their death, or, perhaps, some moments (one was in a delirium) have had an inexpressible ennobling of the countenance. Every body saw a new man; colouring, drawing, and grace, all was new, all bright, as the morning; heavenly; beyond expression, noble, and exalted; the most inattentive must see, the most insensible feel, the image of God. I saw it break forth and shine through the ruins of corruption, was 'obliged to turn aside, in silence, and adore. Yes, glorious God! still art thou there, in the weakest, most fallible men!

VIII.

OF THE INFLUENCE OF COUNTENANCE

ON COUNTENANCE.

As the gestures of our friends and intimates often become our own, so, in like manner, does their appearance. Whatever we love we would assimilate to ourselves, and whatever, in the circle of affection, does not change us into itself, that we change, as far as may be, into ourselves.

All things act upon us, and we act upon all things; but nothing has so much influence as what we love; and among all objects of affection nothing acts so forcibly as the countenance of man.

Its conformity to our countenance makes it most worthy our affection. How might it act upon, how attract our attention, had it not some marks, discoverable or undiscoverable, similar to, at least, of the same kind with, the form and features of our own countenance?

Without, however, wishing farther to penetrate into what is impenetrable, or to define what is inscrutable, the fact is indubitable that countenances attract countenances, and also that countenances repel countenances; that similarity of features, between two sympathetic and affectionate men, increases with the developement, and

mutual communication, of their peculiar, individual, sensations. The reflection, if I may so say, of the person beloved, remains upon the countenance of the affectionate.

The resemblance frequently exists only in a single point-In the character of mind and

countenance.

A resemblance in the system of the bones presupposes a resemblance of the nerves and muscles.

Dissimilar education may affect the latter so much that the point of attraction may be invisible to unphysiognomonical eyes.-Suffer the two resembling forms to approach, and they will reciprocally attract and repel each other; remove every intervening obstacle, and nature will soon prevail. They will recognize each other, and rejoice in the flesh of their flesh and the bone of their bone; with hasty steps will proceed to assimilate. Such countenances also, which are very different from each other, may communicate, attract, and acquire resemblance: nay, their likeness may become more striking than that of the former, if they happen to be more flexible, more capable, and to have greater sensibility.

This resemblance of features, in consequence of mutual affection, is ever the result of internal nature and organization, there

fore, of the character of the persons. It ever has its foundation in a preceding, perhaps, imperceptible resemblance, which might never have been animated, or suspected, had it not been set in motion, by the presence of the sympathetic being.

It would be of infinite importance to give the characters of those countenances which most easily receive and communicate resemblance. It cannot but be known that there are countenances which attract all, others that repel all, and a third kind which are indifferent. The all-repelling render the ignoble countenances, over which they have continued influence, more ignoble. The indifferent allows no change. The all-attracting either receive, give, or reciprocally give and receive. The first change a little, the second more, the third most. "These are the souls," says Hemsterhuys the younger, "which happily, or unhappily, add the most exquisite discernment to that excessive internal elasticity which occasions them to wish and feel immoderately; that is to say, the souls which are so modified, or situated, that their attractive force meets the fewest obstacles in its progress,"

It would be of the utmost importance to study this influence of countenance, this intercourse of mind. I have found the pro

gress of resemblance most remarkable when two persons, the one richly communicative, the other apt to receive, have lived a considerable time together, without foreign intervention; when he who gave had given all, or he who received could receive no more, physiognomonical resemblance, if I so dare say, had attained its punctum saturationis. It was incapable of farther increase.

A word here to thee, youth, irritable and easy to be won. Oh! pause, consider, throw not thyself, too hastily, into the arms of a friend untried. A gleam of sympathy and resemblance may easily deceive thee. If the man who is thy second self have not yet appeared, be not rash, thou shalt find him at the appointed hour. Being found, he will attract thee to himself, will give and receive whatever is communicable. The ardour of his eyes will nurture thine, and the gentleness of his voice will temper thy too piercing tones. His love will shine in thy countenance, and his image will appear in thee. Thou wilt become what he is, and yet remain what thou art, Affection will make qualities in him visible to thee which never could be seen by an uninterested eye. This capability of remarking, of feeling what there is of divine, in him, is a power which will make thy countenance assume his resemblance.