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Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



to be homely. " Yes. I agree with you," replied Madame 

 Pompadour, "but you abuse the privilege." When a real 

 handsome woman majestically walks under your sky-light, 

 be silent — the mirror has told the required story. When 

 Fall is near, and faded flowers come. The situation is a trying 

 one, as the following facts will tell : A lady, whose sixty 

 Summers and several Springs had whitened her hair, but failed 

 to tarnish the rouge on her fair cheek, or remove the poudre 

 de riz from her kindly face, called upon a certain photographer 

 of this city. Arrayed in the brightest of colors, the gayest of 

 dress, with unnumbered ornaments adorned, she appeared 

 before the camera, and said: I have been photographed in 

 Paris, Berlin, London, Constantinople, and Chicago, but never 

 succeded in getting a picture that looked like me ; not one 

 that proved satisfactory to my family or friends ; not one that 

 I could recognize ; not one that did me justice. Pray tell me, 

 Mr. Tripod, what is the reason for all these failures?" The 

 artist looked solemnly sad, and replied : " Ah, madame, pho- 

 tography is indeed a great art, but it has not yet reached the 

 perfection that enables it to reproduce on paper the real 

 beauties of nature." Yes, there is a humorous side of life in 

 the studio, but there are occasions when the possibilities of 

 the camera bring into play philosophy, science, sentiment, 

 art, knowledge, and even diplomacy. 



