The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-05-03
SAistellaneons Selections.
A REMARKABLE WOMAN.

NstJ l. A~e' ESSNOhCANN AAOA4
boOk-shelves three little volumes, in
each of which is recorded one phase
in the life of q woman who was once
celebrated for her beauty, her wit,
her accomplishments, and her lack
Of the moral virtues. She was un-
like the Pompadour-for she knew
more than that wretched painted
baggage ever dreamed Of; nor did
she resemble the Duchess of Ports
mouth, of whose gaucheries Thack-
cray has left us a wonderful picture.
She was prettier and brighter than
either of these women; and unlike
either, she made a goodly ending of
a vicious life-at least so we are told
by distinguished divine, who was
her spiritual adviser at the last; and
you will agree with me, 1 am sure, in
the conclusion that no distinguished
divine was ever known 10 take dis,
torted views of human nature, in
whatever aspect it happened to be
presented.
The woman was Lola Montez-
"Comtesse de Lansfield" she called
herself in the big, manly, sprawling
autograph, specimen of which lies
before me as l write.
According to Eugene de Mire.
court, upon whose sharp pen-nip Lo-
la was twirled about for the inspec-
ton of the world some fifteen years
ago, she "never had any shame" If
anything could have shamed her in
the day of her greatest success and
most signal triumph, a prophetic Wis
ion of the closing period Of her own
.cereer would have accomplished that
task; but, destitute ofsuch revela-
tion, she merited for the greater part
of her life the stigma which the
French wit relentlessly stamped up
on her name.
THE LITTLE FRENCH COPY
ofLes Contemporaries, issued in Par
is, in 1857, which contains De Mire-
courts scathing review ofLola's life
anterior to that date, is the first of |
the three volumes to which allusion
has been made. 1t is embellished
with a portrait of the Countess, rep
reseRting her srrayed in a jaunty rid
ing habit. Her face is full, her great |
eyes brilliant, her head draped grace
fully in the falling folds of veil,
and her left hand grasps a tiny rid
ing whip. The biographical sketch
is crisply written in the epigram-
matte style which French wits love,
and the character Of Lola's escap-
ades in Bavaria and elsewhere is out
lined with an uncommonly free pen
ell. In point of fact, the artists
pencil is more than free. 1t is loose.
refrain from making extracts, 9TH
sr than to hint at De Mirecourt's
contrast between Lola Montez and
Ninon de rEnclos-of the latter of
whom he only observes that "her
'aults were covered with triple veil
If grace, wit, and decency."
Let the Frenchman pass. He'll
ustrated the earlier phase of the
1seudo-countess's career.
A year after the publication of
De Mirecourt's biography, Lola ap-
Deared in the United States, and in
,he fall of 1858 she was one of the
notable persons in this city-keep-
ng open house on Sunday in a pref
y little cottage which she had hired
IN
THE FIFTH AVENUE,
think on the corner of Nineteenth
street. There she gave her morn
ngs to the preparation of lectures,
which were delivered with indifer-
mt success, and to the writing of her
)ook on 'The Arts of Beauty" in
which sarcastic advice is given to
roung gentlemen as to the manner of
,estowing their attention upon the
aides of their circle-and it is the !
occidental discovery of this little vol
Ime which recalls an incident of Lo-
as appearance as a hostess.
By a curious combination of cir t
it happened to me to be {
included among large company of
Ter guests on one pleasant summer +
vening in the early fall. l had I
leard so much of this singular wo- s
nan that a natural feeling of curios- |
ty had been awakened in my virtu- I
,us bachelor bosom, and l gladly ao- ]
epteo the invitation to call upon l
Ter. l had met her but once before, t
nd then for a moment only; but her /
aculty, of remembering names and
aces was extraordinary, and on en- II
ering her parlors l Twas Immediately I
by her with smile Of '
riendIy recognition and wave of f
he hand toward an adjacent seat.
Hound the rooms filed by mot I
ey party. There were Frenchmen
md Germans, Englishmen and !