In 1757, Edmund Burke published 'A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful,' distinguishing between the concepts of beauty and the sublime. Burke argued that the sublime evokes feelings of vastness and terror, while beauty is associated with pleasure and harmony. His exploration of aesthetics had a profound impact on art and literature, influencing Romantic thinkers and shaping the discourse on human emotion and experience.

Edmund Burke's 'A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful' provided a framework for understanding the emotional power of nature, influencing Gothic literature and Romantic poetry. Poets like Lord Byron and John Keats drew upon Burke's ideas to explore themes of awe and terror in their works.