Who among the following defined taste as "that faculty of the soul, which discerns the beauties of an author with pleasure, and the imperfections with dislike?"

Correct option is A

Joseph Addison defined taste as "that faculty of the soul, which discerns the beauties of an author with pleasure, and the imperfections with dislike." Addison was an influential essayist and a key figure in the development of 18th-century English literary criticism. His essays on taste and aesthetics, particularly those published in The Spectator, emphasized the role of personal discernment in appreciating literature and the arts.
Information Booster:
1. Joseph Addison was known for his contributions to The Spectator and his efforts to make literary criticism more accessible to the general public. He often wrote about taste, beauty, and aesthetics, promoting the idea that appreciation of art and literature required both an intellectual and emotional response.
2. Taste during Addison's time referred to the ability to judge what is aesthetically pleasing or beautiful, a faculty that could be cultivated and refined through education and experience.
3. Samuel Johnson, another towering figure of English letters, also wrote extensively about literature and criticism but did not define taste in the same terms as Addison. Johnson's works, such as his Dictionary of the English Language and Lives of the Poets, are more concerned with literary judgment and moral criticism.
4. Richard Steele, a close collaborator with Addison on The Spectator, also contributed to the discussion of taste but is not credited with this particular definition.
5. Daniel Defoe, primarily known for his novels such as Robinson Crusoe, was less concerned with aesthetic theory and more focused on practical and moral concerns in his works.
Additional Information:
· B. Samuel Johnson: While he made significant contributions to English literary criticism, he did not define taste in these exact terms.
· C. Richard Steele: Steele wrote about social and moral issues but did not develop a theory of taste comparable to Addison’s.
· D. Daniel Defoe: Known more for his novels and journalistic works, Defoe did not focus on literary aesthetics or taste in his writings.