LITERARY CRITICISM.

The Mirror of the Graces; or, the English Lady's Costume, containing General Instructions for combining Elegance, Simplicity, and Economy, with Fashion in Dress; Hints on Female Accomplishments and Manners, and Directions for the Preservation of Health and Beauty. By a Lady of Distinction. Edinburgh. Adam Black. 1830. Pp. 212.

We do not care one farthing whether this book be by "A Lady of Distinction" or not ;-it is a sensible book, and contains a great deal of good sound doctrine and advice, along with, here and there, some things which we think incorrect. It is, we understand, a reprint from the first edition, which appeared so far back as 1817, at Calcutta. If, however, it formerly contained any Indian allusions, these have been expunged, and the work is adapted to the present day, and the existing state of manners in this country. As nothing delights us more, when we can steal a few hours from sterner pursuits, than to dedicate them to the service of the fair sex, we propose offering a sort of running commentary upon the contents of the volume before us, embracing, as they do, so many subjects of vital importance to all ladies.

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perience. Let phrenologists rave about their bumps and organs, show us the colour and make of the gown, the mode of dressing the hair, the length of the petticoat, the shape of the shoe, the device of the ring, and the fall of the scarf or shawl, and if we do not write " full,” "rather large," "small," "very full," opposite the names of the different bumps, more accurately than Mr Combe himself, we shall at length pronounce phrenology a true science. "Show me a lady's dressing-room," says a certain writer, "and I will tell you what manner of woman she is." He was right; but we claim not the privilege of entering her dressing-room,—all we ask is, to see her come out of it in any garb she pleases. "The best chosen dress is that which so harmonizes with the figure as to make the raiment pass unobserved. The result of the finest toilet should be an elegant woman, not an elegantly dressed woman. Where a perfect whole is intended, it is a sign of defect in the execution, when the details first present themselves to observation."

Dress has in all ages been indicative, not only of individual, but of national character, strikingly illustrating Pope's couplet

"Manners with fortunes, humours turn with climes, Tenets with books, and principles with times." Our authoress, in tracing the history of dress, goes pretty far back:-" When innocence left the world," she observes, “astonished man blushed at his own and his partner's nakedness, and coverings were soon invented." The luxury and riches of the East, converted, ere long, the twisted foliage of trees and the skins of beasts into garments of a more splendid description. But the severer taste of the dames of Greece taught them to make a resolute stand against the gorgeousness of the Persian loom and the Tyrian dyes. The wives of a Phocion and a Leonidas were simple in their attire, well knowing that an harmonious form never looks more beautiful than beneath the graceful folds of an inartificial robe, and that the modest zone, the braided hair, or veiled head, are worth all the golden fleece of Colchis, or precious gems of Bussorah. To the classical forms of Greece, the poet,

There can be no doubt that every woman is called upon to pay a particular and steady attention to dress. If we may be allowed to draw a broad distinction, liable, of course, to many exceptions, we should say,-that man is the useful, woman the ornamental, part of creation. A beautiful woman beside an active and intelligent man, is like an elegant garnish to a substantial dish. We eat of the dish, but we preserve the garnish, and we eat of the former the more willingly that it has been rendered so attractive by the latter. Without the softening influence of woman, man would become too rude and fierce; and, perhaps, without the ardour and energy of man, woman would be too insipid and uninformed. Both sexes, therefore, have their relative duties, the one to extend knowledge, and the other to refine society. Refinement goes hand in hand with a due cultivation of taste, and one of the most direct and obvious signs of a duly culti-painter, and sculptor turn with delight even now; and vated taste is the attention paid to one's external appearance and dress. The savage covers his person with a grotesque combination of colours, which at once betrays his ignorance of the true laws of beauty; while, on the other hand, the graces of youth and modesty never appear more attractive than when the chaste decoration of the person becomes, as it were, the sign of the mind's purity. An attention to dress, it is true, may be carried to excess; bat those old prosers who railed against dress altogether, as an invention of the Evil One, ought to have considered what kind of creatures we should be were we to go about wrapped up in blankets or bear-skins. "I never yet met with a woman," says the authoress of the book before us, "whose general style of dress was chaste, elegant, and appropriate, that I did not find, on further acquaintance, to be, in disposition and mind, an object to admire and love." This is the observation of a person of sound sense, and entirely coincides with our own ex

