11 
INTRODUCTION. 
Even with the dawn of reafon, does not a child 
pretend to judge of faces? — At every ftage, are not 
the penetrating eyes of a man directed to find out 
the fecret thoughts of the ftranger whom he meets ? . 
— And do we not daily hear it faidj as an incontef- 
table truth, that fuch-a-one is lively, dull, thought- 
ful, peevifli, melancholy, &c. merely from a glance 
at his exterior appearance ? 
Certain it is, that the human form, particularly the 
countenance, is ftamped with a dillinguifliing mark, 
by which the mental emotions may be difcerned i the 
body being juftly called a fubftantial image of the 
mind, or the foul itfelf rendered vifible. It is, like- 
wife, univerfally acknowledged, that the improve- 
ment of talents ought to be the firft obje£l; of our 
ftudies ; for Genius produces fuch mafter-pieces a§ 
refle6l honour on his creative power. Beauty afferts 
equal rights to the productions of the liberal arts, 
becaufe the colours, fo often employed to paint the 
Graces, are embelliflied in thofe hands which had 
been only deemed fit to ufe the needle ; infomuch 
that a living model of perfection, a Venus, may take 
up the painter’s pallet, and fill his place. 
Befides, how is it pofTible that the fair fex fhould fail 
to excel in painting, fince the charming eye pierces 
through the moft intricate lineament, and feizes 
the likenefs without miffing a ffiade of diltinCtion ! 
Let, however, the ftrong paffiions be flill expreffed 
with bolder ftrokes of art from the firm hand of 
man } 
