Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-18
WOMEN OF TO-DAY.
Tho Maiden of tho Period II Goo-
orally Handsome.
A Century Ago Things Were Different,
Then Beauty Was che Exception
Now 1t Is the RuIe-How the
Change Il Accounted For.

Several English medical journals
have recently called attention to fact,
sustained by common observation, that
the young women of the present day
are better developed physically, taller,
plumper, stronger and healthier than
the young woman of fifty, one hundred,
one hundred and fifty or two hundred
years ago, and that in this continuous
and perceptible improvement of condi-
ton and aspect there are no steps back
ward.
One journal has called attention to
the circumstance that whereas CEN
fury or two ago handsome woman in
spired sentiments of such admiring
curiosity that her arrival or departure
drew vast crowds and rewarded the
patient waiting of hundreds, beauty of
the same sort is SO general nowadays
rs to evoke no ripple of excitement. 1t
is no longer so rare that it commands
peculiar attention, says the New York
Sun. Again, the portraits of women of
acknowledged loneliness preserved in
many houses and galleries, or public
buildings, and wondered at for many
years, cannot stand comparison with
many living countenances whose good
looks are so little beyond the ordinary
Us to inspire neither poet, painter, COM
poser nor sculptor with n subject for
rhapsody in sonnet, on canvas, by lyric,
or in marble.
But the change, to which English
writer's on hygiene allude in scientific
phrase and without passion or emotion,
is not limited to their field of personal
observation. The tendency of women
to grow handsomer, and Of women no
longer young to remain beautiful, has
it's manifestation here, too, and in ample
and Indispensable degree.
It shows itself in many ways, but
most pronouncedly, perhaps, in photo
graphs. 1t is not so many years since
the display of beauty's portrait drew
| crowds, and resulted in the sale of thou
sands of copies. Nowadays this indus
try languiahes. Photographers special
favorites are at discount. In the
windows, on the shelves, or in the
showcases the examples of beauty and
| loneliness are too numerous to justify
much discrimination. AS many por'
traits are sold as heretofore, but the
preference of purchasers is more diff
fused. With the heightening of the
standard of comeliness individual cases
of superior excellence are no longer
marked.
Another illustration of the change tc
which we refer is to be found on any
fashionable thoroughfare. Years ago
in New York, Broadway was the focus
of admiring sightseers, and pretty
woman was gazed upon long and won
.deringly on the popular promenade
| To-day nobody thinks of travelling any
| great distance in New York to behold
the spectacle of pretty women, or tx
| give them more than passing glance
They are to be seen everywhere, NJ
town and down, on side streets and OF
thoroughfares, in stores and public con
veyances, in doors and out.
On the stage, too, it is no longer Gus
tomary to advertise "be auties" in thC
| fashion once in vogue, The description
is superf1uous. Handsome and attrac
tive women are the rule and no longel
the exception. The absence of talen
rather than of beauty is the theme now
adays, the fact which confoundS dis
eliminating patrons, critics and observ
ers. Generally speaking, the proper
ton of handsome women is larger thar
it used to be, and uncomeliness il
diminished correspondingly The true
causes of this latter effect are probably
! two:
/. Improved health, the result of
more scientific mode of life, better by
gienic conditions, larger latitude in out
door exercise, better nutrition, bette
physical culture and softening ant
equalizing of the climate; and
9 Better taste in dress, the introduc
ton of new and becoming methods o
attire, improved style, greater varie
ty of fabrics and of colors, and sucl
cheapening of materials for a girl
wear as to bring them within the reacl
of all.
Such, then, are the causes of tn
changes, observed and commented upoi
on both sides of the Atlantic, whicl
mark distinct advance in the averag
comeliness of women. They are grow
ing handsomer as the world grow
older. 1t cannot be said that this is OF
, ficially proved anywhere in records an
documents; but unless the masculin
eye has been dazed and the taste blunte
by the increase of female distinction
and beauty it should be reflected by a
increase in the marriage rate, and tina
soon and largely.
Tho Right Kind of IA Doctor.
y Russian journal reports an Interest
ing case of philanthropic physician
| +l,, oF IL