Interior of a ball-room--Creole ladies--Infantile dancers
--French children--American children--A singular division--
New-Orleans ladies--Northern and southern beauty--An
agreeable custom--Leave the assembly-room--An olio of
languages--The Exchange--Confusion of tongues--Temples of
Fortune.
I have endeavoured to give you, in my hastily written letters, some
notion of this city--its streets, buildings, inhabitants and various
novelties, as they first struck my eye; and I apprehend that I have
expanded my descriptions, by minuteness of detail, to a greater length
than was necessary or desirable. But the scenes, individuals, and
circumstances I meet with in my erranting expeditions through the city,
are such as would attract, from their novelty, the attention of a
traveller from the North, and, consequently, a description of them is
neither unworthy a place in his letters, nor too inconsiderable to
detain the attention of an inquisitive northern reader, vegetating "at
home."
On entering, from the dimly lighted lobby, the spacious and brilliant
hall, illuminated with glittering chandeliers, where the beauty, and
fashion, and gallantry of this merry city were assembled, I was struck
with the spirit, life, and splendour of the scene. From alcoves on every
side of the vast hall, raised a few steps from the floor, and separated
from the area for dancing by an estrade of slender columns which formed
a broad promenade quite around the room, bright eyes were glancing over
the lively scene, rivalling in brilliancy the glittering gems that
sparkled on brow and bosom.
There were at least five hundred persons in the hall, two-thirds of whom
were spectators. On double rows of settees arranged around the room, and
bordering the area, were about one hundred ladies, exclusive of half as
many, seated in the alcoves. In addition to an almost impenetrable body
of gentlemen standing in the vicinity of the grand entrance, the
promenade above alluded to was filled with them, as they lounged along,
gazing and remarking upon the beautiful faces of the dark-eyed
Creoles,[4] as their expressive and lovely features were lighted up and
instinct with the animation of the moment; while others, more enviable,
were clustered around the alcoves--most of which were literally and
truly "bowers of beauty,"--gayly conversing with their fair occupants,
as they gracefully leaned over the balustrade. There were several
cotillions upon the floor, and the dancers were young masters and
misses--I beg their pardon--young gentlemen and ladies, from four years
old and upward--who were bounding away to the lively music, as
completely happy as innocence and enjoyment could make them. I never
beheld a more pleasing sight. The carriage of the infantile gentlemen
was graceful and easy: and they wound through the mazes of the dance
with an air of manliness and elegance truly French. But the tiny
demoiselles moved with the lightness and grace of fairies. Their
diminutive feet, as they glided through the figure, scarcely touched the
floor, and as they sprang flying away to the livelier measures of the
band, they were scarcely visible, fluttering indistinctly like humming
birds' wings. They were dressed with great taste in white frocks, but
their hair was so arranged as completely to disfigure their heads. Some
of them, not more than eight years of age, had it dressed in the extreme
Parisian fashion; and the little martyrs' natural deficiency of long
hair was amply remedied by that sovereign mender of the defects of
nature, Monsieur le friseur. The young gentlemen were dressed also in
the French mode; that is, in elaborately embroidered coatees, and richly
wrought frills. Their hair, however, was suffered to grow long, and fall
in graceful waves or ringlets (French children always have beautiful
hair) upon their shoulders; very much as boys are represented in old
fashioned prints. This is certainly more becoming than the uncouth
round-head custom now prevalent in the United States, of clipping the
hair short, as though boys, like sheep, needed a periodical sheering;
and it cannot be denied that they both--sheep and boys--are _equally_
improved in appearance by the operation.
Turning from the bright and happy faces of the children, we met on every
side the delighted looks of their parents and guardians, or elder
brothers and sisters, who formed a large portion of the spectators.
As I promenaded arm in arm with Monsieur D. through the room, I noticed
that at one end of the hall many of the young misses (or their
guardians) were so unpardonably unfashionable as to suffer their hair to
float free in wild luxuriance over their necks, waving and undulating at
every motion like clouds; and many of the cheerful joyous faces I gazed
upon, forcibly reminded me of those which are to be met with, trudging
to and from school, every day at home.
"These are the American children," observed my companion; "one half of
the hall is appropriated to them, the other to the French." "What!" I
exclaimed, "is there such a spirit of rivalry, jealousy, or prejudice,
existing between the French and American residents here, that they
cannot meet even in a ball-room without resorting to so singular a
method of expressing their uncongeniality of feeling, as that of
separating themselves from each other by a line of demarcation?"
"By no means," he replied; "far from it. There is, I believe, a
universal unanimity of feeling among the parties. There is now no other
distinction, whatever may have existed in former days, either known or
admitted, than the irremediable one of language. This distinction
necessarily exists, and I am of opinion ever will exist in this city in
a greater or less degree. It is this which occasions the separation you
behold; for, from their ignorance of each other's language,--an
ignorance too prevalent here, and both inexcusable and remarkable, when
we consider the advantages mutually enjoyed for their acquisition,--were
they indiscriminately mingled, the result would be a confusion like that
of Babel, or a constrained stiffness and reserve, the natural
consequence of mutual inability to converse,--instead of that regularity
and cheerful harmony which now reign throughout the crowded hall."
During our promenade through the room I had an opportunity of taking my
first survey of the gay world of this city, and of viewing at my leisure
the dark-eyed fascinating Creoles, whose peculiar cast of beauty and
superb figures are everywhere celebrated. Of the large assembly of
ladies present,--and there were nearly two hundred, "maid, wife, and
widow,"--there were many very pretty, if coal-black hair, regular
features, pale, clear complexions, intelligent faces, lighted up by
"Eyes that flash and burn
Beneath dark arched brows,"
and graceful figures, all of which are characteristic of the Creole,
come under this definition. There were others who would be called
"handsome" anywhere, except in the Green Mountains, where a pretty face
and a red apple, a homely face and a lily, are pretty much synonymous
terms. A few were eminently beautiful; but there was one figure, which,
as my eye wandered over the brilliant assembly, fixed it in a moment. I
soon learned that she was the most celebrated belle of New-Orleans.
