amination) in his Effay on Deformity fays, "that, "in their Superiors, it-quencheth Jealousy towards "them, as Perfons that they think they may at "Pleasure defpife; and it layeth their Competitors ❝and Emulators afleep; as never believing they "fhould be in a Poffibility of Advancement, till "they see them in Poffeffion." But it is much to be doubted, whether this is not more than counterballanced by the Contempt of the World, which it requires no mean Parts to conquer. For if (as I have fomewhere read) a good Person is a Letter of Recommendation, Deformity must be an Obstruction in the Way to Favour. In this refpect, therefore, deformed Perfons set out in the World to a Difadvantage, and they must first surmount the Prejudices of Mankind before they can be upon a Par with others. And muft obtain, by a Course of Behaviour, that Regard, which is paid to Beauty at first fight. When this Point is once gained, the Tables are turned, and then the Game goes in their Favour; for others, fenfible of their first Injuftice to them, no fooner find them better than they expected, than they believe them better than they are; whereas in the beautiful Perfon, they fometimes find themselves impofed upon, and are angry that they have worshiped only a painted Idol. For (again take Lord Bacon's Words) [p] "neither is it almost seen, that very "beautiful Perfons are otherwise of great Virtue : "they prove accomplished, but not of great Spirit; "and ftudy rather Behaviour than Virtue. Whereas "[q] deformed Perfons, if they be of Spirit, will free [p] His Effay on Beauty. [] His Effay on Deformity. ❝ themselves "themselves from Scorn, which must be either by "Virtue or Malice; and therefore let it not be "marvelled, if they fometimes prove excellent Per"fons, as was Agefilaus, Zanger the Son of Solomon, "Efop, Gafca Prefident of Peru; and Socrates may "likewife go amongst them, with others." Nay, he fays, "in a great Wit Deformity is an Advan"tage to Rifing." And, [9] in another Part of his Works," that they, who, by Accident, have some " inevitable and indelible Mark on their Perfons or "Fortunes, as deformed Perfons, Baftards, &c. if "they want not Virtue, generally prove fortunate." Ofborn, in his Hiftorical Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth, informs us, that "fhe chose the goodlieft Per"fons for her Household Servants; but in her Coun"fellors did not put by Sufficiency, though accom"panied with a crooked Perfon; as it chanced in a [r] Father and a Son of the Cecils, both incom"parable for Prudence." It is well known the Queen would make the Father (Burleigh) fit in her Prefence; telling him, that she did not use him for his Legs, but Head. But the Son (afterwards Lord Treasurer and Earl of Salisbury) was not fo civilly treated by the Populace; and is an Instance, not only that Envy pursues a great Man, but that the highest Poft cannot redeem a deformed one from Contempt; it attends him like his Shadow, and like that too is ever reminding him of his ill Figure; which is often [q] De Augmentis Scientiarum, 1. 8. c. 2. [r] I fuppofe what Cambden fays of Lord Burleigh's comely and pleafing Afpect, relates to his Countenance only. objected objected for want of real Crimes. For the fame Writer [s] fays of the fame great Man; "that the "Misfortunes accompanying him from his Birth did "not a little add to that Cloud of Detraction, that "fell upon all that he said or did; a Mulet in Na"ture, like an Optick Spectacle, multiplying much in the Sight of the People the Apparitions of Ill." Nor was this Contempt buried with him: it trampled on his Athes, and infulted his Grave; as appears by an Epitaph, which Ofborn cites, as void of Wit, as it is full of Scurrility; in one Line of which there is an Epithet, not fo elegant, as defcriptive of his Perfon, viz. "Little Boffive Robin, that was fo great." Such Contempt in general, joined with the Ridicule of the Vulgar, is another certain Confequence of bodily Deformity. For Men naturally despise what appears lefs beautiful or ufeful; and their Pride is gratified, when they fee fuch Foils to their own Perfons. It is this Senfe of Superiority, which is teftified by Laughter in the lower Sort; while their Betters, who know how little any Man whatsoever hath to boast of, are reftrained by good Senfe and good Breeding from fuch an Infult. But it is not easy to say why one Species of Deformity should be more ridiculous than another, or why the Mob fhould be more merry with a crooked Man, than one that is deaf, lame, fquinting, or purblind. Or why should they back-bite me (if I may use the Expreffion) to my Face, and not laugh at my Face itfelf for being harrowed by the Small Pox? It is a Back in [] Hiftorical Memoirs of King James. Alto Alto Relievo that bears all the Ridicule; though one would think a prominent Belly a more reasonable Object of it; fince the laft is generally the Effect of Intemperance, and of a Man's own Creation. Socrates was ugly, but not contemned; and [t] Philopoemen of very mean Appearance, and though contemned on that Account, not ridiculed; for [u] Montaigne fays, "ill Features are but a fuperficial "Ugliness, and of little Certainty in the Opinion of "Men; but a Deformity of Limbs is more fubftan"tial, and ftrikes deeper in." As it is more uncommon, it is more remarkable; and that, perhaps, is the true Reason, why it is more ridiculed by the Vulgar. Since this is the Cafe, I appeal to my Fraternity, whether it is not found Policy to ufe Stratagem to guard against their Attacks as much as may be; and, fince they are deceived by outward Appearances, to call in the Aid of the Taylor, to prefent them with better Shapes than Nature has beftowed. Against fo unfair an Adverfary fuch Fraud is justifiable; though I do not approve of it in general. When I was a Child, I was drawn like a Cupid, with a Bow and Arrow in my Hands, and a Quiver on my Shoulder; I afterwards thought this an Abuse, which ought to be corrected; and when I fate for my Picture [] Coming to an Inn, where he was expected, before his Attendants, the Mistress of the House, seeing a plain Person, of very mean Afpect, ordered him to affift in getting things ready for Philopamen His Attendants finding him fo employed, he told them, he was then paying the Tribute of his Uglinefs. Plutarch. [u] In his Effay on Phyfiognomy. fome fome Years ago, I infifted on being drawn as I am, and that the strong Marks of the Small Pox might appear in my Face; for I did not choose to colour over a Lye. The Painter faid, he never was allowed fuch Liberty before; and I advised him, if he hoped to be in vogue, never to affume it again: for Flatterers fucceed beft in the World; and of Flatterers, Painters are the leaft liable to be detected by those they flatter. Nor are the Ladies the only Perfons concerned for their Locks. "[x] Alexander "chose to have his Picture drawn by Apelles, and "his Statue formed by Lyfippus. And the Spartan "Agefilaus (confcious of his ill Figure) would never "fuffer any Picture or Statue of him to be taken. "He was one of the moft confiderable Perfons of his "Age both for civil and military Virtues, infomuch that he justly acquired the Appellation of Agefilaus "the Great. But though Nature had been uncom"monly liberal to him in the noble Endowments of "the Mind, fhe had treated him very unfavourably "in thofe of the body. He was remarkably low of "Stature; had one Leg fhorter than the other; and "fo very defpicable a Countenance, that he never "failed of raifing Contempt in those, who were un"acquainted with his moral and intellectual Excel"lencies. It is no wonder therefore, that he was "unwilling to be delivered down to Posterity under "the Disadvantages of fo unpromifing a Figure." I [x] Edicto vetuit, ne quis fe, præter Apellen, Fortis Alexandri vultum fimulantia.— Hor. Ep. i, 1, 2. VOL. I. I have |