Previous Page Close Next Page

fol. 35r    [fol. 34v is blank]	'Of Ideas of Beauty' (Pt I, Sn I, Ch VI)       (3.109)
      
      
      
     		by him a part of our constitution .  and which is independent of all action of
     intellect resulting from volition -       <I call> is carefully to be distinguished
     		from that desire & aversion which is the result of an arbitrary connection
     of one idea with another.      Those ultimate sources of pleasure - which
 5   we like we cannot tell why . in all places and at all times.  as we prefer
     the taste of sugar to the taste of wormwood.  are what I refer to above .
     		in speaking of ideas of <pleasure> beauty .
     		It has been sufficiently proved by men whose authority without proof		
     		would be almost sufficient for the purpose .  that the ideas of beauty   .
10   as those of palatal taste  , are naturally & inherently the same in all men .
     		<Their intensity>   They may be altered to an indefinite extent by
     		habit -  and they are interfered with to an incalculable degree by
     		the exertion of the intellect.   but they are primarily the same in all.
     		He who has followed up these natural laws of aversion {&} desire . rendering
     	15	them more & more authoritative by constant obedience.  so as to derive pleasure
     always from that which God originally intended should give him pleasure .
     		and who desires the greatest possible sum of pleasure from any given
     		object.  is a man of Taste .
     		This is the real meaning of th<e>is much disputed word . ^ {Perfect} <Taste> is the
     	20	faculty of receiving the greatest possible pleasure from those courses which

Previous Page Close Next Page

MW