The care of dressing, and tricking me out for the
market, was then left to Phoebe, who acquitted herself, if
not well, at least perfectly to the satisfaction of every
thing but my impatience of seeing myself dress'd. When it
was over, and I view'd myself in the glass, I was, no doubt,
too natural, too artless, to hide my childish joy at the
change; a change, in the real truth, for much the worse,
since I must have much better become the neat easy simplicity
of my rustic dress than the awkward, untoward, taudry finery
that I could not conceal my strangeness to.
Phoebe's compliments, however, in which her own share
in dressing me was not forgot, did not a little confirm me
in the first notions I had ever entertained concerning my
person; which, be it said without vanity, was then tolerable
to justify a taste for me, and of which it may not be out of
place here to sketch you an unflatter'd picture.
I was tall, yet not too tall for my age, which, as I
before remark'd, was barely turned of fifteen; my shape
perfectly straight, thin waisted, and light and free, without
owing any thing to stays; my hair was a glossy auburn, and
as soft as silk, flowing down my neck in natural buckles, and
did not a little set off the whiteness of a smooth skin; my
face was rather too ruddy, though its features were delicate,
and the shape a roundish oval, except where a pit on my chin
had far from a disagreeable effect; my eyes were as black as
can be imagin'd, and rather languishing than sparkling, ex-
cept on certain occasions, when I have been told they struck
fire fast enough; my teeth, which I ever carefully perserv'd,
were small, even and white; my bosom was finely rais'd, and
one might then discern rather the promise, than the actual
growth, of the round, firm breasts, that in a little time
made that promise good.
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