Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1876 — Pretty Women. [ARTICLE]

Pretty Women.

Man, it may be urged, is perpetually talking of pretty women, as if prettiness were the sole quality in them worthy of consideration. The truth of this cannot be gainsaid. “Pretty” is his pet adjective; he applies it to all the daughters of the earth in the way of encomium a ndinquiry. He says, “ She is very pretty,” as though fancying he had exhausted eulogy. He asks, “ Is she pretty ?” as if deeming any other question superfluous. But does ae mean pretty in the generally-received sense? Does he mean only a fair, attractive exterior? Does he wish to convey that he feels no interest in aught but certain winning material combinations? Not in the least. Ask him, and he will tell you as much. Prettiness is a vague sort of substantive, very loosely applied to womankind in a manner generally designed to be indefinitely complimentary. He employs it, though he may be unaware of it, not so much to interpret any physical quality as to express an agreeable effect produced upon him by agencies he does not, perhaps could not, analyze. The term is merely conventional. A pretty woman, in the private lexicon of masculinity, signifies a woman interesting from whatever cause. Who has not known women to be called pretty that could hardly boast of a single handsome feature? Who has not been acquainted with those enjoying a wide reputation for prettiness that had almost any other than a physical charm ? She who has a dlstinctty graceful manner, or an elegant air, or fine tact, or a talent for conversation, or quick svmpathies, or cordial ways, or the art of listening well, albeit plain in face, and of ordinary figure, is frequently styled pretty, and the adjective is repeated until it is fastened upon and constantly associated with her.

They who speak of her as pretty use the accepted wora to say that she is agreeable to them. That is all. They know that it will convey their meaning at once, while, if they attempt to particularize, or go out of the beaten path of social laa guage, they may not be understood. Men aeidom fotveany, much lessnclear, conception of thecause of their liking ior this or that woman. They feel the fact, but know nothing. This is in entire accordance with the romantic theory which avers that our mastering affinities should' be independent of oar reason, if not positively involuntary. Fancying that good looks are the chief source of attraction in woman, men are prone to believe that she to whom they arc attracted must be goodlooking. Consequently thev call her so, whether she be or not, and’ thus help to misrepresent themselves in respect to tlie other sex. No? are they without a liberal share of the idealizing power presumed to belong exclusively to their sisters and sweethearts. They see in the face and figure what is behind these; the light they detect within shines through and illuminates the whole exterior. They are likely to believe a woman handsome if they are fond of her, for beauty is so associated with affection that it might almost be defined as the thing we Ibve. We do not wish to underrate feminine beauty in the least It is a very important factor in human lite, in the -destiny of the race. But to be commanding, to be continuously influential, it must be sustained and coordinated with something else. Apart from mind, manners, culture, character, it is a poor possession, and only prociaims the lack of what, by a natural law, should be its adjuncts. Altogether too much stress has been and is laid upon it separately. Its overestimate doca harm by inducing those who have it to neglect thealtributes which should accompany it, and which serve to embellish it as a rich setting embellishes * stone not precious In itaeii. They who arc devoid of beauty are also hurt by its undue appreciation; being discouraged thereby from 1 cultivating social, spiritual or intellectual graces or eharms that might more than compensate for its absence. A merely pretty, handsome, or beautiful woman, in all that lends attraction toher kind, is no match for one who is lilain, even homely inpersou, provided the atler baa taet,delicacy of instinct,elegance and cleverness. The former may, probably will, maha a decidedly agreeable impression at first; for personal comeliness is like a letter of recommendation. Bat the impression will be removed, and a certain reaction will set in, unless the pretty woman can prove by some other

and higher means her full right to her physical favor. She will soon be regard cd as a counterfeit, having nothing internal to answer to the external, at once so prepossessing and so deceptions. The plain or homely clever woman, on the contrary, will be a pleasant surprise, since she promises scarcely anything and contributes much. Bhe has the best inside, instead of the best outside; she advances, while her fair sister retrogrades; she expands, while the other shrinks, and graciously rounds out the circle of her being. ‘ Who are the interesting, the attractive, the charming women of society in thus country and in Europe ? Are they uniformly beauties? Do their persons outrank their minds ? Is their enchantment in their faces and figures? Are they bodies more than souls ? Yau may depend they are not. They may be named belles; they are doubtless pronounced lovely. Yet their bellehood, their loveliness, springs not*from their corporeality. It comes from their manners or their understanding; from what they feel or think; from what they are, not what they seem. If you question it, look in your own circle of friends and acquaintances. Do you find the women always pretty who are loved by their own, and admired by the other sex-r-or, if you will, loved by the other sex and admired by their own? Are they , whom you delight to meet, to talk to, and be with! the owners of pink-and-white complexions, Grecian noses, exactly oval faces, of forms perfectly symmetrical ? Would you choose for companion, confidante, wife, her whose chief claims to distinction rest on regular features and luxuriant, wavy hair? You might choose her, deluded, as has been said, by the supposed symbolism of her goodliness; but you would ere long discover your mistake, and thenceforth be more distrustful of appearances. Beauty possesses its repulsions not less than its attractions —its repulsions arising from its pitiable partiality, its mere superficial indications. Physically it is one thing, spiritually it is quite another. When we talk of prettiness tn relation to women we are Understood, and we think we understand ourselves, in the former sense, though we really mean it in the latter. We wrong them and ourselves by the loose employment of a conventional adjective that has entirely lost its original significance. Unquestionably, men are often slow to appreciate excellence in a plain woman; but she who has a generous heart, grace-* ful manners and a good mind, can never appear plain very long. Every man, not unconquerably a dolt, prefers beyond measurement a fine woman without personal charms to the fairest goddess radiant with insipidity. — Junius Henri Browne, in Appletons' Journal.