THE mell, as was before obferved, has great con nection with the tafte. We often are directed by it in judging of our food; and that part of taste which we ufually call flavour, is a mixed kind of fenfation compounded after fome manner from both. By the communication between the nofe and mouth, the olfactory nerves seem capable of being affected that way; infomuch, that persons who are at the pains to prevent the access of air by the noftrils, fwallow naufeous draughts without tafting them.

THE GUSTATORY NERVES, by which this fenfation is received, rife upon the body of the tongue in a manner fomewhat fimilar to thofe in the fkin; for PAPILLÆ more vifible than those of the skin (otherwise alike) appear in those parts of the tongue that are endued with this fenfe. These are always erected on the application of fapid or ftimulating fubftances. This elevation and extenfion of the papilla, by bringing larger portions of the nerves into contact with the substances

applied to the tongue, give additional strength to the fenfation, and enable us to judge with greater accuracy concerning their nature and qualities. The faliva, which perpetually moiftens the tongue, is a liquor, which, though infipid itself, is found in all animals to be a very powerful folvent. Every fubftance applied to the tongue is partially diffolved by the faliva before the fenfation of tafte is excited. And hence when the tongue is Tendered dry by disease, or any other cause, the sense of taste is either vitiated or totally destroyed.

The fenfes of smell and tafte in many other animals greatly excel those of mankind, for in civilized society, as our victuals are generally prepared by others, and are adulterated with falt, fpice, oil, and empyreuma, we do not hesitate about eating whatever is fet before us, and neglect to cultivate these senses: whereas other animals try every morfel by the smell, before they take it into their mouths, and by the taste before they swallow it; and are led each to his proper nourishment by his organs of fenfe.

Nevertheless we may obferve that children, having abundant excitability, are naturally inclined towards thofe foods which contain but little ftimuli. And, on

the contrary, those who are more advanced in life, and whofe excitability is blunted, are fond of the most poignant dishes. Every one must remember how great a pleasure he found in fweets and milk while a child. As he grew older he infenfibly calls to his affiftance fpices, falts, and aromatics; and delights in those tastes which in childhood he was unable to endure.

SECT. XXI.

OF IMAGINATION.

An animal may be faid to fill up that sphere which he can reach by his fenfes; and is actually large in proportion to the sphere to which its organs extend.-By fight, man's enjoyments are diffufed into a wide circle;-that of hearing, though less widely diffused, nevertheless extends his powers;-the fenfe of fmelling is more contracted ftill;-and the taste and touch are the most confined of all. Thus man enjoys very diftant objects, but with one sense only; more nearly he brings two fenfes at once to bear upon them; his fenfe of fmelling affifts the other two, and at its own distance.

Each fenfe, however, the more enlarged its sphere, the more capable it is of making combinations; and is, confequently, the more improveable. Refined imaginations, and men of strong minds, take more pleasure, therefore, in improving the delights of the distant fenfes, than in enjoying fuch as are scarce capable of improve

ment.

By combining the objects of the extensive fenfes, all the

arts

arts of poetry, painting, and harmony, have been dif covered; but the clofer fenfes, if I may fo call them, fuch as smelling, tasting, and touching, are, in fome meafure, as fimple as they are limited, and admit of little variety. The man of imagination makes a great and an artificial happiness, by the pleasure of altering and combining; the fenfualift just stops where he began, and cultivates only those pleasures which he cannot improve. The fenfualift is contented with those enjoyments that are already made to his hand; but the man of refined pleafure is beft pleafed with happiness of his own creating.

SECT.