ever popular. Those
who do not care how they look invariably look ugly. You will never
please without doing all these things and more.

What a Pecksniffian business it is to go into! Who wants to refrain
from smart, spiteful sayings when he happens to think of them, to
abjure laughing at friends and ridiculing enemies, to renounce the
tart rebuff, the keen _riposte_? Amazing that any succeed! and many
do. There are some gentlemen who are entirely agreeable--"gentlemen
all through," like Robert Moore in _Shirley_. They have order,
neatness, delicacy of movement, reticence, incuriosity: their
unaffected English has almost the charm of a musical composition. They
are generally men whose mothers well nagged them when they were small
with perpetual adjurations: "Do not bang the door," "Stop kicking your
feet," "Stop clinking your plate with your fork," and so on.

In some inscrutable way, young girls often attain thorough
agreeableness. Look at lazy little Jane: she has acquired the highest
charm of repose. Look at Sally, who used to be such an angular and
hurried little girl: she is all quips and cranks and wreathed smiles
now. And meek, humble-minded Martha, in former days so diffident,
blushing and taciturn, has found out the value of a deferential
demeanor and the knack of being a good listener, and can sing a ballad
with a pathos and dramatic effect that eclipse the highly-embellished
performances of other girls.

Ladies who make a profession of pleasing become irresistibly alluring.
Actresses have abundant hair, fine teeth, all physical beauty, because
they train themselves to beauty, though not originally better endowed
than most others. Actresses' voices are set habitually, not in
complaining, whining, creaking or vociferating keys, but in
chest-tones clear and calm in quality. Actresses do not grow old,
partly in consequence of their constant attention to the toilette,
partly in consequence of the fact that they have hope and ambition,
and enough occupation and enough rest, and do not worry over trifles.

To remain young is one of the difficulties of being agreeable. Whoever
does so is obliged to adopt the Aristotelian maxim of moderation,
Placidity of temper is necessary to the clear-pencilled eyebrow and
the magnolia complexion. Frowns, weeping, excitement, despair and
laughter wrinkle the face. Nature keeps women's forms well rounded to
extreme old age, and their faces remain agreeable when they take the
tro