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                   37
lost gods have done better for her, than her
generals.
        
But we hope it is superfluous to reason about the usefulness of the fine arts. We all feel and acknowledge the importance of a literature of our own, and the good influence of the arts is no less certain. Their effect on the reputation of [[strikeout]] its [[/strikeout]] a country is extensive, because they speak a common language equally intelligible to all nations. And though much more circumscribed in their operations than letters, they act more immediately on the character of a people. Painting, sculpture, and architecture are addressed to the whole mass of society; and being presented directly to the senses, the ideas which they are capable of conveying, lose nothing of their power in the transmission; while written language, at the best, can but excite in the imagination prepared to receive it. Emotions resembling those of the author. Literature operates on the few who [[page torn]]; while the arts mingle the