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1
3
Mi ■
3n.7f'^
HARVARD COLLEGE UBRARY
TiiK oiin- OP
FRANK E. CHASE
Qt THB CLASS OF 1878
BOUOHT FSOU HIS BBqURST BBCEIVKD
INlMM-THeiNCOKEOFWHlCHMSTOBS
DRVOTBD PKIUARILYTOTHE PL^KCKASE
or BOOKS KELATINO TO TH& THEATRE.
THE DRAMA. OR RElJlTKD SUBJECTS"
\N
MEMOIRS OF MOHEL.^
'•.'•, ; \
, I
BT
MADAME DE
■ I
m TWO VOLUIIES.
VOL. n.
LOKDOK:
HURST AND BLACK ETT, PUBLISHERS,
SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN,
18, ORSAT MASLBOBOUGH «TBXR.
1858.
Tb* il|kt (f HmuUUm ti
/
/
./'
/
Harbntr (DoOtse Xiiratp
FROM
The JLlbraiy Of
£'.ranl^..£ugana...Chaaa.
I
4
Is
)
It
1
i
r.
t
r
\\\
tu 3 7o^«/^»!io
fCtOuA THE LlbAAHY OF
FIANK eUQCIIC CHASC
OeCLtaBLII d, 1920 ^
HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
AUG 14 1973
m. BOI3I, FBDnXB,
LOMDOlft
OLOCCKtTBR
BBOEirT's FAMK
STEBBi; PARK ITRBBT,
: i
if
f.\
CONTENTS.
ThiM IfoBilM im lb* Soath of FruM— BmM ft lAttmtU
Fmpaguditt— VUi to MmUm* LiJus*— A Pwblk
CoareMton— A Hajd>nearwd Fktbar— Ratara ta Pui^-
Sketch «f tfa* OgubMloB of iIm n^ltn Ft— ;■!■—
TU PiiMtw Twiu kat Back oa tha Taapla— A TWi
of Iba Fanl^— Aa DacouitwM PaUie . I
CUAPTBB n.
A BpeiM aiUd— PKweripiiM of "Ciua'— -La Kotaeaa
da Laabia"— Tba Real. Adrienna Laeo«Trt«r — Faaaial
Honor* to Tlwatrlcal Talent In FnuMa nod in Sogland la
17S0— Tka Adrianaa Laeoamnr of UaMn. Seriba aad
L^OVT*— A Ckamtarialk Latlar ... It
CHAFTEB m.
B«Mfltof UadaMobaUaGaorgca— Tba TheaplaBCarU lUO
a>d ia IH*— PUAw wllhoM <trKM-An AndiMo*boU>d
Iba Ag'a— A Tan* lo rait aU OarvameuU—liH U •
Staga-Coaeb-A PremUad CoaTanio>~A Plaj witboat
a Aadlance— Tba nHm Fnwfnii m
OONTENTS.
CHAFTBB IT.
nc« M 'LjUm'—Cimft ct Voat UmiIu ipent >lHa«t
blinlj Im Q*xm»mj—'Tk» Pmmm Aant— Motbn ud
CHAFTEB T.
lUI.
■*• oTTkMtricalt in lUl— DetpoUe InflMOM of SUn lud
il« Buefiil ReMll*— Dnmaiie Antlton HuiDliMtDnn to
wdar— "Tmlerik''— C'v' ^ '"■ Montlia ud ft-half
— Julj— Boceowr of Stint Paur aod tb* ChUdraa of
CHAFTEB VI.
ISfiS.
" DiftD* "— " LantM do LlEDcrollei " — lorJutioD from th*
' King of Pnuik— SsTcra lllnen— Hoinawpalhk Doctor
— AppewMice U the New Fslacs of PoUdam — Prtai iit>>
Utkm to the Empnu of RouU — The Cur Nicfaolu Bad
H>d«moUell« lUebel— Relnni to ParU— ProlongttioD of
Lib—" AfpsiM " — " BoHmcnds " . 1 OS
CHAFTEB TH.
1*69.
"bd/ Tanoffo' — Short Saminer Eicunion— An Oblipai;
HaBkgu--Eagag«niant in Rauia— PenniuioD of tbf
Smperor, th« MlnUtor of Stat«, and th« ComMis Pran; aia
oottDtanlgned bj U. Legonii — A Diplomatic Leiter—
^e AntboraDd the Actreai— Prisndly CorrMpondanco —
-Hedte" aikodfor; "Hedie" written; "H«dia"raad;
"Hedie" nrited and corrcetad; "Medfa" approved,
racelied, rebeaned : "Hedf«' pnt awaj for kn other daj
— lladcBoiaeUe Bacbel in St. Fetenbarg — State of
. TteUriMUi ia Bawia— A WUtj^Beply . IW
CBAFTBB Vm.
1«U.
BMm AVM RitMi*— PradMM mrwmTUtiMkm—H. Lafovr*'
LoM* Puka<»~A DacUntloB ^ Wu Mora tb* CMI
Tribaaal — S»ft Wor di — M. Lwoavt AppMMi — TIm
BpoiledPMuditaPBbUo— ABodwrQmBmlpMcb^Bp —
Uid«MiMlle RmM U Ito CUuk AptHM* u (to CiMt
efHir Cmm(— "PhMn"— "CMdU*"— A Smmw- W
tbaPui IN
CHAPTES DC.
ISM.
Tto Flral Bo^ Afflietioa— Death of SAt«M lUfac— TW
Ilanu7— Tk« - PmidM'— Mim Smitton— HHkaMteO*
Soatag— A Waralag— A Lmut Ana H. IngomT*— LttMw
*• RactolandharS
idlo|>l«7-lUd«i''
&MtoldoeHi-| phy'-lbJfa"— "BoiMiMii'-^Aaottor
"" !«
CHAPTKBX.
lau.
-lUlpoBen t> H7>UriH-A TonbbU*
CHAPTER XL
_r '•^
I D^utar* for Amwka— Pmuoo br Cardi aad AAeOoa Ibr
tor Brettor — An lU-adTiaad Expaditioa — Tojraga aariMi
tto AHaatiA—TTDphaMBI PndktiM-<-A Bad Aagaiy
P —Oar PaM Kmn pona* a* ttoosgli Ufa— A Stiaalaal
^ 10 L««nilB|c— SpoBlanaoaa 0«a«Todt7— •• I« Maiirt
UiM" ia ito Ktw WotU-A SUfht CaU Pawia
FUladalpUa s- Ut
CHAPTBB Xn.
1<6«.
faMra t« V^w ToA-Jabi Jaala in ito tUU Afal»-
FbUaddpUa-£* Qa-iraawf A to /Za— LUlto raallr
Till riiailiilaa Tin IrMt Tiif i— ■!■ Mairiw
IT
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER Xin.
ISfiS.
McBl4n— lIot«1 Rachet— HoBMhold Oo^ pat ap at Awtiea—
Value Mt npoD Saiaititirf — Ingcniaw QMroow— A If^
thet*! Letter — DcBr-Bosfcht AbMOM— WuhlngUM'*
QrandMO— A How Claim on the TUltn ft«m»li— B»-
tnra ttoai Egjpl — SojoarD in Muntpallkf — Ba^tl'a Chil-
itt 177
CHAPTER XIV.
1UT.
CtmeMlment of Tllnew— BalUtini of Health It««d m the 8U(«
— Uolt— Ni chalet'* HonkB)" Actor*— Dapulu* lot Ca««>l
— Uelanchol; I'ilgrimi^— Cannca— TUIa, al Caanai —
The Dream — Varintioniin Health aad Spiiiti— Parandolaa
— fiiiterBiinb— RnphaelandthoCnMl — Lait Aniograph —
Hebrew Fnjrsi^DMdi— foBgnl—vnu kpita Olu 9M
/
'
I
MEMOIRS OF RACHEt.
CHAPTER L
184&
nrM Moath* ta iIm BoaU of FranM— Ruhri a liewwi
PrapafudiH—VUit U Xadane I.al>rK»— A PabUa
ConfcMion— A Ilknl-Ilauwil yubcr— Raiar* W Fkrt»—
Skcieli of Dm OguiMtion of lb* Tbutra FraB^ak—
11m Prkilen Tnrai bcr Back on Um Tcnpto— A VWi
of Um FMBltjr— Am UBcovftcoaa FsUie.
Rachel spent three monthi thii year in the
South of France, pursuing fortune indcffttigably
And playing without cessation almost. She pei^
formed eighty times in ninety d«^ during the
summer months, and in more than twenty diflfe*
rent localities.
A singular circumstance, and one little known,
connected with this tour is that, before leaving
Paris, the trugcdientu actually offered her sei^
vices to the Proviuonal GoTcmment to popularise
the RcpubUe io the Departments by unging the
2 . MBMOIRS OP RACHEL.
> I
^ Maneillaifle ** wherever she played I The offer
waa accepted by Ledru RoUin, the Minister of
the Interior, who caused the following circular to
be addressed to all theatrical managers in the
Provinces, recommending Mademoiselle Rachel to
their kind offices, and enjoining them to render
her all aid in the exercise of her ministry as a
propagandist:
^ Cabinet of the Minister de Tlnterieur,
''Paris, April 24, 1848.
''Citizen Manager,
"Citizen Felix, having assembled a company
with which he intends visiting various parts of
France:
" It is his intention to have the masterpieces of
our stage performed, the citoyenne Rachel volun-
teering to be their interpreter; the citoyenne
Rachel has broken engagements to a large amount
which she had abroad, in order to remain in
France I
" The devoUon she has shown to the Republic
in Paris, by her admirable creation of the
" Marseilliuse ** she intends displaying in the
Departments.
" The electricity (I) she has diffused here will
doubtless produce also the most marvellous and
HKMOIBS or RAOUBI. 3
•aluUTf effects in our pr3Tincee. It U in the
name of art, over which the Kepublio inteod*
extending its powerful and fcrUliaing protection,
that 1 request you will take into eoaudcratioo
the aaerifioes she makes, and lend your assistance
to ftcUitate the performances which dtiaen
Raphael Felix intends of^ganixing in joor town.
** SaUt et F^ttrmiti
**Elias Reqhault,
" Director, ad imttrimt of Tboatros and Libraries."
M. L^n Li^ult, allured by the bright proe-
pect held out in this circuhu', entered into an
agreement with the Felixes, fiither, son, and
daughter, by wluch it was stipulated they should
receive, free of all expense, 4,400fr. from the
general management of the Lyons theatres.
This agreement was rescinded, and a second one
made, by wliich the expenses occasioDed by each
performanec were to be at the charge of the
Felixes, they receiving the whole amount of die
receipts nude, with the sole condition of p«ying
l,000fr. per night to Mr. L^aulL
The non-cxccuUon of this sgreement entuled a
ferfMt of 6,000fr. unless its fulfilment wae* ren-
dered impoeeible by war or soeee other pnblie
calaoutT.
b9
Hw tn^Uimmt, tMkm UmAitg At «oM p3m
nora Atwhun, «r ■etwtfaJ hj kmm otiMr,'
Motin) Klt«nd bandad and W «o«nN^ awijfaf
tba "KuwiHuN* to Teolew^ Mwrt|wirw>> '
Kmm, Ailk, Aim, MmmUm, As.. Ae. Thk
pn^Mgiadlit espfdttioa «•• wBdwiiily nma^ -.
nliffl to «Hible bar to pi/f wUboBt lapomiduag
iwnd( tba 0,OOOfr. fixftit to wUoh tbe triboMl
oandenmed hv at tlw anit of M. L^uU fbr
hoTiDg negleetad to popvlariaa tbe B^obUo
in L/oni aocording to tbe tanna of bar con-
tracL
It wma during tbii jcar's visit to Montpdlier
that Baebcl oblainod pomusMon of tba outborities,
and of thfl cq)Uve benelf, to visit Madmma
La&rge, then imprisoned in the Miuaon Centrale
of tbmt town.
The unfortunate woman made a deep im-
pression on her viutor. She could not but feel
great interest in one who, innocent or guilty, bad
acquired so terrible a eelebrit/, and was Buf-
fering so oruel a doom.
One thing porticalwly impressed Mademoiselle
Bocbet ; she plainl/ saw on the prisonei's features
tbe seal of tbe fatal disease of which she herself
and her aiater were to die. Describing this inter-
Tiew in a latter to a friend, she alluded verjr
HBMoiBs or RACnSI.
fMlingly to tho aytnptomiof eonaumptioo iba hul
noticed in Madune htXwrge, njiogi
" Ths poor woman — whether guilty or not, I
must call her ao— the poor woman ia alowljr
dying of that moat terrible of all diacaMi — um-
•umption — ^ foela tho alccin of life** thread
unwinding, and, to tho very kat, ahe will aoe, ahe
will feel I It ia very dreadful I Better &r a
bullet in the weak cheat, or a tile &llu)g ob the
aehinfr head, aomp windy day,"
Did the writer then prcaage her own fate when
■he expressed auch horror of another's 1
Mademoi«elle Racliel aAerwarda told her
friends tliat she had eonsultod ' several clair-
voyants, and that to lier ioquiry whether Madame
La&rge was guilty, tho answer bad always been
in the negati%-c. This was probably noro aatia-
faetofy to her than such evidenoo would have
been to judgo or jury.
Her tour waa marked by other ineidentaof a
less gloomy nature. In this «amo town, II — -,
the actor who pUyed tho port of ntramtiiet waa
biiacd in tho faoioua narrative of the death of
HippoIyU, He immediately advanced to the
footlights, and, addreaung the publio with im-
perturbable tatigjroid, said :
" Ma foi, gentlemen ; you are quite right ; I
6 MBMOIRfl OP RACHRL.
Mud it shoekingljr; but never mind, 111 t>cgin it
mil over again I *
Phidref who waa waiting in the slips for the
moment when she is to drink the poison (qu4
Medea apporin dans Athenee), laughed heartily at
this confession.
At Draguignan, Fleuret, who played the part
of TheseuSf worn out with his constant nightwork
and day-travellingy fell fast asleep while listening
to the above-mentioned narraUve of his son's
horrible death. A very vigorous reminder bes^
towed upon his shins was required to rouse him
in time to exclium :
** O men filsy ich&r espoir que je mc suis ravL''
But while Rachel was away reaping her rich sum-
mer harvests, the green-room intrigues and spirit of
revolt, which the necessity of union had momen-
tarily quolledy began to ferment anew, and on her
return in September, she found her own empire
undermined and her favorite, the Dictator, whom
she had been so instrumental in creating, on the
eve of being expelled. The dismissal of citizen
Lockroy was imminent.
It is difficult for those unacquainted with
French customs to have any idea of the impor-
tance attached by the public to all that concerns,
the stage, of the absorbing interest taken by the
MBHoiu or BAcnicu 7
Foruuuu in thf) quarreU of Mtora, in the Tician-
tude* of their thcARM, in tho groen-rooni in-
trigues, llie high honor in which dnunAtio lite>
rature i« held eontribatw grcatl; towanla exciting
this interest. Aotora in Fruiee sre not left to
their own reMarces m is the euo in other
countries. Hie French Government grants eon*
aiderable subsidies to the larger theatres, in order
to enable them to add eetat to their perfermanoes,
to afibrd to their artists the leisure neoessarj' to
perfect th«r studios, to remunemte the talent
employed. The influence of Oovcmment is not
BO materially felt by the minor theatres, though
its protection and encouragement is also extended
to them. Among the houses to which the subody
is granted, the chief are the Grand Opent and the
Tbdllre Fraofus. The Grand Opera, one of the
greatest attraotione the capital offers to foreignen,
is, in port, a dependence of the Crown, and, since
its creation by Louis XIV. all the succeeding Sor^
reigns hare felt a pride in sustaining it with telat.
Aa to the Th^itre Frao9us, or, La Coni£die Fran-
9ais, aa it is indifferently called,its actors are hwkwl
upon aa the chosen and enlightened interpreters
of that dramatio literatura which is one of the
glcMries of France. The actors reap the benefit of
the worship triboted to the guiiiis of ConiMU^
8 HSMOIR8 OP RACHEL.
Moli&rej R^gnord, Voltaire and so many
other master-minds. Hence the lively interest
with which the public regards everything that
concerns them. Their lawsuits are matters of
public import, the most distinguished lawyers dis-
pute the honor of figuring in them, and the pub-
lic journals follow the cases as though the fate of
the country was at stake*
That the reader may the better understand the
nature and the object of the dissensions between
Mademoiselle Rachel and the Thditre Fran9aiSf
dissensions which the law was called upon to settle
at the close of this year, a slight sketch of the
peculiar organi^tion of that theatre is indispen-
sable. Without this commentary this portion of
our work would prove to some persons unintelligi-
ble.
The actors of the Thc&tre Franfais constltutCy
in iacty a commercial association. The talent of
each member is the portion of capital he brings
into it, and| according to the valuation put on. this
intellectual property* each is entitled to what is
called a half, a quarter, an eighth, three-quarters
of a share, or a full share in the profits of the
theatre, which are divided into twenty-four
shares. When all the shares are taken the per^
sonnet of the theatre is not yet sufficiently nume-
HX1IOIB8 or BAOmL. 9
roua for iti rcquiremoaU ; to vupply tho deficiency
the holdon of slurca, that U the eomidumi aoeii-
lairet engnge what »rc called petuioitnaireg. The
pttuiomuiiret arc acton with fixed aalaxic* paid by
4ociAairei, Theao nlarica diinlniah the profita of
the company and eoiutitute i»e of ita chargoa.
The company ia governed by a oommittee of
managomcnt, compoacd of six male member*.
The company hoa aloo the privilege of bang the
arbiter of literaiy merit ; aa it ii to a eomiU ia
loelure, composed of mole and female member*,
that oil playi preocntcd to the theatn are aubmil-
ted, and thi* hut committee has a right to reftue,
to recave, fiilly or cooditionoUy, at ita owb dis-
cretion, any play.
Thia conslitudonal charter, which had exiated
for nuuy ycarv, wbb confirmed by a decree known
as the " Decree of Moscow," from its having been
ugned by Napoleon L in that city on the Ifftb
October, 1815. By virtue of thisdecrcc, tbefree
action of tliis company is only aubjoct to Um *vr-
veitianet of the superintendent of the Court per-
formance and to that of tho Imperial Coinmi*-
sioner; its committees regulate the material,
financial and artistic affiurs of the theatre with
almost uncontrolled freedom. CrrUt, no organi*
sati<Hi can be more liberal; none oould *eem
10 MEMOIRS OF BACH^L.
better calculated to atinralate the actors to do
their utmost for the prosperity of their house,
since whatsoever they do is for their own intcrestsi
and the value of their shares is increased accord-
ing to the benefits realised ; it places them more-
over, in a position of honorable independencei and
should have the effect of maintiuning peace and
concord among them, as they are themselves the
arbiters of all the little discussions, tlie rivalriesi
bickerings and quarrels arising from wounded
vanity and irritated self-love, inseparable to the
profession. Unfortunately the facts have always
been far from justifying this fair conclusion. At
the time the decree of Moscow was published,
bitter dissensions, envenomed rivalries, among
others that which reigned between Mademoiselle
Mars and Mademoiselle Levcrt, divided the com-
pany. The decree was the quos ego! of him
who was accustomed to see all things return, at
his command, within the limits of order.
After the fall of the Empire, the company
went on, somewhat lamely to be sure, under the
rather lax surveillance of Messieurs the Gentle-
men of the Bed-chamber, who had been brought
back by the Sestoration, taking refuge, ever and
anon, against any real or fancied infringement of
its privileges, under the shadow of the decree of
KEMOin or RiCHEL. II
Moscow M uodar tho Pslkdium of iu indcpoii-
dence. but, like all otkor bodiM,«ft«r 1830, it
bogan to oxpariaiioe the elfecte of tbe diMolviog
■pint of the times. Matten came to euch a paw
tliat in 1847, tho wretched maoagemoDt, the iQte*>
tioe etrife, tbe bad etate of ite financial aflain,
made tho ititcrpoaition of Gorenimont indiapen-
rablo. Bj a deorco publUhed oo tho 39th of
August, a ohiof was appcnntod to tbe disorganised
Kcpublio. Tbe diieetor chosen was M. Bukut, a
man of letters of some reputation, who inul given
proof of his capacity for management in tho sue-
ccssful oi;ganisation of tho * Rene dcs deux
Mondcs," a monthly publication. Tbe nomin**
tion of M. Buloz in the place of the committee
of managemeat was a complete nrolution for the
company ; tbe new director, was, by some of tbe
members, received as an osurper, by others as a
liberator.
The continual cmnplainte of Mademoiselle
Kachel, which always found &Tor with those in
authority, her threats of reugnation, as far back
as the year 1846, bad largely contributed to bring
about the measures that bad finally caused the
nominadon of M. Bulos. From tbe beginning
she hod declared herself in &Tor of the dicta-
torsliip, and from that time she had been
12 MEMOIRS OP RACHBL.
the aoul of the party that bad sustained it ever
since its first creation.
Mademoiselle Rachel had a whole share in the
companjr and fortj-two thousand francs out of the
subvention granted by the State. Consequently
it was for her interest that the theatre should be
ably managed, and made to give large profits. It
was no less for her interests that it should keep
on good terms with every Government. She *
knew welly too, that an actress of more than or-
dinary talent, a young and pretty woman, would
have a far better chance of ruling a manager,
however absolute he might be, than a committee
of six men all actuated by different views, claims,
and passions.
These considerations led Mademoiselle Rachel
to lend all her influence to the election of M.
Lockroy, the Republican commissary who suc-
ceeded M. Buloz, expelled in February. But
revolutions are moving sands ; when the revolu-
tionary fever had cooled off, and while Made-
moiselle Rachel was away on leave, the inde-
pendent pnrty raised its head in the committee.
M. Lockroy was attacked, his provisional origin,
his national performances, his ^^Marseillaise,"
were made as great reproaches of as the ministerial
origin of M. Buloz had formerly been. M. Lockroy
MEMOIBS or RACIIKU IS
WM in hu turn Muutted bj hu vtrj eonilitn-
entB, And when hu finn wWj, HadenMHMlle R*ehel
returned, hU fidl wu deorcod,and it nctuolly took
pUco in the banning of October. Uie dismiMal
uigcred KIuleauMeUe Rachel exceedingly ; it
wounded her vanity ukI injured her interetta.
She resolred on the mott energctio meuure*
mthcr than (mil again under the dcmocralio yolie
of her peera, whom tho rcfiwed to loolc upon u
her equals. She had re-ooramenced her theatrical
duties on her return from ber summer tour,
opening the season with "PhAdre," on the 5tb of
September. The " Maraeitlaise " was called for
but not given. The epiaodos of June had taken
place, a reaction, of which Julca Janin had shown
himself one of the moat ensrgctio and courageous
organs, bad followed, and the change in public
opinion was evident from the coldness with which
the call was received by the majority of the
audience. The stago-manager came forward and
said Mademoiselle Bachel was troubled with a
cold.
On t|ie 12th of October Mademoiselle Bacbcl
agun attempted a part uosuited to her age and
style. She played ^;^]ppMM in "Brittanicus" and
failed completely in it.
