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SECT. XVI.

DELICACY.

N air of robustness and ftrength is very prejudicial to beauty. An appearance of delicacy, and even of fragility, is almost effential to it. Whoever examines the vegetable or animal creation, will find this obfervation to be founded in nature. It is not the oak, the ash, or the elm, or any of the robuft trees of the foreft, which we confider as beautiful; they are awful and majestic; they infpire a fort of reverence. It is the delicate myrtle, it is the orange, it is the almond, it is the jasmine, it is the vine, which we look on as vegetable beauties. It is the flowery fpecies, fo remarkable for its weaknefs and momentary duration, that gives us the livelieft idea of beauty and elegance. Among animals, the greyhound

is more beautiful than the mastiff and the delicacy of a gennet, a barb, or an Arabian horse, is much more amiable than the ftrength and ftability of some horses of war or carriage. I need here fay little of the fair fex, where I believe the point will be eafily allowed me. The beauty of women is confiderably owing to their weakness or delicacy, and is even enhanced by their timidity, a quality of mind analogous to it. I would not here be understood to say, that weakness betraying very bad health has any fhare in beauty; but the ill effect of this is not because it is weaknefs, but because the ill state of health which produces such weakness, alters the other conditions of beauty; the parts in fuch a cafe collapfe; the bright colour, the lumen purpureum juventæ, is gone; and the fine variation is loft in wrinkles, sudden breaks, and right lines.

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SECT. XVII.

Beauty in COLOUR.

$ to the colours usually found in beautiful bodies, it may be fomewhat difficult to afcertain them, because, in the feveral parts of nature, there is an infinite variety. However, even in this variety, we may mark out fomething on which to fettle. First, the colours of beautiful bodies must not be dusky or muddy, but clean and fair. Secondly, they must not be of the ftrongest kind. Thofe which feem most appropriated to beauty, are the milder of every fort; light greens; foft blues weak whites; pink reds; and violets, Thirdly, if the colours be ftrong and vivid, they are always diverfified, and the object is never of one strong colour; there are almost always fuch a number of them (as in variegated flowers,) that the

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ftrength and glare of each is confiderably abated. In a fine complexion, there is not only fome variety in the colouring, but the colours: neither the red nor the white are ftrong and glaring. Befides, they are mixed in such a manner, and with fuch gradations, that it is impoffible to fix the bounds. On the fame principle it is, that the dubious colour in the necks and tails of peacocks, and about the heads of drakes, is so very agreeable. In reality, the beauty both of shape and colouring are as nearly related, as we can well fuppofe it poffible for things of fuch different natures to be.

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SECT. XVIII.

RECAPITULATION.

N the whole, the qualities of beauty, as they are merely fenfible qualities, are the following. First, to be comparatively small. Secondly, to be smooth. Thirdly, to have a va riety in the direction of the parts; but, fourthly, to have thofe parts not anguJar, but melted as it were into each other. Fifthly, to be of a delicate frame, without any remarkable appearance of ftrength. Sixthly, to have its colours clear and bright, but not very strong and glaring. Seventhly, or if it should have any glaring colour, to have it diverfified with others. These are, I believe, the properties on which beauty depends; properties that operate by nature, and are lefs liable to be altered by caprice, or

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