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ALCIBIADES SURPRISED BY SOCRATES.

"Nature, in forming Alcibiades, united all her powers to produce a perfect man. perfect man. To features, noble and interesting, she joined a most graceful form, which, supported by great mental endowments, and affability of manners, enabled him to assume an absolute ascendancy over the hearts and understanding of his countrymen.Though born with passions of the strongest kind, he rendered them subservient to his ambition, and was alternately haughty and complaisant; profuse and frugal; modest and licentious; according to the exigencies of the moment. His beauty was not impaired by the ravages of time; and, by an exclusive privilege, he continued to please in the autumn of life, as well as in the spring. But his extraordinary endowments were often applied to the corruption of public morals. He lent to debauchery the graces of voluptuousness; and vice, in a manner, ennobled by his example, became stripped of its deformity."

This picture has been highly applauded by connoisseurs for the agreement of its parts, the delicacy of pencil observable in the composition, and the harmony of its tints.

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