32. Of Natural objects in general.-A brief survey of the principal forms and objects of nature, notable for æsthetic qualities, will advantageously contribute to the elucidation of the foregoing doctrines. The Mineral kingdom furnishes principally specimens of colour, lustre, and symmetrical forms; our gems and precious stones having no other intrinsic qualities to recommend them. Vegetable nature is much more various in its effects. Colours, pleasing, dazzling, and even gorgeous, are embodied in forms and structures that affect us no less powerfully through other susceptibilities. The curved outline prevails over straight lines. Proportion, symmetry, and harmony, are found in the two halves of the leaf, in the repetition of the same form in each species, and in the structure of the flower; while a certain whole, or unity, is made up out of the multitude of parts. Some plants, by their tall and slender proportions, are tender and graceful, others, by massiveness and size, have a sort of architectural grandeur and beauty. The poet and painter have often dwelt in this region of nature, till a sort of delirious idolatry has overwhelmed their faculty of discrimination; and it is even at this moment hardly allowable to say, that any vegetable species is not instinct with beauty.

The mountains, valleys, rivers, plains, and the general surface of the globe, owe their influence to effects already noticed. The mountain masses are nature's pyramids, and whether we view them from below and contemplate their elevation, or stand on the summits to look down upon the wide expanse beneath, we feel the sentiment of power, or the sublime. The rivers display a vast moving mass, glistening in the light, and bending in graceful curves. The still lake operates differently, its force lying chiefly in composition with the entire landscape. Of landscape beauties at large, we can only remark that a number of the effects above detailed are accumulated into one whole, while there may be superadded a certain harmony or keeping that heightens the general emotion. To find out these harmonies is the vocation of the painter, to which the taste of the spectator responds.

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

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33. The Animal kingdom contains objects of æsthetic interest in considerable measure, and also the largest part of nature's deformities. Melody of sound, colours, outlines, forms, and movements-graceful or sublime,-may be found among the quarter of a million of estimated animal species; and associations heighten the effect in numerous instances. All this has been a theme of admiration time out of mind. Perhaps it would now be more instructive, in the way of casting light upon the human mind, to analyse the sources of the repugnance that we entertain towards not a few of the the animal tribes. In some cases, the cause is obvious and intelligible, being simply the presence of mischievous qualities, or the power of inflicting palpable damage to person or property. The beast of prey, the destructive vermin, the sharp tooth, or poisoned fang, are abhorred as our natural enemies; but to many animals there attaches a sentiment of ugliness or deformity, from their exhibiting qualities in pointed opposition to those we call beautiful. The dingy, sluggish, slimy snail excites a pretty general dislike. The earthworm is less repulsive; but the crawling centipede excites a wide-spread sentiment of loathing. The frog is the antipathy of some persons. A black beetle appearing suddenly on the floor will make a child scream with terror. The earwig is also very much disliked. It is not always easy to give a reason for these effects. A vague sentiment of fear is manifestly stirred up, from unknown evil conceived as possible to be inflicted by those creatures; for familiarity reconciles us more and more to their presence. One grand source of terror is their power of invasion; it is very much proportioned to the rapidity of their motions; a black beetle is the nimblest of creatures. It is possible too, that our sense of dignity may be offended, by their crossing our path or lighting on the person uninvited. After all other reasons have been exhausted, we may still have to fall back upon the active principle of disgust and antipathy belonging to our nature, which, directed in the first instance upon objects that really offend the sense and inspire loathing, extends itself to others where the pretext is very

slender, or entirely wanting. It is the nature of a strong emotion to vent itself in some way or other; and the sentiment of disgust is an exceedingly powerful principle, showing its active spontaneity even in children, and remaining in force through the whole of life.

34. The Human form is a fertile theme of æsthetic analysis. A number of the effects are obvious and admitted; the elements of colour and brilliancy-in the skin, the eyes, the hair, the teeth,-of a well-complexioned man or woman, are pleasing both here and elsewhere. The graceful figure is approved on the architectural grounds of adequate, and yet light, support; with the modifications due to forward movement, which determines the shape of the foot and limb. The curvature of the outline passes repeatedly through points of contrary flexure, turning from convex to concave, and again resuming the prevailing convex. This fluctuation is much coveted in the smallest detail, as may be inferred from the value set upon the dimpled cheek, or elbow. The general proportions of the frame are looked at with more or less reference to the ends of movement and action. The masculine type is thus distinguished from the feminine, which last has usually been made use of for the embodiment of the intrinsic charms of support, of curvature, and of numerical harmony, termed the ideal beauties. To great physical strength, a more solid framework is necessary, and for the sake of this we are willing to abandon the flowing outline.

