Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-08-03
OUR PARIS LETTER.


From our Correspondent.
, 20 RUE CAUMARTIN, July 3, '7s.-
I Paris has, for generations, or sine
/ the time of Louis XIV, at least
! been the Mecca TO which the ga,
/ and fashionable of all lands haVl
turned in their devotions, and wher
they have not been able 10 present
themselves at the shrine, or stand
in this gilded temple, they have
evinced pious faith in following
the Oracles of taste and style that
originate here. Americans In Paris
express surprise at the perfect SINH
larity i'm the attire of well-dressed
people here and i'm our own country.
Here style is the outgrowth of taste
and invention, with US IL is merely
successful minlicry. This similarity
of fashion is, 10 be sure, just what
we have heard and read Ii was, but
it nevertheless impresses one as in
congruOus that people so diverse in
antecedents, religion, irreligion,
morals, habits-in everything that
| embraces life-should present to
the external eye the same appear
ance. The worlds novel in Paris
is specifically so precisely like her
counterfeit i'm New York on st.
Louis that one Is surprised TO find
that she cannot speak English. The
difference is in the mass, not in the
individual. Here larger number
dress with taste, and there Is more
that is Characteristic i'm their attire,
a more exquisite adaptation of coll
Ors and drapery to special types
than we see in America. Then
again, there is n wider spread ele-
gance of dress here on account of
the finer qualities Of cloth that may
be had at a lower price than with
us.
OF the precise localities from
which styles issue i'm Paris 1 have
no special knowledge, but il would
be absurd to suppose that woman
so stout and uncomely as Madame
MacMahOn has assumed the dicta-
tOrship that the eX-Empress so long
held. In America 1t is very gene
rally supposed that, i'm female attire,
Worth is the umpire, but with
American ladies who have resided
long I'm Paris he has no very high
except for exorbitant
charges. His notoriety Is almost
exclusively on our side the water;
but this is Just as he would prefer
to have il, since his American Gus
toners are silly enough TO pay him
a third or half more than he could
get from Parisians. He is no more
successful as a designer or filter Of
costumes than scores of mOdistes
fNa .Nh oil A
the hundreds of women that one
sees i'm the Bois de Bologne at recep-
tions, or i'm the Jardin Mobile,
probably very few have ever heard
Of Worth. But if there Is doubt as
to the precise salon from which
originates, there need be
very little as to the medium en-
ployed by mOdistes to introduce
their styles to the fair public. The
Partisan modistes are adopts in adj
as every frequenter Of the
drives Of the Bois de Boil
Dgne knows. Not all those easily
painted, distinglte
beauties, driven in elegant low opera
rabs, own the paraphernalia that
eXcites such enviOus admiration I'm
the hearts of the more virtuOus OF
their sex. They are simply dunn
mics for the display of fashions.
Partisan ladies seem to know 1t, for
they look at the dresses with almost
rs much freedom as they would eX-
anime the drapery that covers a
frame in a shop window. But, as
work of art, the dress is well worth
for it is the result Of a
patient study and cultivated taste
hat, when displayed ON canvas or
has won for its author the
reputation of genius. What har-
nony of colors What rare adap-
ion to the complexion and style Of
he wearer, to the upholstery of the
carriage, and even to the livery and
lorses -! 1t is a fact that the demi-
monde of Paris are the medium for
he introduction of the styles that
ooner or later are seen or Fifth
Avenue, Wabash Avenue, Penn
ylvania Avenue-in fact, every
where that the fever of fashion
ages.
In all matters of taste and deco
alton of a grand opera-house 10 the
of a sleeve-buttOn, the
French excel all other people. For
they have been "the
lass of fashion and the mold Of
orm." Their wretched little
salons, restaurants and
hops are full of mirrors; not little
'lasSes like ours, casting distorted
Of n wOman's head and
but large mirrors I'm which
N sVasr a -.
'lassed, and by means Of which
ears Of self-criticism have enabled
hem to attain an elegance Of dress,
f pose, and an case Of manner that
an be found i'm such perfection no.
where else. There was wisdom i'm
he advice of Emerson TO the diff
lent yOong man: "Have your
lOthes cut by the best tailor Il will
elieVe you of much embarrass-
nent :" and the woman who said
hat the consciousness of being per-
Getty well dressed gave her a seren-
ty of mind that religion had never
'een able to bestOw, expressed, no
oubt, the impiOus sentiment Of
many of her sex. No one will beat
is best while handicapped with
nee. But while the elegance Of
ress of this people may be attribut-
d to their use Of mirrors, as well as
D the insensible influence Of works
{ art, so abundant that they may
G seen from every window, much
{ their elegance Of manner is the
asu.t of their social life. No peO-
lie live in such incessant social at
raction as do the French. They
re always on parade, and n refine
lent Of what with Us Is vulgarly
allied society manners Is habitual
nth them they have contracted IL
n the bOulevards, in the parks and
n the gas-lighted cafes where they
ave lived. The superficial beauty
nd assiduous practice Of the graces,
0 Characteristic of this people that
Is called "Frenchy" wherever il
ppears, / do not mention only to
raise. ! believe IL has been at
aimed at the expense of the more
terling and enObling characteristics
{ mind and heart and life. With
s life Is too short and serious, and,
think ] may say, sublime In its
and aspirations 10 be
bsorbed and starved I'm the trivial
les Of appearance and manners.
q. A. $.
LIttle Misses learning 60 swim.
New York sun.
r. -. 4 a