St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-14
A PLEA FOR SALONS.
One Important Thing Which
American Women Have
Yet to Learn.
The Method Of Entertaining
Where the Hostess Is
Chief Factor.
knowledge Of Human Nature
More Valuable Than Beau
ty or Talent.
The Queen Of the Salon Must
Bring Out the Glory Of
Her Guests.

Her Guests.
Mrs. Oliver Bunce, writing in Harper'S
Bazaar, calls renewed attention to the
fact that America has no literary salon.
1t has its delightful luncheons, its
charming afternoon teas, its superb and
well-appointed dinners, its receptions,
its musicals, its readings, its discussion
clubs, but no intellectual conversations.
And why not? The American woman
is a charming, responsive creature,
clever i'll repartee, and with certain
brightness of nature and aptitude OF
mind that enliven the atmosphere
around her. Her kindness of manner
and savoir-faire render her capable in
all directions. BY nature she is a social
entertainer; and yet, with all these So
cial virtues, these charming traits, these
complex charms, she does not possess
the touch and 20 of the French woman,
who has accomplished so much IN this
respect. For a salon to exist in America
ii does not mean a great house, great
wealth or great social prestige, it does
not require a long line of blue-blood an
cestry, nor has it need for the brilliant
dressing of the period. 1t is the one
entertainment where the mistress of
the establishment has everything with
in her grasp and where the master
should be the brilliant accessory. The
salon is a school where the art of con-
versatiOn is taught; where the flow and
ripple of bright ideas, clever minds and
charming phrases should find their
vent, and where hberality of thought
and exchange of ideas should predomi-
nate: where every one present should
charge the air around with an intel
Iectual aroma, so chat after leaving it
one can think, enjoy and digest at
pleasure.
The art of entertaining is a rare gift.
NowomaE can be the leader of salon
or form around her a circle that has not
great personal charm; but it IS neither
beauty nor intellectual accomplish
ments, scientific knowledge, nor phlla
thropic gifts, that WELD the scepter of
this charmed circle. 1t is the true
knowledge of human nature, the un-
rivaled tact when to speak and what to
leave unSaid, the great power to intro
duce subjects that fill the mind with
interest and bring to the surface the
best and salient points of the man or
woman of letters. The genius who
presideS in her coterie knows full well
the brainy and brilliant. whose discus
sions fill those around them with pleas
est and reserved she eXer-
cises ingenuity and skill, and
helps them to shine before society
ever was aware they existed. The
youthful poet, the unsuccessful play
wright, the literary beginner = she
makes them the background of the
great scholar Of The evening. And it is
through her announcement that these
lights assist in new discussions, new
themes, new books and new plays. Her
clever perception and charming manner
inspire them with confident belief in
themselves and in their future.
Besides the qualifications that are so
necessary to the pleasure and faScina-
tons of a successful salon, the art of re-
ceiving adds much to the happiness and
brilliancy of the occasion. The hearty
welcome, the genial greeting, the fiat
tering compliment-all these give tone
and vigor to those who enter its sacred
portals And still there Is secret the
American woman has yet to learn.
ForgetfulnesS of herself. For it is
neither the grandeur of her house, the
splendor of her gowns, nor the bounti-
fulness of her table that will bring into
her circle the wit, the brilliant scien-
fist, the thoughtful scholar, or the man
of letters. Her role must be TO cover
her friends with glory, and not herself
Every one present must have the chance
of expression; forit is not the brilliancy
of her own gifts that makes the tide of
conversation run smoothly. but it is the
tact and ability to set people talking,
and her lack of intense literary inSpira-
ten is in her favor. The queen of the
salon must possess alertneSs of mind
that fascinates, vivacity that enlivens,
and the ability of seeing subjects on all
sides, not only the serious but the
humorous side, with its comedies, and
its oddities.
American women as a class are not
eonversationalists. They have not the
art of expressing themselves in that
rapid succession of thought that the
clever French women INDUCES in, and
this is solely why dinners and recep-
tons in America are so often dull and
Misunderstanding. In fact, the women of
this country are not readers: they are
seekers of literature of a deSultOry char
acter. but they are not students. Aud
one need only TO visit the summer re-
sorts to see these creatures of fashion
''put out on the piazza i'll the morning,
buIllcU dIOuUu llUOll, anu GdhCu III dl
night" to view their inactive lives,
their useless existence, their vacant
minds.
OF the French women whose salons
were so famous Nine. Recamier and
Nine. Mohl were the most remarkable
Nine. de RemuSat, Nine. Lebrun. Nine
Dudevant, all had their afternoons Oh
evenings. all were noted for their beauty
and delightful manners, their magne.
tism, and womanly destinations. Thiel
suites of rooms were not furnished il
the gorgeous style of the period; theil
entertainments were solely an intellect
uaI feast, where the witticismS, the
repartee, the bright sayings and clever
bOnmOtS flied the room with scintilat
ing sparks that have rendered theil
talks famous the world over. Did the
women Of that period possess greater
literary abilities? We're they writers,
Did they give to the world their crea
tons of novels, essays or passionate
poems? Or where they the great light:
that compelled every one to reVolvt
around them? They were women O
intellectual facinatiOn. but not intellect
ual abilities. They were the miners O
the feast whose tongues, like a sharp
edged tool, dug out the treasures o
thought in others, where bit of wi
ana WlSUOnl was painted mere ana there
adulation and tiattery receiving only
secondary consideration. They simpl,
amused the world and brought togethe
the great men. the great women of tn
age in which they lived.
If the American woman of to-da,
would form for herself a salon sin
must begin by understanding the art o
entertaining. She need not be liter
airy woman. for they of all people ar
most untitled for the position; tbei
minds are so filled with projects of thei
own that they are obivous at times t
everything happening around them, AM
they have not the sparkle, the bright
ness, or the art of pleasing others Wit
themselves. They may raise the latcl
and admit the world on certain even
inc, bit that does not make d salon. /
salon is a work of art in its way. If th
men who frequent it are those who's