A book dating to the twilight of the 17th Century reveals that women's quest for physical perfection remains the same, though the modalities for achieving it may have changed. The book dated 1694 catalogues beauty treatments, that women today would find unconventional. It goes on auction early this month in London."The Ladies Dictionary; Being A General Entertainment For The Fair-Sex" belongs to the estate of a Yorkshire book seller who died recently. Staff at Bonhams auction house in London were sorting through his book collection when they discovered the unusual women's book.Mattew Haley, book specialist for Bonhams Auctioneers, said, "The book tells us really that women will go to extreme lengths in search of beauty. They'll slap on oil of foxes and virgin's wax and anything they can find really.Just as some of today's women are concerned with losing weight, owning a healthy complexion, and how far to go with a man on the first date, the encyclopaedia reveals 17th century women had similar concerns.Women in the 17th century were not skinny, so today's size zero models were not then de rigeur. Neither were the women of the age inclined to obesity. But should a woman wish to shed a few extra pounds, the book says to bathe in claret (wine) mixed with wormwood (absinthe),roses, rosemary, chamomile and sage.Goose grease is suggested for softening the skin and giving it a healthy glow.If anything, the book reveals that while beauty regimens may have changed, women's quest for beauty is enduring and natural. It is for men too.Ingeborg Van Lotringen, beauty editor of cosmopolitan magazine, said, "I think they're a little bit wiser today and they wouldn't go through hell and back just to achieve a certain ideal of beauty. They know there's a way to do it gently and safely. You cannot blame women or men for chasing beauty ideals because beauty is something that warms the cockles of the heart. We all like looking at a beautiful man, or beautiful woman, or beautiful child, so you can't blame people for wanting to be beautiful," said Ingeborg an Lotringen, Beauty Editor for Cosmopolitan Magazine.The 500-page book goes up for auction at Bonhams, September 11th.