Page:Language of the Eye.djvu/70

52 The whole world is forgotten in the emotion caused by the proximity of him she loves. We remember an instance of a lady darting into the field of battle, to seek the body of her husband; shot and ball flew around her, but all spared her to perform a work of joy. The lovely Artemisia, daughter of Xerxes, went in the middle of the night to the camp of Leonidas, to ask his permission to seek the body of her betrothed one. Many such instances could be quoted, for devotion is a principle with her. Woman occasionally sinks into the most incurable melancholy, or rises to the most enraptured excitement. The feelings of man are more reflective; those of woman more hearty, whole, and impassioned. When communicative, she is more communicative than man; when secret, more secret. In general she is more patient, long-suffering, credulous, and benevolent. Man singly is but half human; and until the golden union, they are but parts of a single nature. Shakespeare speaking of Blanche, says:—

The eye of man is the most firm; woman's the most flexible. Man's moves more direct and steadfast; woman's more gentle and waving. Man's surveys and observes; woman's glances. Man is serious; woman is joyant. Man's eye is more often dark or brown; woman's blue and grey. The hair of man's eye-brow is more abundant, strong, and loose; woman's finely pencilled. The eye-brows of man are compressed; of woman less frowningly. Man has most convex lines; woman most