Artium expertes eo per popellor, Omnia complet Qui color vitæ mihi cunque, fcribam, Jupiter annos, Carmen hoc magni accipias amoris Dent tibi lætum. The Author of this Ode is too well known to need any recom-. mendation. But we think it a duty owing to his memory to inform the publick, that proposals are just publish'd for printing his Works in one Volume Quarto, for the benefit of a very near relation. In ANTRUM novem fororibus extru&tum. C Edite, Parnaffi colles et culmina Pindi; Mufarum in veftris non canit ulla jugis. Hanc voluere fibi meritò facrarier ædem Pierides, manibus quam pofuere fuis. END of the fourth number. THE STUDENT, OR THE OXFORD MONTHLY MISCELLANY. NUMBER V. May 31, 1750. ** On BEAUTY. Noris quàm elegans formarum fpectator fiem. M TERENT. Y defign is not to enquire into the nature and effects of BEAUTY, but only to point out fuch qualifications, as are necessary to make it truly amiable, and without which it is rather a difgrace than an ornament to the perfon poffefs'd of it. The first of thefe is VIRTUE. This, I think, is abfolutely neceffary in all perfons of every age and condition, to make them agreeable and recommend them to our efteem and approbation. An handfome Courtezan is a very mean and contemptible creature: the beauty of her face, inflead Numb. V. X of of excufing her folly adds to the deformity of her character; and whoever is acquainted with the one, can take but little pleasure in the other. If fhe has receiv'd any advantages from nature or education, her abuse of these tends to aggravate her guilt, and render her more odious and difagreeable. In short, the most celebrated Peerefs in the land, that has foft her innocence, will appear no lefs unamiable in the eyes of a man of fenfe, than the meancft Orange-Wench in Drury-Lane. The fecond neceffary qualification is MODESTY; by which I understand, not barely fuch a modeft deportment as becomes all perfons of either fex alike, but withal a certain graceful bashfulness, which is the peculiar ornament and characteristick of the fair fex. There is a degree of boldness very allowable and even commendable in a man, which is quite unnatural in a woman: in the one it denotes courage, in the other ail impertinent affurance and haughtinefs. The more feminine foftness and beauty any one has in her countenance, the more infufferable is her mafculine behaviour: her good qualities (if fhe has any) will be generally unobferved, feldom approved of, and never commended; and tho' in all other refpects fhe may be compleatly amiable, yet for want of a becoming MODESTY fhe will appear compleatly difagreeable. BEAUTY The third thing requifite is GOOD-SENSE. without this is infipid; and however it may raise our compaflion, it can never make us admire the poffeffor of it. Her very looks will betray her weakness: her languifhing airs and forc'd fmiles give us a difguft to the most exquifite features and the faireft complexion; and when once the begins to fpeak, her charms vanifh in an inftant. To be pleafed with the beauty of a fool is a mark of the greateit folly. After GOOD-SENSE comes GooD-NATURE; which is as graceful to the mind, as BEAUTY is to the body. It makes VIRTUR VIRTUE appear in the moft amiable light, and adds a luftre to every other good quality. It gives the finishing ftroke, if I may so say, to an handsome face, and fpreads fuch an engaging fweetnefs over it, as no art can equal nor any words defcribe. On the other hand, the frowns of Ill-nature difgrace the finest countenance: not even the wrinkles of old age can make it fo homely and deformed. A fcold, tho' never so handsome, is univerfally hated and avoided: the very fight of her is odious, and her company intolerable. I fhall mention but one more qualification requifite to. make BEAUTY amiable; and that is GOOD-BREEDING. AS a precious ftone, when unpolifhed, appears rough, fo BEAUTY without GOOD-BREEDING is aukward and unpleafing. Nature indeed is at all times the fame, but does not difcover its beauty till refined and improved by art. A genteel behaviour, tho' it cannot alter the shape and complexion of a fine woman, is however neceffary to make them agrecable: VIRTUE, MODESTY, GOOD-SENSE, and GoOD-NATURE will fignify but little without it. "Tis not fufficient that a woman has good features and an handsome perfon, unless she knows how to fhew them off to the best advantage; nor will the finest accomplishments make her compleatly agree-› able, unless they are properly improved by a good education, and appear confpicuous in a polite behaviour, Every man of fenfe and tafte will, I believe, allow the neceffity of the qualifications abovemention'd to make BEAUTY truly amiable; and that, notwithstanding they all equally contribute to effect this, yet if one of them only is wanting,! the others will have but little power without it. How inexpreffibly amiable muft that perfon be, in whom all thefe qualifications unite! whofe countenance bespeaks the most untainted VIRTUE; whofe looks are full of the most engaging MODESTY; from whofe eyes GooD-SENSE' and GOOD-NATURE dart their enlivening rays; and whofe whole behaviour is a perfect pattern of GOOD-BREEDING ! Oxford affords a remarkable inftance of the most exquifite BEAUTY, thus adorned with every good quality and defireable accomplishment: Nil oriturum aliàs, nil ortum tale fatemur. But here I must stop my pen, and leave it to fome abler hand to draw a picture of the matchless Mifs Our Oxford Students will eafily know how to fill up this blank: and our other readers may fupply it with whatever name they think deferving the character. A FRAGMENT of NÆVIUS CRITICALLY EXPLAINED. Mr. STUDENT, WHILE others applaud your wit, give me leave to commend your judgment: and it is for this; that you' are not unwilling fometimes to facrifice a few pages of your monthly productions to dabblers in Critique. A noble fund this, believe me, especially for a young beginner. Every one can't write original pieces, but every one can find fault ; and, the lucky discovery once hit upon, there remains no reft to the fagacious head, till it has feen its offspring in print. Hence (if you continue your indulgence) you will never fail of fufficient fubfidies: Hence the following animadverfions offer themselves to the publick, thro' the vehicle of your Studentfhip's lucubrations. だ There is a fragment in old NævIUS, which fays thus: Coquus edit Neptunum, Venerem, Cererem: And it is call'd by STRADA an Enigma. This Riddle NONIUS attempts to unfold, by fubftituting for the three laft words, pifces, olera, panem. See then the meaning in English. A baker (for that is here meant by coquus) eats fish, pot-herbs, and bread. A noble |