Smyrna times., 1881-07-20
WHOLE NO. 1859.
The Aesthetic Craze.


the primal instincts of human nature i ;s
not wonderful that beautiful things are so
highly priced and so ardently sought. And
as folly and extravaganza are normal
manifestations of human depravity, it is
not wonderful that they manifest them
selves in this seeking after the beautiful.
But in no civilized age or land. we firmly
DeleVe, has there ever been seen ANYTHING
TO equal the aesthetic craze in folly and
extravaganza To use a bit of IFS own
ilngo' 1t has reached the dignity of
cult" and is the most consummate"
thing conceivable.
Inc origin of it is undoubtedly to be
found IN the pre-Raphaelite movement
in art and literature of a generation ooo
mat was so numerically ridiculed that
II seemed to be extinguished for a time.
Dut II mad only gone into chrysalis state.
10 burst out in new glory again. A few
years ago Mr.. Eastlake. the celebrated
English artist, started a crusade against
heprevalent methods of furnishing houses
and advocated return to the more arts
TIC ways of former generations. The
world of fashion happened to be lust ready
for some new " fad, " and this answered as
well as any, SO everybody that was any
body began to furnish his house in " East
lake and Queen Anne" STYLES. Car
pets were discarded for polished floors
scantly covered with rugs; comfortable
chairs and sofas made way for straight
| backed monstrOsities which were uncom-
Portable even to look at delicate tinted
walls and lace curtains were replaced nv
the ugiest of hangings; Jric-a-brac took
the place of the ornaments that had once
had an honored place; marble washbowls.
with their running hot and cold water
were banished, and the Old-time washstand
with its bowl and pitcher substituted i'm
short the house was given over to the
reign of art and discomfort. The man orwo-
man had Whothe courage to protest against
the Vandalism, and express the idea that
after all comfort was the first thing to be
desired in home, was incontinently con-
demned as Philistine," hopelessly desti-
tute OF artistic tastes. With our usual
passion for aping everything English. we
Americans followed the example of our
British cousins as far as we could.
Then came the rage for pottery. Again
everything modern was condemned, and
every corner ransacked for relics of past
ages. Not content with this, the most
/ hideous Chinese and Japanes ware was
imported, and limitations of it manufac-
3 tured in vast quantities sold faster than
: they could be produced. The decorative
mania followed, and if possible houses
were made more hideous still by the most
6izGrrd combinations of coloring and forms.
j There seemed to be nothing further to be
done i'll spelling their houses after this, so
the " aesthetic" people turned to and be-
gan to spoil themselves. A small coterie
of them in London have initiated what
+ they hope to make great reform in the
Il dress, manners and customs of society
O The nature of that reform may best be
4 learned by study of the cartoons of DU
Maurier in Punch during the last year ol
so.
-e The new reform first showed itself in
l. marked change in women's dress. o
s. course a modern costume looked sadly on
ID of place in drawing-rooms furnished afte
id the most approved aesthetic" " models
and new style of dress was a necessity
Dull green's and faded-out blue were al
iS faotad oDd +ba oD+;o,1a modal Iroc cOuUh
f: to be followed as far as modern prejudice
rt as to what is modest and decent woul
S. allow The men who belong to tn
a aesthetic coterie we believe, have not ha
ne the courage to discard the conventions
so broadcloth swallow tail coat, but they Il
lie, their hair grow long and affect certai
al other eccentricities. Both the men an
I'M the women have sort of languid, motto
id this-world air, and do large business
TO. romantic attitudes, sighs and that sort
thing. A new vocabulary has been il
a vented by these people. "Utter," " il
ov tense" consummate" and few Oth'
re adjectives they have quite mOnopolize
m. and use them in an original way. II
let Maudle," Pesthletwait and Mr.
no Cimabue Brown of Punch will give ia
it, of the " aesthetic" part of London societ
ID at present. The bride who holds up q
It's aesthetic teapot and says to her husban
Did 4" Let us live up to it, DEAR" is said to
r'n drawn from life, as is the young fello
off who goes to a restaurant to dine, calls fl
a glass of water, puts into it a freshly-c
lily, and says to the astonished waiter WI
,rd interrupts his rapt contemplation of
an beauty by asking if he won't have som
inc thing. Thanks, no! I have all that
the REQUIRE, and shall soon have DONE"
ed. Possibly these antics are too absurd
of general adoption. 1t is to be hoped tn
los such is the case. At any rate, may
are knowledge of this sort of thing on this 81
nal of the water be limited to what we c.
low learn from the cartoons of Punch, and t
Ion scattered hints in English society Journa
- N Y Examiner and Chronicle,
A.o,,o,, Tt OuyEp The immense 81