Nepenthe; A novel

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1864 Excerpt: ... it. With a cheerful " God bless you," you part, and every little bud of memory has had a fresh sprinkling of sympathy, and holds up its dewy head like a violet after a shower, perfuming the whole heart. So your life streams part again, and you old friends meet no more, and no white sails on life's wide sea shall ever speak return to you. Such a glad surprise to Carleyn was Mr. Selwyn's sudden entrance into his studio. As Mr. Selwyn walked around the room, he said, "My likes are not artistic. I am no amateur, yet I think I have some idea of a good portrait. Were I an artist, I would always send portraits of handsome subjects to public exhibitions. People are apt to think more of a handsome picture than a very correct one. They will pass by admirably executed portraits of plain faces, and linger before some handsome picture with glossy hair, brilliant eyes, and ruby lips. For myself, I am often more interested in a plain face than a mere handsome one. A fine expression flashes more wonderfully over plain features. Every face that shows the soul best, gets to bo handsome to us. I have heard many an eloquent man speak who had a most awkward physiognomy. I have listened until the highest admiration for such powers of mind revealed by pen and tongue so associated the soul with the face, and the face with the soul, that the individual, in spite of long nose, large mouth, dull eyes, looked well. ' I wouldn't alter that face if I could,' I say. I like its individuality. The lips are ennobled by the words they utter, the eyes beautified by the soul they reveal. There are people so good and noble, in spite of plain features, we call them floe looking. Handsome homely people they are. There is a queer, quaint, striking contrast between these roughly-mou...