The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-25
VIII.

We pass to the grave question OF the utility
Of physical exercises for women-s question
which ls much more difficult to answer Than
1t appears at first sight, and which has been
differently answered at different epochs IL
the old style French chatelaines. those OF the
fifteenth century. for instance. sunbaked.
injured to the inclemenciss Of the weather,
dashina huntswomsn. had been asked TO re-
linQuish violent exercises like hunting. fencing
and tennis. on the ground that TO indulge In
them was 70 waste their charm. they would
have ridiculed the Idea. Nevertheless. after
mature elaboration. the Urbino cotens. which
represented the quntesssnoe OF Renaissance
ideas, decided that these exercises were ale
together incompatible with the feminine tenn
perame One had 10 go as far north as
Lyons TO find q pretty and clover woman pos
ing a. Bradamants and boasuns OF her hiding
and her skill with the lance. Every well-born
Italia, woman detesied such nannish ways.
when Charles VIII. arrived at Naples, the
Princess OF Melrhi. to humor the barbsrians
taste, presented 10 him her daughter on horse
back, but mounted in such a manner as not
TO do wrong 20 her sex" Here Ia presented
a problem In pure esletios, Not that women
like Isabella D'Este and other are deficient
In energy: when need srises. they will give
proof OF an extraordinary vieor; Margaret
Of France. In her passion for serving her
brother, will bestride q horse and gallon 70 tie
spanish frontier with a speed and endurance
that the postal servtcs has rarely attained.
IL inpelled, however. by strong feelins they
Accomplish. d feats like this, they did not boast
Of H., What charm. asks our author. would
Margaret. with all her herolsm. have for Nc
II we had 10 see her flying with loose rein
astraddle OF her nag2 il Is impossible TO cite
a military woman Of a more energetic temper
49,. T.,l.rIa. Agnrya. UIan did aha
shrink from sleeping on the bare sround
and passing her nights In the open air2 Yet
this as the lady who. when she had a minutes
peaoe, solemnly despatched an envoy 70 her
nelvnbors N discover a certnin down for mat
tresses which wa reputed exceptionally soft.
When the Renaissance was At Its height
riding 70 hounds was no longer INDUCED In.
except by some rather old-fashiored ladies
like Margaret Of Austria. who Nas proud OF her
stuffed WOW q heads, or Anne OF France. .
ra,sionate huntrcss. whom one Of her hench-
men STYLES the grand mistress OF this -slor-
ious trade" but whom he calls also ib last
representative. Anne hunted in the same
yav that she did everything; ooldly and
nethodicalIy, che. with her own eyes. examined
the trail and gave tie word 70 bark forward;
then she set OF with her dogs, and. suddenly
warming to the work. grew animated and
yociicrous and smartly handed her hunting
rear. The large majority OF her feminine
contemporaries were careful not to initiate
her. and II they resigned themselves 70 tie
chase, 1t was for some good reason. Personally.
they went IN for little else than hawkins. 10
was indif erent 20 then whether men rode out
md effected more or less slaughter: but they
loved the associations OF the hunt. the delight
,ul evenings. favorable TO Irritation when
the hunters we're not too hungry or sleepy:
the succeeding days Of tranquility. when the
unconstraint Of country life allowed them 10
rise earl. and come down into tho fresh air
without stopping 60 do up tier hair or thtir
cornulexluns. but with clear rosy cheeks, TO
hurry through II hunters mass and then start
of dogs and birds until II was tine for brenh-
fast. In short, 10 ~IIdtotist idoI's' NE i'Ns
real hunting there was. the more gcinine ana
admirable IL. chase an earod. Tel me-
cries Margaret of rance. Is the oaIture OF .
STAG IT WORK for a PRINCE" He might a. well
turn mason or hind The Renaissance ladies'
came 10 the conclusion that II they Old not wish
TO live in the kennel, there was nothing Tor "
but to give up hunting
". should like To ~excmrllfy the notable
advances made by the women Of tie sixteenth
century IN tie art If coIN.Tsation ard Of letter
writing. For tie altEurs pniL,nts on thus
theme. however. and also on ~" Intellectual.
~Iolt.cal. moral aud religious influence exer-
clscd by ladies at the epoch ot the Renais-
sancA - must rsier the reader TO the hook
NJ