Elements of Criticism, Volume I.Kames, Henry Home, Lord
Philosophy
Elements of Criticism, Volume I.
Kames, Henry Home, Lord
Criticism; Literary style
Motion and force, agreeable in themselves, are also agreeable by their
utility when employed as means to accomplish some beneficial end. Hence
the superior beauty of some machines, where force and motion concur to
perform the work of numberless hands. Hence the beautiful motions, firm
and regular, of a horse trained for war. Every single step is the
fittest that can be for obtaining the end proposed. But the grace of
motion is visible chiefly in man, not only for the reasons mentioned,
but also because every gesture is significant. The power however of
agreeable motion is not a common talent. Every limb of the human body
has a good and a bad, an agreeable and disagreeable action. Some
motions are extremely graceful, others are plain and vulgar: some
express dignity, others meanness. But the pleasure here, arising not
singly from the beauty of motion, but from indicating character and
sentiment, belongs to a different chapter[72].
I should conclude with the final cause of the relish we have for motion
and force, were it not so evident as to require no explanation. We are
placed here in such circumstances as to make industry essential to our
well-being; for without industry the plainest necessaries of life are
not to be obtained. When our situation therefore in this world requires
activity and a constant exertion of motion and force, Providence
indulgently provides for our welfare in making these agreeable to us. It
would be a blunder in our nature, to make things disagreeable that we
depend on for existence; and even to make them indifferent, would tend
to make us relax greatly from that degree of activity which is
indispensable.
CHAP. VI.
Novelty, and the unexpected appearance of objects.
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