Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-07-21

4
upon my memory, and their s;militude up
on my pictures. But how cold, how tame
how hieless are all such recolleclions now
One heavenly vision has forever dmme,
their brightness, and | am like The child il
the Did ballad who returned from the gilt
tering scenes Of Fairyland, only to pine
and die amid ihezdullness of actual life.
| 81 have spent several years in Europe
and have revisited England with the inlen
ton OF ombarking from thence 10 the Unit
ed States, when The circumstance occurred
10 which have just alluded. had almost
become weary Of sight seeing, and it was
rather q, sort of listlessness, which required
quiet and seclusion, that led me one day
while ! still fingered in London, 10 enter a
where | had assed many an hour. 1t
was large room, shaded to that tender,
delicious light which is SO grateful 10 the
weary eye, and soothing TO the excited
mind. The pictures, too, with their mel.
low tone of coloring, their sombre tints,
their. soflened outlines, and the beautiful
chsara oscaro, SO CHARACTERISTIC Of the
works OF the old painters, were all in har.
tnony with the stiffness and solitude Of the
apartment. The season for fashionable
visitors was long passed, ond the few who
now entered The gallery, were, like myself,
enthusiasts or students. Two or three per
sons were scattered around, fixed in silent
admiration before some lavorite picture;
and, throwing myself in an arm ehair that
stood IN the deep shadow OF an alcove,
gave myseltup to taat yaguc, sweet re.e.
rle which is The purest Of all yolupluous
enloyments. -.,ss,... =. .sL.s..zgsi
''How long had been thus dreaming /
do not know, but was. at length aroused
by light step near me, and as raised my
eyes beheld a creature Of such perfect
loveliness, as even my wild fancy could
never have fashioned. Standing before
one Of the pictures, in the attitude of deep
thought, with her arms. folded upon her
bosom, and the folds of her rich shawl fall.
ing like the, ,drapery Of some Grecan stat.
ute, around her lali figure, was lady of
such surprising beauty. that for moment
could not but believe was gazing on an
unsabslantial vision, called. up by lhe IN
huence ofthe place. Words would be win
TO describe the glorious beauty Of that coun-
tenance | might tell oft the classical sym.
metry Of her chiseled features, of the ex-
quisile form and setting of her full dark
blue eye, of the pearLlike purity of her
clear complexion, Of the delicate rose tint
on her OWL cheek, of the soft pale brown
curls which fell from beneath her simple
cottage bonnet; but what language could
depicl the soulwilich dwelt in the depths Of
those clear eyes, Of the sweetness which
sat on those calmly folded lips, of the in>
tellect which had made its shrine on her
high, fair brow, ofahe feeling which spoke
in nlhe,yarying hues of her transparent skin?
was spell hound --fascinated-eyery fac
ulty was absorbed in intense admiration,
and. as | unobserved in my darkened nook,
watching every lnoyemen, of her graceful
form, it seemed TO me that the very atmos
phere had become purer, as if refined by
The presence of some being from q holier
sphe'e. Al length she spoke, and, as the
low tones Of her melodous voice fell upon
my ear, aroused myself from my trance
sufficiently notice her companion 70 He
was a youth whose delicate beauty betray-
ed his relationship to the fair being at his
side, and iancled could detecta degree
offender so,icitude in her manner, which
led me to believe that his boyish figure and
pale cheek were the results of in6rm
health. Nothing could be more beautiful
than the grouping Of these two exquisite
forms as they stood together in the soG
light, surrounded by images Of lovelines.,
and watched them until my senses were
oyerpowe by that delicious, indescriba.
bic faintness which, in me, ever attends
such overwrought feelings.
Il For more than an hour gazed unno.
liced on this magnificent woman, and j,
was not until she gathered up the folds of
her shawl and glided from ,he room, that
could summon energy enough to rise. As
the door closed behind her, it seemed as If
the sunlight had suddenly been closed out
"a gloom fell upon everything, and
hastily left the apartment An impulse
which could not restrain led me to en-
quire Of the door keeper the names of the
persons who had just quilted the gallery,
but he was unable TO afford any informa-
ItOh3 uhd , hNtAlOu III u stats III GA
citement which Byron has well described
as ssdazzled and drunk with beauty, The
next day l returned to the picture gallery,
in the hope that the lady might be induced
TO revisit it. Hour after hour sat amid
the forms OF beauty and miracles of art
silent,, distracted, pnlient-waiting for u
renewal Of my beatific vision; until intima.
ton that the exhibition had closed for the
day, sentme sadand disappointed to my
solitary home. Day after day / took my
station in that hall, yainly hoping that |
might once more behold thai exquisite face.
Ny paintings stood unfinished on the easel,
my books lay unread, my friends were
neglected, the preparations for my home
voyage were deferred, and | gave up my
whole heart to this vain homage, offered
unto one whose very name was unknown
to me. You will think ma mad, Anne,
but the moment my eye fell upon that no.
BILE woman the inward voice which never
speaks 10 vain, the prophetic voice of the
soul whispered thai in her beheld my