Page:Language of the Eye.djvu/67

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OF THE EYE.
49

angels participate, when the rapture of love or joy has taken possession of woman's heart; then, in the fulness of her nature, the unrestrained emanations of her soul are seen delineating themselves on the painted windows of sight; her spirit seems to hear, to speak, to see, to dance, and revel in its spangled hall. Then comes the swelling and beating of the sphere of sight against its casement; it undulates and lights up, rendering to lovely woman a fairy-like characteristic. This radiant beaming is not lasting, but like its own sweet owner, it plays its moment on the surface, then darts away to make place for other influences.

Moore says:—

Oh! what a pure and sacred thing
Is beauty, curtain'd from the sight
Of the gross world, illumining
One only mansion with her light.

Unseen by man's disturbing eye,
The flower that blooms beneath the sea
Too deep for sun-beams doth not lie,
Hid in more chaste obscurity.

We agree with those philosophers, who consider that woman is much more pure, tender, delicate, excitable, affectionate, flexible, and patient than man—the primary matter of which she is constituted being more flexible, irritable, and elastic than that of man. She is formed for affection; all her nature is tender, yielding, easily wounded, sensible to every influence. Woman was taken out of man, to be subject to man, to solace him, and to lighten his cares by her presence and sensibility. Perhaps woman is inferior to man in general, but superior in particular.

Otway says:—

Angels were painted fair to look like her:

In her there's all we yet believe of heaven—