One might also admire the ceiling for its reserved
modelling, its flawless decoration, and the refined -
symmetry of its gilding, which is not unnecessarily




 

lavish, but only in such degree as would suffice a
modest and beautiful woman to set off her beauty—
a delicate chain round her neck, a light ring on her
finger, pendants in her ears, a buckle, a band that
confines the luxuriance of her hair and adds as much
to her good looks as a purple border adds to a gown.
It is courtesans, especially the less attractive of
them, who have clothing all purple and necks all
gold, trying to secure seductiveness by extravagance
and to make up for their lack of beauty by the
addition of extraneous charms; they think that their
arms will look whiter when they are bright with
gold, and that the unshapeliness of their feet will
escape notice in golden sandals, and that their very
faces will be lovelier when seen together with
something very bright. This is the course they
follow; but a modest girl uses only what gold is
sufficient and necessary, and would not be ashamed
of her beauty, I am sure, if she were to show it
unadorned.

 

The ceiling of this hall—call it the face if you
will—well-featured itself, is as much embellished by
the gilding as heaven by the stars at night, with
sprinkled lights and scattered flowers of fire. If all
were fire, it would be terrible, not beautiful, to us.
You will observe that the gilding yonder is not
purposeless, and not intermingled with the rest of the
decorations for its own charm alone. It shines witha


 

sweet radiance, and colours the whole hall with its
flush; for when the light, striking the gold, lays
hold of it and combines with it, they gleam jointly
and make the flush doubly brilliant.