Comparative physiognomy; or, Resemblances between men and animals . these glaringly before theworld, that they may no longer have an excuse for their igno-rance and neglect. But what has all this to do with the swan? Why, totell the truth, the swan is, in his own estimation, a grandeeof the highest order. You see it in that dignified bearing,by the side of which the pomp and pride of the peacock sinkinto insignificance. He is the very personification of compla-cency ; he is perfectly at his ease; all things are as he wouldhave them. He looks into his pure, white breast, reflected inthe placid
Comparative physiognomy; or, Resemblances between men and animals . these glaringly before theworld, that they may no longer have an excuse for their igno-rance and neglect. But what has all this to do with the swan? Why, totell the truth, the swan is, in his own estimation, a grandeeof the highest order. You see it in that dignified bearing,by the side of which the pomp and pride of the peacock sinkinto insignificance. He is the very personification of compla-cency ; he is perfectly at his ease; all things are as he wouldhave them. He looks into his pure, white breast, reflected inthe placid bosom of the water, and finding there nothing todisplease him, he is settled upon his lees, and floats indowny voluptuousness like a spirit in a snow-white cloud, notdoubting but that he is as much an object of devotion to oth-ers as he is to himself. He carries his head in such a posi-tion that he may not lose sight of his humble self. He isconstantly the servant of himself so long as he lives, and withsuch assiduous care and attention he lives long. The vestal. THE SWAN. 227 flame is kept constantly burning, and the stars their vigilskeep in devotion to the swan, who, floating all night upon thewater, fancies he is floating among them. He places hishand upon his heart (figuratively speaking all the while), andasks the world to witnessits purity, the sincerity ofhis intentions, and the heav-en within his own indeed he is the sym-bol of heavenly felicity inthe human breast, and ofthat purity and devotionthat are made for each oth-er, and that constitute heav-en, wherever they may be. But he is the symbol also of the very opposite, for the qual-ities which he represents are commonly perverted. From hisstainless breast, and from that realm of purity which his formdescribes, extends something like a serpent with a serpentshead, and this, unless it be turned to look at the shadow re-flected in the wave, and to explore the depths of that celes-tial love which makes its hom
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpubl, booksubjectphysiognomy