. Mademoiselle Bachel bad hoped by her alaerity
14 mMons or sacbxl.
la ntoBmg her dnd* to M^teia VL hoAnj ht
pomr; flnAag her widiM ffan^rdad ud har
tSfy diwi i — d, dM fCMTtod to bir tb/naat thmla
flf m^pUn^ Mid flsaUy did to. The wrfg— tioii
WW duly notifttd to htr "daw ooBHrndaB," k «
letter dated the 14th of Ostober. 6h« had twv
eoBipIetcd the term of eew ri ee t ea jtn§ e p ».
, dAed bgr the daeree of Uoteom, to aneUe Ik •»- .
mfiteJn to radgn. The leat phnue of har letter
eontdiia the leaaoaa ihe g^na ^ her detanni-
Bktion.
"It » with regr^" tvft this thorough octreae,
" it is with the deepeat grief, aj dear comrsdea,
that I find myaeir under tho necesBit^ of retiring
/or ever from the ThfiUre Fnnfua, but my health,
perhapi my dignity, are depending on thfttatep."
The committee wu, or appeared to b^ aur-
priaed.
** What," excUimed ita members, on the receipt
of this letter, *■ hUdemtuselle Bachel ill I why
she woa nerer better in her life than she is thia
year, and never perfenned her datiea ao well.
She haa played onoe io March, thirteen dmes in
April, thirteen times in May. If we count the
number of timea she haa peribrmed during her
eonye* we shall find she played twenty-seven timea
in one month I She may require roat after such
MEMOIRS OF EACnSL. 15
fatiguing labors ; we are aware that she is in the
habit of getting her physicians to prescribe
periods of convalescence every time she retoms
from her periodical excursions ; but this does not
constitute an illness ; it would, on the oontrarjrj
go to prove a most energetic nature.**
The committee thcrcu^Kin endeavored to induce
Mademoiselle Rachel to retract so ill-grounded a
resolution. Her answer was not delayed, and in
it something of the true motives that actuated her
peeps out.
** I am no longer able, when ihus annoyed and
vezcdj to fulfil the duties of the art to which I
have devoted my life.*'
Here she no longer complains of health;
wounded self-love is the grievance.
All measures of conciliation appearing useless,
the management had recourse to the law, and a
suit was commenced on tlie 20th of November,
before the civil tribunal of the Seine. A letter,
however, from Mademoiselle Rachel to the com-
mittee (no longer her 'f dear comrades**) stopped
the proceedings for a Ume. It was couched in the
following terms :
*' Messieurs,
^ The state of my health is such that the suit
16 MEMOIB8 OF RACHEL.
you haye commenced on the 20th of this month
has in reality no object, and no immediate urgency.
* * * * I am not able to act. The
physicians attached to the theatre are welcome to
ascertain the truth of this statement, and I am
willing to receive their visit.''
Mademoiselle Rachel then proposes that the
suit brought against her be allowed to rest for a
while, and requests her comrades will remember
that her devotion to the interests of the theatre
has occasioned the ruin of licr health. She then
goes on to say :
'^ I have notified to you my resignation or my
retirement. I am legally entitled to do so, and it
is my firm intention to adhere to it. If it is re-
quired that I should reiterate my decision within
one year from the date of the 14 th of October, and
if my doing so will put a stop to all difficulties, I
am willing to do so."
The offer to submit to the decision of the faculty
and the delay of one year thus proposed stopped
the suit.
The 17th of December was appointed for the
medical visit. It was at the residence of Made-
moiselle Rachel) No. 10, rue de Rivoli, that this
scenC) worthy the pen of the immortal author of
i
KBMOIBa OP BACHBL. 17
" Le Mftlnde Inugiiuiro," took plaet. Tbe
doctors, her ftdvcnorics, deputed to report her ia
excellent health, found her on the defenuro,
guuded by her own phyuciui, Doctor Denu^
equally detemuDed to mtitt ber out ill before tnd
■gftinat kll mco. Tbia ohatDpion, ooutting none of
the diagnostic uid pr(^o«ltcaI signs on which he
could base his client's malady and establish it*
nature asaerted that the bad been greatly indi»>
posed for tbc last six wcolis, tliat she sufiorod
from fits of pain in ber cheat, fever, want of sleep,
. and progrcuivQ fiJling away. As the patient's
appearance did not corroborato this " progrcanTe
tliinning,** she met tliis objection by the acknow*
lodgment that she had been " improving lately."
The visitors finding no fever or other symptoms
to warrant the assertion of illness, dowlcd that a
fortnight's rest was all she required to enable her.
to resume her duties.
But there was another tribunal of far more im-
portance, whose verdict the tragidienna had not
thought of — another fitf sioro severe judge sum-
moned her to give a reason for her inaction during
four months. Tbe public in its turn instituted aa
inquiry, and {fae result was not &vonibIe to her.
We are seldom disposed to indulgence towards those
who deprive as of our pleasures. Her conduct
TOL. II. C
18 MEMOIBfl or RACHBLi
was sererely eenmiredi and set down as the ca-
priciaus malice of an imperious woman. The
Republican public, less patient and courteous than
had been the monarchial one, manifested its
opinions rather rudely. In the sort of vaudeville
review of the year brought out on the stage at its
close^ some complimentary stanzas to Made-
moiselle Bachel having been introduced| were
loudly hissed.
Thus closed, for Mademoiselle Rachel, the year
1848, commenced amid such applause. She
might comfort herself with the thought that the
noisy token of disapprobation that closed her
short-lived popular career, offered a resemblance
to the Republican ovations of former times ; the
hiss that pursued the Roman generals amid their
triumphs had been revived for her benefit.
CHAPTER n.
1S49.
A Spoiled Chnd— PRMcripUoa of "Cina«"— "U UoiaMm
da LmU*'— Tha Rs«I Adrienns LccoBTrear— FaMnl
Ilooon lo Theatric^] Talcnl in France and in EnKtand la
ITK)— Tha Adrienno I^coarrear of Ueain. Scriba a>d
LafwiTt— A Cbaraciemtic Letiat.
Tub motivm that kept MademDiscllfl Rachel
fiwm the stage during tho lm>t three months of the
year 1848 haTe been ^vcn. In accordance with
-the deeinoa of the faculty she should haTC made
her appearance on the Snd of January 1849; but
■he contrived to suggest so many delays that tho
long^«xpected erent did not take place until the
13tb. The atUtude of the publio revealed a
deeper displeasure than was usually nuutifested by
its coldness on former occasions of re-appearanc«;
it waa decidedly hoalile. It was a sullen brood-
ing discontent that waa evidently wuting to MtM
the first opportunity q{ hreakiog oot in open
mannan. Hw aetivM could not "■"**^* tba
c3
20 MRM0IB8 OF RACHRL.
feeling that actuated her audience ; but, as was
always the case with her, the more di£Bcult the
situation the more enei^ and courage she dis-
played ; the greater the anger of the public the
more winning and fiMcinating she became. She
invariably acted the part of the spoiled child that
is sure to conquer in the end| whatever degree of
severity may be shown to it at first. The wish to
reinstate herself in the favor of the public pro-
duced an excitement of her nervous system that
resembled depth of feeling and lent an indescri-
bable charm to her acting. The tragedy was
*' Andromaque," and never had the actress played
with such rare perfection. The result was a free
pardon, manifested by immense applause. The
Prince President honored the performance with
his presence.
Among the signs of the times was the with-
drawal of the play of '^ Cinna/ that had been
announced for Mademoiselle Rachers rentree* If
she had chosen this tragedy as an expiation of
past rinsy this Parthian arrow shot at her Provi-
sional friends of 1848 was in bad taste. The
Grovemment of the Prince President showed
more tact and judgement; the tragedy of
''Cinna/ was prohibited and that of ^'Andro-
maque ** substituted.
MUtOm or MCHEI. 21
It would indeed hare been tnipnident to ropcet
before a ^forter*, bUU perfaapa Kgiuted by remune
of the turitulent puaioDa so lately vented, Mtcli •
line ae tlii*:
" Le pire dee £taU eat TEtat populairel'
Neither would it have been proper to offer to the
aBti-Repnblieao party aucb altuaiona aa thoao :
**Ua ta* dlMnuDefl perdus de dcttea ot d«
crimes
Que presaent de moa loia los ordrea Ugitimea
Et qui diaeapenuit de lea plua eviter,
Si tout n'est renveraA ne sauraicnt aubsiater."
Thia waa not the first time lately that " Cinna"
had been deemed too plain spoken. The follow-
ing lines were, indeed, well calculated to aet the
Tolcaoio beads of the pit in a blaxe :
^Les honneura soat vendu»au plus ambitieux,
Ces petits souvenuos qu'il fait pour une
Voyaot d'uD temps ai court leur puissaoce
born^
Des plua' heureux dcaaeiiu foot avorter le'
fruit
De peur de le la^Mor a celul qui lea suit.*
The press, however, did not fail to comment
upon the withdrawal of thia tragedy, and to take
Bot« of and quoto the political allusions that oo>
MMOBcfl ita jootoriptioD. Hw Bwituid-B^Ui-
OM of all erilin sxafauawdt
"To thii pin im wo modi liber^ ndnoed
On tlw SSod flf Mudi MadomwMno BMbol
^peued in * pnttf little ooamij, in cnm uti
and in vflTM, bjr MonMnr Anowid Bnrthot. **Le
MMnera de LettMo" ounot be eeid to luve any
plot i it derirMdl ita ehun from tho light gmoe
Mid bcuity of ita datula. It waa pubUahed m few
daya before the brcRking out of the revoluttcm of
February 1848— « nngukr time for the appear-
ance of tbia sweet elegy od the death of a sparrow
that died Dincteen hundred years before it was
written 1 This smhmiuV of Rome's far-distant
past, evoked amid the convuluons of a modem
orins, was adopted by Mademoiselle Kaohel one
year after its birth, when it was first put upon
the stage.
The scene is hud in Rome, about the time of
the war between Cesar and Fompey. The poet,
Cattdbu, is about to turn Benedict ; aurroundcd
by many friends lie makes a libation to the gods
of bis youth, whom he renounces to marry Sexla.
While the gay party, under tho influence of the
rich Falemian, extol the pleamres of ii-eedom and
lament tho abdication of the poet, a message is
HKUOIBB or EACnEU 23
brought from tlio biidc-clcoU Sexla h^ lut
night had evil drcuns ; planned, ahe hu butcoed
to oonault the bugun, but sbo would have Ur
more futb io the words of hor betrothed thui in
their promiict. ^'ill he come to herl He uka
but the time to go to the Latin Gate for the
bridal gift that fau been ordered— dianioDda that
are to atar that lovely brow — be will bo with bor
forthwith.
During the temporary abseoco of tho biido-
groom, hia fair friend, the companion of hia gayer
houra, the charming Laahia, ignorant of the loaa
that threatens her. coten. The banqueten,
daisied by the fair apparitiont endeavor, each in
turn, to auoeoed to her recreant lover, and each ia
in turn laughed at and diamiaacd. The narrative
of the death of tlic aparrow gracefully iotroduoea
the rceonciliation of the lovera.
However foreign this pretty trifle might aeeai
to Mademoiaelle !Rachel*a true atylo, her peraonlfi-
eauon of the gentle Lethta waa very pleaung.
The scene in which iAthia tries on the wedding
ornaments of the future brido was played with a
gnce, a fiuninino ouaception of this coquettish
part that waa little expected from the repre-
sentative of the auatere muae of tragedy.
The " Moineau de Lesbie" waa fint played for
24 KKHOIRfl OF RACHEU
the benefit of Madcmoiaelle Anaifi on the boards
of the Italian Opem-house. It was the last
piece, aod midnight hod sounded when it was
begun. Acted before an audience satiated with
the preceiling entertainments, worn out with
fatigue and half asleep, it had very nearly proved
a failure. Brought out on the following Saturday
in its proper sphere, the TbtS&tro Francis, it ob-
tained a great success.
In the early part of the eighteenth century a
great change was introduced in the manner of
reciting on the French stngo. The authors of
this revolution were the cclebmtcd Enron and the
no less celebrated Adrienne Lecouvreur. The
father of the tatter was a butter who, not tinding
his trade euflicicntly lucrative iu bis own little
provincial town, came up to Paris with his family,
in the hope of bettering bis circumstnnccs. Ho
settled near the Th^tre Fran^ais, then situated
in the Fnubourg St. Gcnnain. This proximity
ajfordcd Adrienne opportunities for indulging bis
taste for tbentricnla, and developed the inclination
she had manifested from early childhood. She
soon proved that " where there is a will there is a
way; " for in 1705, when hardly fifteen years of
■ge, she persuaded some young companions to
join her in getting up no less a tragedy than
HiMoiRS or lucnu. ii
"Polyeocte," followed hj the comedy of *'La
DeaiL" The rehcKrMlii, which to<^ |>lace Kt »
grocer^ shop in the ruo Foroo, having eziated
•ome ourioiitj in the neighboihood, wen booond
h; the preMoee cf Mverml personi of distiootioa.
Aatonishcd ftt the cxtnordinary btlent ahowa hj
the hattei^B daughter, who played Pauline, the
viutM« mentioned her with enthiuiMm to
Uukme U Pr^ndoote LiyKy, Mid thst bdy built
ft little theatre in the court-yud of hor own hotel,
rue Ouanairc, for the Juvenile company. The
■elect audience, though dispoacd to indulgence,
found they had little need of any. The tuitutoml
giri delighted ears that were ftocustomed to the
beat acton of the day ; her intonation — correct,
pure, and tme to nature — formed a §lriking
eontroat with that of the porfonncra then in
vogue, who dcoUinied, bawled or clwuntod, but
never ipokt their parts. The playcra of the
Comedie Fnuifaie, getting wind of the fiivor
•hown to the band of youthful aniateun.and jeoloua
of the privilcgoa cf their own houso, roprcMsntcd
the case to d'Argcnton, ihe Lieutenant of Police, as
an infringement of their right*. An exempt and hia
man were dispatched to bring the delinquents
before the dreaded man in authority. Adrienne
and her ftee<Hnplic«s were terrified beyond
26 MEJfOIBS or BACHSL.
measure, but their protectress interposed between
them and the lieutenant; a few words explained
mil, and the order was revoked on condition the
performances should be discontinued. But the
courage of the little people was not cowed ; thej
managed to get the Grand Prieur interested in
their behalf, and under the protection of the walls
of the Temple, were enabled to set at nought the
prohibition of the police* What the authority of
d*Argenson had fuled to accomplish, however, was
effected by the spirit of discord. After two or
three performances the self-constituted actors
quarrelled as though they had been regularly-
organised players in ordinary to his Majesty and
the company was broken up.
Mademoiselle Locouvreur did not, as is often
the case with young artists, meet with any oppo-
sition to her vocation in her own fiunily. Her
father encouraged and culUvated her taste by his
judicious advice, and the fame of her precocious
talent soon procured her offers from provincial
managers. She played for some years in Stras-
buigy and the chief towns of Alsaco and Lorraine.
Her success in the provinces facilitated her ad-
mittance on the boards of the Theatre Fran^ais,
tluit had once well nigh put an end to her thea-
trical career, and she made her dUiU there in the
MUOtM or RACHSU t7
month of i/Uj of ibe jetr 1717, in tlie cbanuiter
of Stetrt. Tbe wnution she cmted wu very
great; the wm aocountcU one of tbe firat wtroMM
of the age, and rivkUcd MutcmoUcUc Duclos, who,
for twenty-four 7 eon, liad been tb« favorita of
tlie public
As BO artiaU, Adricnne Lecouvrcur left a
luine for talent of the highest order — she waa no
lets admired for her chaima of person. AU
l^race in her nanncrs, her carriage was so nobis
and dignified that it was said of her that she waa
a queen among tho players. Simplicity and pro
priety, correctness and elegance, characterised her
style. Ilcr voice, though not of great compass,
possessed an infinite variety of infiectiona and tha
most moving tone*. Her features were fine and
sufficiently marked to express strong passions,
while hor eyes, full of fire, added the most
eloquent commentary to what was uttered by her
lips. Her figure, though slight, and not above
the middle height, was well developed and seemed
much taller on the boards. The good taste and
richness of her dreas enhanced tho gifts of Nature,
not the least of which was a gentle loving heart,
a ready wit, and, what is far more valuable, tbe
great art of making that wit a source of pleasure
instead of pain to her firieods.
«WW«i
28 MEMOim OF RACHBL.
No actress better understood than Modetnoisello
Lecouvreur the art of listening. Her pantomime
was so ezpressiye that ererything the actor who
was addressing her said was depicted on her coun-
tenance. Her quick comprehension taught her
instantly the road to the heart; she gave power
and meaning to weak and inmgnificant lines, and
new beauties to fine ones. Consummate in the
art of entering into the spirit of the part, she
felt what she uttered, and communicated her sen-
sations to her audience. No tragedienne ever
drew more teorsi or inspired such terror.
With so many titles to favor, it cannot be won-
dered that this charming woman was dear to all
who knew her. With the public she was all in
all — ^pit and boxes agreed in idolising her. Nor
did she, like modem favorites, take advantage of
this passionate fondness to show herself exacting,
capricious, or imperious. She proved herself
worthy of an affection that did honour to both
sides, by the most scrupulous punctuality in the
discharge of her professional duties. It is re-
corded of Adrienne Lecouvreur and of her no less
&mous contemporary the actor Baron that, always
ready to perform when required, they never had
recourse to the hackneyed pretence of indispo-
sition to obtain an exemption from duty* They
MEMOIRS or UAcnKU 29
left to the invention of tlieir succenor, tlic ttlented
Ldcwn* the oonvcnictit fiwbion <^ g<»ng every
year to reap golden harveaU in the proTinoe* or
abroad while they were paid in the cnpital.
Among the nutncrous admiren of MadcnuNsclle
Lecouvreur the one who oblAiaed a Luting hold on
her affoctione wa* the famotu Count Marshal de
Saxe, the son of Augustus, King of Poland, and
of the beautiful Countess of Kooigsmark, aa
handsome as his mother and as brave as the God of
War. When thia romantic knight was planning
the conquest of hid Duchy of Courland, notwith-
standing his high reputation and illustrious birth,
he could find no one to join him in raising funds
for his adventurous scheme ; liis own purse was
quito inadequate to supply the demands of his
courage. Ilis generous mistress realised by the
sale of her diamonds the sura of 40,000 livres —
equal then to three times that amount in the pre-
sent day — and oompcllcd him to accept it. Al-
though the czpodition was unsuccessful the heroof
it was not thelcss the lion of the aristocratic circles of
tlie capital, and the beauties of the Court employed
all the magic of their seductions to draw him into
thdr hnls. No less a lady than the Duchess of
Bouillon is aud to have been at hut successful in
making him forgot the allegiance be owed to the
'Jr9f^»^m»m i «
\»0tmtimdamt ^ tt Jk i ^i» m tmm i i , m ^ m^mi ^^tmmtm
30 MEM0IB8 OF RACHEt^
fiur Adrienne. Stung with jealousj, the tctreaa
seized the onlj means of rerenge in her power.
One nighty when acting PtMre, instead of address-
ing to her confidant the passage :
^ Je sais mes perfidies,
(EnonC) et ne suis point de ces femmes hardies.
Qui goutant dans le crime une tranquille paiz,
Ont su se fiure un front qui ne rougit jamaisy*^
she turned to the conspicuous box where her riyal
sat in all the pomp of rank and apostrophised her
with all the passionate scorn and indignation she
knew so well how to throw into the lines. The
publicy who understood the real drama, applauded
vehemently^ and the enraged duchess vowed ven-
geance. The death of Adrienne Lecouvreur,
though arising from natural causes, followed this
little scene within so short a time that the tongue
of malice might have attempted to show a strange
coincidence between them. But the nature of the
illness that cut short the career of this celebrated
actress was too well known to justify such conjec-
tures, and it was left to the unscrupulous pens of
dramatists and novelists thus wantonly to charge
the memory of the high-bom and beautiful with
so odious a crime.
On the 23id of October, 1730, the English
stage lost one of its brightest ornaments in the
mMoiM OP ucmtL. 31
penon of Mn. OMficld. The hodf, «(Wr Ujin;;
HT«nl daji in the JeniMlcm chamber lA Wou
Biuut«r, WM bwne In great pomp to the Abbey,
whora it WM interred MitoDg En^uid's high-born
wm) high-honored. The pftlt-beareri were Lorda
Delawmre and Hirvcj, MessrB. DoringtOD, Hodgn
um) C«7, and Captain Elliot. The funeral Mrvice
wat performed l^ I>octor Barker.
On the 1 7th of March of the aamo year Adrienne
Lecoovrenr, the beloved of the French public,
died, and was, perhapa, atill nioro regretted than
her Engliah contemporary. Her illnces bavbg
been too abort to permit of a reconciliation with
the church, an iniolerant curate refuted to permit
of her bang interred in consecrated ground, al-
though she had left l.OOOfr. to the church of St.
Sulpico. The body of the lovely and talented
ercature, immortaltacd by the pen of Voltain^ waa
carried in a hackncy-ooach, in the dead of the
night, to the comer of the rue do Dourgogno, then
a marsh, and there buried I
Such a hero and such a heroine, surrounded in
their different spheres with so bright a halo of lore,
gloiy and &ffie, could not fail to tempt tho pens of
dramatic authors. But the only suoceaaful attempt
has been that of Messrs. Scribe and Lcgouvj.
Xlw part oFAdrientu, waa offered to MadomoIseDe
>»■* « •«>■■
32 MBlfOIRS OF RACHEL.
Kachely bat, afraid pnerhapei of the transition firom
tlie daring crimes and undisguised passions of the
Greek and Roman personages to the clandestine
midnight intrigues of the modem drama, of the
change from the grand Alexandrines of the cbssio
poets to the prose of every-day life, she refused to
undertake it, though she had accepted it at first.
M. Scribe then gave the part to Mademoiselle
Bose Cheri, and it was not until six months after
that the play having been read anew at the Thd&tre
Fran9aisy Mademoiselle Bachel accepted it, and it
was brought out on the 14th of April this year.
Having given a slight biographical sketch of
Adrienne Lccouvreur, it remains to be seen what
romance has added to reality In the drama.
The first act passes in the apartment of the
Princess de Bouillon who is entertained while at
her toilet with the gossip of tlie day brought to
lecSe by a pelii abU. The rivalry between the
two great actresscsy Mademoiselle Lecouvreur
and Mademoiselle Duclos, the patronage of the
latter by the Princess herself, much, as the abbe
remarks, to the surprise of the world of fashion,
to whom the intimacy of the Prince with Alade-
moiselle Duclos, his gifts of diamonds, a petite
maieon, &C., are well known — all these items are
communicated to the high-bom lady, who replies
MBHOIOa or RACHEL. 33
tliftt dl thia u old tiowft, and that, to IwTe « b«ttor
Iwld <m ber fiuth)e« spouic, the hw out-genormlled
him, won over hu mUtreu to bcr own intcnata,
mkI u DOW infiMrmfl^ of hla cloings before he him-
•elf knows hii own intcniions.
Other vUiton enter, Uio Princt aI«o. The oon-
vcmtkm ia still of MatUmoUtU* Lteouvrtur, who
M to come anil recite » few sconce *l » toiria of
tlic Princesa ; the arrival of the Cbunt dt Saxt,
his braver7, his exploits, bis failure in his expedi-
tion, &c^ are also aubjecla of discussion when the
liero himself enten, and is fiuallf Icfi alone with
tbe hoetcas.
