On the Beautiful in the Grecian Statues. 429 
large, that too small, that the wave of the contour 
might be more happily exhibited. That timidity 
wherewith nature fears to exceed, when she de- 
lights to present to us the perfect of beauty, is 
delicately charactered; every thing is in that 
happy medium, that mild temperament and pro- 
portion which perfect beauty requires; no mus- 
cle harshly obtrudes itself to break the charming 
roundness of the form; the minutest parts, the 
joints, the fingers, the toes, thecvery dimple, 
as impressed by the’ playful fingér of love, is 
touched in the truth of nature; in fine, the eye 
of the delighted spectator may look for hours 
and days, and not dare to say, not be inclined 
to say, in what respect they could be altered, so 
as to be rendered more gratefultohim. The eye 
is not satiated with viewing them, they strike not 
at first with their full impression, but every re+ 
turn to them makes a deeper impression, unfolds 
new beauties, discovers the grace of nature in her 
most finished works, and this perhaps is the most 
decisive proof of their superior excellence. If 
any thing be wanting, it is colour and the expres- 
sion of the eye, but of these stone and marble 
are incapable; the artist has done his part, he 
has effected a!l that the material was susceptible 
of. Perhaps it is owing to this, the impossi- 
bility of communicating to stone the soul which : 
speaks in the countenance, that the face of the 
