Page:Original stories from real life 1796.pdf/72

Rh the morning, if you expected that beautiful feathers ſhould point out the ſongſtreſs: many who inceſſantly twitter, and are only tolerable in the general concert, would ſurpaſs her, and attract your attention.

I knew, ſome time before you were born, a very fine, a very handſome girl; I ſaw ſhe had abilities, and I ſaw with pain that ſhe attended to the most obvious, but leaſt valuable gift of Heaven. Her ingenuity ſlept, whilſt ſhe tried to render her perſon more alluring. At laſt ſhe caught the ſmall-pox—her beauty vaniſhed, and ſhe was for a time miſerable; but the natural vivacity of youth overcame her unpleaſant feelings. In conſequence of the diſorder, her eyes became ſo weak that ſhe was obliged to ſit in a dark room. To beguile the tedious day ſhe applied to muſic, and made a ſurpriſing proficiency. She even began to think, in her retirement, and when ſhe recovered her ſight grew fond of reading.

Large companies did not now amuſe her, ſhe was no longer the object of admiration, Rh