the ways of men(人们的手段)-第30部分
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that taken at the flood； leads on to fortune。 An assertion； by the bye； which
is open to doubt。 What does come to every one is an hour fraught with
warning； which； if unheeded； leads on to folly。 This fateful date coincides
for most of us with the discovery that we are turning gray； or that the
〃crow's feet〃 or our temples are becoming visible realities。 The unpleasant
question then presents itself： Are we to slip meekly into middle age； or are
arms be taken up against our insidious enemy； and the rest of life become
a losing battle； fought inch by inch？
In other days it was the men who struggled the hardest against their
fate。 Up to this century； the male had always been the ornamental member
of a family。 Caesar； we read； coveted a laurel crown principally because it
would help to conceal his baldness。 The wigs of the Grand Monarque are
historical。 It is characteristic of the time that the latter's attempts at
rejuvenation should have been taken as a matter of course； while a few
years later poor Madame de Pompadour's artifices to retain her fleeting
youth were laughed at and decried。
To…day the situation is reversed。 The battle； given up by the men … who
now accept their fate with equanimity … is being waged by their better
halves with a vigor heretofore unknown。 So general has this mania
become that if asked what one weakness was most characteristic of
modern women； what peculiarity marked them as different from their
sisters in other centuries； I should unhesitatingly answer； 〃The desire to
look younger than their years。〃
That people should long to be handsomer or taller or better
proportioned than a cruel Providence has made them； is natural enough；
but that so much time and trouble should be spent simply in trying to look
〃young；〃 does seem unreasonable； especially when it is evident to
everybody that such efforts must； in the nature of things； be failures。 The
men or women who do not look their age are rare。 In each generation there
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are exceptions； people who； from one cause or another … generally an
excellent constitution … succeed in producing the illusion of youth for a
few years after youth itself has flown。
A curious fatality that has the air of a nemesis pursues those who
succeed in giving this false appearance。 When pointing them out to
strangers； their admirers （in order to make the contrast more effective） add
a decade or so to the real age。 Only last month I was sitting at dinner
opposite a famous French beauty； who at fifty succeeds in looking barely
thirty。 During the meal both my neighbors directed attention to her
appearance； and in each case said： 〃Isn't she a wonder！ You know she's
over sixty！〃 So all that poor lady gained by looking youthful was ten years
added to her age！
The desire to remain attractive as long as possible is not only a
reasonable but a commendable ambition。 Unfortunately the stupid means
most of our matrons adopt to accomplish this end produce exactly the
opposite result。
One sign of deficient taste in our day is this failure to perceive that
every age has a charm of its own which can be enhanced by appropriate
surroundings； but is lost when placed in an incongruous setting。 It saddens
a lover of the beautiful to see matrons going so far astray in their desire to
please as to pose for young women when they no longer can look the part。
Holmes； in MY MAIDEN AUNT； asks plaintively： …
WHY WILL SHE TRAIN THAT WINTRY CURL IN SUCH A
SPRINGLIKE WAY？
That this folly is in the air to…day； few will dispute。 It seems to be
perpetrated unconsciously by the greater number； with no particular object
in view； simply because other people do it。 An unanswerable argument
when used by one of the fair sex！
Few matrons stop to think for themselves； or they would realize that
by appearing in the same attire as their daughters they challenge a
comparison which can only be to their disadvantage； and should be if
possible avoided。 Is there any disillusion more painful than； on
approaching what appeared from a distance to be a young girl； to find
one's self face to face with sixty years of wrinkles？ That is a modern
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version of the saying； 〃an old head on young shoulders；〃 with a vengeance！
If mistaken sexagenarians could divine the effect that tired eyes smiling
from under false hair； aged throats clasped with collars of pearls； and
rheumatic old ribs braced into a semblance of girlish grace； produce on the
men for whose benefit such adornments have been arranged； reform would
quickly follow。 There is something absolutely uncanny in the illusion。 The
more successful it is； the more weird the effect。
No one wants to see Polonius in the finery of Mercutio。 What a sense
of fitness demands is； on the contrary； a 〃make up〃 in keeping with the
role； which does not mean that a woman is to become a frump； but only
that she is to make herself attractive in another way。
During the ANCIEN REGIME in France； matters of taste were
considered all…important； an entire court would consult on the shade of a
brocade； and hail a new coiffure as an event。 The great ladies who had left
their youth behind never then committed the blunder； so common among
our middle…aged ladies； of aping the maidens of the day。 They were far too
clever for that； and appreciated the advantages to be gained from sombre
stuffs and flattering laces。 Let those who doubt study Nattier's exquisite
portrait of Maria Leczinska。 Nothing in the pose or toilet suggests a desire
on the painter's part to rejuvenate his sitter。 If anything； the queen's age is
emphasized as something honorable。 The gray hair is simply arranged and
partly veiled with black lace； which sets off her delicate； faded face to
perfection； but without flattery or fraud。
We find the same view taken of age by the masters of the Renaissance；
who appreciated its charm and loved to reproduce its grace。
Queen Elizabeth stands out in history as a woman who struggled
ungracefully against growing old。 Her wigs and hoops and farthingales
served only to make her ridiculous； and the fact that she wished to be
painted without shadows in order to appear 〃young；〃 is recorded as an
aberration of a great mind。
Are there no painters to…day who will whisper to our wives and
mothers the secret of looking really lovely； and persuade them to abandon
their foolish efforts at rejuvenation？
Let us see some real old ladies once more； as they look at us from
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miniature and portrait。 Few of us； I imagine； but cherish the memory of
some such being in the old home； a soft… voiced grandmother； with silvery
hair brushed under a discreet and flattering cap； with soft； dark raiment
and tulle…wrapped throat。 There are still； it is to be hoped； many such
lovable women in our land； but at times I look about me in dismay； and
wonder who is to take their places when they are gone。 Are there to be no
more 〃old ladies〃？ Will the next generation have to look back when the
word 〃grandmother〃 is mentioned； to a stylish vision in Parisian apparel；
decollete and decked in jewels； or arrayed in cocky little bonnets； perched
on tousled curls； knowing jackets； and golfing skirts？
The present horror of anything elderly comes； probably； from the fact
that the preceding generation went to the other extreme； young women
retiring at forty into becapped old age。 Knowing how easily our excitable
race runs to exaggeration； one trembles to think what surprises the future
may hold； or what will be the next decree of Dame Fashion。 Having
eliminated the 〃old lady〃 from off the face of the earth； how fast shall we
continue down the fatal slope toward the ridiculous？ Shall we be
compelled by a current stronger than our wills to array ourselves each year
（the bare thought makes one shudder） in more and more youthful apparel；
until corpulent senators take to running about in 〃sailor suits；〃 and
octogenarian business men go 〃down town〃 in 〃pinafores；〃 while belles of
sixty or seventy summers appear in Kate Greenaway costumes； and dine
out in short…sleeved bibs； which will allow coy glimpses of their cunning
old ankles to appear over their socks？
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