3-065-870 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Gathering May dew, 1874. "The tints of Madame Rachel once seemed clever, To make a woman beautiful for ever; And Parson Primrose caught his idle daughters Concocting once "a wash" of beauty-waters; But for the fairest faces' best adorning, Go to the meadow, glean the dew of morning! Sweet morning of sweet May! Oh! what's the reason These days are put into the London season? And Maud, instead of tripping through the garden, At early sunrise, or, like Dolly Varden, Blooming with daisies in the field, is taken Half-stifled from the ball-room, strained and shaken! If I said more, I'd get into a passion! Confound both night and day, ye slaves of Fashion! Spend all your spring and summer months in London! Do always something that were better undone! But your complexions, daughters of the wealthy, Shall not be fresh, until your life be healthy!". Rusticus'. In some cultures, particularly on May Day (Beltane), collecting and using fresh morning dew is associated with beauty and luck. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.