The Argosy — page 374: what you’re looking at

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

/ 354 On the Value of the Rare. it in two senses: for, by allowing himself only art occasional con- templation of its beauties, he retains the freshness of feeling, the warm delight, with which he first viewed the treasure he has made his own. Great wisdom lies in that curtain, great value in beauty not habitually disclosed. The rare 1s no less precious in another aspect. Much of what we understand by fascination of manner depends on variety. Shakspeare gave this crowning grace to his Cleopatra. ‘¢ Age cannot wither ker, nor custom stale Her infinite variety.” The constant, set smile becomes, after a time, quite as wearisome as the downward aspect of melancholy. The soft, smooth speech of the habitually complaisant, as tedious as the prosing of the grumbler. It is the rare smile, flashing hke a sudden gleam of sunlight over the thoughtful countenance, the tender shadow as from an Apmil cloud, darkening the aspect for a moment and then passing away,.that allures the bright, elastic Spint, lending itself with ready adaptability to every good and every emotion, that charms. To refer again to Lessing, he defines the charming as the ‘transitory beautiful,” that we wish to see repeated. “It comes and goes,” he says, ‘and as what gives us the idea of movement impresses us more easily and in a more lively manner than mere form and colour, so, by the same rule, must the charming affect us more strongly than the beautiful.” JOO @ COLMA SS (CO)