"virtue, which gives it this powerful charm "above all other kinds of beauty. Let us "confider the characters of beauty which are "commonly admired in countenances, and "we shall find them to be sweetness, mildness, "majefty, dignity, vivacity, humility, tender"nefs, good-nature; that is, certain airs, pro"portions, je ne fçai quoi's, are natural indi"cations of fuch virtues, or of abilities or dif

pofitions towards them. As we observed "above, of mifery or diftrefs appearing in 66 countenances; fo it is certain, almoft all "habitual difpofitions of mind form the coun66 tenance, in such a manner as to give fome "indications to the fpectator. Our violent "paffions are obvious, at firft view, in the "countenance, fo that fometimes no art can

conceal them; and fmaller degrees of them "give some lefs obvious turns to the face, "which an accurate eye will observe.”

What an important leffon may be drawn by my fair country women from the obfervations contained in this paffage! Nature has given to their fex beauty of external form greatly fuperior to that of the other: the power which this gives them over our hearts they well know, and they need no inftructor

how

how to exercise it; but whoever can give any prefcription by which that beauty may be increased, or its decay retarded, is a useful monitor, and a benevolent friend.

Now I am inclined to think, that a prefcription may be extracted from the unfashionable philofopher above quoted, which will be more effectual in heightening and preferving the beauty of the ladies, than all the pearl-powder, or other cofmetics of the perfumer's fhop. I hope I fhall not be misunderstood, and I beg my fair readers may not think me fo ill-bred, or fo ignorant of the world, as to recommend the qualities mentioned in the above paffage, on account of their having any intrinfic value. To recommend to the world to embrace virtue for its own fake, should be left to fuch antiquated fellows as the Heathen philosopher from whom I have taken the motto of this Number, or the modern philofopher who has borrowed much from his writings; but I would not wish to fully my paper, or to prevent its currency in the fashionable circle, by such obfolete doctrines.

Far be it from me, therefore, fo much as to hint to a fine lady, that the fhould sometimes tay at home, or retire to the country with

that

that dulleft of all dull companions, a husband, because it is the duty of a wife to pay attention to her fpoufe; that she should speak civilly to her fervants, because it is agreeable to the fitness of things, that people under us fhould be well treated; that fhe fhould give up play, or late hours upon Sunday, because the parfon fays Sunday fhould be devoted to religion. I know well, that nothing is fo unfashionable as for a husband and wife to be often together; that it is beneath a fine lady to give attention to domeftic economy, or to demean herself fo far as to confider fervants to be of the fame fpecies with their mistreffes; and that going to church is fit only for fools and old women. But though I do not recommend the above, or the like practices, their own account, and in fo far must differ from the philofophical gentlemen I have referred to; yet, I think, what they recommend ought to be attended to, for the good effects it may have on female beauty. Though I am aware, that every fine lady is apt, like Lady Townly, to faint at the very defcription of the pleafures of the country; yet he ought to be induced to spend fome of her time there, even though it fhould be her husband's principal

on

place

place of refidence; because the tranquillity, and fresh air of the country, may repair fome of the devaftations which a winter campaign in town may have made upon her cheeks. Though I know alfo, that fpending Sunday like a good Chriftian is the most tire fome and unfashionable of all things; yet, perhaps, fome obfervance of the Sabbath, and a little regularity on that day, by going to church, and getting early to bed, may smooth those wrinkles which the late hours of the other fix are apt to produce: and though œconomy, or attention to a husband's affairs, is, I allow, a mean and vulgar thing in itself; yet, poffibly, it fhould be fo far attended to as to prevent that hufband's total ruin; becaufe duns, and the other impertinent concomitants of bankruptcy, are apt, from the trouble they occafion, to fpoil a fine face before its time. In like manner, though I grant it is below a fine lady to cultivate the qualities of fweetness, mildness, humility, tenderness, or good-nature, because she is taught that it is her duty to do fo; I would, nevertheless, humbly propose to the ladies, to be good-humoured, to be mild to their domeftics, nay, to be complaifant even to their husbands; becaufe good - humour,.

mildness,

mildness, and complaifance, are good for their faces. Attention to thefe qualities, I am inclined to believe, will do more for their beauty, than the finest paint the most skilfully laid on the culture of them will give a higher luftre to their complexion, without any danger of this colouring being rubbed off, or the natural fineness of the fkin being hurt by its use.

Let every lady, therefore, confider, that whenever she says or does a good-humoured thing, fhe adds a new beauty to her countenance; that by giving fome attention to the affairs of her family, and now and then living regularly, and abstaining from the late hours. of diffipation, fhe will keep off, fomewhat longer than otherwife, the wrinkles of age: and I would hope the prefcription I have given may, amidst the more important cares of plea fure, appear deferving of her attention.

This prefcription muft, from its nature, be confined to the ladies, beauty in perfection being their prerogative. To recommend virtue to our fine gentlemen, because vice may hurt their fhapes, or spoil their faces, might appear fomewhat like irony, which, on fo ferious a fubject, I would wish to avoid. Some confi

derations