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tudes; see fig*, which describe in some measure, the several figures and actions, mostly of the ridiculous kind, that are represented in the chief part of plate 2.

The most amiable person may deform his general appearance by throwing his body and limbs into plain lines, but such lines appear still in a more disagreeable light in people of a particular make, I have therefore chose such figures as I thought would agree best with my first score of lines, fig. 71.

The two parts of curves next to 71, served for the figures of the old woman and her partner at the farther end of the room. The curve and two straight lines at right angles, gave the hint for the fat man's sprawling posture. I next resolved to keep a figure within the bounds of a circle, which produced the upper part of the fat woman, between the fat man and the awkward one in the bag wig, for whom I had made a sort of an X. The prim lady, his partner, in the riding-habit, by pecking back her elbows, as they call it, from the waist upwards, made a tolerable D, with a straight line under it, to signify the scanty stiffness of her peticoat; and a Z stood for the angular position the body makes with the legs and thighs of the affected fellow in the tye wig; the upper parts of his plump partner was confined to an O, and this changed into a P, served as a hint for the straight lines behind. The uniform diamond of a card, was filled up by the flying P. 137 dress, &c. of the little capering figure in the spencerwig; whilst a double L marked the parallel position of his poking partner's hands and arms: and lastly,

*Fig. 71. T. p. 2.

the two waving lines were drawn for the more genteel turns of the two figures at the hither end.

The best representation in a picture, of even the most elegant dancing, as every figure is rather a suspended action in it than an attitude, must be always somewhat unnatural and ridiculous; for were it possible in a real dance to fix every person at one instant of time, as in a picture, not one in twenty would appear to be graceful, though each were ever so much so in their movements; nor could the figure of the dance itself be at all understood.

The dancing-room is also ornamented purposely with such statues and pictures as may serve to a farther illustration. Henry the Eighth, fig. *, makes a perfect X with his legs and arms; and the position of Charles the First, fig. †, is composed of less varied lines than the statue of Edward the Sixth, fig. ‡, and the medal over his head is in the like kind of lines; but that over Q. Elizabeth, as well as her figure, is in the contrary; so are also the two other wooden figures at the end. Likewise the comical posture of astonishment (expressed by following the direction of one plain curve, as the dotted line in a French print of Sancho, where Don Quixote demolishes the puppet shew, fig. §,) is a good contrast to the effect of the serpentine lines in the fine turn of the Samaritan woman, fig. ||, taken from one of the best pictures P. 138 Annibal Carrache ever painted.

* Fig. 72. p. 2.

+ Fig. 51. p. 2.

Fig. 73. p. 2.

Fig. 75. R. p. 2.

Fig. 74. L. p. 2.

CHAPTER XVII.

OF ACTION.

To the amazing variety of forms made still infinitely more various in appearance by light, shade and colour, nature hath added another way of increasing that variety, still more to enhance the value of all her compositions. This is accomplished by means of action; the fullest display of which is put into the power of the human species, and which is equally subject to the same principles with regard to the effects of beauty, or the reverse, as govern all the former compositions; as is partly seen in chapter XI. on proportion. My business here shall be, in as concise a manner as possible, to particularise the application of these principles to the movement of the body, and therewith finish this system of variety in forms and actions.

There is no one but would wish to have it in his power to be genteel and graceful in the carriage of his person, could it be attained with little trouble and expence of time. The usual methods relied on for this purpose among well-bred people, take up a considerable part of their time: nay even those of the first rank have no other recourse in these matters, than to dancing-masters, and fencing-masters: dancing and P. 139 fencing are undoubtedly proper, and very necessary

accomplishments; yet are they frequently very imperfect in bringing about the business of graceful deportment. For although the muscles of the body may attain a pliancy by these exercises, and the limbs, by the elegant movement in dancing, acquire a facility in moving gracefully, yet for want of knowing the meaning of every grace, and whereon it depends, affectations and misapplications often follow.

Action is a sort of language which perhaps one time or other, may come to be taught by a kind of grammar-rules; but, at present, is only got by rote and imitation and contrary to most other copyings or imitations, people of rank and fortune generally excel their originals, the dancing-masters, in easy behaviour and unaffected grace; as a sense of superiority makes them act without constraint; especially when their persons are well turned. If so, what can be more conducive to that freedom and necessary courage which make acquired grace seem easy and natural, than the being able to demonstrate when we are actually just and proper in the least movement we perform; whereas, for want of such certainty in the mind, if one of the most finished gentlemen at court was to appear as an actor on the public stage, he would find himself at a loss how to move properly, and be stiff, narrow, and awkward in representing even his own character: the uncertainty of being right would naturally give him some of that restraint which the uneducated common people generally have when they ap- P. 140 pear before their betters.

It is known that bodies in motion always describe some line or other in the air, as the whirling round of

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a fire-brand apparently makes a circle, the water-fall
part of a curve, the arrow and bullet, by the swiftness
of their motions, nearly a straight line; waving lines
are formed by the pleasing movement of a ship on
the waves.
Now in order to obtain a just idea of
action at the same time to be judiciously satisfied of
being in the right in what we do, let us begin with
imagining a line formed in the air by any supposed
point at the end of a limb or part that is moved, or
made by the whole part, or limb; or by the whole
body together. And that thus much of movements
may be conceived at once is evident, on the least re-
collection, for whoever has seen a fine Arabian war-
horse, unbacked and at liberty, and in a wanton trot,
cannot but remember what a large waving line his
rising, and at the same time pressing forward, cuts
through the air; the equal continuation of which, is
varied by his curveting from side to side; whilst his
long mane and tail play about in serpentine move-
ments.

P. 141

After thus having formed the idea of all movements being as lines, it will not be difficult to conceive, that grace in action depends upon the same principles as have been shewn to produce it in forms.

The next thing that offers itself to our consideration is the force of habit and custom in action; for a great deal depends thereon.

The peculiar movements of each person, as the gait in walking, are particularised in such lines as each part describes by the habits they have contracted. The nature and power of habit may be fully conceived by the following familiar instance, as the mo

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