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It is his province to determine the general laws of the arts, to assign their beauties to particular classes, and to explain the reasons of their affecting the mind with pleasure. He observes irregularities with a penetra ting eye, and discovers that precise character of excellence or defect, by which every work is respectively marked.

Although such is the proper description of a critic, we may venture to pronounce, that all who are commonly known by that name have not an equal claim to our approbation. Scaliger, the enthusiastic admirer of Virgil, endeavoured to raise the fame of that elegant poet by depreciating Homer; and the deep and various learning displayed in his critical works is but a slight palliation for the weakness of his arguments, and the violence of his prejudices. Hurd, the ingenious annotator on Horace, is deservedly esteemed as an eminent scholar, and a correct writer: but surely in his critical productions he discovers much cold pre cision of remark, and much fondness for systematic trifling. Warburton, considered as a commentator on Shakspeare, showed a great degree of ingenuity; but it was too often exerted without judgment and without taste. He only saw in his author what he predetermined to see, and thus frequently sacrificed the sense of Shakspeare to the caprices of his own fancy. He amuses his readers by his specious arguments, more than he instructs them by his explanation of obscure passages. Comprehensive as was the mind of Johnson, his judgment was often perverted by prejudice; and in his Lives of the English Poets, much as they abound with solid observations, and just principles of criticism, he had too little relish for works of pure imagination, and was too sparing in his concessions to the muses of

Milton and of Gray. If we wish to be directed to authors, who were eminent for correctness of taste, we may select in painting Fresnoy, Vasari, and Reynolds; in music, Burney; in eloquence, Cicero and Quintilian; and in poetry, Horace, Pope, Gray and the Wartons. These were critics, who had the singular merit of teaching that art in which they were themselves distinguished? and their own works are an example and an illustration of their rules. They knew the difficulty that attends every attempt to reach the summit of excellence; and therefore, in the distribution of their censure and their praise, they were considerate, generous, and candid. Their various knowledge, extensive experience, and refined judg ment, qualified them for their important office as arbiters of merit; and they deserve the earnest attention of the public, when they preside at the tribunal of taste, and pass sentence upon the works of literature and the arts.

CHAPTER II.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED.

MUSIC and poetry considered as conveying a very high degree of pleasure to the ear and the imagination, engage the immediate notice of the critic: painting, which is an equal source of gratification to the eye, as properly belongs to the province of the connoisseur, as music.

1. MUSIC.

"What kinds of musical tones are most grateful to the ear? Such as are produced by the vocal organ. And next to singing what kinds of sound are most pleasing ? Those which approach the nearest to vocal. Which are they? Such as can be sustained, swelled, and diminished at pleasure. Of these the first in rank are the violin, flute, and Hautbois. But what instrument is capable of the greatest effects? The organ; which can not only imitate a number of other intruments, but is so comprehensive, as to possess the power of a numerous orchestra. But has it no imperfections? Yes, it wants expression, and a more perfect intonation. What kind of music is most pleasing to mankind? To practised ears, such as has the merit of novelty, added to refinement and ingenious contriv

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ance; to the ignorant, such as is most familiar and common." Burney's History of Music. Preface.

Music is an object of universal love, and from its prevalence in every age, and by its cultivation in every part of the world, it seems as if there was something in the "concord of sweet sounds" congenial with the mind of man. Among rude and unpolished nations it has ever risen to peculiar importance, and been introduced to aid the expression of joy and grief, upon all solemn and festive occasions. It has ever been the solace and the delight of men of genius, and there is no subject which is praised in more ardent expressions, or expatiated upon with more delight, by Homer, Tasso, Milton, and Shakspeare. It cheers the traveller as he pursues the journey of life, and produces an innocent and sweet oblivion of his toil.

For a description of the powers of music, recourse can best be had to the sister art, to which soundis so frequently indebted for the most pleasing alliance of sense and perhaps it will not be found easy to produce a short description of its application to the various situations of life, and different feelings of the heart, more beautiful and just, than the following verses—

Queen of every moving measure,
Sweetest source of purest pleasure,
Music! why thy powers employ
Only for the sons of joy ?

Only for the smiling guests

At natal or at nuptial feasts?
Rather thy lenient numbers pour

On those whom secret griefs devourr

Bid be still the throbbing hearts

Of those whom death or absence parts ;'

And with some softly-whispered air
Smooth the brow of dumb despair.*

As the notes used to express any sensations may be equally in unison with those of a similar nature, music requires the aid of language to characterize any individual passion. If correspondent words are the associates of sound, they become by this alliance specific indications of the manners and passions; and the pleasure conveyed to the ear is attended by the more refined gratification of the understanding. Mysterious as the mode of the operation of sound may be, it is clear that nature has connected certain emotions with them, and their effect is sufficiently ascertained and deeply felt; for they are the keys which unlock all the passions of the soul. Sounds variously modified, and judiciously combined with words, can melt with pity, sink in sorrow, transport with joy, rouse to courage, and elevate with devotion. They have a peculiar effect in cherishing the tender passions, and calling up the long forgotten images of the past, with all their attendant train of associated ideas. While the ear is delighted with the strains of harmony, the fancy is busied in the contemplation of the most affecting images, and the whole soul is exalted to the bright regions of joy and happiness.

The order of sounds in simple melody resembles in their principles that proportion of parts, which constitutes the symmetry of the human form. Our hearing and sight, the noblest of our senses, are indulged by the arts with their proper gratifications. As painting

* See the Medea of Euripides, 1. 192, &c. from whic Dr. Joseph Warton took these ideas.

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