THE
PALNTER ".:
F
MODERN LIFE
AND.
“translated and sited
‘hi
a Ares Lasers
“Edouaed Manet, Peo Chater BaueaieThe Painter of Modern Life,’
1 Bonu, Fashion and Happiness 6 4
"The world and even the wodld of ast is fl of people
who cin go ehe Louvre, walk rapidly, without so much ab @
lance, past rows of very interesting, though secondary, pic!
tures, to come to a raptirous halt in ont ofa Titian OF a
Raphsel~ one of those that have been most popularized by dhe
‘engraver’ at den they-wll go home happy, not afew sing
to themacives, ‘Tknow my Museum.’ Jost ay there are people
‘who, having once read Bossuet and Racine, fancy. that hey
Ihave mastered the history offterture. us
Tereunately from time w time there come forward rgites of
‘wrong, critics, amateurs, curious enguirers,t0 declare that
Raphael of Racine, docs not contain the whole secret and chat
the miner poets too have something good, solid.and delight
to offer, and finally that however much we may love general
‘beau, at itis expressed by clascal poet and ass, we areno
Jess wrong to neglect parialar heat, the beauty of excuse
stance and the sketch of manners. 1) Gatton
Te must be admitted that for some years now te wood as
bbeon mending its ways litle, The vale whieh collector today
atzach to the delightful coloured engravings of the last century
proves thats reaction has sein in the direction whereit vas
equized; Debucouse the Saint-Aubins and many-othets ave
fun theie places in the dietionary of rast who are worthy of
study, Bur hese represent the past smy concer today is withthe
Painting of manners ofthe present, ‘The pat is interesting Mot
‘only by-xeason of the beauty which could be distilled from ieby,
those atsss for whom it was the present, but also precisely
‘because sis the past, for is historical yale. eis the sme ovith
ths presents The pleasure which we desve from the reprsee
tion of the present is de not only tothe beauty with which ie
can be invested, butaso to its esendal ualiey of being present.
T have before me a series of fhion plates! dating form theRevolution atl fnighing more or" less with the Goneulste>
‘These costames, which seem ughable to many thought
people ~ people who are grave without tue gravity — have a
Gouble-natured charm, one both artiste and historical They are
fffen very beustfaland drawn with wit, but whatto meis every
bicsimportant, and what Farichappy to find Wall, or ams al
ofthem, isthe moraland aesthetic feeling oftheir tine, The idea
fof beauty Which man'erester for hie mpeins lise on his,
‘whole atte, cramples or stiffen his dress rotinds off or squates
Ins gesture, and in thelonggrun-even ends by subtly penetrating
the very features ofhisface..Man’endls by looking bike his ideal
self These engravings canbe translated either into beauty of
‘uglinessin one direction; they berdime earcatuie
antique statues, wn varia
“The women who wore these cdséumes were themselves
more or les lke one or the ther type, accotdiig co the'degree
of poetry ér vulgarity with whieh they were stanped Diving
flesh imparted a lowing movement 10 whatseems tous t00 si
leis still possible today forthe spectator’ isaginationt0 give 4
stit-andarasti €o this: “tunighe’ or that ‘schall.? ‘One day
perhaps someone will pat ona pay in whicHlave shall see co2
Lrrection of those costumes in which oul fathers found them!
selves every bit as fascinating 2¢ we do outselves yout ‘pooe
garments (which also have a grace of dati wn) sbamast bE
2dmitted, bucracher ofa moral and sptiteal type). And thes if
they are wot anld given life by intelligent sears ani actresses)
swe shill be istovished at everhaving been ible to mock then so
stupidly. Without losing anything of ts ghostly attrition, the
posrwilrecoverheligtand movemencofieand val become
[fan impartial student were to look through the hole rage
of French costume; foth the origin of our county mnths
presentday, he would find nothing toshoékenokeven co sup
him. The trinstions would be as elaborately articulated as they
sein the animal kingdom! There would not be a single gap:and
thus;notia single surprise: And io the fishin plate represent?
