CONCLUSION. I. THE illustrations in the first Chapter of this Essay are intended to shew, that whenever the emotions of Beauty or Sublimity are felt, that exercise of Imagination is produced which consists in the prosecution of a train of thought. The illustrations in the second Chapter are intended to point out the distinction be tween such trains, and our ordinary trains of thought, and to show, that this difference consists, 1st, In the ideas which compose them being in all cases Ideas of Emotion; and, 2dly, In their possessing an uniform principle of connection through the whole of the train. The effect, therefore, which is produced upon the mind, by objects of Taste, may be considered as consisting in the production of a regular or consistent train of Ideas of Emotion. II. The account which I have now given of this effect, may perhaps serve to point out an important distinction between the Emotions of Taste, and all our different Emotions of Simple Pleasure. In the case of these last emotions, no additional train of thought is necessary. The pleasurable feeling follows immediately the presence of the object or quality, and has no dependence upon anything for its perfection, but the sound: state of the sense by which it is received. The Emotions of Joy, Pity, Benevolence, Gratitude, Utility, Propriety, Novelty, &c. might undoubtedly be felt, although we had no such power of mind as that by which we follow out a train of ideas, and certainly are felt in a thousand cases, when this faculty is unemployed. In the case of the Emotions of Taste, on the other hand, it seems evident that this exercise of mind is necessary, and that unless this train of thought is produced, these emotions are unfelt. Whatever may be the nature of that simple emotion which any object is fitted to excite, whether that of Gaiety, Tranquillity, Melancholy, &c. if it produce not a train of kindred thought in our minds, we are conscious only of that simple Emotion. Whenever, on the contrary, this train of thought, or this exercise of imagination is produced, we are conscious of an emotion of a higher and more pleasing kind; and which, though it is impossible to describe in language, we yet distinguish by the name of the Emotion of Taste. If accordingly the Author of our nature had denied us this faculty of Imagination, it should seem that these emotions could not have been felt, and that all our emotions would have been limited to those of simple pleasure. The Emotions of Taste may therefore be considered as distinguished from the Emotions of Simple Pleasure, by their being dependent upon the exercise of our Imagination; and though founded in all cases upon some simple Emotion, as yet further requiring the employment of this faculty for their existence. III. As in every operation of Taste there are thus two different faculties employed, viz. some affection or emotion raised, and the imagination excited to a train of thought corresponding to this emotion, the peculiar pleasure which attends, and which constitutes the Emotions of Taste, may naturally be considered as composed of the pleasures which separately attend the exercise of these faculties, or, in other words, as produced by the union of pleasing Emotion, with the pleasure which, by the constitution of our nature, is annexed to the exercise of Imagi nation. That both these pleasures are felt in every operation of Taste, seems to me very agreeable to common experience and observation. 1. That in every case of the Emotions of Sublimity or Beauty, that simple Emotion of pleasure is felt, which arises from the peculiar nature of the object perceived, every man, I conceive, may very easily satisfy himself. In any beautiful object, whose character is Cheerfulness, we are conscious of a feeling of cheerfulness,-in objects of Melancholy, of a feeling of sadness,-in objects of Utility, of a feeling of Satisfaction and Complacence, similar to what we feel from objects of the same kind, when the Emotion of Beauty is not excited. In sublime objects, in the same manner, whatever their character may be, whether that of Greatness, Terror, Power, &c. we are conscious of the feelings of Admiration, of Awe, of Humility, &c. and of the same pleasures from the exercise of them, which we feel in those cases where the Emotion |