ANIMALS. 191 



back from our first prejudice, and often continue in the first erroneous 

 opinion. In this manner we are too much induced to judge of men 

 by their physiognomy ; and having, perhaps, at first, caught up our 

 judgments prematurely, they mechanically influence us all our lives 

 after. This extends even to the very colour or the cut of people's 

 clothes ; and we should for this reason be careful, even in such trifling 

 particulars, since they go to make up a part of the total judgment 

 which those we converse with may form to our advantage. 



The vivacity, or the languid motion of the eyes, gives the strongest 

 marks to physiognomy ; and their colour contributes still more to en- 

 force the expression. The different colours of the eye are the dark 

 hazle, the light hazle, the green, the blue and grey, the whitish grey, 

 " and also the red." These different colours arise from the different 

 colours of the little muscles that serve to contract the papil ; " and 

 they are very often found to change colour with disorder and with age." 



The most ordinary colours are the hazle and the blue, and very 

 often both these colours are found in the eyes of the same person 

 Those eyes which are called black, are only of the dark hazle, which 

 may be easily seen upon closer inspection ; however, those eyes are 

 reckoned the most beautiful where the shade is the deepest : and 

 either in these, or the blue eyes, the fire, which gives its finest ex- 

 pression to the eye, is more distinguishable in proportion to the dark- 

 ness of the tint. For this reason, the black eyes, as they are called, 

 have the greatest vivacity ; but, probably, the blue have the most 

 powerful effect in beauty, as they reflect a greater variety of lights, 

 being composed of more various colours. 



This variety, which is found in the colour of the eyes, is peculiar 

 to man, and one or two other kinds of animals : but, in general, the 

 colour in any one individual is the same in all the rest. The eves of 

 oxen are brown ; those of sheep of a water colour ; those of goats 

 are gray ; " and it may also be, in general, remarked, that the eyes 

 of most white animals are red ; thus the rabbit, the ferret, and, even 

 in the human race, the white Moor, all have their eyes of a red co- 

 lour." 



Althdugh the eye, when put into motion, seems to be drawn on one 

 side, yet it only moves round the centre ; by which its coloured part 

 moves nearer, or farther from the angle of the eye-lids, or is elevated 

 or depressed. The distance between the eyes is less in man than in 

 any other animal ; and in some of them it is so great, that it is iin 

 possible that they should ever view the same object with both eyes at 

 once, unless it be very far off. " This, however, in them is rather an 

 advantage than an inconvenience, as they are thus able to watch round 

 them, and guard against the dangers of their precarious situation." 



Next to the eyes, the features which most give a. character to the 

 face, are the eye-brows, which being, in some measure, more appa- 

 rent than the other features, are most readily distinguished at a dis- 

 tance. " Le Brun, in giving a painter directions with regard to the 

 passions, places the principal expression of the face in the eye-brows." 

 Prom their elevation and depression, most of the furious passions are 

 characterized ; and such as have this feature extremely moveable, are 

 usually known to have an expressive face. By means of these we can 



