OF THE CAUSES OF BEAUTY IN WOMAN.
The crossing of races is often spoken of as a means of perfecting the form
of man, and of developing beauty; and we are told that it is in this
manner that the Persians have become a beautiful people, and that many
tribes of Tartar origin have been improved, especially the Turks, who now
present to us scarcely anything of the Mongol.
In these general and vague statements, however, the mere crossing of
different races is always deemed sufficient; whereas, every improvement
depends on the circumstance that the organization of the races subjected
to this operation is duly suited to each other. It is in that way only,
that we can explain the following facts stated by Moreau:--
In one of the great towns of the north of France, the women, half a
century ago, were rather ugly than pretty; but a detachment of the guards
being quartered there, and remaining during several years, the population
changed in appearance, and, favored by this circumstance, the town is now
indebted to strangers for the beauty of the most interesting portion of
its inhabitants.
The monks of Citeaux exercised an influence no less remarkable upon the
beauty of the inhabitants of the country around their monastery; and it
may be stated, as the result of actual observation, that the young
female-peasants of their neighborhood were much more beautiful than those
of other cantons. And, adds this writer, "there can be no doubt that the
same effect occurred in the different places whither religious houses
attracted foreign inmates, whom love and pleasure speedily united with the
indigenous inhabitants!"
The other circumstances which contribute to female beauty, are, a mild
climate, a fertile soil, a generous but temperate diet, a regular mode of
life, favorable education, the guidance and suppression of passions, easy
manners, good moral, social, and political institutions, and occupations
which do not injure the beautiful proportions of the body.
Beauty, accordingly, is more especially to be found in certain countries.
Thus, as has often been observed, the sanguine temperament is that of the
nations of the north; the phlegmatic is that of cold and moist countries;
and the bilious is that of the greater part of the inhabitants of southern
regions. Each of these has its degree and modification of beauty.
The native country of beauty is not to be found either in regions where
cold freezes up the living juices, or in those where the animal structure
is withered by heat. A climate removed from the excessive influence of
both these causes constitutes an essential condition in the production of
beauty; and this, with its effect, we find between the 35th and 65th
degree of northern latitude, in Persia, the countries bordering upon
Caucasus, and principally Tchercassia, Georgia and Mongrelia, Turkey in
Europe and Asia, Greece, Italy, some part of Spain, a very small part of
France, England, Holland, some parts of Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden,
and a part of Norway and even of Russia.
Even under the same degree of latitude, it is observed that the position
of the place, its elevation, its vicinity to the sea, the direction of the
winds, the nature of the soil, and all the peculiarities of locality which
constitute the climate proper to each place, occasion great differences in
beauty.
In relation to the causes of beauty, some observations which seem to be
important, arise out of the remarks of de Pauw on the Greeks.
De Pauw endeavored to show, that, though the men of ancient Greece were
handsome, the women of that country were never beautiful. He thence
accounted for the excessive admiration which there prevailed of courtesans
from Ionia, &c.
This, however, was so contrary to the notions formed of the beauty of that
people from what was known of their taste, that it was considered as a
paradox. Travellers, accordingly, sought for such beauty in the women of
modern Greece. They were disappointed in not finding it.
What rendered this the more remarkable was, that in various places they
found the ancient and beautiful cast of countenance among the men, and not
among the women of that country--thus corroborating in all respects the
doctrine of de Pauw.
On considering that doctrine, however, and comparing it with more extended
observations, it would seem to be only a particular application of a more
general law unknown to de Pauw--that, in most countries, one of the sexes
excels the other in beauty.
Thus, in some parts of the highlands of Scotland, we find the men as
remarkable for beauty as the women for ugliness; while, in some eastern
counties of England, we find precisely the reverse. The strong features,
the dark curled hair and the muscular form, of the highlander, are as
unsuitable to the female sex, as the soft features, the flaxen hair, and
the short and tapering limbs, of the woman of the eastern coast, are
unsuitable to the male.
If the soil, climate, and productions, of these countries be considered,
we discover the causes of the differences alluded to. The hardships of
mountain life are favorable to the stronger development of the locomotive
system, which ought more or less to characterize the male; and the
luxuriance of the plains is favorable to those developments of the
nutritive system, which ought to characterize the female.
This is illustrated even in inferior animals. Oxen become large-bodied and
fat in low and rich soils, but are remarkable for shortness of legs;
while, in higher and drier situations, the bulk of the body is less, and
the limbs are stronger and more muscular.
The quantity and quality of the aliments are another cause, not less
powerful in regard to beauty. Abundance, or rather a proper mediocrity, as
to nutritious food, contributes to perfection in this respect.
Beauty is also, in some measure, a result of civilization. Women,
accordingly, of consummate beauty, are found only in civilized nations.
Professions can rarely be said to favor beauty; but they do not impede its
development when their exercise does not compel to laborious employments
an organization suited only to sedentary occupations.