Jenks's Portland Gazette

THE REGULARITY OF NATURE,

IN FORMING THE HUMAN FACE.

It is a general observation, that, among the

number of faces which we constantly see, we

never meet with two that exactly resemble each

other: but we seldom take notice of one cir-

cumstance that is very wonderful, which is,

that every face is formed in such a manner,

that, however ugly it may be, if not disfigured

by accident, we could not change any part to

render it more handsome without making it

deformed, because even in its ugliness, nature

has observed an exactness of symmetry which

we should not condemn.

For example: Suppose that we had the power

of lengthening the nose of a person who has a

short one, it would be of no use; because the

nose being rendered more long, it would not be

symmetrical with the other parts of the face,

which being of a certain bigness, and having

certain elevations and depressions, it is requisite

that the nose should be proportionate.

Thus, according to certain very perfect rules,

a flat nosed person must be so; and, agreeable

to the same rules, the regular-featured flat nosed

face would become a monster, could we give it

an aquiline nose: moreover, it is sometimes

necessary that a man should have no nose.-

Thus, for example in building of the Tuscan

order, it is proper to leave the column without

a volute; in the Corinthian or Ionic orders the

volutes beautiful ornaments: but it would

occasion an irregularity, and appear monstrous

in the Tuscan.

These considerations show us, that we ought

not to ridicule any person for their appearance

or features; for those we may conceive are most fre-

quently perfections. A small nose, small eyes,

and a large mouth form a species of beauty,

which though perhaps not entirely consonant

to our ideas of a handsome person, we should

not despise; it being in fact a species which has

its rules

When nature forms a face, it is with the most

just rules; and such is her regularity, that every

one is produced perfect to her designs. From

men judging by what pleases them, we find the

Chinese esteem a flat nose and small eyes; the

African prize triangular eyebrows, while in

France they admire them arched; the Hottentots

love large mouths: the natives of Japan, blacken

their teeth; and in Ethiopia the most black

are the most handsome; and our despising such

beauties, are only proofs of the strange differ-

ences of the human mind.

There are as many different orders of beauty

as of architecture; and, considering that Nature

has her laws, we can never be wrong in saying,

that the most ugly face in the world is equally

perfect and regular with the most handsome.