The aroma and fragrance of new thoughts were perceptible in these designs, after three centuries of wear and tear.

The charm lay partly in their very imperfection; for this is suggestive, and sets the imagination at work; whereas, the finished picture, if a good one, leaves the spectator nothing to do, and, if bad, confuses, stupefies, disenchants, and disheartens him.
Hilda was greatly interested in this rich portfolio.

She lingered so long over one particular sketch, that Miriam asked her what discovery she had made.
"Look at it carefully," replied Hilda, putting the sketch into her hands.

"If you take pains to disentangle the design from those pencil-marks that seem to have been scrawled over it, I think you will see something very curious." "It is a hopeless affair, I am afraid," said Miriam.

"I have neither your faith, dear Hilda, nor your perceptive faculty.