IT LETTER II. To the Same. gave me no small Pleasure to find, by your Answer to my laft Letter, that you now allow BEAUTY to be the Daughter of TRUTH; and I in my turn will make a Conceffion to you, by confeffing that BEAUTY herself may have acquir'd Charms, but then they are altogether fuch as are confiftent with her divine Extraction. What you obferve is very true, that the human Form, (the most glorious Object, as you are pleas'd to call it, in the Creation) let it be made with the most accurate Symmetry and Proportion, may receive additional Charms from Educa-, tion, and steal more fubtily upon the Soul of the Beholder from fome adventitious Circumstances of eafy Attitudes or Motion, and an undefineable Sweetness of Countenance, which an habitual Commerce with the more refin'd Part of Mankind fuperadds to the Work of Nature. This the antient antient Grecian Artists would have reprefented mythologically in Painting by the GRACES Crowning VENUS. We find how much LELY has availed himself in his fhadowy Creations of transcribing from Life this adventitious Charm into all his Portraits. I mean, when he stole upon his annimated Canvas, as POPE poetically expreffes it, "The fleepy Eye that spoke the melting Soul." You will ask me perhaps how I can prove any Alliance in this particular Circumstance of a fingle Feature to Truth? Or rather triumphantly push the Argument farther and fay, Is not this additional Charm, as you call it, inconfiftent with the Divine Original of Beauty, fince it deadens the fiery Luftre of that penetrating Organ? I chufe to draw my Answer from the Schools of the antient EтHOGRAPHI, who by their enchanting Art fo happily convey'd, thro' the Sight, the Leffons of Moral Philosophy. Thefe Sages would have told you, that our Souls are are attun'd to one another, like the Strings of musical Instruments, and that the Chord of one being ftruck, the Unifon of another, tho' untouch'd, will vibrate to it. The Paffions therefore of the human Heart, express'd either in the living Countenance or the mimetic Strokes of Art, will affect the Soul of the Beholder with a fimilar and responsive Difpofition. What wonder then is it that Beauty, borrowing thus the Look of foftening Love, whose Power can lull the moft watchful of the Senfes, should caft that sweet Nepenthe upon our Hearts, and enchant our corresponding Thoughts to reft in the Embraces of Defire? Sure then I am, that you will always allow Love to be the Source and End of our Being, and confequently confiftent with Truth. It is the Superaddition of fuch Charms to Proportion, which is called Taste in Mufick, Painting, Poetry, Sculpture, Gardening and Architecture. By which is generally meant that happy Affemblage which excites in our Minds, by Analogy, fome pleasurable Image. Thus, for Inftance, even the Ruins of an old Caftle properly difpos'd, or the Simplicity of a rough-hewn Hermitage in a Rock, enliven a Profpect, by recalling the Moral Images of Valor and Wisdom; and I believe no Man will contend, that Valor exerted in the Defence of one's Country, or Wisdom contemplating in Retirement for the Welfare of Mankind, are not truly amiable Images, belonging to the Divine Family of Truth. I think I have now reconcil'd our two favorite Opinions, by proving that these additional Charms, if they must be called fo, have their Origin in Nature as much as Proportion itself.-I am very glad the Prints I fent afforded you so much Pleafure, not only as I wish every thing which comes from me may be favorably receiv'd by you, but as they are likewise a Confirmation of my Arguments; for the Man who drew them is no very great Artist, but being a faithful Disciple of Nature, having delineated every Object in a Camera Obfcura, he has not fail'd of gaining |