as the epicure who has satiated his appetite with all the delicacies of land and sea, is obliged to confess that there is, after all, nothing more delightful than the simple fruits of the earth, so, after the revolution of ages, the fine lady of modern Europe reverts with avidity to the unforgotten costume of many a long-forgotten Grecian maiden. Upon this subject we have pleasure in extracting the following correct and graphic passage:

THE DIFFERENT DRESSES OF DIFFERENT AGES.

"The irruption of the Goths and Vandals made it needful for women to assume a more repulsive garb. The flowing robe, the easy shape, the soft unfettered hair, gave place to skirts, shortened for flight or contest-to the hardened vest, and head buckled in gold or silver.

"Thence, by a natural descent, have we the iron boddice, stiff farthingale, and spiral coeffure of the middle ages. The courts of Charlemagne, of our Edwards, Henries, and Elizabeth, all exhibit the figures of women as if in a state of siege. Such lines of circumvallation and outworks; such

one of the softer sex.

In close connexion with the subject of dress, stands

impregnable bulwarks of whalebone, wood, and steel; such much quiet decency as possible, remembering that they impassible mazes of gold, silver, silk, and furbelows, met a may make themselves esteemed long after they have ceased man's view, that before he had time to guess it was a wo- to inspire either love or admiration. man that he saw, she had passed from his sight; and he only formed a vague wish on the subject, by hearing, from an interested father or brother, that the moving castle was the consideration how the most perfect effect is to be given to those features which are usually left uncovered. Every "These preposterous fashions disappeared in England a body is aware how much the same features vary in beauty short time after the Restoration; they had been a little on at different times, Late hours and fashionable dissipathe wane during the more classic, though distressful reign tion steal the roses from the healthiest cheek-the lustre of Charles I.; and what the beautiful pencil of Vandyke from the brightest eye. The indulgence of ill temper shows us, in the graceful dress of Lady Carlisle and Sacharissa, was rendered yet more correspondent to the soft engraves premature wrinkles on the fairest brow; and undulations of nature, in the garments of the lovely, but the want of due attention to neatness, cleanliness, and exfrail beauties of the second Charles's court. But as change ercise, destroys for ever the brilliancy of the complexion. too often is carried to extremes, in this case the unzoned In these circumstances, the question naturally arises,—how tastes of the English ladies thought no freedom too free; far may fictitious aids to beauty be allowed? Our tenets their vestments were gradually unloosened of the brace, un- upon this matter are not quite so strict as those we have til another touch would have exposed the wearer to no often heard laid down. Our opinion is, that the necesthicker covering than the ambient air.

"The matron reign of Anne in some measure corrected sity of resorting to such means of pleasing is, in general, a this indecency. But it was not till the accession of the sufficient punishment. We, of course, prefer natural House of Brunswick that it was finally exploded, and gave ringlets to a wig, but if the natural ringlets have all dropped way by degrees to the ancient mode of female fortification, off, should a lady therefore erect her bald head upon a sofa by introducing the hideous Parisian fashion of hoops, buck-or at a dinner table? We prefer the row of ivory teeth ram stays, waists to the hips, screwed to the circumference that have been growing out of one's gums from childhood of a wasp, brocaded silks stiff with gold, shoes with heels so to any other set of teeth which may be fastened there by high as to set the wearer on her toes; and heads, for quan- the cunning wires of the dentist, but shall we therefore tity of false hair, either horse or human, and height to

