leaves of flowers, or between the leaves and the pistils? How does the slender stalk of the rofe agree with the bulky head under which it bends? but the rose is a beautiful flower; and can we undertake to say that it does not owe a great deal of its beauty even to that disproportion; the rose is a large flower, yet it grows upon a small shrub; the flower of the apple is very small, and grows upon a large tree; yet the rofe and the apple bloffsom are both beautiful, and the plants that bear them are most engagingly attired, notwith standing this disproportion. What by general consent is allowed to be a more beautiful object than an orange tree, flourishing at once with its leaves, its blofsoms, and its fruit? but it is in vain that we fearch here for any proportion between the height, the breadth, or any thing else concerning the dimensions of the whole, or concerning the relation of the particular parts to each other. I grant that we may observe in many flowers, something of a regular figure, and of a methodical disposition of the leaves. The rose has fuch a figure and fuch a disposition of its petals; but in an oblique view, when this figure is in a good mea fure loft, and the order of the leaves confounded, it yet retains its beauty; the rose is even more beautiful before it is full blown; and the bud, be fore this exact figure is formed; and this is not the only instance wherein method and exactness, VOL. I. the P the foul of proportion, are found rather prejudi cial than serviceable to the cause of beauty. SECT. III. PROPORTION NOT THE CAUSE OF BEAUTY IN ANIMALS. : THAT proportion has but a small share in the formation of beauty, is full as evident among animals. Here the greatest variety of shapes and dispositions of parts, are well fitted to excite this idea. The swan, confefsedly a beautiful bird, has a neck longer than the rest of his body, and but a very short tail: is this a beautiful proportion? we must allow that it is. But then what shall we fay to the peacock, who has comparatively but a short neck, with a tail longer than the neck and the reft of the body taken together? How many birds are there that vary infinitely from each of these standards, and from every other which you can fix; with proportions different, and often directly opposite to each other! and yet many of these birds are extremely beautiful; when upon confidering them we find nothing in any one part that might determine us, à priori, to say what the others ought to be, nor indeed to guess any thing about them, but what experience might shew to be full of difappointment and mistake. And with regard to the colours either of birds or flowers, for there is something fimilar in the colouring of both, whether they are confidered in their extenfion or gradation, there is nothing of proportion to be observed. Some are of but one fingle colour; others have all the colours of the rainbow; some are of the primary colours, others are of the mixt; in short, an attentive observer may foon conclude, that there is as little of proportion in the colouring as in the shapes of these objects. Turn next to beasts; examine the head of a beautiful horse, find what proportion that bears to his body, and to his limbs, and what relations these have to each other; and when you have fettled these proportions as a standard of beauty, then take a dog or cat, or any other animal, and examine how far the fame proportions between their heads and their necks, between those and the body, and so on, are found to hold; I think we may fafely say, that they differ in every fpecies, yet that there are individuals found in a great many species so differ. ing, that have a very striking beauty. Now, if it be allowed that very different, and even contrary, forms and difpofitions are consistent with beauty, it amounts I believe to a conceffion, that no certain meafures, operating from a natural principle, are neceffary to produce it, at least fo far as the brute ecies is concerned. PROPORTION NOT THE CAUSE OF BEAUTY IN THE HUMAN SPECIES. THERE are fome parts of the human body, that are observed to hold certain proportions to each other; but before it can be proved, that the efficient cause of beauty lies in these, it must be shewn, that wherever these are found exact, the perfon to whom they belong is beautiful: I mean in the effect produced on the view, either of any member distinctly confidered, or of the whole body together. It must be likewise shewn, that thefe parts stand in fuch a relation to each other, that the comparison between them may be easily made, and that the affection of the mind may naturally refult from it. For my part, I have at feveral times very carefully examined many of those proportions, and found them hold very nearly, or altogether alike in many fubjects, which were not only very different from one another, but where one has been very beautiful, and the other very remote from beauty. With regard to the parts which are found fo proportioned, they are often so remote from each other, in situation, nature, and office, that I cannot fee how they admit of any comparifon, nor confequently how any effect owing to proportion can refult from them. The neck, say they in beautiful bodies, should measure with the calf of the leg; it should likewife be twice the circum. ference of the wrist, And an infinity of observations of this kind are to be found in the writings and conversations of many. But what relation has the calf of the leg to the neck; or either of thefe parts to the wrist? These proportions are certainly to be found in handfome bodies. They are as certainly in ugly ones; as any who will take the pains to try may find. Nay, I do not know but they may be least perfect in fome of the most beautiful. You may affign any proportions you please to every part of the human body; and I undertake that a painter shall religioufly observe them all, and notwithstanding produce, if he pleases, a very ugly figure. The same painter shall confiderably deviate from these proportions, and produce a very beau. tiful one. And indeed it may be observed in the master-pieces of the ancient and modern statuary, that several of them differ very widely from the proportions of others, in parts very confpicuous and of great confideration; and that they differ no less from the proportions we find in living men, of forms extremely striking and agreeable. And after all, how are the partisans of proportional beauty agreed amongst themselves about the proportions of the human body? some hold it to be seven heads; fome make it eight; whilst others extend it even to ten; a vast difference in such a finall |