The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-01
fPar,s e,ser.l

To sneak Of Judith Gautjer, after speak
,ng AZ EFo1nmsnu-C hatfian, is Nike leaving
a. oId-isshioned garden filed with thyme
md hollyhocks, and sweet with pansies
sud pinks and glllyhowers,. 70 enter a
conservatory rich In palms and rare
exotics. and heavy with the drowsy
perfume OF magnoliss and Nile lilies.
dare NOT myself describe her, but !
borrow rrederec Bazin's words: "a
prsncess, Queen Of the Orient, with the
oval face Of the moon, Hafiz would say !;
with the eyes OF the lotus. Bhartrihar'
would say; with brow OF polished Jasper
Li-Tai-p6 would say--sucb she appears 70
VA, In all the mysterious spiendor OF an
tioue Oriental beauty, with her exquisite
nniIor. the calm ROYALTY Of her features,
AMI the strnnge sweetness Of her eyes,"
re a enthusiastic, but IL would be inn
possible not to be; she Is not merely mo.
dern rbymer, but another Sappbo, tuning
her iyre on the yellow sands and singing
the white m00ubeams. OF the opal skies.
The daughter az aTheophilc Gautier, she
has not only Inherited her fathers rare
talent, but sdded 10 Is the wonderful grace
and beauty OF her own. G0un0d says:
"Thers are three great priesthoods-that
Of the Good, that Of the True, that
OF the Beautiful saints, thinkers, ar
tits are the three distinctive forms
Of this substantial unity, which Is
the Tdeal.0 Madame Gautier is the priest
ess OF this soul-worshlp, and a poet In so
true and exalted q way that her very heart
beats seem response TO the rhythm OF an
ali-surrounding poetry. She writes, how
ever, only In prose-but such prose
Many authors have chosen for their themes
times and deeds remote from the quiet
practical life OF to-day, But Madame Gau-
tier says: (" The Orient remains still, with
Persia, India, the splendors Of Ramayana,
and the sweet words Of Buddha, bin
who thiuksv; and these she has con-
quered for herself. The entire East
Il hers. Her works are all Chinese
or Persian. Z. The Imperial Dragon Is a
story Of royal Chinese hfe. fThe Usurp-
err" is an EPISODE In Japanese history.
Iskender y is q purely Persian poem, and
the BOOK OF Jasper dedicated TO the
great Chinese poet Tin-Tun-Ling, Is col
lection OF unique little poems In prose,
after the manner OF Henri Heine. as dainty
and beautiful as Chinese. embroideries in
gay silks onscreamy Grape. There ~ about
them the sweetness and charm OF pink
peach blossoms, or the pale leaves OF will
low-trees, which she SINGS
All Ludt mduuultl UduLlcT WIScS II tOuCu-
ing and tender, and though there is no
word of SORROW In 1t, sadness emanates
from every line like perfume from flower.
exotic, and they have the fragile delicacy
Of rare white, blJoihs, Her oyal-faced,
ulmond-eyed herOines, with sweet names
Blooming Rice-fitlds, and her heroes
mail oil NJ
in their flowing robes OF rose and
azure satins or, gorgeous silks, over the
jasper floors o. imperial palaces, among
curving pillars OF malachite and amethyst,
and golden statues OF writing dragons or
Hundred Armed Vishnus. Her descrip-
tons are so glowing in the riotOus richness
OF color that they are dazzling and bewil
dering, but nothing but such scenes could
serve us backgrounds to the exalted deeds
Of her people. Her heroes are heroes IN
deed-mighsy in courage and valor; each.
like Sir Galabad. whose
strength was as the strength Of ten,
Because bis heart was pure.
She Is dweller on Olympus, and every
thing she writes Is passionate, ennobling,
high above the Ipetfiness OF everyday life,
and broad as the free breath OF mountain
winds In the northern land OF the Sagas.
Her work is full Of poetry--it is all poe
try; and by that / do not mean only the
songs or poet-thoughts which ileck its con-
tinuous flow like scattered rose petals on a
running stream, but an allpervading
breadth OF poetry, which is found in every
line an elevation Of soul and thought
almost mystic In its intense Ideally, and
strong and pure as the epics Of the Greeks.
One Of the great beauties Of Madame
GATHERS novels TO SdDdnfS is their aston
isbing truth and accuracy OF detail No
one but the author knows what tour de
force novel like "Uarada," " Hypatia,
or even Bulwer's fsLast Days OF Pompeii,"
Is; and what deep study and minute re-
cally correct. But Judith Gautier''s studies
OF life In China and Japan are so perfect, that
Chinese critics Qor her name Is well-knOwh
TO the iettered of the Celestial Empire)
cannot understand by what mysterious
power OF divination q Partisan could obtain
30 Thorough O knowledge OF their customs,
Manners and literature. 1t seems truly
divinatiou, for Madame Gautier has never
been m, China; ind yet she knows it so
well that her description OF il are flawless.
could not say absolutely fawless, for she
told me that when " The Imperial Dragon !"
appeared, she received letter from
Chinese writer, who informed her that the
book . was strictly accurate and per-
feet In every D detail, save one. In the
chapter In whichthe rost is separated from
his friends, she says lss sinlocks door,
when she should have said unbolt; for
there ara no locks, in China! This error,
In book Of more than 300 pages, with all
the qusintness Of custom and manner Of
Chinese life SO depicted that one seems on
reading II xansp0rted IN the shores Of the
Yellow YEA, was very amusing TO me; hut
Madame Gautier Is so conscientious that
abe n going 10 have the mistake corrected
In the next edition Of the work.
She seems to think her knowledge OF
Chinese literature the most natural thing
In the world. She has always Iked,th
Chinese, whom she considers among the
most poetic people OF modern times, and
she hsaalways known them, for she has for
years Desn the spoiled child Of the Chinese
Legation and Embassies In Paris. Her
little low parlor Is completely filed with
Oriental bric-a-brac; and screens, banners,
lanterns, tarss vases, and. dragon-wreathed
mirrors, make II look as though II had been
taken bodily from Pekin and dropped in
her apartment on the Avenue des Champs
Elysees. 1870 ma
judith Gautier Is one Of the most beausi-
ful women I.lhaye ever seen--singularly
beautifni; q'leenly in stature, statuesque
In repose, add so graceful in every move
When she has passed, u Is hike sl,
The ceasfag OF exquisite music.
Her complexion Is OF creamy pallor; her
eyes, dreamy and far-looklng. are. black
with Wtdsh beams, and so deep asNto be
iathopsI@s: There Il abolt her the supple
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