The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-11-28

1 AStS AuStkuCt ohCNty VI HuWICNb-
ly to this effect in numberless instan-
ces; and they meet with nothing but
unkindness and defeat whenever plain
person is plainly delineated.
Princes who marry by proxy, deal
unjustly in this particular. For exam
pie, the blood of st. Louis, and the de-
sccndants of Henry the fourth, are ex-
allied in history to the stars-the very
name creates respect, and inspires adj
miration. In the course of events, some
Princess on the continent is demanded
in marriage and her mind is infiamed
with the idea of becoming the wife of
a hero. A very handsome nobleman
in the gayest attire, (Which is not alto
gether politely gives the proxy hand,
and is the bearer Of miniature, sur
rounded with brilliants, Ga circumstance
which always dazzles and misleads,)
representing the future bridegroom
ever more captivating than he is, and
which, being covered with stars and
decorations, looks Majesty itself. Her
royal or her serene highness, land it is
well when the latter is misnomer,) if
she be not inspired by the proxy, ar
rives on the tiptOe of expectation, and
is introduced to her august consort, with
eaglc-eyed anxiety. But what is her
disappointment! what her detection
and dismay when she meets with a
plain little man, like journeyman me-
| chanick and discovers that every good
feature in the picture has been pres
emf of the painters
Or, perhaps one of our own worthy
Princes, declining in years and increas-
ing in wrinkles and in rotundity, with
generous solicitude for the peoples
veal, and imbued with principles of
goOd-breeding and respect for the roy
al name, dispatches comely nobleman
TO fetch him wife from amongst the
Protestant Princes of the colder part
of Europe, some of the illustrious Car
olinas or Wilhelminas of our Teutch
Sprdchen neighbours. The miniature
is here also produced, free from fleshy
incumbrance or claret-blossom, bloom
ing as morn, and fresh as dewy rose.
Is this fair, if the royal FRAU find, on be-
holding the original, that the rose is
more like sun-hower, and the bloom
the glowing honours Of grape and good
living
This system.of hattering ruins every
picture and every person, every court
and every courtier: it defeats the inten-
ton ofpreserving fac-simile, as it were,
of what it is to represent. Yet, in high
life, and in the more middling ranks,
all must have their portraits, and, at
the same time, all must have their pro-
portion of gracefulness, let nature have
treated them how she may. A strong
instance of this kind occurred in the
following example -
Mr.. Loyegain, very opulent trader,
but very plain man, was anxious to
transmit his resemblance to posterity.-
He had just been elected an Alderman
and Mrs. Lovegain was DESTROYS that his
full length, clad in his ciyick robes,
should adorn her dining parlour The
Alderman's complexion was very sal
low; yet was suit of mourning chosen
for his dress, because it looked grave,
courtly, and above the vulgar herd
Independently of the plainest set of
features which nature ever bestowed on
one of her least favoured children, Mr..
Loyegain had an expression of vileness,
something mean and bad, which it
would be difficult to describe. His hair
was harsh and inclining to grey, but it
was Judged tasteful to give him Bru-
tas wig, probably on account of his
magisterial capacity, and of his being
stern republican at heart. This COM
pleted the natural severity of his brow
the suspicious and half-closed eye, the
lip of mockery, and the air of rancour
and discomfort of his countenance, mis-
anthropical in the extreme, and SEEM
ing, as it were, always denouncing some
one, and saying with snarl, -'.There's
something rotten in the state.''
In spite of all these natural defects
for portrait, the Alderman must be
painted, and the artist was instructed
by him TO make strong likeness. Mrs.
Lovegain, and his daughters, too, were
most urgent in their applications, that
much pains might be bestowed upon
the picture and Miss said that if Pos
picture WAS well finished, she would
have her own drawn; nay, that she
would try to prevail on Pa to have
family piece executed, comprising Mr..