IV 
INTRODUCTION. 
that enthufiafm, which was the fource of fuch ge- 
nerous facrifices as dignified misfortunes, by proving 
a legal title to that empire of our hearts, which they 
were before fuppofed to have ufurped by their 
charms. 
Be that as it may, we muft take notice of fimilar 
treatifes written by our predeceflfors ; but as the 
greateft part of them contain a mixture of falfe prin- 
ciples with truth, we need only mention, in the firft 
place, Galien’s judicious Reflediions, with Le Brun’s 
excellent Treatife on the Paffions, the Philofophical 
Enquiries of Defcartes, Diderot’s pofthumous work 
on the Art of Painting, Baronefs de Stael’s 
Confiderations on the Happinefs of Nations ; and, 
above all, Lavater’s Effays on Phyfiognomy, a pro- 
duction that forms an invaluable record in the hif- 
tory of mankind. Indeed, too many encomiums can- 
not be beftowed on this laft eminent writer, whofe 
judgment appears in his choice of romantic views, 
prefentedto the world as afet of fragments, without 
order, becaufe he felt the difficulty of an attempt to 
compleat a regular fyftem, on a grand fcale, adapted 
to fuch fublime ideas as overleaped the bounds of art. 
It is true, indeed, he faw men and things 
through a medium ill-fuited to common eyes ; yet, 
fince he colleCIed a mafs of materials fufficient for 
the foundation of a more perfeCt theory than his 
own, there is room to hope that he will form it, by 
following 
