EXPRESSION. 4 I 



artist to convey by forms permanent characters 

 of mind. 



It may, indeed, be fairly held that a graceful 

 form, by awakening the idea of the graceful in the 

 onlooker, will lead him to associate that idea with 

 the possessor of the form, and will tinge his judg- 

 ment of the mind behind it ; especially when the 

 graceful forms are found in the head, the seat of the 

 organ of mental action, and the face the special 

 index of its changes/ So also the idea of strength 

 given by a well-knit body may be erroneously 

 allowed to impress the judgment favourably as to 

 the presence of strength of mind ; and, indeed, it 

 may also be held that the habits engendered by a 

 sturdy or weakly bodily development have much 

 influence in modifying mental tone. But no such con- 

 siderations will account for those various symbolisms 

 of form by means of which every competent painter 

 is able to portray minds of various mould, apart 

 from the temporary expression. I do not attempt 

 at the present moment to explain why ; but assur- 

 edly very different mental characteristics will be 

 indicated by varying the proportion of breadth to 

 length in drawing a face, or by varying the propor- 

 tion of one-third of the face to the rest. A massive 

 chin is so distinctly a physiognomic representation 

 of firmness, that an artist would in vain attempt to 