In the dramai it is to the Princest that the
Ctunt is Siithleaa. Hers were the chaine that
bound him provioua to hia leaving Paris on hia
last expedition, ilaitame de BouiUutt is now tor-
mented by tboao vague and apporcntly groundlcea
suspicions that warn a woman that she has a rivaL
^Vhy must she be left to learn of a stronger his
arrival T Indeed Ibis baa been, with the exception
of one to the Secretary of Sutc — and — the Cardi-
nal Minister, the very first visit he bos made. He
only arrived last night. Ab I was it the Cardinal
or tbe Stcrttary of SlaU who presented bim with
that exquisite bouquet in bis button^iole ? Ob
dear, he bad quite forgotten — a little fiower-girl
VOL. II. It
34 MKMOIRS OF RACHKU
at the door of the hotel teazed him to buy it of
her and * * *, ^And yoa kindly did eo to
present it to me," intermpted the subtle lady, pee-
aeasing herself of the flowers whieh the Count
dares not refuse.
The instinet of Madame d$ Bouillon has not
deceived her. When he was last in Paris the
noble adventurer had saved finom the insults of
several gallants flushed with wine, the fiiir Adri*
enno Lecoutreur^ on her way home from the
theatre. Since then an intimacy had sprung up
between the protegie and him whom she deems a
poor officer of fortune, serving under the orders of
the Count de Saxe. The first visit was to her.
The Princess goes on to speak of the steps she
has taken in his behalf to obtain the troops he
wishes to levy — the obstacles she has met with in
high quarters, the measures she is intending to
pursue, &c., &c. The County however, cannot in
honor permit of her serving him with her influence
and credit at Court under the idea that he loves
her. He cannot accept her devotion under false
pretences ; he is on the point of undeceiving her,
when the re-entrance of the Prince and il6Ae pre-
vent the confession, and he is obliged to bid her
adieu, leaving the flowers in her hands. *
The second act passes in the green-room of the
nilOlKS or SACHEU M
Comedis Fnn^ut. The actore are chatting with
lonla of the Court, until their tura cornea to go on
the BtflgA. Adri4ima ia to pU; Jtoxane — her pro-
fcMionRl rinif MademoistUe DmcIos, plays in the
Mine tragedy ; bat it it not the wish to excel her
only that animates ^dritnng. Maurice — she only
knovre him by that rnune — Maurice is in a box to
the right — for him she must appear to advantap)
—for him she must win applause, must be admired I
In the meanwhile Monsieur de Bouillon has
doubts of the fidelity of his mistress; her maid
has communicated to him a note, written by
MaJfmoiteUe Duelci to the Vowit de Saxt, a[>-
pointmg a meeting aficr the performaocc, in the
petite maitOH the Prince's munificence has lately
given her. Theennigcd /'nncvUicrcupooiovitat
all the actors uid actresses to a supper that very
night in the petite maiiott where he will surprise
and shame his iiulhless mistress. Adrienne is
invited and, knowing nothing of all these in-
trigues, accepts, because she is told the Count de
Haxe will be there^the Count whom she is
aouous to Itnow that she may have an opportu-
nity of soliciting of him the advancement of a
poor lieutenant in bis service.
The third act passes in the petite maisoH. The
lady who meets the Count there is Madame de
38 MEMona or k&chel.
BnuBom b«nel^ who hu bomwed tlie boDM of
Madtmaittttt Dmelea and oonunianoiwd her to.
ank« thfl appcuDtmenL
Here we h»n the {nond, the lugfa-bom PrtH'
0M< JaBomUoii,6tm!eadtdhom%'SjagotPoiMaA,
oloMly related to the royalty of Fnuoe, not onlj
acting like a eonrtenn, hot like the rerieet i^ot t
To armd ooropraniaing her roputatimi ebe admita
into her ooofidenoo an actreaa known for the light-
new of her conduct, the mistrea* of her own hus-
band ; she makcB this woman her emisBary, her
•ecrotory; ehe eotrusts her with a secret that
involves her honor — she borrows of her, to carry
on an intrigue, the petite maUon her own husband
has furnished, and of which he has a key 1 Of
all the contrivances imagined by dramatists — and
they are prileged to invent absurdides— this is the
moat improbable, the most monstrous I
The conversation between the Prineeti and the
Count is, at first, of the obstacles his enemies
. throw in the way of his political and military
schemes. The chief source of uiziety is an un-
fortunate note fur 60,000 livres, to which is
appended the signature of tlie improvident
warrior. This note is in the hands of a Swedish
nobleman, of whom the Ambassador of Bussia is
endeavoring to purchase it, in order to imprisoi
MBMOnt OP RACHEL. 37
the CowUy umI thiu pat k itop to bit oonqoMt of
Couriutd. The PrineMt hu power ud credit at
Court, but abe luwnta tbat abe h«e not 60,000
lirree to MMt bim with. The exphuuttioo tb»t
wu to bare been nude in the morning 'u given
now, but in the very moment when the engry
kdy insiste on knowing who ii her rival, the
voices of the Princt and hit mcrrf guette are
heard in the garden. The Udj take* refuge in an
adJMniog room, yet not to quickly but what tho
husband catches a gUmpac of a womui'a drcM as
he ' enters through one door and she goes out of
another. Convinced that it is MaiiemmttlU
Dudoi, and that he has it now in his power to
mortifjr and expose her, he orders the doors of
the house to be fastened, and forbids anyone being
let out before daylight. The situation is critical,
and the J*riiux$i is inevitably lost but for
Adrienne, to whom, as she refused to come with
him, the Priitc* had given a second key to let
herself in after the performance was over. -
Adriaine recognise* in the Cowni de Saxe the
o£Bccr of fortune in whoee &vor she had come to
solicit him. On his whispered atsurance tbat the
lady in the next room, on whmn the party make
such indiscreet comments, is not ifadanoi$*lU
JDuclot nor anyone in whom he has anj intovst
i 1
UBUOIRS OF RACHEL.
■aving that honor coinmnnda him to eee her
out oftho liouEoand prevent her being rocogn
by anyone, the goncroua actress takes the op
tunity, f¥hcn the company are in another re
to put out the lights aod release the priaone:
meana of the garden-key. There is here an
tcresting scene in the dark — the rivals, cspec'
the Princeat, e->Ocuvor in vain to recognise <
other. Madame tU Bouillon, in her precipi
exit, drops a diamond bracelet given to her hy
husband tUat very morning.
In the fourth net the Princess, a prey to jea
rage, for she has had from the Cotint himaelf
confession that he loves another, whereas
Adrienne liis conduct has only been open to
picion, the Princess makes no display of r
nnnimity ; she leaves her recreant lover to
fate, which in the prosaic form of bailiffa, thi
him into prison. Hero at least bo is eepor
from her unknown rival, and has ample tim
reflect on the advantages he bus disdained,
the mcnnwbile she endeavors to discover
that rival ie. She has but one clue to guide
the voice. She studies attentively that ofe
woman who can have had the slightest chanc
pleasing the Count, to catch the sound she b
that sight — but in vain until, at the toirit
MEHOIBI OP KAtniKL. S9
nouitced in tlw fint act, she recogniio it. Tbe
aconc that follows wheD tho hoitOM, thrown off
her guard bj the diocoTcry, betnya bciwlf to
AirieHne in her attempt (o mortifj her beforo
her gnCBta, U tho chief odo in the drama. Tbo
Morn reciprocated by tbo actrcM, the bracelet of
which aho tclla the atorf without nentiiming
■uunca, but which the Pmet, not awaro of what
hat poMCil, orating in, rooogniMW aa kU gift to Am
vi/e, tlie pnaange from ** Plt&dni * apokcn b/
Adritnne, and oddreaacd to her rival whom aha
•tamps with infamj, the entrance of the QiimI,
wliom all think in prison, but who has been
KCTctly liberated by Adriuutty his gratitude to
llie Prinetu, who bo bclicvca has paid bis debts,
all these eoupa dt thtdtrt constitute a scene of
thrilling intcroat. The lago witli which the nTala,
in inralently courteous pliraaes, tear eaeh other's
heart-strings, and the despair of Adrumte, who^
not witha landing her momentary triumph, sees
Mauri'-t attentive to the Princeii, and miitakef
tlie gratitude he la ezprsaaing for [«otcatatioos of
love, cloM thia act.
In the fifih act, Mavriea having ascertuncd
that it was to Adn&Htu that he has been in-
debted for his liberty, that she has sold bar
diamonds to leaeua bim whom she beliared
— li
1 1
I
40
MEMOIRS OF BACHBL.
faithless, Maurice, filled wUb love and
hastens to otTcr her all he has in bia ;
name and the prospective Duchy of Con
ie too late, the jenlousy of the offoodc
hoa outstripped his lore, AdrimM
She had rcecivcd a casket Bont in hi
name, containing the bouquet of the fin
had been poisoned by the Prineet*. 1
and death of the heroine fill the lost act.
Aside ftom the numerous improbabilit
drama, it cannot bo denied that tho i
kept up unceasingly, that the situai
exceedingly dramatic and the chonw
drawn, That of Michonnet, the ol
manager is most excellent'
It has been srtid that this was the
that Madcmoisello Rachel was called
utter prose on the stage. There was ai
more serious objection to the part, or
cartes, the authors had not thought of, i
it WHS Icfl to the genius of Mademoiseli
to discover. In accordance with the fii
her day, Adrienne's hair is jtowdered t^/i
Greek brow crowned with powdered )
Camille'i Koman locks sprinkled with
Melpomene in a wig I Tlic thing was
thought of 1 heedless of the anachro
mHom or eachbu 41
bttd prcMDted, heedtcM of the unpkMut coo-
tnut the bUck hair of AJriam* dukIo with tht
powdered pnfCi utd eurli of th« other drmmmtit
peraontt, destroying much of the illnuoD, Badiet
bad her will. She ■ubtequaitly mm the abenr-
dity of the thing and oonfbnned to the eurtoaw of
that ago.
Notwithstanding thia and other divadTantagea,
and though ahe was far from equalling ia it
the triumpha she achieved in her own claMO
rrperloir*, KfadcmoiacUe Rnchcl*B performance
of thia channing character waa very pleanng.
Whatever maj be thought to the contrary it ia do
eaiy taak for an actrcM to take upon ber the
imitation of ber own |ioaition. To mimic onceelf
ia almost impoauble. What ia unconaciouBly
done with case becomes difRoult the moment it ia
a part to be studied, and the aetreas runa the riak
of setting it on atilta or lowering it to aometbing
too ftmiliar and bordering on vulgarity. The
real hiatory of Adrienm Leoouvrour has shown
that she waa one of those privileged beings who
unite the qualities that constitute the hapiuneas of
private life with the brilliant ones that secure
&me and honor in a publie on». Aa witnesses to
her^chnimbg diapositiim we have her own letters,
evidently written without study or d^gyj^^
4-i HIEMOIRS or HACIIEL.
Sucti paasngee rb the following paint t\
better than the pena of biograplicn e<
hope.
"Mays
"Yon know how dissipated life ia ia 1
what are the duUes ioBeparable to my ji
I spend my days doing nine-tenths of t
that are displeasing to me, in making
quaintances I cannot avoid so long as 1 1
present position, and which prevent my ci
the old, or employing my time to my (
otherwise at home. It is the fashion to <
tap with me, because several duchesses I
honored me. ^cse are persona whose
and charms would amply satisfy me, h
society I cannot enjoy as I would, be
time belongs to the public, and I must {
who would know mo or be set down ae im]
For all I am so careful, my health, whicb
eauses me to ofTcnd ; if I am obliged to
fiul to attend an invitation to a party fr
I have never seen, or who care to see n
firom curiouty, or, if I may be permitted
because I am the fashion : * Truly,' i
' what airs she gives herself t ' Anoth
'she acts thus because we are not tith
1
miroiM or KAomu 43
lun MTunu, for one cannot bo Tery gvf uaong
jieoplfl ona docs not knov; 'b this tba wooaui
who hM to muoh wit,' renwiki ■ooie one of tbo
compuijr. * Do joa not we ■bo ■oorna ne,' mji
another, 'and tkat one ntut know Greek to
pleeeebcrT She goei to Mndun LembertV I
knoir not why I tell you tbeee triflee. I
have nuuty other metten to aptak of; bat I
Iwppen ftt thii moment to be troubled with •
■leel of euch gompi, and un more then erer
poeecMed with the wish to bo free, and hare no
other study than to pleaae tboeo who feel real
kindnew for mo and wbo Mtisfy my heart and
mind. My Tanity finds no compenmtion in a
crowd for the lack of real merit. I do not oare
to shine ; I find ten times more pleasure in wying
nothing and in bearing good things, in being in the
gentle company of worthy, virtuous people, than I
do in being made giddy with all theioMpid praisee
prodigally and at random bestowed on me. It is
not that I Uck gratitude or the wish to please;
but to my mind the approbation of fools is only
Rattering inasmuch aa it is general, and it becomes
a burden when it moat be purohased by reiterated
and especial sacrifices.*
The abore is txtncted from n ooUeetioD of let-
11
1
44
MEUOIItS OF RACHEL.
ten of ^fa(le^loiselIe Lecouvrear which was pu
lished after her death. In order to uodertalte i
character of this remarkable woman, on her on
sta^e too, though at a dietanoe of a century,
was requisite thnt her rcprcBentative should pooM
no email eharo of the qualitici that adorned h
prototype. Mademoiselle ItacHel had one gre
qualification for the port— she could play ti
gentlewoman with perfect case. Tbii was ind:
ponsnblc to justify the remark of Michonnctt whi
Adrienne \» iurrouDdcd by ladies of the highe
quality :
" She figures se well as the whole of them in
In the BcencB with the Pnncut MademoiscI
Bachel was in her element, and consequently tci
much admired.
if
CHAPTER lU.
ia4».
BMB«t of HadwMbclle 0«4Tit*-TS« Thwpiu Cv la 1<U
ud Id \Mt—nMn wHkMl i4nrM— Am AadiMMabablad
the Am— A Tina la nil all 0«T«rata«au— Life 1> •
BuKe-CaMb— A ProniMd CoBTmnoB— A PU7 wUkoM
u AudMnce— Tba TWtln Frufkl* vvmw Mmd««oi*alto
Rachel — HademlMlla RmM eurfiwirf M •!■( Ika
In Juae of thia year the incident to which
allusion WM mftdo in the lut chapter in oonne^
tion witli Ktadcmoiacllo Gcorget occurred. ThU
oncc-pc(tcd itnd idoliacd Kctrea nude Mt appenl to
old fricnde who were willing to honour the memo-
rica of the paat and to the children c^ a Utter
generation who might be curious to we onoe
more what their fathera had applauded to the
echo. To stimulate the indifforcnoe ofa pubUo too
busy yet with political broila to care for thoatii-
cols, MadcmcMsdIe Ocorffcs had eoltcited the aid
of Madaine Viardot and Mademoiaelle Rachel, the
present &voritea of the few who still had time and
UEM0IR8 OP RACHUL.
inclinntion for arts and artists. Modnme Vior
had responded to the call with the good grace i
willing zeal of an artist who UDderotands a
Bympathiscs with griefs tlmt decent prido wo
fain conceal from the world's cye> Modemout
Itnchel WMnotBO readily induced to come forwi
on thie orcnsioD offered to her of doing a pnu
worthy action, but she finally consented to p
form ErijAile in "Iphigcnio." The beneficu
had, of course, undertaken Clytemnestra, \
mother who so rcFolutcly defends her child — i
fends her even against the futlicr who consents
her death, ngainat the priest who exacts it.
The actress who had so much at stoke, who f
herself, moreover, sustained and encouraged
the interest with which an attentive audience f
lowed her words, summoned all her energy, 1
remaining courage and passion, her waveri
powers for one last supcrhuioan effort; she p
forth all her strength, and success was the rewai
The traces that time and illncsa had worn on the
(inely-chiacllcd features momentarily vanished,
faint reflection of the halo of youth and beau
that shone over them when the first Empire a)
she were in their apogie of splendour returned
illitinine her decline ; the sun of bygone days i
gilded the noble ruins. The real monarch who
HtVOlM OF UCBKL. 47
power peemod to defy fertuno wu fRlIen long ago
— Iiii imperuhAble niune wm embalmed in tlw
fltMiuil pKga of Uutorj. Uto mook-queon hod
outlived hor opulence, her fiuno, bcr wcNrsliippcn,
to find heneir ooinpoUod in her mge to appeal to a
public in whom no veatiga of enthiuiaam for art
•eemed to aurvive.
The announeerocnt of two auch namca — Made*
moiacllc Gcorgca and MadonKwaclle Bachcl— in
the tame pla/ would, in othdr time*, have drawn
crowded liouaca. It barely sufficed to attract
■ufliicicnt ^|icctatora to fill tlie talla of the Italian
Opcm-IIouBC. A feuilUtomtt of the day re-
marked very truly that the atago waa dead. ** Wo
have made," eaid he, " ao much progroa within
the last eighteen months, in good ■cdbc, in fine
arta and in liberty, that notono of the fino art* in
thia great nation hai bcon loA atkading. Poetry
it dead, painting and aoulpturo have carried
abroad the noble works that maintaiiicd them.
Howling, clnmor lUid inault, have usurped the
{4aco of eloquence. Not a book, not a poet, not
a painting l^nothing in the past, nothing in tha
future 1"
Even titia uudicnco, got togvther with so much
difficulty, could not but do justioe to the talent
brought before them that night. Aa for lAade-
48
MEHOina OF RACBEL.
moiseHe Rachel, she loet here an opportun
doing ft kind and amiable thing. Had ah
seated to her elder «leter one of the Dun
bouquets, or placed on her head one o
wreaths showeretl on the stagCi thundc
applause would have followed the gracefu
But no, the demons of envy and jealousy m
to possess her ; angered hr the approl
bestowed on Aladcmoisclle Georges, she Bu
refused to play in the "Moineau dc Le
announced on the bills for the second piece
notwithstanding the injury she was doin|
beneficiare, and the pain she caused the ]
author, ohntinately persevered in her n
Klademoiselle Rachel thought to punish
public for having dared to applaud another
hcrscir. Madame Viardot, however, h
cheerfully come forward ti) offer her servic
make up the deficiency caused by the tragedit
ill-tcni[>crcd refusal, her delightful voice p
an ample compensation.
The months of June, July and August
as usual, devoted to her profitable vac)
While Mademoiselle Raelicl hardly deignc
play twice a-week in Paris, where she had a
salary, she was indefatigable iu her voce
wliea tlie more she played the more she ea
■BMOnn or bacheu 49
It u utonubiDg wluu ma Binount of fstigue Um
love of guD enftbl«d Uiit fraU constitution to bear.
She roooiled bcfora no diatuwei bo labour. Aa
long as onjtliing mu to be got ber aorree
•eemcd itcelcd. Tbo itincrmrjr of one of thcea
toura, M ruraUbed bj benelf in » letter to Ur.
V^D Mid publiabod bj bim in the fburtb toIuim
of bU " M^oirei d'uii Boargeoic de Puu," we
find confirmed in every putteukr. Aa it dludee
to the ecHgi of tbie ytmr we ml^oio iu It le
dated May Setb, 1849.
OrlMM. .
t»ik,Sl*t
H.r
ToBti . .
. lK.»>d
FoitiBn . .
. Ird, 4ih
„
Niorl . .
. Ctk
„
. 6tl^8th
^
Bocbefeft .
. TO. tth
„
SwnM .
lOtKllth
^
Cor.«. .
nth, isih
_
A.p>.ltaM .
uth, iith, inh, iM
„
rwiK>>«« ■
IMk, sou
„
n*i,tati
„
asA
^
D.,o«^ .
ictk, STth, tath. sM
„
F.g . .
IM, >ad
Jil7
Tvla . .
9nl,4lk
BirXra
Ml
„
Aaeli
. 7lh,B(h
„
Toalow .
lOih, IIU, ISth, Uik
„
NTbmu .
l«th
P«plg.« .
ink, 18th, soih, aiM
^
Cu«MM.M .
. tttd,Hih
^
C«l»n . .
. BSih. arih
1^
AwUUe. .
. Mlk,KHk
„
60
MBMOIBS OF BACHBL.
dermont
.111, Snd Avg
Moalint •
• • SnI, 4th M
NeTen •
. 5th „
B<mrge«.
. 6th M
Bloia .
• 8th. 9th „
LeMam
• lOthy 11th „
LaTiil
. 12th M
Rennes •
. 13th, Uth H
8i.M«lo
. 15th ,,
Jtncy .
. 17th, 10th, Sltt H
Caen
• 18th, 20th „
Onernse/
. 25th, 26th, 28th, 20th, Sltt „
To the above performances may be added those
given in Bordeaux, Leboume, and other places not
mentioned in Mademoiselle RacheFa letter, as she
had not yet signed the agreement at the time it
was written. Altogether they number eighty-five
in ninety successive days. To form some idea of
the fatiguing nature of this departmental tour it
must be borne in mind that not one mile of it was
travelled by rail. An old-fashioned, lumbering
French stage coach, comprising the usual divisions
of coupe intdricur, rotondcy ^ imperial^ cabriolet^
and bachc^ was the vehicle provided for the whole
journey. In the coupij which was especially ap-
propriated to the chieftainess, a bed was placed
in order to facilitate as much repose as was com-
patible with this life of perpetual motion ; at night
spread out for a couchi in the day it was rolled up
for a sofa. The princessesi maids of honor, and
J
MnCOin OP BACHBU 31
dimfclt of ber fuite^ ooaiiiH«d the mI^im* umI
disputed the corner Mat*. The emperon, kingv,
tod lord* of high degree had the rotonde ; the
imperial wis teaigned to the oonfidanta and other
■mall {rjt who though not in T^rjr enriablo aeata
ai far as n^puded sleep, had a fine view of the
country from their elevated poiitioD. Under the
bAckt were stowed away the trunks, boxes,
packages, am] bundles, containing the wardrobe
and stage paraphernalia ; RoxcM^t dagger, Clio-
pilra's worm, Adrieiui^t fiUal boutjuet, and
Judith'g eabre ; regal mantles and poisoned cnpa,
crown jewels and bag wigs.
Mademoiselle Rachel was not perhaps herself
aware that she was taking art back to its primi-
tive origin, and that her dramatic Jiligntet was
neither more nor less than an imitation of the
tragic car of Thcspis. With all due allowance for
the difTcrcnce of times and the pn^ress of the
present age, her caravan recalls that of which —
Scamm gives so amusing a description in his
" Roman Comique."
In consequence of one of the little difTerences
of opinion that sometimes disturi>cd the concord
of the Felix family, Mademoiselle Rachel not
always being inclined to place implicit reliance ia
her brother's arithmetical conclusioai, in lien of
52 HEMOIB8 OF RACHBL.
Raphael, the usual nominal manageri a M« Prot
filled that office on the present occanon.
While the tragedienne herself endured without
a murmur this continual locomotion no other
member of the company was permitted to allege
fatigue as an excuse for non-performance of dutj
— even indisposition could not, unless very scverci
be pleaded to obtain exemption. It was said— -
we will not vouch for the truth of the report —
that on this or some other occasion, one of the
actorsi who had had leeches prescribed for some
temporary ailing, was obliged to apply them in
the coachy having been refused permission to stay
behind, even for a day.
