PRETTIEST GIRLS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10684, 3 February 1913, Page 2

PRETTIEST GIRLS.

ARTIST'S STUDY OF ENGLISH TYPES.

The claim advanced by Mr Dawson, of the Royal National Literary Society of Ireland, that Dublin girls are the prettiest, has aroused opposition in other parts of the Kingdom.' A portrait-painter who has made, a special study of types of English beauty was consulted as to his opinion. "Of course Irish girls are pretty," he said—- " some of them. I may add that there aro others. The pretty ones have ' Irish eyes.'. That is often their one beauty. Their features are apt to be irregular. For regularity of feature, commend me to Scottish lassies. In Argyllshire; or in the Lowlands, one sees many faces perfect in form.

'' For the best complexions we must go to Devon. The soft air and the damp give a delicious roundness and freshness. The Lancashire climate is good for the skin, too. Welsh girls are often handsome. The western winds laden with moisture blow upon them, and mountains almost always produce a good-lookin~ race. " But, after all, you see as many pretty girk in London as you can find anywhere. I always say when I come back from abroad that I have returned to the land of charming women. The special charm of London girls is their vivacity. They have not the ' chic ' in costume of the French or the Americans. Yet they are more attractive than either. They look softer than the Americans and daintier than the French.

"They are not easy to paint. Their charm is elusive. It lies in their expression and in quick changes of feature. It is the statuesouely beautiful women whom one can paint with least difficulty. In this country they are rare. But we have evory kind of beauty except fthat."