Essays on physiognomy. ... for the promotion and the love of mankind / written in the German language by John Caspar Lavater ; tr. by Thomas Holcroft.
- Johann Kaspar Lavater
- Date:
- 1806
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Essays on physiognomy. ... for the promotion and the love of mankind / written in the German language by John Caspar Lavater ; tr. by Thomas Holcroft. Source: Wellcome Collection.
316/326 page 292
![geniiity, producc tlic most curioiis works of ait, and bring tlicni to thegrcutest pcrf’ection; yet who, in their liancls and bodics, rescmblc tlie rüdest pea- sants, and wood-cutters; wliile the hands of fine Jadies arc totally incajtable of such minute and turious performances.” Ansixcr. I should dcsire thcse rüde and delicatc frames to be brought togclher and coinpared.—Most natu- ralists describe the cicphant as gross and stupid in appearance; and, aeeording to tliis apparent stu- ])iclity, or rathcr aeeording to ihat stupidity which ti)ey ascribc to hiin, tvonder at hiß address. Lct the cicphant and the tender lainb be placed side by side, and the supcriority of address will be vi- sible from the fonnation and flexibility of the body, without farther trial. Ingenuity and address do not so mneli depend npon the mass as upon the nature, mobility, inter- nal Sensation, nerves, eonstruction, and suppleness of the body and its parts. Delieaey is not power, power is not ininuteness, Apelleswould have drawn betterwith ehareoal than inany miniature painters with the finest pencil. The tools of a nieelianie inay be rüde, and bis inind the very reverse. Genius will work beiter with a elumsy hand, than stuj)idity will) a liand the most pliablc. —-I will indeed allow your objeetion to be well foimdcd if nothing of tlie character ol an artist is dis( ovcrable in bis ('ountenanee; hut, belore you eoineloa deeision, it is neeessaryyou should beae- (juainted with the various marks that demne me- t'hanical genius, in the face. IJ ave you considered the Instre, theaeuteness,thepcnetration,of hiseyes; bis rapid, bis decisive, bis firm aspect; the project-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22029734_0316.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