At Bouiges, Mademoiselle Durey fell so se-
verely ill while playing Aricie that Mademoiselle
Rachel's own maid, Rose, was deputed to take
the invalid back to Blois in the privileged coupi.
Without an Aricie even Phhdre was incomplete ;
at least such was the opinion of the spectators,
who demanded their money's worth. To satisfy
a provincial audience always behind hand with
the Paris fiishions, yet who imagined they were
closely imitating the follies of the capital in
exactmg it as a compensation for the missing
bride of Hippolyte^ Mademoiselle Rachel was
obliged to perform tiie now obsolete ^Mar-
53
■eiUuM.'* TioM oompUMDoe oa compuUion was
exceedingly diatuteful to Um politio, bat bo
loDger politietl tngAHemns. Opiaioa had ooo-
pletel; ehkoged oolor in Puia, and abe waa Dot
inclined to bare it reported tbera tbat abe waa
atill kee[Hiig ap la the Departmenta tbia haek-
pcyed tragi-comio fiuve. 8ii» would fain bave
imitated tbo wiadoro of a eartaia nrgatt-grinder.
A ftmaAty, atniek by tbe man tban ordinary
d'iMordance of tb« inatniment, whicb waa playing
tbe moat ineomprebenaible, iirecogniaable jingla>
in which, howerer, aome fiunt reminiaccoce of tbe
" Mancillaiae " might now and then be diatin-
guished, inquired of the pn^>rietor what ought be
that tune. " Why, ur, look ye, between our-
aelvcs, ita an old *un of the year 1848, and aeeing
aa how it wa'nt the fiuhioa now-fr^ya, I juat
took and shifted about tbe wirea a bit, and ao
made up a new tune aa 'ull suit any govenunent.**-
U. Hip. Ouicbard waa tbe next that gave wsy_
to Istigue, Rachel waa almoat tbe only one that
reuited to the laat.
KJeune prtm&rt wai aeat for to Paria, but abo
only joined the company at LaraL
At Bordeaux there waa great rcjoioing and aa-
great aubaequent diaappointment among tbe
membera of tbe eompany. lliey bad expeoted
7
M xmom of baghbu
to nit emj other dajr during the engegement at
the Omod Theetie; bat their impkeeble
Kemem made emngeiiieiite to phijr on the ofr
n^^rts at Libovme^ eight teagnee from Bordeaux.
Hie houTi not aetuaUjr qpent on the boards were
paaied in the ooaoL When not inclined to sleep
the oeeupants of the eamTah amused themselves
mlh eards^ or ohatting.
It was during one of these nootnmal trips that
MademmseUe Baohel, rdating how, when she had
reoited scenes from ^ PolyeuctCi* at Madame
Recamier^s, she had been complimented by an
archbishop, who had remarked that one who pro*
nounced with such fervor the celebrated passage :
** Je sus t je Tois t je crois I ** could not but be a
Christian at heart (see page 76) added ^ I most
oertainlj will turn Christian before I die.*
Whereupon M. Bousseli one of the actorsy in*
quired:
''For whose benefit, madami will this eztra-
ordinarj performance be given t *
This alluribn to her reacUness to adopt any part
in life that was best suited to her interestSi was
recmved by the time-serving tragidienne with the
look which, accompanying the famous Sortez I of
JRaxan€, always brings down so much applause*
• * ** A« rests, Je bs mouimi pat Mst Itre chiitieiiiie.'*(tic) . •
MBMOtM or BACHBL.
M. Bonwd was never «Aer eog»gcd to soooot-
pany MsdenuMKlle BmW od ber pronooMl ez-
The eountiy towna, tliougb delighted with the
honor of the celobnted tragidiauta^a riut, wen
not alwnf • provided with ■uitsble buildings for
the pcHomuutcee, and ludicroua incident* oo-
currcd in coucqucDce. At Sointe^ for inatuwe,
on the firit night, the Mton were droned, every-
thing wu ready and the doon atood wide open,
but not a spectator came. The dilapidated
bnilding had been stayed and propped up with
sundry ingenious contrivances, but the report of
its unsoundness had got abroad, and no one dared
to mn the risk of its tumbling down. On the
next night, a safer bouse having been chosen,
all fear was baniahcd.
At the expiration of her ecngtf Mademoiselle
lUchcl hod, in the month of September, quietly
re-entered on her duties at the ThMtrc Franfais.
She continued to fulfil them with the most scru-
pulous punctuality until the beginning of October.
Ilcsolvcd, for motives which will subsequently
appear, to perust in the resignatimt she had sent
in on the 14th of October of the preceding year,
and renewed, in aeoordaoce with the Decree of
Moscow, six months after the fint notification, «k
56 HEMOIRS OF RACHBL.
tlie 14th of April, 1849, ehe had Uken oaro to
give her antngonista do hold upon her. In the
meanwhile the aocHlairet, aware of the lou that
rcfiigoation entailed upon the oompanjr, diligently
sought to invalidate it, or at least to win public
opinion on their aide and leave to Mademoiselle
Rachel all the odium o( these ooutinual debates.
In accordance with their plan of leaving no
means of conciliation untried, on the 12th of Oo-
tober, two days before the &tal day, the committee
wrote to Mademoiselle Rachel to endeavor to per-
suade her not to forsake a company of which she
was the pride, and which had contributed so
largely to her fame. To these exhortations were
added legal arguments, the most powerful of which
was drawn from the 62nd cliiJse of the Decree
of Moscow. That clause provided that besides
the DotiGcation and reiteration of tbo resignation,,
the locietaire should at the time of tendering it
make a declaration Bpccifying that ho or she never
intended playing again in an/ theatre, whether
French or Foreign, Ma dcmoiAclIe Rachel having
omitted to make that declaration, her resignation
could have no immediate result until it was
renewed in due form. Consequently ehe was
requested to play Adriemie Lecoucreur on the
foUowiDg Tuesday and Saturday.
UKMOOM (V KACBBL. S7
The ladj*! tiuwer wms ihart sad aaoompro-
mldag : her retigiuttk>n, ttfodend » jvu «go,
renewed aix month* kfter, ww not r thing of ao
little moment th«t ahe •hoold not have taken into
eoondentioD all ita oonaequenoea sad the duties
it inTolved. The ooouuittae, not deeming thia
aniwer niflSoiently explicit, eauaed the name of
MadenMnaelle Rachel to bo replaced on the pU/-
i 1 bill*.
I .1 Tlua act of authority called forth a letter pub-
lithcd in thep^>ert, in which the (ro/^MNiMoam-
pUin« that the committee aought to oompromiM
her in the oycs of the public b/ the anaounoemcnt
of her name in the part of Ailriemte, when they
held her resignation which they knew to be valid.
She al«o energetically repelled Iha charge of hav-
ing demanded of her comrade* "their money or
Ihor lives." Far from which, she asserted that ahe
had declared to all eaadidatea for the management
that she was willing to consent to a reduction of_
•alary to (aolitate any arrangement conducive to
the interests of the Th6itre Fr«n9a)a.
"If I retire," added she, "it isbeeauM I believe
that actors who are th<ur own managers can with
difficulty maintain the union so indisponMblo to
thur own studies, to the advancement of art nod
to the wclfiure of the theatre. I must have had
58 HSUOIBS Of RACnBI.
MHBO experience of thia to induce mo to renounce
the life of RppUusc for which lam indebted to the
Pftriuao public, and for which the happiest private
lifo could afford no compensation"
Thiia the Pythoncaa of the "IfnrBcillaiae" ac-
knowledges that she also rccogniacd tho ncccMity
of a king, or at least a dictator, and proclumed
that:
"Le pire des Etate est I'Etat populaire."
The gauntlet atic had thrown down was soon
raiacd. To her tetter dated the 14th an answer ap-
peared on the lath. One of tho ablest partisans ot
her antagoniuts conducted their side of this ncw»'
paper controversy. After giving the reasons that
have already been stated why her resignation was
null, the committee congratulated itself somewhat
ironically at learning that Madcmoi^iclle llachcl in-
tended to consent to ft rcducUon of salary.
"This,* said the dear comrades of Mademoiselle
l^bel, "is an unexpected resolution that will not
prove one of tho least benefits promised to our
suge."
But tho future manager was advised, instead ot
taking advantage of the proposed reduction, to
exact more regularity in the performance of duties.
"For the public, thus boldly invoked," added
the writer^ " will hardly believe that Mademoiselle
mmoiBs or mAcmtL. SB
lUcliet M uixioua at the preaeat day for tbo in-
terefU of the theatre, linco ah* baa only been able to
average there &tiy peifonnancea in nine montha*
while, during the ninety-two days her coapi laaled,
•he luia managed to perform eighty-five nighta I "
To tlie rei»oach of want of eonconl the ooin>
mittee oppoaed an energetio diacUimor. If there
wasdifcord it waa urged tluU the apple waa held
by MadcmoitcUe Rachel, for, " the public muat at
lost be told tlio truth, Madcmoiaollc Itaclicl ia Iter
»wn manager, aho nerer recwvea onlen, abe giToa
the law. It ia aho who fixea the daya ah«
chooMa to pUy and what parte alic will take ;
■he atatea how many— and the number ia eonudcr*
able — admittance*, boxca, alalia, Ao^she will have
on nigliuwhcn the intcrcala of tbohouae demand
that none be given. • • • MadamMaelle
Itaclicl cannot have forgotten tlio many twtimo-
moniola of regard which delicacy ftwbida our re-
calling. Her name placed on the bill«, aa never^
wa» tliat of Talma, and aa was that of Made-
indaclle Mara only towarda the cloao of a eorecr
aa long aa it waa brilliant, toatifiod aufSciently of
our deference to the rank we have given it a
After tlii* public rupture no conciliation waa
poaubl^ and the committee revired the auit at lav
f J
60
KEMOIBS OF RACHEL.
:l
II
y
commenced the preceding year, but left dormant
in accordance with Mademoiselle liachers desires.
On the 31st of October the nullity of the resigna-
tion, on the grounds already mcntionedi was again
alleged) and a claim was, moreoveri put in for
damages for infractions of duty on the 14th of
October, 1848, and the 13th of January, 1849.
M. Marie, tlie distinguished lawyer who had been
Minister of Public Works under the Provisional
Govemmcnti undertook the defence of the interests
of the committee. The counsel for the tragedienne
was the no less celebrated M. Dclangle.
We shall not attempt to give the eloquent argu-
ments of these two brilliant orators. We shall
merely record such of the facts that came to light
during the trial as may illustrate the motives that
influenced Mademoiselle Rachel's conduct in a
contest that did more honor to her head than to her
principles of moral rectitude.
Among other charges brought by M. Marie was
tluit of seeking to undermine the company and to
obtain even at that very* time, in high quarters, its
reconstitution according to her own views.
^Does Mademoiselle Rachel," he exclaimed,
'* deem us ignorant of what is going on without
these doors ? Are we not well aware that if there
is not in a high quarter the integrity and firm«
MXicom OP EACnsi. tl
DCH wa find hen, the oompMij of the Thtttra
Fno9»is will be norifioad ? Do we not know the
new manager U alreadj aeleotod, and that, in oaaa
of aucceai, MaodnMnaelle Baohel ia to ra-enter —
not into the oompany, ihe doea not want aoeUtaint
— but in tha new nuuiageoMnt, where ahe will b«
all powerful, whore ahe will enjoy enoraioua nd*
vantagca, uncoiucionablo privilegei, imlSmJi^^
oottgii and hundreda of thouiand fruwe without
the trouble of earning them. It ia the knowledge
of theae things that eauaea ui anxiety."
The impatience of the public wu great to hear
the counad for the defence But on the day
appointed for M. Dolangle'a reply the intcreat had
taken another channel An incident that oo
curred on the very day after M. Marie'a eloquent
argumentation had changed the whole courae of
the affair, justifying in every pobt tua predictiona.
On the 15th of November a decree of the Priuce
President waa publiahed appointing M. Ara^ ~
Houssaye Commi»$airt AdmiHutnUntr of the
Government at the ThMtre Fnutfaia. Thia wma
a reform that cut deeper than any of thoae pre-
viouaty attempted; it abotiahed at once all the
pririlcgea conferred on the conunittoo by the 3Snd
article of the Deoreo of Moaoow, priviltgei that
gave them the entire management of the offiuraof
62 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
the theatre. The committee vainly attempted to
avoid this spoliation. They declared their readi-
ness to receive M. Ars6no Iloussaye as Commis*
sary of the Government, but they appealed
against his nomination as administrator. The
decree of Moscow was again invoked by M. Maire,
who defended the iocieiaires. But M. Chaix-
I^Est-Ange, the distinguished lawyer who pleaded
for M. A. Iloussaye, grounded his arguments on
the motives given in the new decree. Ho domon*
Mtrated that the bad management of the company
had made itneces^uiry tliat the Government should
manngc the funds of the subsidy of which it waa
responsible. He proved, moreover, that the decree
attacked was an act of the administmtioni that
the tribunal was incompetent to judge. This ali-
gnment was admitted by the tribunal who,
on these groundsy rejected the claims of the
players.
The solution of the last question took much
from the interest of Mademoiselle RachePs de-
fence, as well as from the issue of the suit in
which she was personally engaged with the players.
The committee was now a dethroned potentate,
and whatever might be the decision of the judges,
it was well known that Mademoiselle Rachel, who
refused to submit to the iocieiaires, would accept .
MKuoiBB or BACnnu 63
the manAgcmcnt of M. HoiuMye, tour up ber »-
•ignaUon Rnd re-ootor tha ThiSiUn Fnuifui.
IIoircTcr, na ilio lioil hod ntber mtoto cWgc*
brought Rgaiiut lior by it. Huie in tbo name of
Ucr dear evmmdrM, iho folt obligod to rojid tbcm.
On the 39tli of Novembor M. Dokngle undertook
this difficult defence and certainly made up in
■kill and brilliant oratory what be lacked ia good
Tlio (tlcading of M. Ddanglo was of oourae
directly the oppoaite of M. Mario's. According
to bill), nil tlic trageJicHHe^t conduct bad bcon a
continual acrica of proof* of devotion, seal, labor,
diiitcrotcdncsa and abncgatitn. If abe had
upokcn of resigning in 1946 it waa because she
was ill, ■crionaly ill. Sbc might have been do*
■irous in 1H47 of a change in the ouutagcmcnt
of tbo comjuny without being at all hoatilo to it.
That nuuugcment was financially so defective that
the company would have inevitably been mined ~
bad not an energetic remedy boon applied to the
evil. In 1848, during the revolution, Made-
moiselle Rachel had given prooft of the most
admirable devotion to the interests of the oom*
mittee. Her seal knew no limits. M. Delangle
presented this zeal under colors' that certainly
astonished the pablio and probably his very client.
5
64 MB1IOIR8 OF RACHEL*
^ Every day," 0aid the eloquent advocate,
^ Mademoiselle Rachel| regardleaa of her ill health|
was on the boards. Yes I every day she con-
demned herself to the ^Miarseillaisel' YesI
every evening she sang this ' Marseilliuse ' to the
pit I Welly it could not be helped, and by that '
means the theatre and the treasury were filledi
and the soeiekurei testified their gratitude to
Mademoiselle Rachel in the most flattering letter.
Since then their language has changed. She had
a right to her congS and she took it. On her
return to Paris she was deeply wounded by the
dismissal of "SL Lockroy and resumed the project
J of retreat which had suggested itself to her mind
1 in 1846.*
After discussing the different points in debate
with regard to the damages claimed, he says:
the total of the performances of Mademoiselle
Rachely from the time of her debit to the present
day, have produced to the Theatre Fran9ais the
sum of 29478,4821s. <AV As to the demand
of damages that was laid aside when the suit was
dropped in 1848, the committee had admitted
Mademoiselle BachePs plea of ill-health. The
salary kept back had been paid, and even the
arrears, and with the added courtesy of sending
the amount to her house.
MEMOIM or XACHBU M
KotwitlutandSng a iharp utd witty reply from
>f . Muic, the dccinoo of the tributud iru ia CMt-
forinit/ witK M. DeUngle'* pUadlDgs, Uut im, tk«
reaigiuuion wu pronouDOcd to be Icpl, mad that
there WM no caw fi>r dunegai, the oommittea
liAving uluiitteil the plot of iUnaM uid payed the
uTcir*.
Medcmoiacllo Rachel did not gain her euit
at the bar of publio opinion, though ahe had been
•0 «kccmAiI at tlte Tribunal Civil of the Smne.
The Tiicta that had oouc to light in the coune of
the suit revealed principle* which, though not
reprehcnaible in tlie eye of the law, conveyed a
very un&rouimblo imprenion of the tragidUnK§
a* an artiat and in her aooal relatione with her
fclbw-f laycra. The old antateun, partiaana of
the free conpaoy of the ThctUre Fraafai*
contrasted her selfiah and a^roMive behaviour
witli the amiable and conciliating temper of
Talma, the constant and labonoua devotion of
Madcmoiodlc Mara, even to the doie of her kmg
and noble career.
On leaving the Court House, Mademoiselle
Rachel haatcned to confirm her allianoe with H.
Arainc Ilouuaye : she did not, howerer, shew
much •ubmisaion to the chief ahe oondesoended to
acknowledge, fm ahe spent the remainder of the
TOL. II. r
1
1
66
MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
jear at home — ^probably with a view to prore her
aaeertion that she needed rest — and did not make
her re-i^ipearanoe until the beginning of the year
18fia
CHAPTER IV.
Amwi*— •■ MkdenoiMlIa de B«Ue-I>k '— - ABple "— " H»-
ntt ct Lydie'— Cm^J of Foot MoMb* tpeal dMOM
Eatiralj 1b OvmMMj—Tka FsMMt Amat— HoUmt m4
Ougbuf.
So fiu- MademoUclIe lUchel hsd puscd over
two-thirda of her dramatic career. Th« first firo
years, from 1840 to ISiS, were apcnt in study, id
laborious endearors to reach the place for which
nature bad designed lier->4t times encoura^l
and sustained, at others capriciously censured or
judiciously rebuked by criticism. During the last
period, from 1845 to 1850, we have seen her at
the apoffia of her talent. In the third, which
remains to be narrated, fortune, not fame, seems
to be the only end pursued by the tragMienne ;
the second being valued but as a means of in-
creasing the fint. W« do not find her employing
f3
6
9)
^^\. MKMOIRS OF KACHEL.
^cH^ ^^isure hour in learning new part8, acquiring
^\^ Hies to glory, or writiDg able commenU on
^\ .. ^ favorite character^ making it as Mrs. Siddons
^t of Ladjf Macbeth, the study of her life —
^ this, indeed, she had never been capable,
'^^emoiselle Rachel courted fortune, not glory,
ohe continued to appear in the tragedies of the
ancient repertoire in which she vras already
IcQown, but gave no revivals. She ventured into
the domain of comedy, but the mantle of the in-
imitable Mademoiselle Man had not fallen on her
shoulders ; she gathered no laurels there.
The few eiTorts she made in the romantic dramay
though not all fiiilures, added little to her fame.
In the creation of new characters she was hardly
more felicitous; of the five, Lydie^ Valeria,
Lady Tar tuff e^ liosetnonde, and the Czarine, the
first was too insignificant to count in her r6le$ ;
the second and fourth were complete failures ; the
fifth is already forgotten ; the third, Lady Tar^
tuffe, alone won success. Yet these five charac-
terS| three of which hardly survived their first apn
pearance, were all the novelties brought forward
by this favorite of the public in return for its
constant homage and munificent liberality.
It seems strange that, in this book-teeming age
during the ttzCeen years that her career lasted, no
HEMOIM OF EACmX. 99
plftjr real)/ worthy of aach an actnm mw wriiteu.
And if there bad been it ii doubtful if ihe would
have ueepted it I With all her eztraordiaarj dn- -
onatio talflot on the boardi, thii great tngidUmn^.
wu wholly destitute of taete and judffmcot in dra-
inatlc literature. Of thie the gave repeatod proof*
in her adoption of Judith," " Catherine II." "Le'
Vwus de la Montagne," and, as we shall now tee,
in " Valeria," •* KosaaMode," and the " darine."
We mention but those that were utter absurdidee
— the remainder, with the exception of" Vlrginie,"
were but partially successful Lacking discern-
ment in her adoptions, wo shall find Madcntoisclle
Rachel obstinate and cafmeious io her rejections,
taking up with passionate enthusiasm Monsieur
St. Ybnr's atrodous " Roscmonde," and sustuaing
a lawsuit rather than keep her word and play
Monsieur Legouro's " Medee t " In this last in-
consistency she gave the measure of her gratitudo ..
and good faith, as well as of her taete and dis-
crimination. ,
In the period of her career we are now entering
Rachel suffen the first and most severe blow in
her family affections, she loses Rebecca, her
favorite nster. Constantly bent on satisfying h«r
rulnig passion, rcgardlees of alienating the &vor
of her best friends, unheeding the oninooi signs
•«PHV
70 MEMOIBS OF RACHEL.
of an impending war, the hastenA to Russia. On
Iier return she is careful not to miss adding the at-
traction of her presence at the Th^tre Frangais
to the many others that brought all the world to
Paris during the Exhibition. Her final attempt
to add new treasures to her store, was the voyage
to America, where she was taken ill of the disease
which threatened to preclude her ever re-appearing
on the stage. We will continue to trace, as here-
tofore, year by year, her steps through life.
On the 25th of January, under the new ad-
minbtration of M. Arscnc Houssaye, which she
had so indefatigably and unscrupulously labored
to establish, Mademoiselle Rachel condescended
once more to favor the public with her presence.
She appeared in the rdle of Mademoiselle de Belle^
Me. Her success in Adrienne Lecouvreur probably
induced her to attempt this character, and in
so doing, she added another to the list of her
artistic mistakes. No two roles could be more
different — no two situations more dissimilar. In
Adrienne Lecouvreur the success of Mademoiselle
Rachel was rather that of the woman than that of
the actress. In that of Mademoiselle de BvUe-Isle
it was neither one nor the other. Tempted by
the hope of uniting in her own hands the fan of
Mademoiselle Mars and the tragic sceptre, she
HEMOIM or RAOHBL. 71
Hiined ft ehinotcr totaHj uawiitod to her, and tbs
icmU «•■, total fiulun.
Thi* dnuna of Al«XMid«r Damu' hanng boeo
idapted to the E^Iiah atigo, ia too well known to
require any notice here. The chameter of the
NdiM, timid, shrinking, trembling girl, ignoimotof
the wilea of a diMolute Court, made a tool of bjr
Madamt da SL Prit, eonaidered in the light of a
now toj by the Dtdit d» BiektUwu, anxioua to
•are hor frther and oompelled to aacrifiee her
lovcr^ the puppet of othen and nerer once acting
of her own will, mixed up in an intrigue her iono'
ccoce prevent* her from perceiving or underataod-
iiig, waa not the heroine for Mademoiadle Rachel ;
iJie waa too &r removod from antique aimplieity,
too foreign to her tragic powcra to do her any
honor. The grand pagan figurea of which the
Irajftdientu was the fitting repreaentative were the
victims of Doatinjr, a power above the gods theni-
■elves ; the artless child of modem civilisation ia~
the passive in«tniinent of a bad woman. Had
Mademoiselle Rachel £uled in an entirely new
creation abe might have had aome excuse for the
attempt But she could not even plead ignorance
or misconception — she was acting in a play that
had been twelve years on the stage— she had on*
dertaken a r6U created by an actress who had
hnm tiB«qinU«d k her own line Mid who, mor»-
OTor, poMened mi idTMitage Ae toob eta aloae
oonftr; bergrMt qtuditiM won reawmbered aad
eoatmtod with tfta .fiulU «td ■boctoomiagi ^
hv ■DceoMO H Ai r SuiEjagt, if fbo had M17, won
'Ue putiMiit of the new Mhool who wen BMMt
•ludoae toaee Mkdemo h eBe Beehd ite rapneente-
'tivf^ oodHiBted bjr the little raeoeM of her' per*
fcnnMioe of MadtmoU«IU d« B^t^ItU, prereiled
(m her to mppeat in one of VietOT Hngo'i pUya.
