190 A HISTORY OF 



make ; their thighs and legs small, and the muscular parts are yet un- 

 filled. But, by degrees, the fleshy fibres augment ; the muscles swell, 

 and assume their figure ; the limbs become proportioned and rounder; 

 and before the age of thirty, the body in men, has acquired the most per- 

 fect symmetry. Jn women, the body arrives at perfection much sooner, 

 as they arrive at the age of maturity more early ; the muscles, and all 

 the other parts being weaker, less compact and solid, than those of 

 man, they require less time in coming to perfection ; and, as they are 

 less in size, that size is sooner completed. Hence the persons of 

 women are found to be as complete at twenty, as those of men are 

 found to be at thirty. 



The body of a well-shaped man ought to be square ; the muscles 

 should be expressed with boldness, and the lines of the face strongly 

 marked. In the woman, all the muscles should be rounder, the lines 

 softer, and the features more delicate. Strength and majesty belong 

 to the man ; grace and softness are the peculiar embellishments of the 

 other sex. In both, every part of their form declares their sovereignty 

 over other creatures. Man supports his body erect ; his attitude is 

 that of command : and his face, which is turned towards the heavens, 

 displays the dignity of his station. The image of his soul is painted 

 in his visage ; and the excellence of his nature penetrates through the 

 material form in which it is inclosed. His majestic port, his sedate 

 and resolute step, announce the nobleness of his rank. He touches 

 the earth only with his extremity; and beholds it as if at a disdainfu. 

 distance. His arms are not given him, as to other creatures, for pil- 

 lars of support ; nor does he lose, by rendering them callous against 

 the ground, that delicacy of touch which furnishes him with so many 

 of his enjoyments. His hands are made for very different purposes 

 to second every intention of his will, and to perfect the gifts of Na- 

 ture. 



When the soul is at rest, all the features of the visage seem settled 

 in a state of profound tranquillity. Their proportion, their union, and 

 their harmony, seem to mark the sweet serenity of the mind, and give 

 a true information of what passes within. But when the soul is ex- 

 cited, the human visage becomes a living picture ; -where the passions 

 are expressed with as much delicacy as energy, where every motion 

 is designed by some correspondent feature, where every impression 

 anticipates the will, and betrays those hidden agitations, that he would 

 often wish to conceal. 



It is particularly in the eyes that the passions are painted ; and in 

 which we may most readily discover their beginning. The eye seems 

 to belong to the soul more than any other organ ; it seems to participate 

 of all its emotions ; as well the most soft and tender, as the most tumul- 

 tuous and forceful. It not only receives, but transmits them by sym- 

 patny ; the observing eye of one catches the secret fire from another : 

 and the passion thus often becomes general. 



Such persons as are short-sighted labour under a particular disad- 

 vantage in this respect. They are, in a manner, entirely cut off from 

 tlit, language of the eyes ; and this gives an air of stupidity to the 

 face, which often produces very unfavourable prepossessions. How- 

 m-or intelligent we find such persons to be, we can scarcely be oronght 



