The second part of Youths behavior, or, Decency in conversation amongst women containing excellent directions for the education of young ladies, gentlewomen and other persons, and rules of advice how at the first to deport themselves and afterwards govern the affairs of a family / by the same hand that translated the last volume of Caussin's Holy court ; whereunto is added a collection of select proverbs and wise sentences out of severall languages usefull in discourse and the government of life, many of them never in print in any language, by the same author ; together with severall letters profitable and delightful according to the nature of the subject.

CHAP. V. Of Beauty.

THere is nothing that doth more set forth Behaviour, than Beauty, it therefore doth render it self most fit∣ly to be treated of in this place.

They who do adore, or contemn Beauty, do ascribe too much or too lit∣tle to the Image of God;* 1.1 it is undoubt∣edly one of the rarest Gifts which Hea∣ven hath afforded unto Earth: accor∣ding

to the Opinion of Plato, It is a humane Splendor, lovely in its own Nature, and which hath the Force to ravish the Spirit with the Eyes.

* 1.2The Judgement which we frame and collect to our selves of the Beauty of the Spirit, because it is lodged in a handsome Body, is not often, much amiss, and if it fall out to be otherwise, we then say that Nature hath told a Lie in such or such a Person, the Noble∣ness of her Spirit being not answerable to the handsomeness of her Body.

This worthy Quality is worthy of Respect wheresoever there be eyes, or Reason; it hath no Enemies but the Blind and unsensible, all the World yeelding Homage to those to whom Nature hath given the preheminence over others.

Now if the Beautifull do sometimes suffer themselves to be vanquished, this reflects not on the strength and power of their Beauty, but on the weakness of their Spirit. A place is no less impregnable because he makes a surrender of it who ought to have de∣fended it, the Fault is in the Captain, and not in the Citadell. And as Kings do laugh at the Complements of their Courtiers, because they observe

they do use them more for private In∣terest, than to testifie their Duty or Af∣fection; so should young Ladies laugh at the services of those Gallants, be∣cause with all their Courtship, and Submissions, they do but seek their own pleasure in it, and the ruine of those young Gentlewomen, who do li∣sten to them.

Therefore those Ladies who imagine that the Number of their Servants do adde something to their Beauty,* 1.3 and thereby seem to take much satisfaction in their submissions and services, do give a great advantage to their Ene∣mies, and show they may be won at an easie rate, whilest there needs no more for them to become Masters of their Desires, than Praises, and Re∣spects.

Some there are who make it a Scruple to praise Beauty,* 1.4 because it so soon doth pass away; it is a Flower, they say, which fadeth so soon, as it is blown, a Flower which the Wind doth shake, the Sun doth wither, the Rain doth wash, a Flower that is so de∣licate, that without touching, or ha∣ving any Enemies, in a moment it finds its ruine in its own feebleness.

But the fairest of Women may find

an excellent Remedy against Vanity,* 1.5 if being at sixteen years of Age they could represent unto themselves the de∣fects and Inconveniencies of old Age. How fair soever the Colours are which Art or Nature lends them, they would be ashamed as well as the Peacocks in beholding their feet so foul: could they at those years foresee so great a Change, and such wrinckled Ruines, certainly they would never afflict themselves for a thing which years do insensibly steal away from them, and which diminish∣eth every Moment in the Despite of Art.

Nevertheless it is worth the Obser∣vation, that Cato had Beauty in so high an Estimation, as that he was heard to say publickly, It was no less a Crime to offend Beauty, than to rob a Temple: it is very probable that what he spake in this Nature, was in relation to the In∣nocent Beauties of such young Gentle∣women to whom this whole Discourse of Education is directed.

Sulpitia amongst the Roman Ladies had such Beautifull eyes, that the Men of those Dayes could not behold her without a Will to adore her. It is re∣corded that the Neck and Bosome of Theodeta the Athenian was so pleasing,

that Socrates himself, did fall in Love with them;* 1.6 they are Draughts and Charms which are not to be sought by Artificiousness, nor possessed by Vani∣ty: Nature affords them to some Ladies on purpose to please the Eye, and to raise the Mind unto the Love of Him who is the Fountain of all Humane Per∣fection. All Counterfeit Beauties do fall shamefully in the sight of All Men, just like unto false Stars, which after they have deceived our Eyes for a Time, do show us by their Fall that we mistook a Vapour for a Star.

Galen doth make mention of Phryne, who whenever she appeared she eclipsed the Lustre of all the Ladies of the As∣sembly, and filled them with Revenge and Shame; at the last they invented a Sport amongst themselves which eve∣ry one was to Command by turn, when it came to her turn to be Commandress, she told them that she would lay but an easie Charge upon them, which was that every one of them should wash their Face, and their Hands, which when they had done, (for they were bound unto obedience) they might easily discover the true Beauties from the Counterfeit, and there was hardly any one that could be known by their

former Countenance, their Faces were become quite others than they were.

This pastime if it were put in pra∣ctice in our times, would no doubt be as ungratefull to many of our Ladies. I do the rather make mention of this rare Beauty, because that it was for her, that those famous Judges called the Areopagits, did lose the Name and Reputation of Judges not to be Cor∣rupted, because not believing her to be innocent, yet when they beheld her, they could not judge her to be faulty.* 1.7 Hipperides the Orator pleaded in vain against her, for as soon as she made her appearance, her Presence served as an Apology, and she needed not, but on∣ly to appear, to defend her self. The Beautifull ever gain their suit, and if Justice doth open her eyes to behold them, how poorly soever it is sollici∣ted, their Cause cannot go ill.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Ex∣cellence of Beauty.
• * 1.2

  Beauty of the Body and Beau∣ty of the Mind.
• * 1.3

  Rules for the Beau∣tifull.
• * 1.4

  Beauty a Flower.
• * 1.5

  The best use to be made of Beauty.
• * 1.6

  Beauty not to be beholding to Art.
• * 1.7

  Beauty blindeth Justice.