The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-02-19
nea.,p-1,. ra,se to ,coman.

Beautv-Ifs False to ,eomas.
trrom "Physiolou Of Woman" by Dr.. A. n. IIayes.l
An old Grccinn poet, famous for his
love of the sex, or, In the words of Martin
Luther, OF women, wine, and song, has
/ said that beasH isto woman what swift,
ness Is to the deer, and strength Is to the
lion, or something to that effect (for I re-
member not the precise words); and In
deed 1t would be difficult to exaggerate
the power OF femele lovcllncss. 1t has, In
gone-by ages, enabled women to subdue
the very subduers of the world. As long
rs the sex possesses II, they can get along
without the suffrage. ...
An English writer on the subject OF the
reproductive organs says, In describing
the sort of woman to marry. I'll have
been often asked, Shall I (other things
being equaD marryfor beautyT answer
Yes; II you can get your beauty to ac-
cept YOU" Let ugly people talk as they
may about intellect, and the evancscent
charms of mere outward comellness, still,
some degree of beauty Is, II not the first,
certainly the second requisite in most
cases to happy married life. Says Sid
ncy Smith, allow exquisitely absurd to
tell girls that beauty Is Of no value, dress
of no use! Beauty is Of value; a girls
whole prospects and happiness In life may
often depend upon new gown or becom.
Ing bonnet; and, II she has five grains OF
common sense, she will find this out.
The great thing Is to teach her the just
value, and that there must be something
better under the bonnet than q pretty
face for real happiness. But never sacri-
flee the truth"
1t would be curious inquiry, perhaps
worth pursuing, whether. even among
the lower classes, comely looking
woman was ever il-used by her husband,
except when he was drunk. In state OF
nature, we find that animals select the
most perfect forms for their mates, thus
instinctively providing for as perfect spe-
cies as posi- Die. 1t would be well In many
respects, IT. ibis example were more close
ly followedyy human beings.
/ have submitted the above remarks to
clever unmarried woman, and she has
favored me with several additional obser-
vations OH the subject, Of which l gladly
avail pys4f& Almost ths first thing q
girl hears IN thc nursery, Is, that beauty
soon fades, and that ugly girls are as
much valued rs handsome ones, but, on
their first step over the threshold into the
world, a woman discovers the fallacy of
this early teaching; and I perfectly agree
with Sidney Smith, In his remarks upon
personal beauty rs affecting the destiny
of women. Comeliness of form and beau
ty of feature ought not to be despised, rs
they arc the gifts of God. Milton repre-
sents Eve as the embodiment Of female
lovcliness. Sarai, the wife of Abraham,
was n fair woman to look upon; and Ra-
chel, Jacobs bcst.lovcd wife, was bcauti.
full and 'wcll-favored.'
1t is, however, very difficult to define
In what beauty consists. IL Is more a
kind of pleasure conveyed to the mind of
the beholdcr than any special personal
attraction of form or figure. All ages and
nations agree In worshippng beauty OF
some sort or other. We sec 1t portrayed
In pictures and statues and one Of the
great reasons for supposing that 1t Is con-
sidered desirable In the eyes Of man, Is,
that where II does not exist, women fre-
quently try to supply It's place by artificial
means. It's said that Madame do Stael
would have given up all her fame and re-
nown TO have been rs beautiful as her
friend, Madame dc Rocca; and doubt II
we should have felt the same degree Of pity
for Mary. Queen OF Scots, had she been
as ugly as her lllustrious rival, Elizabeth.
1t is, however, rare to meet with rery uS-
ly women.
A mere set of features, however bcauti-
f,il In form, seldom please an educated
man, unless they arc lighted up by good
sense and good temper. A man soon gets
tired OF the pretty child-wife. Amer
twenty-five, the bloom of youth begins to
fade, and yet what Is called beauty often
lasts for years; so that, In u general way,
Il Is the mind and the morals that In a
great measure influence the appearance OF
women. anu hcighten their attractions In
the eyes of men and however much
they may try to conceal or deny It, yet /
believe there Is inherent In every woman's
heart. n wish to be pleasing and agreeable
to the other sex. Much of the happiness
In welded life depends mainly upon the
woman. She should be the sharer Of her
husbands joys, and the comforter OF his
griefs. She was made for him, and he for
her; and her privileges as his companion
are great and many. Now, what kind of
woman,in general way, Is most capa-
bic Of heightening his joys, and lcssenlng
his sorrows? ... ... ID
Bulwer 1.ytton has summed up what n
man wants In wife. He wants a eompan-
ion. He does not want singing animal,
nor dancing animal, nor drawing AMI
mal,-and yct.these last three accomplish
ments have cost many women years OF
painful toll TO acquire; aud they offcn
marry man who cannot appreciate any
one Of them. Amer forty, few women can
sing and few care to dance. What man
looks for most In the chosen companion
OF his heart aud home, Is that she should
have added to pleasing exterior, we'll
cultivated mind. Let her have also the
~sns sana IN eorpors sano, good health and
good temper; for what We call happiness
depends very much upon the temper and
the state Of the dlgcstlon,-and much