Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-04-24

What to depend, and let US leave as few |
loubts on this important point, Us the act |
u Edward Third on the crimes of High
Treason.
Dress should have the same relation to
The person, as style to the subject. We
derive from this principle all the rules of
the art which we propose to teach. It is
clear Tor example that the luxury of dress
should be IN proportion to rankand fortune;
whilst this proportion is followed, it is a
useful pOmp which supports tic industry of
the poor at the expence of the rich, and
every thing is in its proper place. A wo-
man of rank arrayed like the wife of my
FarmeT,Or the wife ofmy Farmer Ike a wo-
man OF rank, would be as ridiculous as
sublime thought in rhine, or the burden OF
ballad in Alexandrine verse.
We recommend to women who maintain
the first rauk by their birth and beauty. the
taste of an elegant simplicity. A subject
which is sufficient of itself, has no need of
foreign ornament, Art may :isligure the
finest torIn--it cannot hope to improve it.
But beautiful woman being the most beau
tiiul object Of beautiful nature. should adopt
a style of dress entirely Epict, but Epick
like the muse of Virgil, noble, modest, and
without the slightest mixture of tinsel. We
forbid her therefore, (aDd it is under the
penalties that belong to it) every species of
trlnket, in a word every thing which may
resemble the conc0iti' of modern litera-
ture. We exhort her to remember, that it
IS with dress as with expression, the most
simple is that alone which takes nothing
from the sublimity of the idea the most
happy is that which being confoundcd with
the idea cannot be perceived Its never
necessary to speak of beautiful woman's
toilet, 1t we conceive it impossible she
should be ever any thing but beautiful. AID
we must here render justice to the mnst ce-
lebrated beauties of England and France
we have met with, that their dress, of their
whole sex, has been the farthest removed
from rldicuIe aud study. The good sense
OF Della is shewn even in her garments
She does not appear either too negligent.
or too careful, but simple and decent, in
that just medium which is equally distant
from the exaggeratiOns of fashion, from that
singuarity which seeks observation, nr that
scOrnlul negligence which announces a
beauty too proud If her powers
Oar Precepts will be less severe to those
women who are only pretty, to those whose
charms arise rather from certain air.
spread over their whole person, than from
the regularity of their features or the digni-
ty OF their figure. We abandon to them all
the resources of the art, we will even par
don them the Inconsistencies which arise
from lively and playful imagination.-
These are subjects of fancy susceptible of
all the charms, which the magic of style.
the variety of tones can give. Let them
initiate IN their attire sumetimes the taste
of the sonnet, sometimes that of the 7nudri-
gal or Tondeau, all the lesser graces. Let
the young FIavia be their model, the care
her toilet is not indeed her most impor
tant business, but il is the sweetest of her
amusements. However brilliant her attire.
we never see in IL any thing unnecessary
the Characters OF her face supports all the
pOmp with which she is surrounded. If she
owes to her jewels any lustre which she
would not have had without them, it NAV
also be said, that she gives them in return
a grace which they woald have sought in
vain elsewhere.
There IS third \ Ter of women whom
L shall beg leave to distinguish by the name
OF neuter faces these women are neither
beautiful nor ugly, and tneir only merit
consists in little delicate figure, with live
~, sparkling eyes--All that | can do for
them is to permit them to initiate in their
dress that brief, lively and natural turn
which should characterize the Egigraa--
nothing more.
After having thus determined what be-
longs To the three classes of 10Y igir coun-
trywnmen who are permitted te make use
oi ornaments, viz. those who are beautiful.
those who are pretty, aud those who hold
certain medium between ugliness aud beau
~, | add that this privilege is limited b.
common sense 10 a certain number of
years, after which term it must be regarded
as void. Arrived at that degree VI lafi-
tude, where there are no more favorable
winds, il is time to gain the first port, and
lower the sails.
have now reaches the most melancholy
division Of my subject, and / tremble a;
the displeasure which the freedom If nv
rema ks may bring on the. Can however.
avoid speaking--and sneaking without re-
gard to the consequences which may arise
from it My subject leads me-, and / mus,
not dissemble. There is elias. of wome,.
who are the truth must come Out ugiy ;
class, greve to say il, so numerous that
am forced to treat II with sort of rieOr. Il,
spare It not only the scorn of the public.
but rs Indignation, and what is still more
dreadful, ridicule without measure. Lrtlt
then be forbidden every ugly woman to de-
part from the humble characters of progp.
aud that TOO the most simple. Every effort
she can make of any Other Kind viii only
carry her to the blrtesgle--to a clumsy and
aughable parody.
An ugl woman should avoid every thing
which may draw on her the eyes Of those