Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1851-185?, 1852-11-10
Number u.
The de- Of a Perfect woman.


BURKE. the great English statesman used
repeatedly 10 declare that every care vanished
the moment he entered his own house. Tie
wrote the following beautiful descriptive prose
paper. "The idea Of Perfect Wife, which
he presented 10 Mrs b.. one morning on the
anniversary Of their marriage. deIicatoly
heading the paper as below, leaving her % GIL
out the blank:
"rt cHARAcfEE OF HEs.-
II mean to give you my idea Of a woman.
If i al al answers an original shall Be
pleased, for if such person as | would des-
cribe really exist She must be far superior 10
my description, and such as / must love too
well 70 be able 70 paint as / ought
She is handsome; but Il is beauty not
arising from features, from complexion or from
shape; she has all three in high degree. but
il is not from these sho touches the heart; il
is all that sweetness Of temper, benevolence,
innocence and sensibility which face canuot
express, that forms her beauty.
She has a face that Just raises your atten-
ton at first sight; il grows on you every mo-
ment, and you wonder It did no more thah
raise your attention az first
Her eyes have a mild light, but they awe
you when she pleases they command, like
good man out Of Office, not BY authority, but
BY virtue.
Her features are not exactly regular that
sort Of exactness is more 70 be praised than
TO be loved for It is never animated
Her stature Is not tall she is made to be
the admiration Of everybody, but The happi-
ness Of one.
She has all tie frmncss that does not ex-
clude delicacy; she has all the softness that
does not imply weakness
"There IS often more Of the coquetto shown
in an affected plainness than in taEdry fine
~. She is always clean, without preeiscness
or aaeetation. Her gravity is gentle thought.
fulness that soilens the features without dis.
composing them. She is usually grave.
" Her smiles are inexpressible.
Her voice is a low, soft music, not FORM
ed 10 rule in public assemblies, but TO charm
those who can distinguish company from a
crowd; il has this advantage you must como
close 10 hear it.
To describe her body, describes her mind
One is the transcript Of the other. Her un-
derstanding is not shown in the variety Of
matters, it exerts itself on, but in the good
ness Of the choice she makes. She does not
display it 50 much in saying or doing striking
things, as in avoiding such as she ought not 10
say or do.
"She discovers the right or wrong Of things
not by reasoning but sagacity: most women.
and many good ones, have a closencss and
something selfish in their dispositions; She
has true generosity Of temper; the most
extravagant cannot be more unbounded IN
their liberclity, the most cautious in the dis
tribution.
No person Of 50 fsw years can know the
world better no person was ever less corrup-
ted By that knowledge.
Her politeness seems rather to flow froma
natural disposition 10 oblge, than from any
rules on that subject, and therefore never fails
to strise those who understand good breeding
and those who do not
"She does not run with girlish eagsrness
into new friendships, which, as they have no
foundation in reason. serve only b multiply
and embitter disputes: il IS long before she
but then il is fixed forever. and the
hours Of romantic friendship are not warmer
than hers afser the lapse Of years.
As she never disgraces her good nature by
severe reflections on anybody, 80 she never
degrades her judgement by immoderate or IN
praises, for everything violent is contrary to
her genileness Of disposition, and the evenness
Of her virtue.
She has a steady aud firm mind, which
takes no more from the female character than
lie solidity Of marble does from its polish aud
ustre
"She has such virtue as makes rs value the
ruly great Of ourow sex: she has all the vim
hing graces that makes rs love even the faults
ne see in the weak aud beautiful Of hers"
An have been-or could be unto thee,
Others may be in thy sojouming here;
Thy voices wonders wake their ecstacy
Thy glorious mind make mind in them appear;
Til th0u bciievest all thy soul unites
With the impassOned one that thrills before thee.
Ind leeist thy fancy FIRE with fresh delights,
As her fresh heart but listens TO adore thee.
Ind then, withdrawn within thYself again,
To high communion with al good thOult wdkcn.
Ind strength will then, us Il Of old would, reign,
And wild compassion for the last forsaken.
While each IN turn viii from affection pass,
Is when the sand Is run we break the glass;
'he world Of Love once compassed IN this breast,
ln idle fragment strewn amid the rest.