CONSERVATION OF HUMAN ENERGY. 397 



CONSERVATION OF HUMAN ENERGY, PRESERVATION 



OF BEAUTY. 



By Dr. J. MADISON TAYLOR, 



PHILADELPHIA, PA. 



f I THE paramount importance of retaining human beauty is a fact 

 -*- requiring so little demonstration as to simulate a fundamental 

 truth. All historical records bear witness to this verity. Popular 

 interest seems extraordinarily awakened in this direction of late years, 

 and in particular the daily press teems with observations on the subject. 

 Much of it, however, is misleading and liable to bring a really vital 

 subject into contempt. This paper is the expression of a desire on the 

 part of the writer to place the matter on the plane which it deserves. 

 Whatever merit the following observations contain, at least they seem 

 to the writer worth offering, being the result of practical labors in the 

 right direction, and from which satisfactory results are known to have 

 come to a few faithful followers. It will be admitted, too, that the 

 theme eminently merits the attention of all; for if so much of beauty 

 as has been vouchsafed to each can be retained beyond the period when 

 that elusive quality ordinarily subsides, it is a quest justifying some 

 effort. 



It is not to be expected that delicacy of coloring in skin or hair, 

 the special prerogative of youth, shall be preserved beyond early middle 

 life. Arduous attempts to modify the inevitable changes which normally 

 appear in these tissues, are of doubtful efficiency, even questionable 

 propriety. It is true that through the exercise of care and temperance 

 much may be done to postpone serious marring of the skin texture and 

 quality, but coloring must change. Nor is it advisable to resent this. 

 Beauty of youth is sui generis; so is that of maturity ; and it is the part 

 of wisdom for each one to adopt measures which shall bring about a 

 fitness in appearance consistent with the actual age reached. It is, 

 however, entirely possible to postpone indefinitely those changes in 

 bulk and contour, in form, in poise, in gait and carriage, which arise 

 chiefly from neglect of suitable precautions; for these defects need 

 not obtrude till toward the end of a long and busy life. History, both 

 ancient and modern, is replete with examples of persons who, appre- 

 ciating these facts, have enjoyed well-deserved reputations for great 

 charm of appearance, especially grace and symmetry, well beyond the 

 fifth and sixth decades. We have in our time conspicuous instances of 



