The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-03-16
Rules for Beauty.

Several months since serial story,
by Allan Muir, ran through the Lon.
don Society, entitled "Lady Beauty
in which the heroine laid down num-
of rules TO enable ladies all to be beau
tiful forever without enameling, paint
ing or powdering themselves. Written
by beauty who, as she herself admits,
had become San elderly lady who ought
to be thinking of other things" they
carry an import that should not be lost
upon the class of inquirers who seem
only solicitous respecting their personal
appearance. The rules are printed for
their especial benefit:
Rule 1. A womans power in the
world is measured by her power to
please Whatever she may wish to
accomplish she will best manage it by
pleasing. A woman's grand social aim
should be to please.
1t is true, that Lady Beauty states,
that woman can please the eye by her
appearance, her face and figure. She
can please the ear by the art of graceful
speaking. She can please the minds of
Others by cult.vating her own, and she
can please the fancy by her woman's
wit, of which all women born have
a share. She can please the heart by
amia bility. By running over these
qualities it may be seen how small
part of woman's power attaches to
merely physical charms. This brings
ms to
Rule 2. Modesty is the'ground on
which all womans charms appear to
the best advantage. In manners, dress,
conversation, remember always that
modesty must never be forgotten
In connection with this rule ladies
need not confound prudery with modes
ty. They are two distinctive charac-
teristics, and also as widely separate as
virtue and vice.
Rule 3. So the woman's aim is to
please, and modesty is the first princi-
ple'in the art of.pleasing.
| Then follows a rule which Lady
Beauty deems very important, especially
ladies who have passed the age OF 40.
Rule A. Always dress up to your age
or little beyond it. Let your person
be the youngest thing about you, and
not the oldest.
1t does not require genius to appre
ciate the force of this rule. One needs
but to look about them to see the effect
of the gewgaws only appropriate to
blooming youth when worn by the
pasSe belle.
Rule 5. Remember that what women
admire in themselves is. seldom what
men admire in them.
Rule 6. Women's beauties are seldom
mems beuties.
Rule I. Gayety tempered by serious
ness is the happiest manner in society.
Certainly no sensible man will deny
that vivacity and sprightliness are
greatly enhanced by vein OF serious
ness. A woman can readily gain the
5 appelatlon of "rattle-head," unless her
wit and gayety are tempered with a
! certain amount Of gravity. Perpetual
, mirth soon pales the most ardent admir-
$ alton.
a Rule 8. Always speak low.
e 'Tis "an excellent thing in woman,
D says Shakespeare.
: Rule 9. A plain woman can never
}, be pretty. She can always be fascina
e ting if she takes pains.
S She who always tries 10 please viii
d not fail to be appreciated. We al
know the plain woman who is so ire
a sistibly fascinating. She always say
y the right thing at the right time, ant
g avoids rubbing the nap of our sci
If esteem the wrong way. She does no
n pride herself on being plain spoken
J, and her kindness of heart prevents he
g from using her tongue as cudgel t
bruise our sensitive points. Her mis-
sion is to please, and she often out fa'
cinates the beauty who is unarme
with these powers.
~ Rule TO- Every year woman live
+. the more pains she should TAX
=, with her dress.
Sc 1t is an almost invariable failir
v with women that year by year, as the
lv find their youth slipping away fro
y them, they become more and more il
>, different to the matter of dress The
no should not forget that their matron
la charms are quite as enticing as tho
- of gushing youth, and that proper a
w tention to apparel will enhance the
i'll as great degree.
n Rule IL. In all things let wom'
90 ask what will please the men of SEM
nd before sh9 asks what will please Il
~ men of fashion.
r's The man of fashion is rarely m;
,o of sense, He is as unreliable as Il
ne whims of the goddess whom he VIC
is ships, and SIS quite as likely to chan
ON his standard of what he constitut
,cr female beauty as often as he chang
be the cut of coat or the color of his CT
~. vat The man of sense is unwaveri
'on in his admiration of the woman
NV sense, and appreciates her power
nd please, even if her face be plain a
~ -. . J.. j - H.