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

of character,

[lect\ vi,

LECTURE VI.

OF CHARACTER.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Xn pursuing our remarks on that division of our
subject which now requests your attention, I natter
myself you will receive as well enterrainment as im-
provement ; of which, perhaps, you will be the
more sensible, if, while we proceed on our subjedt,
you recollect the remarks you cannot but have made
on many articles similar to those we shall introduce ;
and I more readily request the recollection of your
former sentiments, because the peculiar character
of certain persons cannot easily be mistaken, but
will impress the mind of every observer. Did you
never dislike a person merely from his appearance,
without any other reason ? Did you never meet the
man in whom you imagined you saw not only a de-
ficiency of manners, but of sense, or of morals ? in
whose vacancy of countenance you supposed you
traced the signs of a correspondent vacancy of
thought, and intellect ? On the other hand, many
persons may at first sight have prepossessed you in
their favour, and their countenances have been, as

was