Thisbeauty，however，ischieflyperceivedbymenofreflectionandspeculation，andisbynomeansthequalitywhichfirstrecommendssuchactionstothenaturalsentimentsofthebulkofmankind。
　　Itistobeobserved，thatsofarasthesentimentofapprobationarisesfromtheperceptionofthisbeautyofutility，ithasnoreferenceofanykindtothesentimentsofothers。Ifitwaspossible，therefore，thatapersonshouldgrowuptomanhoodwithoutanycommunicationwithsociety，hisownactionsmight，notwithstanding，beagreeableordisagreeabletohimonaccountoftheirtendencytohishappinessordisadvantage。Hemightperceiveabeautyofthiskindinprudence，temperance，andgoodconduct，andadeformityintheoppositebehaviour:hemightviewhisowntemperandcharacterwiththatsortofsatisfactionwithwhichweconsiderawell-contrivedmachine，intheonecase；
　　orwiththatsortofdistasteanddissatisfactionwithwhichweregardaveryawkwardandclumsycontrivance，intheother。Astheseperceptions，however，aremerelyamatteroftaste，andhaveallthefeeblenessanddelicacyofthatspeciesofperceptions，uponthejustnessofwhichwhatisproperlycalledtasteisfounded，theyprobablywouldnotbemuchattendedtobyoneinthissolitaryandmiserablecondition。Eventhoughtheyshouldoccurtohim，theywouldbynomeanshavethesameeffectuponhim，antecedenttohisconnexionwithsociety，whichtheywouldhaveinconsequenceofthatconnexion。Hewouldnotbecastdownwithinwardshameatthethoughtofthisdeformity；norwouldhebeelevatedwithsecrettriumphofmindfromtheconsciousnessofthecontrarybeauty。Hewouldnotexultfromthenotionofdeservingrewardintheonecase，nortremblefromthesuspicionofmeritingpunishmentintheother。Allsuchsentimentssupposetheideaofsomeotherbeing，whoisthenaturaljudgeofthepersonthatfeelsthem；anditisonlybysympathywiththedecisionsofthisarbiterofhisconduct，thathecanconceive，eitherthetriumphofself-applause，ortheshameofself-condemnation。
　　OftheInfluenceofCustomandFashionupontheSentimentsofMoralApprobationandDisapprobationConsistingofOneSectionChap。I
　　OftheInfluenceofCustomandFashionuponourNotionsofBeautyandDeformityThereareotherprinciplesbesidesthosealreadyenumerated，whichhaveaconsiderableinfluenceuponthemoralsentimentsofmankind，andarethechiefcausesofthemanyirregularanddiscordantopinionswhichprevailindifferentagesandnationsconcerningwhatisblameableorpraise-worthy。Theseprinciplesarecustomandfashion，principleswhichextendtheirdominionoverourjudgmentsconcerningbeautyofeverykind。
　　Whentwoobjectshavefrequentlybeenseentogether，theimaginationacquiresahabitofpassingeasilyfromtheonetotheother。Ifthefirstappear，welayouraccountthatthesecondistofollow。Oftheirownaccordtheyputusinmindofoneanother，andtheattentionglideseasilyalongthem。Though，independentofcustom，thereshouldbenorealbeautyintheirunion，yetwhencustomhasthusconnectedthemtogether，wefeelanimproprietyintheirseparation。Theonewethinkisawkwardwhenitappearswithoutitsusualcompanion。Wemisssomethingwhichweexpectedtofind，andthehabitualarrangementofourideasisdisturbedbythedisappointment。Asuitofclothes，forexample，seemstowantsomethingiftheyarewithoutthemostinsignificantornamentwhichusuallyaccompaniesthem，andwefindameannessorawkwardnessintheabsenceevenofahaunchbutton。Whenthereisanynaturalproprietyintheunion，customincreasesoursenseofit，andmakesadifferentarrangementappearstillmoredisagreeablethanitwouldotherwiseseemtobe。Thosewhohavebeenaccustomedtoseethingsinagoodtaste，aremoredisgustedbywhateverisclumsyorawkward。Wheretheconjunctionisimproper，customeitherdiminishes，ortakesawayaltogether，oursenseoftheimpropriety。Thosewhohavebeenaccustomedtoslovenlydisorderloseallsenseofneatnessorelegance。Themodesoffurnitureordresswhichseemridiculoustostrangers，givenooffencetothepeoplewhoareusedtothem。
