The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-30
WoRrH, THE FAMOUS DREssMAKrR.
suresnes, the Magnificent Home OF Che Mon
arch Of Fashion.

From The Londpn Horh
That rulers of fashion are more powerful
than kings, pOuts, or priests IL but a truism
The man who tolls womnnkind what to wear
from the Mediterranean to tho Frozen Sen. may
% onvied oil monarcls. but no can never envy
them. There are. other reasons why tho infaili-
bic Pope OF the robing room may be clHssed with
th" rulers Of the race, His estab ishment in the
Kue de In Pax IS ns lnrge rs n department oi
Government md It's ownor directs the labor OF
300 hands engaged in the solemn function of
reconcling woman to one OF the consequences
Of the fail. At Suresnes. his residence. you un-
dcrstand how 1t is that Mr., Worth has supreme
,as,e p a. dressing wome3nt Is because he has
itestailon;, here, iho major one. Stand at
Avenue dI Bois de BouioGpe. and you
will see. in tho line OF purple hills that
Here Mr. Worth has built his home. lie has
from every point OF, view as fine q, stretch OF
scenery MS ever Claude imagined. There is no
saying that he has an instinct for the discovery
Of whatever is the most pleasant to the eye.
better illustrated than in her bestowal of1hs
gift on bluff Englishman, and her sending
him forth from his native ldnconshire. some
the French on their own ground. 1t Is a sur
prise to himself to this very day; and on his
Tor IT that he was only hestnting between his
fathers profession-the lhw-.and the Church.
His home las grown up, like his business.
from modest beginnings. and. to carry out the
parallel. 1t Ia now without rival Of ita kind.
Probably no other private individual in France
is 50 superbly lodged. AZ first IT. was but
small house standing in Its grounds; but the
. buyer knew what he was about The grounds
were large enough to give Il room 70 grow. Il
has accordingly grown in all directions, and II
IL now rather large family settlement than
single dwelling The conservatory was clearly
an OifshOot from the entrance hall; the dining
room from tho conservatory; the long gallery
descending terrace by terrace Of covered way to
the grounds an oiishOot from tho conservatory
Tho gallery il hut tho foreground of the vista
OF building, and the grounds are dotted TO their
verge with mnisonnettcs Tor study. Tor recrea-
ton. Tor the dwelling places OF the owner sons.
each building n perfect gem OF architecture
within and without. This ought to exhaust the
list; but il does not; for where the interval
between house and house IL not laid out in
flower beds. fountains. and conservqtorics. II
is occupied with picturesque ruins. me gen-
era objection to this kind of work is that the
ruins are such only in name. their history be-
ing too obviously that OF yesterday 70 satisfy
the mind as well as the eve. Mr.. Worth has
taken care to set up no column. figure. or bust
that Is without its story, That line seini-cir-
cular sweep OF ,coonnade. rs well as the giant
heads Of Napoleon and OF other terrestrial
deities Of France, came from the old Hotel de
Vile. This huge keepsake. in stone is from
tho burnt Tuileries. You stop TO admire an
old carved door. and you learn that it. once
closed on the deyotions OF Madame dc Main
pSSG o 3, kg 9 d2SS sbe
place IL AZ harmoniously Irregular in plan as
Gothic cathedral. In Whatever direction you
the surprises are those Of beauty and taste.
This is Just as true OF tho furnishing MS OF tho
ground plan. MIR. Worth is u great amateur OF
hric-a- brac and wherever he has found q good
thing he has put II into his house. The speci-
mems OF porcelain are TO be numbered by thou
sands; and these. IN all the lower rooms. con-
stitute tho main characteristics OF the docora-
ton. With Alterations OF rieh tapestry stun9
for u background they form the covering Of the
walls. in tne low hall Of dark oak, in the bright
morning room. in the dining room beyond. AS
this brightness might easily degenerate into an
offensive Raudlness, II II were not properly car
RED out and balanced in other details OF the
furniture. the owner has happily blended hang
ings with china; carved work in different woods
with hangings; plants. pictures, bronzes. wall
mosaic. tessolated pavements with all-that mo-
thing tells except In its combination OF effect
The general principle OF the domestic ar
ENGAGEMENTS ~ that eacn person in the house.
whether guest or member Of the family. shall
have n separate domnin Here tho Influence Of
the owners nat iuisil inuiviuualism Is distinctly
to bs traced; Thus. al Suresnes there Is rather
itself. than one hig hotel-ike structure OF bed
rooms. with n salon Tor the common room.