outweigh, and perhaps outreach, the Tower of Babel! defend the gaping gulf of a dilapidated mouth against These were the figures which our grandmothers exhibited; the pleasant appearance of a well-furnished orifice? We nay, such was the appearance I myself made in my early prefer the f purple bloom of youth" to all the carmine at youth; and something like it may yet be seen at a drawing-this moment in Paris, but if a few touches of a little inroom on court-days. nocent vegetable rouge rescue from milky paleness or yelWhen the arts of sculpture and painting, in their fine low biliousness the face of one we like, shall we be stern specimens from the chisels of Greece, and the pencils of Italy, were brought into this country, taste began to mould moralist enough to forbid the application of the revivifythe dress of our female youth after their more graceful fa- ing tint? Hear our authoress upon this point. She very shion. The health-destroying bøddice was laid aside, bro-properly forbids the use of white paint, which is always cades and whalebone disappeared; and the easy shape and poisonous, and, sooner or later, corrodes the skin; but she flowing drapery again resumed the rights of nature and of has not the same objections to the use of red .. grace. The bright hues of auburn, raven, or golden tresses adorned the head in its native simplicity, putting to shame the few powdered toupees, which yet lingered on the brow of prejudice and deformity.

Jed 90 to 90 REMARKS ON ROUGING YO

"What is said against white paint, does not oppose with the same force the use of red. Merely rouging leaves three Thus for a short time did the Graces indeed preside at parts of the face, and the whole of the neck and arms, to the toilet of the British beauty; but a strange caprice seems their natural hues. Hence, the language of the heart, exnow to have dislodged these gentle handmaids. Here stands pressed by the general complexion, is not yet entirely obaffectation distorting the form into a thousand unnatural structed. Besides, while all white paints are ruinous to shapes; and there, ill taste, loading it with grotesque orna- health. (occasioning paralytic affections, and premature ments, gathered (and mingled confusedly) from Grecian death,) there are some red paints which may be used with and Roman models, from Egypt, China, Turkey, and perfect safety.

Hindostan. All nations are ransacked to equip a modern "A little vegetable rouge tinging the cheek of a delicate fine lady; and, after all, she may perhaps strike a contem-woman, who, from ill health or an anxious mind, loses her porary beau as a fine lady, but no son of nature could, at a roses, may be excusable; and so transparent is the texture glance, possibly find out that she meant to represent an ele-of such rouge, (when unadulterated with lead,) that when gant woman."-P. 12-15.

The allusion in the last part of this extract to the ridiculous attempts which some people make to dress themselves up in all the fashions of earth, and all the colours of heaven, is painfully just. The virgin or the bride, (and who shall say which is the more lovely of the two,) in endeavouring to increase her charms in the eyes of some virtuous lover or proud and affectionate husband, is but obeying one of the ends of her creation. "But when the wrinkled fair, the hoary-headed matron, attempts to equip herself for conquest, to awaken senti- "While I recommend that the rouge we sparingly perments, which, when the bloom on her cheek has disap-mit, should be laid on with delicacy, my readers must not peared, her rouge can never recall; and when, despite of suppose that I intend such advice as a means of making the all her efforts, we can perceive memento mori written on an apparel of the face, (a kind of decent veil thrown over art a deception. It seems to me so slight, and so innocent her face, then we cannot but deride her folly, or in pity the cheek, rendered too eloquent of grief by the pallidness counsel her rather to seek for charms, the mental graces of secret sorrow,) that I cannot see any shame in the most of Madame de Sevigne, than the meretricious arts of Ninon ingenious female acknowledging that she occasionally rouges. de l'Enclos." There is not, in good sooth, a more dis- It is often, like a cheerful smile on the face of an invalid, gusting sight than a creature of this kind. She has com- put on to give comfort to an anxious friend.

the blood does mount to the face, it speaks through the slight covering, and enhances the fading bloom. But, though the occasional use of rouge may be tolerated, yet my fair friends must understand that it is only tolerated. Good sense must so preside over its application, that its tint on the cheek may always be fainter than what nature's pallet would have disgusting objects to the eye. The excessive red on the face painted. A violently rouged woman is one of the most gives a coarseness to every feature, and a general fierceness to the countenance, which transforms the elegant lady of fashion into a vulgar harridan.

