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Dead Ironic Italians WBAGNFARB.
Feb. 20th, 2007 01:27 pm"Here the Count respecting a while, M. Bernard Bibiena said merely: I remember you said before, that this our Courtier ought of nature to have a faire comeliness of phisnomy and person, with the grace that ought to make him so amiable.
"As for the grace and beautie of phisnomy, I thinke not the contrarie but they are in me, and therefore doe so many women burne for the love of me, as you know. But for the comelines of person, I stand somewhat in doubt, and especially by reason of my legges here, for me thinke in deed they are not so well made as I could wish they were: the body and the rest is metely well.
"Therefore declare somewhat more particularly this comelinesse of person, what it should be, that I may be out of doubt, and set my hart at rest."
(Bernardo never gets reassured about his legges, but: "When they had a while laughed at this, the Count saide: Certes, the grace of the Phisonomy may well be saide to bee in you without any lye. And no other example doe I alledge but this, to declare what maner thing it should be: for undoubtedly wee see your countenance is most acceptable and pleasant to behold unto everie man, although the proportion and draughts of it bee not verie delicate, but it is manlie and hath a good grace withall.
"And this qualitie have many and sundry shapes of visages.")
The Book of the Courtier, Castiglione, trans. Thomas Hoby 1561.
"As for the grace and beautie of phisnomy, I thinke not the contrarie but they are in me, and therefore doe so many women burne for the love of me, as you know. But for the comelines of person, I stand somewhat in doubt, and especially by reason of my legges here, for me thinke in deed they are not so well made as I could wish they were: the body and the rest is metely well.
"Therefore declare somewhat more particularly this comelinesse of person, what it should be, that I may be out of doubt, and set my hart at rest."
(Bernardo never gets reassured about his legges, but: "When they had a while laughed at this, the Count saide: Certes, the grace of the Phisonomy may well be saide to bee in you without any lye. And no other example doe I alledge but this, to declare what maner thing it should be: for undoubtedly wee see your countenance is most acceptable and pleasant to behold unto everie man, although the proportion and draughts of it bee not verie delicate, but it is manlie and hath a good grace withall.
"And this qualitie have many and sundry shapes of visages.")
The Book of the Courtier, Castiglione, trans. Thomas Hoby 1561.
