call for caresses; the regular curve of her flanks, justly proportioned, completed her beauty.  All the visible traits of her face and form thus sufficiently told what those charms must be that the bed alone knew.” (The Latin text is given by Houdoy, La Beaute des Femmes du XIIe au XVIe Siecle, p. 119.  Robert de Flagy’s portrait of Blanchefleur in Sarin-le-Loherain, written in same century, reveals very similar traits.)

“The young woman appeared with twenty brightly polished daggers and swords,” we read in the Irish Tain Bo Cuailgne of the Badhbh or Banshee who appeared to Meidhbh, “together with seven braids for the dead, of bright gold, in her right hand; a speckled garment of green ground, fastened by a bodkin at the breast under her fair, ruddy countenance, enveloped her form; her teeth were so new and bright that they appeared like pearls artistically set in her gums; like the ripe berry of the mountain ash were her lips; sweeter was her voice than the notes of the gentle harp-strings when touched by the most skillful fingers, and emitting the most enchanting melody; whiter than the snow of one night was her skin, and beautiful to behold were her garments, which reached to her well molded, bright-nailed feet; copious tresses of her tendriled, glossy, golden hair hung before, while others dangled behind and reached the calf of her leg.” (Ossianio Transactions, vol. ii, p. 107.)

An ancient Irish hero is thus described:  “They saw a great hero approaching them; fairest of the heroes of the world; larger and taller than any man; bluer than ice his eye; redder than the fresh rowan berries his lips; whiter than showers of pearl his teeth; fairer than the snow of one night his skin; a protecting shield with a golden border was upon him, two battle-lances in his hands; a sword with knobs of ivory [teeth of the sea-horse], and ornamented with gold, at his side; he had no other accoutrements of a hero besides these; he had golden hair on his head, and had a fair, ruddy countenance.” (The Banquet of Dun na n-gedh, translated by O’Donovan, Irish Archaeological Society, 1842.)

The feminine ideal of the Italian poets closely resembles that of those north of the Alps.  Petrarch’s Laura, as described in the Canzoniere, is white as snow; her eyes, indeed, are black, but the fairness of her hair is constantly emphasized; her lips are rosy; her teeth white; her cheeks rosy; her breast youthful; her hands white and slender.  Other poets insist on the tall, white, delicate body; the golden or blonde hair; the bright or starry eyes (without mention of color), the brown or black arched eyebrows, the straight nose, the small mouth, the thin vermilion lips, the small and firm breasts. (Renier, Il Tipo Estetico, pp. 87 et seq.)

Marie de France, a French mediaeval writer of the twelfth century, who spent a large