficiently marked diftinction between the appropriate ftyles of poetry and of profe. The account given by the Abbé Girard of the meaning of the word Phébus, as employed by the French critics, confirms ftrongly this obfervation. "Phébus a un brillant qui fignifie, ou femble figni"fier quelque chofe: le foleil y entre d'ordinaire; & "c'eft peut-etre ce qui, en notre langue, a donné "lieu au nom de Phébus*.”

"Le

Agreeably to thefe principles, Gray, in describing the infantine reveries of poetical genius, has fixed, with exquifite judgment, on this clafs of our conceptions:

Yet oft before his infant eye would run

Such Forms as glitter in the Mufe's ray
With Orient hues-

From these remarks it may be eafily understood, why the word Imagination, in its moft ordinary acceptation, fhould be applied to cafes where our conceptions are derived from the fenfe of fight; although the province of this power be, in fact, as unlimited as the sphere of human enjoyment and of human thought. Hence, the origin of thofe partial defini tions which I have been attempting to correct; and * Synonymes François. 1i3

hence

hence too, the origin of the word Imagination; the etymology of which implies manifeftly a reference to visible objects.

To all the various modes in which Imagination may display itself, the greater part of the remarks contained in this Chapter will be found to apply, under proper limitations; but, in order to render the subject more obvious to the reader's examination, I fhall, in the farther profecution of it, endeavour to convey my ideas, rather by means of particular examples, than in the form of general principles; leaving it to his own judgment to determine, with what modifications the conclufions to which we are led, may be extended to other combinations of circum. stances.

Among the innumerable phenomena which this part of our constitution presents to our examination, the combinations which the mind forms out of materials fupplied by the power of Conception recommend themselves ftrongly, both by their fimplicity, and by the interesting nature of the difcuffions to which they lead. I fhall avail myself, therefore, as much as poffible, in the following inquiries, of whatever illuftrations I am able to borrow from the arts of Poetry and of Painting; the operations of Imagination in these arts furnishing the most intelligible and pleafing exemplifications of the intellectual proceffes, by which, in those analogous but lefs palpable inftances that fall under the confideration of the Moralift, the mind deviates from the models prefented to it by experience, and forms to itself, new and untried objects of pur fuit. It is in confequence of fuch proceffes (which,

how

how little foever they may be attended to, are habitually paffing in the thoughts of all men,) that human affairs exhibit fo busy and so various a scene; tending, in one cafe, to improvement, and, in another, to decline; according as our notions of excellence and of happiness are just or erroneous.

It was observed, in a former part of this work, that Imagination is a complex power *. It includes Conception or fimple Apprehenfion, which enables us to form a notion of thofe former objects of perception, or of knowledge, out of which we are to make a selection; Abstraction, which feparates the selected materials from the qualities and circumstances which are connected with them in nature; and Judgment or Tafte, which felects the materials, and directs their combination. To thefe powers, we may add, that particular habit of affociation to which I formerly gave the name of Fancy; as it is this which prefents to our choice, all the different materials which are fubfervient to the efforts of Imagination, and whichmay therefore be confidered as forming the groundwork of poetical genius.

To illuftrate thefe obfervations, let us confider the steps by which Milton must have proceeded in creating his imaginary Garden of Eden. When he first propofed to himself that fubject of defcription, it is reasonable to fuppofe, that a variety of the moft ftriking scenes which he had feen crowded into his mind. The affociation of ideas fuggefted them, and the power of Conception placed each of them before him

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with all its beauties and imperfections. In every natural scene, if we deftine it for any particular purpofe, there are defects and redundancies, which art may fometimes, but cannot always, correct. But the power of Imagination is unlimited. She can create and annihilate; and difpofe, at pleasure, her woods, her rocks, and her rivers. Milton, accordingly, would not copy his Eden from any one fcene, but would felect from each the features which were most eminently beautiful. The power of Abstraction enabled him to make the feparation, and Tafte directed him in the selection. Thus he was furnished with his materials; by a fkilful combination of which, he has created a landscape, more perfect probably in all its parts, than was ever realised in nature; and certainly very different from any thing which this country exhibited, at the period when he wrote. It is a curious remark of Mr. Walpole, that Milton's Eden is free from the defects of the old English garden, and is imagined on the fame principles which it was referved for the prefent age to carry into execution.

From what has been faid, it is fufficiently evident, that Imagination is not a fimple power of the mind, like Attention, Conception, or Abstraction; but that it is formed by a combination of various faculties. It is farther evident, that it muft appear under very dif ferent forms, in the cafe of different individuals; as fome of its component parts are liable to be greatly influenced by habit, and other accidental circumflances. The variety, for example, of the materials out of which the combinations of the Poet or the Painter are formed, will depend much on the tend

ency

ency of external fituation, to ftore the mind with a multiplicity of Conceptions; and the beauty of these combinations will depend entirely on the fuccefs with which the power of Tafte has been cultivated. What we call, therefore, the power of Imagination, is not the gift of nature, but the result of acquired habits, aided by favourable circumstances. It is not an original endowment of the mind, but an accomplishment formed by experience and fituation; and which, in its different gradations, fills up all the interval between the first efforts of untutored genius, and the fublime creations of Raphael or of Milton.

An uncommon degree of Imagination conftitutes poetical genius; a talent which, although chiefly difplayed in poetical compofition, is alfo the foundation (though not precisely in the fame manner) of various other Arts. A few remarks on the relation which Imagination bears to fome of the most interesting of thefe, will throw additional light on its nature and office.

SECTION II.

Of Imagination confidered in its Relation to fome of the Fine Arts.

A

MONG the Arts connected with Imagination, fome not only take their rife from this power, but produce objects which are addreffed to it. Others take their rife from Imagination, but produce objects which are addreffed to the power of Perception.

To

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