New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-10
NEW YORK DAILY TRIBUNE MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 10, 1865

81 tioas portraits. by nsynolds. whinb HaohA' "a
.hc shtafs az Adfinnns brings with strange Vivid
resa 10 our mind. The graceful pie ofpo~d7rSi hair.
solily ascending from the smooth sands Of Tho faro
besd story ON Aloryi tho diamonds prcring through
iia clu.ters iLo nswsfm Of guorng b'osi Tho droaa
citing close above with aioove@, and light loose avn
ing 81 cunning Lace 60 eIqnissly ffni that II seems
a, Il Il were woven by fairy Gngrr"i the waist long
and small, with O rioh gird!o swung around Il; the
tkit dcsctnding on side in sweeping hids on the
other tucked up ia eoquettsh pulls, showing the roh
under robe beneath; no tags California truinpeTy
or reliance on email naneuvers but NIL in large ius-
cious lines and magnificent mcsses. How beautifully
does the cress cit on the figure ard limbs frei but
touched with fIe-herc dngin5 lovingly
around them, there yielcing as she moves. into
thousand folds suc packers, as If following
tie sweet wndipgs Of the form in its own free way,
ana with al resting on her SO lightly that we should
sometimes fear for its safety, were it not for the
happy gdc that "a its sentinel and the easy folds
.hst wrsp it round But in the beautifully set IN head
with its powdered dress rising from he spreading dra
pe,y bent 9Th ike graceful on its pedestal lieS
the high intellect Of tho picture TIE forehead not
bare and bald as with many in the psrterre Of the
Metropolitan and the hair airightedy torn back as If
its unfortunate weGref had struggled out OF jungle IN
Which it had teen caught, but rearing itself ike
grand pillar beneath parspet firm and stately, ana
able to bear and bar lightly all that be put on or
in it. What need to travel TO gaze on such portrait
when we have in Rachel its living picture
It is easy at glaace 70 detect in her costume the
taste Of the ever.wcrbing intellect. We see first
severe study OF the requirements OF her own person.
next O. the circumstsr which she as TO ap
pear and lastly of the impression to be produced on
o,hers b, blending these three objects she reaches
that dea Of perfect which dress may be brought,
where fancy is chAstened and directed by thought.
How few ladies do we meet who dress well And
what is dressing ubpeasanty and distatetuy bu! the
most intense seshnees in refusing tbs thought neceS
sary to create that grace OF design and harmony OF
color which u axes q wel-dressed woman refreshing
delight 10 all around her OF French women 1t muet
be admitted that they always dress with the same
puIctiIious reference TO the uuities OF time and
place that the French dramatsts exhibit so re-
heiousy on the stage. Nothing can be more besuti-
iu than an elderly French lady, with the manner
clustered and the dress subdued in keeping with the
yeperabenees Of age How rare to see, as else
where. French lady Of thirtyfve dressed with the
naiye.e Of the schoolgirl, clashing In every curve
with the stuIeness q her form; end how unfrsquent to
meet French girl of seventeen dressed otherwise than
with that simplicity which is Youths unadorned
adorumen 1t is this remarkable harmony between the
character Of her dress and the requirement of her sge
which iupaIts to the appearance OF the FIenchwoman
from the Faubourg st. German down TO the Msrais,
fem the fashionable woman OF Versailles down to the
sterw oman of BORlogne, from the constructive COM
edepne TO The initiative grisette, certain pleasing
uIity which is tie characteristic of Gallo grace. This
efort TO please may be rooted in vanity but 1t IL q
blessed vanity which is entitled to gratitude rs 1t
tends 10 beauty lie and throw charm around Its
daily cares. Even too many French women however
share with the msority Of thoee of other countries
a complete absence Of thought in reference to
tie selection Of their dress. Sense OF what
may become them accompanies them, but 1t
Is vague and misty, they never really h'nS
about it. bu. follow the impulse OF the moment In
beaut ing themselves they are generally too INCIDENT
to make the slightest effort Of mind to cast beauty on
otl.r; ard thus it is that whle we meet lovely,
biieh pretty graceful oountensnces, we rarely see
Harmonious locking woman. There IS somshing
abb ut them which mars the highest harmony OF Ia
tuIe and that something shows itself in the dress
il in this point Of view that this subject, however
tiang il may TO some gathers Importance, and
it viii be found that dress is symboical language
kind of body .phrenology expressing invariably the
cegree Of cultivation OF mind When 3 woman is
said 10 be intensely intellectual locking it may gen
orally be assumed that she dresses with the same ar
mcry. as she speaks with amiability acts with SYM
patty feels with sincerity, and thinks with intensity
In Rachel VIC see a splendid specimen OF unbroken
hermoniousuess and though private life does no. fur
Lish he sane inspiring motive as the stage yet why
not nv and draw lesson ffom what is 50 beautiful
and perfect? Let U.s. then, follow Rachel through any
Of her r6os-ssy AdrieLre hatbrngs Us nearest t.
our own modern style.
In the first act we find her attirei in the dress iG
which we have pictured her, after Reynolds portrait
of charming simplicity yet full Of fancy folds, perfectly
In harmony with the character OF Adrienne, who was
Of naive grlistress woman, but Of rich fancy al
an aotrtss. In the second act we find Adrienne re-
hearsrg her roe in Bajazet, and wearing the rich
robe of Roxass, embroidered with gold. The splen-
dor Of The costume received sdditioual grace from
the ease with which Rachel strobe up and down the
grecnroon 10 the silver whisper Of the rusting silk
looking as studious as an enthusiastic pupil OF Cor
nellie but Us gorgeous as an Arabian Princess. 10
the third act che appears in the house Of Mdlle.
Duclos, in robe brocLfe d0r embroidered IN chenille
rouge. This dress has Just elegance enough for an
evening party but Is free fion all excess of ornament
Us the occasion is not Of ceremonial etiquette but
simply an Invita- on Of the Prince to read at the house
OF his misress, where certain simplicity in the dress
must be in keeping with the diser aHer ofsuch free
and easy reunion. In the fourth act however where she
makes Der in the Salon Of the Hotel Boullon
in robe ehenH court roll with dessvs of dentel!e'
dAngle,vre Adiennes ambition to meet the Princess
and the duchesses Of her circle with the bearing OF