Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-31
THE EYES.
urxrxua ABOUT WHAT rsxNowN AZ
TERRIBLE EYE&
go xsesuds- zen wAoss Locks Havs
Been rsarss-For Darling
Fyss.

-.,,ia references in poetry and prose-,
800 The ace OF writing books began,
wb;ch have been made 10 the eyes, or 10
thsir ORIGINAL property. long ere history
bscan. or being language oil which ~
vas unnecessary TO learn even the rudl-
mepts More ink has been expended on
the snbiect OF the eyes than on any
royt;on OF the human face divine. and
they may claim 10 be IN this respect tne
aristocraiy OF the human features iee
for all the very secondary place II ,akes
in literature. the nose might claim some
similar homage, for, as speclhc 'est' J.
NAV be asked how greatly Is tho face Oh
q pretty woman made or narred by Der
nosep Still. If one may be permitted 70
be frivolous. il must DC admitted that, rs
regards the monopoly Of literary atten-
tion, the eyes have 1t.
In this paper ii is not our intention 10
iaunch out on the boundlcss ocean OF
the consideration of eyes IN general.
Nor do we wish to dilate on such oil
them as have been famous for fasclna-
tion. beauty, pathos, or brilIIance, 80 as
10 secure the homage Of crowd oil al
mirers. But we propose to note some
instances Oh ~ ILOiV Kim NSN'N
ence. which has not found 50 many
chroniclers, and 10 recall to memory
some eyes which have been terroris's OF
the most complete fashion within VIDE
sphere OF operation.
IL is not within the scope OF the sub
iect necessarily TO 90 very far back INTO
the dim regions of time. One might
glance st the historic eyes oil Calus
Marius. glowing from a dark recess IN
Abe irresolute assassin, and the famous
spostrophe. But il IS unnecessary to go
% far back.
Start We with conqueror whose gaze
was Ike that of the basilisk as pictured
in legend. but who had none OF the
physical advantages which such quality
implies. In TamerlaDe-who furnished
Christopher Marlowe, now Just properly
recognized as the founder OF the English
tragic school, with the epithet derived
from his successful tragedy, which was
his so5riqvot-there is an instance OF
every outward deficiency OF imposing
accessories combining with the faculty
of terrorism in the widest degree. The
French travellers and quasi ENJOYS, who
saw him surrounded by the barbaric pomp
of his camp, were impressed 10y many
things but by mono more so than the
aspect of the wild conqueror, which had
nothing in it of the romantic or dlgnl-
fed. An old man, bowed with the IN
firmities of age, they saw and especially
noticed the bleared and dim expression
of his eyes. But they sill more par
ticularly noticed the effect which those
dim eyes bad when their slow glance fell
on the fierce chieftains, each of them
man in himself, terror to a crowd OF
followers. Nothing was to be seen IN
their mien but abject trembling, absolute
obedience, and an unvarying relief when
Tamerlane turned his purblind gaze
away.
In this case the long habltude of COM
mand and of victory was blended with
the air of unquestioned and constant
authority, cold tranquility, behind
which lay innumerable possibilities OF
vengeance in the assertion of such au-
thority, making those dim and aged eyes
in that weakened face terrible in the ex-
treme. But their effect was objective.
The wild leaders, who were the great men
of Tamerlane's army, troubled them
selves with nothing beyond the fact that
from the face of despot, who went
about his work in the rudest and most
summary fashion there gezed in dull,
stern vacuity pair OF eyes which saw
Nothing TO praise. asked no ques-
tions. but were memorable in noting any
disobedience to the slightest whim.
Now, in the next instances-and chro-
= a mint of
der here-the same terror was evoked,
but from a more subjective reason. Two
men possessed eyes whose cold glance
seemed to read the schemes OF any op-
ponent from their inception to their
completion, and whose recollection
haunted those on whom they had been
turned for years aiterward-as in each
case contemporary witnesses have LETT
ON record-even when no result OF
any injurious character followed.
One of these was Richelieu. Probably
no man ever ruled kingdom more
despotically, yet, on the whole, moro
successfully, when surrounded from first
TO last by multitude of enemies peren-
nially increasing. vet in every case fooled
by the Minister'S giant intellect. Yet
very much OF this success was due to the
idea that Richelieu knew far more than
he actually did of the conspiracies OF his
foes. and that, therefore, it was useless
10 plot against him beyond certain
point Certain it is that when he en-
tered the council room and gazed with
cold, fixed glance on the most as
tute plotter who was there for exam
ination, the most hardened and in
qenious conspirator, for whom the tor
ture-chamber had no terrors, covered
under the silent scrutiny, and ultimately
poured forth full confession under the
idea that a great part. If not all,
was already known-and did so simply
under the mesmeric power OF those
much-feared eyes OF the Cardinal. 10
have been under the hostile gaze, no
word or sign added, of Richelieu was
to secure memory which for
years after gave the possessor OF 1t,
however changed the scene and circum-
stances might be, a thrill OF most I'M
pleasant personal fear. And very
analogous case within the memories of
our own time can be adduced. Ii is that
of man who certainly, as far as per-
sonal advantages went, was every inch q
king. With herculean frame and in
heri.ed beauty of manly features, he had
that dignity which, as was noticed by
another royal hand, seemed to spring
from the sense OF unlimited power,
which the same observer mentions
rs particularly characteristic OF the
large full eyes. 1t is of those eyes
that we have more to add. Not only
did they imply long experience OIL
unlimited sovereignty, but they spoke IN
toner Of terror TO all those on whom they
were bent in anger. For those who
were intimate with the ways of the Rus
sian Court have unanimously recorded
how much OF influence in the shape o.
absolute tear there was in the eyes OF
the Emperor Nicholas He looked at cul-
prits, or suspected culprits, with his slow
stare OF anger, and the unhappy wretches
Al