Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-30
EVENING STAR.
8 II A I L T E ET

"omen are mistaken when they suppose a
small loot an element of beauty. A foot should
bear just proportion to the figure II too
| large it argues coarseness, and gives a heayi.
ness to the maDner-the person labors with
| cumbrous platform beneath him, which en-
| tirely forbids ease and grace Of movement A
large foot, however, argues a certain honesty
OF character. We are sure Audrey had large
feet; We know it instinctively when Touch.
stone interrupts his discourse with the melas-
choiy Jacques to say "bear your body more
seemly, Audrey"
Large feet imply stability. A man who il
jealous in his temper should marry a woman
whose feet are large; such are generally keep
ers at homo, and modest withal-they are not
given to gadding-their feet abide in their
house
Large feet are incompatible with genius or
the finer shades Of character They have
natural and inveterate planting to the earth,
which is not favorable to the flights of fancy,
or the delicate observances of sentiment
They are apt to have also an unseemly scuff,
and what country people call q |" keehuck"
sound, because of their weightiness Such per-
sons, also, who have large feet are apt to wear
the shoe down at the heel-in other words. to
go siip-shod-a thing unpardonsble and mon
strOus in such a one, albeit dainty foot may
he very taking thus carelessly sandaled But
the experiment is hazardous to make.
- w men bWlIt Ceulliia scOofs The pldln,''
and the country maiden scarcely starts the
dew from the grass as she trips" along, we
are sure their feet are small, for large feet
cannot "trip" hence, when Touchstone says
"Trip, Audrey, trip" We know it is in
mockery
Large feet are apt to send the toe up into
the air while walking, in most uns eemly wise.
They cannot
"Dance so footingly
Observing tune and time"
On the contrary, they are apt to lag behind
the measure, like the laugh of dullard be-
hind joke
Noman requiring speed would send large
footed meSsep ger because of the delay caused
by the difficulty which such pe,sons find in
overcoming SO much force of gravity; there
fore "fOOt-hot' was goodly phrase Of the
olden time to signifv speed, and Mercury is
we'll symbolized with wings upon his feet
Indeed, as the form of the foot fixes the des-
tiny of an animal, so the size of the foot is
fair index to character.
We do not like feot too small for the height
any more than we like one too large. A small
foot indicateth coquetry. Cleopatra's foot
must have been small and finely arched, or
she would never have done as described by
Enobarbus
al saw her once
Hop forty PAGES through the public street"
No woman ever did or would have done the
like but with the consciousness Of great per-
lection in the feet.
Antony sends her pearls, saying:
"The Arm Roman to great Egypt sends
This treasure Of an oyster: at whose feet,
To mend the pretty present, will piece
Her opulent throne with kingdoms
No man aludes to a womsn's foot in any
way if he loves her, unless it be beautiful.
Uermione, on the contrary, had a firm, we'll
proportioned foot, betokening majesty. When
she enacts the statute scene We sure she
had well-sized foot
ooh. royal piece,
There's magic in thy majesty
is the exclamation of Leontes.
A woman will never enact the part of a
statue if conscious Of an i'll foot, unless her in
tellectuality may have perverted her instincts,
as in the case of Madam de Stael, who at one
time personated in this way; and Tallyrand,
if we mistake not, offended her past retrieve,
by saying he knew who it was by the pes des-
tai, (pedestal,) a terrible pun where the feet
and ankles are ill shaped.
Desdemona, 0phelia and Cordelia, must
have had long, slender feet, which 20 more
with sentiment than with magnetism or genius.
Miranda, on the contrary, had elegantly pro-
portioned feet, worthy the chaste Diana her
self. Then, too, Kate, dainty Kate, the sharp
shrew, the pretty vixen, had a little arched
foot, graceful and elastic as the spring of the
tigers. When Petruchio says,
"why does the world report that Kate doth
limp
it was a delicate commendation Of her foot
still more when he says,
UDid ever Dina so become grove
As Kate this chamber with her princely gait"
Tennyson hath a delicate eye for a foot
when he represents Ida in this wise:
"She stood
Among her maidens higher by the head,
Her back against pillar, her foot one one
or those tame Ieopards Kitten like he rolled
And paved about her sandal"
And again, describing the retinue of the
princess climbing the rock in pursuit of min
erals, he says:
"Manv light foot shone like jewel set
In the dark crag !"
Women with large feet never like to climb
the hills.
The sentiment of beauty is less in size than
q certain litheness and elasticity. Light as
a fawn," Fleet as the greyhound" With
step like stag" are all pretty phrases, in
dicatipg the character Of the foot, which Is
the index to the whole woman.
Dress has a great effect upon the foot and
we fear very long dresses demoralZe it The
| long robe certainly destroys its elasticity We
like TO see the foot
Beneath the petticGats,
Pep out and in like little mice,
Which shun the lightn
That was very pretty in lover who saw
his mistress bathing her feet in brook, and
| wrote her,
"Do not fear to put thy feet
| Naked I'm the water sweet;
Fear not lizard, newt or toad