Hor. LET us, at the fame time, suppose the idea to be beautiful, and then, your defcription will reach much farther than you intended; for, it takes in, not only a part of good writing, but, perhaps, the whole.

Eng. FROM this point, we may take a general view of our fubject. We began by confidering harmony fimply as an address to the ear: thence, we traced its correfpondence with the idea, and, of course, with the imagination. The fimpleft truth is pleafing by its very nature; but this pleasure cannot be too much heightened; the force and furprise of imagery, the elegance of diction, the varied accords of harmony tend all to this point. Poetry is to the foul, what the fun is to nature; it calls forth, it cherishes, it adorns her beauties. As we improve our language, we multiply

the

the refources of poetry; of all the means of forwarding this improvement, the forming and perfecting our verification is the moft powerful.

Afp. I did not imagine, Eugenio, that the flow of a verfe could have taken fo large a range.

Eug. It extends ftill farther. Why does the eye fill with gladness, at the bare mention of a great or generous action? The mind is pre-difpofed to receive the finest impreffions: the true direction and happiest effect of poetry, is, by renewing these impreffions, to preserve the mind in a state of fenfibility we are induced to repeat those impreffions, by the pleafing fenfations with which they are attended: for, the supreme Goodness has fo formed our organs, that thofe

5

those arts which tend most, to refine our feelings, and, of consequence, our manners, give us at the fame time the greatest pleafure. Now, it is probable, that all the powers which produce these refined pleafures fpring from one common principle, as it is evident they tend to one common end: for there is fuch an intercourse among them, that, while we perfect our fenfations in any one of them, we acquire a general apthess for them all.

Hort. Muft not the moral fenfe partake, in fome measure, of this general connexion?

Eug. The author of the Characteristics will answer you much better than I can "The mind, which is spectator

do [m]:

[m] Inquiry concerning Virtue.

❝or auditor of other minds, cannot be with

out its Eye and Ear; fo as to difcern pro*portion; diftinguish found, and scan each "fentiment or thought which comes before "it. It feels the foft and harsh, the agree"able and difagreeable, in the affections; "and finds a foul and fair, a barmonious and "a diffonant, as really and truly here, as in any mufical numbers, or in the out"ward forms or reprefentations of fenfible " things."

DIA

DIALOGUE II.

Hor.

Afpafia, Hortenfius, Eugenio.

T

HE moment, Eugenio, you left us yesterday, Afpafia betook herself to her Shakespear: her eagerness to apply the hints you have given her, is not to be satisfied; and the feems to enjoy her discoveries, like one who had fuddenly acquired a new sense.

To nobler fights,

Michael from Adam's eyes the film re

moved,

Afp.