In the arts, the presentation of natural events and objects as controlled by human emotions, so that in some way they express human sorrow or joy (a brave little snowdrop; the heavens smiled on our enterprise). The phrase was coined by the English critic John Ruskin in Modern Painters (184360), to describe the ascription of human feelings to the outside world.
The star depicts Liberia as a shining light. The blue canton symbolizes the dark continent of Africa. The stripes represent the 11 signatories to the Declaration of Independence. Effective date: 26 July 1847.