A nobler want of man is served by nature, namely, the love of Beauty.

The ancient Greeks called the world {kosmos}, beauty. Such is the constitution of all things, or such the plastic power of the human eye, that the primary forms, as the sky, the mountain, the tree, the animal, give us a delight in and for themselves; a pleasure arising from outline, color, motion, and grouping. This seems partly owing to the eye itself. The eye is the best of artists. By the mutual¹ action of its structure and of the laws of light, perspective is produced, which integrates every mass of objects, of what character soever, into a well colored and shaded globe, so that where the particular objects are mean and unaffecting, the landscape which they compose, is round and symmetrical. And as the eye is the best composer, so light is the first of painters. There is no object so foul² that intense light will not make beautiful. And the stimulus³ it affords to the sense, and a sort of infinitude which it hath, like space and time, make all matter gay. Even the corpse⁴ has its own beauty. But besides this general grace diffused⁵ over nature, almost all the individual forms are agreeable to the eye, as is proved by our endless imitations of some of them, as the acorn⁶, the grape, the pine-cone, the wheat-ear, the egg, the wings and forms of most birds, the lion’s claw, the serpent, the butterfly, sea-shells, flames, clouds, buds, leaves, and the forms of many trees, as the palm.

For better consideration, we may distribute the aspects of Beauty in a threefold manner.

1. First, the simple perception of natural forms is a delight. The influence of the forms and actions in nature, is so needful to man, that, in its lowest functions, it seems to lie on the confines of commodity and beauty. To the body and mind which have been cramped⁷ by noxious8

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1 mutual
adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的
参考例句：
We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。 Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

2 foul
adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规
参考例句：
Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。 What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

3 stimulus
n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物
参考例句：
Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。 Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

4 corpse
n.尸体，死尸
参考例句：
What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。 The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。

5 diffused
散布的，普及的，扩散的
参考例句：
A drop of milk diffused in the water. 一滴牛奶在水中扩散开来。 Gases and liquids diffused. 气体和液体慢慢混合了。

6 acorn
n.橡实，橡子
参考例句：
The oak is implicit in the acorn.橡树孕育于橡子之中。 The tree grew from a small acorn.橡树从一粒小橡子生长而来。

7 cramped
a.狭窄的
参考例句：
The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。 working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

8 noxious
adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的
参考例句：
Heavy industry pollutes our rivers with noxious chemicals.重工业产生的有毒化学品会污染我们的河流。 Many household products give off noxious fumes.很多家用产品散发有害气体。

9 din
n.喧闹声，嘈杂声
参考例句：
The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。 They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。

10 corporeal
adj.肉体的，身体的；物质的
参考例句：
The body is the corporeal habitation of the soul.身体为灵魂之有形寓所。 He is very religious;corporeal world has little interest for him.他虔信宗教，对物质上的享受不感兴趣。

11 crimson
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色
参考例句：
She went crimson with embarrassment.她羞得满脸通红。 Maple leaves have turned crimson.枫叶已经红了。

12 transformations
n.变化( transformation的名词复数 )；转换；转换；变换
参考例句：
Energy transformations go on constantly, all about us. 在我们周围，能量始终在不停地转换着。 来自辞典例句 On the average, such transformations balance out. 平均起来，这种转化可以互相抵消。 来自辞典例句

13 enchantment
n.迷惑，妖术，魅力
参考例句：
The beauty of the scene filled us with enchantment.风景的秀丽令我们陶醉。 The countryside lay as under some dread enchantment.乡村好像躺在某种可怖的魔法之下。

14 dilate
vt.使膨胀，使扩大
参考例句：
At night,the pupils dilate to allow in more light.到了晚上，瞳孔就会扩大以接收更多光线。 Exercise dilates blood vessels on the surface of the brain.运动会使大脑表层的血管扩张。

15 conspire
v.密谋，（事件等）巧合，共同导致
参考例句：
They'd conspired to overthrow the government.他们曾经密谋推翻政府。 History and geography have conspired to bring Greece to a moment of decision.历史和地理因素共同将希腊推至作出抉择的紧要关头。

16 subdivided
再分，细分( subdivide的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The compound was subdivided into four living areas. 那个区域被划分成4个居住小区。 This part of geologic calendar has not been satisfactorily subdivided. 这部分地质年代表还没有令人满意地再细分出来。

17 flakes
小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人
参考例句：
It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。 It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

18 modulated
已调整[制]的，被调的
参考例句：
He carefully modulated his voice. 他小心地压低了声音。 He had a plump face, lemur-like eyes, a quiet, subtle, modulated voice. 他有一张胖胖的脸，狐猴般的眼睛，以及安详、微妙和富于抑扬顿挫的嗓音。

19 tints
色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹
参考例句：
leaves with red and gold autumn tints 金秋时节略呈红黄色的树叶 The whole countryside glowed with autumn tints. 乡间处处呈现出灿烂的秋色。

20 repose
v.(使)休息；n.安息
参考例句：
Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。 Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

21 spires
n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Her masts leveled with the spires of churches. 船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。 来自《简明英汉词典》 White church spires lift above green valleys. 教堂的白色尖顶耸立在绿色山谷中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 withered
adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。 The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。

23 genial
adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的
参考例句：
Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。 He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

