Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-05
Mrs. Langtry's Death Breaks
Link With Victorian Stage

A link with the picturesque stage
Of the Victorian age is broken with
the death of Lady de Battle, known in
her day as Mrs. Langtry. the Jersey
Lily" While American comments diff
fer as to her rank as an actress, tributes
to her beauty, intelligence and mag
netism are universal.
Lilly Langtry adorned her genera
tion." says the Toledo Blade. Her story
might be the story Of the rose or Of the
lily from which she received her name.
There was none to question her beauty
The Syracuse Herald suggests that ait
would do no injustice to her theatrical
record to suggest that her stage capital
was divided into five-sixths beauty and
grace and about one-sixth artistic en-
dowment. Nevertheless" adds the Her.
aid, "she drew big American audiences,
including many who persuaded them
selves that they came to enjoy a the
atrical feast, with little or nothing else
thrown In"
"She had more than mere beauty
she had the grace Of good mind and
discretion in the use Of good language, /"
states the Tulsa World, which con-
tinueS: "She was possessed of rare
charm as a conversationalist. She loved
good books and good music. These
things Helen Of Troy lacked"
4 X n X
The Flint Daily Journal observes:
Perhaps Lily Langtry was the flapper
Of her day. She had all of that dis
regard for the ordinary conventionali-
ties. Greatness meant nothing to her.
Her beauty, her brains and her bril-
liancy brought her into the most ex-
elusive social circles, even In those days.
when the actress was considered to be
somewhat inferior in the social scale.
She was accepted for herself. She was
In all ways q remarkable woman, a
shining meteor that flashed against the
sky of the late Victorian era, and she
did much to brighten that gloomy
period"
There was about her queenly mag
netism," declares the Hartford Times.
recalling that "for decade she reigned
as the stage lady par excellence. In the
same sort Of way that in America our
own John Drew became the perfect
Beau Brummel. With how much merit
she held this sway on both sides of the
ocean we can only now recall from
reputation which endured and long
since became rather myth. In
her day the Lily of Jersey was held,
throughout Vanity Fair, the loveliest in
her field" The Louisville Times also
remarks that she won position similar
to that of John Drew, adding that 'she
was a woman of distinction, of appear
ance and manner"
ITO the rising generation Lily Langtry
was only a name, but old-timers re-
member her as one of the brightest
luminaries in the theatrical armament"
says the Dayton Daily News. "She held
her claim to fame rather through her
personality and associations than great
histrionic art She was, of course, emf
nently successful in her chosen field.
but 1t was as woman, more than an
actress, that the majority of audiences
came to see her. Her death at
Monte Carlo is another reminder of the
rapidly thinning ranks of the stars who
shone IN the 80s and 90s," is the tribute
of the Daily News.
X X X X
The Jersey City Journal wonders,
"Will there be others like her, so lovely
to behold that the world will pay them
homage? Quite likely. but it is doubt
full If many others will appear in per-
son before such long-continued sue
cession of profitable audiences"
"She was first and foremost per-
sonality." in the judgment of the Bal
timore Evening Sun. IF she did not
possess the technical resouce Of an