ry woman may attain to _negative_ grace, by avoiding awkward and
unmeaning habits. The incessant twirling of a reticule, the assiduous
pulling of the fingers of a glove, opening and shutting a book, swinging a
bell-rope, &c. betray either impatience and weariness of the conversation,
disrespect of the speakers, or a want of ease and self-possession by no
means inseparably connected with modesty and humility; those persons who
are most awkward and shy among their superiors in rank or information being
generally most over-bearing and peremptory with their equals or inferiors.
We are almost ashamed, in the nineteenth century, to say any thing
concerning personal neatness; but cannot forbear hinting, that clean gloves
and neat shoes aid the captivating powers of a lady much more certainly
than pearl ear-rings or gold chains--that clean muslin is more bewitching
than dirty _blond lace_--and that a pocket-handkerchief should be like a
basilisk, a thing heard of, but never seen; we mean in the capacity in
which our cold-catching, rheum-exciting climate calls it into action.

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SELECT BIOGRAPHY.

No. LVII.

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KARL THEODORE KORNER.

Korner is one of the poets of whom modern Germany is justly proud. His was
not the mere theoretic heroism which contents itself with celebrating the
deeds of others. His own conduct embodied the most noble conceptions of his
imagination, and his life and death exhibited a splendid example of the
patriotism which breathed throughout his verse. He was born at Dresden in
1791. His education was of the most careful kind. He was not only
instructed in various branches of learning, but the elegant accomplishments
of the fine arts were added, and the exercises of the body were not less
attended to than those of the mind. Called upon to choose some occupation,
he determined to apply himself to mining, and took up his residence at
Vienna, where he enjoyed the advantage of a familiar intercourse with
William Von Humboldt, the Prussian ambassador, Frederic Schlegel, and other
eminent literary and scientific men. Here, within the short space of
fifteen months, he produced a rapid succession of dramas, operas, and
farces, as well as several small poems. The success of his works obtained
him the appointment of poet to the court. He was now in the enjoyment of
all that could render life happy--competence, distinction, estee