The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-08
Handsome Women,

J
but skin deep" but there are many: old
proverbs which will not stand the test of
intelligent analysis, and this is among.
the number. Beauty but skin Deep.
quotha! Why,if beauty consisted sim
ply and exclusively in the matter OF COM
plexion, the wise saw would still be an
absurdity; for fine complexion depends,
not ON the skin itself, but on the circula,
tion and on the general healthfuiness OF
the mysterious processes which are gong
on below it. A. beauty with the jaundice
is beauty no longer; but this is not by
reason of the uninviting color OF her
skin, but because of the hillary derange-
ment whereof that color is only the
symptom. Besides, who has not seen
women who We're really beautiful without
having what are called fine compilations,
and women who were really ugly with
them So far as the saying conveys q
general impression of the superfciality OF
mere good looks, and of the foolishness,
as a matter of philosophy, of regarding
them as of any weight in comparison
with the mental graces, it may be acccp-
ted as reasonable enough; but concretcly
considered-if we can so consider gu
pcrfcies-the provcrb is as fat and un-
profitable as it is, beyond all question,
stale.
The older men grow the more apt they
are to see beauty in woman's figure
rather than in her face. Your youngsters
will bow down and worship before q pref
ty face mounted on broomstick or a
pair of tongs, but so will not your prac-
tticed connoisseur of forty. Experience
teaches so thoroughly the value of health
that its outward manifestations become
more and more valuable as the eye is
trained to detect them. Thus, it often
happens that middle-aged man will gaze
with wonder at skinny, dyspcptic-lcok-
ing girl, perceiving that she is exactly
what her mother was before her, and un-
able to comprehend how on earth it was
that ho himself was in love with that
mother twenty years ago. .He may be
more prosaic, perhaps, chan OF yore; but
depend upon it, he is more appreciative.
His ideal now would be much more
hcalthful and harmonious creature, and
probably much better tempered one,
than his ideal was then-which is very
strong argument against early marriages.
No doubt there are other things worth
weighing in wife besides mere physical
health; but if for the sake of posterity
alone, mere physical healthiulness goes 8,
great way. Now, although health and
beauty may be found dissociated, their
eternal tendency is 10 unite, intcrminglc,
and to attain to ideal perfection together.
sculptors and Psychologists know this,
sometimes through study and sometimes
by the instinct of genius; and the more
cultivated the average man or woman,
the more clear and definite the impression
in them which is intended to serve one OF
the most positive as well as one of the
most beautiful purposes of the creation.
The women OF America are growing
more and moro handsome every year for
lust this reason They are growing
'rounder of chest, fuller of limb, gaining
substance and development in every di-
rection. Whatever may be urged to the
contrary, we believe this to be a demon
strable fact. We have been so much ac.
customed to hear dismal moans over
dyspepsia and the heat Of stoves, bad
food and bad habits of life generally, that
an impression of degeneracy finds place
in many minds, and the proposition, there
fore. that American women are visibly
growing handsomer, may at first provoke
/. q good deal of dissent. We believe, how
ever, that reflection and observation will
endorse and sustain.it. The change may
he, less marked among the poorer classes
and may be more prominent in the chict
centres of population and refinement
but that it has taken place, is progressing
and is probably destined tavorably to at
feet the community at large we have moi
the least doubt. When the rising gene
ration of American girls once began te
wear thick shoes. to take much. exercise
in the open air, to skate, to play croquct
and affect the saddle, il not only began
to grow moro wise, but more healthful
and-which must follow as the night the
day-moro beautiful Wealth indubita
bly, has tendency to produce refinement
for reason or through causes which hero
need no elaboration; simultaneously, un
less it's privileges are abused; it also tends
to induce both health and symmetry
Poor immigrant women, whose figures
and faces arc alike misshapen and I'M
brutcd, furnish us with plenty of sad il
Illustrations Of the effect Oh their SEX Of
mingled poverty and toll. We have seen
some OF these wretchcd creatures whose
very scmblance to humanity seemed well
nigh crushed out of them. of course
there are exceptions. Sometimes we sec
an excessively handsome girl come of pco.
pie miserably poor; and rice reraa, peer,
ing out of sumptuous carriage the taco
of young Gorgon. But as arulo, where
wealth and leisure and consequent cul.
turo exists, health and beauty naturally
follow in the second generation. The
beauty of the women of the English arls'
tocraey is world famous, and deservcdly
so; and it has been attained by tho pro-
q II IL u