In this series of lectures delivered at the University of Edinburgh in 1877, the Scottish scholar and poet John Stuart Blackie explores the concept of beauty from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives. Drawing on insights from art, literature, philosophy, and psychology, he discusses the aesthetic principles underlying different genres of creative expression and offers a critique of contemporary cultural trends. Blackie's erudite yet engaging style makes this volume a joy to read for anyone interested in the history of ideas and the philosophy of art. 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.