　　Fashionisdifferentfromcustom，orratherisaparticularspeciesofit。Thatisnotthefashionwhicheverybodywears，butwhichthosewearwhoareofahighrank，orcharacter。Thegraceful，theeasy，andcommandingmannersofthegreat，joinedtotheusualrichnessandmagnificenceoftheirdress，giveagracetotheveryformwhichtheyhappentobestowuponit。Aslongastheycontinuetousethisform，itisconnectedinourimaginationswiththeideaofsomethingthatisgenteelandmagnificent，andthoughinitselfitshouldbeindifferent，itseems，onaccountofthisrelation，tohavesomethingaboutitthatisgenteelandmagnificenttoo。Assoonastheydropit，itlosesallthegrace，whichithadappearedtopossessbefore，andbeingnowusedonlybytheinferiorranksofpeople，seemstohavesomethingoftheirmeannessandawkwardness。
　　Dressandfurnitureareallowedbyalltheworldtobeentirelyunderthedominionofcustomandfashion。Theinfluenceofthoseprinciples，however，isbynomeansconfinedtosonarrowasphere，butextendsitselftowhateverisinanyrespecttheobjectoftaste，tomusic，topoetry，toarchitecture。Themodesofdressandfurniturearecontinuallychanging，andthatfashionappearingridiculousto-daywhichwasadmiredfiveyearsago，weareexperimentallyconvincedthatitoweditsvoguechieflyorentirelytocustomandfashion。Clothesandfurniturearenotmadeofverydurablematerials。Awell-fanciedcoatisdoneinatwelve-month，andcannotcontinuelongertopropagate，asthefashion，thatformaccordingtowhichitwasmade。Themodesoffurniturechangelessrapidlythanthoseofdress；
　　becausefurnitureiscommonlymoredurable。Infiveorsixyears，however，itgenerallyundergoesanentirerevolution，andeverymaninhisowntimeseesthefashioninthisrespectchangemanydifferentways。Theproductionsoftheotherartsaremuchmorelasting，and，whenhappilyimagined，maycontinuetopropagatethefashionoftheirmakeforamuchlongertime。A
　　well-contrivedbuildingmayenduremanycenturies:abeautifulairmaybedelivereddownbyasortoftradition，throughmanysuccessivegenerations:awell-writtenpoemmaylastaslongastheworld；andallofthemcontinueforagestogether，togivethevoguetothatparticularstyle，tothatparticulartasteormanner，accordingtowhicheachofthemwascomposed。Fewmenhaveanopportunityofseeingintheirowntimesthefashioninanyoftheseartschangeveryconsiderably。Fewmenhavesomuchexperienceandacquaintancewiththedifferentmodeswhichhaveobtainedinremoteagesandnations，astobethoroughlyreconciledtothem，ortojudgewithimpartialitybetweenthem，andwhattakesplaceintheirownageandcountry。Fewmenthereforearewillingtoallow，thatcustomorfashionhavemuchinfluenceupontheirjudgmentsconcerningwhatisbeautiful，orotherwise，intheproductionsofanyofthosearts；butimagine，thatalltherules，whichtheythinkoughttobeobservedineachofthem，arefoundeduponreasonandnature，notuponhabitorprejudice。Averylittleattention，however，mayconvincethemofthecontrary，andsatisfythem，thattheinfluenceofcustomandfashionoverdressandfurniture，isnotmoreabsolutethanoverarchitecture，poetry，andmusic。
　　Cananyreason，forexample，beassignedwhytheDoriccapitalshouldbeappropriatedtoapillar，whoseheightisequaltoeightdiameters；theIonicvolutetooneofnine；andtheCorinthianfoliagetooneoften？Theproprietyofeachofthoseappropriationscanbefoundeduponnothingbuthabitandcustom。
