JULIE DE LESPINASSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1932, Page 14

JULIE DE LESPINASSE.

QUEEN OF FAMOUS SALON.

(By

F.F.)

“Madame Geoffrin is feared, Madame du Deffand admired, Madame Necker respected, Julie alone is loved.” So wrote a contemporary of the four women who were the uncrowned queens of Parisian society nearly 200 years ago. And of the four Julie de Lespinasse is in many ways the mqst remarkable. Her birth was: mysterious; she lacked money arid position; and when, at the age of 22, she was discovered by the Marquise du Deffand, she was merely a governess to children of noble family. The famous old saloniere was so attracted by the young woman that she persuaded her to live with her as companion, and that post Julie filled for 10 years, when a jealous quarrel dissolved their friendship. And then it was that Julie entered into her kingdom —a kingdom bounded by the walls of her unpretentious little house in the Rue de Belle Chasse, but soon renowned throughout Europe. Its “queen” had never been beautiful. Her features were irregular and her skin was pitted by scars of smallpox, but she carried herself with an air, and now, at 32, her wonderful charm was irresistible. “She seems to possess a key to all char-.eters” exclaimed an admirer. Her interests and sympathies were all embracing, and even the dullest witted shone in her company. Poets, philosophers, ambassadors and artists elbowed each other up the narrow staircase into her modest whitepainted, crimson curtained salon. (Among them were many deserters from Madame du Deffand’s salon not 100yds. a Way.) ' Tri'contrast to the rather specialised talk of other coteries, every subject came as grist to the mill of conversation among Julie’s friends. Topical events, literature, art, fashion, politics—nothing was too frivolous or too serious for discussion, and young people

were particularly welcomed to this “shop of bright wits.” Talk was the only entertainment provided, for Mademoiselle de Lespinasse could not afford to entertain her friends to dinners and suppers. Financially she was quite dependent on the aid of her wealthy friends, among whom one of the foremost was old Madame Geoffrin. She died unmarried in 1776 at 44, her

life saddened and her death probably hastened by two unhappy love affairs. A collection of passionate love letters, discovered and published after her death ranks her among the greatest letter writers as well as among the most famous hostesses of history.

Killed by a Long Skirt. Here is a story of a woman who defied the dictates of fashion and paid for it with her life, states a London writer. Ninety-three years old, Mrs. Jane Matthews, of Camberwell, frowned on all modern fashions. Her family suggested that she might look smarter in a skirt that did not trail on the ground, but she said she was not going to alter her ways for all the fashion dictators in the world. A few days later, at a party, Mrs. Matthews tripped over her long skirt and broke her leg. She died in hospital the following day. “Sometimes skirts are a bit too long,” said the Coroner at the inquest when returning a verdict of “accidental death.” Paris in Brown.

Paris is a brown study just now (writes a correspondent). Not only is brown the favoured daytime choice, but it is pre-eminently the chosen colour for evening wear. Brown dinner dresses are encountered in all the smart resorts, and materials range from velvet to georgette, net, and chiffon. Floral decorative motifs in rich, autumnal shades characterise these creations. Posed gracefully at the waist or on the shoulder, the rich blossoms show up with special effectiveness against the brown background. The triple colour alliance of brown, gold, and crimson is

most prevalent, and is enhanced by the red fox fur trimming f the accompanying brown velvet wrap. Bronze shoes are the correct footwear finish, with pale flesh-coloured stockings that are exactly matched by delicate suede evening