Beauty Part 28

9. If the shoulders do not slope from the lower part of the neck; because, this shows that the upper part of the chest is not sufficiently wide of itself, but is rendered angular by the muscularity, &c., of the shoulders.

10. If the upper part of the chest be not relatively short and wide, and if it owe not its width rather to itself than to the size of the shoulders; because, this shows that the vital organs contained in the chest are not sufficiently expanded.

11. If, in youth, the upper part of the trunk, including the muscles moving the shoulders, do not form an inverted cone, whose apex is the waist; because, in that case, the lightness and beauty of the locomotive system are destroyed by the unrestrained expansion of the vital.

12. If the loins be not extended at the expense of the chest above and of the limbs below; because, on this depends their capacity to receive organs enlarged or displaced during gestation.

13. If the back be not hollow; because, this shows that the pelvis is not sufficiently deep to project posteriorly, nor consequently of sufficient capacity for gestation and parturition.

14. If the haunches be not widely expanded (as already implied in speaking of the shoulders); because, the interior cavity of the pelvis is then insufficient for gestation and parturition.

15. If, in consequence of the form of the pelvis, and the arch of the pubis being larger, the mons veneris be not more prominent than the chest; because, the pelvic cavity is then also insufficient for gestation and parturition.

16. If the thighs of woman be not wider than those of man; because, the width of the female pelvis, and the purposes which it serves, require this.

17. If the size of the thighs be not large, the haunches as it were increasing till they reach their greatest extent at the upper part of the thigh, which anteriorly rises as high as the mons veneris, and if the knees do not approximate.

18. If the arms and the limbs be not relatively short, if they do not taper greatly as they recede from the trunk, and if the hands and feet be not small; because, it is the vital system and the trunk, which is by far the most important part in the female.

19. If the larynx or flute part of the throat be not small; because their magnitude indicates a masculine character.

_Defects of the Vital System._

(Defects of the contained vital parts, which have been already implied in enumerating those of the containing locomotive parts, are not again mentioned here, as the intelligent reader can easily supply these and similar omissions.)

1. If, in consequence of marriage taking place before their full growth, women remain always of diminished stature, weak, and pale.

2. If the digestive organs being large rather than active, is inconsistent with the greater activity and less permanence of all the other functions, secretion, gestation, &c., excepted.

3. If the absorbing vessels, being inactive, are insufficient for large secretions.

4. If the circulating vessels, being inactive and imperfectly ramified, leave the skin cold, opaque, and dest.i.tute of complexion.

5. If the secreting vessels, being inactive, furnish neither the plumpness necessary to beauty, nor those ovarian, uterine, and mammary excretions on which progeny is dependant.

6. If the neck form not an insensible transition between the body and head, being sufficiently full to conceal the muscles of the neck and the flute part of the throat.

7. If, in a young woman, the mammae, without being too large, do not occupy the bosom, and rise from it with nearly equal curves on every side, which similarly terminate in their apices; or if, in the mature woman, they do not, when supported, seem laterally to protrude somewhat on the s.p.a.ce occupied by the arms; because, these show that this important part of the vital system is insufficiently developed.

8. If the waist, tapering little farther than the middle of the trunk, and being sufficiently marked, especially in the back and loins, by the approximation of the expanded pelvis, be not also slightly encroached on by the plumpness of all the contiguous parts, without however destroying its elegance, softness and flexibility; because, this similarly shows feebleness in a portion of that system, which is by far the most important to woman.

9. If the waist be broader than the upper part of the trunk, including the muscles moving the shoulders; because, this indicates that expansion of the stomach, liver, and other glands, which is generally the result of their excessive use or excitement. It is attended with a common look and an inelegant appearance.

10. If the abdomen be not moderately expanded, its upper portion beginning to swell out, higher even than the umbilicus, and its greatest projection being almost immediately under that point; because, this shows a weakness of the vital system, and a disproportion to the parts immediately above.

