Clearly a superior woman.--That is the way with female intellects
when they are good; nothing equals their acuteness, and their
rapidity is almost excessive.--_Frederick the Great._
Perfection of housekeeping was her clear and speedy attainment in
that new scene. Strange how she made the desert blossom for herself
and me there; what a fairy palace she had made of that wild
moorland home of the poor man! From the baking of a loaf, or the
darning of a stocking, up to comporting herself in the highest
scenes or most intricate emergencies, all was insight, veracity,
graceful success (if you could judge it), fidelity to insight of
the fact given.--_Reminiscences._
Meek and retiring by the softness of her nature, yet glowing with
an ethereal ardour for all that is illustrious and lovely.--_Life
of Schiller._
She was of a compassionate nature, and had a loving, patient, and
noble heart; prudent she was; the skilfulest and thriftiest of
financiers; could well keep silence, too, and with a gentle
stoicism endure much small unreason.--_Life of Schiller._
Her life was busy and earnest; she was help-mate, not in name only,
to an ever-busy man.--_Frederick the Great._
Peculiar among all dames and damosels, glanced Blumine, there in
her modesty, like a star among earthly lights. Noblest maiden! whom
he bent to, in body and in soul; yet scarcely dared look at, for
the presence filled him with painful yet sweetest embarrassment.
--_Sartor Resartus._
A bright airy lady; very graceful, very witty and ingenious;
skilled to speak, skilled to hold her tongue.--_Frederick the
Great._
Far and wide was the fair one heard of, for her gifts, her graces,
her caprices; from all which vague colourings of Rumour, from the
censures no less than from the praises, had our friend painted for
himself a certain imperious Queen of Hearts, and blooming warm
Earth-angel, much more enchanting than your mere white
Heaven-angels of women, in whose placid veins circulates too little
naphtha-fire.--_Sartor Resartus._
A tall, rather thin figure; a face pale, intelligent, and
penetrating; nose fine, rather large, and decisively Roman; pair of
bright, not soft, but sharp and small black eyes, with a cold smile
as of enquiry in them; fine brow; fine chin; thin lips--lips always
gently shut, as if till the enquiry were completed, and the time
came for something of royal speech upon it. She had a slight
accent, but spoke--Dr. Hugh Blair could not have picked a hole in
it--and you might have printed every word, so queen-like, gentle,
soothing, measured, prettily royal toward subjects whom she wished
to love her. The voice was modulated, low, not inharmonious; yet
there was something of metallic in it, akin to that smile in the
eyes. One durst not quite love this high personage as she wished to
be loved! Her very dress was notable; always the same, and in a
fashion of its own;--and must have required daily the fastening of
sixty or eighty pins.--_Reminiscences._
She had a pleasant, attractive physiognomy; which may be considered
better than strict beauty.--_Frederick the Great._
That light, yet so stately form; those dark tresses, shading a face
where smiles and sun-light played over earnest deeps.... He
ventured to address her, she answered with attention: nay, what if
there were a slight tremour in that silver voice; what if the red
glow of evening were hiding a transient blush!--_Sartor Resartus._