The artists repository and drawing magazine: exhibiting the principles of the polite arts in their various branches (1.1787)

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But the term character is of much wider
extent in the arts of defign; it expreffes
that peculiar and diftinguifhing appearance of
perfon, feature, and deportment, which is
proper to any, and to every individual. By
character we determine the fex, the time of
life, the country or family, the mental difpo-
fition, the natural or acquired habit, and even
frequently the profeffions and purfuits of thofe
with whom we are converfant. Seeing then
we have fuch variety opening to us in this
article, let us proceed with circumfpection.

I fhould firft confider the diftinct character
of the fexes, were it not that I mean to trace
the countenance from infancy to age; and
the difference of fex is not very remarkable in
early life.

That kind of character which marks their
years, is fo clearly difcernible in children,
that it admits of no difpute; the form of their
features is as peculiar to themfelves, as the
fimplicity of their minds. Children poffefs
the fame natural paffions and propenfities as
perfons of riper years, but their tender age
prevents the appearances of thofe figns or
marks which ufually denote fuch propenfities;
yet we frequently obferve, even in very young
children, certain indications of genius or ftu-
pidity, which time afterwards juftifies,

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