degree of currency to the most unmeaning compofitions. In Pope's Song by a Perfon of Quality, the incoherence of ideas is fcarcely greater than what is to be found in fome admired paffages of our fafhionable poetry.

Nor is it merely by a difference of words, that the language of poetry is diftinguifhed from that of profe. When a poetical arrangement of words has once been established by authors of reputation, the most common expreffions, by being prefented in this confecrated order, may serve to excite poetical affociations.

On the other hand, nothing more completely deftroys the charm of poetry, than a ftring of words which the custom of ordinary discourse has arranged in fo invariable an order, that the whole phrase may be anticipated from hearing its commencement. A fingle word frequently ftrikes us as flat and profaic, in confequence of its familiarity; but two fuch words coupled together in the order of converfation, can fcarcely be introduced into ferious poetry without appearing ludi

crous.

No poet in our language has fhewn fo ftrikingly as Milton, the wonderful elevation which style may derive from an arrangement of words, which, while it is perfectly intelligible, departs widely from that to which we are in general accustomed. Many of his most fublime periods, when the order of the words is altered, are reduced nearly to the level of profe.

To copy this artifice with fuccefs, is a much more difficult attainment than is commonly imagined; and, of confequence, when it is acquired, it fecures an author, to a great degree, from that crowd of imitators who fpoil the effect of whatever is not beyond their reach.

reach. To the poet who uses blank verfe, it is an acquifition of ftill more effential confequence than to him who expreffes himself in rhyme; for the more that the structure of the verse approaches to profe, the more it is neceffary to give novelty and dignity to the compofition. And accordingly, among our magazine poets, ten thousand catch the structure of Pope's versification, for one who approaches to the manner of Milton, or of Thomfon.

The facility, however, of this imitation, like every other, increases with the number of those who have ftudied it with fuccefs; for the more numerous the authors who have employed their genius in any one direction, the more copious are the materials out of which mediocrity may felect and combine, fo as to escape the charge of plagiarism. And, in fact, in our own language, this, as well as the other great refource of poetical expreffion, the employment of appropriated words, has had its effect fo much impaired by the abuse which has been made of it, that a few of our best poets of late have endeavoured to strike out a new path for themselves, by refting the elevation of their compofition chiefly on a fingular, and, to an ordinary writer, an unattainable union of harmonious verfification, with a natural arrangement of words, and a fimple elegance of expreffion. It is this union which feems to form the distinguishing charm of the poetry of Goldsmith.

From the remarks which have been made on the influence of the affociation of ideas on our judgments in matters of taste, it is obvious how much the opinions of a nation with refpect to merit in the fine

arts, are likely to be influenced by the form of their government, and the fate of their manners. Voltaire, in his difcourfe pronounced at his reception into the French academy, gives feveral reafons why the poets of that country have not fucceeded in defcribing rural scenes and employments. The principal one is, the ideas of meannels, and poverty and wretchednefs, which the French are accustomed to affociate with the profeffion of hufbandry. The fame thing is alluded to by the Abbé de Lille, in the preliminary difcourfe prefixed to his tranflation of the Georgics. "A tranflation," fays he, " of this poem, if it had "been undertaken by an author of genius, would "have been better calculated than any other work, "for adding to the riches of our language. A ver"fion of the neid itfelf, however well executed, “would, in this respect, be of lefs utility; inasmuch "as the genius of our tongue accommodates itfelf "more cafily to the defcription of heroic atchieve"ments, than to the details of natural phenomena, "and of the operations of husbandry. To force it "to exprefs thefe with fuitable dignity, would have "been a real conqueft over that falfe delicacy, "which it has contracted from our unfortunate prejudices."

How different must have been the emotions with which this divine performance of Virgil was read by an antient Roman, while he recollected that period in the history of his country, when dictators were called from the plough to the defence of the state, and after having led monarchs in triumph, returned again to the fame happy and independent occupation.

A ftate

A ftate of manners to which a Roman author of a later age looked back with fuch enthusiasm, that he afcribes, by a bold poetical figure, the flourishing ftate of agriculture under the republic, to the grateful returns which the earth then made to the illuftrious hands by which he was cultivated. "Gaudente "terra vomere laureato, et triumphali aratore *.”

SECTION III.

Of the Influence of Affociation on our active Principles, and on our moral Judgments.

N order to illuftrate a little farther, the influence of

IN

the Affociation of Ideas on the human mind, I fhall add a few remarks on fome of its effects on our active and moral principles. In ftating these remarks, I fhall endeavour to avoid, as much as poffible, every occafion of controverfy, by confining myfelf to fuch general views of the fubject, as do not prefuppofe any particular enumeration of our original principles of action, or any particular fyftem concerning the nature of the moral faculty. If my health and leifure enable me to carry my plans into execution, I propofe, in the fequel of this work, to refume thefe inquiries, and to examine the various opinions to which they have given rife.

The manner in which the affociation of ideas ope rates in producing new principles of action, has been explained very diftinctly by different writers. What

*PLIN. Nat. Hift. xviii. 4.

Cc 2

ever

ever conduces to the gratification of any natural appetite, or of any natural defire, is itself defired on account of the end to which it is fubfervient; and by being thus habitually associated in our apprehenfion with agreeable objects, it frequently comes, in process of time, to be regarded as valuable in itself, independently of its utility. It is thus that wealth becomes, with many, an ultimate object of pursuit; although, at first, it is undoubtedly valued, merely on account of its fubferviency to the attainment of other objects. In like manner, men are led to defire drefs, equipage, retinue, furniture, on account of the estimation in which they are supposed to be held by the public. Such defires are called by Dr. Hutchefon* fecondary defires; and their origin is explained by him in the way which I have mentioned. "Since "we are capable," fays he, " of reflection, memory, "obfervation, and reasoning about the distant tend"encies of objects and actions, and not confined to things prefent, there muft arife, in confequence of "our original defires, fecondary defires of every thing imagined useful to gratify any of the primary "defires; and that with strength proportioned to the "feveral original defires, and imagined usefulness or neceffity of the advantageous object." "Thus,"

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he continues," as foon as we come to apprehend the "ufe of wealth or power to gratify any of our origi "nal defires, we must also defire them; and hence "arifes the univerfality of these defires of wealth and power, fince they are the means of gratifying all

* See his Effay on the Nature and Conduct of the Paffions.

"other