124 from Isabella to Albert. Nov. 28. 
' fhould think the first the most beautiful.” “I am 
glad of it, my dear; for in that case yoy would 
much rather with to be like the first, homely, but 
engaging, than like the /ast, brilliant, but disgust- 
ing.” Will you believe it, Albert ?—I could not 
here give my afsent without hesitation.—That abo- 
minable word, HOMELY, stuck in my throat; and 
had it not been for the dreadful word, piscusTING, 
I fhould perhaps have hesitated longer: but pulling- 
up all my resolution, I at length answered, ‘ Most 
certainly.” Mrs D. I could observe, remarked my 
embarrafsment, by a significant smile, which, I could 
easily feel, brought a flufh into my countenance 
that quite disconcerted me; but taking no far- 
ther notice of it fhe went on. 
“ This je ne scat quot, which you may have heard 
so often in the mouths of foolifh people, is nothing 
else but that exprefsion of the mind which infallibly 
and indelibly marks the countenance of every hu- 
man being. If all within be calm, serene, and mild, 
whatever be the form of the features, the counte- 
nance will afsume a serene, and mild, and beneficent 
exprefsion, which comes to be more and more striking, 
and more and more engaging every time it is view- 
ed; but if, under the fairest outside, be lodged a | 
maind tormented with enyy, puffed up with pride, 
elated by vanity, or distracted by unruly pafsions, 
these hateful affections will soon come to leave in- 
delible traces on the countenance, which the finest 
fkin cannot conceal, nor the most beautiful arrange- 
ment of features overcome. Agreeably to this no- 
tigh, the poet justly says, 
~~ 