The beauties of the head and face are very complicated. Nature having furnished a certain aggregate of features, symmetrically developed, we are moved by a variety of considerations, in accounting any one individual instance beautiful or otherwise. The ancient model evidently pointed to proportion in the first instance, allowing no one feature to be exaggerated beyond a certain prominence, so as to take off attention from the others. The Greek sculptor took upon himself to assign the fair and reasonable dimensions of each part, and the taste of subsequent ages has in the main acquiesced in that measurement. Other races, however, differ

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ently proportioned, and accustomed to their own proportions, would probably dispute the decision. A larger mouth, a smaller chin, a shorter nose, a more retreating forehead, may be deemed just and becoming by the Negro, or the Mongol, and the Greek would not be able to make good his case in opposition to the type thus constituted. It would be absurd, in any people, to set up an ideal form widely at variance with the specimens occurring among themselves, and probably this has never been done. The ancient type is allowed to be a good one, but we can permit considerable departures from it and yet recognise great beauty. Indeed, the allocation of the relative size of forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, is very different to different tastes, and it may be doubted whether the Grecian arrangement has the majority of adherents. There is no fundamental rule to appeal to, for determining the proper proportion of the nose to the rest of the face. has been surmised (by Sir Charles Bell) that the Greek sculptor took his cue from the points of difference between the human head and the head of the animals next in rank, increasing that difference as far as he safely could without misrepresenting humanity entirely. It is the following out of a similar line of considerations, to account some of the organs more dignified in function than the others, as being more intellectual, or less animal. Thus, the eye is said to surpass the nose and mouth in this respect. But nothing could be more flimsy than such a reason. The mouth, it is true, serves the purpose of eating; but the instrumentality of speech ought to redeem it from any inferiority that may attach to the animal function of receiving and masticating the food. Neither can it be said that there is anything unworthy in the organ of smell. Indeed, I utterly despair of finding any standard, beyond the preference of individuals based on a comparison of the specimens they are accustomed to see.

35. The beauties of Movement and Expression are much more explicable. They belong in part to the primitive effects of movements, in which curves are preferable to straight lines, and in part to associations well understood. The attitudes of

a person gracefully formed are unintentionally graceful, being merely different ways of exhibiting the original form. In the expression of the face, the formation of agreeable curves and undulations is naturally pleasing. The eye being intrinsically the most dazzling feature, the movements that uncover it widely are apt to impress us. But both the eye and the mouth, being concerned in the indications of pleasure and pain, love and anger, are interpreted so much with reference to these passions, that we have a difficulty in assigning any movements in them that are intrinsically pleasing. A face is often reckoned beautiful, because the features take on, in an especial manner, the expression of kindly feeling; in other words, the smile in the mouth and the expansion of the eye.

There is nothing difficult to account for, in what constitutes an agreeable manner or carriage in society, or in the still more energetic and pronounced demeanour of the actor on the stage. Reposing in part upon what strikes us originally, and in part upon conventional modes of address, the actor studies every artifice that renders the human presence effective and imposing; and needs to have a natural framework of body adapted to the purpose. I have already disposed of the superficial notion that mere feeling in an orator, or actor, is enough to inspire such an expression as will make others feel; the power of a rich elocution and a commanding presence, with some appropriate language and ideas, being an indispensable aid in stirring up other minds.

36. Much is said and felt respecting beauty and grace in Human Character, and here, too, there is a mixture of the primitive with the associated or conventional. Undoubtedly the great foundation of the pleasing in character, is the disposition to surrender self to others. We see this plainly in the virtues of liberality and generosity, of affection and kindness, and, not less than any, in modesty and humility, which mean the surrender or merging of the amour-propre. While self-assertion, arrogance, and self-will, are eyed with dislike, almost every form of submission has come to be counted a virtue and a beauty. The cause is apparent. Our

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