ment similar to those on which it has been exercised through the senses. Thus does the mind receive a lasting impression-a fadeless hue, from those qualities which are presented to its perception. These ideas of the imagination have a powerful influence on all the character, and give their peculiar expression to the conduct; and hence we see the importance of directing genius to the production of such works as will furnish no improper aliment to the imagination. The forming of mental images of rare and exquisite natural or moral grace, loveliness or sublimity, always produces a good effect upon the character and He who cultivates either taste or genius in the arts, lives, by his imagination, amid scenes of natural or moral beauty or grandeur; and he grows mild, gentle, and happy, in some sunny spot of earth, with affectionate, refined society about him,-or brave, independent, and dignified, amid the magnificence and sublimity of mountains, oceans, and storms, or among the soul-stirring scenes of grand civil or political movements.

manners.

3. I will venture a third observation on the good tendency of the fine arts. The exercise or cultivation which the study and examination of works of art give to the sensitive part of our nature, refines and improves our sensibilities, and thus renders us more easily and deeply affected by the scenes of real life. There is danger, it is true, that our sensibilities may be exhausted or blunted by excessive excitement in the contemplation of images of mere ideal existence, or become morbid, in the same way, so as to be affected at improper times, and by unworthy objects; but this result will be owing to an erroneous employment of powers and means intended for our welfare. Experience and observation seem, however, to establish the general fact. Hence a person of true refinement of taste is more susceptible of pleasure and pain, of pleasure at the good of others, and of pain at their misfortunes. Such a person will be less liable to injure the feelings of another, and will never do it wantonly. He has a keen sense of selfrespect, and of the respect and decorum becoming him on all occasions. There is a simplicity, affability, and condescension about one of cultivated sensibility, as honorable to himself as it is agreeable to his associates. Such an individual possesses a deep sympathy with humanity, and rejoices in all enterprises undertaken for the benefit of mankind.

It is true the fine sensibilities of the heart may be improved by social intercourse; but it is no small recommendation of the arts, that they are conducive to so important a result. And though their tendency to produce this effect may not be the most powerful inducement to the pursuit of them, yet, seeing they are and will be pursued for other very valuable purposes, it is gratifying to observe that they are naturally, and may be made particularly conducive to the improvement of those generous and benevolent feelings which are needed in the every-day occurrences of life. And this they do, on a principle applicable in every department of education, viz.-the cultivation of any power of the mind on a given subject prepares that power to be used more easily on every other subject; so, by a proper employment of our taste or sensibility in the fine arts, it becomes more readily excited in the common affairs of life.

Though a system of education directed mainly to the cultivation of

the moral powers and feelings, and professedly exclusive of the aid of the fine arts, may and will develop the kind and amiable affections, yet we feel prepared to say that it will not do this so agreeably without their aid, and indeed, will not do this really without the application of some of their chief elementary principles. The love of nature, the cultivation of which such a system would not neglect, leads, as we have seen, directly to the production of some of the arts. Just taste and cultivated genius always produce representations true to nature, and delight in nothing more than in the exhibition of whatever is tender and touching in its character,-elevating and chastening in its tendency. Hence, among the most legitimate, pure, and lovely of the works of art are those scenes and objects highly distinguished for all that is delicate, gentle, and refined. In inculcating these qualities, therefore, we inculcate those which it is the province and the glory of art to exhibit and excite. In such an education, it would be necessary to make some representation of the scenes which call for the exercise of benevolence and sympathy, and in doing this, some one or more of the fine arts, in its imperfect manifestation, at least, must be employed. How much better to allow the mind a free range through all the beautiful walks and fields of genius, where it may find delightful gratification for its high and ardent aspirations, agreeable and vigorous exercise for all its affections and powers, and many useful hints and instructions for its future occupation and direction. And from these last remarks we may see that the fine arts would improve our sensibilities, not only by improving our taste, but also by employing, for this purpose, through the representation of suitable qualities, the susceptibility of the mind, already mentioned, to imbibe the spirit of those objects which come under its notice.