ing eaclraiehe were to add th philosophic thoaghtwih which!
that age was:most preoccupied oF woncerhed = the thought
boing inevitably suggested by dhe fasion plate =e would fee
* able’element asits body. "That is why' Stendhal a
‘ute panne OF MODERN Lame 3
‘what: a: profound: harmony ‘control ‘all: he components" of
history, and that even in those centuries which selin torus the
‘moi monstrousand the maddest) the immortal thirst for beaity
‘has always found its satisfaction.’ veal on sol
This iin fact an excellent oppottunity to-establilira tational
and“historical theory of beautyi'in covteast to the'adadenté
theory of an unique and absolute Beauty| to show thas beauty
always and inevitably of a-double compositloi-althouigh the
ipression that it produces is single — for che fact thae-iis
difficult to discern the variable elements of beauty within the
Unity of the impression invalidates in no way the necessity of
variety in its composition, Beauty is mide uj of aa-eibrnal,
invariable clement, whose quantity iis excessively dificult to
determine; and of relative, circumstintialeleienit-which will
be, if you likey whether severally or alla once, the ages fash=
fons, is morals, its emotions. Without this! second clement
‘which might be described as the amusing, ehtieing appetizing
icing on the divine cake, the istelésnent would be beyond out
powers of digestion or appreciation; neither/Adapted nor suite
able to human nature. I defy anyone to paint ro a single serap of
beauty which does not vontain theve two elemehis? "7"
etme instince tivo opposite extremes ia hiatory: In yeligiods
are'the duaity-is evident.at the fist glances the'inggedient of
‘eternal beauty reveals itself only with the petinission aind inker
the discipline of the religion to which the artist Belotgs?Ia the
‘most fiavolous work ofa sophisticated artist beloniging to oneof
those ages whichiyinvour vanity, we characterize 4 evilized, the
duality is no less to'be seen; atthe same time the elerial pate of
beauty will be veiled and expressed ifnot by fashions, atleast by
the particular temperament of the artist "The duality oF art ia
fatal:consequence of the duality of man: Cotsidery {yo will,
the eternally subsisting portion as the soul of'art; and the vari!
pertinent,
‘casing, even a disagreeable critic buvone whose impertinences
are oftca useful spur to reflection approached the ceuth mone.
‘iosely thin many another when he said that ‘Beauty is motliig
else buta promise ofhappiness." This definition doubtless overs
shoots the mnark; it makes Beauty far too subject to the infiicely
variable ideal of Happiness; i strips Beauty tool neathy-of is4 “Te Pinar of Modern Lif
ely ofits aristocratic quality’: but it has he grea mere of making a
decided break with the academies err,
Tnve explained these things mote than once before And these few
sinc wil arent have sid trough onthe subject for those who have w
‘ante for the diversions of bait thought. know, howere, tha the
Insjrity of my ova counteymca et least bave but fie inclination for
these, nd 1 myself am impatient to embstle wpon the postive and con
crept of my subject
Il, THE SKETCH OF MANNERS
Fon the sketch of manzes, the depiction of bourgeois ie and the
Pest of fihon te wea ee tate os pedis a
the lee conly wil abou be the est The tere icity he
fst can pint he more vale wl be he werk bi ri
iti the daly mete of exe tgs, tne bn py a
movers which ele ors ego sped of excaton fom he ane
“The ealouced engesngs of toe cgaecth cntty hate ee ais
von the pli of Gio, as wat tying t moment ago, Pree
ching ad aqui have ne by one conte te get at
‘st cia of modem ie whove lene are deste rough the
Tiras the pont of callers ad inthe widows ofthe mete
‘of print shops, dAnd thea lithography sppeared, at once to reveal itself
4 libfed forts enormons, thong appaeny so volo
tuk Welave ome eae mons edn, The work of
Gavaon’ sad Damir hee bee uty deve as complements to he
Cis Hanes Tae min tht Dae i Weald et have
been ves from accepting thie, which al he moe ju ia ie
Sp oft te Oman ied ab we
tne thet conttins «strong iss clement. Obseres, loop,
‘incl i what you bt Winteerwosds ou sea rg
‘ode his nd fat, yon wl ceri be edt benonrapo i
tome adjtve which you cold not apply tote punt of alo
‘inate ings, of heroic ligonsebees.Sometines
2g a he on “ed Mad” on he x tm
2g he a on al aa i the Ein at
SE iw,
“Thy Pair of Maden Le ;
hn isa poet; more oftet he comes closes tothe novelist or the moras
be ie the painter ofthe passing moment and ofall the suggestions of
céemity that i contains. Bvery couatey, to its plessue and glory, bas
jotsesed a few men ofthis stamp. Ta the preset age, to Daumiet and
Gavasni Che fast names which occur to the memory) we may add
Devésia, Mauris, Numa, historians of the more wanton charms of the
Restoration; Water, Tassie, Bugtne Lami—the last of these almost
a Englishman in vstue of his love for sistocmatc elegance; and even
“Trimolet and Tavis, chose cheoncless of poverty and the humble lie.
