Beauty is as crystal in the torchlight, sparkling on the poet's page;
Virgin honey of Hymettus, distilled from the lips of the orator;
A savor of sweet spikenard, anointing the hands of liberality;
A feast of angel's-food set upon the tables of religion.
She is seen in the tear of sorrow, and heard in the exuberance of
mirth;
She goeth out early with the huntsman, and watcheth at the pillow
of disease.
Science, in his secret laws, hath found out latent beauty;
Sphere and square, and cone and curve, are fashioned by her rules:
Mechanism met her in his forces, fancy caught her in its flittings,
Day is lightened by her eyes, and her eyelids close upon the night.
Beauty is dependence in the babe, a toothless tender nursling;
Beauty is boldness in the boy, a curly rosy truant;
Beauty is modesty and grace in fair retiring girlhood;
Beauty is openness and strength in pure high-minded youth;
Man, the noble and intelligent, gladdeneth earth in beauty,
And woman's beauty sunneth him, as with a smile from heaven.