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ost strongly marked in the middle； and shading off towards the ears and the nose； the white of the eye faintly touched with blue； the iris not actually black； though all the poets praise 'occhi neri' as a gift of Venus； despite that even goddesses were known for their eyes of heavenly blue； and that soft； joyous； brown eyes were admired by everybody。 The eye itself should be large and full and brought well forward； the lids white； and marked with almost invisible tiny red veins； the lashes neither too long； nor too thick； nor too dark。 The hollow round the eye should have the same color as the cheek。 The ear； neither too large nor too small； firmly and neatly fitted on； should show a stronger color in the winding than in the even parts； with an edge of the transparent ruddiness of the pomegranate。 The temples must be white and even； and for the most perfect beauty ought not to be too narrow。 The red should grow deeper as the cheek gets rounder。 The nose； which chiefly determines the value of the profile； must recede gently and uniformly in the direction of the eyes； where the cartilage ceases； there may be a slight elevation； but not so marked as to make the nose aquiline； which is not pleasing in women； the lower part must be less strongly colored than the ears； but not of a chilly whiteness； and the middle partition above the lips lightly tinted with red。 The mouth； our author would have rather small； and neither projecting to a point； nor quite flat； with the lips not too thin； and fitting neatly together； an accidental opening； that is； when the woman is neither speaking nor laughing； should not display more than six upper teeth。 As delicacies of detail； he mentions a dimple in the upper lip； a certain fullness of the under lip； and a tempting smile in the left corner of the mouth and so on。 The teeth should not be too small； regular； well marked off from one another； and of the color of ivory； and the gums must not be too dark or even like red velvet。 The chin is to be round； neither pointed nor curved outwards； and growing slightly red as it rises； its glory is the dimple。 The neck should be white and round and rather long than short； with the hollow and the Adam's apple but faintly marked； and the skin at every movement must show pleasing lines。 The shoulders he desires broad； and in the breadth of the bosom sees the first condition of its beauty。 No bone may be visible upon it； its fall and swell must be gentle and gradual； its color 'candidissimo。' The leg should be long and not too hard in the lower parts； but still not without flesh on the shin； which must be provided with white； full calves。 He likes the foot small； but not bony； the instep （it seems） high； and the color white as alabaster。 The arms are to be white； and in the upper parts tinted with red； in their consistence fleshy and muscular； but still soft as those of Pallas； when she stood before the shepherd on Mount Idain a word； ripe； fresh； and firm。 The hand should be white； especially towards the wrist； but large and plump； feeling soft as silk； the rosy palm marked with a few； but distinct and not intricate lines； the elevations in it should be not too great； the space between thumb and forefinger brightly colored and without wrinkles； the fingers long； delicate； and scarcely at all thinner towards the tips； with nails clear； even； not too long nor to square； and cut so as to show a white margin about the breadth of a knife's back。
Aesthetic principles of a general character occupy a very subordinate place to these particulars。 The ultimate principles of beauty； according to which the eye judges 'senza appello；' are for Firenzuola a secret； as he frankly confesses； and his definitions of 'Leggiadria；' 'Grazia；' 'Aria；' 'Maesta；' 'Vaghezza；' 'Venusta；' are partly； as has been remarked； philological； and partly vain attempts to utter the unutterable。 Laughter he prettily defines； probably following some old author； as a radiance of the soul。 The literature of all countries can； at the close of the Middle Ages； show single attempts to lay down theoretic principles of beauty； but no other work can be compared to that of Firenzuola。 Brantome； who came a good half…century later； is a bungling critic by his side； because governed by lasciviousness and not by a sense of beauty。
Description of Human Life
Among the new discoveries made with regard to man； we must reckon； in conclusion； the interest taken in descriptions of the daily course of human life。
The comical and satirical literature of the Middle Ages could not dispense with pictures of everyday events。 But it is another thing； when the Italians of the Renaissance dwelt on this picture for its own sakefor its inherent interest and because it forms part of that great； universal life of the world whose magic breath they felt everywhere around them。 Instead of and together with the satirical comedy； which wanders through houses； villages； and streets； seeking food for its derision in parson； peasant； and burgher； we now see in literature the beginnings of a true _genre； _long before it found any expression in painting。 That _genre _and satire are often met with in union； does not prevent them from being wholly different things。
How much of earthly business must Dante have watched with attentive interest； before he was able to make us see with our own eyes all that happened in his spiritual world。 The famous pictures of the busy movement in the arsenal at Venice； of the blind men laid side by side before the church door； and the like； are by no means the only instances of this kind： for the art； in which he is a master； of expressing the inmost soul by the outward gesture； cannot exist without a close and incessant study of human life。 （Cf。 Inferno xxi； 1…6； Purgatorio xiii； 61…66。） The poets who followed rarely came near him in this respect； and the novelists were forbidden by the first laws of their literary style to linger over details。 Their prefaces and narratives might be as long as they pleased； but what we understand by _genre _was outside their province。 The taste for this class of description was not fully awakened till the time of the revival of antiquity。
And here we are again met by the man who had a heart for everything Aeneas Sylvius。 Not only natural beauty； not only that which has an antiquarian or a geographical interest； finds a place in his descriptions； but any living scene of daily life。 Among the numerous passages in his memoirs in which scenes are described which hardly one of his contemporaries would have thought worth a line of notice； we will here only mention the boat…race on the Lake of Bolsena。 We are not able to detect from what old letter…writer or story…teller the impulse was derived to which we owe such lifelike pictures。 Indeed； the whole spiritual communion between antiquity and the Renaissance is full of delicacy and of mystery。
To this class belong those descriptive Latin poems of which we have already spokenhunting…scenes； journeys； ceremonies； and so forth。 In Italian we also find something of the same kind； as； for example； the descriptions of the famou