The Arts of Beauty; or, Secrets of a Lady's Toilet. With Hints to Gentleman on the Art of Fascinating. By Madame Lola Montez, Countess of Landsfeld.

New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, Publishers, [1858] First edition of this women's manual of beauty regimes, cosmetics, and hygiene. Also included is the chapter "Hints to Gentleman on the Art of Fascinating," which consists of tongue-in-cheek advice that men might use to attract women. For example, Montez encourages men to act more feminine, gravitate toward shallow conversation, and to behave rudely while at the table. This humorous tone that pokes fun at gender norms pervades the text, as does Montez's wisdom gained from being a much-maligned figure in the global spotlight. Publisher's light brown pebbled cloth stamped elaborately in blind with central gilt floral pattern and gilt lettering. Gilt spine, brown coated endpapers. Twelvemo. Some dampstaining to front cover and lower margins of first twenty leaves. Front hinge loose, but sound. Light foxing throughout. Otherwise, a bright, good copy. Lola Montez, who was born Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Lansfeld, (1821-1861) was an Irish actress and dancer. She rose to fame as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan, and was the mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. After arriving in Munich, she met Ludwig I and the two began an affair. She used her political power and influence in favor of liberalism. The king made her Countess of Landsfeld in 1847 and granted her a large annuity. Following the growing revolutionary movement, she fled Germany and eventually relocated to California, where she became a sensation. Her home in Grass Valley is a California historical landmark. The Arts of Beauty discusses: how to obtain a beautiful complexion, prevention of gray hair, how to soften and beautify the hair, the beauty