monly red hair, and a large mouth, and a prodigious bo- should not feed, like a worm, on the bud it affects to bright"That our applications to this restorer of our usual looks som, which she wears quite uncovered, and a dumpy per-en, no rouge must ever be admitted that is impregnated son, and a smile like the reflection of a washerwoman's face with even the smallest particle of ceruse. It is the lead which in a tin cover. Yet the poor object conceives that she is is the poison of white paint; and its mixture with the red gaining universal admiration, when, in point of fact, she would render that equally noxious.”—P. 40-2. is the ridicule or contempt of the whole world. Let old maids and married matrons cover their persons with as

The transition from the cheek to the lip is not difficult, and, in our humble opinion, the lip is one of the most

sacred and interesting features of the female form. There ought to be but one opinion upon this subject. The female lip, that has been profaned by the touch of any man save one, (unless it be some near and dear relation,) ought to lose all honour and respect. "Tis sweet, as Moore

says,

"To breathe on those innocent lips,

"A lively contest between the lady and the gentleman lasted for a minute; but the lady yielded, though in the midst of a convulsive laugh. And the Count had the morand delicate love would not allow him to touch, kissed with tification-the agony to see the lips, which his passionate roughness and repetition by another man, and one whom he despised. Without a word, he rose from his chair, left the room and the house; and, by that good-natured kiss, the fair boast of Vienna lost her husband and her lover. The Count never saw her more."-Pp. 132-5.

Some persons may be disposed to smile at the extreme scrupulousness of Count M(-; but his feelings were of a nature, which we can perfectly appreciate, and which,

That never were breathed on by any but thine" but when a lady becomes a prodigal of her kisses, we are instantly forced into one of two conclusions either that she holds her virtue upon a very frail tenure, or that, although far removed from any thought of guilt, she is altogether incapable of that delicate feeling, and of draw-on the whole, we are inclined to respect. Worse, perhaps, than even promiscuous kissing, is the ing those nicer distinctions, by the due observance of immodest manner in which some ladies, misled either by which alone regard becomes in any instance valuable. Kissing is more common in England than in Scotland, fashion, or a diseased vanity, scruple not to unveil the and in France still more common than in England. In charms of their bosom and back. How little do such these countries it is often a piece of idle etiquette; but it of beauty consists! Modesty is to it what action is to persons understand in what the real eloquence and power is bad etiquette, for it tends to rub the bloom of modesty away, and to deaden the susceptibilities of the female the orator; it is its first, its second, and its third arguheart. What remains for the husband, if the lips the ment. Without modesty, there can be, in truth, no beauty, in the same way that without mind, the body would be very outlet of the soul-have mingled their breath of life a piece of worthless inert clay. We do not agree with with the breath of others? the advice given by the poet to the fair sex—

extract:

"Who cannot love but one alone,

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1 "Let that which charms all other eyes,
Seem worthless in your own,"

Is worthy to be loved by none.” Our sentiments upon this matter perfectly coincide with those of our authoress, as will be seen in the following for this might lead to the too great diminution of that proper self-respect which is the very foundation of a virtuous character; but we certainly agree so far, that she "As to the salute, the pressure of the lips-that is an in- who attempts to charm all eyes, by an unblushing disterchange of affectionate greeting, or tender farewell, sacred play of beauties which are usually concealed from the to the dearest connexions alone. Our parents our brothers vulgar gaze, instead of exciting admiration, ought only to our near kindred-our husband-our lover, ready to be-obtain contempt. Concerning the exposure of the bosom, come our husband-our bosom's inmate, the friend of our

