t any of the more
terrible operations of surgery, it is certain, that even before it
begun, the preparation of the instruments, the laying of the bandages
in order, the heating of the irons, with all the signs of anxiety and
concern in the patient and assistants, would have a great effect upon my
mind, and excite the strongest sentiments of pity and terror. No
passion of another discovers itself immediately to the mind. We are only
sensible of its causes or effects. From these we infer the passion: And
consequently these give rise to our sympathy.

Our sense of beauty depends very much on this principle; and where any
object has atendency to produce pleasure in its possessor, it is always
regarded as beautiful; as every object, that has a tendency to produce
pain, is disagreeable and deformed. Thus the conveniency of a house, the
fertility of a field, the strength of a horse, the capacity, security,
and swift-sailing of a vessel, form the principal beauty of these
several objects. Here the object, which is denominated beautiful,
pleases only by its tendency to produce a certain effect. That effect
is the pleasure or advantage of some other person. Now the pleasure of
a stranger, for whom we have no friendship, pleases us only by sympathy.
To this principle, therefore, is owing the beauty, which we find in
every thing that is useful. How considerable a part this is of beauty
can easily appear upon reflection. Wherever an object has a tendency
to produce pleasure in the possessor, or in other words, is the proper
cause of pleasure, it is sure to please the spectator, by a delicate
sympathy with the possessor. Most of the works of art are esteemed
beautiful, in proportion to their fitness for the use of man, and even
many of the productions of nature derive their beauty from that source.
Handsome and beautiful, on most occasions, is nor an absolute but a
relative quality, and pleases us by nothing but its tendency to produce
an end that is agreeable.

[Footnote 25 Decentior equus cujus astricta sunt ilia; sed
idem velocior. Pulcher aspectu sit athieta, cujus lacertos
exercitatio expressit; idem certamini paratior. Nunquam vero
species ab utilitate dividitur. Sed hoc quidem discernere,
modici judicii est. Quinct. lib. 8. (A horse with narrow
flanks looks more comely; It also moves faster. An athlete
whose muscles have been developed by training presents a
handsome appearance; he