DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18825#0012
'2 HISTORY OP ART. [lECT. i.
branches the entrance of his cave: in this savage
state, exertion of genius, and amusement of mind,
are precluded by bodily want. Observation assures
us this is the actual condition of many tribes of the
human race ; and reason infers that such was the
primary state of every new colony in all ages and
parts of the world.
But, after agriculture had civilized mankind, had
rendered them stationary, and had taught them the
advantages of society, the attentive part of our spe-
cies, less constrained to a constant exertion of un-
remitted labor, experienced the pleasures arising from
the cultivation of their rational powers to be far su-
perior to those of the senses, merely; not impeding
the efforts of industry (that natural source of wealth
and ease), but, while reposing the body, invigorat-
ing the mind, science became the pursuit of all
ingenuous minds, and of all enlightened underftand-
ings.
There is reason to believe, that among the first
essays of human skill, the arts of design had a
principal place. It is usual for the hand to attempt
some kind of imitation of what the eye beholds,
thereby expressing the disposition of the mind ; and
beside this, it is natural to suppose, that the same
fertile imagination which could invent instruments of
music was not incapable of picturesque ideas; that
the same hardy ingenuity which could form into va-
rious utensils the massy ore, might equally possess
talents sufficient for the application of colours;
wdiich required neither toil nor strength to procure,
but were presented by liberal nature upon the sur-
face
branches the entrance of his cave: in this savage
state, exertion of genius, and amusement of mind,
are precluded by bodily want. Observation assures
us this is the actual condition of many tribes of the
human race ; and reason infers that such was the
primary state of every new colony in all ages and
parts of the world.
But, after agriculture had civilized mankind, had
rendered them stationary, and had taught them the
advantages of society, the attentive part of our spe-
cies, less constrained to a constant exertion of un-
remitted labor, experienced the pleasures arising from
the cultivation of their rational powers to be far su-
perior to those of the senses, merely; not impeding
the efforts of industry (that natural source of wealth
and ease), but, while reposing the body, invigorat-
ing the mind, science became the pursuit of all
ingenuous minds, and of all enlightened underftand-
ings.
There is reason to believe, that among the first
essays of human skill, the arts of design had a
principal place. It is usual for the hand to attempt
some kind of imitation of what the eye beholds,
thereby expressing the disposition of the mind ; and
beside this, it is natural to suppose, that the same
fertile imagination which could invent instruments of
music was not incapable of picturesque ideas; that
the same hardy ingenuity which could form into va-
rious utensils the massy ore, might equally possess
talents sufficient for the application of colours;
wdiich required neither toil nor strength to procure,
but were presented by liberal nature upon the sur-
face