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Article AMABEL VAUGHAN. ← Page 2 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Amabel Vaughan.
a story evolved from the depths of my inner consciousness , and based solely upon imagination for my facts , I could draAV the characters just as I liked , ancl I think I would make my heroine rather plain than pretty . At all events , she should be nothing more than passable in aj > pearance , because all your heroines now-a-days are good looking , and a right down ugly one would be a novelty . Charlotte Bronte , it is true , made tbe heroine of her best known novel plain ; and Miss Broughton , in her charming stories , sometimes makes the supposed writer little and insignificant , yet as a rule all the heroines are surpassingly lovely , and all the heroes gallant and distinguished looking . D _____ D _ D
And after all , it is only following tbe good old rule of the fairy stories of our youth , where the beautiful maidens ahvays marry the enchanted Prince , or the King of the Golden Castle , and live happy ever after . No doubt the idea was taken originally from the simple and touching stories of Holy Writ—for Rebekab Avas beautiful , so was Rachel , and Leah was tender eyed . David Avas of a ruddy countenance ancl well favoured , and Joseph Avas comely . Saul Avas a head and shoulders above any of his people , ancl Avas
therefore deemed a fit man to be king ; ancl here the worship of pure physical strength ancl manly vigour , so much in vogue amongst tbe writers of tbe " Guy Livingstone , " and " Ouida " school finds its beau ideal ,- —whilst Daniel and the Three Holy Children Avere all types of physical ancl intellectual excellence . So , as the heroes ancl heroines of the Bible were for the most part described as beautiful exceedingly , of noble countenanceancl gifted beyond the general race of menit came to passno doubtthat
, , , , in the old legends and myths of the East , ancl the romances of the West , that physical beauty shoidd be looked up to ancl reverenced for itself alone , and accepted as a proof of inner excellence ancl mental superiority . Perhaps it Avas so hi the old time ; but there are sceptics now-a-days AVIIO think that
Avith the figure of a Hercules , and the face of an Apollo , a man is not necessarily a paragon of all that is splendid and noble ancl of good report . That , in fact , your sixfoot exquisite , who looks like a Duke , is often rather a fool than otkenvise , and that your classic beauty—a Venus in looks—Avhen you come to talk to her , sboAVS that , save her face , there ' s nothing in her . But beauty is the attribute of Avonian , as strength is that of man , and one has met lovely women , clever and intellectual to a degree , SAveet tempered and low-voiced , and worthy to be placed on a pinnacle—to be immortalised by poets , ancl painted by artists , —and such an one Avas Amabel Vaughan when I first knew her : this by Avay of preface . NOAV for mv tale .
"What absurd nonsense , you are tallring , Marcus ; just as if Amabel cares a steuv for you . Why , my dear boy , half the fellows she , knoAvs about town are madly in love Avith her already , and she has only been in London a month , I believe . The speaker , Mr . Reginald Fitzgerald , briefless barrister , connected Avith the Press ( though , by the way , nobody knew on what paper he was employed ) , was standing Avith Ms back to the fire—or rather the fire-place , for 'twas the middle of summer—in Ms
own room in Gray ' s Inn , and Ms friend , Marcus Seaton , Avas seated in an arm-chair opposite , impatiently tapping the table near him with his dainty cane , as he listened to the mild exordium addressed to him b y Ms " friend and pitcher . " "NOAV I tell you what it is , old fellow , " Fitz continued ( Marcus Seaton thus familiari y called liim , ancl so Avill we ) , " I see you are going to fall in love with the httle minx ; ancl I solemnlbid bewareYou remember Longfellow ' s little
y you . poem , "Beware , " a translation from the German , by the Avay . A friend of mine , Noel Robinson , has wedded the words to simple but very effective music ; I have the song bere , you shall hear it ; and Fitz sat CIOAVU to the piano and dashed off a feAV chords , find then sang , no doubt for his friends edification : —
I knoAv a maiden , fair to see , Take care ! She can both false aud friendly be , Beware ! beware ! Trust her not , She is fooling thee !
