Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-03-13
CHAPTER vi.
THE UNwELCoME ARRIVAL,

g. THE UNWELCOME ARRIVAL.
Mrs. cambridge sat beside an open window
on sultry afternoon in May, trying to catch
little of the breeze which stirred gently in
the evergreens without, and dividing her at,
tention between the chirpings of mocking
bird, and disquisition on "the elements and
principles of pure taste in Art" which the
learned and scholarly DR.. De Witt was deliv'
ering for her special edi6cation.
"Having," said the doctor, "by this concise
and yet hope sufficiently elaborate and dis,
eliminating analysis of my own views on this
intricate subject, made you acquainted with
some of the materials for our future conside-
ration, I will now revert to the opinions of
some philosophers who, for their researches
and profound learning, are worthy of our at
tention. Burke says, "The cause of wrong
taste is defect of judgment. And this may
arise from natural weakness Of understand
ing Gin whatever the strength of that faculty
may consist or which is much more commonly
the case, it may arise from want of proper and
well-directed exercise, which alone can make
it strong and steady. X A rectitude
of judgment in the arts, which may be called
good taste, does, in great measure, depend
upon sensiblity because if the mind has no
bent to the pleasures of the imagination, it
will never apply itself sufficiently to works
of that species, to acquire competent knowl-
edge of them. But though degree Of SEN
sibilty is requisite to form a good judgment,
yet good Judgment does not necessarily arise
from quick sensibility of pleasure. X !"
In the morning of our days, when the senses
are unworn and tender, when the whole man
is awake in every part, and the gloss of novel
ty fresh upon all the objects that surround us,
how lively, at that time, are our sensations,
but how false and inaccurate the judgments
we form of things! x x Every trivial
cause of pleasure is apt to affect the man of
too sanguine complexion: his appetite is too
keen to suffer his taste to be delicate. *
One of this character can never be refined
Judge; never what the comic poet calls
"elegans formarum spectator" Wehave, also,
the opinions Of Horne, Sir j. Reynolds and
Payne Knight, who, going still deeper into the
fundamental and difficult question as to a
standard of taste in beauty, says"
At this point Florimond rose to her feet,
and saying hurriedly, 81 must beg you to ex-
cuse me for few moments, Doctor" left the
room.
The erudte doctor was rather provoked at
being thus suddenly interrupted in such in
teresting researches; but there being no help
for it, he arose from his seat and strolled to
the window. Looking out, he saw horse
man, who had apparently just dismounted and
was now securing his horse, an animal of fine
blood and true mettle, but who bore unmistak-
able indications of those numerous and bril-.
liant cavalry charges in which he had partici.
pated during the past few years. The gentle
man was now advancing to the house. He
was young man of stately bearing, little
above the average height in the South, and
dressed in suit of Confederate gray.
The doctor, greatly impressed by the young