YOUTH AND BEAUTY-

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 18, 4 January 1912, Page 5

YOUTH AND BEAUTY-

INSTINCT WITH VIVID COLOUR AND MOTION. AND THE DEVOURLUG ELEMENT. (By Will Desmond.) “lA tiling of beauty is a joy lor evor.” Everybody gives that in; although the majority of people who do give it in also misquote tne poet (whoever ho he) by saying: “A thing of beauty and a joy for ever.” We have it well settled that a thing of beauty is a joy for ever: let us, therefore, contemplate bounty. Beauty is something 1 ike “handsome” in the proverb—“handsome is as handsome does.” Beauty depends very much on the taste of the individual; thougn it has to be admitted that there is a certain kind of beauty which remains beauty in any circumstances. And there is beauty which has none of the cliarcacteristics usually associated with beauty—no softly flowing lines, no deep dark tint as of a summer sea, no faint, distant crimson as of a real autumn sunset, no sweet, subdued but insistent tinkle as of a shady - brook. “Ihere is,” the late lamented William Schewenk makes' somebody say, “beauty in the bellow of th 6 blast: there is beauty in extreme old age.” Such, as could, if necessary, bo argued at* length, is entirely the case, though, in the case of the aforesaid W.S., the remark was “writ sarkastik.” It would he labouring the matter to draw attention to all the ugly things which supply ns with beauty—the malformed reefs vi'-iously tearing the otherwise peacefid sea into rampageous and “drunk and disorderly” spray, the mis-shapen, thrown-together-anyhow hill breaking the rolling contour of lower lulls against the horizon, the thunderstorm afar off making the face of Nature frown-as if afflicted with the triple ills of dyspepsia, _ bankruptcy and . conjugal incompatibility—from the latter of which, the worst all. may we all he delivered. In all tnese things beauty dwells. When ypau ship is playing double or quits with a reef on a stormy night you see no beauty in the dashing spray; when you arc on the top of a rocky hill in the snow and mist with nothing to comfort you, you think more of a hot dinner and a dry bed than of the rugged beauty which is lying around in abundance; and when you are caught in a thunderstorm yoni leirarks differ somewhat from “Oh, r-e.v lively!” or “Is this not just too nice.” Beauty, however, there is; but one must be at some distance to fully appreciate it. This much is proved; that beauty exists, and, further, exists in everything. A thing, without beauty is a thing unknown. Which is an entirely original remark (so far as the oyersigned knows), and may be pasted in the collective hat gratis. Having got so mucli tvgll ssxtlGvl, lot us proceed to the question of youth. Youth is not the thing most people think it is. The majority of people presume that when they have become thirty-two years of ago, have one wife, two pretty little children ,and a bewildcering array of near a-d distant relations they are done with youth and all that pertains thereto—the light heart to do the day’s, work, the light heart to make the' best of one’s leisure, the light hoart iwhich troubles not about the morrow, being satisfied that it can force the morrow to ‘ bo as bright as yesterday, - and the morrow’s morrow, to- he. brighter than, the. morrow—in short,:the. brightness inseparable from youth ;which,,whWi separated from us inarka the period of our youth,- Though ■there is no reason 1 ‘why that brightness should not. continue with us till Death steps in with the ultimate and irrevocable period. In short: Youth and -life shouk} he com mensurate. This is another new and original remark (so far as the oversigned knows), and mav bo pasted in the collective bat gratis. riißeal beauty has' eternal youth—‘bagel‘ cannot- wither her- nor custom.■ ■'.taletih'dr infinite .variety,” as (or thereabouts) the late Mr Shakespeare is' reported to have , .written. The “beauty' in extreme old age” may not appeal-to many, but it is there; and the chief beauty of extreme old. age is When it retains its youth. . Which is paradoxical, but may be perfectly understood if taken a teaspoonfnl at a time before meals for three months. The existence of beauty has' been hinted at, aiid the existence of youth has been demonstrated to he highly possible: what would one say if both vere shown to exist together. Probably, “Decent!” No doubt, “Oh!” Believably, “Boshter!” Undoubtedly. “Load me to it!” And if in addition to “Youth and Beauty” (as per heading), it was furhcr stated that aforesaid youth and beauty was (as per heading) “Instinct With Vivid Colour and Motion,” what would one say? One hardly knows. “Talking about headings,” interrupts the reader, “what about the devouring element? You remind me if the gentleman who propounded the lonundrum: ‘What is the similarity between the Niagara Falls. Lucifer’s r.ort notorious action and a duck iind?’ The person questioned could v)t tell, and was informed that Niagara was a thundering fall and that Lucifer’s best ' known _ -performance was also a thundering fall. ‘But,’ said the questioned party, ‘what about the duck pond?’ ‘Oh,’ -.oid the questioner, ‘that’s where you "all in!’ Now, is this heading ‘And '•he Devouring Element’ where one falls in?” Tfc is not. It is the whole point. At the Town Hall—becoming matter of fact for once in one’s life (the only time) —there is at present being Town a carnival with the fanciful * itlo of “A Dancing Tour of the World.” This carnival has been ar--anged by Professor Owen Cardston, i well-known master of dancing—one becomes so matter of fact that one •night be imagined to be writing an advertisement. (1 don’t think!) Professor Cardston has gathered together the youth and beauty of the town. Some have youth. Some have beauty. Some have both. Some have either. None have neither. Which is all by tire way. And at the Town Ha 1 nightly the ,-onth and iieaury of the town are d is-m-ting themselves—lo \onr wish they rill ho Japanese, Billikens, Teddy Bc-’.vc, Parisians, Russian skaieis, Wingers, Waltaers, Gavotters, Horn'd pars. Irish Jiggers, Norwegian -lash Sprayers. Solomon Fslau-l-vs, or my old, jovial light-hearted, youthid or beautiful tiling you may- wish. Wont could man wish for more? Which has probably been previously •emarked by some of these old lit■vary jossers who had tho advantage if being born before you and I.) You will probably say: “Ob, 1 have veil all He youth and beauty of tho town on Broadway.” That- may bo so. But have you seen aforesaid “\nnth and Beauty” (as per heading) “In-

stinct With Vivid Colour and Motion” (as per heading)? Mothinks not.

Go to the ’Town Hall and see tho youth and beauty of all ages, sizes, and complexions, moving ami dancing in every kind of measure—from the gavotte to something resembling a cakewalk. Where the grace, animation, or grotesqueuess of the motion will not please, the display of youth or of beauty cannot fail to strike one. Having got so- far one might he inclined to harrow the feelings of readers with something about “the devouring element.” One will *.ot. One will not. There is grace and beauty. One has seen: one knows.