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ESSAY II.

OF THE SUBLIMITY AND BEAUTY OF THE

MATERIAL WORLD.

CHAPTER IV.

Of Forms.

PART III.

Of the Composition of Forms.

I.

THE preceding observations relate altogether to Simple Forms, or to such Forms as are described by a single Line.

It is obvious, however, that there are few Forms of such a kind. In the greater part

of beautiful Forms, whether in Nature or in Art, Lines of different descriptions unite, and there is a Beauty felt in certain combinations of these Lines, or in the production of a COMPLEX Form. The principles, therefore, which account for the Beauty of Simple Forms, cannot be supposed to account also for that peculiar Beauty which arises from the union of such Forms in Composition.

Simple Forms are distinguished to the Eye, by the uniformity or similarity of the Line by which they are described. Complex Forms are distinguished by the mixture of similarity and dissimilarity in these Lines, or, in other words, by their Uniformity and Variety. The same principle which leads us to ascribe the Beauty of Simple Forms, to some original Beauty in these Forms themselves, leads us also to ascribe the Beauty of complex Forms, to some original fitness in the Composition of Uni

formity and Variety, to produce this Emotion.

That the Composition of Uniformity and Variety in Forms is agreeable, or is fitted by the constitution of our nature to excite an agreeable sensation in the Sense of Sight, I am not disposed to dispute. That these qualities are also capable of conveying to us very pleasing and very interesting expressions, and that in this manner they are felt as beautiful, I shall endeavour to show in the next chapter; but that the union of such material qualities as perceived by the Eye, and without reference to any Expres sion, is not in itself, and essentially beautiful, is obvious from the following considerations, of which I shall devolve the illustration upon the reader himself.

1. If the Composition of Uniformity and Variety in Forms, were in itself beautiful, it would necessarily follow, that in every case where this Composition was found, the Form would be beautiful. The greater part

of Forms, both in Art and Nature, are possessed of this union. The greater part of these Forms, however, are not beautiful.

2. If it is said, that it is not the mere union of Uniformity and Variety, but a certain union of them, which is beautiful, then this peculiar union must in all cases be necessarily beautiful. The only difference between Forms in this respect, must be either in the number or in the degree of their uniform, or of their varied parts. Let any particular or certain Composition of these parts be fixed upon; it will be found, that so far is this union of uniformity and variety from being in itself beautiful, that it cannot be extended to objects of any different kind, without altogether destroying their Beauty.

3. If it is farther said, that it is not any certain, but a proper Composition of Uniformity and Variety which is beautiful, then it is obvious, that this propriety is not the object of our external Senses, and that what

ever Beauty arises from the Composition of these qualities, is to be ascribed to some other principle than to the mere material qualities alone.

II.

If, on the other hand, the account which has been given of the Natural Beauty of Forms, as expressive of certain affecting or interesting qualities, be just, it seems natural to suppose, that in the Composition of Forms, some propriety should arise from the Composition of EXPRESSION; that as Lines are distinguished by different characters, the mixture of different Lines should produce confusion, instead of Beauty; and that the Composition of Form should then only be beautiful, when the same relation is preserved amid variety, which is demanded in all other cases of Composition *.

That this is really the case, will, I trust,

Essay I. Chap. ii. Sect. 3.

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