Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-05-01
FRENCH AND AMERICAN WOMEN
COMPARED.
albert Rhodes in April Galax!.l


Perhaps the greatest difference be-
tween the American and French
woman is in the voice. That of the
former is pitched in Il higher key, is
thin. often metallic, and rises al
times almost to Il shrek. Tho Gallo
woman, has more volume, i, SYM
pathetic and deeper. \ harmonious
tone in conversation is cultivated.
and there are gentle vibrations in the
tin;jr', hich exert Il magnetic lnflu-
cicc when there is a desire TO please.
1t is powerful i'll defamation. rs i'll
the mouth Of Rachel. and soft and
winning i'll the quiet OF private HE
II is Il lead voice in America; i'll
France il is from the chest. The
nasal sounds. unlike those Of New
England, come up vibrating from the
chest and throat, with strong support
from the mouth. and thus modified.
are free from the undigniticd anu
discordant twang of the eastern coast.
The face Of the American woman l.
=orc beautiful than that of any Other
country. Ii has drlIcacv of c"l"rll"
and feature, and iiur>>c and intellect
ualitv in expression: but the buu!
>uppvriim" the head. regarded from.
III artistic and ity@i"nir point OF view,
i inferior. For breathing and diEcs-
hing, the upper part Is lacking III
Icu,l,, and for the functions of Il
mother. the hips are too narrow. LII
I word, the American i more fragile.
he j. hardly Il Diana. and. the French
Is something more. although not the
lIchr of Rui,cn-. The French wo-
man. face i rs handsome is that of
any other in Europe. and fades NOR.
slowly. At forty she t,lidc> into an
~cmhonpo;nt with ~ unwrnk!cd face
and good complexion nj the Az
when the English woman become
h"~nvN-nrrh"l and trowsv, and the
American pale and wrinklcd. Th,
climate has something to q" with
this, but doubtless her nuuri>liu.
food. generous wine. and out. Ot-doOi
air. much more. Her mode of living
contributes thrrcto-thc exercise and
development of each function III -:
more natural and sen.unu>
than with Us. There are asrctlcldcas
in America which have i tendency to
the physical development o;
woman: for mind m"uldS matter. :
The extremes OF American life are
its ft>tn~s> Is well as its a>cctisin'
where the flesh i corrupted by 'tis>i-
patton or mortified by certain rcllG-i
ious teachings. Aside from thcst
rau>c- i ii prevalent notion that il l.
beneath the dignity of man anu
Woman to occupy themselves with
what they shall eat and what the!
-llall drink. The American has more
intellect than her French sister, but
the latter has >oitnc>s where she has
r~crtur>S. There is nervous cXcita-
piliiv and c~lcvcrnr>s in one. mellow
ness and equality of character in the
other. Til" forced. brilliant vitality
OF woman in America is subject to
fits otrcaction. for nature has its limit.
In the French woman the mind il
more eve and cheerful, and in the
absence ct exhaustive AMI irregular
demands made upon it the uniform
health i better i'll qualities of q
purely mental character the equal OF
the American I'm cannot perhaps
be found i'll the world: but witt. all
her knowledge and intellectual az
tivitv. She lacks that which made the
Hrccks what they have been and the
French W hat they organic cult
v;.tiOn Entwincd III these words are
caste and AIT. y ripper civilization.
though not Il purcr. will invest her
with Il knowledge oftlcsc things and
i harmony of character not now
po>-c>>cd; and with it will come, alas.
that dccadcucc in morals which al
WAYS marches on the heels of the
beautiful in every " aud in every ;
climate. 1t is SAT that such heavy !
tribute should he cXactcd Us the
price ofan added enjoyment, but art Is ;
memorable. !