Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-19

most delicate skill, and encourages the |
utmost refinement of taste. Concerning
the Importance of the industrial object of
the international exhibition, we can also
imagine that the royal and noble ladies,
under whose patronage it is to be held,
may bave quietly encouraged it SIS a
pleasant and suggestive protest against the
masculine aspirations of some of their
strong minded sisters. Does not Addison
tell us that the fan is the prettiest
weapon in woman's armory, and
that when she becomes skillful
in the use of it she can do more execu-
ton than men With swords stMy FRIEND
said lady of the Court of Louis XIV,
''there are many ways of using this pre-
cious toy. By stroke of the fan we
may distinguish the Princess from the
Countess, the Marchieness from the Par
yenu, and then how much grace does
fan lend to lady who knows how to use
it skillfully. h,winds like serpent, flut-
tiers like q bird, folds and unfolds, and
now rises and now droops as circumstan-
ees may vary" But the fan has higher
offices than these. 1t has language of
its own, which can be understood by men
Of all nations without the aid of an inter-
prefer. Its dainty movements can be
made to express disdain, love, modesty,
hope, anger and other emotions. Disraeli,
in his ''Contarini Fleming" has spright-
ly passage descriptive of the eloquent
uses to which Spanish lady can put her
fan" ga Spanish lady, with her
FAM" he says, "might shame the
tactics Of a troop of horse. Now
she unfurls it with the slow pomp and
conscious eloquence of the bird of Juno.
Now she flutters it with all the langaor
of the listless beauty; now with all the
liveliness OF vivacious one. Now, in
the midst of very tornado, she closes
| 1t with whirr that makes one start.
Pop! In the midst of your confusion,
Dolores taps you on the elbow. You
turn round to listen, and Catalina pokes
you in the side. Magical Instrument,
He adds. Gin this land it speaks parti-
cular language; and gallantry requires no
other mode to express its most subtle con-
ceits or Its most unreasonable demands"
A tourist of later date bears similar tes-
timony, although in devotional sense.
81 was vastly interested" he says, sin
the movements of the ladies' fans at
church. Ali the world knows that Span
ish fans are in perpetual motion, and be-
tray each feeling, real or assumed, that
passes through the mind of the bearer. l
felt convinced ! could guess the nature of
the service at every particular moment by
the way the fans were moving. The diff
ference between litany and thanksgiv-
| ing was unmistakable, and believe that
minuter shadows of devotion were also
| discoverable.n
Who shall say, then, that the interna-
tional exhibition of fans, TO be held in
London next year, may not be the means
of popularizing once more charming
accomplishment which, at this time, is
only to be found in perfection in Spain,
but which would furnish q fresh attrac-
ton to the many that women already
possess It would, perhaps, be altogether
out of date to instruct our modern 'tine
gentlemen" the nice conduct of ga
clouded cane" but with respect to fan
1t is entirely different. In dainty hands
there is an enticing yet tantalizing witch
cry in the mute eloquence of its easy or
tumultuous movements, and the fair
women who become adopts in its use are
thus clothed with a new grace, whilst
adding another brilliant weapon to their
arms of conquest" -