第18部分(第1/7 页)

bee　Thinking　Reason；　with　the　view　of　effecting　in　its　own　element；　the　restoration　of　its

principles　from　the　ruin　to　which　they　had　been　brought。

§　78

We　find　then；　it　is　true；　among　all　world…historical　peoples；　poetry；　plastic　art；　science；　even

philosophy；　but　not　only　is　there　a　diversity　in　style　and　bearing　generally；　but　still　more　remarkably

in　subject…matter；　and　this　is　a　diversity　of　the　most　important　kind；　affecting　the　rationality　of　that

subject…matter。　It　is　useless　for　a　pretentious　aesthetic　criticism　to　demand　that　our　good　pleasure

should　not　be　made　the　rule　for　the　matter　—　the　substantial　part　of　their　contents　—　and　to

maintain　that　it　is　the　beautiful　form　as　such；　the　grandeur　of　the　fancy；　and　so　forth；　which　fine　art

aims　at；　and　which　must　be　considered　and　enjoyed　by　a　liberal　taste　and　cultivated　mind。　A

healthy　intellect　does　not　tolerate　such　abstractions；　and　cannot　assimilate　productions　of　the　kind

above　referred　to。　Granted　that　the　Indian　Epopees　might　be　placed　on　a　level　with　the　Homeric；

on　account　of　a　number　of　those　qualities　of　form　—　grandeur　of　invention　and　imaginative　power；

liveliness　of　images　and　emotions；　and　beauty　of　diction；　yet　the　infinite　difference　of　matter

remains；　consequently　one　of　substantial　importance　and　involving　the　interest　of　Reason　which　is

immediately　concerned　with　the　consciousness　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom；　and　its　expression　in

individuals。　There　is　not　only　a　classical　form；　but　a　classical　order　of　subject…matter；　and　in　a

work　of　art　form　and　subject…matter　are　so　closely　united　that　the　former　can　only　be　classical　to

the　extent　to　which　the　latter　is　so。　With　a