Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-06-18
M rSCELL ANX.
THE DEAF BEAUTY.


human being as Imagination ever drew.
Brow, check, lips, just such as young
poet would delight to describe, and burn
TO kiss; and her cyelasn, with its long
dark fringe, shaded an eye that merited
whole Petrach sonnet; and then her
graceful form, rounded arm, and delicate
hand, each deserved its ulogium.-But
a beauty who cannot speak, Is no more
| TO our intellectual beauX than statue.
And yet, where is the great advantage |
| of speech, if it be only employed in lisp
ing nonsense? Perhaps the subject has
never been considered l wish 1t might |
be proposed for n theme, at some OF our
| colleges, it would doubtless elicit as ma
nv new IDEAS from the young students, ,
as a "dssertatlon OH the comparative |
advantage Of Greek and Roman 'tera-
ture." i
Marianne Willis was called the "deat
beauty" and she was tho only beauty
| ever knew, who always turned deaf
ear to her own praises. Yet she was
not inscnsble to the admiration she rais-
ed; the ardent, enduring gaze OF those
who, for the first time especially, beheld
her, always called deeper glow ON her
cheek, aud she would cast down her
bright eyes, and turn away, exhibiting
that modesly Of feeling which is SO truly
indicative of the purity Of tho female
heart.
A porson born blind, raises in the be-
holder. few emotions save pity. we
feel at a glance the hel plessness and
hopelcssness OF the case. II IS other
wise when we see those that are deal.
There is usually more animation (eager-
ness perhaps, would better express what
is meant) in the countenanCe OF such an
one, than in that of a person who can
speak. There is too, u hilarlty in the
smile of the deaf that seems to ask
amusement, not sympathy. And then
the oddity Of their gestures, the quick
ness of their motions, the rcstlcssncss OF
their glanccs, arc apt to inspire cores
ponding vivacity in the mind Of tho be-
holder. In short, we feel that the spirit
of the deaf one IS awake, and can hold
converse with ours, and thus il is much
less painful to contemplate deaf than
blind person.
But it was always a positive pleasure
to look OH Marianne, or rather TO have
her look on you; she was so lovely, and
her features always so lighted up with
mirth-it was not till she turned away,
and YOU lost the inspiration of her soul
beaming smile, that the idea of the dark
ness in which that soul must be shroudet
came over yours. The melancholy trutl
then fell so sorrowfuly, that tears evel
from firm men, were often the tribute o
grief for her misfortune. Iears-ont
Glance from her laughing eyes in mo
mcnt dspclIed them She was as hap
py as she seemed, us happy as she was
innocent-she had never known single
sorrow, or privation. She had beer
tended and watched over from the hou
of her birth, by the untiring, vgilant an
aflectonate care Of parents, who love-
her a thousand times better, for the mis-
fortune that made their watchluness S
necessary. They had taught her ever
thing she could be made to comprehen
concerning her duties, and scrupuousl
did she perform them; especially in ad
herring to truth, she was so strict tha
never, even in her gayest moments, dl
a sign or gesture, intended to deceive
escape her.
This charming creature, much NOR
deserving the epithot angelic than tn
fine and fashionable bellies TO whom
is so often applied, lived in the retire
ment, thcn almost solitude, Of one I
the western counties in the state I
New-York. Till she was eighteen sl
had never been out of sight Of the hous
in which she was born. About th
time Marianne. to the oft repeated at
urgent request other aunt, was permi
ted to visit her aud spend few wcel
in Abany-Her beauty and the nalv, t
Of her air, were so exquisite, that h
relative, Mrs. Drew, in the pride OF h
heart, could not resist the temptation
Introducing the sweet girl to soclet
and accompany her to places Of anus
ment. although Mrs. Drew, had pror
ised She would do neither. Mrs. VIII
had cnjoined on hei sister, not to
dulge Marianne in pleasures, which,
she did not know existed, she did u
require to make her happy; but shou
she once taste them, tho remembran'
might give her a disrelIsh for those sII
pie enjoyments that had hitherto ma
her bliss Perhaps it would be thoug
her parents did wrong to allow her
90 60 Albany and visit in the family o
fashionable lady. They always blam
themselves. And yet, why should the
When people act from sincere mott
Of doing what, on the whole, they. dec
right, and expedient. and calculated
o;yo bopp;pess to others or themseIvt