SmoothnessTHE NEXT property constantly observable in such objects is smoothness: [1] a quality so essential to beauty, that I do not now recollect anything
beautiful that is not smooth. In trees and flowers, smooth leaves are
beautiful; smooth slopes of earth in gardens; smooth streams in the
landscape; smooth coats of birds and beasts in animal beauties; in
fine women, smooth
skins; and in several sorts of ornamental furniture, smooth and polished
surfaces. A very considerable part of the effect of beauty is owing
to this quality; indeed the most considerable. For, take any beautiful
object,
and give it a broken and rugged surface; and however well formed it
may be in other respects, it pleases no longer. Whereas, let it want
ever
so many of the other constituents, if it wants not this, it becomes
more pleasing than almost all the others without it. This seems to
me so evident,
that I am a good deal surprised, that none who have handled the subject
have made any mention of the quality of smoothness, in the enumeration
of those that go to the forming of beauty. For indeed any ruggedness,
any sudden projection, any sharp angle, is in the highest degree contrary
to that idea. 1 |
| <BACK |