But be, whofe Words and Fortunes difagree,
Abfurd, unpity'd grows a public feft.

Lord Rofcommon's Tranflation.

She indeed always enters into her Part, and is the Perfon fhe reprefents. Thus I have heard her fay, that she never faid, Ab! poor Caftalio! in the Orphan, without weeping. And I have frequently obferv'd her change her Countenance feveral Times as the Difcourfe of others on the Stage have affected her in the Part fhe acted. This is being throughly concern'd, this is to know her Part, this is to exprefs the Paffions in the Countenance and Gesture.

The Stage ought to be the Seat of Paffion in its various kinds, and therefore the Actor ought to be throughly acquainted with the whole Nature of the Affections, and Habits of the Mind, or elfe he will never be able to exprefs them justly in his Looks and Gestures, as well as in the Tone of his Voice, and manner of Utterance. They must know them in their various Mixtures, and as they are differently blended together in the different Characters they reprefent; and then that Rule of the prefent Duke of Buckingham will be of ufe to the Player as well as Poet.

For they must look within to find
Thofe fecret Turns of Nature in the Mind ;
Without this Part in vain wou'd be the whole,
And but a Body all without a Soul,

Then

Then that Conduct of the other Hopes of the English Stage, Mrs. Bradham, (of whom we might fay in Acting, as one faid of Tasso in Poetry, that if he was not the best Poet, he had hindred Virgil from being the only Poet; fo that if fhe be not the best Actress the Stage has known, fhe has hindred Mrs. Barry from being the only Actress) would certainly be very juft; for a Friend of mine difcourfing with her of the Action of the Stage, fhe told him, that she endeavour'd first to make her felf Miftrefs of her Part, and left the Figure and Action to Na

ture.

Tho a great Genius may do this, yet Art must be confulted in the Study of the larger Share of the Profeffors of this Art; and we find fo great a Man as Demofthenes perfected himself by confulting the Gracefulness of the Figure in his Glafs And to exprefs Nature justly, one must be Mafter of Nature in all its Appearances, which can only be drawn from Obfervation, which will tell us, that the Paffions and Habits of the Mind discover themselves in our Looks, Actions and Gestures.

Thus we find a rolling Eye that is quick and inconftant in its Motion, argues a quick but light Wit; a hot and choleric Complexion, with an inconftant and impatient Mind; and in a Woman it gives a strong Proof of Wantonnefs and Immodefty. Heavy dull Eyes a dull Mind, and a Difficulty of Conception. For this Reason we obferve, that all or most People in

7

Years,

Years, fick Men, and Perfons of a flegmatic Constitution are flow in the turning of their Eyes.

That extreme Propenfion to Winking in fome Eyes, proceed from a Soul very fubject to Fear, arguing a Weakness of Spirit, and a feeble Difpofition of the Eye-lids.

A bold staring Eye, that fixes on a Man, proceeds either from a blockifh Stupidity, as in Rufticks; Impudence, as in Malicious Perfons; Prudence, as in thofe in Authority, or Inconti nence as in lewd Women.

Eyes enflam'd and fiery are the genuine Effect of Choler and Anger; Eyes quiet, and calm with a fecret kind of Grace and Pleasantness are the Offspring of Love and Friendship.

Thus the Voice, when loud, difcovers Wrath and Indignation of Mind, and a small trembling Voice proceeds from Fear.

In like manner, to use no Actions or Gestures in Discourse, is a Sign of a heavy and flow Difpofition, as too much Gefticulation proceeds from Lightness; and a Mean betwixt both is the Effect of Wisdom and Gravity; and if it be not too quick, it denotes Magnanimity. Some are perpetually fidling about their Cloaths, fo that they fcarce are drefs'd till they go to Bed, which is an Argument of a childish and empty Mind.

Some caft their Heads from one fide to the other wantonly and lightly, the true Effect of Folly and Inconftancy. Others think it effential

to

to Prayer, to writh and wreft their Necks a bout, which is a Proof of Hypocrify, Superftition, or Foolishnefs. Some are wholly taken up in viewing themselves, the Proportion of their Limbs, Features of their Faces, and Gracefulnefs of Mien; which proceeds from Pride, and a vain Complaifance in themselves; of this number are Coquets.

In this manner I might run through all the Natural Actions, that are to be found in Men of different Tempers. Yet not to difmifs the Point without a fuller Reflection, I fhall fubjoin here the Signification of the various Natural Geftures from a Manuscript of a Friend of mine, which he affur'd me was taken from a learned Jefuit who wrote on this Subject.

Every Paffion or Emotion of the Mind has from Nature its proper and peculiar Countenance, Sound and Gefture; and the whole Body of Man, all his Looks, and every Sound of his Voice, like Strings on an Inftrument, receive their Sounds from the various Impulse of the Paffions.

The Demiffion or hanging down of the Head is the Confequence of Grief and Sorrow. And this therefore is a Pofture and Manner observ'd in the Deprecations of the Divine Anger, and on fuch occafions ought to be observ'd in the Imitations of thofe things.

A lifting or toffing up of the Head is the Gefture of Pride and Arrogance. Carrying the Head aloft is the fign of Joy, Victory and Triumph.

A

A hard and bold Front, or Fore-head is look'd on as a Mark of Obftinacy, Contuinacy, Perfidiousness and Impudence.

The Soul is moft vifible in the Eyes, as being, according to one, the perfect Images of the Mind; and, as Pliny fays, they burn, yet diffolve in Floods; they dart their Beams on Objects, and feem not to see them; and when we kifs the Eyes, we feem to touch the very Soul.

:

Eyes lifted on high fhew Arrogance and Pride, but caft down exprefs Humbleness of Mind Yet we lift up our Eyes when we address our felves in Prayer to God, and afk any thing of him.

Lifting in vain his burning Eyes to Heav'n.
Virgil.

Denial, Averfion, Nauseating, Dissimulation, and Neglect, are express'd by a turning away of the Eyes.

A frequent Winking, or tremulous Motion of the Eyes, argues malicious Manners, and perverfe and noxious Thought and Inclinations.

Eyes drown'd in Tears difcover the most vehement and cruel Grief, which is not capable of Eafe ev'n from Tears themfelves.

To raise our Eyes to any thing or Perfon, is an Argument of our Attention to them with Defire.

The Hand put on the Mouth is a Token of Silence by Conviction, and is a Ceremony of the Heathen Adoration.

The