316 HISTORY OF 



butes still more to enforce the expression. The different 

 colours of the eye are the dark hazel, the light hazel, the green, 

 the blue and gray, the whitish gray, "and also the red." These 

 different colours arise from the different colours of the little 

 muscles that serve to contract the pupil ; " and they are very 

 often found to change colour vv'ith disorder, and with age." 



The most ordinary colours are the hazel and the blue, and 

 very often both these colours are found in the eyes of the 

 same ])erson. Those eyes which are called black, are only of 

 the dark hazel, which may be easily seen upon close inspection ; 

 however, those eyes are reckoned the most beautiful where the 

 shade is deepest ; and either in these, or the blue eyes, the fire 

 which gives its finest expression to the eye is more distinguish- 

 able in proportion to the darkness 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 coloiu- of the eyes is pe- 

 culiar to man, and one or two other khids of animals •, but, iji 

 general, the colour in any one individual is the same in all the 

 rest. The eyes 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 colour." 



Although 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 

 Vhera it is so great, that it is impossible 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 must give a character to 

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

 apparent than the other features, are most readily distinguished 

 lit a distance. " Le Brun, in giving a painter directions, with 