I have certainly beheld far more beauty among the same number of ladies
in a northern ball-room, than I discovered here. Almost every young lady
in New-England appears pretty, with her rosy cheeks, intelligent face,
and social manners. The style of beauty at the south is of a more
passive kind, and excitement is requisite to make it speak to the eye;
but when the possessor is animated, then the whole face, which but a few
moments before was passionless and quiet, becomes radiant and
illuminated with fire and intelligence; and the indolent repose of the
features becomes broken by fascinating smiles, and brilliant flashes
from fine dark eyes. Till this change is produced, the face of the
southern lady appears plain and unattractive; and the promenader through
a New-Orleans assembly-room, where there was no excitement, if such
could be the case, would pronounce the majority of the ladies decidedly
wanting in beauty; but let him approach and enter into conversation with
one of them, and he would be delighted and surprised at the magical
transformation,
"From grave to gay, from apathy to fire."
It is certain, that beauty of features and form is more general in
New-England; though in grace and expression, the south has the
superiority.
The difference is usually attributed to climate; but this never has been
demonstrated, and the cause is still inexplicable. You are probably
aware that the human form, more particularly the female, is here matured
three or four years sooner than at the north. At the age of thirteen or
fourteen, before their minds are properly developed, their habits
formed, or their passions modified, the features of young girls become
regular, their complexions delicate, and their figures attain that
_tournure_ and womanly grace, though "beautifully less" in their
persons, found only in northern ladies, at the age of seventeen or
eighteen. The beauty of the latter, though longer in coming to maturity,
and less perfect, is more permanent and interesting than the infantile
and bewitching loveliness of the former. In consequence of this early
approach to womanhood, the duration of their personal loveliness is of
proportional limitation. Being young ladies at an age that would entitle
them to the appellation of children in colder climates, they must
naturally retire much sooner than these from the ranks of beauty. So
when northern ladies are reigning in the full pride and loveliness of
their sex--every feature expanding into grace and expression--southern
ladies, of equal age, are changing their premature beauty for the faded
hues of premature old age.
The joyous troops of youthful dancers, before ten o'clock arrived,
surrendered the floor to the gentlemen and ladies, who, till now, had
been merely spectators of the scene, and being resigned into the hands
of their nurses and servants in waiting, were carried home, while the
assembly-room, now converted into a regular ball-room, rang till long
past the "noon of night" with the enlivening music, confusion, and
revelry of a complete and crowded rout. Introductions for a partner in
the dance were not the "order of the day," or rather of the night. A
gentleman had only to single out some lady among the brilliant
assemblage, and though a total stranger, solicit the honour of dancing
with her. Such self-introductions are of course merely _pro tem._, and,
like fashionable intimacies formed at Saratoga, never after recognised.
Still, to a stranger, such absence of all formality is peculiarly
pleasant, and, though every face may be new to him, he has the grateful
satisfaction of knowing that he can make himself perfectly at home, and
form innumerable delightful acquaintances for the evening, provided he
chooses to be sociable, and make the most of the enjoyments around him.
We left the hall at an early hour on our return to the hotel.
Crowds of mulatto, French and English hack-drivers were besieging the
door, shouting in bad French, worse Spanish, and broken English--
"Coachee, massas! jontilhomme ridee!" "Caballeros, voulez vous tomer me
carriage?" "Wooly woo querie to ride sir?" "Fiacre Messieurs!" "By St.
Patrick jintilmen--honie, mounseers, woulee voo my asy riding
coach?"--et cetera, mingled with execrations, heavy blows, exchanged in
the way of friendship, laughter, yells and Indian whoops, composing a
"concord of sweet sounds" to be fully appreciated only by those who have
heard similar concerts. We, however, effected our escape from these
pupils of Jehu, who, ignorant of our country, in a city where all the
nations of the earth are represented, wisely addressed us in a Babelic
medley of languages, till we were out of hearing.
Returning, as we came through Rues Royale and St. Pierre, past the
quarter of the "gens d'armes," we entered Chartres-street, which was now
nearly deserted. Proceeding through this dark, narrow street on our way
home, meeting now and then an individual pursuing his hasty and solitary
way along the echoing pave, we arrived at the new Exchange alluded to in
my first letter, which served the double purpose of gentlemen's public
assembly-room and _cafe_. As we entered from the dimly lighted street,
attracted by the lively crowd dispersed throughout the spacious room,
our eyes were dazzled by the noon-day brightness shed from innumerable
chandeliers. Having lounged through the room, filled with smokers,
newspaper-readers, promenaders, drinkers, &c. &c., till we were stunned
by the noise of the multitude, who were talking in an endless variety of
languages, clattering upon the ear at once, and making "confusion worse
confounded," my polite friend suggested that we should ascend to "the
rooms," as they are termed. As I wished to see every thing in
New-Orleans interesting or novel to a northerner, I readily embraced the
opportunity of an introduction into the penetralium of one of the
far-famed temples which the goddess of fortune has erected in this, her
favourite city. We ascended a broad flight of steps, one side of which
exhibited many lofty double doors, thrown wide open, discovering to our
view an extensive hall, in which stood several billiard tables,
surrounded by their "mace and cue" devotees.
But as my letter is now of rather an uncharitable length, I will defer
till my next, farther description of the deeds and mysteries and
unhallowed sacrifices connected with these altars of dissipation.