The Type of Beauty.

Manawatu Herald, 19 July 1904, Page 2

The Type of Beauty.

“ Is the type of beauty changing ?” queries Henry Labouohere. “Is delicacy of feature old-fash-ioned ? And is it gradually becoiu- - ing modish to have rather thick features, a complexion so mat as to approach sallowness, and eyes that express the very reverse of the joy of life? Is dullness like a canker eating into our very tastes and affecting our apprehension of the beautiful ? A few faces there are of tho mignon type, sweet in expression, and neat of noses. But all the most admired of modern women are very different indeed. There is a lady of the lyric stage whose features can be described only by the word flat. There is no denying her charm. The difficulty lies in analysing it, What kind of soul looks out from those apparently almost lifeless eyes ? The stolidity of expression is almost inconceivable. The lips are like those of the women of ancient Egypt, large, thick, and yet with some vague, if sensuous, charm about them. The chin is solid, firm, and masculine. One can imagine men obeying the owner of that chin. One could never picture her obeying any one. A smile would wonderfully transform the face. But it is not easy to imagine it curving into a smile. Is this the common type ? It almost seems so. Such a woman as she whom X have been frying to sketch would never trouble herself to ask ‘ Why ?’ about anything, and her answer ito every question would be ‘.Because/ a sufficient reason to any one wHo understood her.” . .