You would smile, in pitying fashion, at the sight of an old lady, whose grey locks having become too scanty to cover her head, had thought fit to crown her wrinkled face with a wig and fringe of golden hair. But if the addition matched what remained of her own growth, I hope you would be glad to think that art had done something on behalf of comfort and comeliness for old age, as well as for youth. Depend on it the natural colour of your hair is that which agrees best with your features and complexion, and if there is anything really wrong with the latter, it will be better for you to consult your doctor than a manufacturer of cosmetics. I am glad to think I have not known many girls whose vanity led them to spoil their appearance in the manner I hope you join me in condemning, but we have all seen plenty of such. I picture two, however, both rather exceptionally attractive. One had beautiful, glossy, dark hair, with eyes to match, and a complexion like a blush rose. I did not see her for some time, and when we met I was horrified at the change. A mop of yellow, frizzled hair surmounted a face whence the blush-rose tint had fled, or been hidden under glaringly false red and white. All the dainty charm of the face was gone, and I am fain to confess that I went a little out of my way to avoid a closer meeting with my changed acquaintance. Happily I can tell of a pleasant sequel in this case. Some good influence has been brought to bear, or perhaps the girl's innate good sense has overcome her vanity, and she has found out that such shams are unworthy of a self-respecting girl. She has given fair play to Nature, and that just in time to save the blush-rose complexion from ruin, and to be once more her bonny self. The second girl possessed remarkable beauty especially of complexion, and her vanity and greed of admiration were in proportion to it. These impelled her to be ever experimenting on herself to produce greater perfection, with the result that whilst still a girl she looked many years older than her age, and I hear, though I do not see her now, that she is daily becoming less attractive, though no less vain than of old. Quite apart from the harm done to personal appearance by these foolish practices, but of far greater importance, is the moral injury they cause. One might call the exhibition of paint an acted falsehood, because it is an attempt to make ourselves appear what we are not. But such devices are too transparent to deceive. If begun, they become more and more injurious and difficult to discontinue, and those who practise them live in an atmosphere of anxiety and disappointment. Age comes, despite all efforts to delay its progress, and it leaves footprints which baffle art to disguise or obliterate.