The

Closely connected with this topic is the consideration that persons of refined taste and genius abhor every thing vulgar and mean. elevation and comparative purity of sentiment which such persons enjoy prevent them from addicting themselves to low and grovelling vice. And though, owing to erroneous education, their contempt of vice may sometimes be transferred to the person of the vicious man, so as to prevent them from making any attempt to reform him, yet they should know that correct taste, as well as pure morality, would teach them to endeavor to reform the vicious, just as it would teach a person of neatness and order to remedy any defect in his dress or apartment. One special way in which the arts produce the effect just noticed is, that they attract from vice by the superior pleasures which they afford. The man who has a relish for them possesses a more cheerful disposition than another otherwise similarly situated. His love of nature is increased at the same time with his taste, and he finds objects of delightful interest where all is blank or gloomy to another. Society, in its varied forms and operations, furnishes him, at any time, with fresh and interesting subjects of admiring contemplation. The character and furniture of his mind dispose him to be happy in himself, and promote his social enjoyment.

4. In the fourth place, an important moral end of the fine arts is the fuller development which the cultivation of them gives to the whole Their intellectual domain is an extensive one, and they seem to be its fittest and most natural proprietors and inhabitants. Either

man.

in a rude or polished state, they generally occupy it; and if brought under the supreme direction and influence of the rightful sovereign of the mind, they will greatly contribute to the advantage and happiness of the whole man. True, other departments of the soul may for a while usurp their place, but disorder, in some form or other, must be the final result of this partial or imperfect arrangement; and if their province is left unoccupied by its proper owners, it will probably be filled with powers inimical and prejudicial to the best interests of man. One prominent cause of the ruin of many individuals, is the partial culture of their intellectual and moral natures. Ignorance, or imperfect mental cultivation, is the origin and supporter of prejudice; but prejudice and passion, under the influence of true principles of taste, will be restrained, if not in their inward existence, at least in their outward expression and tendencies. Hence the importance of improving the taste, which can be done most effectually by the influence of the fine arts. This influence begets liberality of soul, and is an enticement to the pursuit of other studies, suited to the development of the mind. And we may say with truth, that the more the mind is enlarged, other things being equal, the greater is its moral power.

There will happen seasons in the life of many, if not of all, when circumstances may require a long retirement from the active business of the world, and when, owing to the natural activity of the mind, and the necessity of varied exercise in support of its vigor and comfort, we shall, if we have not this varied exercise, be in danger either of turning our cankering anxieties and thoughts upon ourselves, or else of weakening or polluting our souls with frivolous or sinful occupations. And at such seasons, and in those leisure hours which all men have, a taste and genius in some one or more of the fine arts will be found eminently serviceable.

The pursuit and study of the fine arts give exercise to the reasoning powers, and increase the powers of attention and discrimination. This increased mental activity we shall naturally employ on other subjects, as those of moral speculation and moral duty, and thus we may be led indirectly and agreeably to those convictions which may have a useful control over our whole character. Take another view of this point. Though taste is by no means the criterion by which to judge the moral character of actions, still it is, perhaps, no less true that just taste will always be found conformed to the dictates of sound morality.

Hence such a taste may be, in some cases, a valuable auxiliary to the moral sense. The Divine Wisdom seems to have so arranged His moral government as to give sufficient instruction on the great general principles of morality and religion, so that every one may have the means of salvation, and, at the same time, to leave every one, for his own good, to the employment of all his powers in the application of those principles to the details and minutiae of life. Hence the office of conscience and reason is not abolished nor contracted by revelation, but these talents, with others, are given us to be strengthened and enlarged by use. There may be passages in our experience in which the precise moral aspect of a contemplated action may not be distinctly seen, and we need all the lights of the mind to be poured upon it. And especially may there be cases, in which, though moral obligation may be clearly discerned, yet the manner of performing the

action may depend on principles of taste. Take an example from sacred history. An illustrious personage has perpetrated a foul, enormous crime. He has robbed one of his most useful subjects first of the dearest object of his affections, and next of his life, but as yet he seems insensible of the magnitude of the evil. It is necessary to awaken his conscience, and produce his repentance. A holy prophet is sent by God to him for this purpose. He goes, he does his duty faithfully, and accomplishes his object. But Nathan is guided, in his address to David, as the best means of producing the result, by the true principles of oratory.

