The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-11-06
MISCELLANY.
RIyZZ//I1.le =.
From the London Magazine.
The retatire advantages of Beauty

and Accomplishments.
These are the qualities which, in civil
lied countries, lift women from the
subordinate ranks of life to share the
splendour of their lovers, give them an
ideal empire over the feelings and opia-
ions of the multitude, exaltthe triumphs
and enloyments of their youth, and in
proportion as their tenpers incline to-
wards thankfulness or repining, soothe
or aggrayate the decline of years which,
when once 6 the purple light of love-
has ceased to CLEAN, rapidly bring on
that period, when no woman can fasci-
nate. and no man will hatter.
The old age of beauty has been,
to many moraiists, theme of pity-and
much argument has been expended, to
prove to woman, that beauty is a frail
and frivolous advantage-that the mind
should be the proper object of self-es-
tination, and that the homage attracted
by mere personal chran1s, is neither 10
be sought, priced, nor regretted ly a
sensible woman.
All this the fair aspirant for admira-
ton readily admits TO be very just and
very true, as general position; bat
when she looks abroad into the world,
she must inevitably see how little what
is termed good sense, that is, the per-
ception of what is reasonable and lust,
has to do with the regulations of the
feeling and afections-and feelings and
affections make up all the Happiness or
misery of woman.
Men who will talk and act very SEN
sibly on commerce, art, or political E.
economy, when they unbend in female
society, (by the way, if they have led
secluded lives, they often mistake the
mark, and stoop too low to meet the
level of female apprehension are gen
orally duped by such petty contrivan-
ces of female vanity and cunning, as
are grossly apparent to woman Of a
lofty mind. Nonsense, and even i'll
natured nonsense, when uttered by rosy
';ns, while gracefully turned head a
uorI,d with glossy ringlets inclines in
real or aH-cted bashfulness, will gene
Fahy ara" ave. the attentive ear from
good sense, spoken ny a lady little gift
ed with charms of person or manner
A candid Judge of human nature would
not, therefore, pronounce girl to be
quite fool, were she to exclaim. s.
do not want to be sensible /. want to be
happy"
Now happiness is almost always a re-
fected quality. Women, especially, are
happy in proportion to the interest they
excite in others-therefore, since all
persons have eyes and hearts for beau
ty, and very few possess a delicate per-
ception of the graces of highly cul-
tiyated mind, or know how to appreciate
excellence in the various branches Of
that elaborate system of modern female
education, which tends to make lady {
walking, and, alas, too often talking
encyclopedia, we earnestly RECOMMEND
to our fair friends, asslduously TO try t
be as handsome as they can.
Let not, however, those female rea
ders, who honour our pages with thei
perusal, imagine that we address our
selves with any exclusive recommends
ton of fine forms. clear compilations
or even the first bloom of youth, am
condemn TO despair the short, the brown
the clumsy, or even the mature ii
years. When we commend beauty, W.
speak no. as artists, Of delicate colour
ing and accurate proportion-we meal
to imply the quality Of being pleasing
in the eyes Of men--a primitive ant