　　Theeyehavingbeenusedtoseeaparticularproportionconnectedwithaparticularornament，wouldbeoffendediftheywerenotjoinedtogether。Eachofthefiveordershasitspeculiarornaments，whichcannotbechangedforanyother，withoutgivingoffencetoallthosewhoknowanythingoftherulesofarchitecture。Accordingtosomearchitects，indeed，suchistheexquisitejudgmentwithwhichtheancientshaveassignedtoeachorderitsproperornaments，thatnootherscanbefoundwhichareequallysuitable。Itseems，however，alittledifficulttobeconceivedthattheseforms，though，nodoubt，extremelyagreeable，shouldbetheonlyformswhichcansuitthoseproportions，orthatthereshouldnotbefivehundredotherswhich，antecedenttoestablishedcustom，wouldhavefittedthemequallywell。Whencustom，however，hasestablishedparticularrulesofbuilding，providedtheyarenotabsolutelyunreasonable，itisabsurdtothinkofalteringthemforotherswhichareonlyequallygood，orevenforotherswhich，inpointofeleganceandbeauty，havenaturallysomelittleadvantageoverthem。Amanwouldberidiculouswhoshouldappearinpublicwithasuitofclothesquitedifferentfromthosewhicharecommonlyworn，thoughthenewdressshouldinitselfbeeversogracefulorconvenient。Andthereseemstobeanabsurdityofthesamekindinornamentingahouseafteraquitedifferentmannerfromthatwhichcustomandfashionhaveprescribed；thoughthenewornamentsshouldinthemselvesbesomewhatsuperiortothecommonones。
　　Accordingtotheancientrhetoricians，acertainmeasureofversewasbynatureappropriatedtoeachparticularspeciesofwriting，asbeingnaturallyexpressiveofthatcharacter，sentiment，orpassion，whichoughttopredominateinit。Oneverse，theysaid，wasfitforgraveandanotherforgayworks，whichcouldnot，theythought，beinterchangedwithoutthegreatestimpropriety。Theexperienceofmoderntimes，however，seemstocontradictthisprinciple，thoughinitselfitwouldappeartobeextremelyprobable。WhatistheburlesqueverseinEnglish，istheheroicverseinFrench。ThetragediesofRacineandtheHenriadofVoltaire，arenearlyinthesameversewith，Letmehaveyouradviceinaweightyaffair。
　　TheburlesqueverseinFrench，onthecontrary，isprettymuchthesamewiththeheroicverseoftensyllablesinEnglish。
　　Customhasmadetheonenationassociatetheideasofgravity，sublimity，andseriousness，tothatmeasurewhichtheotherhasconnectedwithwhateverisgay，flippant，andludicrous。NothingwouldappearmoreabsurdinEnglish，thanatragedywrittenintheAlexandrineversesoftheFrench；orinFrench，thanaworkofthesamekindinversesoftensyllables。
　　Aneminentartistwillbringaboutaconsiderablechangeintheestablishedmodesofeachofthosearts，andintroduceanewfashionofwriting，music，orarchitecture。Asthedressofanagreeablemanofhighrankrecommendsitself，andhowpeculiarandfantasticalsoever，comessoontobeadmiredandimitated；sotheexcellenciesofaneminentmasterrecommendhispeculiarities，andhismannerbecomesthefashionablestyleintheartwhichhepractises。ThetasteoftheItaliansinmusicandarchitecturehas，withinthesefiftyyears，undergoneaconsiderablechange，fromimitatingthepeculiaritiesofsomeeminentmastersineachofthosearts。SenecaisaccusedbyQuintilianofhavingcorruptedthetasteoftheRomans，andofhavingintroducedafrivolousprettinessintheroomofmajesticreasonandmasculineeloquence。SallustandTacitushavebyothersbeenchargedwiththesameaccusation，thoughinadifferentmanner。Theygavereputation，itispretended，toastyle，whichthoughinthehighestdegreeconcise，elegant，expressive，andevenpoetical，wanted，however，ease，simplicity，andnature，andwasevidentlytheproductionofthemostlabouredandstudiedaffectation。Howmanygreatqualitiesmustthatwriterpossess，whocanthusrenderhisveryfaultsagreeable？
　　Afterthepraiseofrefiningthetasteofanation，thehighesteulogy，perhaps，whichcanbebestoweduponanyauthor，istosay，thathecorruptedit。Inourownlanguage，MrPopeandDrSwifthaveeachofthemintroducedamannerdifferentfromwhatwaspractisedbefore，intoallworksthatarewritteninrhyme，theoneinlongverses，theotherinshort。ThequaintnessofButlerhasgivenplacetotheplainnessofSwift。TheramblingfreedomofDryden，andthecorrectbutoftentediousandprosaiclanguorofAddison，arenolongertheobjectsofimitation，butalllongversesarenowwrittenafterthemannerofthenervousprecisionofMrPope。