Adieu!
OF GENIUS
There is a standard of right and wrong in the nature of things, of
beauty and deformity, both in the natural and moral world. And as
different minds happen to be more or less exquisite, the more or less
sensibly do they perceive the various degrees, of good and bad, and
are the more or less susceptible of being charmed with what is right
or beautiful, and disgusted with what is wrong or deformed. It is
chiefly this sensibility that constitutes genius; to which a sound
head and a good heart are as effectual as a lively imagination. And a
man of true genius must necessarily have as exquisite a feeling of the
moral beauties, as of whatever is great or beautiful in the works
of nature; or masterly in the arts which imitate nature, in poetry,
painting, statuary, and music.
On the other side, where the heart is very bad, the genius and taste,
if there happen to be any pretensions to them, will be found shocking
and unnatural. NERO would be nothing less than a poet; but his
verses were what one may call most _villainously_ bad.
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