> 
3792» Srom Isabella to Albert. 223 
She smiled, and said, “ Yes, Isabella, I thought. you 
would not forget what I had said ; and were you not 
a very good girl, or if I had any occasion to punifh: 
you, I fhould now have a good opportunity of do- 
ing it, by refusing to grant your request at this 
time ;. but since you are so very good, you fhall be 
immediately indulged.” I could not omit this com~ 
pliment, you know, because one always withes to 
- fhow that they are thought. well of by those they 
esteem. 
“Long before Lavater was bere said Mrs D.. 
** mankind, in every country, had found out that 
there was a certain undescribable something which. 
gave to the human countenance a charm. that was in 
the highest degree interesting. Sometimes the plain- 
_ mest set of features by pofsefsing this ye ne scat quoi, as 
the French term it, became so excefsively pleasing, 
that those who looked on them could hardly take 
their eyes off; and continued to admire, more and 
more, every time they beheld that countenance,. 
which at, the first glance they thought homely ;. 
while it as often happens that the most brilliant com- 
plexion, joined to the finest features, which inevi- 
tably, attract the attention at the first glance, convey 
such an ungracious exprefsion, as not to admit of 
being viewed for any continuance of time, without 
a very unpleasing kind’ of sensation. Now, my 
dear, I with to know which of these two. countenan- 
ces. - you would say is most beautiful,—that which 
you. could look at for ever with increasing pleasure, 
-—or that which you was obliged to turn from in 
fhort time with disgust > aus Garis y,. said I, ¢ I 
