an obferver! Who could have rendered greater fervices to phyfiognomy than the man who, with the genius of a mathematician, poffeffes fo accurate a fpirit of obfervation?

CHAP. XXXII.

Defcription of Plate V.

Number I.

WILLIAM Hondius, a Dutch engraver, after Vandyck. We here fee mild, languid, flow industry, with enterprizing, daring, confcious heroifm. This forehead is rounded, not indeed common nor ignoble. The eyebrows are curved, the eyes languid and finking, and the whole countenance oval, ductile, and maidenly.

Number 2.

This head, if not stupid, is at least common; if not rude, clumfy. I grant it is a caricature, yet, however, there is fomething fharp and fine in the eye and mouth, which a connoiffeur will difcover.

Number 3.

This is manifeftly a Turk, by the arching and pofition of the forenead, the hind part of the head, the eyebrows, and particularly the nofe. The afpect is that of obfervation, with a degree of curiolity. The open mouth denotes remarking, with fome reЯection.

Number

4

Number 4.

It must be a depraved tafte which can call this graceful, and therefore it muit be far from majeftic. I should neither with a wife, mother, fifter, friend, relation, or goddess, to poffefs a countenace fo cold, infipid, affected, ftony, unimpaffioned, or fo perfectly a ftatue.

Number 5.

The ftrong grimace of an impotent madman, who diftorts himself without meaning. In the eye is neither attention, fury, littlenefs, nor greatnefs.

Number 6.

The eyes in this head are benevolently ftupid. Wherefoever fo muft white is feen as in the left eye, if in company with fuch a mouth, there is feldom much wisdom.

I

CHA P. XXXIII.

General Remarks on Women.

Muft premife, that I am but little acquainted with the female part of the human race. Any man of the world muft know more cf then than I can pretend to know. My opportunities of feeing them at the theatre, at balls, or at the card-table, where they beft may be ftudied, have been exceedingly few. In my youth, I almoft avoided woman, and was never in love.

Perhaps I ought, for this very reafon, to have left this very important part of phyfiognomy to one much

better

better informed, having myself fo little knowledge of the fair fex. Yet might not fuch neglect have been dangerous? Might another have treated the fubject in the manner which I could with? or, would he have faid the little I have to fay, and which, though little, I efteem to be neceffary and important?

I frequently fhudder while I think how exceffively, how contrary to my intention, the ftudy of phyfiognomy may be abufed, when applied to women. Phyfiognomy will perhaps fare no better than philofophy, poetry, phylic, or whatever may be termed art or science. A little philofophy leads to atheism, and much to Chriftianity. Thus muft it be with phyfiognomy. But I will not be difcouraged; the half precedes the whole. We learn to walk by falling, and fhall we forbear to walk left we fhould fall?

I can with certainty fay, that true pure phyfiognomonical fenfation, in refpect to the female fex, best can season and improve life, and is the most effectual prefervative against the degradation of ourfelves or others.

Beft can feafon and improve human life.-What better can temper manly rudeness, or ftrengthen and fupport the weakness of man, what fo foon can affuage the rapid blaze of wrath, what more charm mafculine power, what fo quickly diffipate peevishnefs and ill temper, what fo well can wile away the infipid tedious hours of life, as the near and affectionate look of a noble, beautiful woman? What is fo strong as her foft delicate hand? What fo perfuafive as her tears reftrained? Who but beholding her must cease to fin? How can the fpirit of God act more omnipotently upon the heart, than by the extending and increafing phyfiognomonical fenfation for fuch an eloquent countenance? What fo

well