11. If the abdomen, which should be highest immediately under the umbilicus, slope not gently toward the mons veneris, and be more prominent elsewhere; because this is the result of that excessive expansion which takes place during parturition.

12. If the abdomen, which, as well as being elevated, should be narrow at its upper part, become as broad there as below, and lose that gentle lateral depression by which it is distinguished from the more muscular parts on the sides of the pelvis; because, this indicates the operation of the causes mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

13. If a remarkable fulness exist not behind the upper part of the haunches, and on each side of the lower part of the spine, commencing as high as the waist, and terminating in the still greater swell of the distinctly separated hips; the flat expanse between these and immediately over the fissure of the hips, being relieved by a considerable dimple on each side, caused by the elevation of all the surrounding parts; because, it indicates feebleness in that system which is most essential to woman.

14. If the cellular tissue and the plumpness which is connected with it, do not predominate, so as to obliterate all distinct projection of the muscles; because, this likewise shows that an important portion of the vital system is feeble, and it deprives woman of the forms which are necessary to love. Nothing can completely compensate, in woman, for the absolute want of plumpness. The features of meager persons are hard; they have a dry and arid physiognomy; the mouth is without charm; the color is without freshness; their limbs seem ill united with their body; and all their movements are abrupt and coa.r.s.e.

15. If plumpness be too predominant; because, it then destroys the distinctness of parts, and const.i.tutes an excess productive of inconvenience.

16. If that excessive plumpness be broken, as it were, into ma.s.ses; because, it const.i.tutes coa.r.s.eness of the vital system.

17. If former plumpness have left the previously-filled cellular tissue and expanded integuments enfeebled; because, that const.i.tutes flaccidity.

18. If the almost entire absorption of adipose substance have finally left the bones angular, the muscles and other parts permanently rigid, and the skin dry; because, that indicates decay of the vital system, and characterizes age.

19. If the skin be not fine, soft, and white, delicate, thin, and transparent, fresh and animated, if the complexion be not pure and vivid, if the hair be not fine, soft, and luxuriant, and if the nails be not smooth, transparent, and rose-colored; because, these likewise show the feebleness of that system which is most important to woman.

_Defects of the Mental System._

1. If the head, compared with the trunk, be not less than that of the male; because, the mental system, in the female, ought to be subordinate to the vital, and the reverse is inconsistent with the healthful and happy exercise of her faculties as woman.

2. If the organs of sense be not proportionally larger, when compared with the brain, and more delicately outlined than in the male; because, sensibility should exceed reasoning power, in the female.

3. If the brain (in other words) be not proportionally smaller, when compared with the organs of sense, than in the male; because, reasoning power should be subordinate to sensibility in the female.

4. If the cerebel be not proportionally smaller, when compared with the organs of sense, than in the male; because, voluntary power should also be subordinate to sensibility, in the female.

5. If the cerebel be not narrow and pointed posteriorly, that is, long rather than broad (its general form in woman); because, the volitions of woman should be intense, not permanent.

6. If the forehead be not large in proportion to the backhead, but on the contrary low, or very narrow; because, the former being the seat of observation, if the organ be small, the function must be correspondingly so, and in that case pa.s.sion will probably predominate.

7. If the delicacy of the skin permit not to the touch of woman corresponding delicacy.

8. If the mouth be not small, or extend much beyond the nostrils, and if the lips be not delicately outlined and of vermillion hue.

9. If the nose be not nearly in the same direction with the forehead, or if more than a slight inflexion is to be seen.

10. If the eyes be not relatively large and perfectly clear in every part.

11. If the eyelids, instead of an oblong, form nearly a circular aperture, resembling somewhat the eye of monkeys, cats, or birds; because, this round eye, when large, and especially when dark, is always indicative of a bold, and, when small, of a pert insensibility of character.

12. If the eyelashes be not long and silky, and if the eyebrows be not furnished with fine hairs, and be not arched and distinctly separated.

13. If the ears be prominent, so as to alter the regularity of the oval of the head, or surcharge its outline with prominences.

CHAPTER XXI.