24 attentive
adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的
参考例句：
She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。 The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。

25 beholds
v.看，注视( behold的第三人称单数 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
He who beholds the gods against their will, shall atone for it by a heavy penalty. 谁违背神的意志看见了神，就要受到重罚以赎罪。 来自辞典例句 All mankind has gazed on it; Man beholds it from afar. 25?所行的，万人都看见；世人都从远处观看。 来自互联网

26 swarms
蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They came to town in swarms. 他们蜂拥来到城里。 On June the first there were swarms of children playing in the park. 6月1日那一天，这个公园里有一群群的孩子玩耍。

27 ornament
v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物
参考例句：
The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。 She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

28 orchards
（通常指围起来的）果园( orchard的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They turned the hills into orchards and plains into granaries. 他们把山坡变成了果园，把平地变成了粮仓。 Some of the new planted apple orchards have also begun to bear. 有些新开的苹果园也开始结苹果了。

29 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

30 shimmers
n.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的名词复数 )v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The hot pavement sent up shimmers. 晒热的道路浮起热气晃动的景象。 来自辞典例句 Sunlight shimmers on the waters of the bay. 阳光在海湾的水面上闪烁。 来自辞典例句

31 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

32 mirage
n.海市蜃楼，幻景
参考例句：
Perhaps we are all just chasing a mirage.也许我们都只是在追逐一个幻想。 Western liberalism was always a mirage.西方自由主义永远是一座海市蜃楼。

33 virtue
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
参考例句：
He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。 You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

34 graceful
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了! The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

35 divest
v.脱去，剥除
参考例句：
I cannot divest myself of the idea.我无法消除那个念头。 He attempted to divest himself of all responsibilities for the decision.他力图摆脱掉作出该项决定的一切责任。

36 abdicate
v.让位，辞职，放弃
参考例句：
The reason I wnat to abdicate is to try something different.我辞职是因为我想尝试些不一样的东西。 Yuan Shikai forced emperor to abdicate and hand over power to him.袁世凯逼迫皇帝逊位，把政权交给了他。

37 martyrs
n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）
参考例句：
the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者 They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

38 defile
v.弄污，弄脏；n.(山间)小道
参考例句：
Don't defile the land of our ancestors!再不要污染我们先祖们的大地！ We respect the faith of Islam, even as we fight those whose actions defile that faith.我们尊重伊斯兰教的信仰，并与玷污伊斯兰教的信仰的行为作斗争。

39 avalanche
n.雪崩，大量涌来
参考例句：
They were killed by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.他们在瑞士阿尔卑斯山的一次雪崩中罹难。 Higher still the snow was ready to avalanche.在更高处积雪随时都会崩塌。

40 savages
未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 )
参考例句：
There're some savages living in the forest. 森林里居住着一些野人。 That's an island inhabited by savages. 那是一个野蛮人居住的岛屿。

41 cane
n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的
参考例句：
This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。 English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

42 harry
vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼
参考例句：
Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。 Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

43 sate
v.使充分满足
参考例句：
Nothing could sate the careerist's greed for power.什么也满足不了这个野心家的权力欲。 I am sate with opera after listening to it for a whole weekend.听了整整一个周末的歌剧，我觉得腻了。

44 intimidate
vt.恐吓，威胁
参考例句：
You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？ The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

45 patriot
n.爱国者，爱国主义者
参考例句：
He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。 He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

46 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

47 sordid
adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的
参考例句：
He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。 They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。

48 heroism
n.大无畏精神，英勇
参考例句：
He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。 Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。

49 grandeur
n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华
参考例句：
The grandeur of the Great Wall is unmatched.长城的壮观是独一无二的。 These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place.这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

50 virtuous
adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的
参考例句：
She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性，人人都尊敬她。 My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。

51 unison
n.步调一致，行动一致
参考例句：
The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。 My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。

52 ancillary
adj.附属的，从属的
参考例句：
The transport corps is ancillary to the infantry.运输队是步兵的辅助部队。 This is just an ancillary business.这仅仅是一项辅助业务。

53 apprehension
n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑
参考例句：
There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。 She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

54 embody
vt.具体表达，使具体化；包含，收录
参考例句：
The latest locomotives embody many new features. 这些最新的机车具有许多新的特色。 Hemingway's characters plainly embody his own values and view of life.海明威笔下的角色明确反映出他自己的价值观与人生观。

55 epitome
n.典型，梗概
参考例句：
He is the epitome of goodness.他是善良的典范。 This handbook is a neat epitome of everyday hygiene.这本手册概括了日常卫生的要点。

56 radically
ad.根本地，本质地
参考例句：
I think we may have to rethink our policies fairly radically. 我认为我们可能要对我们的政策进行根本的反思。 The health service must be radically reformed. 公共医疗卫生服务必须进行彻底改革。

57 analogous
adj.相似的；类似的
参考例句：
The two situations are roughly analogous.两种情況大致相似。 The company is in a position closely analogous to that of its main rival.该公司与主要竞争对手的处境极为相似。

58 sculptor
n.雕刻家，雕刻家
参考例句：
A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。 The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。

59 stimulates
v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用
参考例句：
Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

60 herald
vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎
参考例句：
In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。 Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

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