Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-11
WORSHIP OF BEAUTY.
Prospects that the BeautifnI Mrs. Lang.
try viii Visit This Country
The Curiosity to See Her
as Great as Ever
in London.
Cor. New York Tribunc.l

try, though subjected during two sea
sons to the severest competition, re-
mains the acknowledged queen among
those ladies to whom society pays
homage for their good looks. She is
still at the head Of the professional
beauties as people choose to call them,
The name is convenient and has
passed into general use. 1t must not
be understood as conveying any re-
proach whatever. 1t is to be said of
Mrs Langtry-but for the word pro
fessionalh it would not require saying
that her name has been, for two
years or more, on everybody lips
and in every gossiping paper without
being
ASSOCIATED WITH ANY SCANDAL
This is true, absolutely true, although
it was the Prince of Wales who first
took note of her attractions, and who
first brought her into notice and made
her the most famous woman in Lon
don. | don't scruple to write thus
freely about a lady whose life is, in
the proper sense of the word, passed
wholly in private society. | don't
scruple, | say, because she has herself
borne a great deal of publicity with
out objection aud even with some
appearance ofliking the kind of celeb
Irity to which she has been exposed.
For that matter, | have seen her
name often enough in American pa
pers, and if she goes to the United
States she will be sure to find that her
fame has preceded her. Nor does Mr..
Langtry seem to dislike the renown
which connects itself with his wife's
beauty. The renown has long since
spread all over the United Kingdom.
III heard o striking proof Of it last
summer. | had been staying at a
country house in Scotland. and on
my way 10 another part OF the Scot
fish world was passing through
Inverness. Mrs. Langtry had been
there the day before. Inverness
is pretty well in the extreme
North of Scotland, and is its last
considerable town in that direction.
A friend whom | met at the hotel
told me thenthat Mrs. IIangtry's ar
rival had been announced in the local
paper, and that she had been met at
the railway station by a great COM
pany Of curious spectators. She had
veDtured into the street a little later,
and had been mobbed in true London
fashion. A crowd followed her
wherever she went. She made the
Journey next day down the Caledonian
canal and had been mobbed IN the
boat. She had stopped, as most peo-
pie do, to see the Falls of Towers-if
recollect the name rightly-and had
been followed by a multitude up the
steep path which leads to them. |
stopped there myself a day later, and
the beggars who line the road had still
something to say of Mrs. Langtry.
On the steamboat itself, passengers
appeared to have spent their whole
time in alteration before the Langtry
shriae-tO the utter neglect of the
wonderful scenery through which the
steamboat passes for nearly the whole
length OF the caHal. In London it,
self, long as
MRS. LAHaTRYs REIGN
has lasted, the curiosity to see her has
never subsidized. The occasions for
gratifying it are, nevertheless, many.
You may see her riding in the row
from u to 2 in the morning remark
able always for the faultless fitting Of
her habit and for the throng of caya-
liers about beF, If not riding, she
may be met walking in the promenade
by the side of the row. Later in the
day you may see her at a flower show,
a picture exhibition or a bazaar. Her
services are in request for charitable
purposes, and the stall over which she
presides is a fountain of wealth to the
poor. At the last performance of this
kind, held in the Duke Of Yelling
tons Riding School, she appeared as a
flower girl, and flowers from her hand
+ fetched fabulous prices. Ifyou liked
she would herself put them into your
} button-hole but that was a boon fol
which you paid still more dearly. Ii
was darkly limited that one elderly
ornament Of the social world enhanced
the profits Of this particular charity
by the sale of introductions (good fol
five seconds) to Mrs. Langtry. But
t this is probably no more true than that
the Church of Rome in former ages
5 sold indulgences. And yet there
haye been eye witnesses to both.
and even the names Of those who
paid for the privilege. If it be a
Sunday you have a chance Of finding
her in the afternoon at the geological
= Gardens. From 5 to 7 it is possible
to contemplate her in a carriage.
: slowly advancing along the drive from
!, Hyde Park Corner to the Albert
. Memorial. If all these fail you, there
are still the s~tationers' and phOtogra-
S pliers windows where pictures of Mrs
: LangtFy In Gyery conceivable costume
and attitude abound. dare say some
Of them may be had in New York
Mrs. Langtry with a quill thrust
y through her hat Mrs. Langtry with a
a goye in her hands which she is tender.
q ly regardilg-not, it is to be supposed.
s as a remipisceEGe Of Nottingham
!. Mrs. Langtry in morning costume and
q Rrain in evening dress Mrs. Langtr,
S With a japanese umbrella over her
right shoulder, and another, yet still
e the same Mrs. Langley with a .Japa.
|, nese umbrella oyes her left shoulder
Mrs. Langtry in profile, Mrs. Lang.
2 try's full face, or three.quarters
e should you prefer that, and either
: aolored or plain; Mrs. LaDetry in a
g conservatory framed in tropical plants
d or Mrs. Lspgtry on the sea-shor.
T listening to the plaiptive murmur Of
o the waves among these and a dozcf
gore you have only to choose.
b THY PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION.
nav saw. kaa gOne IN treat Innpthq