Hort. UNSUNN'D Snow-The expreffion is beautiful: but is not the image likewife new, and wholly Shakespear's ?

Eug. YOU'RE in the right, Hortenfius ; but I was fo intent on the force of the Expreffion, that I quite over-looked the novelty in the idea. The completion of Beauty is in their Union of this we have an exquifite example, where Jachimo steals upon Imogen as the flept.

The crickets fing, and man's o'er-labour'd fense

Repairs itself by reft: qur Tarquin thus
Did foftly prefs the rushes, ere be waken'd

To reprefent Lucretia by perfonifying her virtue, was a beauty in the Thought: the elegant precifion with which the action is described, is a beauty in the Manner. In this analysis, we discover the limits between Nature and Art; for if by Nature we mean the intrinfic Merit in the Thought; by Art must be understood, 1. Every advantage given to that thought, to the improvement of its original beauty. 2. Every such happiness in the manner, as fupplies the want of Novelty in the Idea..

Afp. THE firft part of your description of Art, has been fully explained by the examples you have given: but, I do not as yet, clearly comprehend, how a happinefs in the manner can fupply the want of Novelty in the Thought.

Eug. We can heftow a Novelty on a known object, either by discovering in it some new circumftance or quality; or by varying and improving its usual impreffion. We have an example of the former, in the reflexion made by Helena on the vanity of her love for Bertram.

AGAIN, when the Shepherd, in the Winter's Tale, is queftioned by Polyxenes, concerning the love of Florizel for Per

dita

13

Shepherd.

Shepherd.

Never did the Moon

So gaze upon the waters, as he'll ftand,
And read my Daughter's eyes.

I NOW Come, Afpasia, to the explanation you defire. When a known object prefents itself to us, through a new and unpracticed medium, we confider the novelty as inherent in the object. It is much the fame with respect to our ideas; whatever is original in the Reprefentation, is tranfferred to the Thing reprefented. For inftance The confideration that all men have sprung from the fame origin, and are deftined to the fame diffolution, has been often employed, as a check on human pride, and an incitement to a focial affec tion. How is this urged by the Poet?

Arviragus,

Arviragus.

Are we not Brothers ?

Brother, ftay here;

Imog. So man and man fhould be;
But clay and clay differs in dignity,
Whofe duft is both alike.

Cymb

Is not the energy with which this Idea is conveyed, equivalent to a novelty in the Idea itself? The fame effect may be produced by a happiness in, the use and application of a known image-As in the advice given by Lady Macbeth to her Huf band.

Look like the innocent flower,
But be the ferpent under't.