The Descent of Man

Finlayson, after minutely describing the people
of Cochin China, says that their rounded heads
and faces are their chief characteristics; and, he
adds, "the roundness of the whole countenance
is more striking in the women, who are reckoned
beautiful in proportion as they display this
form of face." The Siamese have small noses
with divergent nostrils, a wide mouth, rather
thick lips, a remarkably large face, with very
high and broad cheek-bones. It is, therefore, not
wonderful that "beauty, according to our notion,
is a stranger to them. Yet they consider
their own females to be much more beautiful
than those of Europe." (58. Prichard, as taken
from Crawfurd and Finlayson, 'Phys. Hist. of
Mankind,' vol. iv. pp. 534, 535.)
It is well known that with many Hottentot
women the posterior part of the body projects
in a wonderful manner; they are steatopygous;
and Sir Andrew Smith is certain that this peculiarity
is greatly admired by the men. (59. Idem