Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-01-05
P~earance altogether, as to make mo feel
uncertain what to think of her,

- S@'
turned and addr essed me; l forget nov
what it was she said TO me, somethin.
about my tayourite painting, or my gen
eral iondness for pictures; whatever i
might be, | was SO much a novice in fash
ion a to feel uncomfortable at her speak
ing to me. | remember, however, tina
though her words were select, her man
ner struck me as commonplace; she
moreover, seemed to me a coquette, AM
l Immediately concluded that she mus
be marked by all the Stiffness of he
class. In appearance she might have
been about two or tkree and twenty, blu
suspect she was more, perhaps from
my own inexperience, for she struck III,
as being used to the ways Of the world.
1t was evident that she was aware o.
the admiration which she had, yelicited
that she had expected it; andiNtaS there.
fore pleased with it, and meant to excite
a little more. No n but a boy, prob
ably nc one but such a boy as y Would
have been seized with these reflections
at the moment that she was soliciting my
attention; but very young men, and
young men unaccustomedto general So
ciety, are naturally more alive to what is
real, and what is affected in character,
than those of older and better ~acquain-
lance with life, but whose very a~cquain-
lance has served to trammel them into
its manouvrcs and intricacies.
sShc turned away after some minutes,
and joined her party a few PAGES off,
My eyes followed them as they moved
up lhe gallery: she shone always Con-
spicuous among the throng Of gentlemen
who gathered, as she went, around her,
in clustering numbers, while now paus-
ing for a second in a picturesque attitude
to examine a painting-now breaking
on my ear in tones Of exaggerated feel
ing either Of horror or ecslacy; now
partaking with faint effort in the casual
v~ivacity Of her attending bevy, or lead
ing, with startling violence, a sudden
laugh. | believe | had just then a rage
for simplicity, for even her charms dis
grsted me. She was an Englishwoman
too, and | had just been commenting
perhaps with ungratefuI sarcasm, on the
freedom of Florentine At the
upper end ofthe gallery l lost sight Of
her, and when | looked around me, l
found that the crowd had followed her
there was not a creature near me-.
you not know herr said some
m whom had approached on purpose
to question. 1T is the honorable Mrs.
Beauvilliers-the celebrated Mrs. Beau
villiers-she was the greatest beauty Of
the day, or of any day, and she never
comes here without making a sensation;
by the way, she means to have.you in her
train, fancy, for l saw her cast her eyes
on you the moment she entered the
room
'Itis incredible how even the turn OF
a phrase can affect us. These few last
words had realized all my own thoughts
with regard to Mrs. Beauvillicrs.
"What them said l, 'she's a CO.
queite?
"By no MEANS cried the other,
{ only a little addicted to platonic love
and fashionable admirers. She has us
all here, we wear her chains. Though,
A PARENTHEsE, Thought her a little
gone by this morning, these beauties
never know when to give up, unless we
give them up
'Come,' said he, IN introduce you
"Pardon me- answered l, Il know
her perfectly already
81 saw Mrs. Beauvilliers again; il
was at a ball that very evening. She
had just Withdrawn a little out of the
circle of walters, and was leaning
against a pillar changing her white satin
slippers. One gentleman stood beside
her busted in receiving the discarded
pair; another proffsred the fresh ones,
and the third, her fortunate partner, with
zone knee onthe ground, supported her
delicate feet by turns on the other. and
fastened the sandals.
"How old is sheH asked l, for l felt
quite a curiosity to discover.
''Lord,' answered the person next
me, 81 Lave known her culling hearts
these fifty years!'
.She could not be fifty, though she
had certainly worn better than any per-
o n know; even when near, | could
not have supposed her past thirty.
Il can scarcely say how much dis
like this description of character. 1t re-
VOTED against all my notions Of feminine
propriety: that sensitive dignity OF wo-
mans peculiar nature! 1t offended all
my most respectable feelings towards
the sex, and l remember l stood alooi
during the evening from Mrs Beauvilliers
boyishly abashed a. her frivolous tamil
iarity of manners. l left Florence SCOT
after, but l carried some Of her impress.
sions along with me. She spoiled me for