134 Management of Light in Illumination. 



of objects in general, or to human beauty. Lines 

 strongly marked are always hard, and some uncertainty 

 is necessary in order that the imagination may have 

 room to play. 



No decayed beauty ought ever to expose her face 

 to the direct rays of an Argand lamp ; nor should she 

 ever look at herself in her glass with her spectacles on. 



That mysterious light which comes from bodies 

 moderately illuminated is certainly most 'favourable to 

 female beauty, and ought on that account to be pre- 

 ferred by all persons who are wise ; but I must not 

 indulge in these pleasing speculations. 



In all cases where rooms are lighted by illuminators, 

 all other lights must be excluded ; for the admission 

 of either lamps or candles burning with naked flames 

 would greatly disturb that pleasing tranquillity which 

 reigns where the light is mild and uniformly distrib- 

 uted, and instead of being advantageous to distinct 

 vision would, by dazzling the eyes and introducing a 

 confusion of lights and shades, render it much more 

 difKicult to see objects distinctly. 



As the light of an Argand lamp is so exceedingly 

 vivid that when it is near at hand it may often be 

 found to be too powerful to be agreeable, even when 

 placed behind the screens, in that case I would recom- 

 mend a very simple contrivance which I often use, and 

 which effectually defends the eyes without darkening 

 the room or sensibly diminishing the beauty of the 

 illumination. A hoop, made of strong white writing 

 paper, of about i^ inches in width, is so fitted to the 

 outside of the dome of the table illuminator below as 

 to embrace it exactly, and in such a manner as to be 

 supported by it. 



