The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-16
when Arc Women Most Lovely,

When Are Women Most Lovelyt
We have received from a young lady
question which is 30 interesting and invites
our consideration of theme so delicate and
delightful that We arc fairly forced to an
swcr it at length. This Is what she writes:
"siR. viii you be Kind enough to tell me- are young
ladies considered more lovely, and thought prciera
bic at the ages II rom eighteen to twenty two or from
twenty-five to twcnt, Ave or six You Will understand
me- mean do men most admire them "B"
Before proceeding to our answer, let It's
thank our lovely friend for rciraining from
any attempt TO bias our Judgment by giving
even hint of her own age. She probably
thought that If she did SO, natural gallantry
might lead us away from n cool, judicial
view of the subject and tempt us TO give the
preference TO the types OF madcnly beauty
which appear IN young women Of her con
fcssed years. And we do not deny that such
might have been the ease As it is, we are
left entirely in the dark as to the class to
which she herself belongs whether she is
between eighteen and twenty-five. or be-
tween twenty-five and twenty-five; and so
we are able TO answer her question on its
intrinsic merits.
l4oNtlllltSS III Wolluu lupuEu IL may NulN
in its character and manifestations at diff
ferent periods Of life, is not the property of
youth only. There is great and undenia
Bile charm in the fresh beauty of eighteen,
to which inexperence and early romance
lend perhaps additional fascination. pretty
girl Of that age. who has been untouched by
care and who knows Of the world through
Imagination only, is very delightful OBJ
jet; and many men may wish they might
take captive her first affections.
Between eighteen and twenty-five. the
changes of n girl, so far as the charms Of
her person go. are not likely to be great; but
In that time, by longer intercourse with So
ciety and by natural development she may
grow moro companionablc for men OF ma
turity, and her carriage and self-control be-
come better aud greater. Those are import
ant years in young woman's life, the
years during which, in our climate, the ma
jorty Of the sex are married. And yet from
twenty-five TO twenty-five or twenty-six. u
maiden may and generally does still further
advance In attractiveness and add to the
store Of her charms She is still young but
she has outlived many youthful fancies, and
feels some Of the dignity OF womanhood
| No utlt"I hktS litu llpS' III n ihuNt'h NV
and never Is she lovelicr.
But why stop at twcnty-six? What fairer
women are to be found than many OF those
between twenty-six and thirty. and even
| older? Girls Of eighteen may look on them
as unsought old maids, and yet they are in
their womany prime, and may capture
| hearts which have been steelcd against girl
ish destinations. Oftentmes they make the
best Of wives and men find solace and
companionship in their society which imma-
turty cannot give. They have the advan-
tage Of experience, and they have learned
the lessons taught by longer contact with
the world while still thoy may not be
averse to falling in love.
No. we assure our fair friend. IL IL not
that woman Is eighteen, or twenty-slx, or
| thirty, which makes her lovely In the eyes
OF men. She may be just as lovely at one
age as the other; but inasmuch rs most
| marriages of women occur between the ages
she mentions, IL is safe 10 assume that the
majority Of men prefer TO take wives who
are not older But all men of taste and dis
cernment admire feminine beauty and love
illness whether they show themselves in
budding youth or ripper maturity; and we
will dare assert that II our correspondent
was really charming at eighteen, she will be
more so at twenty-six, or that il she is now
lovely at eighteen she ought 10 be loyeller
at the greater age.
But let her give no further thought TO the
subject. The beauty that is unconscious is
the most allurng, and lovellness which ex-
ercises its sway without apparent effort is
sure TO make the best conquest This we
say In full confidence that the multitude Of
weddings which are to take place in the
period after Easter will confirm the truth
Of our words. Let US hope that before
another return Of this delightful season
our fair correspondent will be selecting hcr
bridal outfit, having found by happy per
sonal experience that we have wisely an
swered her important question.