PLEASURES AND FASHION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11752, 28 November 1903, Page 6

PLEASURES AND FASHION.

M. Marcel Prevost, "Le *igaro, M dlsouaierl the tion which is observable in 4_e chare** of the pastimes which serve to divert all and sundry who seek their pleasure in that w«mderful centre of aigb civilisation, and taxnry, known world »owii "gParisi" In this connection he notes the decadence cl th*btWto!*«dw»tti' to ©* t-»'j Butte Montmartre, and the pajnkw dsetb j which h**** 'JaaV Overtaken th*) waerable old age of the*famous "bals masques de t'OpfaikV B'to two. T1» ioabtrets ] on the aaored slope of. Montmartre . axe now frequented only' "by' 'the ptosulc "bc^rgeois**--_ie >re%eetabl»' Tamobant or his ckrk-r*eskhig -;• sad a smbkV between business hours. , "And for a long, time past it .has. been esjjjtfart to ire- : qu < m'te-ilVf:-*hp; "-bals most mcoessful ''fancy" that| of " the man who.»-bored to death." The j fact is "Bohemian life" is a thing of,'the past; up memories in the older generation; for I the-younger it is but a name which ap-j r«als ; p*rea»nfly to the imagination, "but; is only known m *Beh ddightfttl book* as th« "Scenes de la.Vie de Boheme" of Henri Murgfer, the nvflhy' 1 of Dv Mawier. A few romantic students may still seek to act the past, but the real thing—its spontaneity and its life—has psased away. But this change ie not confined to Paris; the same ia observable elsewhere, in London, in Vienna, in Brussels, in Florence, in Rome. The fancy dress balls atOovent Garden—around which a wenderous web. of phantasy is woven—are "in extrerrus." Bohemian London has disappeared. The old atmosphere has departed from 60%, from Bloomsbury. Why Is " artistio" life so prosaio to-day? Where the the "grand "old times?" Has the "flow of "soul*' ceased? Thesa questions |nay best be answered by others. Were them " grand old days" any better than, the present? Do we enjoy ourselves leas than we used to do? Have we • tn» piotttre of tho.past-aa tegasds its psstfcmes) sad pleasures? Is it not. atiber that whilst to-day, in our own existence, the cojasciiusi; ness 0$ something? else in, bssidesv pastime* aad jollitf/sWipej* appieoi*tion of the'occupation* of our leisure hours, the hooks in which we read' of bygone days only exhibit one side of tbe picture, and our elders in their conversa-tions-with us are, silent about the lee*; pleasant memories? , .-. * j The true state of IsMngs probably U that we not only enjoy ourselves quite as much as our ancestors did/ hut probably much j more., The only atim differeaoe is in tbe way w; do"' it/ - That "tihere "Stoat "be fc fashion in pleasure is evident to anyone who observes and restate. BoQmm aayfef) Time ohaage* 1 "«u' things ■Ml our - humours' changer, with* It. .; •■, ■■■■'.).. ■•• '- •• - - Each age it* pleasursa has, its manners and its Wit;' '-'- -"? -;v* -. "'• .-• "[:;. • end he was but ze-echoing the words).ol; Mathurm Regnier t r th*..;*tisn»V'**■ «*• temporary, who |bje » acs humerus, a, truism which all Th* forms of pleasure whichsuited a tin* long past are antiquated, and _» longer appeal to us. life a«, changed. Thi»i'.m the deoluie *f .Bad)*-'; mlanism. Literary and artisao'circles are j f[uite different from what 'they used to be. Perhaps they aw more respectable.,". -' .At j any j»te *the_ no longer.' form a olaas afart. They appeal to 'if wMer—o,'far'"wider;piiWJo' than ever Wore—they, am courted and received, everywh>srs>Hth(ey.M« tbe tukiaal How should Bohemianitm subsist atkkr

such sorry conditions'! A "Maaxics DoMwg'' f rom 'the" cabarets wtnild to-day be asocial solecism. And so he has ceased to exist. And It Prevoab k "Lo Figaro" .reaaorvfor the decline of the "cabarets'' and the aegleot of the "bal masque." 4 The influence of the fair »«'i_eVb-»"a*'vr*k. . A n*w chivalry is arising. . Jdenhave more respect for W^MVU d*ap*? S**» Q< tifc, ' beauty of virtue. _ The Cora af oWI ' days must resign tfeetoMJ** to ; they are no the qnwr* of Paris. Womeh ajiaoajp eagsr for the pecnliar "gallafltry" of other days—brutality, irony, want of refinement difgast ' them. ""And J& Pre^s% v thinks ihatlt is a change of this natm which explaina the. decline oT old way*. Let it bo bOped he is right, although perhaps he takes too a view of the morals of. a cantury ago. If a greater rapect for chastity and th« cbange, It is andoubtedly one for the better. -- Perhaps some.naj.a** why ws^we^jlJW&r,to timt past times with a tinge of regret—of longing—in the Toiosf Well, man always think* that what be has'not*g<jti* better than what he has. Aod when musing ©f pleasure wa can, aa Kant *ay*i "Dream "mora.in a infante than j» *. "day." Then a halo ©Tromaac* rtrrounds tba th« ir/_gir_tion. "''Tbe' ''boundles* opulence oft idea and fancy" of Lord Lytto* weave* itself sroand %<anception, and turns that into "fairy goM" which, ooald wa bat handle it, would proa to U but leavsaT arW ,___ Ttt> . primed with all this socnd philosophy, and fully convinced of ha profound wisdom, most of as probably >ould still like-to test for ourselves the ii*m' /M goo& **old days." ' "'. '"" *"."'. T v v/ ,;"' "*'* '■ ■ '■■- - : ' *° - L '"