fffee Sprfttfl C^flU jflotoers. 67 



most conspicuously, most beautifully, in litera- 

 ture, is too well known to be repeated. We can 

 readily comprehend the comparison to Cytherea's 

 breath ; but the reference to color if reference 

 to color was really intended is less apparent on 

 close analysis. Why, in the first place, should 

 the lids of the goddess be singled out rather 

 than the orbs themselves, which Shakespeare 

 might have stamped indelibly a violet-blue ? Un- 

 fortunately, we have no data to fix the precise 

 hue of Juno's eyelids, but we would naturally 

 presuppose them to be dark. The old French 

 abbe-philosopher, Brantome, who, it must be 

 conceded, is excellent if somewhat plain-spoken 

 authority on all that appertains to the charms of 

 lovely woman, specifies, in the " Vies des Dames 

 Galantes," at the conclusion of his second dis- 

 course, " De la Veue en Amour," that, among 

 the thirty essentials which go to compose a su- 

 premely beautiful woman, there must of neces- 

 sity be three black (trots chases noires) the 

 eyes, the eyebrows, and the eyelids : 



Trot's choses blanches: la peau, les dents et les 

 mains. 



Trots noires : les yeux, les sourcils et les paupieres. 

 Trot's rouges : les levres, les joues et les ongles. 

 Trots tongues : le corps, les cheveux et les mains. . 

 Trots courtes : les dents, les oreilles et les pieds 



