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PHYSIOGNOMY AND OR AN 10 LOGY.

rious shades of colour, the most common of which are graymixed with white, gray tinted with blue, and shades ofgreen, orange, and yellow. According to Buffon, the orangeand blue are most predominant, and those colours oftenmeet in the same eye; those generally supposed to be blackare not really so, and upon attentive examination they willbe found to consist of yellow, a deep orange, a brown, whichbeing instantly opposed to the clear white of the ball, as-sumes a darkness mistaken for black. The same naturalistobserves that shades of yellow, orange, blue, and gray, areoften visible in flip same eye; and when blue, even if thelightest tint appears, it is invariably the predominant colour,may be found in rajs dispersed through the iris ; the orange isdifferently disposed at a trifling distance from the pupil; it isin flakes, and round, but the blue so far overpowers it, thatthe eye assumes the appearance of being- wholly of thatcolour. The fire and vivacity emitted by the eye cannot beso powerful in those of the lighter tints; it is therefore inthe dark ones alone that we look for the emotions of thesoul. Quiet and mildness, and a certain degree of arch-ness, are the characteristics of the blue. Some eyes areremarkable for the absence of colour; the iris is faintly-shaded with blue or gray, the tints of orange are so lightthat they are hardly discernible: in eyes thus formed, theblack of the pupil appears too conspicuous, and it may besaid that portion is alone visible at a little distance, whichcircumstance gives the person possessing them what is calleda ghastly and spectre-like appearance.

There are eyes whose iris may be said to be almost green,but these are uncommon. It would require the pen of aninspired writer to describe the astonishing variety of ex-pression of which the eyes are capable; being situated nearthe supposed seat of the soul, every sensation of that invi-sible spirit appears to rush in full vigour from those intelli-gent organs ; all the passions may be seen in them : we (theworld) shrink from their indication of anger; we find plea-sure with all her train of joys dancing in them; we feeltheir force in love; and melt into tears on observing themsuffused in the moisture of grief: in short, their language1 is less deceptive, and more powerful than that of the tongue.The transitions are so rapid in the expression of the eyes,that it requires very close and attentive examination tocatch and describe the emotions of the mind visible in them.Admitting this fact, saith our author, it will appear that thephysiognomist is liable to numerous and egregious errors