NOVELTY, or Newness. Of all the circumstances which raise emotions, not excepting beauty, nor even greatness, says Lord Kames, novelty has the most powerful influence. A new object produces instantaneously an emotion termed wonder, which totally occupies the mind, and for a time excludes all other objects. Conversation amongst the vulgar never is more interesting than when it turns upon strange objects and extraordinary events. Men tear themselves from their native country in search of things rare and new; and novelty converts into a pleasure the fatigues and even perils of travelling. To what cause shall we ascribe these singular appearances? To curiosity, undoubtedly; a principle implanted in human nature for a purpose extremely beneficial, that of acquiring knowledge; and the emotion of wonder raised by new and strange objects inflames our curiosity to know more of such objects. This emotion is different from admiration. Novelty, wherever found, whether in a quality or action, is the cause of wonder; admiration is directed to the person who performs any thing wonderful.

The pleasure of novelty is easily distinguishable from that of variety. To produce the latter, a plurality of objects is necessary; the former arises from a circumstance found in a single object. Again, where objects, whether co-existent or successive, are sufficiently diversified, the pleasure of variety is complete, though every single object of the train be familiar; but the pleasure of novelty, directly opposite to familiarity, requires no diversification. '

However natural novelty may be, it is matter of experience, that those who relish it the most are careful to conceal its influence. Love of novelty, it is true, prevails in children, in idlers, and in men of shallow understanding; and yet, after all, why should one be ashamed of indulging a natural propensity? A distinction will afford a satisfactory answer. No man is ashamed of curiosity when it is indulged to acquire knowledge. But to prefer any thing merely because it is new, shows a mean taste, which one ought to be ashamed of. Vanity is commonly at the bottom, and leads those who are deficient in taste to prefer things odd, rare, or singular, in the hope of distinguishing themselves from others. In fact, this appetite reigns chiefly amongst persons of a mean taste, who are ignorant of refined and elegant pleasures.

Of this taste we have some memorable instances in men of the highest and the best education. Lucian tells a story of Ptolemy I. which is as disgraceful to him as it is honourable to his subjects. This prince had ransacked the world for two curiosities; one was a camel from Bactria, black all over, the other a man half black half white. These he presented to the people in a public theatre, thinking they would give them as much satisfaction as they did him; but the black monster, instead of delighting them, affrighted them; and the party-coloured man raised the contempt of some and the abhorrence of others. Ptolemy, finding the Egyptians preferred symmetry and beauty r to the most astonishing productions of art or nature without them, wisely removed his two anomalous trifles out of sight; the neglected camel died in a little time, and the man he gave for a song to the musician Thespis.