face; ’tis not the eye, but carriage of it, as they use it, that causeth such effects.  When Pallas, Juno, Venus, were to win Paris’ favour for the golden apple, as it is elegantly described in that pleasant interlude of [4973]Apuleius, Juno came with majesty upon the stage, Minerva gravity, but Venus dulce subridens, constitit amaene; et gratissimae, Graticae deam propitiantes, &c. came in smiling with her gracious graces and exquisite music, as if she had danced, et nonnunquam saltare solis oculis, and which was the main matter of all, she danced with her rolling eyes:  they were the brokers and harbingers of her suite.  So she makes her brags in a modern poet,

[4974] “Soon could I make my brow to tyrannise,
        And force the world do homage to mine eyes.”

The eye is a secret orator, the first bawd, Amoris porta, and with private looks, winking, glances and smiles, as so many dialogues they make up the match many times, and understand one another’s meanings, before they come to speak a word. [4975]Euryalus and Lucretia were so mutually enamoured by the eye, and prepared to give each other entertainment, before ever they had conference:  he asked her good will with his eyes; she did suffragari, and gave consent with a pleasant look.  That [4976]Thracian Rodophe was so excellent at this dumb rhetoric, “that if she had but looked upon any one almost” (saith Calisiris) “she would have bewitched him, and he could not possibly escape it.”  For as [4977]Salvianus observes, “the eyes are the windows of our souls, by which as so many channels, all dishonest concupiscence gets into our hearts.”  They reveal our thoughts, and as they say, frons animi index, but the eye of the countenance, [4978]_Quid procacibus intuere ocellis_? &c.  I may say the same of smiling, gait, nakedness of parts, plausible gestures, &c.  To laugh is the proper passion of a man, an ordinary thing to smile; but those counterfeit, composed, affected, artificial and reciprocal, those counter-smiles are the dumb shows and prognostics of greater matters, which they most part use, to inveigle and deceive; though many fond lovers again are so frequently mistaken, and led into a fool’s paradise.  For if they see but a fair maid laugh, or show a pleasant countenance, use some gracious words or gestures, they apply it all to themselves, as done in their favour; sure she loves them, she is willing, coming, &c.

       “Stultus quando videt quod pulchra puellula ridet,
        Tum fatuus credit se quod amare velit:” 

       “When a fool sees a fair maid for to smile,
        He thinks she loves him, ’tis but to beguile.”

They make an art of it, as the poet telleth us,

[4979] “Quis credat? discunt etiam ridere puellae,
        Quaeritur atque illis hac quoque parte decor.”

       “Who can believe? to laugh maids make an art,
        And seek a pleasant grace to that same part.”