^le drama eiween wa* " Angeto," and the two
heroinea were personated by A^eraoiaelle Bachot
and her eiater Rebecca on the 18th of iSaj. The
siaters had to contend with the recent souetmrt
of the greatest comSdiemu of her age, MademcM-
selle hfars, and the qaeen of the dnun% Madame
Dorval, who had been brought together in the
two antagcmistic characters of TUM and Oata-
rima. . .
The BtroDgtj-mariEed rdU of Titii, the violent
passions that agitate her, love, rage, soom, all
eanied to extremea, the powerful situations to
wluoh the plot ^ves rise, were all admirabl; suited
to ' Mademoiselle Rachel's style and powers,
ETery one of the qualities she possessed in their
Btmoot degree of peffeetion wer« called out here,
MKXOTM OF lUORBL. 73
kDil TlaU becuns her beet chaneter in drama, m
PUdn WW h«r fioMt in tngoij. Sba ooroplatelj
retrieved what A* had lost in publio opinion by
itadmnaiflU dt BMa-hU, ^w deeeription giTen
of her on thia ooeanon bj Tbeophile Gantier ia too
Tivid, too gnphio to be omitted wbm the aim ia
to point MadammaeUa Baohel in ao important a
port.
"One of MademoiaeUe Rachd'a great qualttice
ia that aha givea ao plaatie a realiaation of the
character she repreaenta. In Pkidrt ehe ia a
Greek princew of the horoio agea, in Ti$ii cho
peiaonates an Italian oourteaan of the 16th cen-
tury. There oan be no miatake-^Kulpture and
painting could do no more, lliis graphic embodi-
ment of the idea exerciaea a dcepotio influence on
the audience the instant ahe appeara. In tragedy
she seema a figure detached from a bat reluf of
Phidiaa; in drama a Titian or a Broniino de-
accnded from it* frame. The illusion is complete.
She ia a great ertittt aa well as a great actreea.
Even her beauty is endowed with the most aston-
ishing flexibility; at one time you have before
you a sculptured hueless marble, at another a
warm Venetian punting. She takes the ct^oring
of the sphere in which ahe ia to more — under the
the antique odonnadei a statue— under the rtiMis*
74 MmoiBs or bachbl.
tanee ceiling, the richly-tinted portruL Between
the wene «n(t the «ctreM the harmonj is alwaj*
perfect"
The Mcting wu no less truthfully described
than the external appeannce. The graceful in-'
difference with wbidi she listens to the podetta'a
laments, leading him ever away from the goal he
seeks to reach, was extremely unaffected. An
excellent piece of acting also was the scene where
she nariatea how4ier mother, the poor, friendless
woman who sang morlaque gon<;s on the public
squares, was set free as she was being led to execu-
tion on the charge of having uttered seditious
stanzas against tlie serene Republic of Venice
— «et free on the intercession of a lovely
child, who begged of a senator, her father,
that the hapless vagrant's life might be spared.
Slie ran on with acarelcss haste ns though rcUting
it on compulsion to one incapable of understand-
ing her feelings, yet, beneatli the mpid, hurried
utterance there was an almost painfully-intense
depth of feeling. In the manner io which she
answers evasively the suspicious iuterrogatioas of
the tyrant, there was the ease of the thorough-bred
lady and the skill of the finished actress. With
true feminine impetuouty she runs back to tell
ModrigQ — oh, nothing— only that "she loves himi"
w
IW Mat gimem, tW pkyM eaqMlry with wUek
•h* flbtoH dw l»7, th« k«7 M wbieh dtpod
MTcnl Bffci« fioa tW JMnte, «m u wKh ad-
wnd bj tam» w it «■< uitJLMii bj «*hen ia
whqw fnriw tlMp«fart>cti^Bf> lnt « i oi Mll i
Uus VM KiD rral^ wd wk» tkoagkt, aet wkb^
oat m«», then wtn wwdi that mtct v«aU b«
rpokcB agkm u ihe;' had bectt b^ her Gp*; tor
iMtMM, the whiipend crj of *'pmanfmmm!^
One of the gnat nene^ !f one «■■ b« u^ed sot
where all ara £ae, ia that of the itniggle between
the two rcprcaeotativea of two great clawea of
modcra aociety, when the Tutaoiu woman and the
courtMaa an brought together, and the latter,
baving at last the maateiT, teara her victim with
the pitileai &iig« of a hTcna. Here, iraajr.and
iiwult on one aide, terror on the other, arc carried
lo their cxtremeat limita. The opprcmed one ia
free— the worm haa turned, the dlainherited ridea
oo the neck of the opprcaaorl All the loag-endured
■hame, the coatumelj and Koni heaped upoa thoae
I«riaha of humanitjr, the implacable fcrocitj long
dormant in thoae trwnplcd bearta, ribrated in the
voice of tlie actreas. The condemned Btrikea the
executioner, the criminal acntencea the judge I
None but Hugo, that great atar buried from hie
high eatate bjr blind Tanily and tenaeleia ambition.
76 Muiom or RAcncL.
«oiild han givea bo ^endid, ao terrifio, to lablime
a INottm of tho oourtMui timmpling to ovtli th«
mUj hmoeent wih who hu robbed her of ber
lover ] She tunu the knife in the wound. And
when the omoifix e«tche« ber eyei^ when abe ibraee
the long-eongbt truth from the trembUng Tiotini,
hnw eonideteljr dUvmed and -powerieM etandi the
tigrcMi M oroelljr trinmpbaat but • nMxnoit once,
mie reugoatim with wlucb the untutored child of
Ion aaorifioee her paraon and her life to her lorei'a
hap]Hneat, to f^titude, is truly aublime.
Mademcnselle Rachel waa charged with overdo-
iiig her part, of reminding the apectator of Oreatcs
pursued by the Furiea — of seeking to irritate
JlMip{^owith a Tiolenee which if he knew anything
of the heart of woman ahould have brought him
to hia aenoes. She incites, provokea and hurries
him to the eommiaaion of the deed. Mademoiselle
Mara, on the contrary, k:d Rodol/o to strike her
by the most provoking calmness. Mademoiselle
Bachcl nutda it plain that she wished to be killed,
and instantly. Mademoiselle Mars, even while
acouaing henelf of the atrocious crime that is to
rouse the lover to blind fury, trembled, hesitated,
and, as ahe reaUy wished to die, was careful not to
ezdte the auapidon that might thwart her fatal
MnOIH or UCBEU 77
It wu, however, Mwcelyjuit to itutituteftoom-
pariKNt betweoD ttw aiiU of UadciDoweUe lUolwl
uttl that of the DKMt coMummate MtraM that had
ever trod thoM board*. HuleoMNMlle Umn at-
tuned pcHcctioa ID ber art by long yoan (^ ex-
perience and Goiutant practice^ She left nothing
to chance, nothing to accident, but hj a diligent
■tudy c^ the work in all iu bcaringa oontinually
•ought the intention of the author.
* Angelo" derived additional iotereat firom the
&ct tlwt the two aistera played the two riral*.
Rebecca lacked not tendcrnea* — her acting ro-
vcalcd great depth of feeling — then waa, perhape,
too unrcaerved, too free a dtapUy of it, to auit the
part of the noble patrician danM who, even in the
most trying momenta, io the moat paanonata
ecencs, never give* way to her emotion with un-
guarded, unreacrved freedom.
On the 19th of June Madcmoiaelle Bachel ..
created the part of tlie heroina of Mouaieur Pon-
aard'a little one-act play, ** Horace et Lydie." Th«
acceptation "Le Moineau do Leabie" bad met
with probably induced the champiou of the claauo
aohool to try hia hand at a aimilor bit of modemiaed
antiquity. Tho theme of thia little piece ia the
world-old-ever-new one 4^ a ktve^uaireL It ia
charmingly written, it reada deligfatAiUy, but on
tt.7:iHiii>ii» iii*_
78 IfEHOIRS OP RACHEL.
the stage it is dull, flat, lifeless and insipid beyond
measure. It is, perhaps, not to be regretted that
it proved an utter fiulurei as its success would in-
dubitably have brought before the public of the
nineteenth century all the courtesans of ancient
Greece and Rome in addition to the modem
Lamias and Phrynes which the bad taste of the
present generation tolerates on the stage.
PatiluM— the chaste Pauline metamorphosed a
second time into a Roman ^ Dameauz Camelias^
sustained neither the character nor the piece.
The chief attraction of this attempt to pourtray
such scenes of Roman private life as good taste
would wish banished from the boards, was the style
of costume which in one of the lady's attitudes re-
vealed more of the leg than is usually exhibited
This year the cotige of Mademoiselle Rachel
lasted four months, during which she performed
in London, in Hamburgh, in Berlin, in Dresden,
in Potsdam. *^Le Moineau de Lesbie" and
•* Polyeucte" were performed ** by command ** be-
fore the Prussian Court, the Count de Chambord
being also present. The Queen condescended to
send for Mademoiselle Rachel, whom she compli*
mented very highly.
The King of Prussia never missed a per-
fonnance, going sometimes alone to his lope. He
m
MBMOntt OP EACBKU 79
•eenwd puliculirly to enjoj the «A«r^»eoea,
koRbing u beutilj Kt the fun eontaiued in them
u anj ion bottrjtoit da Pari* could have done.
When the oompen^ of * theatre ia called to
pUy before the Court, each member gete n "gnttifi-
oetioD " of a hundred firanee. In preceding reigni
the aetora oT the Thtttre Flan^aie were the onlj
ones ever admitted to act at the Court i^ France.
The picaent Empenr haa had the oompaniea of
nearly all the tbeatrea called in anooeenon to play
if at Court
% The Germans testily their ai^>robation by
frequent recalling o£ the actor*. In Vienna
MademcHaellfl Baebel was recalled one night
aerenteen timea, another nineteen, a third twenty-
one I
It waa during thU exonrsion through Gennany
that Mademoiaetle Rachel gave another proof of the
respect for fomily tiea we bare mentioned aa
chaiaeterinng her io an eminent degree.
Ad old woman, dresaed in the Sunday garb
of the lower elaaaea, made enquiry at the hotel
where the celebrated actreaa waa stopping, saying
that ahe had been told her niece, A^emoiaelle
Rachel Felix waa there, and ahe wiabed to see
her. Shewaareforred toBoee,tbe waiting^aaid,
who took her in to her inistreaa. Far from mani*
80 MEMOIB8 OF BACHEL.
ftsting the onnojanee of a parvenu at this claim
of relationship put forth by one in such poor
circumstances, the niece was extremely kind to
her peasant aunt, made her stop and dine with
her, and invited her to be with her while she 'was
in town, and when she left settled upon her a sum
which, in that country, was amply sufficient to
make her comfortable for her life*
Another instance of the respect exacted by the
parents oven of this daughter, of whom, at the same
time, they were the most obsequious flatterers,
we will give in the words of the narrator, Made-
moiselle Aveuel.
** We were at this epoch in Berlin, and Made-
moiselle Rachel, wishing to present some sauoenir
of her gratitude to the Princess Charlotte of
Prussia, concluded that the most appropriate
thing, as well as the most likely to please the
august lady who honored her with her patronage,
was a very magnificent copy of Emile Augier*s
'^ Diane,* a unique copy presented to Rachel by
the author, and containing on the fly-leaf some
complimentary stanzas to herself. A note was to
accompany this envoij and to assist in inditing
with due brevity and respect the important
epistle I was called into council. While thus
engagedi 'Mademoiselle Rachel requiring the
milOtBS or SACHEL. 81
•enrioM of a Mrrant,. requMted her nurtber to
ring the bcU. The old Udj btom for that par*
pOM, but not as quickly aa tho impatieat dangb-
lor thought neeotwwy, and the latter reitentod
imtber pemnptorily;
" Maia lODiiei done, ma mira."
Tho old ladj stopped short, and, alterbg her
eouno towards the door, left the roon, saTtng,
with the offended dignity of a duchess :
" Sonnet rooa m&mt ma fille."
Rachel made no reply, but when the note was
despatched, hastened to her mother's room to
apologise and entreat her fbrgireness of her impe-
rioua behaviour.
This was certainly a stiango family, ^VhenoTer
anything occurred to interrupt the harmony
between the sisters they would give way to the
most furious and uncontrolled passion, which they
vented in every bitter and fierce expression that
came uppermost. The only ono who always
preserved a certain dignity, even in her most
sngry moods, was Rachel ; the most violent and
iooonudeiate was Soiah. When any dispute
between Rachel and the other members of the
haaly ocoun, it is finally made up by the gift at
some trinket — good temper and eonoord must bo
r»-purohased by the richer one.
TOL. n. o
MEM OIB8 OF BACHXL.
I
I
■
But in iUneas and miifortiuie» on any real
oocanon of gr^f or needy no devotion oan be more
complete than that shown by all the other mem-
ben of the fiumly to the aflUcted one*
I
CHAPTER V.
1861.
SuuonVaiTleakialtCl— DMpMic lalMtiMof SUn isd
lu naBahl K«mIu— DmMatle Anttwn MaamfMUrera to
ordar— -Valeria'— CW^ oT Fif* UMlb> aad ft-fa«ir
— lul;— Sw(««fM«r of Saiat Peter aad Um Ckildrw of
Itnel— Rebccea.
The year 18S1, to which tho coup tTetat th«t
took pUce at ita cloae hiu ^ron such hittoncal
importuicc, was not fiivorable to tho dnma.
Society, sbxken to it« foundation* in 1848, bad
liftd breathing time in 1849, and mora eipccially
in 1850 ; but iu state at that epoch was one of
transition nod could not be of long duralion. Hie
Presidential Republic was but a temporary posat*
billty that afforded a sort of truce to all parties,
but all were alike impatient for ita cessation.
Each, ambitious of pro-eminence and anticipating
the Tictory, watched its antagonists, weighed its
own strength, and awkitad the opportunity to offer
battle and obtun the mastery. The wounds io-
84 MEMOIRS OP RACHEL.
flicted by the Revolution of 1848 were not yet
healed ; the penury that had been its consequence
had not yet ceased ; few could yet command that
overplus which Is usually devoted to procuring
amusements. Minds were too much pre-occupied
with considerations of vital importance to afford
room for literature or theatricals. Anxiety for
the future and the uneasiness arising from the un-
settled state of politics, absorbed every thought.
The only theatres that possessed any attraction
were those that gave plays cont(uning allusions
and political satires. These, indeed, were crowded,
* and the applause with which such plays were re-
ceived was loud, tumultuous^ and prolonged. It
was quite a relief to be able in public, and in
common, to ridicule, hiss, and laugh at all tlio
crazy ideas, all the paradoxical absurdities, all the
dangerous systems, from the ruinous and sub-
- 1 versive application of which so narrow an escape
had been madz*
Plays of this description, however, were not
within the limits of the Th^tre Franfais : they
belonged to the jurisdiction of the minor theatres,
among which, for this class of performances, the
Vaudeville took the lead. No other theatre
made as good use of the sceptre of Momus or
applied it so wittily and lustily on the crack-
mxcmB or kachu. 85
bruned pMt« of Um Amy. Among Um nuay
[Hecc* of thu itjle Buggettod by Ute orenti, two
were [wrtieuUrly ezoeUent of their kind: "La
Propriatt o*Mt le Vol," ud * Lm Troii PartiM do
k Foin MIS Idiea." Frivoknu u tbete worki
in«7 be deemed, not to monti(» the powerful
ia6ueiie« tbey had ob publio opinioa, would bean
omiarion io the hittoiy of tlie groat oficOti that
bare reeultod from petty cauM*. Thar light
Mjringt and inqoaat epigrama arouaed the donoant
good ecnto of the people Their wittj •arcaama
gavo riw to aerioua rcflectionat and as each speo-
tator retired to hia home, he felt gikrcd and
ashamed that be vhould have been the dupe and
the victim of ao many follica.
In the meantime the Thuitre Franfaia, de-
prircd of the reaource of chanting the "Mar-
«cilLii«o" waa reduced to it« moatcipiecca, the
bcautiei of which the public lud neither time nor
inclination to appreciate. The receipts were by
no means brilliaoL During this year there waa
not one rerival from the rich old eloasie reperlary,
and but one creation that might be ealled a
two-fold one, but which was aa unfortunate as it
was uogular. Like almoat all deformitiea,
tliis monstrous oonoeptioa acarcely ontlired its
birth.
J}
86 MEMOIBS OP RACHEL.
Criticism, this year, took no notice whatever of
Ifademoiselle Rachel^ save on the occasion of this
strange innovation introduced to attract the notice
of the public It succeeded in momentarily dis-
pelling the lethargic indifference manifested to-
wards her, but not exactly in the way she would
have chosen.
There is a rock that fortunate and successful
ambition seldom avoids and which eventually
proves its ruin — a rock on which celebrities of all
kinds are too frequently wrecked — that rock is the
exaggeration of their own personality by the ab-
sorption of all surrounding objects. When talent
of a superior order has become so blinded by vanity
that it has the most utter contempt for its atmo-
sphere and decrees an apotheosis to its own merits,
it is infallibly a premonitory sign of a decline in
public opinion; disinterested admiration retires;
the new divinity disdains the Jiomage of simple,
truthful faith ; the votaries attached by interest
alone surround the altar and form a solitary group.
If one of these satellites fall away the voluntary
exile becomes a dangerous enemy — no bitterness
can equal that of the apostate against his former
creed.
Thus did it happen in the world of art of which
Mademoiselle Rachel was the centre and the
I
MRMOIM OP BACHSL. BT
f|aocn. She Attempted with hor eotnndca, with
the public, with the pr«M, to exert a cnuluiig
dospotiwn— sho created annind her the most com-
plete Mlitude. Towanl the cioae of her career
ahe hud alienated a Dumber of the partitana ake
bad hod among the member* of the prcaa and
cotiMquontly a portion of the public. Sundry sf
her acta during the laat few yean had been atamped
mth tlut ezccaaive egoti«m that ha« it* aourcc in
vainglorioua blindnew, producing aelfi*h forgetfiil-
ncM or diarcgord of social ties and aocial dutiea.
Tbcae errors of the licart had made numeroua
enemies, of whose hoatility and power she waa not
ignorant, as will bo shown hereafter in one of her
own letters to M. Lcgouvi.
It cannot be denied that her arbitnuy manner
toHrards iho Thditre Fran^iB, her voyages to
Ruasia aod to America — the iint when Franco
was on the point of a rupture with that country ;
the second undertaken at the time of the Ezpoai-
tion Universelle, when France waa enjoying with
legitimate pride the pleasure of diapUyiog her trea>
eures of art and industry to the admiring eye* of
foreign nation*— each time at epochs and under oir>
cumslances that rendered them doubly distasteful
to the public that had been her kind and constant
patron throughout her career ; all these errors of
86 MEMOIB3 or EACBBI.
tact had thrown a shadow on her rcputatioa as
an artitle and given a bad opinion of her heart.
All the petty bates, the brooding impotent
dnirea for revenge amassed in many hearts,
smarting under soma injustice, some long-remem-
bered insult, eagerly embraced the opportunity of
revenge the arrival of Madame Kistori subse-
quently oiTorded them, well knowing that every
leaf added to ber rival's crown would be looked
upon by the jealous Jewess as taken from bor
own, that every token of approbation to tbo
foreign star was a stab to that selfish cosmo-
politan.
But we anticipate on the yet unnarrated epoch
of that total eclipse. Suffice it for the present
that we have shovm the reason why such plays as
" Vatcria" and "Kosemonde" came to be re-
ceived by the once severe Comite de lecture of the
most enlightened and most severe stage in the
world. Under such a regime the couUgtei of the
theatre neceasarily became a sort of little Bourte^
the /euiUeloni of criticism become bills of ex-
change, dramatic authors manufacturers to
order, and the labours of intellect manufactured
goods.
To this class of produce does "Valeria" belong.
This drama in five acts and in verse, the joint
MBHOIBS or KACREL. 89
prodnetioo of Hcwiciin Aufput U«qii«t and
JuIm Laeroix, wu ooiutnioted m a Ktrt of pedea-
Ul on whioh the idol migtit b« exhibited oa hig^
in two cbBraeten — m a tngiditmt and a eotiia-
triea — two yvtj opposite rlUt, and tbo last vecy
inappropriate to the purpose the aatbon wiahed
to earry out — the glwificatioo of MailommwUe
lUcbel. The perfonnanoe, notwitbitanding tbo
real talent and the endeavora of th« aetroM, wm a
dead failure. She bad demanded the lioo'a ahare—
•he had it in the non-«iceea».
Tbia drama, historical onl/ in the name* of the
pcraonagcs, and purclj of invention aa to the in-
cidonta and plot, pertains with regard to the latter
|x>int to that claaa of romaneea of whieb, under the
paeudonynu of Alexander Dumaa, M. Moquet baa
been one of the moat indefatigable and fertile
produeera.
The method moat frequently made uae <tf by
these innovating historians is the ro-habilitation
of their heroes in the very teeth of contradictory
bialorica] &cts. Authoritative documcDts are
sumuuuily aet aude, and their place is usurped by
absurd fanciea, giatuitoua hypotheses, and ou^
rageoua inventions, entirety at variance with time-
consecrated traditioa — Liry, Todtus, and
Jnvewil are tbniat aside and peremptorily
90 KEMOntS OF KICHSL.
rilenoed by these modern re-moddlen of umaat
dramalia pertonw.
" Valeria " is, after all, but a vet7 long pu»-
dox, fiill of an oSectatioo of omtUtion, tbo plot
being that of a melodrama, halting oa hutorioal
entcheB. The language ia Tersifiad piOM.
