Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-11-21
HIGHLY MORAL NEW YORK
Greatly Agitated Over the Rec n.
to be Given to M lie. Rernhardt
in Private.
The Bad Blue Blood OF the MetrOp o
lis Putting ON VirtuOus Airs
I1egitimate children.

are seriously agitated as to whether
or no to give the Bernhardt social
recognition. How to patronize an
unmarried female with children is
conundrurn which has not heretofore
confronted the tony society of
Gotham. AS yet no decided step
has been taken either way, and the
disposition among sensible people is
to let the whole thing alone, and to
make no effort either to receive or
exclude. In point Of fact, Miss
Bernhardt brought very few letters
of introduction with her. Notabili-
ties on the other side of the ocean
who were able and willing to give
her letters to friends over here
thought it advisable to ask permis-
sion before doing so, and in this way
time was lost, and Americans abroad
and those at home who were written
to were able to eyade or decline the
honor. M. Victor Cousin, however,
did give Miss Bernhardt letter of
presentation to a lady of high social
position in this city, who expressed
herself much embarrassed at receiving
it, as she did not wish to slight Mr..
Cousin, but wished still less to make
Miss Bernhardt's acquaintance. How
she decided the knotty point has not
been related. There are others,
again, who take what is called broad
er view of the claims upon society of
all artistic celebrities, and of the
pleasure and profit to be derived
from knowing them. One of these
a lady who had an intimate acquaint-
ance with aristocratic circles in En-
gland, and who holds that the vii 5u-
GUS example of the prince of Wales
should be followed by all his faithful
| friends on both sides of the water
it is expected will entertain Miss
Bernhardt at one of her Sunday re-
ceptions. It is not likely that the
precedent will be very extensively
followed.
PLAIN WORDS ABOUT THE BERNHARDT AS
A WOMAN.
The Methodist: The dramatic ca
reer of Sara Bernhardt in this coun-
try we should probably not notice if
the woman were to come before the
public merely as an actress. She
comes seeking, and will doubtless
obtain, social honors. It is said that
in England even Mr.. Gladstone diss
graced himself by visiting this wo-
man. For the character of actors,
people, as a rule, care nothing, as
society excuses its ignorance or its
neglect to obtain knowledge on the
ground that it does not associate
with actors. But, in this case, soci-
ETY. will be asked to indorse woman
who has children and has had no
husband who is practical example
of Stree love"-if we can even tacitly
degrade love by the quotation. What
are New York people going to do
about it? The treatment that this
actress receives from society in this
country will severely test us as a
people. In many ways marriage is
assailed among us. Too social rec
ognition of this French woman by
our wealthy and cultured citizens
would deal terrible blow to morals.
Will New York deliver this blow?
~z SOCIETY AND SARA.
New York correspondence of the
Detroit Free Press ''There is no
sign yet that society desires to take
the Bernhardt into its arms and
make fuss over her. It was thought
that because London did SO New
York would follow suit. It has not
made any advances yet, at all events.
I suppose you have seen what some
of the so-called religious papc s
have been saying about society and
Sara. The only secular paper that
has taken up their cry is the Even
ing Post The Post, however, does
not go too far in the matter. It
merely suggests that society might
as well let Sara alone. The tone of
the religious papers is much strong-
er. They say in the plainest terms
that Bernhardt should not be admit
ted among people of good character.
It is harsh thing to say and it may
be unjust. I wonder if society has
not got in its own ranks more than
one woman not whit better, as q
woman, than this fine actress is :?
However, it does not seem likely that
the Fifth avenue folk will receive
Bernhardt in their parlors. It would
be glorious chance for Mrs. Grun-
dy, and that is not desirable. And
Sara certainly won't go to the par
lors unasked. If she knew that the
Fifth avenue folk were gathering
their skirts to avoid contamination
she would just as soon tell them all
to go to Halifax as not. What the
religious papers have said has been
kept from her. They might Just as
well not have said it at all.
THE QUESTION SOLVED By SOCIETY.
New YoRk, Nov. 15.-Sara Bern
hardt's private reception took place
this evening at the theater of the
Union League club. The theater
was gaily decorated. Bernhardt's
twenty works of art in oil and her
works in sculpture-four in marble
/ and two ~, b,.<1rzo s ~,a~,s I.o~,1c~oJ