productions which have nothing to recommend them but the beauties of nature, when they do uot kuow how to relish even those compositions that, with all the beauties of nature, have also the additional advantages of art. L THERE are several arts which all men are in some measure masters of, without having been at the pains of learning them. Every one that speaks or reasons is a grammarian and a logician, though he may be wholly unacquainted with the rules of grammar or logic, as they are delivered in books and systems. In the same mannor every one is in some degree a master of that art which is gerally distinguished by the name of Physiognomy; and naturally forms to himself the fortune or character of a stranger, from the features and lineaments of his face. We are no sooner presented to anyone we never saw before but we are immediately struck with the idea of a proud, a reserved, an affable, or a good-natured man; and upon our first going into a company of strangers, our benevolence or aversion, awe or contempt, rises naturally towards several particular persons, before we have heard them speak a single word, or so much as know who they are. Every passion gives a particular cast to the countenance, i and is apt to discover itself in some feature or other. Í have seen an eye curse for half an hour together, and an eyebrow call a man a scoundrel. Nothing is more common than for lovers to complain, resent, languish, despair! and die in dumb show. For my own part I am so apt to frame a notion of every man's humour or circumstances by his looks, that I have sometimes employed myself from Charing-Cross to the Royal Exchange, in drawing the characters characters of those who have passed by me. When I see a man with a sour revilled face, I cannot forbear pitying his wife; and when I meet with an open ingenuous countenance, think on the happiness of his friends, his family, and relations. I cannot recollect the author of a famous saying to a stranger who stood silent in his company, Speak that I 'may see thee.' But, with submission, I think we may be better known by our looks than by our words, and that a man's speech is much more easily disguised than his countenance. In this case, however, I think the air of the whole face is much more expressive than the lines of it: the truth of it is, the air is generally nothing else but the inward disposition of the mind made visible. Those who have established physiognomy into an art, and laid down rules of judging mens tempers by their faces, have regarded the features much more than the air, Martial has a pretty epigram on this subject: Crine ruber, diger ore, brevis, pede, lumine læsus : Rem magnam præstas, Zoile, si bonus es, Epig. 54. 1. 12, The beard and head are of a diff 'rent dye; I have seen a very ingenious author on this subject, who founds his speculations on the supposition, that as a man hath in the inould of his face à remote likeness to that of an ox, a sheep, a lion, a hog, or any other creature; he hath the same resemblance in the frame of his mind, and is subject to those passions which are predominant in the creature that appears in his countenance. Accordingly le gives the prints of several faces that are of a different mould, and by a little overcharging the likeness, discovers the figures of these several kinds of brutal faces in human features. I remember in the life of the famous Prince of Conde, the writer observes, the face of that Prince was like the face of an eagle, and that the prince was very well pleased to be told so. In this case therefore we may be sure, that he had in his mind some general implicit notion of this art of 1hysiognomy which I have just now mentioned; and that when his courtiers told him his face was No 86. was made like an eagle's, he understood them in the same manner as if they had told him, there was something in his looks which shewed him to be strong, active, piercing, and of a roya descent. Whether or no the different motions of the animal spirits, in different passions, may have any effect on the mould of the face when the lineaments are pliable and tender, or whether the same kind of souls require the same kind of habitations, I shall leave to the consideration of the curious. In the mean time I think nothing can be more glorious than for a man to give the lie to his face, and to be an honest, just, good-natured man, in spite of all those marks and signatures which nature seems to have set upon him for the contrary. This very often happens among those, who, instead of being exasperated by their own looks, or envying the looks of others, apply themselves entirely to the cultivating of their minds, and getting those beauties which are more lasting and more ornamental. I have seen many an amiable piece of deformity; and I have observed a certain cheerfulness in as bad a system of features as ever was clapped together, which hath appeared more lovely than all the blooming charms of an insolent beauty. There is a double praise due to virtue, when it is lodged in a body that seems to have been prepared for the reception of vice; in many such cases the soul and the body do not seem to be ellows. Socrates was an extraordinory instance of this nature. There chanced to be a great physiognomist in his time at Athens, who had made strange discoveries of mens tempers and inclinations by their outward appearances. Socrates' disciples, that they might put this artist to the trial, carried him to their master, whom he had never scen tefore, and did not know he was then in company with him. After a short examination of his face, the physiognomist pronounced him the most lewd, libidinous, drunken okk fellow that he had ever met with in his whole life. Upon which the disciples burst all out a laughing, as thinking they had detected the falsehood and vanity of his art. But Socrates told them, that the principles of his art might be very true, notwithstanding his present mistake; for that he himself was naturally inclined to those particular vices which the physiognomist had discoved in his countenance, but that he had conquered the strong dispositions he was born with by the dictates of philosophy. We are indeed told by an ancient author, that Socrates very much resembled Silenus in his face; which we find to have been very rightly observed from the statues and busts of both, that are still extant; as well as on several antique seals and precious stones, which are frequently enough to be met with in the cabinets of the curious. But however observations of this nature may sometimes hold, a wise man should be particularly cautious how he gives tredit to a man's outward appearance. It is an irreparable injustice we are guilty of towards one another, when we are prejudiced by the looks and features of those whom we do not know. How often do we conceive hatred against a person of worth, or fancy a man to be a proud ill-natured by his aspect, whom we think we cannot esteem too much when we are acquainted with his real character ? Dr. Moore, in his admirable System of Ethics; reckons this particular inclination to take a prejudice against a man for his looks, among the smaller vices in mortality, and, if I remember, gives it the name of a Prosopolepsia. Trust not too much to an inchanting face. DRYDEN' IT has been the purpose of several of my speculations to bring people to an unconcerned behaviour, with elation to their persons, whether beautiful or defective. As the secrets of the Ugly Club were exposed to the puVic, that men might see there was some noble spirits in the ge, who were not at all displeased with themselves upon onsiderations which they had no choice in; so the dis-, purse concerning Idols tended to lessen the value people at upon themselves from personal advantages and gifts of ture. As to the letter spécies of mankind, the beanes, whether male or female, they are generally the most untractable untractable people of all others. You are so excessively perplexed with the particularities in their behaviour, that, to be at ease, one would be apt to wish there was no such creatures. They expect so great allowances, and give so little to others, that they who have to do with them find in the main, a man with a better person than ordinary, and a beautiful woman, might be very happily changed for such to whom nature has been less liberal. The handsome fellow is usually so much a gentleman, and the fine woman has something so becoming, hat there is no enduring either of them. It has therefore been generally my choice to mix with chearful ugly creatures, rather than gentlemen who are graceful enough to omit or do what they please; or beauties who have charms enough to do and say what would be disobliging in any but themselves. Diffidence and presumption upon account of our persons, are equally faults; and both arise from the want of knowing, or rather endeavouring to know ourselves, and for what we ought to be valued or neglected. But indeed, I did not imagine these little considerations and coquetries could have the ill consequence as I find they have by the following letters of my correspondents, where it seems beauty is thrown into the account, in matters of sale, to those who receive no favour from the charmers. Mr. SPECTATOR, June 4. A With this account you may wonder how I can have the vanity to offer myself as a candidate, which I now do, to a society, where the Spectator and Hecatissa have been admitted with so much applause. I don't want to be put in mind how very defective I am in every thing that is ugly: I am too sensible of my own unworth dess in this particular, and therefore I only propose myself as a foil to the Club. 'You see how honest I have been to confess all my imperfections, which is a great deal to come from a 'woman, |