Lola in History 

Thomas Publications
The Leader in Civil War Books

Is History Repeating Itself?
We’ll apparently, it’s still true that “Dead scandals are good food for dissection” as Lord Byron noted in Don Juan. How much juicier, then are repeating scandals?

Apparently, it’s still true that “Dead scandals are good food for dissection” as Lord Byron noted in Don Juan.
How much juicier, then are repeating scandals?

1848 - That was Then This is Now 

• Her names began ‘L’ and ‘Mon’ 
• Her names begin ‘Mon’ and ‘L’
• She was in her twenties She is in her twenties.
• He was twice her age. He has a daughter a few years her junior.
• He was a king. He is a President.
• She was a dark-haired beauty. She is dark haired.
• Is history repeating itself?
• She met him on a job interview. She met him at her job.
• When the going got tough, she went to California, (and eventually bought a home there).
• When the going got tough, she went to California, (her father has a home there).
• His long-suffering wife put up with his ‘gallery of beauties’, a room with portraits of his mistresses.
• His long-suffering wife put up with his special prosecutor, an office seeking evidence on his (alleged) mistresses.

One of the advantages of studying historic events, is you know how it all ended up.

So, did they have an affair? Yes.

Was the public outraged?
Not really. The economy was going well, and people mainly thought he was doing a good job.
Unfortunately, his infatuations began affecting his public policy. Then and only then did the people ri.. up against his liaison.

What happened? He was forced to banish her from the kingdom, and shortly thereafter, he abdicated the throne.

Timeless Beauty
Advice to Ladies and Gentlemen From Lola Montez

Edited by Juanita Leisch. In the middle of the 1800s, Lola Montez danced “The Spider Dance,” a scandalous exhibition complete with costume. But, she never became as famous as a dancer as she did when she had an affair with a powerful politician – in fact, a head of state. This relationship with King Ludwig of Bavaria, and her popular book in 1858, “The Arts of Beauty: Secrets of A Ladies Toilette vaulted her to worldwide fame. That book, as well as her “Hints to Gentlemen on the Art of Fascinating” is re-published here along with another 19th century gem, “The Young Girl’s Book of Healthful Amusements and Exercises.” These pages will amuse and fascinate modern readers with chapters such as, “How to Obtain a Handsome Form,” 
“Importance of Hair as an ornament,” and “Fifty Rules in the Art of Fascinating.” Softbound – 184 pages,, 5.5 x 8.5 – 
ISBN: 1577470435 - $ 12,00.

In newspapers around the world, Lola was immortalized in ways not unfamiliar to modern readers:

- Affair is Rumored: Head of State and Dark-Eyed Beauty
- Gifts and Records Show He’s Promoting Her Career –
- She’s Influenced Public Policy!-

Lola Lewinsky? Monika Montez? A Comparison

Before Jane Fonda …. Lola taught women how to have a beautiful body.
Before Ann Landers…. Lola gave advice to American women.
Before Viagra … Lola taught men how to be ever fascinating.


Lola on Men:

• “Men may amuse themselves with a noisy, loud-laughing, loquacious girl but it is the quiet, subdued, modest one which is the one that stands the fairest chance of carrying off their hearts” (Chapter 17)
• “You will make an immense hit with the ladies by pretending to be no admirer of any particular woman, but a (...)

Did it affect the way history remembers him?
Yes. Or, perhaps you remember King Ludwig of Bavaria for something other than the made affair he had with Lola Montez???

How do we know. Did she ever talk?
Yes, In fact, in her later life, she made her living as a lecturer .. and an authoress.

Herewith, a few of the points she made in an advice book she published ten years after the affair.

On concentrating on one’s looks,

• All women know that it is beauty rather than genius, which all generations of men have worshipped in our sex.
• Having defined beauty, and encouraged those who would seek it, Lola offered hints for those who would achieve beauty. In doing so, she gave a piece of advice which could … and perhaps should – be used as posters in high schools today
• The first thing to be thought of is health, for there can be no development of beauty in sickly fibres.
• And on how to achieve a healthy and beautiful form?
  
  

Diet and exercise

• (We rather hoped she’d come up with a different solution.) But the book is not all serious. She included at the back a section on The Art of (Being) Fascinating’ printed, as she noted, that men might see themselves as others see them. In reading them we must once again ask.
  

Is history repeating itself????

• He (now) has high approval ratings
• He (then) had RULE THE FIRST: Set it down, then, that women prefer triflers to men of sense
  
• He (now) has the support of feminist organizations
• He (then) had RULE THE SECOND: be a professed adorer and slave of the whole sex
  
• He (now) adopts policies based on opinion polls
• He (then) had RULE THE THIRD: You will do well to boast that you have no higher ambition in life than merely to render yourself agreeable
  
• He (now) has allergies.
• He (then) had RULE THE FOURTH: If you can affect effeminacy and a lisping softness in your speech it will go great way toward winning the confidence and esteem of a sensible and lovely woman.
  
• He (now) has been accused of lying under oath
• He (then) had RULE THE SIXTH: Be sure you always make yourself the hero of some scrape, for, notwithstanding the ladies will readily know that you are telling lies all the time, you really possess all the attributes of a hero.
• And also RULE THE THIRTEENTH she cannot help being flattered that you think so much of her that you will tell her falsehoods
  
• We (now) live in a world with incurable sexually-transmitted diseases.
• He (then) had RULES THE TWELFTH:
  
  I never had a dear gazelle
  To glad me with its wild blue eye,
  But when it came to know me well
  And love me, it was sure to die.
  

Looking for more reading on Lola? Look for Timeless Beauty: 

Advise for Ladies and Gentlemen from Lola Montez, It includes the full texts of Lola’s 1858 works, 

The Art of Beauty and her Advise for Gentlemen on (Being) Fascinating, as well as Kiggin and Kellogg’s 

The Young Girl’s Book of Healthful Amusements and Exercises. Softbound (184 pages) 5.5 x 8.5, ISBN: 1577470435 

This amazing historical comparison may be used if it is accompanied by an advertisement for Timeless Beauty which includes the ordering information at the bottom of this page.

Order from Thomas Publications or Amazon.com

professed adorer and slave of the whole sex. “(Hints to Gentlemen)

Lola on Women:
“She can, to some extent, hide an ugly neck, or shoulder, or hand, or foot – but there is no hiding-place for an ugly face.” (Chapter 7)
The Bosom: “The following preparation, very softly rubbed upon the bosom for five or ten minutes, two or three times a day has been used with success to promote its growth. Tincture of myrrh, pimpernel water, Elder-flower water, musk, rectified spirits of wine.” (Chapter 11)

Juanita Leisch
Juanita Leisch has been researching 19th century women, especially those in the Civil War period, for many years. She has written several books regarding 19th century fashion and culture including Ladies Wear Daily, Who Wore What, are An Introduction to Civil War Civilians. She intends to continue with her documentation and collection of historical photographs illustrating the variety of styles that were worn by women in the United States, as well as her study of earl American culture and tradition.
Email: leisch@civilwarleader.com