The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
A BEAUTY OF THE SECOND EMPIRE
The Comtesse de CastigIiOne's Hell
Ienic Worship of Her own Liveli-
From London Truth


From London Truth.
The Comtesse de Castiglione was, I
think the handsomest woman I ever set
eyes on. She had all the grace of pretti-
ness without being pretty, for her beauty
was of the highest style-so high, indeed,
that she stood unrivalled. Women were
so carried away by her appearance as to
drop all jealousy. One alone was jealous,
and she was the most exalted of all. 1
never understood the power of Helen to
turn away wrath or blame until I saw the
Comtesse de Castigiione.
The Comtesse de Castiglione had all the
points that Phidas would have required
for a perfect model. She was stately
through perfect harmony and ease of mo-
ton. 1t was she who brought in the
sleeveless corsage. She would if she
could, have brought in bare feet and I'M
gloved hands at soirees. Her feet were on
show at her small receptions. Sometimes
she wore sandals and no stockings, some
times she dispensed even with sandals.
Satin was laid down on the floor. She
often received reclining in the old Roman
fashion, with the bare feet well visible.
They were like an infants feet Baudry
painted her lying on her black velvet
couch in the himsest of draperies. He
said that in all his experience, he never
saw such feet or hands. They were his
despair, the texture of the flesh was so
delicate. She was at first pleased with
this portrait. But she soon found 1t more
academical than Olympian. 1t also want
ed the vital glow that warmed up her
whole person. Disgust followed these dis
coveries, and she cut the pictures into lit
tie bits keeping intact the hands and feet
only for they were admirably rendered
The baise-bieds of the Comtesse were not
ab,t1o of IL,
paid to the Pope until she decided other
wise. When she received reclining with
bare feet. gentlemen who knew her ways,
always on entering, knelt and kissed hum
bly, and reverently foot. She then pre-
scented a hand. which was also kissed. A
baise- beds. remember, once took place
In AN Italian man-of-war told off 60 con-
vey her from Genoa to Portugal. All the
officers were admitted to It,
The Comtesse had Pauline Bonaparte's
ideas about art. If we have no statue of
her, such as Pauline stood for to Canova,
ii Is due to her having thought all mod
ern sculptors vulgarized by their models.
Her idea of virtue was beauty. Where
there was beauty one might assume vir-
tue af the antecedent Beauty was the
apotheosis of virtue. The Cotntesse in
attending a fancy ball Of the Empress as
Salammbo acted on these maxims. She
was attended by Comte Horae de Choi-
eeull as a Cathaginian page. The dress of
the Priestess was a transparency, and the
pieces forming Il were not stitched into
seams, but held together with clasps. She
wore sandals aud enameed anklets, which
were dug up on the site OF Carthage. The
Empress tried TO frown her down. But
she was unlnchlng and a hum Of admi-
ration greeted her as she went from tri-
umph TO triumph. Chamberlains saw how
the Emperor looked and bowed low before
her.
The COmtcsse de Castiglione went too
far for a grande dame. and not Tar enough
that prodiealty without great fortune u
the sin OF sins IN Paris. She ran into debt
The Emperor WAS not able TO initiate
Louis Queiorze IN giving 5Qo,09o francs a