Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-07-10
Interesting Account of Eugene COuIon-
Prince of French Mfmics

New York Vanity Fair.
Interesting Account of Eugene COuIOn-
Prince of French Mimics.
A few weeks ago, there died in the Rue St.
Honore, Paris, one of the most remarkable
men, in his peculiar way, that hourished
between the fall of one empire and the uprise
Of another. This was Eugene Coulon COM
monty called Pere Coulon, who was physi-
clan by profession, and the very prince of
mimics by nature and practice. What an
actor this man would have madel
Born shortly before the close of the last |
century, Eugene Coulon was destined by his |
father, provisional pharmdcien for the |
higher branch Of the profession, and was sent |
TO Paris to become a doctor of medicine. He
had introductions to DR.. Albert, who took a
fancy to him, and petted him very much.
Baron ALBERT, who died in 1887 at the ripe
age eofseventy-seven, was noticed for his ability
by the elder Napoleon, who had read some Of
his medical writings, and afforded him liberal
pecuniary assistance toward publishing his
great folio work on Disedses Of The Skin, com
menced in 1906 and completed in 1926, with
ffty-one immense plates. Several editions
and abridgments of this book were published,
and Aliberts reputation mainly rests upon it,
though he was voluminous writer, ex-
clusively upon professional subjects.
In 1903 ALBERT was placed at the head of
the Hospital St. Louis, especially dedicated
scrofula. He continued here until after the
Restoration, when Louis XVIII appointed
him one of his physicians in ordinary, and
he was soon after made Professor of Materia
Nedica in the Medical School Of Paris, and
finally created Baron.
Eugene Coulon very soon exhibited n
wonderful aptitude for mimcry, and here in
one of the anecdotes told of him. 1t was
his privilege to accompany ALBERT in his
clinical visits to the hospital. ALBERT, we
are told, sometimes exercised his art in Il
singular manner. At his hospital he would
occasionally stand at the door of ward
glance at all the beds, aud, without entering
point to each occupant, one after the other
saying, "lpeca, ipeca, ipeca, as many times
rs there were beds in the rooms. And ipeca-
GUIANA was given to every patient At the
next ward he would do the same thing, only
changing the remedy. Coulon was so thor
oughly master of the peculiarities of Albert
that he, too, would sometimes show himself
at the door of q ward and initiating the
voice, the face and manner of his patron,
would say: "lpeca, ipeca, ipecg' so that,
when ALBERT himself arrived the nurses
would say; Doctor, you have already paid
your visit and Albert would depart, as
tonished that he had forgotten the fact
Louis XVIII, from luxurious living, and
bad habit of body, needed the attendance of
his surgeon every day. The famous English
great libraries in Oxford, was called in on
one occasion, to dress the ankles of King vii
liam the Third greatly swollen with dropsy,
and when asked what he thought of them,
bluntly answered, "Why, | would not have
your Majesty's two legs for your three king
doms, IA remark which cost him q royal
patient, for the King never again would see
him. ALBERT was much more polite. He
personally attended on the obese Bourbon,
aud dressed his limbs with his own hands.
The only assistant he employed was young
Coulon, who held the requisite bandages,
ointments &C., on a silver tray, by his side.
Possessed of no small degree Of literary taste,
the King took fancy to Coulon, who had
been well educated, and had lively turn for
satire. Besides which, the Atheneum says
Albert had mentioned to His Majesty the pc
cuiar talent OF the young assistant for imita-
ton, proof of which its possessor imme-
diately gave by mimicing his master behind
his back.
Louis XVIII shouted with laughter. and
from that time Coulon was every day called
upon TO shorten the tedious and sometimes
painful operations of the surgeon by bi5
genius for mimicry. He found plenty of prac-
tice among the courtiers and court ladies' in
attendance or waiting for audience, whom be
encountered on his way to the Kings Cham
Der. His Majesty would ask him whom he
had met, and Coulon, without answering
would copy the face, gesture aud walk of eac
person. "Ah, yes" the King would exclaim
laughing, that is very good; there is N
Laine-that is NJ. de Cazes-the Duchess dc
Blacas-M. de Serres," and he would laugh
until he cried. His faculty of imitation
extended, like Garrick's, even 80 far a.
to enable him to make up his features into 4
striking resemblance of persons whom he had
known. There was no good portrait of NJ
de Vile. Coulon one day remarked this tC
Gros, saying that the subtle and malicious
expression Of the Minister of Finance hat
never been reproduced upon paper; he at th,
same time put the desired expression into hi
own features. Gros was struck with the re
semblance, and made Coulon sit TO him 70,
the best portrait Of NJ. de Vile extant. There
is also portrait of NJ. Thiers and of the Count
Mole for which Coulon sat. a ana