- KISSING———ÅNECDOTE OF COUNT M→→→

heart's core, to them are exclusively consecrated the lips of we feel particularly sensitive. Beyond a certain limit, delicacy, and woe be to her who yields them to the stain of we hesitate not to pronounce it unpardonably meretriprofanation! cious. We entirely approve of the passage subjoined:

"By the last word, I do not mean the embrace of vice, but "To the exposure of the bosom and back, as some ladies merely that indiscriminate facility which some young wo- display those parts of their person, what shall we say? This men have in permitting what they call a good-natured kiss.mode (like every other which is carried to excess and indisThese good-natured kisses have often very bad effects, and criminately followed) is not only repugnant to decency, but can never be permitted without injuring the fine gloss of most exceedingly disadvantageous to the charms of nine wothat exquisite modesty which is the fairest garb of virgin men out of ten. The bosom and shoulders of a very young beauty. and fair girl may be displayed without exciting much dis"I remember the Count M, one of the most accom-pleasure or disgust; the beholder regards the too prodigal plished and handsomest young men in Vienna. When I exhibition, not as the act of the youthful innocent, but as was there, he was passionately in love with a girl of almost the effect of accident, or perhaps the designed exposure of peerless beauty. She was the daughter of a man of great some ignorant dresser. But when a woman, grown to the rank and influence at court, and on these considerations, as age of discretion, of her own choice unveils her beauties well as in regard to her charms, she was followed by a mul- to the sun and moon,' then, from even an Helen's charms titude of suitors. She was lively and amiable, and treated the sated eye turns away loathing. them all with an affability which still kept them in her "Were we even in a frantic and impious passion to set train, although it was generally known that she had avowed virtue aside, policy should direct our damsels to be more a predilection for Count M, and that preparations were sparing of their attractions. An unrestrained indulgence making for their nuptials. The Count was of a refined of the eye robs imagination of her power, and prevents her mind and delicate sensibility. He loved her for herself consequent influence on the heart. And if this be the case alone for the virtues which he believed dwelt in a beauti- where real beauty is exposed, how much more subversive ful form; and, like a lover of such perfections, he never ap- of its aim must be the studied display of an ordinary or deproached her without timidity, and when he touched her, a formed figure!"-Pp. 77, 8. fire shot through his veins, that warned him not to invade While our authoress thus properly expresses herself conthe vermilion sanctuary of her lips. Such were his feelings, when one night, at his intended father-in-law's, a party of cerning the latitude allowed to female modesty, we must young people were met to celebrate a certain festival. Se-point out an instance in which, we think, she has gone a veral of the young lady's rejected suitors were present. For little too far, and borders upon prudery. We allude to feits were one of the pastimes, and all went on with the the matter of shaking hands. That any man, except a greatest merriment, till the Count was commanded, by some lover, has a right to seize upon a lady's hand, and retain witty mademoiselle, to redeem his glove by saluting the it in his own, is of course not for a moment to be main-cheek of his intended bride. The Count blushed, trembled, tained; but that a lady in England or Scotland should advanced to his mistress, retreated, advanced again and at last, with a tremor that shook every fibre in his frame, with refuse to shake hands with almost any person whom she a modest grace he put the soft ringlet which played upon meets in good society, we hold equally preposterous. Were her cheek to his lips, and retired to demand his redeemed the following advice, for example, to be adopted, a stiff pledge in evident confusion. His mistress gaily smiled, and and freezing manner would be the consequence : the game went on. One of her rejected suitors, but who was of a merry, unthinking disposition, was adjudged, by the same indiscreet crier of the forfeits as his last treat before he hanged himself,' she said-to snatch a kiss from the lips of the object of his recent vows

'Lips, whose broken sighs such fragrance fling, As love had fanned them freshly with his wing!'

friendship or of kindred to address her with an air of affec"When any man, who is not privileged by the right of tion, attempts to take her hand, let her withdraw it immediately, with an air so declarative of displeasure, that he shall not presume to repeat the offence. At no time ought she to volunteer shaking hands with a male acquaintance, who holds not any particular bond of esteem with regard