The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1837-02-03
AN ESSAY ON BEAUTY.

'Tis not q set q features. or complexion,
The Ilaciare ofs skin, that admire.
Beauty soon grows familiar 10 the lover,
fsdes IN bis eye, and pals upon the sense.
.adfisOa.
There is implanted by nature IN every
individual q sensIbllily TO the objects Of
beauty. The very first discovery Of which.
In the language Of ar. Addison. strikes
the mind with an inward joy. and spreads
q eheerfulness and delight through all its
faculties. To turn our eyes IN indiffer.
ence from such objects would be 10 Hea,
with dlsrespect the great Author of our
being; 10 regard the faculties with which
he has endowed US as faliacious; and TO
be ungralelul for the wisdom, power and
beRignlty manifested by the diffusion Of
beauty over the works Of his hands. To
be thus insensible 10 the beauty Of the
fair ser. which is more striking and al
uacuve than tina, of any other object in
nature, would be,ray lille less than mo-
raj depraviiy. That we may be rightly
influenced by beauty, we should under.
stand in what II consists, and the yslua.
Die end for which il was intended by ils
DIVINE Author.
Milton justly represents Satan himself,
when surveying the earth newly formed,
as struck with the beauty of the FIRST hap
py pair.
"Two Of Ear nobler shape, erect and tall,
@all.L. ararft sriah aafiva hanauR clad
In naked majesty, seem'd lords OF all.
And worthy seem'd; for in their looks divine,
The image Of their glorious Maker, shone
Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure;
Severe, but 10 true fiial freedom PLACID
Whence true authority in man, though both
Not equal, as their ser not equal seem'd;
For contemplation he, aud yalouI form'd,
Fer softaess she. and sweet attractive grace"
Milton thus derives the beauty Of the
frst pair in paradise from those outward
expressions which indicated their moral
and intellectual projections.
Such seemed likewise to be the opin.
'fon of Akenside. who exclaims:
Wind, mind alone! bear witness earth and hes.
ven,
The living fountain in itself contains
OF beauteoas aad sublime.
Thus, in every sensible object to which
we ascribe the quality Of beauty, some
relation will be found TO the moral and
intellectual Characteristic strongest and
most direct connection appearing in those
which excite our admiration. Could this
important truth be universally received
among the ladies'. and at all times exer,
Its due influence upon their minds, what
q benign and happy influence would il
shed over human society! II would not
be hazarding too much to say, that il
would do more for the extinction Of evil
and the suppression of crime. than all the
laws that have ever been enacted for the
reformation Of our species. II becomes
the fair sex, therefore, not TO sci too high
. value upon mere . set Of features or
sthe tincture Of skim but TO cultivate
and adorn the nobler part OF their nature.
tina, moral and intellectual beauty may be
..seen in their countenances aud demean.
our. Genuine piety of life and under
standing are pearls above all price: They
alone impart true loveliness TO the fea
lures. How disgusting is the creature
who endeavours TO hide the deformity Of
vice and ignorance BY The splendours Of
ornament or the articles of affec,aiion-
who careless Of the improvement Of her
mind, and Ina,tenlive TO the practice Of
virtue, seeks the admiration Of ignorant
men as the chief business and deligh, Of
her life. Whatever 10 intended TO deco
rate the person beyond neatness and
comeliness. may be condemned as cost
ly and supurfuous more than Of true
werih;, and whatever We thus sppropri>
ate, mus, be considered departure from