The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-05-04
MISCELLANY.
FEMININE PALACES
AND BEAUTY.
FROM SARaAANT's NEw MONTHLY,
.ISCELLANY
BY Mas. EDITH AUSTIN.


does not secretly wish to press beauty
Al which shrine does she kneels with
most berVent devotion I The shEiier-
ed constitutions and feeble frames Of
many q feuale, who, still in her prime
signs over the fast fading charms she
would despair At in hermirFor, answers
the question. And yet are health ADD
beauty .Sin sisters. The fountain Of
one isthe source Of the other. Who.
ever impresses the feminine mind with
the conviction that this is not the case
Of one guilty Of positive injury to the
sex.
Il is belief that the Editor Of the
New Magazine, to which these remarks
are communicated, takes a real and
active interests in the welfare Of his
countrywomen that 1 am induced to
make his periodical the medium OF
exposing some perniciOus fallacies
respecting female health and beauty,
which have obtained circulation in one
Of the popular Magazines for February.
My desire is 10 contract the influence
of these grossly erroneous opinions,
which might otherwise be to the delri.
ment to many a fair and gifted being,
whose chief Goible is her too high esti-
mate Of beauty.
As / have much respect for the
Lady Editress, under the sanction Of
whose name currency is given to these
lallacious opinions, | hope she will
not mistake the spirit in which my an
imadversions are made. An article
ia her Magazine which processes to in
struct females now to. obtain the largest
quantom Of health and beauty, pro-
nounces cold baths, 10y which is gem
orally understood bathing or rather
washing in cold water,) deleterious to
beauty, and sometimes prejudiciaI to
health. We quote the following from
her periodical +:
"Cold bathing rarely agrees with
slender and delicate females"
Gas cosmetics; cold baths are only
useful to women Of a full and sanguins
habit, and even they ought not to EN-
ploy-unless Infatuated 10 it from a
very early a9e-water at temperature
much below that Of the body. In 9th
er cases il always contracts the skin
hardens il, aud renders it sealy."
"Bathing in the open aif and swim
ming from viii h health and medicine
derive sometimes the most happy e.
feels, gradually discOlor the skin"
Washing the face with cold water
ret, especially destroys the freshness
Of the skin and face"
Here beauty IS avOwedly preferred
to health. the young are taught that
what decidedly benefits their health
will impair their loveliness by being
detrimental 10 their compilations. The
application ofcOld water 10 the surface
OF the whole person, which, men Of
science assert, guards the body against
the variability Of climste-Opens the
pores Of the skin-remoYes obstruc-
tions-invlgorates the frame, and pro-
duces healthy circulation Of the blood
lis eschewed as hardening the skin
and discoloring the complexion :
What doctrine could be more hurtful
to a sex, who esteem beauty as one
Of the most enviable Of possessions
who habitually neglect their health as
OF little moment, and thoughllessly
transgress the most important physical
laws to crafty vanity or obtain pleas
ure
Experiences proves, that cold wa
ter preserves the freshness, heightens
the bloom Of the complexion, while
tepid gradually withers the skin.
Physicians prescribe, as a means
Of restoring or retaining the health Of
the most delicate and even consump-
live females, daily ablutiOn Of the
whole person in cold water, followed
by friction with a course towel OF
hair gloves. This practice should be
resoried to daily and without any in
PERMISSION, even in winter weather, BY
every female, who has any cOnsidera-
ton for health and cleanliness, or who
wishes TO preserve her personal charms
/ have repeatedly observed the high
" beneficial effects ofthis habit upon
the most fragile constitutions. DR..
| Combe recommends delicate persons
to mingle vinegar with the water ia
which they battle. When there is ar
"adding sense Of chilliness, which
the coarse towel will not remove then
there is danger he says, that the per
son may not possess sufficient vitality
| to derive benefit from cold bathing
Still, snch individuals should not Omi
the daily use Of water from which tn
chill has been removed.
A very little reflection IN regard ic
the quantity Of moisture insensibly
but momenlsrily, exhalsd from th'
skin,wiu at once show the extreme ne