Smyrna times., 1906-06-06
FAMOUS WOMEN OF HISTORY
BEAUTIES WHO HAVE FIGURED IN
THE FATE OF NATIONS.

! Pompadour-LOuisa of Prussia, Who
Won SiIesia From Napoleon.
1t is curious that no picture gallery
has ever been made of the beautiful
women who have influenced history.
From the days of the great Egyptian
queen many dull page of history has
been lighted up by some fair face that
has brought little human interest into
the dry and cold calculations of kings
and politicians.
Antony was not the last politician
whose course was Influenced by beau
ty. Think of the beautiful Louisa of
Prussia jesting with Napoleon for a
kingdom. Il knew that l was to see
the most beautiful queen in existence"
said Napoleon to Talleyrand after a
banquet given in her honor, "but l
have found the most beautiful queen
and at the same time the most inter-
esting woman in the world" And Lou
isa had won from him the restoration
of Silesia.
1t Is said, indeed, that she laughingly
offered him a rose in exchange for the
fortress of Magdeburg, but Napoleon
was one of the iron men of the world.
He kept the f1ower-and Magdeburg.
A book of Beautiful Women" by
Hallett Hyatt, has pictures of some of
the most beautiful women that have
ever lived, and Mrs. Steuart Erskine
has gathered their romantic stories.
One comes upon a picture Of Eliza
Farren, the actress, who began life by
playing childish parts in a strolling
company and advanced to fame in Lon
don as Miss Hardcastle in "She Stoops
to Conquer" She became favorite in
society and married the twelfth Lord
Derby, when she Lived happily ever
after" taking her place at court and
in society. No barriers are insurmount-
able to the career of beauty.
Here is the picture of Madame" the
beautiful Henrietta Stuart, youngest
daughter of Charles l., who married
the Duke of Orleans. The features
seem hard and the expression some
what cold and stately. She would ap-
pear a woman more of brain than ten
derness. In reality she had a sparkling
wit, with that wonderful gift of per-
sonal magnetism--"All men loved and
most women adored her," wrote gal
liant Frenchman in his memoirs.
Life in the French court was a con-
tinual round of pleasure, and the days
were passed in ballets and theatricals.
In the morning madame would drive
out with her ladies, to be escorted on
their return by King Louis XIV. and
his court on horseback After supper
they would all drive out, accompanied
by Lullis violins, to watch the moon
light on the water and talk the moon.
shine of lovers.
Five years later madame was the
: King sstrusty adviser and the only me
dunn of communication between hin
and her brother, Charles II. 1t was In
the spring of 1910 that she brought
about that secret treaty of Dover thai
made Charles a Roman Catholic and
plunged England into war with Hol
land.
That was the summit of madame's
power. The sequel was CHASTITY anC
dramatic A few weeks later she was
at st. Cloud in the flush of high spirits
at her success. A glass of iced chicor!
water was brought at her request, anC
she drank it off quickly. Five minutes
later madame was no more. All tn,
power of her fascination and beaut!
was ended by a secret poison.
AS the pages are turned the portrai
of lady in brocaded dress appears
a face with a very deep forehead an
expressionless lips. This is the famou
Nine. de Pompadour. Her birth wa
very humble indeed, but she came
the way of Louis Nv, who gave he
unlimited influence till she became
recognized power in Europe. Fo
many years she conducted the foreig
policy Of France, interviewing ambai
sadors and treating with kings. r,
buffed by Frederick the Great, tn
amazing woman made overtures
Maria Theresa of Austria to divide b
kingdom between them, and, sitting
her summer house, she gayly arrange
with couple of diplomats the repart
ton of Europe.
Moreover, but for the freedom 81
gave to her personal likes and dislike
it is not improbable that she wou
have accomplished some of the le
wild of her schemes. Her dramat
end has often been told. In the mid
of a discussion on affairs of state,
she sat rouged and powdered in b
chair, the cure who was with her 70
to go. She detained him. Zone m
ment, NJ. lie Cure" she said, 1--WE W
take our departure together" And
few minutes later the beautiful dipl
matist was dead.
The portrait of the unlucky Mar
Antoinette, frank, queenly, superb,
whom Burke rapturously wrote, "Gl
tering like the morning star, full Of II
and splendor and JOY" is here too. Il
call her life at the Petit TrIanon, th
miniature palace with the Corinthi
pillars, where she wandered about I
attended and no one rose at her 6
proach. 1t is always grimly pathe
that the one French queen who lit
fulGIia6 fha porf fhot xro boxo ho