Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-08-08
HIoRdes nun nIorcs Isair.


Arsene Houssaye's Letter to the New York
IUbuusl
PARIS, June 2l.-It is clear that the
nineteenth century is TO be the century
Of blondes, like the sixteenth, just as the
seventeenth century, was that Of the
wig, and the eighteenth that OF powder.
All women are blonde nowadays, south
as well as north. Nestor Roqueplsn
once said, "GOd gave blonde hair TO the
women Of the north 10 console the men
for having no sun" BU5 now the
southern women make themselves
blonde by the use Of fairy waters. or
simply by bathing their hair in ammo
ME. some OF them color, others dis
color; il is s miracle Of chemistry.
When, twenty-five years ego, that
young msiden whom we cSlled Ophe-
liza az the C0medis Franchise first had
the fancy of making herself blonde,
"fJr a change" as she said, she never
imagined she was introducing a fash
ion. Now both the new world and the
old have gone mad over it; Sil women
want to be blonde, especially those who
are gray. Silly violation of nature-fOr
what il more sacred than q crown Of
white hair? Aud has not DARK beauty
its characteristic attraction IS well as
the fair? l saw recently e Russian
princess who was renowned FOR her black
hair and blue eyes, which gave her an
llncisive charm. Well, she wanted
blonde hair, also, and has succeeded in
efTacing her beauty. II the eyes have
Tayaged hearts since the creation Of the
world, the hair has also intoxicated
many lips with its perfume. A king
c0temp3Tary with Moses fell in love
with q uess Of hair which the
waves OF the Nile bore TO his feet.
Was it not the hair OF the Princess
Msntirilis Of the nineteenth dynasty,
she who was surnsmed the palm? "The
blackuess Of her hair is as the darkness
of night" She was still clad in her
long hair when djsaTrayed. Her cheve-
lure doubtless weighed two hundred She
kels, like that OF Absalom. "CIad in
her hair" is an expression which comes
down from Paradise Lost. st. Paul said
to the Corinthians that long hair was
the glory OF woman. When Vents
arises from the sea in her cortege OF
Graces and Cuplds, is she not incompar.
ably beautiful in that garment OF hair
which shines over the Tjppling brine like
newer and softer sun? For Venus was
blonde, and Helen; still fairsr was
Daphne; al sntiquity WOtshiped fair
hair. Ia all the poets fair is synonym
Gus with beautiful. Mars was blonde
like Achilles. There is mention OF cor
quarOr, savage hero, WHO dyed his hsir
red that he might have the name Of a
len. Megsaiina was dark, but she wore
blonde wig in her stealtNy journeys to
Lupanar. Ovid ragged Ia vain against
these light wig; the Roman ladies per-
sisted ia 5Gyiug the hair II the German
and Gallo women. Ia Brittany there
i5 song which says that for two thou
gand years the girls OF the country have
sold their hair, aud to-day they furnish
the same commodity to our fashionable
cOurtessns. But Venus, Helen, Daphne,
and the rest, did not buy those locks
which 'sesmed like fine gold, and
kissed their feet" There is an eternal
dispute among lovers and poets over
blonde and black, 'Dack myself in thy
hair" said Sadi, 81 viii love thee like
night, and in thy presence l will forget
the day" An Arab poet has said, "Tby
black hair flutters like the ravens wing"
A Greek poet, "Thy hair is black and
living like the cicaia" Pindar sings of
both black and golden hair, but Horace
only OF the blondes. Ovid praises the
dark beauty OF Leda, but "Aurora wss
fair" he cries, dazzled by the rosy-fin-
gered maid. Another poet has said that
where the hair is Of gold the neck is OIL
milk. Where does the blonde begin |
and end? Alfred de MuJ5et said blonde |
ss wheat" The Greeks spoke of "hon- |
ey-CnloTed hair" Adriatic honey, for |
the honey Of the north is paler blonde, |
like the hair Of the Germans, the |
ly-CHEc oV1H tho nnLaH~r-,v,,--, Il
not possess that warm Venetian tone
which captivates all eyes. There is also |
that flaming gold which makes the |
RoUSSe. z beauty neglected in ancient |
times even more than now. Yet the |
Roman women sometimes gave their
hair fiery tinge the better to express
the srdOr OF their sentiments. Solomon
had already said to some of his seven
hundred wives, "Why this royal purple
ID thy bead? Later, B prophet cried,
why this color OF blood upon thy
lairP It WIS to recall the rising and
he setting SUI, Admiration Of golden
1alr arises from the fact that light is the
deal Of al beauty. Apollo, according
. R9nsard, was ell disbeveied with
light. Homer compares his goddesses
and mOrtals to the golden Venus. In
history and in fashion, therefore, We see
he blondes triumphant, until such time (
Is the bTunes regain their empire. The {
iOrth has conquered the south. People j
urn in Paris to look at black hair.
queen Isabel said 10 me the other day: |
is it not an insanity" The queen ]
!olds her ground and refuses to dye her !
air. She retains that Spanish cOronet !
+ jet-biack tre5ses until her time comes {
D assume the austere crown OF white. I
SUt she wOuld prefer to remain bruno
9 long as possible, because her eyes are
lue. II used to be ssid Of royal per-
images: "She has pretty eyes, for :
ueen." You could say Of Queen Isa-
Ell: ''She has tiue eyes, for a woman" ]
he does not presume upon them, how I
Yer, for she says: "Good heart is better 8
lan good lO0ks.n \