Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-15
ABOUT BOOKS AND BOOK-MAKERS
A New Book on Beauty of Form
and Vesture.
Theosophical Literature in Consider
able Variety.
The Occult ia the Form of Treatises and
and Stories-Mr. Jephson's Afri-
can Stories for Youth.
Book Chat.
[BY L. BRHYMRR. |

Mrs. Jenness- Miller, several months
ago lectured here, and demonstrated the
principles OF her new dress reform. She
had many admirers, and today we see
On the streets many garments fashioned
after her models. The ladies themselves
are better able to judge whether this is
an i'm provement or retrograde move
ment. The writer is not well enough
initiated in the mystery OF Venus OF
Milo gowns or the latest Worth impor-
tations to discuss them through the me-
dunn of the press. This article is sim
plv written to call attention to new
book on this subject which seems to be
the most complete and analy tical treatiee
published up to the present time. The
title is Beauty of Form and Grace of
Vesture, by Frances Mary Steele and
Elizabeth Livingston Steele Adams.
The writer's endeavor to win, II pos5l-
BILE, pilgrims into the right way OF offer.
ing ideals. the successful Imitation OF
which necessarily includes health. They
mention some of the evils of conven-
tionai dress, the bad conditions it in
duces, the diseases it entails the abnor-
NAL growths it causes, the horrors OF sur
gerry and dyspepsia, which have already
been ably and persistently presented
by scientific medical practitioners and
benevolent refnrmers. Many illustrR-
tiUns from different sources have been
inserted, with the general purpose OF
educating the eye to the rhythm of
beautiful lines and forms. In a COM
pany of cultivated people the question
was asked: For what do the majority
of xroroa,, oaroo5 Aftor on M ta1
discussion it was agreed that admiration
and CONSEQUENT love were the objects
dearest to woman's heart; that the de-
sire ior display of natural gifts or
acquired possessions was only to gain
admiration that pride of intellect was
INDUCED in the hope to WELD influence,
power inseparable from the admira
tion OF fellow beings; that disinterested
souls who long to do good by self-sacri-
ficing devotion are immediately de-
pendent upon the welcome aspect of
gracions personality, winning at once
admiration, trust and love. Therefore
woman's ambition is to be beautiful, for
that secures inevitably both admiration
and love. This is true, because beauty,
ideal heauty. presupposes the charm OF
an attractive presence, fine proportion,
perfect physical condition, intelligence
and moral excellence. God meant
women 20 make the world beautiful, as
much as flowers and birds and butter
flies. And no woman anywhere but
desires to look we'll in the
ewes of others, no one but
would be glad to look better in the eyes
OF those che loves, and best in the eyes
of one WHO loves her. Thus this desire
of beauty. heiug natural and universal,
must have been put in all wisdom into
the constitution of a woman's mind. If
young girls, content with youthfulness,
forget It's hrevlty and foolishly ignore
the means of preserving its beauty, none
are irresponsive to the thought of en-
haucng that charm. To enjoy all these
periections and hold this freshness OF
youth and appear in this manner is fully
explained in this interesting volume.
Some portions of the book are particu-
larly good-the pages devoted to Hin
ORANGES TO the Pursuit OF Beauty are full
of good advice; while that devoted to
the True Standard of Beauty contains
sentences which inspire you with the
nobleness of besutiful creatures. Fair
Endowments and Muscular Symmetry
and Fine Condition contain references
to many of our prominent theatrical
etsrs, Bsrnhardt, Terry, Modieska, Nor
dica, Mary Anderson and Mrs. Potter,
who are the queens of grace. They also
refer to classic sculpture of the human
form, its symmetrical proportions, the
graduation OF form and brilliant COM
of the ideal human figure in
After properly and scientifically con-
sidering the figure of the sub Get the
latter hall Of the book is devoted to the
grace OF design and art principles ap-
piled to costume, followed by thor
ough treatise on beauty of material,
beauty of color and the accessories.
And by the way, there are some sug-
gestions and designs that show conclus-
lively that many of the designers OF the
fashion plates of our most prominent
fashion magazines are utterly ignorant
of anatomy and art. And being go,
why should their dictum be needed
upon subject vital to physical beauty?
Like pretentions would be resented by
the public from any other craftsmen.
The closing chapters are devoted to
From Youth to Age and Models, with
an additional chapter on Hope for the
Future. Glowing tributes are paid to
Psyche and Daphne, also Juno, Miner
va, Melpomene and Venus, aud it is
plainly shown that if the contents of
the book are properly followed the
autumn of life will be one long, bright,
exhilirating season, with golden In
dian summer; and when it is time to
loosen hold on life one may linger in
some quiet corner, wearing the lumin-
ous tints of forest leaves IN sheltered
hooks which show a mosaic of with
drawn hues covered with a tender
bloom. There is poetry.
mystery. about theee that speak of ex-
periences vieied by the past. OF life
properly spent, properly clothed, prop
erly lived. Such colors are found on
the wrong side OF tapestries and bro
ca6es. And as the shades surrounding
the evening of well-spent life fall,
there is a certain peace of we'll balanced
nature. calm dignity-doubtless the
outcome of life's Christening. There is
q ministry OF beauty, grace and har-
mony, as we'll as a service of endeavor,
which may bless ones friends when
dlsintefssted activity ia no longer pos
sible. Finally, the close OF an old lady's
life, as she sits draped in soft white ma
terial, is like poem, with the sno VS. OF
winter on her head, but wearing the
promise of an eternal spring. And 80
we may hope. even il the process is slow,
to see all such | ves ended, for amid all
our frivolities there is arising in Amer
lea type OF womanhood new in history.