A h»mittieht of Juveuol in hia afttir^ "TSt*
nlnm mcaUta LysiciB" accueeB MauaUna of
having, under a borrowed namoi ponunbiilated
the streets of Home at night Did the poet adopt
too lightly the malicious slanders of the cknniftu
tcandaletue, or was it in the name of rigid, in-
flexible truth that ho stigmatised the imperial
courtesan 1 What has remained an unsolved
qncs^on so many centuries might still be left a
a doubt for future (Eenerations, but sorely there is
no cause why tlio contnuy etippocition should bo
warmly supported against the authority of the
Latin poet and without the corroborative testi*
mony of a single lino in the ancients
The best proof that the authora wen somewhat
dubious of the reception their wbito-waahed
henrine would meet from the publio was that they
dared not present her under her well-kuown
name, the name that has descended to us as the
synonyme of everything utterly and irretrievably
vicious in woman, as the name of the proverbially
M m O f or KA^BL tl
inhiiiw CMtnre that wndepwTcd — wg the Je-
pfmTcd,aofoiil inJeedtlbtf Jw adJeJa dukerMam
to the throoe wbow KKt was doBCfBtcd bj the ii>-
beeility of a Ckude, wkoee rtep* Mpported a Naici»-
•0% a Pallaa, pmrpn u a of bvor, freedta who bad
anted their Court pnototiM, act \j talent like
Ilonec, bat bj TiUaiBoaa paaderag to viea and
ihenad^eapioDageof tbe dkhbcbL Tbej dand
Bot call ber M tt t mli t u , thej cboae her leaa-
knowD appelladon of VmUnat and Dudcr tbia title
•be has undergooe a complete tnaaSf^nimtioa ;
thej made thia creature of tbeir own inTcntion, if
not a Teatal, at leait, the friend of Eiia^ a
prieatCH of Vesta on wbooe boaoin ber Inunaculate
apirit take* flight.
To facilitate this •taitling aaaortion, the autbora
h«TO mode UM of a modern iDn!ntioD> VaUria,
the EmprcM, haa a uitcr, Lyntea, who ia in ex-
terior appcamoco exactly her counterpart, wbilo
in morals she is diantctricalljr bor oppoute. This
slater, forsaken in her iofancj, has become the
most notorious courtesan in the Roman Empire;
her beauty, her adventure^ are the oommon talk.
Valeria, the imperial sister, chaste, noble-minded,
generous and compassionate as sbo is &ir, is
guided in all she doos by maternal ambition.
She is unceanngly dcTiaing the means of finliog
92 MEMOIB8 OF RACHEL.
the intrigues of Agrippina^ her husband'^ niecei
who seeks tp nuse her own son Domiiius — after-
wards NfTo — to power at the expence of Bri^
ianicui, the son of Valeria.
The rival mothers find their pretensions sup-
ported bj the two freedmen. - Pallas intrigues
for Agrippina; Narcissus watches over the safetj
of the Empress, prevents her falling into the toils
of her enemies, or rescues her when she has done
so. Each has his own interests, ambition alone
stimulates the zeal of Pallas, ambition and love
that of Narcissus. Thus the latter, though seek-
ing every means of securing the triumph of
• Valeria, persecutes to the utmost of his power
the only honest man in the play, Silitis, a young-
old Roman, cut out on the pattern of Comeille's
heroes, and a very secondary role, although meant
to contrast with that of Claude.
The Emperor himself divides with Mnester, a
dancer, the favorite lover of Lysisca, the task of
amusing the public. This Claude^ by the way,
was a Frenchman, bom in Lyons, the first of his
nation raised to the throne of the Cesars, and it is
strange the authors should have chosen to bring
in this weak, pedantic, drunken buffoon, loading
him, moreover, with all the odium they could add
to the character. C/auds*s hobby is to be always
MBMOtBa or BACim. 93
judging cavae*; b* jndgea Mnetler beoauM ha
would not dance, Silitu becauM he baa in bia
portieo busts of Bnitna and Caaiua, but for^ves
him on yaUria't remark that they are worita of
art which flven he, the Emperor, might bo willing
to admire. SitimBf howerer, has committed n
more unpardonable crime. A letter, interocpted
bj NarciutUf ia bud before the Bmpervr; in this
fatal epistle the atom young Romaa, writing to
hia friend Cteima, has said that ** folly united to
crime* occupied the imperial throne. SUiiu,
condemned to the lions, kills the monster that was
to devour him, and ia taken to bis own bouse
merely wounded. It seems be had seen Ljftuca
and mistaken her for the Emprett, and hence his
cruel remark. Cecuia, hia friend, fiJla into the
Hune error; andnll the t/ramafu />nr<oA(g, whether
uointenUonally or maliciously, committing the
same mistake from beginning to end of the five
acts, the result is the most irretrievable confusion,
the most intricate imirogUc oonceivablc, amid
whksh the few interesting situations and fine
passages are quite lost.
The second act is unquestionably the Icaat ob-
jectionable. The scene passes in the dwelling of
the wounded Silitu, whose friends are preparing
his flight. Vaieria, taking the opportunity of one
of Cfawt/f oripm, ooam alom, and at night, to
jutify bcnelf to th* wdj mm wbow eBteem tba
deau wordi poMw ri n g . She owns her lore for
him iriM •ludered withoat knowing her, «nd endi
bj aeking the npport of lui rtiong wcta end m>
flnenoe with the people, (at her eon, eontiniwllj
tacpomi to.perieh by the nwncenTrM of the oppCH
vte ftetfoB. It nerer sppeen dmAj wheUier
the mUng peewn ii the metenul ambition of the
BmprtM or the lore of VaUria for SiUiu. While
Tutuooi end political tpeeohee are interelunged
in the houM of Siliut, in the oppoaite dwelling
Ljftuea ia entertaining her lorer, Afaater, in the
•treet, Agrippina and her sfHes are on the watoh,
. and ifanittut and bia spies are letting themselTes
into the hooH of SUiui through a prirate door.
Jjyiitea is arrested to bo used as a tool of Agrip-
fiita, and yaUria is enabled, under the escort of
Abmf«M» to retnm to Mount Palatin.
He remainder of the drama is a series of im-
piobalnlitiea. In the absence of the jEhfprfW, who
is openly gtme to Bala under pretence of her
son's health, bat in reality to prepare a rerolution,
the coortesan, XysiVeo, and her lorer, HitMtar, are
brought in to a nxun of the palace, where a splendid
banquet awwts them, and thoy are repeatedly
told to *'c(mnder themselves at home." At first
95
the vorUty p«ir an MUMirlwt flrightaned m wdl
M aurprued, but finKlly, witb the m at an oe of
MTBiml cnp« of the nohwinwMteinptin^y placed
within their rcMh, tha biidt becoaw aocwtomed
to thoir •plendMl cage. Iignsea eipoeialij geU to
nneooo c rned, m menx, with tho tftniud help,
th&t ihs indulges in « BaeehatuiUui Mtng of an
oltn-uwereoatic tMte. Thit acene haa been got
up for the cdificatiiKt of CiaiuU, who, drunh with
Hippemoite, ia brought by Agrippma to witacaa
the aeandaloaa debauchery of the auppoaitioua
Empreti^ whom he imagiacd on the way to Data.
In the efferreacence of hia horae-tipacy rage he
aigoa a deed of divorce, which haa been drawn up
in readioeaa, and the aentence of death followa.
But at that moment the real FaUria, aurroundcd
by her guarda, makea her appearance. The
■ottiah Emp*nr doea not aee her, for he haa juat
&llen aalecp on the couch ; the baffled cooapiim
tora cannot get him away, but manage to stab the
dancer and hurry off L^tiaea, who ia kept by them
for aome future occanon, Paltat had {^vea
ordera for the a— laaination of the Emprnt at
Bata, but the wary NarcUttu had warned and
made her haaten back.
VaUria, triumphant, anrronnded by the
Gmaruts CtrMon, PtoMtut and otbera, free by
96 1ISM0IS8 OF RACHELi
the act of divorce is secure, for she holds Claude
prisoner, and has given orders that to her alone ho
can be delivered. Valeria is going to reigns and
with her innocence and virtue. She is about to
marry SXliuSf when his friend Cecina arrives, and
spoils everything. Cecina swears in the presence
of the army and on the innocent head of her child
that the imperial Valeria is a common courtesan.
The rest may be easily guessed — the scandalised
generals beat a hasty retreat Claude^ delivered
by Pallas, and Lyeieea^ whom the guards mistake
for the Empress, is reinstated on the throne, and
sends a centurion to the forsaken Valeria with
the order for her death. Meanwhile the assassi-
nation and decapitation of Lysisca, accomplished
by Agrippina and Pallas, render all ulterior
justification impossible, and leave the memory of
the Empress blackened throughout all ages. This
last comforting news is told to Valeria by Nar*
cissus, who finds out the existence of the sister
and her death at the same time. The discovery
is, however, very satisfactory to Silius, who
promises to survive the Empress to publish the
facts and clear her fame. It is not very likely
that Agrippina, who comes in to enjoy her
rivaPs death pangs, will let him perform this duty.
The dying agony of Valeria is rendered ridieu-
HSMOUn (V BACHEL. 97
loua b^ tbe kbrard prapbcoy witb which ahe eonei
berrivftl:
* Ton fila MM NiJroa, too fiU tucn w mira I "
The two pcM th»t worked on Oa* dmna mn
ewU; distinguUhmble ; the dcaigncr, who drew up
the plan, mad iho poet, who ■eattcrod bora and
there MHiM fine veraea, that •parkk amid the nib-
Imb with which it it filled. Aboro all ia diatinetly
apparent the imperioua will of the actiCH, who '
exacted that all the intereat abould centre in ber
IMrt, and that the other charactcra abould be re-
duced to the moat inaignificaot proportions. In
bcr eagcmcae to deprive everyone elao of any aharo
of aucceaa, ahe aaaumed the rcsponubility i^ a
failure the moat complete and irretrievable.
The diflieulty of reprcacnting two characters in
which phyaieal and moral attributea are ao extra-
ordinarily aimilar and diaaimilar, waa enhanced by
the obvioua attcmpta the actrcaa made to establiah
a difference. She spoke the port of Valeria la a
deep baaa, and that of Ly»i$ea in herabarpeat keya.
The effect produced by these alternate cheat and
head notes was flu- from agreeable. As for the
aongi ahe had much better have left that out dto-
gcther; singing was not ha forte, and of all
songa this certainly waa in the worat taste.
Tbia year MadeoKwaelle Bachel prolonged ber
VOL. IL K
96 HEMOISa OF RACHEL.
ctmg4\o five months and o-half. She \ah Paris on
the 3 let of May, and, after giving two perfor-
mances in Boulogne, proceeded to London, where
she had secured a very profitable engagement for
two months. She received of Mr. Mitchell
lOiOOOfr. for twentjr-five performances, free of all
expense, even to that of her hotel bills.
From England she returned to the Continent,
and performed in the following towns : Antwerp,
Brusaels, Liege, Xamur, Cologne, Berlin, Prague,
Vienna, Peath, Gratz, Lintz, Trieste, Venice,
Milan, Navarre, Turin, Genoa, Naples, Rome,
Florence, and Livoume, retumiog via Marseilles
to Paris. She had been extremely well received
during this tour. Raphael, who was the mnnager
of hia sister's company, had made a preliminary
excursion and prepared the way for her. At
Turin, the young King placed at her disposal,
free of expense, the Tcatro Reipo, which is always
closed during the summer. Mademoiselle Rachel
had decidedly furthered her own interests when
■he obtained a change in the administration that
permitted of such excursions.
It was reported that when Rachel was in Rome
she had been desirous of receiving baptism from
the hands of the Holy Father. She hod been i
several times heard to announce her determination I
I
mHoiH or SAcaBL. 99
to ftdoptCatholtciwn.but it u difficult to Mcertaia
if ODO so aootutomed to pUj % pftit off M well m
on the stago, wm otct rally nnccre. She nmj,
howcror, hftro bocn w at the moment under the
powerful influence of certain impretuona. Hen
wai a TCTj exeitablo nature, and it waa difficult
for all artitte poeieiring to n high a degree thA
•cnM of the grand and the beautiful not to be
decpljr atmek with the eoleninity, pomp, and
splendor with which the Church celebratca ita
mptcriet.
We will not vouch for the truth of the report
that liachd met, o» &y cAanee — it having been
prcviouilj anangcd thui— 4)is Holineet in the
gardciu of the Vatican, and, kneeling, avowed
her firm resolro to be a Chrietian.* But we
have the authority of an eyc-witncM of undoubted
veracity for her behaviour on her rctom from her
viait to St. PauFa and the Vatican. She eame
into the room where her aister Rebecca and one
other person were ntting, and for some time re-
mained mute and absorbed in thought, walking up
and down with knit brow and abrupt, agitated
*IIoweT«r imprab4Ue lliu naf k|ipMr,{t ii not mora m
than the tctt rcnnt ptetCBUItoa of ■ vdl-known Itneliu b*nk«r,
bii wife ud d*Bgbl«r, to the Vlc*f«imBt «r CkriM, ud cac-
ecMur ot St. Pciw. Tk« eoavanioa ot k Md vu mutij uf
■on nine iliaa tha pnbaMo fc —o I ti of o nulwaj.
as
100 HBHOIBS or RACUKL.
gestures. When sho spoks ftt last it was to utter
(!JMula,tioD« of ulmiration wtd awe. To the
queations uUrcsacd to her she returned ao direct
answer, but exclainied in broken di^ointed
phrases:
" Yea, thu is the ti}ie faith I This is the God-
inapired creed I None other could have accom-
{dislied such works I Trul/ I ^ will be one of
them yet ? "
Rebecca heard this with intense indignation,
and remonstnitccl with extreme wannth against the
propo8C4l apostocy, repeating at intcrvala as though
to clinch her arguments :
" Oh, what would Sarah say I Oh, how I wish
Sarah were here I "
The temper of Sornh vna dreaded by all the
fiunily, and had its weight even on Bachcl.
The witness of this singular scene was as-
tonished at the patience with which the elder
sister endured the reproaches of the younger.
The tragedienne vouchsafed no reply, but, throw-
ing herself on the bed, remiuned there engrossed
in her own reflections.
The other members of the Felix family, though
not practicers of its forms, are staunch adherents
of their faith. Rebecca bod much of Rachel's
serious, contemplative turn of mind. She never
xmoraa of eachbu
101
eoald nndflntMid k jert on eertain rabjeots. Th«
fenwle nemben of the eoin|MUi7 hiring gun* to
▼itit the church of St. Jean de Latian, thoee who
were CRtholics undertook the aeecnt of the stun
in the unul tmnner. An *ncient dkOM of ▼ay
■tout proportioni preeedod them, aiKt the mtpttX
■ho prcfcntcd to tboM behind her, *m the crept
■lowly up on her knees, ynt m> exceedingly ludi*
crous that, after ■undry vain attompta to preaerre
a becoming graTity, the young women found it
impoaaible to ■upprcsa a titter. When thoy
reached the top, Rebecca, who had aaccndcd
the other way, and had vcen their untimely roerri*
ment, •CTercly reproached them -..—
" Were I a Christian," mid ahe, ** and pe^
forming an act I deemed tneritorioua in the Ngbt
of mj Qod, I would die rather thao indulge ia
■ocb pro&ne laughter I *
• i*
102
CHAPTER VI.
1852.
^ Diane **— *' Louise de LigncroUet ** — Inviution from the
King of PniMia — Severe Illness — Homreopathic Doctor
— Appearance at the New Palace of Potsdam — Prescnta-
tation to the Empress of Russia — ^llie Czar Nicholas and
Mademoiselle liachel—Rctum to Paris — Prolongation of
Life — •* Aspaise ** — ** Rosemende."
' On the 23rd of February of this year Made*
moieelle Rachel appeared in the part of Diane,
in Emilie Augier^s drama. The greatest fault of
this work is that its chief points are copied from
Victor Hugo's ^ Marian Delorme/' with this
difference^ that what are in the latter beauties are
in the former defects. The age^that of Louis
XIII. — the subject — the edict against duelling —
several of the scenes and several of the personages
present a striking resemblance. The charming
Marian Delorme is spoiled by being metamor-
phosed into a very uninteresting spinsteri and
M '
HBHOIBS or BACHBL. 10)
Didier, tlut ■plcndid figure of ranuaoo, into a
luur-bnined boy-brotlwr. Thii crkloit imiteUoo
M the DMH« ■urpriung, if it wu iotcntioul, as M.
AugicT is a partiHui of tbe eluaio tchool, and
couoquenti/ no admirer of the great innOTator.
Uctwceu the talent of the two authoci and the
refpcctive merita of their works, no oonpariaoo
can be e«tabli«hod. Ereo wcra the drama of M.
An^cr cut out in aa masterly a ityle a* that of
Victor Ilago, it would yet lack the magnifioent
poetry in which the latter has arrayed his story.
Notwithstanding the imitation that spiKiara in
the very firet act, the play of " Diane " opens well.
The hennne and her brother are the dcaccndants
of an ancient bouse, shorn of its former splendour
and rcdnecd to so low an ebb that Diane, who is
the cider, is compelled to rceort to all the expe-
dicnu of proud [toverty to maintain her beloved
and only brother in his rank and station. The
youth, the last male of a long line of nobles, is
tho object of the most affectionate and watchful
solicitude on tho part of the fair young uotber-
aister. It is midnight, and, late aa is the hour,
Diane and Parm/yoH, a faithful old follower,—^
sort of Caleb Balderstone — are buuly engaged
making a doublet for the heir. The good old
uua gives a very pretty enumentioo of the
104
diTen trndot Mid cftlUngi he hM oxaraiwd in
bdutf x^ths beloTod boy.
. ^Qaademetienilin'ftAut&irelejeuiielMRniDel''
Tita illntrioiu pur n raddcnlj tlfcrtlcd hj the
iiraption <tf foor jroung gklUntti McwieaiB
d« Pwine, Jit JBoiatjf, tf« Afyy, and rf« Oma*,
in pumut of m tur muden, MargturitU, wbo»
oo ker my ftom midniglit dmHi ivu gtnng
to the Hotel de R(4iu. A young giri of ra-
•peotaUe puenUge treading the etreeU of Fam at
that boor and alone, whea we hare it on the
antbority of Botleau diat thirty years later the
streets of the capital of the most dvilised country
in the world were, at eight o'clock in the evening
tktjsaupe giyrgei, shows bad chiHce of hours at all
erents. The first act goes roundly to woi^ for
io this scene we have the lady whose house has
been so unceremoniously invaded, jailing in lore
with one of the wretches whom she has just — and
Tery pioperiy — ordered out, and the wretch, 2i.
d» Pienne, at once rcoiprooates. M. Paul, the
brother, who makes his mttrJe through tho batooiy,
fidls in love with the emmt Jemoiu/le, who is no
less suddenly impressed in his fitvor. The scene
between old Ptarm^fon and young ds Pienn* ia
full of energy. Tho aged servitor draws his
•wwd to repel the insolent intruder, who, ia
mMOIBS or BACHBb 105
dflrinon, afleeU to [wny merely with hit cane.
Diaiu itop* the uneqtMl cooibftt, and Ibe noUe-
men, Bdiniring her divinity, revpoctfully apok^iM
oad retire, hat in hand. The kindly ezpoatnla-
tio» of the ueter with her too flighty brother
■le Tery iweetly written, and, indeed, the whole
at thie act ie lively and replete with intenwt.
The wond aot contuns what ia intended fiir the
main Mibjeot, the groundwork of the whole drama
— a contpiration againvt the hero of the day,
Cardinal dm RichtUaa. In "Marion Delonne,"
Victor Hugo hu alto cboeen thie grrat peraonage
«• the Fata in whoae powerfiil graap the threads
of all theee petty exiatenece are held ; ho alao
nueed an altar to that great genius, but — end there
is the greatest proof of his superiority — he left
the idol behind the veil. In Hugo's play RicMeiieu
never appears in person — ho is everywhere folt, ho
is seen nowhere, he moves all the wires, the
dramatU p«rtona are, by their own showing, but
the puppets of his will. The othor had his ohoice
of twogreatsymbols, Louit XIII. and RichtUeui
he chose the King for the material inuge and the
Cardinal (at the presiding genius, the WILL.
" Et que dit de la oour le roil
Le Cardinal n'est pas content da tout 1
Le loi se porte bien sana donte ?
106 MSMOIB8 OF RACHEL.
• Non pas I le cardinal a la fievre ou la goutte/
The Cardinal is the main-spring, the soul of all
things; the very omission of any visible presence
imparts a mysterious awe to the most seemingly
inngnificant things overshadowed by his influence.
But M. Augier was of opinion that he could
not have too many great personages figuring os-
tennbly on his canvas, and boldly laid hands on
both — the timid, wavering, passive, melancholy
monarch, aiid his energetic, iron-willed, stem
minister. The conspiracy itself is a sort of
child's playi neither exciting nor interesting;
there is no justifiable hatred, no well-grounded
motive; those engaged in it play at conspiracy
as they would at Uuuquenet^ merely as a pastime.
Why, or how they mean to kill the Cardinal, they
do not seem to know. None of the conspirators
are at all thinking of their enterprise. The
Duchess de Rohan^ who lends her house to their
meetings, is solely thinking of iL de Pienne ;
M. de Pienne of Diane ; M. de Fargy and M. de
Boissy are little else than supernumeraries. As for
Margueriiie^s fiither, the fourth plotter, he is a
caricature with whom no man in his senses would
risk his head.
In this second act we are at the Duchess' hotel,
where all the personagesi save the King, his
I
MBMoiw or BA<aBI. 107
roioHt«r utd hu minuter'* minMUr, L(tfemat,m
prcMDt. Tho DuchoM, wbo bM beeD wUcited bf
her god-duighter, MargiuriUe, to uit«rfBra to pre-
vent ber Dutrmge with U, dt Onuu, to wbom ber
firther bu promued ber^ the DuehcM teUa 4t
Cntai DO galUnt geatlenuui would wifh to oUmu
« hu]y*a hftod agaiiut her wilL D« Cruat, piqued,
repliM be bu no deure to murrj • eowMtM rf«
MuiL Paml ■triket the intolent noblo mton Um
face with \jm ^ve. H«re ui an endeot oopy of
tbeMcoad act of *'Muion Delonne"— « provtK
cation and a duel. Even tlic name of ifariut
hcndf ia introduced in the oonvenation in rtrj
much tho tame manner aa it ia in Victor Hugo's
drama.
The duel takes place between the acta, and
Paul wounda or killa dt Cmat, who ia teen do
more. Tho second act hw aomc excellent acenes,
though XIadentoutV.e Diamr, in her anxious solic^
tude for her brother, abuwe rather more knowledge
of the fwordHixcrcise tlian befits the character of
a Tail and modest young gentlewoman in an age
when women had not yet learned to glwy in the
possession of manly accomplishments. There is
Mmcthiitg very ridiculous and unseemly in this
jargon of the fGnciag-ecbool issuing from the rosy
lips of a true woman.
UT d lW ■ ■ ■ II' ■ ' ■«
108 MEMOIBS OF RACHEL.
In the third act of '^ Diane,** as In the third
act of ^ Marion Delorme,'* we have the presence
of the Cardinal's right hand — ^the terrible M. de
Lqfemas using his cunning to worm out the
secret of young PauTs retreat — hunting the
duellists in both dramas. M. de Pienne has con-
cealed the brother of his secretly-beloved Diane
in a recess of the wall in his own apartment ; the
mster goes to see Paulj and in so doing com-
promises his life and her own honor, ,for she is
traced to de Pienne*$ hotel by the jealous Duchess
and the blood-hound Ijaffemns, The Duchess
attributes the presence of Diane to love for de
Pienne — the astute chef de police draws the infe-
rence that her brother is concealed there. Lnffe*
mas threatens to destroy the hotel to the very
foundations, and Diane^ to save her brother, he-
roically declares she is de PienneU mistress.