IIL. THE ARTIST, MAN OF THE WORLD,
MAN OF THE CROWD, AND CHILD
‘Tomar I want to discoure othe public about a stange man, a man of
40 powedil and eo decided an orgialy that iis sucent wao isle
‘and does not even sek approval, Nota single one of his drawings is
Signed, fby sigaztareyou sean that ring of eal forgeablechasactess
‘which sea name and which so many othec arise af ostentationsly
8 the foot of thlt eatimpoztat ties. Yer al his works are sigaed—
‘wit is araling rn andl act lovers who have ssn aad appreciated them
swll edit secopnize tae from the description that am about to give.
‘A pasnate lover of crowds and incognito, Monsieur C. Go eases
coxiginlay to the point of shyness. Mi. Thackeray, who, a6 i well,
Jknowa, i deeply interested in matters of at, 2nd who himself executes
the istrstions to his novels, spoke one day of Monsieur G. in the
columns of London review. The inter wat fiona though at aa
futrage to his vitue. Recently again, when he lest that I had ie in
‘ind 0 wite an appreciation of his mind zed his talent, be begged me—
‘ery imperionsly, Lmustadmit—to eaporess his ame, and if Teaust speak
of hie wotks to speak of them a if they were those of an ancaymous
‘ass, wil humbly comply with this singular request. "The reader and
il preerve the fiction that Monsieur G. does not ext, and we shall
concern ounelves with his danwings and his watercolous (or which
|e profere a piticlan scorn) a8 though we were scholars who tad (0
proaauace upon peecous historical documents, thrown up by chance,
Conan Gaye (eons). | Theses ha ot heen teed"The Painter of Moder Life
ew men ate gifted withthe eapschy of sings there are fewer all
“who ponent the power of expresion, So now, ata vane when others
ae aleep, MossicutG. is bending ove his table, dating on toa sheet
fof pape the same glance that 2 moment ago he was directing towade
‘extemal chings, skirmishing with his penel le pen, his brush, splashing
his las of water up to the eeling, wiping his pen on his shit, in a
format of violent activity, as thowgh snd eat the image might escape
hrm, cantankerous hough alone, elbowing himself on, And the external
‘world i zeboen upon his pape, natural and moe tao natal, beautiful
tnd more thin beautiful, range and endowed with an impulsive if
like the soul of is erator. The phantssmagoria has been distilled from
‘nacre. All the saw mera with which the metouy his loaded islf
are put in order, singed and harmonized, and undergo that forced
Idealiation which isthe result of 2 chidike pereetivenese—that isto
say, perceptiveness acute aed magical by reson of
IV. MODERNITY
AnD vo away he goes, hurrying, searching, Bu searching for what?
