44^ OF MANHOOD. 



but, wherever there is a blue tint, it becomes the 

 prevailing colour, and outfhines all the reft. 

 The black and the blue are the moft beautiful 

 colours, and give moft iire and vivacity of ex- 

 prefTion to the eye. In black eyes their is 

 more force and impetuofity ; but the blue ex- 

 cell in fweetnefs and delicacy. The former 

 dart forth a perpetual and uniform flame, be- 

 caufe their colour appears always the fame, and 

 refled:s the fame rays : But the modifications of 

 light are diftinguilliable in the blue j becaufe 

 different rays are reflected by the various tints 

 of which they are compofed. 



Thefe, and other varieties in the colours of the 

 eyes, are peculiar to man, the horfe, &c. In 

 moft other animals, the colours of individuals 

 vary not. The eyes of the ox are brown ; thofe 

 of the fheep are of a watery colour ; thofe of the 

 goat are gray, &c.||riftotle al ledges, that, among 

 men, gray eyes are the ftrongeft ; that the blue 

 are w^eaker; that prominent eyes are fliort-fight- 

 ed ; and that brown eyes fee not fo well as q- 

 thers in a faint light. 



Though the eye, in moving, feems to be 

 drawn towards either fide, yet it only moves 

 round its own centre, which gives the pupil 

 the appearance of approaching or receding from 

 the angles of the orbit,, and of being elevated or 

 depreifed. In man tlie eyes are nearer each other 

 than in any other animal. In fome fpecies, 

 the eyes art' fo remotely fituated, that it is im- 



poiTible 