We will not cavil at the for^retfulncss of the
author who makes Paul complain to de Pienne
when they are alone, that he can hear nothing
in his hiding-place, and then shoitly after brings
him out of it because he has heard the discussion,
and will not accept his sister's sacrifice of her
good name.
We have now reached the fourth act, in which
the comparison between the two dramas is un«*
HKMoiu or KACnSU IU9
»v<mUblc Trhd bcgiooiag to end. la the one
Mariom goes to Mlicit her lovei'a pudoa of tb«
King — ID th« other DiaiM onve* her brotber'a «f
the Cardinal Hiniater.
Bj the way, when M. it Pittuu mj% to Dimm i
** Thie !■ the King's clowt," why ehoutd Diam»
question if it i> that of the Kingof Fiancef there
it but one King there.
In both drainaa the King !■ in black, the King
ia aad, the King haa the aitleen.
Dilute, from behind a curtain, witncsaca a acone
between the King and the Cardinal. Struck with
the grcatncas of aoul, the vast iutcllcct of tliia
•de prop and pilUr of a kingdoto, she detenninoa
to save him from tlio blow that threaten* him.
The time appointed bjr the conspiratore i« when
the Cardinal goes on a visit to Monsieur, the
King's brother. DioMe abruptly exchums :
" Go not to Monaicur*! I *
'NVIien liicheiieu inquires wliat prompts her to
warn him, and why she seeks to save tlio uau who
is about to take the life of her young brother, she
replies tltat "she devotes herself to the Sutel"
The Cardinal insists on knowing the particulan,
who t — how ? — when ? — where t — why ? Her
brother's head ia to bo the fiurreit if she refiues to
betray the names of the conspirators. In the end
110 MEMOIM OF RACHBL.
the Minister relents and grants the young man's
pardon* without condition; but he is no less de-
termined to find out what he wants to know some
other way.
In the fifth act Paul marries Margueritt$. The
Duchess de JRoharij still jealous of Dtane^ breaks
open a will made by de Pienne when in danger of
losing his head, and finds out what Diane herself
has hitherto ignored, his love for the latter. Every
obstacle is destroyed, the lovers are going to be
happy, when the terrible mar-joy, Laffemas^ comes
in and sets all wrong again. Diane frightened
by the black looks of the CardinaVs emissary,
guesses his errand, and, to save ds Pienncj declares
he is indifferent to her — she does not love him —
she'll take her share of life's happiness in the love
of her brother's children :
" Je vais 6tre grand mire I "
A lame and impotent conclusion.
Sum total : Very little love-making — very little
ambition — no powerful passions — a pale reflection
of Victor Hugo's genius.
Mademoiselle Rachel wore a costume designed
by Meissonnier with the faithfulness and good
taste that distinguishes that punter. But however
elegant her dress it was not nearly as becoming
to the actress as her antique draperies, or. even
HBllOm OP KACHBL. Ill
tbo 6ktmRi\ Mtd rich dreM of tbe Vonctian ooor-
' teMn, TiM. Two or thrm of tkv pMMga of
ibia rtU, m wj unauitod to her atylay were
ipoken with her gnuwl taargj and pMaion, but
there waa no room for her powen, ahe wm
cramped and eridcntlx out of her aphere in tbta
tame, unmeaning fVmmework.
On the 6th of May Mademoiaelle Raobel made
another unfruitful excuraioD in the domaina of
Mademoiaelle Kfara. She appeared in the great
comidientui't creation of " LouiM dc SigneroHca.* /
Thia drama in five acta, the joint production of
McMra. Pro«pcr Dimaux and Emcat LfOgouv^
waa firat brought out in 1838, and waa very auc-
ccmAiI. The rcviral by Rachel thia year waa hardly
noticed by the prcac, ao complete wai her failure.
Her BURimcr amgi waa marked by one of the
moat brilliant trium[^ of her career. She had
been invited by the King of Pruaaia to viait hie
Court, and, although aufTcring from a painful
nervous affection that loft her no reet, ahe reaolved
to achieve the journey.
It required no Icaa thao the determined will of
which Kachcl had given eo many proofa in conquer- '
ing latiguo on former occauona, to carry her through
on this one. This illness was, with the exception
of the one of which she died, tbe moat severe ahe
112 1IB1I0IB8 OF lUCIIELl
erer had. Deprived of sleep, of appetite, con-
aumed hj a slow fever, troubled with fearful hal-
lucinationsi that brought with them suicidal ideas,
she arrived in Brussels completely exhausted.
Yet, notwithstanding this prostration of mind and
body, she pkyed with even more than her usual
animation and firci sustained by a feverish and
dangerous nervous excitement, which imparted a
momentary power for which she paid dearly after
the play was over. Great would have been the
terror and admiration of the uninitiated spectator
who, after witnessing one of the performances that
electrified her audiences, could have seen her, the
Circ6, but a moment before so powerful, so impe-
rious, so fascinating, now so exhausted, so breath-
less, so nearly lifelcssi carried off in the arms of her
maids to the sleepless bed she was to leave but to
be brought back to make the same efforts with a
like result.
In one of the too numerous letters she either
dictated or wrote, Bachel herself mentions this
state of over-excitement
''The public, the footlights, father Comeille,
and even my own costume, impart a fictitious
strength which enables me to act my part ; that
done I am again powerless, and often remain sunk
in melancholy until the next performance.* .
UUIOin OF BACBBb US
It wM under auoh diahcMrteDuig cueunutanoM
tlutt she gave fbor perfornuuioet in BniMeU.
While therc^ • circunuUBM ooeuired which wm
to reteue her btxa Uu« terrible etata of Mifoiag.
The elder Count Lebm ^ke to her in Mieh
high term* of » doctor who had effected an extra*
ordinaij cure in the eaae of one of bu relativei)
that Bach«l, though almost hopelcn of relief ooo-
•cnted to k« him. M. Varicz waa a honMcopathic
, i^yaiciao too, and the tragidi^imt bad, on a
former occarton, experieitced great benefit from
the prcacription of one of hia coH/rire: After a
thorough examiDation oS tho case, tb« diactple of
Haocmann undertook tlto cure^ if the invalid
would proniiac tho ttrictest obtervaocc of hia in*
junctions. Tho mode of communication being
settled, ahc continued bcr journcjr. A friend who
WHS with her hnd undertaken to write and forward
to M. Vsrlcx daily and circumstantial bulletins of
the symptoms and effect of tlie treatment to
which site was subjected. The physician returned
minute instructions and prescriptions.
Tliis nngular treatment bt/ pott eventually
effected a cure, though the progress towards it
was slow. There was even at Aiz-La-Chapelle
so severe a crisis, predicted, however, by the
doctor, that her life waa thought in danger.
VOL. II. I
114 MEMOIRS OF BACHEU
The intended journey to Berlin was counter-
manded^ and the iragfdienne requested to' go to
Potsdam.
This change in her movements gave rise to the
most absurd conjectures ; a political mystery was
attached to that which had the most simple and
natural explanation. The real cause was the
shortness of the sojourn the Empress of Russia
was to make in her brother^s dominionsi and the
state of Her Majesty's health, which precluded
her enduring the fatigue of public f6te$ and
receptions. It had, therefore, been .decided that
whatever amusement was procured for the illus-
trious invalid should be enjoyed enfamille in the
retirement of the royal residence.
On the 8th of July Rachel gave her first
performance in the new palace of Potsdam, ap-
pearing, as usual, in Camille.
On her arrival at the palace, whither she had
been summoned early, the iragidienne found a
sumptuous dinner awaiting her. With a view to
«
her honor, it had been arranged that the scenic
queen should dine only with such of her atiachSs
as she chose to invite, while the secondary
personages, the small-fry of confidants, traitors,
second-hand heroes, &c., &c., were fed at a sepa-
rate table. But Uachel had the good taste to
Hmoiw or XAcnsL. lid
utj ibe oonM not tAwit of foeh dutinetioiu,
Mldbg that on the ere of t gmt battle > good
genenl ihould mcM with Ua aoUien.
Aa the perfirnnuico was to take plaeo late in the
evening, one of the roTal carringca waa placed at
the iragidiemna^t difpoaal. and the Kinrj'a reader
accompanied her on an ezcurnon round the
Chateau of Sana Souol; in the oourae of the
drive fho met the Crown Prince and Prince
PrMcric of the Xcthcrlaadis who went profnan in
their coinplimcntf.
In the evcnin<; CamiBe, elate with hope and
pride, played with all the enci^ of which ahe
was capable, and waa greatly admired. She waa
prcacntcd, \>y desire of Her Majcatjr, to the
EmpnsM of Ruasia, who gracious]/ said :
** I have often regretted, mademoiselle, the
etiquette tluit forbids external tokena of approb**
tion ; but, had it been otherwise, to-day we could
not liavc applauded, so great was our emotion."
The King of Prussia was equally courteous, and
all present seemed greatly pleased.
A few days after, the Emperor Nicholas arrived
at Potsdam, where he was to remain but two
days, the last of which, the 13th of July, waa the
birth-day of the Empress. The weather belnf;
too warm to permit of any enjoyment in $aloHt
mit*pj
116 MEMOIRS OF BAOHKU
blftzbg with lights, it was arranged that the
little yiS/ii should take place in the open air, and
tliat the tragedienne should there give readings
from her chief rSlee before the Imperial and
Royal families and their suites. The scene
chosen was the prettjr little Isle of Peacocks.
She gave several scenes from ^ Virginie * and all
the second act of '^Ph^drci* and scenes from
"Adrienne Lecouvreur." Her august audience
of crowned heads testified enthusiastic approba-
tion. Tlic Emperor assured the tragedienne that
she was greater than even her reputation) and
ho{)cd she would give him the pleasure of seeing
her next in hia own dominions. A hint of this
invitation had already been dropped by the
Empress, tt will be seen that the rendezvous
was not forgotten on either side.
The Czar^ when speaking of the tragidiennej
was standing before her chair ; on her attempting
to risCy he remarked that her exertions must have
fatigued her, and desired her to remain seated.
On her respectfully insisting, he took both her
hands and gently held her down, saying :
^ Remain, mademoiselle, I beg, unless you
wish me to retire.**
Such kindness and condescension from such
quarters was sufficient to turn wiser and steadier
^tnt
mcMOiitt or RACHBU 117
hnds tlum tW of tKe young artUte wkora talont
h»d ennobtod. But in rcUting Ui« ev«Dta of tli'u
proud d«y to llie member of tiio prcu by whom
it WM intoodod tliey thould bo repeated to tlie
public, Rachel nude a remark tliat wu altogctlier
faUo. She wrote thnt " never hod one ponon
been spoken to by m many Empcrora, King*,
Princei and PrioceMea, aa she had been.* &Iade-
moiacUe Bochc). eUte with very pardonable
vanity, forgot that Talma, Madiunc Catalani and
other utttfta of diatingulthcd merit had been treated
with equal consideration by many crowned hcoda ;
Talma wa« admit ted to the prcMncc of the grcatcat
UAn that ever wore an imperial tiara, on a footing of
fiuniliar intcrcourMj that tcatifivd the pcraonal
eatcem in which he waa held, and which waa liif
more flattering tliun a few pawing compliment*.
On the 14th Kochel pcrfonucd in Potadam,
" PliiJrc " .ind " Lc Muincati de Lcabic." After
tlio pcrfominnco tlio King aent Iter by the Comto
do Rcdern, hi* chamberlain, 20,000 (rt^ a very
munificent present, cepecially aa the Luge Opcra-
houae at Ucrlin had been gntntcd to her free of
cxpcnce for wx nighia, and as she al»o had all the
receipts. The Emperor of Russia sent, through
his aid-de-camp. Count Orlofls, substantial tokens
of hia approbatioD, in the ahape of two magaifi-
^^^^^^^^^mmmmm
^ -118 MB1COIB8 OF RACHBL.
cent opab, surrounded with diamonds, which tho
redpient immediately estimated at their pecuniary
worth, at 10,000 frs. Other private persons fol-
lowed the Royal example, and presents and dinners
aaarked each day of her stay.
From Potsdam she resumed her tour, passing
through Frankfort, Wiesbaden, Metz, Colmarand
Mancy, pkying everywhere, though unable to
stand when off the stage, and travelling from place
to place in a bed fitted up in the carriage.
At Strasbourg she suffered another severe crisis,
less alarming, however, than that which over-
took her in Aix-la-Chapelle. The Princes of
'Prussia and the Grand Duchess Stephanie of
Baden, having invited her to come to them, she con^
quered indisposition and fatigue in order to reap the
advantages compliance would bring. A flattering
reception, a magnificent bracelet and 10,000fr. in
gold rewarded the effort. Dr. Varlcz had advised
she should go to St. Schlangenbad for the sake of
the air there, and especially for the solitude and
rest of which she was so much in need ; she at-
tempted to follow this advice, but not fancying
the place, returned to Brussels, where she actually
remuned a whole fortnight without leaving the
house* She was so much benefitted by thb/orced
Molusion and the treatment she pursued that she
HBMOnn or mAcnsL. 119
WM oubled to return to PuU on tha 18ib of
Augutt. She inunedUtely ropairod to her nib M
Moatnwrcocy, «nd thera continued for aome time
the wvere regimen preeciibod, one of the chief
poinU of whieb wm the moet sbMlute repoee of
mind end body. When the ph/aiciMi at bet per>
mitted her to pby it wm only auoh perta u Etiuiit
in " Cinno," Pmtut* in " Polyfiucto," — the mildcet
doaee of the ComeUna phamueopeuu PAiJn
and CamiiU were u ■trictJy forlndden u coffiM
and ipicu.
The rcauU of ihie treatment waa the en-
tire diMppcarance of all the fatal aymptooM J
a new Icaao of life Iiad been obtained and
her phyMcian baa the conacioumota of having
prolonged tbia indefatigable artiaU^t exiatence five
yeara.
In October ahe was reputed entirely cured, end
prepared to undertake now crcationa. A r6U of
" Aapaaic/' a tragedy in two acta by Samaon, waa
atudicd by her, but never played ; " Rosemonde,"
which ahe undertook aoveral yean later, waa even
talked of then.
120
■•i
CHAPTER Vn.
1858.
"JjAcIj Tartoffe" — Short Summer Excaraion— An Obliging
Manager — Engngeraent in Rumia — Permission of the
Emperor, the Minister of Sute, and the Comedie Franpais
eonntersigned bj M. LcgouT^ — A Diplomatic Letter —
The Author and the Actress — Friendljr Correspondence — '
•^Med^" vkedfor; "Medio" written; •* Med^ ** read ;
'* Med6e ** revised and corrected ; ** Med€e " approyed,
receiycd, rehearsed ; '* Med€e ** put awn j for another day
—Mademoiselle Rachel in St. Potersbnrg — Sute of
Thea:ricals in Russia— A Wilt/ Replj.
Mademoiselle Rachel appeared in the part
of Madame de Girardin's *^ Lady Tartuffe *' on
the 14 th of Februaryy 1853. This proved one of
her best creations in comedy^ though she herself
never fancied the rdle.
The heroine is a Mademoiselle de BloeeaCy who»
having reached the age of thirty without chang-
ing her name, follows the fiishion of single ladies,
who, in the summer of their existence, feel justi-
fied in adopting the title of ''Madame.'* Ma-
HEMOIM or BACHBI* 121
(lame, who Inds » retired, respectable life, bu
mett wbile on tmt charitable ezeurMoo, tbe
DtiJk* d'EitijfHy, a Manhal of France and •>•
ambanador, who, ftjcinated hj the Udj'a appa-
rent virtues, lodges ber at once in bis bonae and
heart, that is, he bc^ns hy the offer of an ^>art-
ment b his hotel, and ends hy that of his band.
In the ]>farabars hotel there are two other female
inmate*, his nieoe, the widowed OaunUit dt
CUirmomt and her daughter Jeanni; fifteen Tears
old, verv pretty and endowed with a natMli, a
simplicity perfectly extraordinary in the preacnt
ago. Between the widow and the aspirant to the
Marshal's hand, heart and titles, tlicre is from the
Tcry beginning a feud, which, though at first
eovcrt, subdued, and nianiJiMtcd only in asides and
little akirmislics — a vort of war in the bush —
guerilla cuoountera where the blows ara none the
less deadly bccnuM the arm is oonccalcd^-onds in
an open figUt, a pitehod-battlei in which, though
the cause of virtue in apparently triumphant, It is,
in fact, hard to tell who has the best of it, and the
leaders on both sides are damaged.
The old Marshal is a noble-hcartcd man, prone
to place implicit belief in those who have his good
opinion, pleased with what loolu innocent, good
and affectionate, and with no other failing, even if
122 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
that may be called one, than the inclination to
relate incidents of his military and diplomatic
career. The other personages are more or less
useful accessories* There is a Baron dea Tour*
KereMg a sbrt of factotum of Madame dt Blouac^
who saves her interests in the beginning because
she has loaned him 20|000fr8i and who betrays
her as soon as he has found one of her ene-
mies willing to lend him that sum to repay her.
This personi whose virtuci as he himself tells us,
is a marketable commodity :
•' O vertu, tu vaux de Por I "
is certainly a far more odious creature than
Madame de Bloaeac, besides which he is, in truth,
quite a supernumerary in the playt being without
importance, interest or avocation in it. He
undertakes to advance her cause with the Marshal
in the expectation that as Madame la Marechal
she will possess sufficient interest to procure him
the post of prefet or that of reeeceur ghiiral but
thb busy person does nothing that she could not
have accomplished without him, and in the mean-
while taunts and insults her with impunity because
he has a secret of hers which may ruin her repu'-
tation.
The lover of Jeanne^ young Henri^ is of himself
rather an insignificant personage ; but ^ as it hap-
MBMOimi or BACHKU ISS
peM, be wu the intimate friend of » fbrmsr knw of
MadamtdtBlouai^t. Yin yean ugafMademoiselU
ItlouM, then on a risit to Mme English muwoB,
R{^intcd a meeting im a pavilion with her tben
lovor, who waa MippoMd bj tbe other memben of
the family to have gone out hunting. Tbe pair
waa euddenlj diaturbed by tbe return of a real
huntbg party, and in danger of a diaooveiy ; the
lover, to aave tbe Udy'a reputation, leapa from tbe
window. Mid in doing eo ipriDge the trigger of hit
gun ; ho iatovorcly wounded, but hia oold-hcartcd
miatrcM, anxious to mto her good* name, heeda
not hia groans, and leaves htm to die without aid.
But a fortuitous circumstanoe reveals to one pei^
•on at least her presence in the pavilion, where
she hod dropped her bouquet of heather. Since
that &tal day she is yearly reminded of it by the
tMtoi, on iu anniversary, of a bouquet of heather
sent by an unlcnown hand.
There is an excellent scene in the first act ; un>
fortunately it is but too faithful a representation of
that wiiicli is daily passing in society, where r^
putations are slain with the most inoffensive-look-
ing weapons. Several memben of a charitable
society are assembled in Madamt lU Blottae^t
talon to discuss ways and means for tbe advaaco-
ment of the interests of that society ; the praise
124 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
of the hoflteasi her piety and charityi form the
chief theme of conversatioii until the entrance of
the Countess de Clairmoni and her daughter.
The Countess says at once she is not brought
there by lier own will, she comes deputed by her
uncle to announce her daughter's marriagCi and
iuTite Madame de B/ossac to join the family, who
are that evening to celebrate the betrothals in the
apartments of the Marshal. Here Madame de
Blossac learns that the intended husband is Henri
de Rennevellej the man whom for five years she
has secretly falit passionately loved. The blow is
terrible. She seeks to avert it by preventing the
marriage, and resorts for that purpose to the usual
feminine weapon, calumny. The scene is terribly
true to the life.
The poisoned arrow has sped to its destination.
Monsieur de St. Yrieux, one of the persons
present, is a friend of the Rennetille family ; .he
thinks it a duty to warn them of the stain on
Jeanne^s character, and the result may be antici-
pated. This first act is very skilfully written;
the dialogue is lively and witty, the characters
are well drawn; the scene of the slander, so
delicately insinuated, is particularly good.
The second and third acts are taken up with
the sad consequences of the evil reports on poor
MBMOIBS or mACRU.. 1X7
coungcoiM ADiid tka wnek of ber loog^eriilwd
hopet, that it U hard to tell on which «<)« the
notoTf liu — the Manhall't lail word*:
"Poor wofnan, the/ are all against horl "
elcariy evince that, otot him, at least, Afa^«iiw
d9 Slouae will 1000 regain her empire. At for
the main pwnt tought by the coiupiraton againat
iiadamt dt Blo»»ac — the rehabilitation of Jtnm*
in the opinion 1^ the public— we cannot aee but
what it is aa brolTas ever. Jtaiut* herself oomee
in all alono at the end of the plaj, exclaiming
that she has been seeking her mother everywhere.
Ilcr presence was needed for llio tableau fimaUy
the joining of the level's hands and blessing
asked by de$ TourLiiM ! — ^but it docssccm rather
strange that she should leave her home unattended
to sock her inotlicr in ffemria apartment. Hotel
Wagram I
It has been said, and with great truth, that a
dramatic work is the greatest of all literary efforts.
It is rare, indeed, that a pt&y is written that eonw
bines every requisite. When the chief character
is powerfully drawn, the other personages are
weak and faulty. At tiroes everything is sacrificed
to a few scenes, rendered effective by the most
improbable absurdities; at others, brilliancy of
style and superabundaoee of detail, like regal
128 MEX0IR8 OP RACHEL.
gamients thrown over a skeleton, merely serve to
conceal the poverty of the idea, and the meagre-
ness of the subject. For one or two successful and
really good plays that now and then surprise the
public, how innumerable are the failures.
Madame de Girardin, when she attempted
tragedy, 4nistook her vocation, as '^ Judith ** and
<* Cl&>pfttre,'' amply testified. But in ^ Lady Tar-
tuffe,'^and ^ La Joie Fait Peur," she proved herself
possessed of all the elements required to excel as
«
a writer of comedy-— of the real French comedy,
the honor of inventing which reverts to La
Chauss^e.
If comedy be, indeed, the representation of the
incidents and habits of familiar life, MoIi6re him-,
self overlooked a portion of its (lomnin.
The poet calls human nature a ^\ pendulum be-
tween a smile and a tear,** and this is the true view
that comedy must take ; this was the view taken
of it by La Chauss^c — to have enlarged or culti-
vated the tract he opened is a glorious progress.
At the present day wo may well wonder that he
who first embodied this appreciation of life should
have been sneered at.
To the old detractors of La Chauss<ie Madame
de Girardin opposed the triumphant reputation of
her talent — an indisputable authority. She was
HBHOIBt Of MCIUL. 1S9
wdl ftWRre Uut mdUm ud tesn w«n tlw two
polca of the human bout, at timet broo^ to-
gether hj a. Ttoleot shock, Mtd in "La Jme Fait
Peur" ahe ehuM the subject meet MuoeptiUe of
being put upon the aUge. We often bear the
phnue of " to Uugb until jou erf," and then ia
oo wdder ipceiea of iaaanitj than that produoed
l^ eztrcme grief, and which betray* itaelf b/ vio*
lent file of lau^lcr. 'What was poculiariy kcr
own, tliat which epeciaUy cwutitutod M adame de
Gtrardin'a originality, waa the ■kilfiil manner in
which she effected a traoution between thoee two
extremes of feeling. She was well acquainted
with the chords of the initrument, and succeeded
in chtunning her readers or her audience without
agitating them i^ith too violent an emotion or
giving too great a shock to the nervous system.
