Additional indications as to beauty are required chiefly where the woman
observed precedes the observer, and may, by her figure, naturally and
reasonably excite his interest, while at the same time it would be rude
to turn and look in her face on passing.
There can, therefore, be no impropriety in observing, that the conduct
of those who may happen to meet the women thus preceding, will differ
according to the sex of the person who meets her.--If the person meeting
her be a man, and the lady observed be beautiful, he will not only look
with an expression of pleasure at her countenance, but will afterward
turn more or less completely to survey her from behind.--If the person
meeting her be a woman, the case becomes more complex. If both be either
ugly or beautiful, or if the person meeting her be beautiful and the
lady observed be ugly, then it is probable, that the approaching person
may pass by inattentively, casting merely an indifferent glance; if, on
the contrary, the woman meeting her be ugly, and the lady observed be
beautiful, then the former will examine the latter with the severest
scrutiny, and if she sees features and shape without defect, she will
instantly fix her eyes on the head-dress or gown, in order to find some
object for censure of the beautiful woman, and for consolation in her
own ugliness.
Thus he who happens to follow a female may be aided in determining
whether it is worth his while to glance at her face in passing, or to
devise other means of seeing it.
Even when the face is seen, as in meeting in the streets or elsewhere,
infinite deception occurs as to the degree of beauty. This operates so
powerfully, that a correct estimate of beauty is perhaps never formed at
first. This depends on the forms and still more on the colors of dress
in relation to the face. For this reason, it is necessary to understand
the principles according to which colors are employed at least by
skilful women.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much yellow, then yellow
around the face is used to remove it by contrast, and to cause the red
and blue to predominate.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much red, then red around
the face is used to remove by contrast, and to cause the yellow and blue
to predominate.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much blue, then blue
around the face is used to remove it by contrast, and to cause the
yellow and red to predominate.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much yellow and red, then
orange is used.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much red and blue, then
purple is used.
When it is the fault of a face to contain too much blue and yellow, then
green is used.
It is necessary to observe that the linings of bonnets reflect their
color on the face, and transparent bonnets transmit that color, and
equally tinge it. In both these cases, the color employed is no longer
that which is placed around the face, and which acts on it by contrast,
but the opposite. As green around the face heightens a faint red in the
cheeks by contrast, so the pink lining of the bonnet aids it by
reflection.
Hence linings which reflect, are generally of the teint which is wanted
in the face; and care is then taken that these linings do not come into
the direct view of the observer, and operate prejudicially on the face
by contrast, overpowering the little color which by reflection they
should heighten. The fronts of bonnets so lined, therefore, do not widen
greatly forward, and bring their color into contrast.
When bonnets do widen, the proper contrast is used as a lining; but then
it has not a surface much adapted for reflection, otherwise it may
perform that office, and injure the complexion.
Understanding, then, the application of these colors in a general way,
it may be noticed, that fair faces are by contrast best acted on by
light colors, and dark faces by darker colors.
Dark faces are best affected by darker colors, evidently because they
tend to render the complexion fairer; and fair faces do not require dark
colors, because the opposition would be too strong.
Objects which constitute a background to the face, or which, on the
contrary, reflect their hues upon it, always either improve or injure
the complexion. For this and some other reasons, many persons look
better at home in their apartments than in the streets. Apartments may,
indeed, be peculiarly calculated to improve individual complexions.