Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1828-12-08
On N.e iadu.ncs Of f,uule beauty on Men.

tFron the American Monthly Magazine
Iho humidity and feeblcness OF women crldcar them
more 10 U.S. perhaps, than any other qualities they pos
sess as, IN cases of the slightest alarm, those Qualities
ooge them to crafty iavoitc passion by looking
up To us tor that protection always willing to
Afford Hcnce great cause of prediction Tor
ianale beauty seems to be- that we naturally wish
TO find something excellent in those for whom W., ara
10 ready to exert ourselves Oh cvcry occssion ,yn
bend our attention at to that external beauty 10
which we ourselves make little preteiision. We con
template it with delight; we dwell upon it with cntll
slasI,, until we persuade ourselves that they possess
II in t. highest degree OF perfection. In this the
IMAGINATION has powerful influence; for, let the IL
NeShgators OF the principles of external beauty or
the regulators of human taste cav what they pleas,
our ideas oil female loveincSs depend more upon an
association OF limoges bringing agreeable recoections
10 tho mind than ON any specific .Nccllence of shape
conplesSion
IL ~ well known how much custom r,concilcs tho
nnd to the appearance, Of figure, however bad or
cuuntenancc, however iorbddng: and how frequently
women possessing no share of external beauty, have
become objects Of love and general admiration, mere
!y from the elegance of their minds whist others ut
the most unexccptionabe personal appearance. have
renamed unlovcd, unudmlred, and perhaps despiscd
inr want OF those more useful and more lasting accom-
Plishnents There IL scarcely any acquainted
with human affairs, who does rccollcct instances
In which women 70 whom nature may have been ra-
ther unklnd, have borne away the prize of u good
match from rivals possessed of tho most imposing cx
tcrnal charms, and who thought TO carry all before
them by the mere force of personal attractions.
We do not wish to Gndcrratc the value of external
beauty i'll females. Ii is Git from nature for which
the poSscssor has right tn 'e congratulated; n gt
for which she should always be thankful. but never
vain. We, common with other men. have occa-
sonay felt the power OF personal charms but it
only for moment, unless when accompanied BY those
more impressive attractions, which show u lovely
mind from the mirror of coun,enance. When thus
accompanied, they indeed irresistible. But wo
assure the ladies' that mere external charms alone
however great, never will procure for them the on
viabe title Of 'the tocciicst production of nature.
They must convince that they will be pleasing and
intelligent companions that their society il capable
not only of increasing happiness prosperity but
OF yielding consolation ii adversely, before we can
consider them worthy OF such title. great re-
MUS in sculpture nry produce according to
the eXactst rules Of symnCtcrcal beauty und great
genius in painting ay lavish all the art Of his pro-
fon in order TO finish il in the most exquisite STYLE
Of coorDg, that will excite the applause and ad-
miration of every who H. BIT it never will
be able 10 excite in the mind any Of those tender emo
trnns Which always produced b. the sight Of an
interesting woman. The reason is in the one We
'nn observe nobonly external beauty, but what a in
nitely SUPERIOR and often atoncs for the want of it.
the internal charms of modcsty and good nature
Milton, when he represents Adam accounting 10 the
ange for the Of his affection for Eve and for
tho preference he had enthusiastically riycn her oyer
every other part OF the earthly creation puts ;lc fol-
lowing words into his mouth:
mot her outside, so far,
20 much delights Is those glaccfii
4 ioc thousand hcccno'c>, that daily TOW
from all 'lcr words and actions, n.iSd with love
Md swt.; compliance, winch III her declare unici-n'i
Union Of MUD, or IL us both SOUL"