[1] Travels in Italy of the President de Brosses, Travels of Eustace, Sharp, Smollett.
XCIV
If in the place of the want of personal security you put the natural fear of economic want, you will see that the United States of America bears a considerable resemblance to the ancient world as regards that passion, on which we are attempting to write a monograph.
In speaking of the more or less imperfect sketches of passion-love which the ancients have left us, I see that I have forgotten the Loves of Medea in the Argonautica[(60)]. Virgil copied them in his picture of Dido. Compare that with love as seen in a modern novel—Le Doyen de Killerine, for example.
XCV
The Roman feels the beauties of Nature and Art with amazing strength, depth and justice; but if he sets out to try and reason on what he feels so forcibly, it is pitiful.
The reason may be that his feelings come to him from Nature, but his logic from government.
You can see at once why the fine arts, outside Italy, are only a farce; men reason better, but the public has no feeling.
XCVI
London, November 20th, 1821.