" Hence arise these incentives to vice, that women, in their
IGO ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [BOOK IV.
and his indignation would be justly roused. Dost tliou, then, think that thou wilt carry off with impunity so audacious an act of wickedness, such an insult to God the great artificer ?
For, granting that thou art not immodest in thy behaviour towards men, and that thou art not polluted in mind by these meretricious deceits, yet, in corrupting and violating what is
God's, thou provest thyself worse than an adulteress. The fact that thou considerest thyself adorned and beautified by such arts is an impeachment of God's handiwork, and a violation of truth. Listen to the warning voice of the apostle : * I'urge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness ; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.' ^ ISTow can sincerity and truth continue to exist when what is sincere is polluted, and what is true is changed by meretricious colouring and the deceptions of quackery into a lie ? Thy Lord says, ' Thou canst not make one hair white or black ;'^ and dost thou wish to have greater power so as to bring to nought the words of thy Lord ? With rash and sacrilecrious hand thou wouldst fain chancre the colour of thy hair : I would that, with a prophetic look to the future, thou shouldst dye it the colour of flame." ^ It would lie too long to quote all that follows,
50. Ambrose again, inveighing against such practices, says :
" Hence arise these incentives to vice, that women, in their fear that they may not prove attractive to men, paint their faces with carefully-chosen colours, and then from stains on their features go on to stains on their chastity. "What folly it is to change the features of nature into those of a painting, and from fear of incurring their husband's disapproval, to proclaim openly that they have incurred their own ! For the woman who desires to alter her natural appearance pronounces condemnation on herself; and her eager endeavours to please another prove that she has first been displeasing to hei-self. And what testimony to thine ugliness can we find, O woman, that is more unquestionable than thine own, when thou art afraid to show thyself ? If thou art comely, why dost thou
' 1 Cor. V. 7, 8. ^ ^I;ilt. v. 3G. ' Cyi«riun, (/i halUu Vinjinum, chap. xii.