Written by a prolific French author, this book offers its late 19th century readers (ladies, of course!) every possible tip on how to maximise their appearance in order to appeal to their husbands - indeed, the Preface states "The husband should always find the wife fresh, beautiful, sweet as a flower; but he should believe her to be so adorned by Nature, like the lilies of the field. It is just as well that he should not know that her beauty is acquired or preserved at the cost of a thousand little attentions....". The writer has a delightfully 'personal' style, and the book is full of useful information, possibly still of interest to those with particular interest in 'well-being' and 'self-care'. Gertrude Elizabeth, Lady Colin Campbell (18571911) was an Irish-born journalist, author, playwright, and editor, and was married to Lord Colin Campbell, a brother-in-law of Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's fourth daughter. Blanche-Augustine-Angèle Soyer (1843-1911) was a French writer (