Litchfield enquirer., 1831-12-08
FEMALE BEAUTY.

man IS incapable Ot inspiring love- uXtng affection, and making man happy. We are far less influenced by outward loveli- ness than we imagine. Men speak with admiration and write with rapture of the beauty which the artist loves, which, like genius in the system of Gall, is ascertain ed by scale and compass: but in practice, see how they dispise those splendid theo- ries, and yield to sense of beauty and Ioveliness, of which the standard is in their own hearts. ltis not the elegance of form, for that is imperfect; it is not in loveliness of face, for there nature has been perchance neglectful nor is it in the charms of sentiment or sweet words, for even among women there is an occasional lack of that ;s neither sispit in the depth of their feelings, nor in the sincerity of their affection, that their whole power over man springs from. Yet every woman, beauti- full or not, has that power more or less 1; and every man yields to its influence
 The women of all nations are beautiful. Femsle beauty, in the limited sense of the word, is fiat outward form and proportion which corresponds with theories of poets and the rules of ar,iss!.s-of which every nation has its examples, ana ost : ::"'''ch eve ry woman has a share. But beauty, by more natural definition of the word, is that indescribable charm, that union of many qualities of person, and mind and heart which insures to man the greatest portion of happiness. One of our best poets has touched on this matter with the wisdom of inspiration; these are his words;
 "She dwelt among the unrodden ways
 Beside the springs of Dove,
 maid whom there were none 10 praise,
 And very few to love.
 She lived unknown, and few could know
 When Lucy ceased 10 be;
 But she is in her grave, and oh!
 The difference 10 mel"
 There was a maiden something more to the purpose than the slender damsels whom academies create on canvass, or of whom some bachelor bards dream. The poet of Rydal Mount is a married man, and knows from what source domestic happiness comes. The gossamer creations of fancy, were they transformed to breathing flesh and blood, would never do for mans bo- som. Those delicate aerial visions, those personied zephyrs, are decidedly unfit for the maternal wear and tear of the world. Not so the buxum danes of our two fine islands. Look to them as they move a. long. If art with its scale and compasses, and its eternal chant of "the beau ideal, !" had peopled the world, we would have been nation of ninnies; our isles would have been filled with lazy figures, and beings "beautifnl exceedingly" but loveless, s2lendidly silly, and elegantly contempti- ble. It has been better ordered.
 ' hova lonkob nnuCh on Tnan md nOro on woman. The world presents distinct image of my own perception of beauty; and from the decision of true love I could lay down the law of human affection, and the universal opinion entertained respect ing female loveliness. There is no need to be profound, there is no occasion for research look on the welded society, it is visible to all. There man very plain is linked to woman very lovely: creature silent as marble, to one eloquent, fluent, and talkative very tall man to very little woman; very portly lady to man short, and a,tenuated; the brown weds the black, and the white the golden personal deformities are not in the way of affection love contradicts all our theories of loveli- ness, and happiness has no more to do with beauty, than good crop of corn has to do with tbe personal looks of him that sowed the seed. The question, therefore, "which of three kingdoms has the most beautiful ladies'" is one of surpassing ab- surdity. Who would think of ever going forth with rules of artists in their hand and scraps of idle verse on their lips to measure and adjust the precedence of beauty among the three nations? Who shall say which is the fairest flower of the field, which is the brightest of the stars of heaven ? One loves the daisy for it's modesty, another the rose for its splendor, third the lily for it's puri- "; and they are all right.
 We know not, indeed, by our natural theory of female loveliness, which of the nations has the most beautiful women, be- cause we know not which of them is the most happy. Wherever there is most bosom tranquility, most domestic happi- ness, there beauty reigns in all it's strength. Look on the mud hovel on one of the wild hills of Ireland smoke is streaming from the door and window; a woman, to six healthy children and happy husband is proportioning out simple and scanty meal, sine is a good mother, and an affectionate wife and though tinged with smoke and touched with care, she is warmly beloved she is lovely in her husbands eyes, and is therefore beautiful. Go into yon Scottish cottage: there is clean floor, a bright fire, merry children, thrifty wife, and hus- band who is nursing the youngest child, and making A whistle for the eldest. The wO-