An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Taste, and of the Origin of our Ideas of Beauty, etc. — John Shaqi
An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Taste, and of the Origin of our Ideas of Beauty, etc.Reynolds, Frances
Philosophy
An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Taste, and of the Origin of our Ideas of Beauty, etc.
Reynolds, Frances
Aesthetics; Art -- Philosophy
It is of great importance to me the recovery of this letter
particularly so as I perceive I must not presume to hope for
the only patronage that could countervail the loss of Dr.
Johnsons, should I ever be induced to publish the work. I
do not mean that I would publish the letter, but that the
testimony it conveys of Dr. Johnsons approbation, would be
highly advantageous to me in the disposal of the copy to
a Bookseller, indeed _approbation_ is an improper Word,
inadequate to the
praises he bestows on the work, I durst not repeat his
expressions tho I well remember them. Some friendly strictures
also the letter contained, all these I remember I transcribed
verbatim in a letter I sent to you in the beginning of the
year 82. they begin
Many of your notions seem not to be very clear in your own
imagination....[5]
It was not until the next year that with the help of James Northcote
she finally made active preparations to have the work published. As
Miss Reynolds wrote to Mrs. Montagu on 5 February,
I forgot to say that Mr. Nurse recommended Mr. Northcote to a
Mr. Bladen in Paternoster Row for a Publisher, but I sent
in the utmost haste to him to prevent his taking any steps
towards so disgraceful a place as I imagine that to be so
incongruous.[6]
In preparation for the new printing, Miss Reynolds had further revised
her essay, and in order to enhance the value of the piece for general
readers she decided to add three letters from Johnson of which she
chanced to have copies. Totally unconnected with the essay, one was
to Sir Joseph Banks concerning the motto for his goat's collar; the
others concerned the unfortunate Dr. Dodd. But before going ahead she
again asked the advice of her patroness. Mrs. Montagu replied:
I do not see that there is any objection to publishing the 3
letters, but I own I think Dr Johnson judges too lightly of
the crime of forgery ... I believe the tenderness of sentiment
Dr Johnson expresses for Dr Dodd in his afflictions will do
him honour in the eyes of the Publick, & therefore as his
friend you may with propriety publish the letters.[7]
Mrs. Montagu concluded, "I wish some name that would do more honour to
your work was to appear in the dedication, but to be presented to
the publick with such a mark of Mrs Reynolds' friendly regard, will
certainly be esteemed an honour...."
Sometime between February and July 1789 the _Enquiry_ was reprinted,
this time by J. Smeeton (copies of this version may be found in the
Bodleian Library and the Library of Congress). The terminal date for
the reprinting is established by the fact that the three letters
of Johnson which were appended to the essay were reprinted without
comment in the July issue of the _European Magazine_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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