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8 with every possible aid; but never had he seen beauty so perfect, yet so utterly devoid of extraneous assistance. She wore a loose black stuff dress, up to the throat, and the folds simply gathered by a girdle round the waist; yet a more symmetrical figure never gave grace to silken robe. The swan-like neck nobly supported the finely shaped head, round which the hair was bound in the simplest manner. The features were of the first order: the high forehead, the oval of the face, the short, curved lip, gave the idea of a Grecian gem; and the clear pale olive, unbroken by colour—a melancholy, almost severe expression of thought, produced also the effect of the more spiritual and intellectual beauty of a statue rather than a picture. The eyes were peculiarly large, beautiful in form and colour; of that rare deep, soft black; thoughtful rather than animated; quiet, downcast, more than expressive; but it was not difficult to imagine, that, when their midnight depths were kindled, it would be the flashing of the lightning. There was something sad in seeing youth such a contrast to itself—a face whose beauty only was young.

With a bright changeful colour, a mouth whose smiles were in unison with the bright