PART IV.
SECTION I.
OF THE EFFICIENT CAUSE OF THE SUBLIME AND BEAUTIFUL.
When I say, I intend to inquire into the efficient cause of sublimity and beauty, I would not be understood to say, that I can come to the ultimate cause.

I do not pretend that I shall ever be able to explain why certain affections of the body produce such a distinct emotion of mind, and no other; or why the body is at all affected by the mind, or the mind by the body.

A little thought will show this to be impossible.
But I conceive, if we can discover what affections of the mind produce certain emotions of the body; and what distinct feelings and qualities of body shall produce certain determinate passions in the mind, and no others, I fancy a great deal will be done; something not unuseful towards a distinct knowledge of our passions, so far at least as we have them at present under our consideration.

This is all, I believe, we can do.

If we could advance a step farther, difficulties would still remain, as we should be still equally distant from the first cause.