Even the most simple and unsuspicious of the female sex have (God
bless them!) an instinctive sharpness of perception in love
matters, which sometimes goes the length of observing partialities
that never existed, but rarely misses to detect such as pass
actually under their observation.--_Waverley._
Her accents stole
On the dark visions of their soul,
And bade their mournful musings fly,
Like mist before the zephyr's sigh.
_Rokeby, Canto 4._
She sung with great taste and feeling, and with a respect to the
sense of what she uttered, that might be proposed in example to
ladies of much superior musical talent. Her natural good sense
taught her, that if, as we are assured, "music must be married to
immortal verse," they are very often divorced by the performer in a
most shameful manner. It was perhaps owing to this sensibility to
poetry, and combining its expression with those of the musical
notes, that her singing gave more pleasure to all the unlearned in
music, and even to many of the learned, than could have been
communicated by a much finer voice and more brilliant execution,
unguided by the same delicacy of feeling.--_Waverley._
Like every beautiful woman, she was conscious of her own power, and
pleased with its effects.... But as she possessed excellent sense,
she gave accidental circumstances, full weight in appreciating the
feeling she aroused.--_Waverley._
There was a soft and pensive grace,
A cast of thought upon her face,
That suited well the forehead high,
The eye-lash dark, and downcast eye;
The mild expression spoke a mind
In duty firm, composed, resign'd.
_Rokeby, Canto 4._
The rose, with faint and feeble streak
So slightly tinged the maiden's cheek,
That you had said her hue was pale;
But if she faced the summer-gale,
Or spoke, or sung, or quicker moved,
Or heard the praise of those she loved,
Or when of interest was express'd
Aught that waked feeling in her breast,
That mantling blood in ready play
Rivall'd the blush of rising day.
_Rokeby, Canto 4._