Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-07-08
THE FLUTTtR OF A FAN.
A Variety of Emoiions May he Expressed
WIN = lis sneieiy Meapon.

A Variety of Emotions May he Expressed
Witt Ills Spciaiy Weapon.
There are certain ndjuncis to Il woman's
toilet without which she would be passabe
It is true, hut their finishing touch just sup,
plies her with the cachet OF elegance, and
they NAV be termed her society weapons.
One of the most potent OF these weapons
is certainly the fan, SO capable in an
artistic hand of expressing every feeling of
its owners mind. .,rhere is an infinite
variety of motions to be made use oi IN the
ilutter of FAM says Addison. "There IS
the angry tlutter, the modest nntler, ne
timorous ilutter. the confused nutter, the
merry Ilutter and the amorous futter. Not
to be tedious, there is scarcely any emotion
IN the mind which dues not produce SUIT.
able agitation in the fan, IN SO much that Y
only see the fan OF disciplined lady
know very well whether she laughs, frowhs
or bushes"
Among European women, the Parisian
PERHAPS bes. understands tho long code Of
| coqtetry to which n fan can give expression;
Next To her comes the Spanish Senorila anu
the Italian Signorn, who both WELD ~ wllh
cunsummale grace. In the hands OF the
| ladies of Japan the fan also expresses Inucif,
and their method Of handling Il is singu-
ldrly characteristic of their nationality. An
| important feature in any European pro-
cesson or public function is the long
handled ostrich feather fan, OF huge size
with which the hot air is cooled, and which
! forms such graceful detail OF the evo-
lutions of the Indian Nnutch girls in their
wonderful dances. The punkab, too, Is but
| huge fan.
The fan is of great antiquity. One can
| picture the Queen of Sheba, on the occa.
sion of her memorable visit 10 the court OF
Solomon the Wise, bringing few fans
among the many gifts to that famous
monarch. Terrence, the Roman Mollere,
| who lived 200 years before the Christian
era, saws Take this fan, ana give her
thus little air." in one OF his plays, which
shows that II wns III vogue among the
| fashionable women of his day.
In France, fanology tas the ant of design
ing and decorating fans Is cplledl was al Its
height during the latter pnrt of the seven
teenth, and the whole of the eighteenth
century. Louis NV. and his two sue
cessors were all enthusiastic fan collectors,
ready to pay any sum for those of choice
design, and many Of the great artists OF the
day, no longer devoting their talent to the
establishment of cathedral or the paint
ing Of some great historical subject, did not
dis,lain to design such trivial trinkel as a
fan. and are known to us now by exquisite
miniature paintings lavished upon some
dainty fan destined for the use OF the i'll
lated Marie Antoinette or her ladies in then
let champetTes at Versailles. Among the
most celebrated of these eighteenth century
fan painters was the melancholy Vatican
who, though he never painted a sad sub
iect would seldom seem to have been Of q
gay mind, and who died of consumption al
the early age of 90. leaving his ndmo to O
| distinctive style OF dress, still Il Iavurite al
any fancy dress ball.
The fan came into use in England during
the Ell2abethinn era, but it was not much
in vogue until the middle of the Stuart
period, when various old plays and satires
make note of ii, not only in the hands Of
the Court bellies. but also as used by theil
beauX and admirers LOvelaue, the luckles.
cavaler-puet. wrote an ode upon the look
ing glass fan OF his faithlesS Lucasta, %
ostrich feathers set with precious stones.
But the fan remained, probably, an article
of luxury for the wealthy only, as a duty
was charged upon ii. and riverside porte
was entitled to tax of I'D. upon every Loaf
OF foreign fans which he carried from thu
docks To the dealer, says the Indy.
In 1903 Queen Anne granted II charter 9TH
latest, in order of time, of all such Englisl
Gnildsl to the Fanmakers Co.. and Englisl
artists following III the wake of thei
French confreres, began to devote them
selves to funulugy.
Then the dainty toy became an essentia
, requisite among all women with pretension
to fashion, and the eighteenth century litera
ture teens with illusions to its coauetry
! Gay, in particular, Dedicated to it lon
poem, in three books, beginning:
Assist 20 mtne your iOftiest nOtos employ
say what celestial skill contrlved the 10Y,
Say how thlh instrument oi love began,
And in immortal strains display tho fan.
/ There are many wonderful collections O
: fans of historic note. and quite II library G
literature exists upon the subject An eH
: tremely interesting book upon English fan
Q and fan-leaves, by Lady Charlotte Shredder
won for its author the rare distinction q
! being made a Freewoman Of the "Fai
: makers"
The fashion of fans has passed throng
endless phases Of size and form-the ivur
fan, the delicate lace fan the ostrich featht
fan, all had their day in turn. Just now TIA
+ small Marquise or Empire fan seems to |
Q the favorite and any of us who are fOrtl
q nate enough TO possess one of these relies {
20 our great-grandmothers may bring il ol
Il and use it to advantage.
There is something sad, yet sweet abol
70 these waits Of the days of powder au
patches" with their quaint designs
nymphs and shepherds. and delicate MON
grams in liiigree. Bright eyes once peepG
| over them at some ruut or kettledrum,
n PINK cheeks blushed roster behind them
l. the touch of some partners hand i'll Il
! courtly figures of the minucL or gavutt
. They are links with the past, and it is pc
halls these trivialties of everyday Iii
handed down lIom generation TO gener
ton, which most fOrcibly remind Us tn
a though fashions alter and customs chang
]" sorrow. gladneSs, laughter, weeping, pleasu
and pain, are always with MS, aud the gre
D necessities of the human heart will rena
10 the same as long as the world exists.