ADVERTISEMENT.

THE state of my health having interrupted, for many months past, the continuation of my work on the Human Mind, I was induced to attempt, in the mean time, the easier task of preparing for the press a volume of Essays. I have not, however, abandoned the design which I ventured to announce eighteen years ago; and in the execution of which I have already made considerable progress. After thirty-eight years devoted to the various pursuits connected with my different academical situations, I now indulge the hope of enjoying, in a more retired scene, a short period of private study; and feel myself sufficiently warned by the approaching infirmities of age, not to delay any longer my best exertions for the accomplishment of an undertaking, which I have hitherto prosecuted only at accidental and often distant intervals; but which I have always fondly imagined (whether justly or not, others must determine) might, if carried into complete effect, be of some utility to the public.

Kinneil-House, 15th June, 1810.

On Locke's Account of the Sources of Human Knowledge,

and its Influence on the Doctrines of some of his Suc-

cessors.

CHAPTER I.-Introductory Observations

CHAPTER II.-Inconsistency of our Conclusions in the fore-

going Chapter, with Locke's Account of the Origin of

our Knowledge

CHAPTER III.-Influence of Locke's Account of the Origin

of our Knowledge on the Speculations of various emi-

nent Writers since his time, more particularly on those

of Berkeley and Hume

CHAPTER IV.-The same subject continued

ESSAY SECOND.

On the Idealism of Berkeley.

CHAPTER I.-On some prevailing Mistakes with Respect to

the Import and Aim of the Berkeleian System

CHAPTER II.

SECTION I.-On the Foundation of our Belief of the Ex-

istence of the material World, according to the State-

ment of Reid.--Strictures on that Statement

SECTION II.-Continuation of the Subject.-Indistinctness

of the Line drawn by Reid, as well as by Descartes and

Locke, between the primary and the secondary Quali-

ties of Matter.-Distinction between the primary Quali-

ties of Matter, and its mathematical Affections

VOL. IV.

b

ESSAY THIRD.

On the Influence of Locke's Authority upon the Philosophical

Systems which prevailed in France during the latter

Part of the eighteenth Century.

ESSAY FOURTH.

On the metaphysical Theories of Hartley, Priestley, and Darwin.

PART FIRST.-On the Beautiful, when presented immediately

to our Senses

CHAPTER I.-General Observations on the Subject of In-

quiry, and on the Plan upon which it is proposed to

examine it

CHAPTER II.-Progressive Generalizations of the Word

Beauty, resulting from the natural Progress of the

Mind. Beauty of Colors-of Forms-of Motions.-

Combinations of these.-Uniformity in Works of Art.-

Beauty of Nature

CHAPTER III.-Remarks on some of Mr. Burke's Princi-

ples which do not agree with the foregoing Conclusions

CHAPTER IV.-Continuation of the critical Strictures on

Mr. Burke's fundamental Principles concerning Beau-

ty.-Influence of these Principles on the Speculations of

Mr. Price

CHAPTER V.-Continuation of the same subject

181

183

183

195

205

211

220

CHAPTER VI.-Of the Application of the Theory of As-

sociation to Beauty.-Farther Generalizations of this

Word, in Consequence of the Influence of the asso-

ciating Principle

CHAPTER VII.-Continuation of the Subject.-Objections

to a Theory of Beauty proposed by Father Buffier and

Sir Joshua Reynolds

-

PART SECOND.-On the Beautiful, when presented to the

Power of the Imagination

233

246

252

ESSAY SECOND.

On the Sublime.

PREFACE

CHAPTER I-Of Sublimity, in the literal Sense of the

Word

CHAPTER II.-Generalizations of the Word Sublimity, in

Consequence of the Influence of religious Associations

CHAPTER III.-Generalizations of Sublimity in Conse-

quence of Associations resulting from the Phenomena

of Gravitation, and from the other physical Arrange-

ments with which our Senses are conversant

CHAPTER IV.-Confirmation of the foregoing Theory from

the natural Signs of Sublime Emotion.-Reciprocal In-

fluence of these Signs on the Associations which sug-

gest them

CHAPTER V.-Inferences from the foregoing Doctrines, with

some additional Illustrations

265

267

278

289

305

310

ESSAY THIRD.

On Taste.

CHAPTER I.-General Observations on our acquired Powers

of Judgment.-Application of these to the Subject of

this Essay

CHAPTER II.-Gradual Progress by which Taste is formed

CHAPTER III.-Different Modifications of Taste.-Distinc-

tion between Taste and the natural Sensibility to Beauty

CHAPTER IV.-Continuation of the Subject.-Specific plea-

sure connected with the Exercise of Taste.-Fastidious-

ness of Taste.-Miscellaneous Remarks on this Power,

considered in its Connexion with Character and Hap-

piness

318

327

344

354