Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-02-03
why the BERNaARDT DIsDAlRs THE
USE OF THE FASHIONABLE CORSET,
Tho DeoreS of SIcr GracornI Movc:uonta
and stntuosquo Poscs. Lnnxtry's
Weak Points a0 Comrarad with
Eornhnrsit.

Bcrnhardt never had corset. She hns
never fastened a pair Of stays around her
i'll her lie, which accounts for her supple
meas and inimitable grace. For one rcn-
son, sho has always been SO thin, that
there has been no need OF for cclscts to
coniino her into size small enough for
her gowns. When sic goes to the drcgs-
maker she wears smooth, but rot tight
waist oil heavy white linen, which the
dressmakcr fills out in hollow places with
few folds OF cotton batting fitting ,lIo
%s:..--. :. tiG gown over it. But this il
only worn for smoothness nnd not to re-
duce her waist. On tho stage shc docs
not wear oven thnt, which account for her
long, smooth strides and the cnsc OF her
poses, that rather melt and dissolve into
each other than change. In tho winter
she wears to the theatre long, full gown
OF heavy Chinese crepe, ol which tho
sleeves are tight-littng and come only to
the elbow, while il hangs % 1sc from throat
70 anklos. Over this dress the slips on
her costumes, never removing 1t unless
the toilet is dccollcte. This China crepe
gown keeps her warm ond adds the req,ii-
site fullncRs to her figure without in tho
slightest degree impeding tho freedom OF
her movements.
II lis this fact which permits thnt cx-
quisite equipoisc of bodily movement and
the long, sweeping motion OF her nrms.
Not only actors, but artists and sculptors,
sat in the front row during thu Bernlartlt
season endcavoring TO learn the secret OF
her cat-iikc, sinous grace. Much OF il is
natural, OF course, and would be notice
able in any dress and under any circum-
stanccs, but much Of it is also due to the
iact that the muscles Of her back; hips
lslt "a Ia "a.
stiftencd by the use OF stays. Mrs. Lang
try is said to have Il beautiful figure of Tic
conventional sort, dresses well and is
called graceful but when the two women
are placed side by side in the Photograph
which they had taken together, Sarah
Bcrnhardt shows instantly the superiority
OF her whole tone to that OF the Beauty.
The universal verdict has beon that II
looked like the picture OF a lady and her
maid, and Langtry wasn't tile lady.
l.angtry's is the perfection Of form accord
ding TO the English fashionable code, and
as Du Maurier pictures IL IN his rcpresen.
tations ofsociety girls. That is to say, her
waist is brought to an tlcal slnalness
her shoulders are squared and lifted,
broadened out OF proportion to the rest OF
her body. and from tight lacing she has
become chickcnbrcstcd. The only fcal or
statuesque beauty she has left is the ex-
quisite line from the crown of her head
down the nape OF her neck. Happily she
has not been able by any artificial means
to spoil that. But oil around, her body,
abouttwo inches below tho arms, can DO
clearly seen through the silk, satin Aor
wool OF her gown q hard ridgo which
marfs tho upper limit Of her corset. The
same peculiar physiological phenomena
may be observed in almost every actress
who has conventional reputation for
dressing wolf;