A FAMOUS BEAUTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 39, 15 February 1929, Page 6

A FAMOUS BEAUTY.

<? f , KngJand. There wae nothing Tie? childhood to predict any sort of distinction One who knew her well during her girlhood's days i* Jersey Ba ,d that she was%lmoet plain ae a girt children, she had a fondness for recitation, but she never attracted any attention until she married Mr. Langtry and went to live at Torquay. The society at Torquay in those days was both select and fashionable. Many persons who had occupied high positions both at Court and in public IL- had ™ tlred to Torquay, and these people received the young bride with enthusiasm. Bein ' *f J?*-"? 1, ? 1 " $ * de , a . n, Sbe had J ust that amount of social standing which appealed to the residents of this southern watering place, while the fact J husband was'in the Diplomatic Service added to her position in society. She was hailed «f B !*f* Uty -?u d WaS , bro VSht ""dcr the notice of Royalty. The new fashionable life into which she was now introduced placed a severe strain on the 'resources of her husband, and in order to meet the added expense she went on the her first appearance being a s Mis« Hardcastle"iii fc»ne Stoops to Conquer." She succeeded on the a .F*v Z. r v a6On of her bea "ty, since it cannot be said that she possessed any great dramatic ability It was said that the production of "Antony and Cleopatra, which was staged for her at great expense, was financed by a wealthy nobleman She became eo much the rage that she was sometimes m danger of being mobbed in the street and no one since has caused so great a sensation purely by looks. It is difficult to say why she should have attained such fame as a beauty It is doubtful whether she was really as beautiful as Mary Anderson, or even Maud Millett, who were her contemporaries on the stage. But these last two had reputations for being of quiet and retiring dispositions, and they never sought publicity, whereas it was often suggested that Mrs Langtry rather encouraged what made for notoriety as well as what made for more legitimate fame. She will remain as an outstanding instance of what can be achieved by beauty when that beauty is judiciously advertised and acclaimed by persons of eminence in the social world ae well as in the world of art and letters Many beautiful children have grown up quite' plain and ordinary looking. Lily Langtry is an instance of the rather plain and commonplace child growing into a beautiful woman. —W.M.