Elements of Criticism. Henry Home, Lord Kames

ranks, extinguishes the amor patriae,¹ and every spark of public spirit. To prevent or to retard such fatal corruption, the genius of an Alfred cannot devise any means more efficacious, than the venting opulence upon the Fine Arts: riches so employ’d, instead of encouraging vice, will excite both public and private virtue. Of this happy effect, ancient Greece furnishes one shining instance; and why should we despair of another in Britain?

      In the commencement of an auspicious reign, and even in that early period of life when pleasure commonly is the<viii> sole pursuit, your Majesty has uniformly display’d to a delighted people, the noblest principles, ripen’d by early culture; and for that reason, you will be the more disposed to favour every rational plan for advancing the art of training up youth. Among the many branches of education, that which tends to make deep impressions of virtue, ought to be a fundamental object in a well-regulated government: for depravity of manners will render ineffectual the most salutary laws; and in the midst of opulence, what other means to prevent such depravity but early and virtuous discipline? The British discipline is susceptible of great improvements; and if we can hope for them, it must be from a young and accomplished Prince, eminently sensible of their importance. To establish a complete system of education, seems reserved by Providence for a Sovereign who commands the hearts of his subjects. Success will crown the undertaking, and endear<ix> George the Third to our latest posterity.

      The most elevated and most refined pleasure of human nature, is enjoy’d by a virtuous prince governing a virtuous people; and that, by perfecting the great system of education, your Majesty may very long enjoy this pleasure, is the ardent wish of

      Your Majesty’s

       Devoted Subject,

       HENRY HOME,

      December 1761.<x><xi>

      PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

      Printing, by multiplying copies at will, affords to writers great opportunity of receiving instruction from every quarter. The author of this treatise, having always been of opinion that the general taste is seldom wrong, was resolved from the beginning to submit to it with entire resignation: its severest disapprobation might have incited him to do better, but never to complain. Finding now the judgement of the public to be favourable, ought he not to draw satisfaction from it? He would be devoid of sensibility were he not greatly satisfied. Many criticisms have indeed reached his ear; but they are candid and benevolent, if not always just. Gratitude therefore, had there been no other motive, must have rous’d his utmost industry to clear this edition from all the defects of the former, so far as suggested by others, or discovered by himself. In a work, containing many particulars both new and abstruse, it was difficult to express every article with sufficient perspicuity; and<xii> after all the pains bestow’d, there remained certain passages which are generally thought obscure. The author giving an attentive ear to every censure of that kind, has, in the present edition, renewed his efforts to correct every defect; and he would gladly hope that he has not been altogether unsuccessful. The truth is, that a writer, who must be possessed of the thought before he can put it into words, is but ill qualified to judge whether the expression be sufficiently clear to others: in that particular, he cannot avoid the taking on him to judge for the reader, who can much better judge for himself.

      June 1763.<xiii>

      CONTENTS¹

      VOLUME 1

Introduction,

Chap. 1. Perceptions and Ideas in a train,

Chap. 2. Emotions and Passions,

Part 1. Causes unfolded of the Emotions and Passions:

Sect. 1. Difference between Emotion and Passion.— Causes that are the most common and the most general.—Passion considered as productive of Action,

Sect. 2. Power of Sounds to raise Emotions and Passions,

Sect. 3. Causes of the Emotions of Joy and Sorrow,

Sect. 4. Sympathetic Emotion of Virtue, and its cause,

Sect. 5. In many instances one Emotion is productive of another. The same of Passions,<xiv>

Sect. 6. Causes of the Passions of Fear and Anger,

Sect. 7. Emotions caused by Fiction,

Part 2. Emotions and Passions as pleasant and painful, agreeable and disagreeable. Modifications of these Qualities,

Part 3. Interrupted Existence of Emotions and Passions.— Their Growth and Decay,

Part 4. Coexistent Emotions and Passions,

Part 5. Influence of Passion with respect to our Perceptions, Opinions, and Belief,

Appendix. Methods that Nature hath afforded for computing Time and Space,

Part 6. Resemblance of Emotions to their Causes,

Part 7. Final Causes of the more frequent Emotions and Passions,

Chap. 3. Beauty,

Chap. 4. Grandeur and Sublimity,

Chap. 5. Motion and Force,

Chap. 6. Novelty, and the unexpected appearance of Objects,

Chap. 7. Risible Objects,

Chap. 8. Resemblance and Dissimilitude,<xv>

       Chap. 9. Uniformity and Variety,