-headed
horde, ever at the heels of fair faces for ignition, and up starring
away at a hint of tearfulness; excepting further by chance a solid
champion man, or some generous woman capable of faith in the pelted
solitary of her sex, our temporary world blows direct East on her
shivering person. The scandal is warrant for that; the circumstances of
the scandal emphasize the warrant. And how clever she is! Cleverness is
an attribute of the selecter missionary lieutenants of Satan. We pray to
be defended from her cleverness: she flashes bits of speech that catch
men in their unguarded corner. The wary stuff their ears, the stolid bid
her best sayings rebound on her reputation. Nevertheless the world,
as Christian, remembers its professions, and a portion of it joins the
burly in morals by extending to her a rough old charitable mercifulness;
better than sentimental ointment, but the heaviest blow she has to bear,
to a character swimming for life.

That the lady in question was much quoted, the Diaries and Memoirs
testify. Hearsay as well as hearing was at work to produce the
abundance; and it was a novelty in England, where (in company) the
men are the pointed talkers, and the women conversationally fair
Circassians. They are, or they know that they should be; it comes to the
same. Happily our civilization has not prescribed the veil to them. The
mutes have here and there a sketch or label attached to their
names: they are 'strikingly handsome'; they are 'very good-looking';
occasionally they are noted as 'extremely entertaining': in what manner,
is inquired by a curious posterity, that in so many matters is left
unendingly to jump the empty and gaping figure of interrogation over its
own full stop. Great ladies must they be, at the web of politics, for
us to hear them cited discoursing. Henry Wilmers is not content to quote
the beautiful Mrs. Warwick, he attempts a portrait. Mrs. Warwick is
'quite Grecian.' She might 'pose for a statue.' He presents her in
carpenter's lines, with a dab of school-box colours, effective to those
whom the Keepsake fashion can stir. She has a straight nose, red lips,
raven hair, black eyes, rich complexion, a remarkably fine bust, and she
walks well, and has an agreeable voice; likewise 'delicate extremities.'
The writer was created for popularity, had he chosen to bring his art
into our literary market.

Perry Wilkinson is not so elaborate: he describes her in his
'Recollections' as a sple