The sun., 1884-11-02

the olghtosnth century than nowadays. whose
nature whilo unproductive In any particular.
IS Intensely and almost exclusively Intellectual.
and In tho intellectual domain even more In
tenscly and almost @ X clusively literary women
who are born readers, TO whom n now poem
IL as great an excitement as a new toilet
trcdiise OF philosophy moro exduisitely de-
lightful than symphony Then. In fow
words. the author gives US the key OF the situa-
tlon III which the ill-assorted trio. Charles
Stuart. his young wife. and the sslf- -willed
ardent Alorl, but . few yoars older than hor.
self. we're about 10 be involved. And this
woman, thus educated. with this immense
fund of iptelieetual energy. was living. not q
normal lifo with tho normal disfracting inlu-
snces OF an endurablo husband. OF children.
and of society. but life OF frightful mental
and moral Isolation by the side. Or rather In
the loathsome shadow. Of u degraded. sordid.
violent and jealous brute. from the reality OF
whose beastly excesses and bestial fury. Of
whose vomitngs and oaths and outrages aud
blows. sho could take refuge only In the unreal
world OF books
Tho relation which ensued between the pro.
spcctivs poet and the wife OF tho Pretsnder.
and which. utter the legal separation Of the
married pair. must DO admitted to have deaen-
Grated into virtual but unsanctioned matri-
mony. 10 treated in this volume ut once with
perfect deicacy and with q thorough recogni-
tion OF the peculiar moral standard which at
the timo obtained throughout tho Continent.
and especially in Iiaiy. What may DO called
tho mysteries OF cicsbeism. tho duties. privi-
legos. and acknowledged status OF the cdpaiitri
Sirpe,t. are discussed with the utmost frank
moss. and yet without word that can shock
sdueamish reader. but for the just and saga.
cious observations on this subject. and for the
whole story OF Alferi's famous love affair we
must refer the reader to this delightful book.
which should go far to give the writer an hon.
orable pince among the distinguished feminine
authors OF our day.
EnrIi.h Vvom-n l."oked at with FrsncA Eyss.
The remarkable SUCCESS attained In Eng
land as wcll as France by John Bun et son lie
has encouraged Mr.. MAX OREIL. to work tho
lucky vein u little further. and he discusses
another and peculiarly interesting aspect Of
tho same theme In les Files DE- Joipl BuR paris.
Calmann. Levy. We should say that this book
would outstrip even tho vogue OF its prcdeces-
sor. for the subject Ia even more adapted to
the authors characteristics treatment. which
has just enough OF muiico In II to be
ralisred by his countryinen. while Il is
on tho whole 80 Just. acute. and cir
cumspect that tho people criticised are less Of
tended than amused. Yet since 1t seems per.
missbo for even we'll bred Frenchmen to call
Il spade spade. he docs not always refrain
from ausOas and suggestions which could
hardly be reproduced in an English version by
one who shrnnk from bringing blush to the
cheok Of Mrs Bnflin We shall try at all events.
TO show tho stumbling blocks which this VOL
ume here and thero presents in the following
extracts. from which the reader may learn how
John Bulls daughters are regarded by French
eyes that profess to bo appreciativc. and nre
certainly incsve.
Mr. Max ORell contends that tho French
woman is more graceful and pQuant than the
Eng ish woman. but he admits that she is less
hoalthy and less fresh looking. Her eyes are
more vivacoue. her mouth much pre,ticr. and
her figure much more elegant. but her skin is
less white aud of II much coarser grain. Walk
ing and barhng-that is the secret OF English
women's health and beauty. They arc not
afraid Of shower baths or OF draughts of air.
They sleep with the window open. and. on
rising drench themselves with cold water In
winter time the most timd will dip q bath
sponge into water. wiring it out. ard rub them-
selves from head to foot. to stir tho circulation
of tho blood. until their skin cries mercy.
With the appetite thus whettcu they come
down to the breakfast room frosh and vgor-
GUS. and mako n substantial meal Of eggs nnd
cold beef. and thon go out into tho open air to
walk or play lawn tennls."
Bulls daughters arc subjected to u more de-
tailed analysis. The author reitaratcs that
AN English woman's skin is usually fine
grained. dcliciously white. and volyety: 1t re-
minds you OF alabaster. satin hcr neck Is like
u swans. The hips and shoulders are ireauent-
ly too narrow. and. unluckiIy. tho bosom is too
often an uncomfortable quantity in tho enumer-
alton OF an English woman's beautics." This Is
ono Of tho things apparently that are ordered
better In France. for the author goes on to say
that what strikes you at tho first
glance in Paris. when you arrive there
from England. is tho plumpness Of tho
women. Gracious! but tho republic feeds
them WE'LL What a development. What am
rlitudol What depth OF chest! What protuber-
ances! Ladies'. Ills frightiu. Modcraton. l
besecch you. or you VIII soon have 10 throw
your corsets to tho winds" Every observer
hns bcen struck by tho marked difference be-
tween French women and English women in
respect OF gait and bearing. Mr.. Max URsll.
of course. adverts to 1t. Tho English woman
walks with her arms dropped and bears her
weight upon her heels; the French woman
walks with her arms bent. and bears her
weight upon her toes It's more graceful but
less convenient. In my last journey to Paris l
noticed with pleasure that the high. poin ted
heel. thrust under the middle Of tho sole was
beginning to give place to tho English heel;
it's decided sign OF progress" There is an
other thing in which tho writer thinks his
countrywomen might copy to advantage their
English neighbors. EIglish women dress
their hair with much simplicity. oven for balls.
admire that. Their hair a little tumbled on
the crown OF the head and knotted in thick
coils behind tho neck. plsases me far more than
those complicated monuments fastened up
with pins the products Of the wild Imagination
OF Master Isodore or some other modish
capillary artist. To mo those ednces.
that have required hours to build. ex-
press nothing except the warning that
hours moro Will be needed to take them
down. and that approach Is prohibited under
penalty OF putting their symmetry In jsop-
ardy." As to the notion still encountered in
Boulevard newspapers. that English women
have no eye for color. and like to faunt In
glaring hues. the wsll-nformed author OF this
volume Is properly disoriminative and points
out that while the women OF the lower classes
do indeed display the loudest colors. apple
green. sky blue. and scarlet. contrnriwise the
women OF society dress very simply In the
street.. AT Hyde Park. in tho carriages YOU