Elements of the philosophy of the human mind. By Dugald Stewart. Rev. and abridged, with critical and explanatory notes, for the use of colleges and schools. By Francis Bowen ...

340 IMAGINATION.
sions, falls short of our expectation. He disappoints us, by
exhibiting something different from what our imagination had
anticipated, and which consequently appears to us, at the monment, to be an unfaithful representation of the poet's idea; and
until a frequent repetition of the performance has completely
obliterated our former impressions, it is impossible for us to form
an adequate estimate of its merit.
Similar observations may be applied to other subjects. The
sight of any natural scene, or of any work of art, provided we
have not previously heard of it, commonly produces a greater
effect at first, than ever afterwards: but if, in consequence of a
description, we have been led to form a previous notion of it, I
apprehend, the effect will be found less pleasing the first time
it is seen, than the second. Although the description should
fall short greatly of the reality, yet the disappointment which
we feel, on meeting with something different from what we expected, diminishes our satisfaction. The second time we see
the scene, the effect of novelty is, indeed, less than before; but
it is still considerable, and the imagination now anticipates
nothing which is not realized in the perception.
Wlly poetry is not so generally relished as landscape gardenung. - The remarks which have been macke, afford a satisfactory
reason why so few are to be found who have a genuine relish
for the beauties of poetry. The designs of Kent and of Brown
[distinguished landscape gardeners] evince in their authors a
degree of imagination entirely analogous to that of the descriptive poet; but when they are once executed, their beauties
(excepting those which result from association) meet the eye of
every spectator. In poetry, the effect is inconsiderable, unless
upon a mind which possesses some degree of the author's genius; a mind amply furnished, by its previous habits, with the
means of interpreting the language which he employs;,.and
able, by its own imagination, to co6perate with the efforts of his
art.. Different ideas raised by the same words in different minds. -
It has been often remarked, that the general words which express complex ideas, seldom convey precisely the same meaning