Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-11
The Voices Of American women.

From the New York Sun.
At about the beginning of this century Paris fol-
O time affected the manners and dress OF London
Anglomania succeeding the license Of the period
OF the Directory, when the fashions of women's
dress were carried TO the extreme Of immOdesty
that had never before and has never since been
reached. But the Anglomania Of that day was
mild In form and greatly limited In Its manifesto
tons In COMPARISON with the Anglotnania of the
present time.
The whole civilized world at this period is, to
greater or less extent, following the manners and
customs or England, and he rapid spread OF the
use OF the English language. when now carries q
man further than any other, Will probably be in
fiuential In fixing and ST engineering the tendency
It's sporting phraseology, the English terms hav-
ing been transported into the various languages
with little or no variation; and Of recent year:
mems dress but has also begun to affect the Eng
llshmans general bearing, and more particularly
his c0mpOsure In speech and manner.
Therefore the afYectation OF English ways wh,ct
Is so much rdiculed here and by writer's who
themselves exhibit it more or less markedly, Il
now q worldwide manifestation, though with W.
IL Is OF course carried further than elsewhere; for
speaking the same language, some Amertc ms &c
TO the extreme Of attempting 10 initiate English
peculiarities Of speech, In the vain hope OF pa m
ing themselves OF for veritable Engltshmen. But
there Is one direction IN which Angiomania might
well be carried far.
The average OF feminine beauty Is undoubtedly
much higher here than In any European country
and IL has improved very decidedly within the last
Few SenerauOnS, tne pny Slcdi prOpOrJlOnS OF amer
lean women being more beautiful than they were
formerly. The average stature Of womrn I;
greater, they are better rOunded-a result due tC
more healthfui habits OF life after the period OF
hardship inevitable TO the settlement or a new
country, 10 more nourishlng diet. and to the Infu
sion OF foreign blood brought over by the immis ra
ton of The last forty years, an immigration yas
that n has essentially modified our soci-ty. But
In one respect the average American woman is raj
behind her English sister, Her voice Is not 81
meodiOus, and her htOnation Is less agreeable
Try they may, our feminine Anglonaniacs hav,
not yet succeeded In Initiating what Is most at
tractive and most worthy OF Imitation in English
women. They may acquire tricks of pronuncia.
ton and catch eXpreSSi ms that are peculiarly
English, but they miss the English voice.
NJ matter how enchanting their beauty may be
a crowd OF American women. IL must be confessed
Will make a din with their voices which dlstresse-
the air, and the individual American woman whos,
speech Is altogether soft and melodious Is unfor
tunately SOmewhit exceptional Yet In England
the OF women. no less In the lower than in tn,
higher classes, speak with voices OF charming
sweetness, and with a meditation very agreeable
Here the voice Is high and harsh, there it is low
and soft, soothing and gratifying the ear hk,
sweet music or the ripping OF a stream.
Waat are the Causes OF this difference we shall
not undertake 70 determine, whether they ar,
climatic or other but the fact Is indisputa5ie anC
IL II worth inquiring whether there might not b.
found an educational remedy for defect so plor
able. In that direction Anglorhania would serve
good purpose.