THE MISSION OF BEAUTY Science consists in extracting the element of happiness from everything, first of all from oneself—Beauty a social duty—Charm has no physical rules—Women slight or the reverse; blondes; the skin, the eyes—Corporeal beauty—Michelangelo and Dürer—Portraits of women as Venus—Prudence of women—Artists and their fancies—Jeanne of Aragon—Margaret of France—Receptions in the morning—The ‘Innocents’—Art of retaining youth, or of restoring youthfulness—A lady’s toilette—Fashion—Spiritual significance of colours—Luxury—Architecture—Taste for fine furniture. Pages 194-227 CHAPTER IV THE EMBROIDERY OF LIFE The science of dining—Table-talk—Balls and dancing: custom of kissing—Protests of the Reformers—Church—Pilgrimages—Gardens and country life—Flowers—Pugs and parrots—The horse—Hunting, Roman and platonist—Hunting philosophised; Budé and Blondo—Park animals—Nature—Life at watering-places; pure water; gravity and fun. Pages 228-260 CHAPTER V INTELLECTUAL RESOURCES The library—Curiosity divided and dilettante in character—Taste for tales, jest-books, romances—The old poets—Music—Instruments, the human voice—Intellectual music—Harmony—Sacred music—Chamber music—The orchestra—Discussion on the abuse of music—The theatre—‘Phaedra,’ Bibbiena—The _Calandra_—Opposition to the theatre—French ideas. Pages 261-283 CHAPTER VI CONVERSATION Art of conversation: its supreme rôle—Women’s triumph—Tone of conversation—Philosophical spirit—Variety of form—Subjects of conversation—French conversation—Quips and cranks—Conversational dallyings—Stories—Dissertations—Gaieties—Correspondence, its revival—Family letters—Letters in the grand style—Tone of letters—Some Italian letters. Pages 284-310 _BOOK III. THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN_ CHAPTER I POLITICAL INFLUENCE Women remain strangers to the keener activities: war, justice—Women, political in spite of themselves—Isabella of Aragon—Jeanne of Aragon—Anne of France—Return from ambition to love—Restless women—Renée of France—Purely defensive heroism of women—Ladies of Sienna and Pisa—Isabella the Catholic—Catherine Sforza—Woman according to Michelangelo. Pages 311-324 CHAPTER II MORAL INFLUENCE