National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-25
gatiuuaI gepabIifau
EASoINATIOSS OF woNEy NOT


The success Of the performance given lately
at the Theatre Eentadour, for the benefit OF
Miss Virginia Dejazet, may be source of con-
ISOLATION to persons of the gentler sex who
dread the age when their charms are Lessen
ing. Although the beneficiary IS seventy five
years Of age, the press and the public unani-
mously acknowledged her unequaled talent on
that occasion, when she seemed as fascinating
and graceful as she was even in the times OF
the fllustri0as French songster, BeraEger. But
history is full of the accounts of the fascina-
tons of women who were no longer young.
Thus Helen Of Troy was over forty when she
perpetrated the most famous elopement on re-
cord, and she could not have been very juve-
nile when the ill-fOrtune Of Paris restored her
to her husband, who is reported to have re-
eeived her with unquestiOning love and graft
sude. Perieles welded the courtesan Aspasia
when she was thirty six, and yet she atter-
wards, for thirty years or more, welded an
undiminished reputation for beauty. CleOpa-
ira was past thirty when Antony fell under
her spell, which never lesseEed until her death,
nearly ten years after; and Ltvia was thirty
three when she won the heart of Augustus,
over whom she maintained her ascendency to
the last.
Turning to modern history, where it is posi-
BILE to verify dates accurately, we have the
extraordinary Diane de POisters, who was
thirty-six when Henry II (then Duke Of Or
leans and just half her age) became attached
to her; and she was held as the first lady and
most beautiful woman at court up to the Pc
Rod of the monarch's death, and of the ac-
eession to power of Catherine of Medicis-
Annie of Austria was thirty-eight when she
was described as the handsomest queen of
Europe, and when Buckingham and RichelieU
were her jealous admirers. NinOnde PEnclOs,
= L., Oh nAa1 r~Tk ~ &c
day, was the idol of three generations Of the
golden youth of France, and she was seventy
two when the Able de Bernis fell in love with
her. True it is that, in the case of this LADY,
a rare combination of culture, talent, and per
sonal attractions endowed their pOssessOr,
seemingly, with the gifts of. eternal youth
Blanca CapellO was thirty-eight when the
Grand Duke Francisco, of Florence, fell cap
tive to her charms, and made her his wife,
though he was five years her junior. Louis
XIV. welded Nine. de MaintenOn when she
was fOrty-three years of age. Catherine H.
of Russia was thirty-three when she seized the
Empire Of Russia, and captiyated the dashing
young General Orloff.
Up to the time of her death Cat sixty-seyen)
she seems to have retained the same bewitch-
ing power, for the lamentations were heartfelt
among all those who had ever known her per
sonally. Mile. Mars, the celebrated French
tragedienne, only attained the zenith of her
beauty and power between forty ana 1OrCy-nTe.
At that period the loVeliness of her hands and
arms especially were celebrated throughout
Europe. The famous Nine. Racarlier was
thirty-eight when Barras was Ousted from
power, and she was, without dispute, declared
to be the most beautiful woman in Europe,
which rank she held for fifteen years. AL
though the list might still be further eE-
tended, our readers-those interested espe-
cially-Will see from it that woman need not
lose her attractions though youth be gone, aud.
above all, that if her mind be cultured, her
talents real and her heart kindly, she will re-
tain power of never-fading fascination.