rection; but a flow and languid motion is more beautiful than a brifk one; the latter is enlivening; the former lovely. Thirdly, with regard to the union of the eye with the neighbouring parts, it is to hold the fame rule that is given of other beautiful ones; it is not to make a strong deviation from the line of the neighbouring parts; nor to verge into any exact geometrical figure. Befides all this, the eye affects, as it is expreffive of fome qualities of the mind, and its principal power generally arifes from this; so that what we have just said of the phyfiog homy is applicable here.

SE C T. XXI.

UGLINES S.

may perhaps appear like a fort of repetition of what we have before faid, to infift here upon the nature of Uglinefs. As I imagine it to be in all re

fpects the oppofite to thofe qualities which we have laid down for the constituents of beauty. But though ugliness be the oppofite to beauty, it is not the opposite to proportion and fitness. For it is poffible that a thing may be very ugly with any proportions, and with a perfect fitness to any uses. Ugliness I imagine likewise to be confiftent enough with an idea of the fublime. But I would by no means infinuate that ugliness of itself is a fublime idea, unless united with fuch qualities as excite à ftrong

terror.

SECT. XXII.

GRACE.

G Racefulness is an idea not

rent from beauty; it confifts in much the fame things. Gracefulness is an idea belonging to posture and motion. In both thefe, to be graceful, it is requi

fite that there be no appearance of difficulty; there is required a fmall inflexion of the body; and a compofure of the parts in fuch a manner, as not to incumber each other, nor to appear divided by tharp and fudden angles. In this cafe, this roundnefs, this delicacy of attitude and motion, it is that all the magic of grace confifts, and what is called its je ne fai quoi; as will be obvious to any obferver who confiders attentively the Venus de Medicis, the Antinous, or any statue generally allowed to be graceful in an high degree.

SECT. XXIII.

ELEGANCE and SPECIOUSNESS.

WH

HEN any body is compofed of parts smooth and polished, without preffing upon each other, without fhewing any ruggedness or confufion, and at the same time affecting some re

gular

very

gular fhape, I call elegant. It is closely allied to the beautiful, differing from it only in this regularity; which however, as it makes a very material difference, in the affection produced, may well constitute another fpecies. Under this head I rank thofe delicate and regular works of art, that imitate no determinate object in nature, as elegant buildings, and pieces of furniture. When any object partakes of the abovementioned qualities, or of thofe of beautiful bodies, and is withal of great dimenfions; it is full as remote from the idea of mere beauty. I call it fine or Spe

cious.

SECT.

SECT. XXIV,

The beautiful in FEELING,

TH

'HE foregoing defcription of beauty, so far as it is taken in by the eye, may be greatly illuftrated by defcribing the nature of objects, which produce a fimilar effect through the touch. This I call the beautiful in Feeling. It correfponds wonderfully with what causes the fame species of pleasure to the fight. There is a chain in all our fenfations; they are all but different forts of feelings, calculated to be affected by various forts of objects, but all to be affected after the fame manner. All bodies that are pleasant to the touch, are so by the flightness of the refiftance they make. Refistance is either to motion along the furface, or to the preffure of the parts on one another; if the former be flight, we call the body, fimooth, if the latter,