The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-12-08
NO. 6.
From "CaStgc and AadaluSla,
The Women Of Spain.
BY LADY LOUISA TENSION.

Ou tue Aidmeud OF puOHC Hdlh VI
Malaga such variety of eolors meet and
dazzle the eye as to make the stranger at
once conclnde that, whatever attractive
qualities Spanish women may possess
taste in dress cannot be considered among
them. The most striking novelty on first
landing in Spain is the naant1<[G or black
veil, which is generally worn, although
here and there bonnets are creeping IN,
and Spanish women are sacrificing the
only becoming peculiarity they have left,
in order to intimate the fashions of their
neighbors. There is an elegance and
dressy appearance about the mantilla
which create surprise at its having been
adopted by other nations; and the Span
iards could only be made to feel how un-
becoming bonnets are to them, the rich
masses of whose splendid hair prevent
the bonnet being properly worn, they
would cherish the mantilla, as comforting
on them peculiar charm in which they
are safe to fear no rivals. J. know that
l shall be accused of insensibility and
want Of taste, when confess that my first
disappointment, on landing in Spain, was
the almost total absence of beauty amongst
the Spanish women. Poets have sung of
Spain's dark glancing daughters, and
travellers have wandered through the coun-
try with minds SO deeply impressed with
the preconceived idea of the beauty Of the
women, that they have found them all
their imaginations so fully pictured, and
in their works have fostered, what can
not help maintaining is mere delusion
one of the many in which people still
indulge when they think and dream of
Spain. The women of Spain have mag
nifcient eyes, beautiful hair, and generally
| fine teeth; but more than that cannot be
said by those who are content to give an
honest and candid opinion. IhaVe rare
| ly seen one whose features could be called
strictly beautiful, and that beWitching
grace and fascination about their figures
and their walk, which they formerly pos
sessed, have disappeared with the high
comb which supported the mantilla, and
the narrow basquina which gave pecu-
| liar character to their walk. With the
change in their costume those distinctive
charms have vanished. The gaudy col
ors which now prevail have destroyed the
elegance that always accompanies black
in which alone. come years since, lady
could appear in public. No further proof
of this is required than to see the same
people at church, and on the Alameda,
with red dresses and yellow shawls, or
some colors equally gaudy, and combined
with as little regard to taste
Although | have not yet discovered the
beasty of Spanish women, l must say that
the 1IalagueniaHS are fairly entitled, in
all that does exist, to dispute the palm
with the Inhabitants of any other town
we have visited. There are some very
pretty faces, and very characteristic of
the Spanish countenance. They are gen.
orally very dark, and almost all have
that peculiar projecting brow which gives
to the face quite character of its own.
The women have universal custom of
putting fresh flowers in their hair. 1t
strikes one much, upon first arriving, to
see those of every class, even the poorest,
with some flower or another most grace
fnlly placed in their rich black hair; the
beauty of which is not little enchanted
by the bright red rose or snowy jessamine
contrasting so well with their raven tras-
ses. The hair is generally worn plain
curls being seldom seen, for they do not
suit the mantilla; and if flowers cannot be
procured, some bright ribbon is invaribly
worn as substitute. The love of bril-
liant and showy colors, appearing to form
ruling passion in the present day, offers
singular contrast to the fashion twenty
years ago, when a lady, who would have
ventured into the street dressed in any
thing but black would have been mobbed
and insulted by the people. Our first Wis
it to the theatre at Malaga confirmed my
impressions of the exaggerated accounts
generally given of Spanish beauty.