5. The moral influence of the fine arts on national character, will be briefly and imperfectly considered, in the fifth and last place.Their tendency is to humanize and civilize the public mind. They naturally contain nothing savage, cruel, or vicious, either in their principles or legitimate operations. Indeed, they were the chief instruments in ancient civilization, and the principal marks by which an improved state of society was distinguished from the barbarity of other tribes. A remarkable instance of the humanizing tendency of music was exhibited in the condition of one of the tribes of the ancient Greeks in Peloponessus. It was observed that the Arcadians were much more gentle in their dispositions, and, of course, more amiable in their manners, than their neighbors in the surrounding districts; and as they were enthusiastically devoted to music, which their neighbors did not cultivate, their mildness of character was justly believed to be the effect of its power. The fine arts always accompany civilization, and seem to be one of its essential, but, certainly, one of its universal elements, both in ancient and in modern times.

They furnish a species of popular amusement of elevated character. This amusement holds a middle rank between the gratification of the animal, sensual appetites and passions, and the high exercises of the understanding, and hence is an agreeable relaxation from the one, and a powerful attraction from the other. This amusement occupies this relation by consisting partly of pleasures of sense, and partly of intellectual exercises. The senses, however, which are thus gratified, are the noblest, and their pleasures most dignified, viz. the sight and hearing. These are the noblest of the senses, because they are most nearly allied to purely mental operations, since the impressions made on their bodily organs are not perceptible. It seems to be necessary to our greatest happiness in this state of being, that we should have some relaxation of mind; and God seems to have constituted us and external nature so as to effect this purpose among others. Now the higher the enjoyment, the better the effect upon the mind and heart. Hence the sounds and sights of nature afford the most agreeable and useful pleasures; and the exhibitions of the fine arts, so similar to these, have almost an equal claim on our attention. The amusements of a people have a powerful influence on their moral character; and, no doubt, bull-baiting, and other barbarous sports, engender or foster that peculiar recklessness of life, and fierceness of temper and manners, common to the people who practise or encourage them.Letters and arts exert a moralizing influence, not only by exercising higher senses than the gross indulgences of taste, smell, and touch do, but also by giving gentle and useful exercise to the intellectual pow

ers and moral feelings, (the employment of which, as has been stated, is beneficial to the character,) which such sports as those just alluded to do not furnish.

It requires an advanced state of society, and the existence of high intellectual endowments, for the production and appreciation of finished specimens of art. Now, though extensive mental cultivation does not imply always, and is not always accompanied by, great religious culture, still, since in such a condition, other things being equal, the moral and social feelings will be considerably refined, and since it is desirable to advance the intellectual improvement of a people, therefore the fine arts should receive a due share of patronage. The more food there is for the mind, the more the mind gains ascendancy over appetites and passions. And the more agreeable the means by which instruction and mental culture can be given, the more readily and successfully will they be attended to. Furthermore, the object of these arts, especially of those called fine arts in history, painting, sculpture, and architecture, not being so much pecuniary profit, but being more absolutely the gratification of the taste, the result of their pursuit is the enlargement and increased liberality of the mind. The pursuit of gain, of money, and almost all the occupations of mere business, have a tendency to cramp and circumscribe the mind. It needs some agreeable and ingenious occupation for its leisure hours, and fitted to draw it away from the engrossing cares of business. The exercise of formative skill, or of high relish, in these arts, produces this effect; and the tendency of these arts to do so is probably one reason, but not the particular one, of their being called liberal. Hence those times and countries, when and where the liberal arts flourished, were distinguished for intellectual superiority, for the general prevalence of a fondness for, and a just appreciation of, the labors of taste and genius. Thus a noble spirit of emulation was excited, directed to gratify this generous and elevated state of public refinement. And, though it may be difficult to decide whether it was owing to this superior mental cultivation and liberality of sentiment, or not, we, nevertheless, find that those nations, if they did not receive Christianity soonest, having once received, retained it the longest, and were permanently affected by it in all their affairs. It was corrupted among them, after some time, it is true, but yet it made a lasting improvement in their condition in many important particulars.

Their influence is an important element in that grand department of political or national morality-patriotism, or love of country. The cultivation of them makes us take a greater interest in the natural aspects and phenomena of the country, and its inhabitants. We are necessarily led to observe and study its scenery more, its resources, its climate. We wish to give birth and being to that almost innate attachment to our native land, which all her true children feel. We there. fore desire to portray and describe her skies-her rivers-her ocean shores-her mountains, plains, and valleys-her spring-her summer -her various productions. We seek to be inspired by her charms, and she increases the ardor of our love toward her. So also her history, and the history of her inhabitants, furnish many an interesting theme for the employment of the muses. Song, sculpture, painting, eloquence, are all busy with its scenes and events. The manners of