6i S'rUDIES OF NATURE. 



was that of Cifpid hurling the thunder after the in- 

 fant Alcibiades^ which Pliny afcribes to Praxiteles, 

 or to Scopas. An amiable child, launching from 

 his little hand the dread thunderbolt of Jupitevi 

 muft excite, at once, the fentiment of innocence, 

 and that of terror. With the charader of the God 

 was blended that of a man equally attraftive and 

 formidable. 



I believe that the paintings of the Ancleftts ex=^ 

 prelTed, ftill better, thofe harmonies of oppofite 

 fentiments. PJiny^ who has preferved to us the 

 memory of the moft noted of them, quotes, among 

 others, a pidture by Athenion of Maronea, which 

 reprefented the cautious and crafty Ulyjfes deted:-^ 

 ing Achilles under the difguife of a young woman, 

 by prefenting an aflbrtment of female trinkets, 

 among which he had carelefsly, and without ap- 

 pearance of art, introduced a fword. The lively 

 emotion with which Achilles lays hold of that 

 fword, muft have exhibited a charming contraft 

 with the habit, and the compofed deportment of 

 his nymph charader. There muft have refulted 

 another, no lefs interefting, in the charader of 

 UlyJJeSy with his air of referve, and the exprcffion 

 of his fatisfadion, under the reftraint of prudence, 

 fearful left, in difcovering Achilles, he (hould at 

 the lame time betray himfelf. 



Anothef 



