The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Ss year, that she was tall and finely formed. Her hair was of a light auburn, which she habitually wore in massive tresses, and which, as they now floated beneath the simple straw- bonnet which she had put on for her ramble, formed a lus- trous framework for a countenance of the most interesting beauty. Her profile was faultless. The forehead was high, and dazzlingly fair, — the delicate tracery of blue veins being visible beneath the pure, transparent skin. Her nose was perfectly straight; the eyebrows, many shades darker than the hair, were finely arched. The large blue eyes had a soft and pensive expression; more beauteous eyes never sraced a female countenance. The lashes were darker still than the brows, and thickly fringed the lids. Nothing could excel the classic chiseling of the lips, which were of bright vermilion, and when the duchess smiled, those lips revealed two rows of teeth resembling pearls. The delicately rounded chin completed the oval of that beauteous countenance, — the complexion of which was chastely fair, with only the tint of the rose-leaf upon the cheeks. To gaze upon that charming face, to observe the goodness of disposition which the large blue eyes expressed, it would seem impossible that any man was possessed of a soul black enough to harbour evil thoughts against this lady. Indeed she possessed every charm of countenance and of figure, as well as of mind, to inspire admiration, love, and respect. The symmetry of Lavinia’s form was complete. Nothing could exceed the graceful arching of the neck, or the dazzling whiteness of the throat. The shoulders sloped gently, thus imperceptibly as it were blending with the arms. The bust was finely modelled, but modestly concealed by a dress with a high corsage, and this was the invariable style adopted by Lavinia, whose pure taste and delicacy of feeling would have revolted against any meretricious display of her charms. Elegance was the principal characteristic of her gait and carriage, though her height, rather than her bearing, in- vested her with a certain degree of dignity. ‘There was, however, about her none of that pride, much less that majesty of demeanour, which the imagination 1s apt to associate with the rank of a duchess. Indeed, to gaze upon her one would have thought that a less brilliant sphere would have far better suited her tastes and disposition; though it must not be inferred from these observations that she was GomilGdsooks (E@) m