Be very sure that this mun, och ae Ihave depicted bitn—thissolay,
- gifted with sa active. imagination, ceascesly journeying actors the gett
human deseer—hus an aim lfter than tha of « mere fry a aim
‘more general something other than the fugitive pleasure of cteum-
stance, He is looking for thar quality which you mast allow me eo call
‘modernity’; for I know of no better word to express the ie Ihave
fn ming. He makes it his business to exeact from fashion whatever
clement ie may contain of poet within histoey, to distil the etcenal fom
the transitory. Casting an eye over our exhibitions of modern pices,
we are sirock by a general tendeney among actite to dees all thet
subjets in the gamentsof the pis Almost al of them make use of
‘the costumes and farnishings ofthe Renaissance, jot David employed
‘he costumes and fornishings of Rome, Thee is however this diference,
that David, by choosing subjects which were specifically Gresk oF
Roman, had no alternative bee to dees them in antique garb, whereas
‘he painters of today, though choosing subjects of «general astute sad
applicable to all ages nevertheless peice in rigging them out in the
‘Ty Pair of Mode Lie »
sosrames of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance or the Osiea! ‘This is
‘early symptomatic of a pret degree of zines; fori is much eaiet
to decide outright that everything about the path of an age is absoutely
‘gly dan wo devote onesel to the tatk of disiling from fete myetétious
element of beauty that it may contain, however light or minimal that
cement may be. By ‘moderity’ I mean the ephemesa, the fugitive
the contingent, the half of art whose other half isthe eternal and the
finmucable, Every old master has had hi own modernity; the gzeat
majority of fine poraaits that have come down to us ftom formet
genertions are lthed in the eostume oftheir own petiod, They ate
pevfectly harmonious, becruseevesything—From casime and coifuce
down (0 gesture, glance and smile (foreach age ius « deportuent, a
‘lance and a smile of its ows)—everything, I sty, combines to form &
Campletcly viable whole, ‘This transitory, fogitve element, whose
rmetamoiphoses are s0 spi, mst on ao account be despised or di
‘pensed with. By neglecting it, you canaoe fl to eb into the abyss
‘of an abstract and indeterminate beauty, ke that ofthe fist wean
‘efor the fll of man, If forthe necetaty al inevitable costume ofthe
‘ge you subsite acothes, you willbe guilty of « misttanslation only
to be excused in the ete of t masquerade peeserbed by fashion. (Thus,
the gorkesses, nymphs and sultans ofthe eighteenth exntary ae stil
cenvincing poses, morally speaking.)
‘Hei doubiess an excalleat thing to study the old masters cide ~~
‘eam how to paint but it can be no more than a waste of labour if your
aim fs to understand the special nature of present-day eau. he
dlaperesof Rubens o= Veronese will iano way tach yo how to depict
mcr antiga, satin & a rine ox any other fabric of rmodenn ranutacse,
‘which we sce supported and huag over exnoline or starched muslin
[etticot, In texture and weave thete ate quite diferent fzom the farce
‘of ancient Venice or those worn athe cour of Catherine, Futhetmore
‘the cut of skit and bodies by a0 means sina; the pens ate atanged
according 10 a new system, Vialy the gettare and the bearing of the
‘woman of today give to her des life and 2 apecial character which are
‘oe those ofthe woman ofthe pas. Tn shor, for any‘madeniy’ to be
‘worthy of one day taking is place as “antiquity, ie necessary for the
siysterious beauty which human life acidentally pats into it to be
"The nar develope In the ah etn the Sao4 ‘Vb Raitrof Modern Life
