Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1840-04-25

consciously holds CENTRALIZED the lofty, tn,
WISE ana strong-minded--while the light
nearted, and vain, and frivolous, even lh,
FULLEST OF mankind, own the Power of til,
PRESENCE, and bow in silent Alteration
before thee? Why is it that inleligenc,
OF mind, refinement of education, noble
ness OF sentiment, and integrity of char
acter, are so often but secondary consid
eratIoLs without thee? True, there is nc
creation OF Nature more beautiful than q
lovely Woman, and with men of real sense
ana genius, a talented and high princi
Plec female Ohongh she be devoid oil
beauty commands respect, admiration and
homage. With them feature is so singu.
larly blended with mind, that the cast Of
The latter constitutes The chief charm OF
me iormer, and their eventual impressions
depend on the idea they form Of the mind
and disposition. Yet, most strange and
true It IS, that these exceptions are rare,
ana intellectual without physical perfection
Is but little priced.
Ihere was and still is story on the
worlds tongue of beautiful and idolized
"fe'S playing false in her husbands
home-of her hear,less desertion of an in.
liant son-her elopement with titled and
handsome foreigner, and her subsequent
end of misery and disgrace. 1t might be
sufficient to say The Second Wife was the
heroine and victim of that story, vet let us
follow both Husband and Wife on lheil
respective paths-the one, duped and be-
traNed by the Beauty he so worshred, and
the other, treading with hardened step the
errlng path of folly aud shame.
1t the human mind is strange piece
mechanism, surely Mans heart is slran.
ger to mystery. Who would imagine that
the power Of mere external Beauty could
nave created such revulsion of feeling in
The gay, unibinkiog, capricious husband
of Agnes2 Yet it did so. Like an adoring
"orshiper before the shrine of his patron
'alnt, ne attended his beautiful wife, her
inresIsllng and willing slave. lie watch
ID The slIaheSt tur".rnf -hc- '~-i--.i--
lest tokens of wealth and splendor, were
,rofnsely lavished upon her.
And she, whose attractions had calleo
forth such unlocked Tor tenderness and
care, what were her apparent Qualities!
The highly educated and polished wit
knew we'll how to appreciate her brilliant
yet sarcastic humeri the accomplished
the gay, the Idle, the rank and
riches tina. sued for her favor--and the
worshiper of Beauty who bowed IN sublec-
ton before gaze, all could testify to The
charm of her conversation; surely they
thought and her husband considered hlni-
self most happy man! 4.
But it was early days with them yet,
and the beautiful wife had not vensurea
to show her husband the rery ddrh,as we'll
as the bright side Of her character. he
bad as vet witnessed only a spark oil her
violent temper, only seen the subdued OBJ
stinacy Of her will when opposed, and only
lightly sighed when he suspected that the
affection nom so entirely bestoed IN her,
MIGHT have been worthier of the first,
Than The second wife. Snll her beauty
lost not its charm, even when he beheld
her restless vanity, love of conquest and
marks Of preference and regard that she
lavished on the coxcomb flatterers round
her,-eyen then, his idolizins love and
his vain pride at the sensation she created
in public, excused her in his eyes.
Il was about year after the blrlh o
an heir to that princely fortune that a for
eign gentleman became constant v's''0
at.
He was inwardly struck with tn
charms Of the beautiful wife, but he wal
also we'll learned in the usages OF tn
world. and he testified not by an adm'r'Ht
look or flat,ering word the deep lmpres
sion received. But, there was somth'nt
secure and copgra,ulatory in the expires
sion Of his dark, striking and handsom
features when he glanced at the lady-io
hesaw with the eye Of worldly experience
RAJ with her own weapon his victim
wopld entanglc herself. And so It was
Her personal vanity was pIqued tina. sh
could make no impression on the dlst'n
| ouished noble-she knew that she wa
more beautiful than ever. and great
mortified was her pride that the voice .
such an exclusive and exquisite was nc
eloquent in her praise. Accordingly y
h.. anx:eix To attach him to her train