The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-11-11
Les pAriSlanneS.

Frem Theodore De B.arlle. ~. - 80
Tho Paris .cilnes translate hgeneral
ideas into modes! For instance, they
expressed the serene and family elc-
nent of Louis Philippe's bourgeois
isme by fiat bandeaux Of regularity
and snOothness which charmed tine
eye, while they twisted the hair at the
back into q simple figure s3l 1Thiss
fashion OF dressing tho hair may be
seen in the Autographs Of Deveria and
III Barre's statIiettes. Under the EN-.
pire, on tho contrary, when the, ,expan-
sion OF gold anu the fever of financial
combination had produced 3 dazzling
and fantastic kind Of life, the PARISH
ennes again put themselves in unison
with this fanatical renalssance by
adopting in dressing their hair curls,
masses Of ringlets and pleats more COM
plicated and thick than those which
crowned the brows Of Dianas Of tl,o
sixteenth century, and fabulous chfg-
mons which, ON the whole, had a grand
appearance. But as it is in, their ma.
ture to he essentially misleading and
discouraging for foreign women, as
soon as by their example they had I'm
duced the women of America, and. Of
tho more distant Australia, to hang
heavy false chignons on the back Of
their heads, insomuch that all over. tho
world the bald women thought deci-
dedly that they were safe for tho rest
of their lives, the Parisiennes began to
brush up their hair behind 90 Is to
show the roots. And what did these
women do who had none? They had
some. They were obligedl ! ss.l-
10 take from antiquity, from the
East, from oil times that which con-
stitutes their peculiar elegance, and,
without Destroying it, to reduce it to
the Partisan formula, such is the con-
slant occupation of these great artists.
Of what do you suppose Mile Rachel
used to be thinking, when, singing
before the public the finest music in
the world, l mean the poetry Of Cor.
nellie and Of Racine, resuscitated Her
mione, Phedre, Camille, Chimene,
Roxane, Monime7 OF translating the
impression which these ideal figures
raise in the poets mindI Yes, doubt.
less, but accessorily, for she occupied
herself more in ransacking them, in
taking from each one of them that
which constituted her special grace.
And if she was Greek. Roman, SPAN
ish, or Oriental in playing these great
q
sienne walking alOng'tho boulevard,
for tho most consumnate. type of SUI
preme beauty which it has over been
the privilege of any one to see, was
Mile. Rachel wearing an Indian shawl
as she wore the purple OF the gods.-
She realized then . masterpiece OF
harmony and proportion equal to that
of Polymnia.
speak of her purposcly, for she,
more than all the rest of the Parish
ennes put together, was q statuary
modelling her own flesh and the lines
of her visage. A thin face with . large
swelling forehead, eyes buried in
shade, retreating mouth, q largo
pointed chin, a bonyy body and lean
arms, that is what size had received
from nature; by force Of genius, will,
passion, love and gold spent on beau
tiful things, which is the great alche-
of q little street gtlitarist, she had
made that Rachel whom we have
known. 3Fa @a k @ .ia&a
What age has Parisienne? That
Is y grave question to which q definite
answer must be given At once. The
first magic, tho first prodigy, the first
duty Of Parisienne is to suppress ago
and all which resembles it. For ma
ture, thinking above all of the repro
OF the race gave to woman
only five years of beauty and absolute
youth; but tile ParisieMne has created
for herself . youth, which is1 the re-
suit OF will, aud which lasts thirty
years, for it requires that time at least
to arrive at the completion of the
charming and astonishing being she
is.' And I insist upon It that this
magic uoes not consist In painting and
hiding the wrinkles, in replacing the
hair that has fallen, the flesh that has
withered, but In having nothing Of
that at all.