There are common rooms here-the dining
room IL necessarily one OF them. and the great
salon is another: but every occupant may ind
s,Sp , oil them minsnro u w ms own part OF
| complete suite OF nests. In the shape OF bou-
doir, morning room. petit salon. for her own
| special use Her husbaud hns another very
| different in siylc--old oak and low-toned hang
| lngs. as against light woods and draperiGs to
timacy with many distinguished people. il Is
| the same thing cut in the grounds: each OF the
two sons has MS house built and FURNISHED IN
the occupant one. who paints in his leisure
| time. has bilou studio which has but one inut
1t Is 80 pretty that II must tend TO divert tho
! amateur artists attention from his work 70 his
| walls. In another house very dmntlly htted
| NJ fencing room shows in what way the elder
! son who is in the business, finds his tavOrite
| recreation Beyond these lies q smaller house.
now in disuse. but still Kept In perfect order.
| where tho lads used 10 work with their tutor
before they went out into the world. IL has
nothing 81 the ordinary school room about u,
| but Is rather the very snuggost Of libraries. II
reminds ono very much Of the most mastery
achievements in the fitting pot fancy cells OF
] learning displayed In the late Paris Exhibition.
! The stables are admirable little compositions in
! inney brick work, polished woods ana glitter
| INK brasses ami one cannot hut regret that
! their occupants. like British Iur!es. should be
! born harmony II not color blind.
In word ii Is an English home adorned by
! q profound sentiment OF another. For IL Mr.
! Worth y English or nothing. Nine. Worth is as
dispos ton TO claim It, sho must In courtesy be
| allowed some share OF credit for this charming
! Interior The sons are more French than Eng
/ lish. and only one speaks our language with
ease. Their father, in spite OF his long resi-
! dence in France. is a thorough John Bull In
! every thing but appearance in which latter re-
sped he would form no bad double for Bis
marck Like that illustrious person he is some-
| what OF an absolutist; and there are not want
talk quite freely. he would maintain that France
was never quite SO well OF AS under Imperial
| rule. II is but natural; We must remember how
he has made his fortune. A republican gov
eminent must necessarily seem chaotic 20 a
! man who looks round IN vain Tor some one 70
start the fashion. IL was SO simple in the old
! days. There WIS Nine. DO Metternich or n
| Nine. de Portals for the nitiatOrY idea. aud the
| most charming woman in Europe to give IL the
seal of state approval rs pattern for the whole
/ world. A project OF fashion was thus paas cd
| into law by regular constitutional stages. Mr.
| Worth. rs representing the Commons and his
| distinguished patronesscs, ms representing an
| Upper House. elaborated Il scheme between
| thnm; and II was then carried 10 the throne for
! u final sanction equivalent TO Ia Reine IL reuN
In this respect. at least. no wife Of President
will probably ever be- able 10 I'LL the place OF the
! Empress. Besides, ono class Of people who
! dress will not dress Tor tho republic. and an
| other class Will not dress for the republic Of
| GrGVy. These are waiting for the advent OF
| GambrttA; and IA the mean time the grand
! style goes 10 the wall. But curOusly enough, It's
| bcst chance OF revival is found In the patronage
| Of sister republic. II II were not for the
| United States we are told. Europe might be
| without anything to wear. The women OF that
| favored region, finding the throne OF fashion
vacant, with no prospect OF n succession, arr
! enthusiastically setting up a regime OF uni
! Ncreu suffrage Tor the choice OF skirt and
/ hodicH. which may eventually work ns well ns
the Old institution. They are Mr.. North's most
! valuable customers. and everybody knows thai
| they are about tho bcst-dresscd women In The
! world. or English women, he speaks with q
| sorrowlul shake OF the head Declining pros
perity seems % hava mndn them rs mean IN
spirit as they are poor IN purse. They crlb ms
| patterns by the ingenious process OF ordering
| dresses. Keeping them long enough to re