260. Certain Methods to improve the Complexion.

Brown ladies should frequently bathe themselves, and wash their faces with a few drops of Spirit of Wine, sometimes with Virgin's Milk, and the distilled Waters of Pimpernel, White Tansy, Bean Flowers, &c. These detersive penetrating applications, by degrees remove the kind of varnish that covers the skin, and thus render more free the perspiration, which is the only real cosmetic.

261. The Montpellier Toilet.

For this purpose a new light-woven linen cloth must be procured, and cut of a proper size to make a toilet. The first step you take must be to wash the cloth perfectly clean in several different Waters, then spread it out to dry, and afterwards steep it twenty-four hours in Sweet-scented Water, viz. half Angelic, and half Rose-water. On removing the cloth out of the water, gently squeeze it, and hang it up to dry in the open air. Then lay on it the following composition.

Take dried Orange Flowers, Roots of Elecampane, and Florentine Orrice, of each half a pound; of Yellow Sanders, four ounces; of the Marc or Residuum of Angelic Water, two ounces; of Rose-wood and Sweet Flag, each an ounce; of Gum Labdanum, Calamus Aromaticus, and Cloves, each half an ounce; of Cinnamon, two drachms; beat all these ingredients into powder, and make them into a Paste with Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Angelic Water. Rub this Paste hard on both sides of your cloth, leaving on it the little bits that may adhere, because they render the surface more smooth. Afterwards hang up the cloth, and when half dry, again rub both sides, with a sponge wetted with Angelic Water, to render the cloth yet more smooth; after which dry it thoroughly, and fold it up. This cloth is generally lined with taffety, and covered with sattin, and is never enclosed within more than two pieces of some kind of thin silk, as Taffety, &c.

262. Sweet-scented Troches to correct a bad Breath.

Take Frankincense, a scruple; Ambergrise, fifteen grains; Musk, seven grains: Oil of Lemons, six drops; double refined Sugar, an ounce. Form these ingredients into little Troches with Mucilage of Gum Arabic, made with Cinnamon Water. Hold one or two in the mouth as often occasion requires.

263. A curious Varnish for the Face.

Fill into a bottle three quarters of a pint of good Brandy, infusing in it an ounce of Gum Sandarach, and half an ounce of Gum Benjamin. Frequently shake the bottle till the Gums are wholly dissolved, and then let it stand to settle.

Apply this varnish after having washed the face clean, and it will give the skin the finest lustre imaginable.