THE

FIRST BOOK

OF THE

PLEASURES OF IMAGINATION.

ARGUMENT.

THE fubject propofed. Difficulty of treating it poetically. The ideas of the divine mind, the origin of every quality pleasing to the imagination. The natural variety of constitution in the minds of men; with its final cause. The idea of a fine imagination, and the state of the mind in the enjoyment of thofe pleasures which it affords All the primary pleasures of the imagination refult from the perception of greatness, or wonderfulness, or beauty in objects. The pleasure from greatness, with its final caufe. Pleasure from novelty or wonderfulness, with its final caufe. Pleafure from beauty, with its final caufe. The connexion of beauty with truth and good, applied to the conduct of life. Invitation to the study of moral philofophy. The different degrees of beauty in different fpecies of objects: colour; fhape; natural concretes ; vegetables; animals; the mind. The fublime, the fair, the wonderful of the mind. The connexion of the imagination and the moral faculty. Conclufion.

THE

PLEASURES

OF

IMAGINATION.

BOOK I.

WITH what attractive charms this goodly frame

Of nature touches the consenting hearts

Of mortal men; and what the pleafing stores
Which beauteous imitation thence derives

To deck the poet's, or the painter's toil;
My verse unfolds. Attend, ye gentle powers

Of mufical delight! and while I fing

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Your gifts, your honours, dance around my strain. Thou, fmiling queen of every tuneful breast,

Indulgent Fancy! from the fruitful banks

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Of Avon, whence thy rofy fingers cull

Fresh flowers and dews to sprinkle on the turf Where Shakespeare lies, be prefent: and with thee Let Fiction come, upon her vagrant wings

Wafting ten thoufand colours through the air, 15 Which, by the glances of her magic eye,

She blends and fhifts at will, through countless forms,
Her wild creation. Goddess of the lyre,

Which rules the accents of the moving sphere,
Wilt thou, eternal Harmony! defcend

And join this feftive train? for with thee comes
The guide, the guardian of their lovely sports,

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Majestic Truth; and where Truth deigns to come, Her fifter Liberty will not be far.

Be prefent all ye Genii, who conduct

The wandering footsteps of the youthful bard,

25

New to your springs and fhades: who touch his ear

With finer founds: who heighten to his eye

The bloom of nature, and before him turn

The gayeft, happiest attitude of things.

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Oft have the laws of each poetic strain
The critic-verse employ'd; yet still unfung

Lay this prime fubject, though importing most
A poet's name: for fruitless is the attempt,

By dull obedience and by creeping toil
Obfcure to conquer the severe ascent

Of high Parnaffus. Nature's kindling breath
Must fire the chosen genius; nature's hand

Must string his nerves, and imp his eagle-wings
Impatient of the painful fteep, to foar

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High as the fummit; there to breathe at large Ætherial air; with bards and fages old, Immortal fons of praife. Thefe flattering fcenes, To this neglected labour court my fong;

40

Yet not unconscious what a doubtful task

To paint the finest features of the mind,

45

And to moft fubtle and myfterious things

Give colour, ftrength, and motion. But the love. Of nature and the Muses bids explore,

Through fecret paths erewhile untrod by man, 50

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