The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-10
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the American Museum
THE HANDSOME STRANGER.
AN OLD GENTLEMAN's sToR,


BY MRS. EMMA c. EMBURY.
1t was on q fine spring morning. some
years since, that / found myself in one Of
those nuisances which, for the convenience Of
the patient public, SO long piled between New
York and Long Island. mean an old Brook
lyn steamboat--now, thanks to the enterprise
Of few individuals, replaced by commodious
to seek always for the hidden good in every
apparent evil, and from the most uncomforia.
BILE situation to extract at least, amusement,
turned my attention TO the study Of the human
face divine as exhibited in the dirty, crowded
cabin. In such an assemblage as is usually
found in such places, there must be of neces-
sity, a large proportion of insignificant, mex
pressive, and disagreeable countenances but
the eye that seeks for the beautiful and the
good can seldom roam through crowded
circle without finding, at least one brow on
which it may rest with pleasure. On the
morning, in question, was struck with the
exceeding beauty Of head Immediately OPP
posite me. group Of two or three persons
stood between me and the individual that had
attracted my attention, so that | could see
nothing but the head-and certainly never
saw more exquisite specimen Of male beau
ty 1t seemed like vivi6cation Of one Of
Vandykes magnificent portraits. The dark,
clear complexion--the finely chiselled fea-
lures the superb curb Of the crimson lips
the broad arch Of the expansive forehead, and
the full, dark eyes lighted up with an almost
dazzling brilliancy formed a combination of
beauty, such as the old Italian masters may
have sometimes beheld, when Venice was the
ocean queen, and her children among the
fairest as well as the noblest Of earth. The
eyes were apparently fixed on the glimpse Of
blue sky visible through the narrow window,
while the marble stiffness Of the countenance,
and almost rigid tranquility Of the features,
made me feel as if was, in very truth, gaz-
ing on some wonderous triumph Of the paint
er's art
While | looked, a sudden turn Of the boat
brought the full glare of the morning sun di-
rectly upon those singular eyes, but the ra-
dance which fell with almost binding power
on the faces of those around, seemed to be to
him but as the light of a farthing candle: his
glance quailed not for an instant, even when
it met the blaze of the meridian sun. Nv
Imagination was busy employed in weaving
fancy web Of romantic history, for this rare
ly gifted individual. But was suddenly re-
called to every day life by the arrival Of the
boat at the ferry, and the usual scramble to
get on shore. then perceived that this
magnificent head had actually been wasted
upon a miserable, shrunken, crooked figure,
that might have personated Richard the H.,
as Stephen Kemble is said TO have played
Falstaf, "wi,houi stuffing." He was, evil
IDENTIFY, ian unfortunate gentleman" His
habilmcnts had certainly not been " made to
ORDER" and had long since lost all claim to
the gentility they might have possessed when
he first received them in all the gloss Of a
Chatham street rifacciamento. Altogether he
was an anomaly. II whimsical sculptor