GRACE, or Gracefulness, in the human character; an agreeable attribute, inseparable from motion as opposed to rest, and as comprehending speech, looks, gesture, and loco-motion.
As some motions are homely, the opposite to gracefulness; it is to be inquired, With what motions is this attribute connected? No man appears graceful in a mask; and therefore, laying aside the expressions of the countenance, the other motions may be genteel, may be elegant, but of themselves never are graceful. A motion adjusted in the most perfect manner to answer its end, is elegant; but still somewhat more is required to complete our idea of grace or gracefulness.
What this unknown more may be, is the nice point. One thing is clear from what is said, that this more must arise from the expressions of the countenance; and from what expressions so naturally as from those which indicate mental qualities, such as sweetness, benevolence, elevation, dignity? This promises to be a fair analysis; because of all objects mental qualities affect us the most; and the impression made by graceful appearance upon every spectator of taste, is too deep for any cause purely corporeal.
The next step is, to examine what are the mental qualities, that, in conjunction with elegance of motion, produce a graceful appearance. Sweetness, cheerfulness, affability, are not separately sufficient, nor
even in conjunction. Dignity alone, with elegant motion, produce a graceful appearance; but still more graceful with the aid of other qualities, those especially that are the most exalted. See DIGNITY.
But this is not all. The most exalted virtues may be the lot of a person whose countenance has little expression: such a person cannot be graceful. Therefore to produce this appearance, we must add another circumstance, viz. an expressive countenance, displaying to every spectator of taste, with life and energy, every thing that passes in the mind.
Collecting these circumstances together, grace may be defined, "that agreeable appearance which arises from elegance of motion and from a countenance expressive of dignity." Expressions of other mental qualities are not essential to that appearance, but they heighten it greatly.
Of all external objects, a graceful person is the most agreeable.
Dancing affords great opportunity for displaying grace, and haranguing still more. See DANCING, DECLAMATION, and ORATORY.
But in vain will a person attempt to be graceful, who is deficient in amiable qualities. A man, it is true, may form an idea of qualities he is destitute of; and, by means of that idea, may endeavour to express these qualities by looks and gestures: but such studied expression will be too faint and obscure to be graceful.