tiled fkom i And ft isto thle task that Monsieur G. patculasly
shoseshimsele,
‘have remarked at every age bad ie own git, lane and sere,
‘Tae eases way to veiy this proposition would be to betake onese
to some vst portatpley, sacha the one at Vets, Bait has an
ven wider applcstion. With that unity which we call» Neos the
‘axons professions and clases andthe passing cents all introduce
‘ley, not only in menses and gesture, but even inthe actual form of
‘the face, esti type ofnose, mouth and brow wil be found o domi
stethe scene fora petod whose extet Thavenolatetion of attempting
to determine here, but which could ceraaly be ubjected toa fen CF
cileltca, Considetions of this Kind ae nt silently familiar fo
‘ut portnltpainters the gree filing of NE. Inges, in parva, toe
hn sees to impose pon every type of ster more oles cers
‘by which I mean ainoe ot les deapoti, form of pefeaion, bortowed
‘om the repertory ofclaieal ies,
‘In a mutter of this kind He would be easy, and indeed legitinae, to
‘gue a rir. The pespetsalcotzelaton between whats elled the ‘oul
snd whte lle the ‘body’ explains quite cely how everything that
1s ‘materi’, ot in other words an emanation ofthe spisits!, metors,
4nd will always miso, the spttual realy ftom which ie detives, Ir
faiawaking, sezupolon, but feebly imaginative att has to pat
ovstesen of today and ees his “spcncon’ (ft i the accepted word)
‘om a cotstn by Tian or Raphael itis only to ily that he ll
Droduce a work which ie filse, ambiguous and obecace. From he sly
Of a masterpiece ofthat time and type fe wl arn nothing of the
beating, che glans, he se othe living ‘yl’ of oe of thveeetutes
whom the dsionty of fashion has successively classed wader the
couse or plafl tts of ‘done’, ‘kept women, dae, o bar
‘The same etc may be sty applied tothe study of the
san and the dandy, and even to tat of nina, whether horses or dogs,
in shor, of everyting that goes to make wp the exer life of tisage,
‘Woeto him who studies the antique For anything els but pure a Jose
and general method By steping himself too thoroughly ini be will
lose all memory ofthe presen; he wil renounce the rights aed pivi=
legesofited by crcumstance—for almost ll ou oxginality comes Fem
the sea which Time imprint on ou sensutions. I need dy ell ou
‘that could easly support my assertions with reference to many abjpes
The Painter of Moder Life ay
‘other than women, What would you say, for exmpley af matine-
painter (Lam delibersely going to exteme) who, having t deplt the
Sober and clegantberuty of « modern veese,wese to tie out his eyes bY
-erudyng the overcharge involved forms and the monumental poop
‘of galleon, of the complicated rigging ofthe vxteenth century? Again,
‘what would you think if you had commissioned an ait to pint the
~ port of thoroughbred, fed in the annals ofthe ttf and he then
proceeded to confine his researches to the Museums and contated
himself with study ofthe hore in te alles ofthe par, n Van Dek,
sganne ox Van der Meslen?
‘Under the direction of ature and the tyzenay of cicumstance,
‘Monsieur G. bas pursued an sltogether diferent path, He began by
being an observer of le, and only Iter et himself the as of sequling
the means of expressing it, This has resulted inating iginalisy in
‘which any reoining vestiges of batharousness or mabe appest only
a8 new proofs of his fitalnes to the imprestion tceived, or 48 &
‘actering compliment paid to truth, For most of w, aod patil for
men of aftr, for whom aztue has no existence tave by reference (0
tli the fantastic reality of life has become singulaldllute, Monsieur
G. neve ceases to dene ein his eyes and his memory ate full of i
<= VoMNEMONIC. ART.
