This influential work, published in two volumes in 1762 and 1763, is a landmark in the history of literary criticism. Drawing on a wide range of sources, from classical philosophy to contemporary literature, Kames offers a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the principles of criticism. This volume covers topics such as taste, beauty, the sublime, and the passions. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.