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Amabel Vaughan.
a story evolved from the depths of my inner consciousness , and based solely upon imagination for my facts , I could draAV the characters just as I liked , ancl I think I would make my heroine rather plain than pretty . At all events , she should be nothing more than passable in aj > pearance , because all your heroines now-a-days are good looking , and a right down ugly one would be a novelty . Charlotte Bronte , it is true , made tbe heroine of her best known novel plain ; and Miss Broughton , in her charming stories , sometimes makes the supposed writer little and insignificant , yet as a rule all the heroines are surpassingly lovely , and all the heroes gallant and distinguished looking . D _____ D _ D
And after all , it is only following tbe good old rule of the fairy stories of our youth , where the beautiful maidens ahvays marry the enchanted Prince , or the King of the Golden Castle , and live happy ever after . No doubt the idea was taken originally from the simple and touching stories of Holy Writ—for Rebekab Avas beautiful , so was Rachel , and Leah was tender eyed . David Avas of a ruddy countenance ancl well favoured , and Joseph Avas comely . Saul Avas a head and shoulders above any of his people , ancl Avas
therefore deemed a fit man to be king ; ancl here the worship of pure physical strength ancl manly vigour , so much in vogue amongst tbe writers of tbe " Guy Livingstone , " and " Ouida " school finds its beau ideal ,- —whilst Daniel and the Three Holy Children Avere all types of physical ancl intellectual excellence . So , as the heroes ancl heroines of the Bible were for the most part described as beautiful exceedingly , of noble countenanceancl gifted beyond the general race of menit came to passno doubtthat
, , , , in the old legends and myths of the East , ancl the romances of the West , that physical beauty shoidd be looked up to ancl reverenced for itself alone , and accepted as a proof of inner excellence ancl mental superiority . Perhaps it Avas so hi the old time ; but there are sceptics now-a-days AVIIO think that
Avith the figure of a Hercules , and the face of an Apollo , a man is not necessarily a paragon of all that is splendid and noble ancl of good report . That , in fact , your sixfoot exquisite , who looks like a Duke , is often rather a fool than otkenvise , and that your classic beauty—a Venus in looks—Avhen you come to talk to her , sboAVS that , save her face , there ' s nothing in her . But beauty is the attribute of Avonian , as strength is that of man , and one has met lovely women , clever and intellectual to a degree , SAveet tempered and low-voiced , and worthy to be placed on a pinnacle—to be immortalised by poets , ancl painted by artists , —and such an one Avas Amabel Vaughan when I first knew her : this by Avay of preface . NOAV for mv tale .
"What absurd nonsense , you are tallring , Marcus ; just as if Amabel cares a steuv for you . Why , my dear boy , half the fellows she , knoAvs about town are madly in love Avith her already , and she has only been in London a month , I believe . The speaker , Mr . Reginald Fitzgerald , briefless barrister , connected Avith the Press ( though , by the way , nobody knew on what paper he was employed ) , was standing Avith Ms back to the fire—or rather the fire-place , for 'twas the middle of summer—in Ms
own room in Gray ' s Inn , and Ms friend , Marcus Seaton , Avas seated in an arm-chair opposite , impatiently tapping the table near him with his dainty cane , as he listened to the mild exordium addressed to him b y Ms " friend and pitcher . " "NOAV I tell you what it is , old fellow , " Fitz continued ( Marcus Seaton thus familiari y called liim , ancl so Avill we ) , " I see you are going to fall in love with the httle minx ; ancl I solemnlbid bewareYou remember Longfellow ' s little
y you . poem , "Beware , " a translation from the German , by the Avay . A friend of mine , Noel Robinson , has wedded the words to simple but very effective music ; I have the song bere , you shall hear it ; and Fitz sat CIOAVU to the piano and dashed off a feAV chords , find then sang , no doubt for his friends edification : —
I knoAv a maiden , fair to see , Take care ! She can both false aud friendly be , Beware ! beware ! Trust her not , She is fooling thee !