Manchurian Books

Refreshments of the most
delicate kind made it difficult for Europeans to remember that they
were so far from their native country. Less deceptive were two
bands of music, one of which played European, the other native
pieces, for the amusement of the guests. Fire-works, with balloons
and Bengal lights, were followed by a sumptuous supper, which closed
the evening's entertainments. Among the women and girls present,
there were some remarkably beautiful, but all had most bewitching
eyes, which no young man could glance at with impunity. The art of
dyeing the eyelids and eyebrows principally contributes to this.
Every hair on the eyebrows which makes its appearance in an improper
place, is carefully plucked out, and those which are deficient have
their place most artistically supplied by the pencil. The most
beautiful arched form is thus obtained, and this, together with the
dyeing of the eyelids, increases uncommonly the brightness of the
eye. The desire for such artificial beauty extends itself even to
the commonest servant girls.


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