man; whence it happens that symmetry is only wanted in breadth, not in
height or depth.

    29. When we see a natural style, we are astonished and
delighted; for we expected to see an author, and we find a man.
Whereas those who have good taste, and who, seeing a book, expect to
find a man, are quite surprised to find an author. Plus poetice quam
humane locutus es.* Those honour Nature well who teach that she can
speak on everything, even on theology.

    * Petronius, 90. "You have spoken more as a poet than as a man."

    30. We only consult the ear because the heart is wanting. The rule
is uprightness.

    Beauty of omission, of judgement.

    31. All the false beauties which we blame in Cicero have their
admirers, and in great number.

    32. There is a certain standard of grace and beauty which consists
in a certain relation between our nature, such as it is, weak or
strong, and the thing which pleases us.

    Whatever is formed according to this standard pleases us, be it
house, song, discourse, verse, prose, woman, birds, rivers, trees,
rooms, dress, etc. Whatever is not made according to this standard
displeases those who have good taste.

    And as there is a perfect relation between a song and a house
which are made after a good model, because they are like this good
model, though each after its kind; even so there is a perfect relation
between things made after a bad model. Not that the bad model is
unique, for there are many; but each bad sonnet, for example, on
whatever false model it is formed, is just like a woman dressed
after that model.

    Nothing makes us understand better the ridiculousness of a false
sonnet than to consider nature and the standard and, then, to
imagine a woman or a house made according to that standard.

    33. Poetical beauty.- As we speak of poetical beauty, so ought
we to speak of mathematical beauty and medical beauty. But we do not
do so; and the reason is that we know well what is the object of
mathematics, and that it consists in proofs, and what is the object of
medicine, and that it consists in healing. But we do not know in
what grace consists, which is the object of poetry. We do not know the
natural model which we ought to imitate; and through lack of this
knowledge, we have coined fantastic terms, "The golden age," "The
wonder of our times," "Fatal," etc., and call this jargon poetical
beauty.

    But whoever imagines a woman after this model, which consists in
saying little things in big words, will see a pretty girl adorned with
mirrors and chains, at whom he will smile; because we know better
wherein consists the charm of woman than the charm of verse. But those
who are ignorant would admire her in this dress, and there are many
villages in which she would be taken for the queen; hence we call
sonnets made after this model "Village Queens."

    34. No one passes in the world as skilled in verse unless he has
put up the sign of a poet, a mathematician, etc. But educated people
do not want a sign and draw little distinction between the trade of
a poet and that of an embroiderer.

    People of education are not called poets or mathematicians,
etc.; but they are all these and judges of all these. No one guesses
what they are. When they come into society, they talk on matters about
which the rest are talking. We do not observe in them one quality
rather than another, save when they have to make use of it. But then
we remember it, for it is characteristic of such persons that we do
not say of them that they are fine speakers, when it is not a question
of oratory, and that we say of them that they are fine speakers,
when it is such a question.

    It is therefore false praise to give a man when we say of him,
on his entry, that he is a very clever poet; and it is a bad sign when
a man is not asked to give his judgement on some verses.

    35. We should not be able to say of a man, "He is a
mathematician," or "a preacher," or "eloquent"; but that he is "a
gentleman." That universal quality alone pleases me. It is a bad
sign when, on seeing a person, you remember his book. I would prefer
you to see no quality till you meet it and have occasion to use it (Ne
quid minis),* for fear some one quality prevail and designate the man.
Let none think him a fine speaker, unless oratory be in question,
and then let them think it.

    * "Nothing in excess."

    36. Man is full of wants: he loves only those who can satisfy them
all. "This one is a good mathematician," one will say. But I have
nothing to do with mathematics; he would take me for a proposition.
"That one is a good soldier." He would take me for a besieged town.
I need, then, an upright man who can accommodate himself generally
to all my wants.

    37. Since we cannot be universal and know all that is to be
known of everything, we ought to know a little about everything. For
it is far better to know something about everything than to know all