‘Tux woud ‘butbarousnes’, which may seem to have slipped sather too
‘often fom my pea, mighe perhaps lead some few people to suppose that
we are here concerned with defective drawings, oly to be tanfoemed
nto pee things with the aid of che spectators imagination. ‘hit
‘would be to misundesstind me, What T rein is an inevitable, synths,
childlike barbarousness, which is ofen sil to be dicemed in a pet-
‘ected ast, such as that of Mexico, Fgypt or Niaeveh, and which comer
‘from a need to see things broadly and to coasides them above all ia
thee tua efit. Te is by no means out of place hete to emind my
readers that all those painters whose vision i sytheszing and abbrev
ative have been accused of barbatousnest—A, Corot, for example,
‘whose inital concer is alvays to trace the principal lines ofa lance
—its bony structure, ts physiognomy, vo to spetk, Likewise Monseus6 Tie Pair of Nod Life
{hey have jut completed along zouteach along th snd of Loin
by Tete cr Whac owt kane on ie of Lom
old reste charac cre incor fal tie ees faces ee
sun, the na the wind
Hee we ci ht fli of expression which crated by
sofcing and obedens endured in common ae seugecd Se
ouzige which hasbeen ptt the test by logy ear
EDT on {ht lookout fr this nd of bemty, and whe Beavcat
found i, he would have been singaisly stack by
IX, THE DANDY
x= man who is tich and idle, and who, even if bla, has no oiter
Aappines; the'man who has
‘Ege Mechs ecnd Cn Sonetrench Cate ey
jolt Nose ly Dc og wan Cae
Prgms may boner se
nae
9» Guvst A Turi Wow wh Part en ad water-cou.Pah Pe Pa,Ti Panter of Modern Life s
wo, ke M. de Casting! have made a specialty of lovestoses, have
‘nies immediate aad very proper cate to endow theie characters wich
Dxcnes ample enoagh to Pay without thlnklag for al this exes
and they have gone onto dispense shemof ay profession, These
{ngs have no other ean bt to caltvate tho iden of beset in ait
peso, say eel pusions, oS and to tink, They thus possess
{vas abundance both of ime and money, without which fantey,
duced oa state of pissing revere, ca hadly be tenlated ito action
{ede sud but only toot thet without the money andthe eve, love
leinespable of ting above a grocer ogy o the accomplishment ofa
conjugal duty, Instead of being a pasionute ot poeta cpt, it
comes a repulsive uly.
If speak of love in connection with dandyem, this because lore fs
theaataleecpatonof the ile, The dandy does aa, however, ead
Tove a a special rge to be aimed at. IT have spoktn of money, this
Js beomse money is indispensible to those who tnake s cult of theie
‘motions; but the dandy does not aspte to money as to somthing
‘ered this crude pasion he lerves fo valgae morals; he would be
‘prety content wit a limitess cede athe bank. Dandy doesnot
fen coesst, a8 many choughlem people seem to hire, a an in
moderate taste forthe toile and meri elegance, For the pesiet
dindy thse things ae no more than sybols of aristocratic supsion-
ty of mind, Forhermore to his eyes which ae in lve with dition
above al things, the pefection of his tole wll consi in sbvclure
Simply? which isthe bee way, in ft of achving the dese
‘gaaity, What then i his passion, whic, becoming doctin, has pro-
uczd sucha school of tyrants? what ths unoficlal intation which
Js formed so haughty and exlasive see? I ist and foremot the
ming eed to czat for oneself peonal ogni, bounded only
by the limits of che proprive. Is & kindof cult of che self which can
serertheless survive the puri ofa happiness tobe found in someone
dlae—in woman for examples which ca even srvive ll that goes yin
“uate ad pu aioe forte wk of Ape de Cae eyo~
seed loess ty sbng wh CoatcndPeal Nola
eke Aber inhi ale Dn moaned en bteeer compe).
| 1GGt enna tr of Cosy ass of Bose clang ara
‘pls one we Semel wih stew aie gt ef csrn ea bead
tone. Anata nc has i glares bs oa
Si erat neeas ‘Dy Painter of Modern Life
the name of iasions. Ie is the joy of astonishing other, and the proud
satisfaction of sever oneself being abeonished. A dandy maybe Ds, he
‘nay even safer; bat in thin cae, he wil ailelike the Sparen boy onder
the fons tooth.
