For he was pleased to be sure that his judgment had not been warped
in the matter by the irresistible prejudice in favour of a beautiful
girl. And had he seen Paolina first, he could have had no such
assurance. In truth, the poor Venetian painter's orphan child was
very beautiful. It is little to the purpose to attempt a detailed
description of her beauty; for such descriptions rarely, if ever,
succeed in conveying to the imagination of a reader any accurate
presentation of the picture, which the writer has in his mind's eye.
She was dark. Hair, brows, eyes, and complexion, were all dark; and
the contour of the face was of the long or oval type of
conformation--very delicate--transparently delicate--more so, the
Englishman thought, not without a pull at his heart-strings, than
was quite compatible with a due daily supply of nourishment. Still
she did not look unhealthy. At seventeen a good deal of pinching may
be undergone without destroying the elastic vigour of youth.
But the chief and most striking charm of the beautiful face was
unquestionably imparted to it from the moral and intellectual nature
within. There was a calm and quiet dignity in the expression of the
pure and noble brow, which may often have been seen in women of
similar character, and of some twenty-five years of age. But it is
rare to find such at seventeen.
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