Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-05-19

An American View Of British Maid, and
WntrOtL

One day a lady whom | had had the
pleasure of taking in to dinner in a
country house near London, and whom |
had oon found to be one OF those simple
minded, good-natured, truth-telliug wo-
men, who are notably COMMON in Eng
land, spoke to me about some ladies who,
on q previous day, had attracted her
attention, adding 81 knew they were
Americans How ?' | asked. ooh.
We always know American womcn,'
" But how. pray2' She thought a mo-
mcnt, and answered by their beauty
they are almost always pretty, if not
more-by their fine compilations, and by
their exquisite dIcss," did not
tell her that | thought that she was
right but that she was 50 | had by that
time become convinced, And vet |
should say that the most beautiful wo-
men | had ever seen were English wo-
men, were it not for the memory Of the
French women, 4 German, and a Czech.
But the Latter three were rare exceptions.
Beauty is very much commoner among
women of the English race than among
those of any other with which am &C.
qualnted and among that race it is com
moner in America than in England. |
saw more beauty of face and figure at
the first two receptions, which | attended
after my return than | had found among
the hundreds Of thousands of women
whom | had seen in England.
The types are the same in both coun-
Fri but they seem to cOmenear to per
fec.ion much oftener here than there.
EeAuty of feature is, however, some,
times more clearly defined in England
than here. The mouth in particular,
when it is beautiful, is more ~statuesque.
The curves are more decided, and at the
junction of the red of the lips with The
white there is a delicately red outline
which marks the form of the feature in a
very noble way, This may also be said
of the nostril, 1t gives a chiseled effect
to those features which is not so often
found in America but the nose itself
the brow and the set and carriage Of the
head are generally finer among Ameri-
cans. In both countries, however, the
head is apt to be too large for perfect
proportion. This is a characteristic de.
feet Of the English type OF beauty. Its
effect lis seen in Stothard's figures, in
Etty's, and in those of other English
painters. Another defect is in the
heaviness of the ]articulations. Really
fine arms are rare, but fine wrists are
still rarer. Such wrists as the the Wen
noise women have-of which ! saw a
wonderful example in the Viennoise wife
OF a Sussex gentlemen--are almost I'M
known among women of English race in
either country. 1t is often said, even in
England, that American ONE have
more beautiful feet than English women
have. This | am inclined to doubt. The
feet may be smaller here, and they gener.
ally look smaller because English women
wear larger and heavier shoes. They are
obliged to do so because they walk more.
and because Of their m0ister climate.
But mere smallness is not a beauty in a
foot more than in any other part of the
body, 1t is said by some persons, who
by saying it profess to know, that nature,
prodigal Of charms to English women in
bust, shoulders and arms, is chary Of
them elsewhere, and that their beauty of
inquire Is apt to stop at the waist, Upon
this point ! do not venture to give an
opinion; but | am inclined to doubt the
Judgment in question upon general
physiological principles. The human
figure is the development of a germ and
it is not natural that, whatever may be
the case with individuals, the TYNE Of a
whole race in one country should present
this inconsistency. Possibly those who
started this notion were unfortunate in
their occasions Of observation and com
parison.
Much has been said about the com
pleXlon Of the women of England. which
has been greatly praised. | have not
found 1t exceptionally beautiful. 1t is
often fresh, oltener rudy, but still
oltener coarse. A delicate, fnely-prad-
uated bloom is not common. The ROSY
cheeks when looked at closely are often
streaked with fine lines and notified with
minute spots Of red and the white is
stLll ottener not like that of a lily, or
better, OF a white rose, but Of some much
coarser object in nature. 1t is true that
in making these odious comparisons
cannot forget certain women, too com.
IN America, who seems to be COM
posed IN equal parts of mind and leather.
the elements Of body and soul being left
out so fan as is consistent with existence
IN human form, But such women are
also to be found in England, although
perhaps IN fewer numbers than here.
As to dress, that, as a man, | must re-.
gard as a purely adventurous and an es.
sentialIy u%nimrortant matter. / feel.
therefore, that ! am saying very little
against. English women, when | saw
that, in general, they are the worst.
dressed human creatures that | ever saw
except, perhaps, the female half of n
class Of Germans. The reputa.
ton that they have in this respect among
+ french women and Americans is richly
deserved. Good taste is simply absent.
The notion OF fitness, congrliitv and
" confederation accordingly does not
exist. In form, the English woman's
dress Is dowdy, in color, frightful. If
not colcr-blind, she seems generally 70 he
blind to the effect Of color, either sipglv
in combination. At the Birmingham
festival saw a lady in a itch, red.uur.
pie Opium color silk-high around the
neck OF course, as it was morning-and
over this swept a necklace of eDormeus
coral beads. 1t made ones eyes ache to
look at her. This was not nncommon
but a characteristic instance. Such com
binations may be justly regarded as
the rule in English women's dress. For
they have strong liking. They
not only wear it in gowns, but lhey
use 1t for trimming, in bands and
.hounces, in ribbons, in feathers. Tbny
combine it with all other colors. An
English woman seems to think herself
made if she can deck herself in some
way with purple or silk velvet, or rib
bons or feathers. OF course am ey.
from these remarks a few who
have intuitive good taste, and other Eew
who employ French modistes, and who
submit implicitly to their AUTHORITY
The latter condition is essential. for
when the main body of an English
woman,s dress is in good taste she is yerv
apt to destroy its effect by some incon.
gruous addition from her stores of hete.
rogeneous jewels, or by some other orna.
!nent q collar, a cape, a fchu or a rib.
bon, They have a sod NOV &c u,