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O F

CRITICISM.

In TWO VOLUMES.

VOLUME I.
Bu

(Heures "Home"

DUBLIN:

Prinnted by SARAH COTTER, in Skinner Row.

M,DCC,LXII.

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TO THE

KIN G.

SIR,

T

HE fine arts have ever been encouraged by wife princes, not fingly o for private amufement, but for their beneficial influence in fociety. By uniting different ranks in the fame elegant pleafures, they promote benevolence: by cherishing love of order, they inforce fubmiffion to government; and by infpiring delicacy of feeling, they make regular government a double bleffing,

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THESE Confiderations embolden me to hope for your Majefty's patronage in behalf

a. 2

of

of the following work, which treats of the fine arts, and attempts to form a standard of tafte, by unfolding thofe principles that ought to govern the taste of every individual.

IT is rare to find one born with fuch delicacy of feeling, as not to need inftruction it is equally rare to find one fo low in feeling, as not to be capable of inftruction. And yet, to refine our tafte with refpect to beauties of art or of nature, is scarce endeavoured in any feminary of learning a lamentable defect, confidering how early in life tafte is fufceptible of culture, and how difficult to reform it if unhappily perverted. To furnish materials for fupplying that defect, was an additional motive for the prefent undertaking.

To promote the fine arts in Britain, has become of greater importance than is generally imagined. A flourishing commerce begets opulence; and opulence, inflaming our appetite for pleasure, is commonly vented on luxury and on every fenfual gratifica tion: Selfishness rears its head; becomes fashionable; and infecting all ranks, extinguishes the amor patria and every fpark of public fpirit. To prevent or to retard fuch fatal corruption, the genius of an Alfred. cannot devife any means more efficacious, than venting opulence upon the fine arts.

Riches

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Riches fo employ'd inftead of encouraging vice, will excite both public and private virtue. Of this happy effect, ancient Greece furnishes one fhining inftance; and why fhould we defpair of another in Britain?

IN the commencement of an aufpicious reign, and even in that early period of life when pleasure commonly is the fole purfuit, your Majefty has uniformly difplay'd to a delighted people, the nobleft principles, ripened by early culture, and for that reason, you will be the more difpofed 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 impreflions of virtue, ought to be a fundamental measure in a well-regulated government for depravity of manners will render ineffectual the moft falutary laws; and in the midft of opulence, what other means to prevent fuch depravity but early and virtuous difcipline? The British difcipline is fufceptible of great improvements; and if we can hope for them, it must be from a young and accomplished Prince, eminently fenfible of their importance. To establish a complete system of education, feems reserved by providence for a Sovereign who commands the hearts of his fubjects. Succefs will crown the undertaking, and endear GEORGE THE THIRD to our lateft pofterity.

THE

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