expreffed either in the living Countenance, or the mimetic Strokes of Art, will affect the Soul of the Beholder with a fimilar and refponfive Difpofition. What wonder then is it that Beauty, borrowing thus the Look of foftening Love, whofe Power can lull the moft watchful of the Senfes, fhould caft that fweet Nepenthe upon our Hearts, and enchant our correfponding Thoughts to reft in the Embraces of Defire? Sure then I am, that you will always allow Love to be the Source and End of our Being, and confequently confiftent with Truth. It is the Superaddition of fuch Charms to Proportion, which is called Tafte in Mufick, Painting, Poetry, Sculpture, Gardening and Architecture. By which is generally meant that happy Affemblage which excites in our Minds, by Analogy, fome pleasurable Image. Thus, for Inftance, even the Ruins of an old Castle properly disposed, or the Simplicity of a rough hewn Hermitage in a Rock, enliven a Profpect, by recalling the Moral Images of Valor and Wisdom; and I believe no Man will contend, that Valor exerted in the Defence of

one's

one's Country, or Wisdom contemplating in Retirement for the Welfare of Mankind, are not truly amiable Images, belonging to the Divine Family of Truth. I think I have now reconciled our two favorite Opinions, by proving that these additional Charms, if they must be called fo, have their Origin in Nature as much as Proportion itself.-I am very glad the Prints I fent afforded you so much Pleafure, not only as I wish every thing which comes from me may be favorably received by you, but as they are likewise a Confirmation of my Arguments; for the Man who drew them is no very great Artist, but being a faithful Disciple of Nature, having delineated every Object in a Camera Obscura, he has not failed of gaining the uncontested Applause, which the Followers of that unerring Mistress will ever receive from Mankind. My EUDOCIA calls me to adminifter with her Comfort to a little fatherlefs Family in the District of our Hamlet, therefore must conclude myself,

Your fincere Friend, &c.

LETTER

LETTER III.

Yo

To the SAM E.

OU have often heard me make true Conjectures concerning a Man's Tafte in Morals, from the Choice of his Pictures or the Difpofition of his Gardens. This you at first thought a little whimfical, till repeated Observation and Experience confirmed, what I advanced in a former Letter to you, that the fame internal Senfe taftes for the three different Powers in human Nature; and from hence arifes that Correfpondence betwixt the Senfes, Imagination, and Understanding of the fame Perfon. I had once an Opportunity of obferving, in fome little Excurfions I made a few Years ago, from a celebrated Place in the North of ENGLAND, with a mixed Company, how variously the different Places we faw affected every Man in our Party according to the natural Turn of his Temper. We had among us Inamorato, much given to reading Romances, who dwelt with uncommon Rap

an

ture

ture on a little rural Place called H. where, it is faid, the famous Sir PHILIP SIDNEY compofed his Arcadia. Here Enthusiasm feized our romantic Lover, whilft the rest of our Company felt only the calm Sensation of Pleafure. Nor was it long before it came in my turn to be not touched but rapt, and to feel that ætherial Glow of Admiration, at the Sight of a neighbouring Villa to SCARBORough. You know I love the Comforts of domeftic Life and the Charms of Contemplation in Retirement; and rather would enjoy the Heart-ennoblingTransportwhich the Discovery of any thing beneficial to Mankind, or one charitable Action could give me, then the fuppofed Glories which all the Royal Robbers of the World ever plundered from their Species. From this Temper of Mind, mixed with an Admiration of antient Manners and antient Mythology, you will not wonder that a Place, which anfwers in Miniature to ELIAN's ravishing Description of TEMPE, should thus warmly affect me. The Place I mean is called E- Lodge. It is a fmall convenient House, built in the Tuf

can

can Order, at the Foot of two little Hills, covered with Woods and flowering Shrubs, which for a confidérable Way attend the ferpentizing Courfe of a clear cool Rivulet, as if they meant to fhade and protect with their Branches the Stream which runs in the Valley betwixt them. I could not refrain from bursting forth, in a kind of poetical Extafy, in the Words of our admired Poet,

"Here gliding thro' his Daughter's honor'd Shades, "The smooth Peneus from his glaffy Flood, "Reflects purpureal Tempe's pleasant Scene. "Fair Tempe, Haunt belov'd of Sylvan Powers, "Of Nymphs, and Fauns, here in the golden Age "They play'd in fecret on the fhady Bank

"With ancient Pan: while round their choral Steps "Young Hours and genial Gales with conftant Hand, "Show'r'd Odors, Bloffoms, fhow'r'd ambrofial Dews, "And Spring's Elyfian Bloom *.

Believe me, EUPHEMIUS, the ancient Corybantes, when they heard the facred Flutes in their religious Myfteries, could not feel or exprefs more Rapture than I did. Retrofpection had carried me on the Wings of Imagination two thousand

*Akinfide's Pleafures of Imagination, Book I.

Years