the sweetest radiance in woman's eye. All seasons and times prove her excellence and distinction; but none so much as the shade of affliction and scenes of woe. It is not surprising her soul should express itself in a very different manner to that of man; there it sits, as a lady in her bower, singing soft songs of love and charity. Look upon the windows of her soul-those beautiful orbs will tell sweet history and romance. Oh! what a depth of witchcraft lies In the small orb of one particular tear: What rocky heart to water will not wear? "Of all the passions of woman," says Richeraud, "love has the sway, and all other passions are modified by this, and derive from it a peculiar cast, which distinguishes them. from those of man." Fontenelle used to say, "with woman man is more than a nation." "Love," says Madame de Staël,"is but an episode in the life of man, but the whole history of the life of woman." In regard to personal expression, we may acknowledge we do not believe its perfect demonstration can be seen until the passions have arrived at maturity, and held holy councils, and adopted their idealities; then, sweetened by the accession of love, the person assumes the modest and charming features of womanly beauty: yes, then her soul seems to have arraigned every sense to attend its great enthronement, and shines midst spiritual light, intellectual fervour, and the exquisiteness of materialism: then ensues that sweet enthusiasm of action, which goes hand in hand with the graces, and woman is enshrined in the highest glory of earthliness. Sensibility in woman is greater than her understanding; the involuntary play of the imagination than its regulated combinations; and passion is generally of the gentler kind, rather than resolve or determination: she has more activity than force of thought, and her nervous powers are more frequently disordered than man's. Woman would trust for endless years; to man she tells her heart, and lays before his oft regardless mind jewels of countless value, the secrets of her soul, its parian innocence, its glistening life-like love, and all its hopes and fears, its joys and woes. To her the presence of the man she trusts is the presence of an angel, from whom she withholds none of the wild delights and ponderings which оссиру her reveries. She even regards man as the minister between her and the supernal kingdom. There have been times, when overtaken by some temptation, and dizzy in the midst of abandonment, conscience presents to her some one of the apparitions of eternal beauty; she hastens to confess her sin and suffering; she goes to the anointed of the Church, and undraws that curtain, which screens from the common eye all the infinite genii, who are her tempters; her eyes, suffused in woe, are hidden by the beautiful lids, and she believes he will be her saviour from the magic spells. Often she describes to him the indwelling agony which has taken possession of her soul, in its contests with the spirit of holy love. She recites the woes her waywardness has created, and in maddening horror, in direst penitence, she asks the way to Heaven. CHAPTER IX. EXPRESSION, AS INDICATIVE OF CHARACTER. THE expression of the eyes, even in the same subject, will not always give the same indications, although the scene and circumstances may be exactly the same. The same circumstances, with persons of even the same temperament and age, will not always affect the eye alike, owing to short sightedness or some other defect. An extreme state of guilt, with habitual vice, will sometimes hide and coil itself so far within the heart, that the eye does not reveal all which is passing and purposing there. But a few glances from the eye of a man of sound heart and mind, will generally convince him whether the mood of mind apparent in the eyes is natural, or temporary and artificial. The leading features of the mind cannot long escape the strict and intelligent observer, i.e., whether there is prevalent and habitual vice, or a delight in virtuous duties; and even what is the leading vice or active virtue. We consider the intentions may be most readily detected by the innocent and the most intelligent; and, although the tongue may declare differently, it rarely evades the searching spirit of innocence. The youthful Prince Arthur soon detected some hidden purpose in the mind of Hubert, who was commissioned to put out the eyes of the prince. The reader will remember that interesting colloquy, commencing-" Are you sick Hubert?" See Act IV., scene 1, of King John. If this is so, how important is it for those who are busily engaged with men with whom they must often deal at first sight; how important for the physician, the divine advocate, or the counsel examining witnesses and watching the countenances of juries, to have some rules and signs to aid their acute judgments. It is true, the conscience is a light which will burn; and, although its owner may cover it with all sorts of vapours and delusions, yet this holy and imperial dynasty is not to be wholly ruled by man; but ever and anon its lurid sparks may be seen glittering and glistening in the mirrors of the soul to obey the commands of Deity. Doubtless the mouth takes a considerable share in expression; yet the mouth does not observe, but merely communicates. Some have thought the mouth more influential in expression than the eye; but whilst we believe it possible that some instances might be given where the mouth is far more communicative than the eye; and, that if the eyes in the portraits of some persons were hidden, the observer would more readily detect the likeness, than though the eyes were shown and the mouth hidden; yet such cases are rare, and it is to be remembered the features were intended to act together, and not separately. We suspect Van Hamburgh would have been torn to pieces by the lions and tigers, if his eyes had been hidden; doubtless all his features aided him in ruling those mighty monsters. As well might the arms say, they were independent of the legs or feet, as one feature declare its indifference to the existence of another. The form of man was furnished with exact provisions, equalities, and dependence, so that every part might be most healthful and delighted, when acting in concert with every other part. It is amongst the principles of nature that the exercise of any function realizes power and development; and as such power and development increase, they render a particular and permanent expression; and the more the eye or any other organ is stimulated and excited, so as to be reflective of the mind, the more will be the development of the organ. Whilst we shall contend the eye takes the lead in expression, we must admit the other features (especially the mouth) bear the stamp of passions, of genius, of intelligence, and incapacity; and it is the brain, acting through the nerves, which animates the muscles of the nose and the mouth. For ourselves, we insist, the eye only expresses by dictation of the brain, and, indeed, is the brain. This is especially evinced, where the eye has practised any feeling, although it be but artificial and affected. Amongst the great writers on this subject, may be named, Magendie, C. Bell, Camper, Berkeley, and the very celebrated Cuvier. But the vivacity of nature; the variety of temperament and idiosyncracy; the influence of education and climate; food and clothing; sciences and tastes, all influence the expression of the eye. It sometimes assumes a climatic stamp; indeed, the eye of man, like the colour and quality of flowers, varies in various climates, so much so that most learned philosophers often halt, and avow themselves puzzled, and even confused, as one looking on a dizzy cataract of waters. The eye occasionally seems to defy the criticism of fellowmortals, and to say I also am divine, and will not be searched into, except by my Creator. We must say no more on this part of the subject, as we have promised to write in a popular manner; but for this we should delight to explain the nature of sensation, sympathies, and synergies, and explain direct sympathies in variance with cerebral sympathies; and, although all these subjects appear very technical and tedious, we would again assure the reader, the more they are investigated the greater will |