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Hogarth, William, 1697-1764 / The analysis of beauty : written with a view of fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste
(1753)

Chap. VII: of lines,   pp. 37-39


Page 38

3f;            ANALYSIS of BEAUTY. 
t Fig. 24.  Secondly, t thofe compofed of firaight lines, circular 
lines, and of lines partly firaight, and partly circular, as 
the capitals of columns, and vafes, &c. 
$ Fig. zs.  Thirdly, -- thofe compofed of all the former together 
with an addition of the waving line, which is a line 
more produdive of beauty than any of the former, as in 
flowers, and other forms of the ornamental kind: for 
which reafon we fliall call it the line of beauty. 
IFig. z6.  Fourthly, I1 thofe compofed of all the former together 
with the ferpentine line, as the human form, which 
line hath the power of fuper-adding grace to beauty. 
Note, forms of moft grace have leafi of the firaight line 
in them. 
It is to be obferved, that ftraight lines vary only in 
length, and therefore are leaft ornamental. 
That curved lines as they can be varied in their de- 
grees of curvature as well as in their lengths, begin on 
that account to be ornamental. 
That ftraight and curv'd lines join'd, being a com- 
pound line, vary more than curves alone, and fo become 
fomewhat more ornamental. 
That the waving line, or line of beauty, varying Rfill 
more, being compofed of two curves contrafted, be- 
comes hill more ornamental and pleafing, infomuch 
that the hand takes a lively movement in making it 
with pen or pencil. 
And that the ferpentine line, by its waving and wind- 
ing at the fame time different ways, leads the eye in a 
pleafing 


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