The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-22
Mabelle Gilman Corey in the March Cos mopolitan.

mopolitan.
 NN NE can count on the fingers of
 C one hand the women men among nI,s the tn four hundred-who have really attempt
 ed to achieve anything along art lines.
 1t is a pity that such Is the case, for
 with us 1t should be, as indeed 1t is In
 the great cities of Europe-Viensla, Paris
 Munich, London-the rule, instead of the
 exception, to find women of wealth and
 social position who are really competent art critics and possess cultivated talents
 of an exceptional nature. In this coun-
 try no ipterest is taken in the matter
 of forming ones own Judgments in these
 things, and the comments on music'
 voice, singing methods, etc, expressed
 at supper parties after the opera are
 usually so inane that l once heard for
 eign gentieman-a visiting prince-say
 that he was amazed at the lack of tech
 neal knowledge of the elemental prin-
 ciples of art obtaining among women Of
 anparent elegance and cultivation. This
 criticism was not unjust; 1t was not
 biased unfortunately it was only too
 true. and was the more deploraole oe-
 cause it should never have been uttered
 since no women in the world nave snch
 opportunity of self-improvement as nave
 the women of America. That this Woetul
 state of affairs exists Is largely because
 q line is drawn between the professional
 artist and the member of fashionapie
 society-a distinction made only In tnls
 country, for in Europe any great genius'
 be he painter, singer, actor, musician
 or ltterateur, is welcomed in the highest
 soc;al circles. He is asked-not pro
 fessionally"-to great houses, and Is re-
 ceiyed there for his supreme gifts, as
 he should be- Consequently the grandes
 James of Paris are as conversant with
 art matters as are the artists themselves,
 and they can appreciate and enjoy to the
 full the achievements of creative genius
 If were asked what should like most to see done here in America, what, to
 my idea. would most quickly make us supreme among nations in every way, would say the reconstruction or society on & basis of intellectual gifts ana tal- ents being recognized as the open se- saoe to the finest social life of our land If was such a social structure, built up in just this manner, that made frsaice the intellectual wonder of the world from the time of the Renaissance to the Na- poleonic era, and produced, together with its great men, such brilliant women as Mareuerite de Valois Mile. de Longue- vile. the Duchesse de Chevreuse, Mme' de Rambouillet Mime. de Sevigne' Mime. da I,afayette. Mime. du Deffand, Mime. po,ana. Mime, de Stael and Mime. Reca-
 mier-imperishable names in the recoros
 of art and literature.
 Now, why, l say, should not the Aiiie'-
 ican women of leisure, social postioh anu wealth take upon themselves the estap- lshment of salons where the greatest artists and the otherwise inteiectuaily endowed would fraternize on common sround with those gifted in beauty, fam ,,v claims and the other requirements Of | sooa soc,etv? This would, believe, truly hiring the golden age of American life and literature.
 If the great ladies of New York so- ciety--hostesses who spend thousands of dollars every year in the most frivolous of utertainments-should devote the en- ergv and money which now go into fool ish pastimes to the establishing of new | regime. fashionable affairs would be bril- liant and pleasing things instead of dead | ly dull gatherings where the ladies yawh | behind their fans and. the men gather 1 in smoking rooms bored to death and | seeking relief in the soothing narcotic. l What a marvellous society could be found | ed and what a nation this would be- comel
 I The social prejudice which once ex- | isted against women of the dramatic gro l fession has practically entirely disap- peared in European countries, and the great actors and singers of this country are received into the best houses of Lon | don and Paris With sociay structure founded on continental lines and prin- ! cples, it is always a pleasure for these | people to meet their hostesses, for artlsts i are the most natural people in the world, l and they detest shams and unreal things. | They prefer to be among people or real enthrsiasms and genuine emotions and art impulses. Such congenial spirits are !! to be fo,ad among the upper classes in every civilized country but our own' put l they will be here, too when some great l social leader makes it unfashionable to affect ignorance of and disdain for the | beautiful things of life. And when that | day dawns in America the women of the ] country will have been responsible for