New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-07
SOCIAL LIFE IN PARIS.
A MODERN SALON.

Monthly a year ago lose nothing of their effect on
being brought together in volume. They treat
curious subject with literary taste, ample knowl-
edge and conspicuous good sense Madame Mohl,
who died in 1888 at the age of nnety-three was oil
English birth-her maiden name was Mary Clarke
and her husband julius Moh was distinguished
German orentalist: but she livel in France IRON
her third year. and in habits, preposSessons, and
character she was true Partisan. friend, a
companion and a disciple of Madame Recamier
abe took the sceptre of social sovereignty by direct
inheritance and became the last of those brilliant
rulers who governed the empire of talk from the
DAYS of Madame lie Rambouet to the fall Of
Napoleon iii. There never VAS an institution in
any other country like the French salon, and there
never was French salon just like that of Madame
Mohl She herself was an eccentric of the first
water Her tangled hair, whose cuTls and frzzes
always would reduce themselves to such mess that
Guizot used to say that Madame Mohl and his SKYE
terrier had the same coitfeur; her quaint
and incongruous costumes, defiant alike OF
taste and OF fashion; her upright figure full
of yiyacity even in extreme old age; her open
blue eyes and her little turned up nose-made pict-
ure which was certainly something of carieature
When she called ON her friends the servants often
treated her as q poor woman GRAND OF char
ity-a mistake which used to amuse her highly
Her manners were as unconventional as heI dress
as far removed possible from the stately courte
sizes to which she was accustomed during her lntl-
macy with Madame R6camier " She had no man
ners to speak of" and her mother, very digniiied
blu. very placid English lady, apparently never
tried to give her any. During Mrs Clarkes Lifetime
the salon. though not yet famous, had already been
founded There were three friends OF the family
Faurel Roulain and Julius Mohl-who dined
often with the Clarkes, and on such occasions 1t
was the habit for everybody to take forty winks
after dinner:
To facilitate this, the lamp was taken into an adj
Joining ROOM the mnGe n beT sb"es
and curled herself up on the sofa, and by-and,6y
they all woke up refreshed anu TGddv 70 rak III
the forty wnks were over; but one evening II
Glanced that some one came earlier than usual ana
was ushercd into the drawng-l DOM while the party
was fast asleep. The tableau may be imagined
The gentlemen started up and rubbed their eyes;
Mrs. Clarke fetched the lamp; Mary l9m9ed LOT
catching cold by walking on the oak floor, hoped
from chair to chair looking for them
Mrs. Richie Miss Thackeray) says, . remember
two of my cousins going to see her IN Paris and
on coming back describing her as sitting like little
old fairy on the mantlepiece of her drawlngroom
chimney and entertaining them quite cOmposedly.'
She was much sought after by distinguished and
royal personages and she met them on the easiest
terms. Rank, wealth. or station never made the
slightest impression upon her. She reverenceu
nothing but intellect and esprit
When the Queen of Holland visited the French
Emperor she breakfasted with Madame Mohl. and
Theirs Mignet jules Simon, and other lllustrious
men were invited to meet her. Madame Mohl was
asked by friend If she was not anxious a6out the
menu any DEAR" she replied, Il will give her a
lobster: nv cook does it very we'll" lobster with
mayonnaise sauce seemed to her tue highest
achievement of the culinary art
Soon after this famous d,je,ner Her Majesty went
one morning to pay the customary visit OF diges-
ton at the Rue du Bac. Madame Mohl was IN
her ordinary morning cOstume,-a costume once
seen never to be forgotten,-busy busting the draw
ing-roOm. after having counted out the linen that
had lust come home and was spread ont on the
dining groom table visible through the open folding
doors. Suddenly, the Queen and her suite were
shown in The Old lady S aS b nGr
self and her toilet went forward to greet Her
Majesty. The company sat down, and Maoario
Mohl chatted away as pleasantly as usual.
A friend to whom she related the adventure, half
an hour after it had occurred, remarked that she
must have been terribly embarrassed at being
Not a bit my dear" said Madame Mohl.
didn't mind it in the least no more dd the queen.
Her lady did, dare say, and that hne gentleman
who walks after her with the keys looked dread
fully disgtsted: but | could see the Queen was
laughing at it all in her sleeve"
An interview with Queen Victoria, while Madame
Mohl was visiting at Dean Stanleys was still more
peculiar There had been great apprehension of
war between England and Germany on the Danish
Times the good news that the danger was at an end
when the door was thrown open and the servant
announced "The Queen" Not at al futtered by
this unexpected presence Madame Mohl stood up
and exclaimed triumphantly, "Well your Majesty.
we arc TO have warp
aNo thank God we are to have no war" was the
Queens hearty rejoinder, and holding ont both
hands, she sat down beside Madalhe MohI' anu
entered into conversation.
Lady Augusta, meantime who was dressing,
han ntlo raTh
Madame MOhl would behave to the Sovereign She
found them both chatting away i'll the most
friendly manner the old lady giving her opinion on
tie politics of Europe freely as II her companion
had been mere fellow-creatuIe
The salon of Madame Mohl was distinguished
resort as early as 1s30,-tbe salon of Mrs. CLARKE
and her daughter we ought to say, for Mrs. Clarke
was living at that time, and Mary did not marry
until 1S47, when she had reached the mature age of
ffty-seven. 1t was after her marriage that her
assemblies acquired their greatest brliancy The
briliancy as entirely in the conversation all the
rest of the entertainment being simple to the very
verge of shabbiness No refreshments were pro-
vded except plate of biscuits and pot of tea the
rooms were plain and dress was discouraged The
absepce of ceremony was one of the marked char
acteristcs of these famcus Friday evenings and
vet there were certain traditional rules Of which the
hostess exacted strict observance. One was that
gentlewen must never form themselves into groups in
the doorways aloof from the ladies' Another was
the prohibition OF corner duets and teteatetes in
the same room with general conversation. third
prescri bed the manner of conducting tire converse
ton one good talker installed in the chimney
corner threw the ball to somebody; these two kept
il going occasionally tossing it to some other of
the company. Madame Mohl herself never took the
lead but she was very clever at catching the ball
when it was thrown out hap-hazard; she had no
false modesty, and was not afraid to show her ig-
norance by darling into serious discussion If she
could enven the entertainment. Her well-worn
sofa by the fresde was held habtually by the best
takers of the day-Ampere, Montalembert,
Loulene, Cousin Theirs, Barthelemy st. Hilaire,
Mignet. Her own talk was exceedingly bright and