In  the  latter  we  have  much  to  admire,  much  to  rev-
erence, and  perhaps  something  to  fear  ;  we  respect
him,  but  we  respect  him  at  a  distance.  The  former
makes  us  familiar  with  him ;  we  love  him,  and  he
leads  us  whither  he  pleases.  To  draw  things  closer
to  our  first  and  most  natviral  feelings,  I  will  add  a  re-
mark made  upon  reading  this  section  by  an  ingen-
ious friend.  The  authority  of  a  father,  so  useful  to
our  well-being,  and  so  justly  venerable  upon  all  ac-
counts, hinders  us  from  having  that  entire  love  for
him  that  we  have  for  our  mothers,  where  the  parental
authority  is  almost  melted  down  into  the  mother's
fondness  and  indulgence.     But  we  generally  have  a


k


190       ON  THE  SUBLIME  AND  BEAUTIFUL.
great  love  for  our  grandfathers,  in  whom  this  au-
thority is  removed  a  degree  from  us,  and  where  the
weakness  of  age  mellows  it  into  something  of  a  fem-
inine partiality.
SECTION    XL

HOW    FAR    THE   IDEA    OF    BEAUTY   MAT   BE    APPLIED    TO
VIHTUE.