“rca be seen how, a cetan points, dandyism borders upon the
spiritual and stole, Buta dandy can aever bea vueacan, Fhe commited
{Ferine, it would perhaps aoe ruin him; but i hie eime rerlted from
fome evil ease, his dngrace would be erepasbe, Lee not the render
be seandlized by thie gravity ami the fvolour lee him rather cea
that there je a geundeur in all fllic, an enesgy in all exces. A weed |
kindof sical, ie muse be admitied! For those who ase at once ite
iets and its vit all the compliemed material eandtion to which
they submit, from an impeccable tilt at every hour ofthe day andthe
sight ro the mose perilous feats ofthe sporting eld, ae no maze thanx
system of gymastce designed to fof dhe wil and discipline the soul,
1a rath Twas not altogether wrong to consider dandyism a8 a kind of
religion, The strictest monastic rl, the inexomble order ofthe Assassins
according to which che penalty for dzunkenness was enforced suicide,
‘were no more despocc, and no more obeyed, than this doctrine of
elegance 2nd originality, which also imposes upon its humble and
smbitious disples—men offen fell of Sts, patson, coarsge ad te
steained enesgy-the tere forma Poin arcade!
‘Whether these men are nicknamed exquisite, reyes, beau, lons
‘or dandies, they all pring from the same wom they all partake of the
same characteristic quality of opposition and eevol; they are all epre-
Sentatves oF what net in barsan pride, oF ha compelling need ls
only too rare todsy, of combating and destroying tivality. Ie is from
this thatthe dandies obtain that haughty exlesirenses, provociive ia
its very coldness. Dandyisen appents above all in periods of teaaon,
when denocray is aot yet all-powerful, and aritocacy is only just
Deginaing to totter and fl. Tn the disorder of these times, certain men
who aze socially, politely and financially il tease, ba az ll ich fa
native enezgy, may conceive the idx of establishing a new kind of
aristocracy, ll he more dial to shar asi wll be base on the most
precious, the most enduting fueutes, and on the divine gifts which
‘work and money are ale to bestow, Dandiiam i the lst spa of
hesoism ami decedence; and the type of dandy. discovered by our
taaveller in North America does aothing to invalidate this ide for
‘The Painter of Moda Life ea
ow can we be eae cat thoge tibes which we eal ‘savage may notin
Tat be the dgtte mania of grea extinct civilizations? Dandyism i a
onset the declining daystr, itis losious, without hose and fll of
Jaclancholy. Bat alas, the sing tide of democzaey, which invades and
evel everything, i daly overwhelming thse late representatives of
ynuman pride and pouting foods of oblivion upan the footprints of
these stupendous wartioss, Dandie are becoming sure and sater in
for couatey, wheneas amongst ous neighbours ia Haglasd the socal
sn and the constitution (the eve coasttetion, I meant the conrti=
tution which expresses itself dough behavious) wil for a long time
se alow a place forthe descendants of Sheiden, Bratnmel sad Byron,
irantad 2 lest that men aze born who are wos of such a heritage.
‘What eo the reader may have seemed a digression is aot so in truth
‘The moral selections and considerations. provoked by an ati's
deawings are in many cats the best trmslation of them thaeertcsm
‘om make; such suggestions form pare of an underlying idea which
begins to emerge a8 they ae see out one ater the other. Tt is hardly
aecesary to say that when Monsieur G. sketches one of his dandes on
the paper, he never fils to give him his histori pertonality—his
Iegenduy personality, Twould venture to say, we were not speaking
‘of the preent time ind of things geneclly considered a8 feivlous,
[Nothing is missed his ligheness of ep, his socal aplomb, ee siplicey
fa his air of authorey, his way of weasing a coat or siding a horse, fs
ody atiades which ae always rlaued but heway an jer energy, $0
that wien your ee lights upon one of those privileged beings in whom
the gracefl and the formidable are so mysteriously blended, you think:
"rich man perhaps, but more likely an out-of-work Hercules?
“The distinguishing characteristic of the dandy’ beauty. consists
shove all in an ar of coldness which comes fom an unsakeable deter
‘mination not ¢o be moved; you might cll ta Intent fire which hits at
Jsef, snd which ena, bat chooses not to burst neo Game, Tei this