in our present Enquiry. It cannot, with any Shew of Reason, be inferred, that there is no fuch Thing as Beauty, or no Criterion to afcertain it, because fome particular Minds do not feel the one, or apprehend the other. If a Difpute arife, we appeal to Nature and the common Feelings of Mankind, and do not hesitate to affirm, that, what appears beautiful to one, will generally do fo to another; if his Faculties are right, and his Attention fair and impartial.

Who ever denied the Beauty of the Venus de Medicis? Or does any Man fay, there is not a diftinguished Delicacy in the Works of thofe inimitable Artifts, Raphael and Guido? Some Conoiffeurs may, it is true, give the Preference to the former; and fome, perhaps, be more charmed with the latter; or they may differ in the Degree of Merit to be afcribed to this or that Particular Performance; but ftill they all agree that Grace and Elegance are the Characteristics of both thefe Mafters. This is a Point, which never has been, and never will be contefted. And whence can this univerfal Confent arife, but from fomething certain and uniform in Nature? From whence, but that inward Sense common to Mankind, which operates with the fame Efficacy upon the Generality of the Species ?

Nor is this true with refpect to the imitative Arts only; but it is equally applicable to every Object that presents itself to us.

Look yonder! (faid he, pointing to a View of the Thames) what a beautiful Profpect lies before you! Z 2 Behold

Behold the gentle Glidings of that lovely River! See how he winds his full Stream in pleasing Meanders, fteering his majestic Course through verdant Meads, and diftributing Wealth and Pleasure, as he flows along! Obferve the numerous Villas which adorn his Banks, and are adorned by him!--All, that have ever beheld this Scene of Delight, agree in admiring its Charms, and acknowledge that the delicate Ideas here raised in their Minds, are perfectly correfpondent to their natural Senfe of Lovelinefs and Grace.

Nature then is the Standard and Afcertainer of Delicacy. To her Tribunal the Defenders of Beauty make their Appeal; to her Sentence they finally fubmit their Cause.

The great Mafters of Criticifm have, indeed, upon very just Grounds, been esteemed by all improved Nations, as proper Regulators of Tafte; and therefore a Deference is due to their known Rules and eftablished Measures. But this Difference is not founded on the Authority of their Names, but on the Juftnefs of their Obfervations and Reafonings. And on this Account they have ever been looked upon as infallible Guides, to prevent the Mind from deviating out of the plain Paths of Nature.

Granting, returned Sophronius, that you have pointed out a proper Standard for the Trial of Beauty in the imitative Arts; will the fame Rule serve for the Delicacy of Good-breeding? This feems to depend

entirely

entirely upon prevailing Customs, which are of fo unfettled a Nature, that they are ever varying with the Complexion of Times and Climates. What is looked upon as polite in one Age or Country, is, you are fenfible, efteemed the Reverse in another. How then can there be any fettled Principle, to direct our Judgment concerning a Thing fo vague and inconftant ?

That Part of good Manners, replied Philocles, to which you here allude, relates only, I fuppofe, to certain Forms and Ceremonies. And as far as these are abfolutely indifferent in themselves, and have no other Value but what they derive from the fashionab e World; to that Standard alone (wavering and uncertain as it is) we must be content to refer ourselves in this Cafe. But yet furely there are many exterior Obfervances and Forms of Behaviour, in which we may clearly discover a Comeliness or Inelegance, that arifes manifeftly from a Conformity or Unfuitablenefs to the Nature of Things, to common Senfe, and an inbred Feeling of Decorum. If this were otherwife; on what Principle do we claim a Right to draw Compa. rifons between the Politeness of different Countries, and give the Ufages and Cuftoms of one, the Preference to thofe of another?

But however this may be; yet the more effential Points of Delicacy in Manners are clearly afcertained by our internal Senfe, and are therefore invariably the fame in every Age and every Climate.

Suppose a Man, for Inftance, to be follicited by his Friend to do him a good Office, or lend him Affiftance

Z 3

Dial. II. fistance in Diftrefs. After great Importunity he yields to his Entreaties, but with fuch a fullen Air, and reluctant Countenance, as muft offend even the Receiver. Who would not feel the Odiousness of granting a Requeft with fuch Circumstances of Indecency? Suppofe another Man conferring a Favour with fuch a pleafing Chearfulness and humane Addrefs, as makes the Giver appear to be the Perfon obliged In this Cafe, it is impoffible for any, but the most brutal and degenerate, not to be fenfible of the Comeliness of fuch a Demeanor, and applaud this amiable Manner of heightening the Value of a generous Action.

In fuch Points of Behaviour then as thefe, which are the most material Parts of Good-breeding, we have the fame Rule to form our Judgments, as in the imitative Arts. They depend not on the Caprice of Fashion, or the varying Complexion of Times and Climates; but are founded on that internal Senfe of Decorum, that univerfal Humanity, common and natural to all Mankind; which is the Ground of our Love and Hatred, the Guide of our Approbation and Diflike.

If we proceed farther, and extend our Enquiries to Things of higher Importance, to the nobleft and most essential Beauty, the Purity of a moral Conduct.

That Culture of the Mind, interrupted Sophronius, which leads a Man to fee and feel the Comeliness of Virtue, has undoubtedly a fure Foundation, and an infallible Standard in Nature. And as this kind of Refinement

Refinement is of the higheft Concern to us, it must be allowed to have a just Claim to our best Attention and Regard. But here, Philacles, I must stop. Any thing, beyond this, feems to me a Misfortune rather than an Happiness.

It has been justly obferved, that Men of a delicate Frame are too fenfibly affected with the Accidents of Life. Upon any proíperous Event, their Spirits are apt to be elevated beyond all Bounds: And in Adverfity, their Grief pierces fo deep into the tender Frame, that it becomes infupportable. It is poffible, perhaps, that in fome Inftances they may have more lively Enjoyments than Men of a coarfer Mould; but then they have also more pungent Sorrows. Occurrences which would have no Effect upon a ftronger Mind, afflict them to the laft Degree: the moft trivial Difappointment, the Omiffion of a Ceremony, a carelefs Word or Gesture, nay even a Look will difcompose their Temper, and cast an heavy Gloom on their Minds.

This Obfervation, returned Philocles, is founded on a mistaken Notion of the true Character of Delicacy. If fine Sensations are not supported with strong Senfe, they dwindle into Effeminacy: nor had ever any Man an elegant Tafte, who had not alfo a found Understanding. There is, indeed, in a delicate Frame, a certain Degree of Softnefs; but then it is only just as much as fuffices to prevent the Inconveniences, that attend upon the rough and boisterous Paffions. Something, it must be owned, there is in