The Artist's Repository, Or, Encyclopedia of the Fine Arts (Band 1): The Human Figure (London, 1808)

lect. v.] proportions op the head. 105

Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair,
Presented with an universal blank
Of Nature's works, to me expung'd and ras'd,
And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out."

Thus reasons the forlorn Sampson,

" O dark ! dark ! dark ! amid the blaze of noon !->

Since light so necessary is to life,

And almost life itself, why was the Sight

To such a tender ball as th' eye confin'd,

So obvious, and so easy to be quench'd ?

And not, as Feeling, through all parts diffus'd,

That she might look at will through ev'ry pore ?"

The proportions of the Eye to the face,, are as
follow : the Ball is usually about one-fifth part of
the width of the face ; and the Iris one-third the
length of the ball : its height shews the opening
of the eye. This part is differently coloured in
different persons, but not according to any certain
rule ; in general, persons whose hair and complexion
are light coloured, have the iris blue, or grey; on
the contrary, those whose hair and complexion are
dark, have the iris of a deep brown. I have heard,
from good authority, of a vermilion-coloured iris.

The eye seen in profile has half its dimensions
when seen in front.

The feature which next claims our attention is the
Nose. This part contains the organs of smelling ;
without which sense, in vain were the fragrant orna-
ments of the garden, in vain the perfumes of the
East, in vain the spicy gales of Arabia, which make,

" Cheer'd with the grateful smell, old Ocean smile."

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