ch
opinions as seem in any way referable to human pride, or even to the
grateful or pernicious influence of things upon ourselves, and to cast
the mind free, and out of ourselves, humbly, and yet always in that
noble position of pause above the other visible creatures, nearer God
than they, which we authoritatively hold, thence looking down upon them,
and testing the clearness of our moral vision by the extent, and
fulness, and constancy of our pleasure in the light of God's love as it
embraces them, and the harmony of his holy laws, that forever bring
mercy out of rapine, and religion out of wrath.

FOOTNOTES

[31] Soldanella Alpina.

[32] I would have Mr. Landseer, before he gives us any more writhing
otters, or yelping packs, reflect whether that which is best worthy
of contemplation in a hound be its ferocity, or in an otter its
agony, or in a human being its victory, hardly achieved even with
the aid of its more sagacious brutal allies over a poor little
fish-catching creature, a foot long.

[33] Compare Milton.

"They at her coming sprung
And touched by her fair tendance, gladlier grew"

[34] "Type of the wise--who soar, but never roam,
True to the kindred points of heaven and home."
(WORDSWORTH.--To the Skylark.)

CHAPTER XIII.

OF VITAL BEAUTY.--SECONDLY AS GENERIC.

Sec. 1. The beauty of fulfilment of appointed function in every animal.

Hitherto we have observed the conclusions of the theoretic faculty with
respect to the relations of happiness, and of more or less exalted
function existing between different orders of organic being. But we must
pursue the inquiry farther yet, and observe what impressions of beauty
are connected with more or less perfect fulfilment of the appointed
function by different individuals of the same species. We are now no
longer called to pronounce upon worthiness of occupation or dignity of
disposition; but both employment and capacity being known, and the
animal's position and duty fixed, we have to regard it in that respect
alone, comparing it with other individuals of its species, and to
determine how far it worthily executes its office; whether, if scorpion,
it hath poison enough, or if tiger, strength enough, or if dove,
innocence enough, to sustain rightly its place in creation, and co