for this soft variety prevents that weariness,which the uniform disposition of the several globes would otherwise produce.Thus in sweet liquors,the parts of the fluid vehicle,though most probably round,are yet so minute,as to conceal the figure of their component parts from the nicest inquisition of the microscope;and consequently,being so excessively minute,they have a sort of flat simplicity to the taste,resembling the effects of plain smooth bodies to the touch;for if a body be composed of round parts excessively small,and packed pretty closely together,the surface will be both to the sight and touch as if it were nearly plain and smooth.It is clear from their unveiling their figure to the microscope,that the particles of sugar are considerably larger than those of water or oil,and consequently,that their effects from their roundness will be more distinct and palpable to the nervous papillae of that nice organ the tongue:they will induce that sense called sweetness,which in a weak manner we discover in oil,and in a yet weaker,in water;for,insipid as they are,water and oil are in some degree sweet;and it may be observed,that the insipid things of all kinds approach more nearly to the nature of sweetness than to that of any other taste.
XXII
Sweetness Relaxing In the other senses we have remarked,that smooth things are relaxing.
Now it ought to appear that sweet things,which are the smooth of taste,are relaxing too.It is remarkable,that in some languages,soft and sweet have but one name.Doux in French signifies soft as well as sweet.The Latin Dulcis,and the Italian Dolce,have in many cases the same double signification.That sweet things are generally relaxing,is evident;because all such,especially those which are most oily,taken frequently,or in a large quantity,very much enfeeble the tone of the stomach.Sweet smells,which bear a great affinity to sweet tastes,relax very remarkably.The smell of flowers disposes people to drowsiness;and this relaxing effect is further apparent from the prejudice which people of weak nerves receive from their use.It were worth while to examine,whether tastes of this kind,sweet ones,tastes that are caused by smooth oils and a relaxing salt,are not the original pleasant tastes.
For many,which use has rendered such,were not at all agreeable at first.The way to examine this,is to try what nature has originally provided for us,which she has undoubtedly made originally pleasant;and to analyze this provision.
Milk is the first support of our childhood.The component parts of this are water,oil and a sort of a very sweet salt,called the sugar of milk.All these when blended have a great smoothness to the taste,and a relaxing quality to the skin.The next thing children covet is fruit,and of fruits those principally which are sweet;and every one knows that the sweetness of fruit is caused by a subtle oil,and such salt as that mentioned in the last section.Afterwards custom,habit,the desire of novelty,and a thousand other causes,confound,adulterate,and change our palates,so that we can no longer reason with any satisfaction about them.Before we quit this article,we must observe,that as smooth things are,as such,agreeable to the taste,and are found of a relaxing quality;so,on the other hand,things which are found by experience to be of a strengthening quality,and fit to brace the fibres,are almost universally rough and pungent to the taste,and in many cases rough even to the touch.
We often apply the quality of sweetness,metaphorically,to visual objects.
For the better carrying on this remarkable analogy of the senses,we may here call sweetness the beautiful of the taste.
XXIII
Variation,Why Beautiful Another principal property of beautiful objects is,that the line of their parts is continually varying its direction;but it varies it by a very insensible deviation;it never varies it so quickly as to surprise,or by the sharpness of its angle to cause any twitching or convulsion of the optic nerve.Nothing long continued in the same manner,nothing very suddenly varied,can be beautiful;because both are opposite to that agreeable relaxation which is the characteristic effect of beauty.It is thus in all the senses.A motion in a right line is that manner of moving,next to a very gentle descent,in which we meet the least resistance;
yet it is not that manner of moving which,next to a descent,wearies us the least.Rest certainly tends to relax;yet there is a species of motion which relaxes more than rest;a gentle oscillatory motion,a rising and falling.
