230 



so peculiarly pleasing a form, as to deserve 

 that he should except them from the gene- 

 ral mass, but simply to know what is that 

 shape, in which the greatest number most 

 nearly agree. By such observation, the na* 

 turalist knows at the first glance, the gene- 

 ral form of leaf in any particular species ; if 

 in some of the leaves there should be a 

 slight difference, he still acknowledges them 

 to be of the same species ; but if the vari* 

 ation, either in the shape, or the position of 

 those marks by which he distinguishes it, 

 pass certain bounds, he considers such a 

 leaf as a monstrous, or capricious produce 

 tion of nature. This is neither more nor 

 Jess than we all do in our own species, from 

 the unavoidable habit of observation ; but 

 this has nothing to do with the research 

 of beauty in either case ; nor does it at all 

 tend to prove, that the most general forms, 

 are the most beautiful, 



I therefore cannot avoid suspecting, that 

 Sir Joshua s meaning must be different from 

 what his words seem to express : no man, 

 certamly had better opportunities of know- 



