The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1845-02-26
A WIFE.

One Of the finest pictures of female charactel
we ever met with, is that given by Edmund
Burke, of his W wife.
Burke's portrait of this lady is thus introduced
by Prior, in his life Of that Statesman:
Added to affection Animation of talents, Mr..
Burke possessed accomplishments, good sense,
goodness of heart, and a sweetness of manners
and disposition, which served to allay many of
the anxieties OF his future career, the labors TO
attain fame and independence, the ffedul mo-
ments attendant on severe studies, the irritation
produced by party and political zeal, and the
tempestuous passions engendered by constant
contention in active parliamentary life. He re-
peatedly declared that "every care vanished the
moment he entered under his own roof" He
wrote the following beautifully descriptive paper
--the idea of a perfect wife--which he presen-
ted to her one morning on the anniversary of
their marriage, delicately heading the paper thus
" The character of -" leaving her 10 fill up
the blank:
1HE CHARACTER OF -. l intend to view
my idea of a woman; if it at all answers my orig
inal, | shall be pleased; for if such a person as
| would describe really exists, she must be far
superior TO my description; and such as must
love too we'll to be able TO paint as | ought.
She is handsome, but it is a beauty not arr
sing from features, from complexion, or from
shape; she has all three in a high degree, but it
is not by these that she touches the heart; it is
all that sweetness of temper, benevolence, limo
%cence, and sensibility, which a face can express,
that forms her beauty.
She has a face that just raises your attention
at first sight--it grows on you every moment,
and you wonder it did no more than raise YOUR
attention at first.
Her eyes have a mild light, but they awe you
when she pleases; they command like a good
man out of Office, not by authority but by viz
tue.
Her features are not perfectly regular: that
SOFT of exactness is more to be praised than to
be loved, for it is never animated.
Her stature is not tall; she is made to be the
admiration of every person, but the happiness
of one.
She has all the frmness that does not exclude
d~elicacy; she has all the %softuess that does not
imply weakness.
There is often more Of the coquelto shown in
an affected p~lainness than in a tawdy ~fneness.
Her gravity is a gentle thoughtfulness, that soft
ems the features without discomposing them; she
is usually grave.
Her smiles are ineXpressible.
Her voice is a low, soft music, not formed TO
rule in public assemblies but to charm those who
can distinguish a company from a crowd; it has
this advantage, you must come close to hear
it.
TO describe her body, describes her mind
one is The transcript of the other. Her under
standing is not shown in the variety of matters
ii eXerts itself on, but in the goodness of the
choice she makes.
She does not display it so much in saying or
doing~-striting things as i'll avoiding such asshe
ought not 10 say or do.
She discovers the right and wrong of things,
not BY reasoning, but by ~sagacity most women,
and many good ones, have closeness and some
thing selfish in their disposition; she has a true
generosity of tcmpter; the most extravaganza
cannot be more unbounded in their liberalIty,
the most covetous not more cautious in their
disposition.
No person of so few a years can know the
world better; no person was ever less corrupted
by that knowledge. Her politeness seems rather
TO flow from a natural disposition to oblige, than
from any rules on that subject; and therefore new
er fails to strike those who understand good
breeding, and those who do not.
She does not run with girlish eagerness into
new friendships, which, as they have no founda-
ton in reason, serve only TO multiply and embit-
Ter disputes; it is long before she chooses, but
then it is fixed forever, and the first hour of ro-
mantle affection is not warmer than hers after
the lapse of years.
As she never disgraces her good nature by Sc
we're reflections on any body, so she never de-
grades her judgment by immodorate or ill-placed
praises; for every thing violent is contrary to her
gentleness Of disposition and the evenness of
her virtues; she has a steady and firm mind,
which takes no more from the female character
Than the solidity of marble does from its polish
and lustre.
She has such virtues as to make us value the
truly great of our own sex; she has all the win
ming graces that make US love even the weak
and beautiful of hers.