Litchfield enquirer., 1837-04-06
HARRIET BRUCE.
"To be beloved is sll need,
 And whom love I love indeed.'' Coleridke.

1 tall. bOld-loOkihg girl; somewhat too large and vigorous for genuine beauty, yet gifted with speaking expression, and rich, per- peIHal cOlOring, that would have made any other face sty fish and attractive. She was no favorite with the gentlemen; but there was an indescribable something about her appearance and manners which always compelled them to inquire who she was. No person ever talked with her without re. membering what she said and every one criticised what they could not forget. Yet 1t was not intellect that made her unpUpu- lsr-had she chosen to affect reckless mis- anthropy, maudlin sensibility, or any other fopperv whereby to distinguish herself, she would have found plenty of admirers aud imi.a.ors but, in her mind, genius was checked by manly philosophy; and she could ill conceal her contempt of those wl,o knew talent only by its most common diseases. The consciousness Of mental power, that lighted up her eve with such burning spark of pride, and the expression of scorn forever dancing on her lip corners. ready to embOdy itself in sarcasm, was un- qucstionably the true reason why this spIen- did creature became the Paria of the ball. room. She was a strange sort Ot Oie Ver- nun-no, she was not a Die Vernon either -and as | now remember her, l cannot think of single character, living or ima. giuary, whom sl,e did resemble. She ias- cinatcd her enemies, but never pleased her friends. Power! power! and, above all. intellectual power was the constant dream of her wild ambition. To have been sure of Madame de S,ael's reputation, she would have renounced human sympathy, and lived unloving and unloved in this wide world of social happipess-there was such maeni6cence in the idea of sending ones genius abroad, like spark of electricity, to be active and cternal-defying education in it's form, duration and power! Some- times | talked of love, and reminded her how Madame de Stael herself had become its reluctant victim. On this subject she often philosophical and always laughed = < Who,' said she scornfully, who that has felt the gush aud thrill attendant upon fame would be foolish enough to exchange do- minion over many for the despotism ot one7" Thus Harriet Bruce reasoned, and thus she actually ,hought-.but knew her better than she knew herself. Her aflec- lions were as rich and overflowiDg as her mental energies and her craving for hu- man sympathy was in direct proportion to that intense love of beauty, which, in her, amounted to an intellectual passion. That she would love exclusively and extrava- gaDtly, had no doub. and my pene'ra- ton soon singled out an object. At a large party, | frst saw her with Gc"rgc Macdonougl,, the son of a rich southcrner. first in his class, and in tue full flush ot manly beauty. knew by the carriage of his neck that he was Virginian; and the hau,eur with which he received aduIatiOn attracted my attention as tue paving OI high mei,led horse would have done. His conversation with Harriet seemed at first to be of sober and learned cast, but "n her part it soon became petulent. Now and then l heard some remark which seemed to relate to a ,ransnigration of souls. and a continual rise in intellectual existence.- . Oh,' exclaimed Harriet, how that idea savers of New England housekeeping !- how can a Virginian patronise theory SO economical !" Al that moment, . very lovely girl entered the room; and inc young man did not answer Miss Bruce's question. 'Ah, there is the beautiful Bal- iimorcan,' said he, she whom told you reminded me of that fine engraving of yours, La Belle Suisse 'Shc is beau,i- ful,' said Harriet, with unaffected warmth. Her full dark eyes are n,agnificens-w'a, a pity it is they are no. lighted from Uithin ; the expression alone is wanting to fill the measure of her glory' The rema' was made iO an inattentive listener, for Macdo- noupl,'s whole interest was abso, bed by the new comer. A slight shade passed over Harrie,'s face-but it was too transient to define the emotion in which it originated and she smiled, as she said, You had bes' 90 and talk with your powerful bHanty-thc body should be where the spiri, is.' That reproach is too severe replied the Virg gini- an. meant no reprOach,' she answered have observed that beauty IS your idol, and wish you iO worship it.' did not think Miss Bruce had observed my chara:- ter sufficiently to form any conclusion with regard to my tasie.' The pride of ,h.' prOudest girl in Christendom was ro"sed- and there was something indescribsbly pro voking in her manner, as she answered.. assure you think you quite specimen in | your way. Society is such bag ofpoIish- ed ma, bles, that anything odd is as valuable a study as the specimens of quartz Mr. Syu,mes usy bring US. Your modcs,y has led sou into . mistake have really ta- ken tl,e trouble Co observe yOu.' 'TruIy, Miss Bruce, you ere the most singular giTl ever me,,' said the offended stniherner . you never did. said, nor thought any thing like another person.
 | suti,ou :. .oc,,l;urept is doubtful CheS-