PREFACE.

infinite variety; where, speaking of Cleopatra’spower over Anthony, he fays,

-Nor custom stale

Her infinite variety:- Act 2. Scene 3.

It has been ever observed, that the ancients madetheir doctrines mysterious to the vulgar, and kept themsecret from those who were not of their particular sects,and societies, by means of symbols, and hieroglyphics.Lamozzo fays, chap. 29, book 1. “ The Grecians in," imitation of antiquity searched out the truly re-" nowned proportion, wherein the exact perfection ofmost exquisite beauty and sweetness appeareth; de-" dicating the fame in a triangular glass unto Venus" the goddess of divine beauty, from whence all the" beauty of inferior things is derived;”

If we suppose this pasiage to be authentic, may wenot also imagine it probable, that the symbol in the-triangular glass, might be similar to the line MichaelAngelo recommended; especially, if it can-be proved, -that the triangular form of the glass, and the serpentine'line itself, are the two most expressive figures that can 1be thought of to signify not only beauty and grace, but!the whole order of form.

There is a circumstance in the account Pliny givesof Apelles’s visit to Protogenes, which strengthens thissupposition. I hope I may have leave to repeat the story.Apelles having heard of the fame of Protogenes, went

b to