" Lady Tartufie " was not, perhaps, as pleasing
or as correct a woric as " La Joie Fait Peur."
The author was progressiog in a department of
dramatic art in which she would have reached
perfection had her life been spared, and ** Lady
TortufTe" was younger by a year than her more
successful [tlay. It bctokena too hurried aa ex^
cution, the plot is, perhaps, too intricate — there it
much to be pruned— much that needed more deU-
cate a finish —eorae of the speeches are too long,
TOU II. X
130 HEMOIRS OP RACHEL.
and weary the audience, while the resulty which
baa been ktboriouBly sought among a crowd of
incidental proves unsatisfactory. Still, with all
its fiiults, ** Lady Tartuffe ** is a type belonging to
the authoress, and which, had she remodelled it
would haye proved an exceUent comedy.
The worst fault of this play was its title, a title
phunly indicating the intention of the author, but
one as mistaken as it was bold, for it is in no way
justified by. the heroine. It is the flourish of
trumpets announcing the entrance into the lists
with Moliire of a new candidate — an attempt to
compete where competition was sure to entail
failure — to imitate where any imitation must prove
a caricature. Bcaumarchais himself committed
this mistake when he allowed the ** New TartuiTe '*
to appear on the playbills, but even this daring
genius disavowed his presumptuous pretensions
and changed the title to that of the '^ Guilty
Mother.**
As for a femaU Tartuffe^ thank heaven no
such being ever existed. Moli&re's demon is a
complete fiend, without a single redeeming point,
and such a one could never find a lodging in a
female heart. In the << Lady Tartuffe " of
Madame de Girardin there are flashes of repent-
ance, there is love. In the '< Tartuffe ^ of Mo-
MtVOm or BAOHEL. ISl
liir« there could bo neither. Bcpentaaoe of
itMlf mubea mw»j moch no, sod when ml low
esifU for s worthy object it regeneratee the moet
erring at^tan^^^MUm« tie Dia—me heraelf teD oa
•o. Tarttifft never felt one tnoment'e repent-
ftaee. Mid the poauon Elimirt hsd excited in
him deeervee quite another auae than that of
lore.
MftdcmoiicUo Rachel made a conacientiona
iitiidy of this rdt, and thougli. m we have eeveral
timet had occaaion to roninrkf very inferior in
coincfljr to what the waa in her own rtptrtairt,
■lie jilaycd the clinrnctcr in the moat creditable
manner, Tbia was the more nteritorioua, as ahe
dialikcd the pnrt exceedingly. The ^Httn, the
covert, aiihdc, aubducd style required to play
the female hypocrite were the oppoutea of the
grand, bold, daring passiona of tragedy, and could
not be natural in Mademoiselle Itochcl. AVhat
added greatly to the attraction waa that Saoaonf
her professor, took the part of the old Marshal,
and their pcricct undcratanding, long babit of
studying together and knowledge of each other'a
powers produced a result nearly amounting toper*
fection.
Still, though she played it well, and the play
found favor with the public, the firat night had
k8
132 MEMOIRS OP RACHEL.
well nigh proved fatal to it. The authoress, in*
deed, was so greatly disappointed that she wished
to leave the theatre without speaking to Made*
moiselle Rachel| under pretenee of emotion. M.
Regnier endeavored to persuade her to tlie eon*
trarj, but for some little time his efforts were
vain: *
** Noi" exclaimed the vexed authoress, '' I can-
not see her, she has played wretchedly I "
Finally, she allowed herself to be conducted to
the ariUie'a dressing-room, and a few cold words
were exchanged :
'^ You are not pleased,** said Rachel.
^ N*importe, with you I am sure to succeed,'*
replied Madame de Girardin.
This year it was announced by Mademoiselle
Rachel that she intended to devote the summer
conge to repose, in order to be able with recniited
strength and renewed energy to perform tlie duties
of her autumnal and winter season. She intended
this, it was said, as a refutiation of the charges
that had been brought against her by the manage-
ment at the time of the lawsuit with the Thdatre
Franfais.
It might be that she needed rest, for during the
spring season, while she was acting Ixtdtf Tariuffe
at the Th^tre Fnui9ai^ she was pkying on the off
MEIIOISS or BAOnSL. 133
nigliti io tha Dciwrtincnt*. Thiu, daring the
wbole of )rKrcb, sIm tpent her tUyi in the nU>
wiy*, «k1 oi^U acting in Amien»> Oil«MWt
Toura, gmng even u fiir u KnntM, and jret por*
forming twice a-wcek in Pam I She called thia
rotting becauM abe vaa not pannaneotly away
from the capital. She waa charmed hy M. Aneni
HoUHaye'a compliance with her wiihea regarding
thccc cxouraioM.
" C'cat il gentil de )L HoutM/e de me latHcr
&ire eelo, car il pourrait me le defendrc I " aba
would exclaim, in I ho exuberance of her
gratitude.
Slic did not, indeed, prolong her Bummer eomgi
ahroiid over six weeks, during which the played
in London, Brussels, Angers, Li6ge, and Saumur.
Contmry to her expectations she had no houses.
Tliia waa probably owing to her having vintad
these towns too often, and the pronneea cannot
hear repeated drains liko capitals constantly re-
cruited by foreign visitors. At all events Rachel,
as wns bcr wont when she wished to hide her dis-
appointment, feigned sudden illness and returned
to Paris, though she was expected in La Haye.
It was then she announced her intention to rcpos«
during the remainder of the cong^. How far she
was unccre in her resolve to recruit for the benefit
'!;]
134 MEMOIRS OP RACHEL.
of the Thdatro Fran9ai8 wiU appear by the use
•he made of her renewed strength. The summer
waa spent in active negotiations to obtain a most
lucrative engagement that had long been anxiously
desired by Mademoiselle Rachel, and which was
finally obtained at the expense of the Th^tre
Fran9ais.
It must be owned that though not over scrupu-
lous on the means she used, the great tragedienne
possessed a quality for which ariietea are not often
distinguished — she was an excellent woman of
business. She never lost sight of what to her
was the main point.
In the beginning of September it was rumoured
that she was going to spend the winter in Russia.
St. Petersbuig had not yet paid the tribute of gold
and laurels she had obtained in almost every
European capital ; Rachel reflected that she had
no time to lose if she wished to levy her tax.
The Eastern question was becoming so com-
plicated that a war was inevitable, and hostilities
were expected to break out in the spring. If she
delayed, the roubles were lost to her. All the
wires of dramatic diplomacy were set to work ;
the Russian Court was willing to pass the winter
as agreeably as possible previous to commencing
.a campaign of which it entertained such brilliant
MKUOUU or BACHKL.
ulticlpatiou, knd on ongKgeatent for «x montlis
w-M offered to MMleumtoUfl Rubel, who wm per*
mittcd by the oounea; of tbe Freodi GoreniiBeiit
to accept iu
Th'u impoiUat n«iira wm oonunanicated i& tha
AiUowing tamu to M. Ernest LicgouT^ one of tiie
nuthonof "Adrienno Lccouvnur," by UuUmo
de SftigocvUte, a friend of ilia Iragidiemnt, and bar
•ccrelary whenever a difficult lu^liatioD wat to
be carried tbrougb:
i " October 5lh.
" You have i>rubably learned, ftir, by the newa-
' t p"!**^'^ ^^*^ incredible munificence of the engage- .
' ntcnt proi»oacd to our Itacliel in the name of the
Em[>crar of Rusua. Govenimeat has thought fit
to permit the great nrlUte to earn in six months a
fortune. Rachel will be back here on the 15th of
May (1854); ehe will, on her arrival, be quit*
perfect in " ^fcdea,''■ and the traf^dy will be acted
imnicdintely. I acnd you herewith her letter
properly dated. She comroluioncd me to for*
ward it aa a proof of her good intcntiona.
" I need not lay how devotedly I am yoaf%
"L. J. DB SliOMETILU.*
136 MBMOIB8 OP RACHEL.
The aboTO letter was corroborated hy one from
MAdemoiselle Rachel herself, written in the coax-
ingi insinuating tone women command so readily
when they wish to obtain anything.
''Dear M. Legouye,
^Brilliant offers have long been made to
induce me to spend a winter in Russia. These I
have repeatedly refusedi alleging my duties at the
Thd&tre Fran^ais and the fear of disobliging my
comrades. But the engagement now offered is
really so extraordinarily advantageous that I have
endeavored to obtain the very great favor of taking
this winter the six months* cotiffc I was to have
next summer. The Emperor^ the Minister of
State and the Com6dIe Fran9ais have granted me
leave to visit that northern nation. I set out with
sufficient courage, and I assure you it is needed to
brave the approaching season, which threatens to
be severe. Do not, dear sir, increase my grief
(which is great) by bearing me any ill will. I
shall keep '^Medea.** I would greatly wish to
find her on my return the spotless maiden she now
is ; but whatever happens to her my love is such
I will willingly receive her back from the arms
she may have wandered into.
^You have sometimes professed yourself my
Mutons or kacrsl. 1ST
firieod — here* now, it an «zocUeat oppartunitjr of
{mmng younelf one. I ' hopo oo mj rctam to
find jour fiicndthip unaltered.
* Aa fiir OM, I am srar jour dcToted,
*<R4CHEL.
"Puu, October 4tl^ 1853."
The reader who hu forgotten, or pcrfaapt heord
of, the suit Rt law between II. Legourj uid Made>
moUellc Rachel towarda the close of the year 18^
will perhaps question whj the proud JioxtMut, the
fierce Hermiome, should write so coAxingly to M.
Legoiivj, and why she, who had a pass signed hy
the Emperor, tlie Minister of Sute, and the
Commie Fran^aisc, deemed it requisite that it
should be countersigned by that gentleman. A
few wordi will explain her anxiety on this point,
and throw some preliminary light on the sub-
sequent quarrel.
M. Lcgour^, the son of a poet, a poet himself
of some reputation, and one of the authors of
" Adrienne LccouTrcur," had become the friend
of Mademoiselle Rachel under the following cir*
cunutonces. Adrim»» was first offered to Made*
moisclle Rachel, who, after learning and rcheaning
the port, aaddeoly took it into her head that it
138 KEMOIBS or BACHEL.
was quite unauited to her. This caprice, for we
have ahready seen that she had neither taste nor
discernment in dramatic literaturci offended M«
Scribe exceedingly, and he gave the charming
rdU to Mademoiselle Sose Cheri. The spirit of
rivahry did what no entreaties or the promptings
of good sense could have obtained. Bachel
was as eager to have the part when it was
another's as she had been obstinate in returning it
when it was hers. But M. Scribe was also a
sovereign power in theatrical affairs, he was in his
turn obdurate, and it was only through the kindly
intervention of his co-author| M. Legouv^, that
the covetted part went back to its original desti-
nation.
The success of the play having taught Made-
moiselle Rachel how much she was indebted to
him who had restored it to her, became the foun-
dation of the warmest friendship between them.
The actress, with that passionate enthusiasm of
heart and head which is too often the sole guide
of the sex, could neither see nor hear, save
through her cher auteur. She would have wished
to play no works but his, and until he could write
new ones for her she took up his old ones.
Mademoiselle Mars had some years before
created with the fullest success the rdk of LouU^
%
milOIM or BACBBL. 139
da Ligtuniln. Weli»ir« teeo tint MidenwiMUe
lUcbcl, who ought to bare been Uught wwdom hj
bnner fkilurea, undertook oooe UMre to piore her
right of aucoeMion to the light Mcptre m gnc»-
fillip bekl hf the greM cowUdUtuu ; hot the
Kttempt WM extremely unfortunete. Tb«t her
good will WM not hwktng i« fully ehown bj the
following lince, written on the fly-leef of % oopjr
of "Taliiut's MenKHn" wnt to U. Lcgouri on
the 6th of January, 185S.
** I mean to apcnd mj nif^ta learning ' Louiae
do LigneroUca,* with which I am exeeedlngly
cliarmcd. See >I. Houegaye aa eoon as poeaible,
that the worlc may be immediately rerired. You
may rely on my seal, my devotion, and wmewbat,
too, on my ability. I aend you a book, the
peruaal of which will, I think, intereat you. You
hare promised me a play for 1633 i I rely od
having it, mind.
i '■ " Rachil."
MonMcur Lcgouvc was justified in considering
so positive an invitation, made, as it were, in the
presence of the shade of Talma, as a formal oom-
mand, binding on both ndes. He set to work,
chooMng " Medea " aa his subject.
Tbe subject was not a new one, but neither
\
140 MEMOIRS or RACHEL.
had hifl predecessorsy who wrote expressly for
l^Iademoiselle Rachel, selected Tery modem
themes. The ^ Lucrice ** of M. Ponsard and the
** Virginie'* of M. Latour de St. Ybars, the two
tragedies of contemporaries in which she had
been most happy, were both based on incidents
borrowed from the early legends of the Roman
Republic The character of Medea was, perhaps,
more appropriate than either of the former to bring
into bold relief the peculiar qualities and style of
the actress^ She had, moreover, expressed a wish
that the play should be short and that all the
interest should be concentrated in her part. The
tragedy was accordingly in three acts only,
during Trhich the fierce Princew w« almo-t
constantly on the stage. In these two points,
at least, ]Mademoiselle Rachel's views were fully
carried out.
^ Med^ ^ was finished in April of that year
(1852) and Mademoiselle Rachel, who had been
forthwith apprised of the fact, promptly replied to
the communication by the following grateful and
friendly letter :
*^M0V CUEB AUTEUB,
'^I am exceedingly desirous of hearing your
new work. I am yet rather ailing, not ha\dng
MEMOIM or BACHBL. 141
quite ncorcred firom «i indifpOMtioo I Mifiand
from in Belgium kat month : bat bnTing bad th«
oouragv to lubmit to tbe owtt ftbtolut* in wrtioa
during ftU tlita moath. I am iDcUoed to Uiink tbere
is atill life in me, nnd etpeoioUj itnngtli •nongti
lo be indebted to you for new triumphe. I am
Rt preeeot residing at Montmorencjrt wben^
ifjou plcaae, I wiU bear tbe plaj that ia to be
our nest winter*e euooeet. Tbe 8th of Sep-
tember would suit m« well ; tbe hour I lean to
you, M I am alwaye »t home. I would with tbe
part to be a brilliant one, but not fiitiguing, unce,
unfortunately, I shall not fur some months be
able to play my grand rtperloirt, that is, " Phi-
dre," " Iloraocs," " Louiso de Lignorellee,"
" Marie Stuart," " Aadromaque," &&, Ao>
That ^lews you I am not very strong yet. I
am in hopes the reading of your play will aoe^
lerate my recorery. I shall owe you much ;
rely on it then that I will be doubly gratefid.
"RacuEU
"Montmorency, August STth."
The private reading alluded to in the aboTe let-
ter was fuUowed by the official one before tbe
comitt d»Uclurto{iiie theatre, and it was received
coDditionally — that is, there were six white and
142 MEMOIRS OF RACHEU
•ix red balls. The explanation of this was that
two acts were unanimously receiyed« and one on
oondiUon of certidn alterations, to which the
author consented. The third act having been re-
mouldedi the play was submitted to an ordeal con*
sidered by authors as almost equivalent to a public
performance — it was read in the presence of an
audience consisting of the elUe of literature and
of society. . Among the men of the world, of letters^
and of that of fashion, assembled in Mademoiselle
Rachel's scUon were Messrs. Charton, H. Martin,
J. Janin, Briifault, RoUe, de Noailles, Berlioz,
&c, by whom "Medde'* was received with great
applause, the hostess herself manifesting the most
enthusiastic admiration.
This time the admission by the comiii de lecture
of the theatre was unanimous and unconditional,
and ]Mademoiselle Rachel was rehearsing her part
diligently, when, in September of 1853, the voyage
to Russia was resolved upon.
It is evident that it was rather a delicate matter
to propose to an author, who hod been labouring
two years for her and at her request, the adjourn-
ment of all his hopes at the moment they were
about to be realised. Hence the coaxing tone of
the letters of Mademoiselle Rachel and her secre*
tary. Mademoiselle de Saigneville.
mMOin or machbl. 14S
M. LegouT^ bowtrer, did not justify the diwg«
nude kgaiut uithon belonging to the genus
irritable ; he eoosented with a good gnea to the
prqiosed deUy, and, fiiee from a3l obstsalei, Mk-
demoiseUo lUehel set out Tor Rossin in the nMoth
i of Oetoberof this jenr.
I A few words on the preeent state of theatricals
• ■ in the capital of Rnsria will be a suffieient protest
i against the assertions of those who deem it no
( diflScult matter to can distinction in what they
: imnginc to be a ritjr where dramatic art is still in
its in fane/.
St. Petersburg poevesacs four theatres and six
theatrical companies,
llie houses are :
The Grand Th^tre, where the Italian Opera
and ballets are given.
The Russian theatre, or Thjfttre Alexandra, for
J the performance of works in the national language
— by a singular anomaly this house is the one that
^ attracts the fewest spectators.
• The French theatre or Th^tre Mkkaelski,
exdusiTelj appropriated to French compa-
\ nies.
• The Thi^tre Cirque, so called from iu baring
been originally built for the performances of the
I Imperial Equestrian Cinnpan/. At present the
i
144
MEMOIRS OF HACHEL.
Itusaiati Opera Compnny and Germ&n Drama
ConiiKiny perform there alternately.
Tlic Gntnd Th^trc and tho Thiiatre Fran^
are the best patronised in St. Petersburg. T
Court, tlie cilizGDs, and the numerous Frcoch i
habitants arc supporters of these two houses. T
German performances at the Tht^tre du Cirq
attract only the Gcrnuin residents. As to t
RuseioD flmmatic and operatic perfonnances, th
ore Icfl entirely to the lower classes, who do i
exhibit any very ardent patriotism in thi
support. The Russians eccm to feel already tt
to take their place worthily in the ranks of civilis
nations, they must renounce in an artistic a:
literary sense, the use of their language.
The two Russian theatres are in their infant
but not in euch infancy as was that of Weste
theatricals wiicn they were compelled to strugj
against barbarism, and to seek their models in t
dust of ages and in the scattered fragments of &
gotten antiquity. The pieces brought out iu thd
tlicatres gave evidence of the contemporary educ
;*-iion their authors have received and of the atm(
phcre in which they have dwelt. There ismore th;
one Russian dramatic work on a level with the pi
sent century, and which, translated into Fren
or English, would take its place among tho
Zf_
w
II'
k HEMOISS or SACHBI. 145'
;- ^ BKMt in xogao in Londoo or Puu. Tbo mom
' 1 - OMJ be Mul of the uton. Thej u« not gronlj
, -jt igiK»uit conpankma of ThcapU, fit 00)7 to per-
'i i (ana in tilly ifaowa for tho amutetnent of ipee-
' t«ton neitlicr wiser or moro refined thsn them-
•elvea. Tbejr bar« been formed in Ute tcboob of
their French, Gcrnuui And ItaHwt comr>dee^ and
bare bcco early initiated in all the rule* of art,
ia all the uyateriea of the profcHion. There are
Kvcnil aiuuDg tkeu who can bear eompariaoo
with tho moat oelebrated of tho mcmbera of tho
French troop.
Sucli was the dramatic world in which Mad^
moiscUe Itachcl made her api>carance in St.
Petcrabui;^h.
The rccrption of the traytditmnr in St.
Pctenburgli wu not only moat gratifying to her
vanity, but alto moat encounging as to her sueceas.
Stmu^'o to say, however, no exjKricnce or long
practice, no confidence in the ikvorable dispo-
sition towards her of the audience could make her
conquer the timidity with whicit she is seized when
about to appear either in a new part or before a
new public For some days before tho ordeal
she was always in a state of great ner\-ous ex-
citement, fidgetty, inilabla and fault-finding to
thq Lut degree. This state of mind ij so inscpa-
VUL. II. L.
146 MEMOIRS OF RACnSL.
rable to a dibitt that the event is as much dreaded
by thoee about her as by herself ; poor Rose, her
faithful maidi ia most especially delighted when
the event is over and her mistress has again re-
covered her usual placidity of temper. When
she comes on the stage on these occasions her
hands are icy cold, the drojM of perspiration
cover her brow, her voice is husky, her limbs are
so tremulous she can scarcely stand. This emo-
tion — ^which, in one so skilled and practised to
appear before the footlights is extraordinary, is
reproducedi more or less violently, every time
she plays in a character which the public has not
seen her in, though she may have acted it
vfith applause scores of times elsewhere.
When, therefore, she appeared before the
Court of St. Petcrsburgh, in *^ Ph&dre," she did
( not justify her reputation on the first night. It
was not encouragement that was lacking, and it
was given, too, most liberally, at most unexpected
moments. For instance, when Phidre utters the
passage ending with these lines :
** Detestable flatteurs pr6sent le plus funeste.
Que puisse faire aux rois le colore celeste V*
the signal for loud applause came from the
imperial box, and was too enthusiastic and pro-
longed for the intention to be mistaken. It was
I
//
umMOiBS or BACOSU 147
Cklled forth m mucli bj tbo aUunon Um Um*
eoDUined u by tbo talent of the actrew wbo
uttered them.
In "LaAj Tnrtufib" the emotion of MmIo-
luoUcUe Rachel wna audi that it waa tliou^t bjr
thoM on tlio iiago and beliind the acencs abt
' \ would aot be aUe to proceed with the part. In
the accne of the fifth act, when Semri rereala
' ^ bimaclf hy throwing the booquet of heather to
t her whom he accutea of caunng hia fnend*a deadly
{ it waa fortunate tliat the part reqtured a abow of
emotion, which tiiia time was not feigned. It waa
in vain the prDm;>tcr gave her the eue ; she hod
completely lost her roemorj, and oould only
whiipcr to him who played Jlemri .-
" Ob, I cannot— cannot go on 1 * (" Je n'en
pub plua.")
The native of the paaaage giving her time to
i recover, aho finally thodk off the feeling.
iThfl French company remained at the M ikoclaki
theatre fourteen wecka, during which time Rachel
played every other day. The fiivorite phiy with
the Russian public appeared to be " Adrienne
I >' Lccouvrcur," and it waa accordingly giren
j oflcncr than any other.
The imperial approbation showed itself in a
< j tangible form as well aa in empty CMDplimauta
i 1 I. a
148 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
and eranescent applause. The tragedienne was.
presented by the Empress with a pelisse of the
most costly furs in the world, and by the muni-
ficent Nicholas with a diamond and ruby corsage
ornament of great value. Raphael Felix had his
share of the spoils in the shape of a magnificent
ring. There was an idle report among the actors
that a handsome sum had been sent to be distri-
buted among the other members of the company,
but Raphael undeceived them; the money had
been sent as the price of the boxes taken by the
Court.
From St. Petersburgh Rachel went to Moscow,
where she played six weeks. The company was
to have played in Warsaw, but counterK>rders
were given by the Government.
The success of Mademoiselle Rachel was not alone
due to her as an actress, she made innumerable
conquests over the hearts of the young boyards,
and the gallant officers, who joyously anticipated
nothing less than a second invasion of France,
appeared proud to wear the chains of her cele-
brated daughter. Among the numerous unau-
thenticated anecdotes that ciixulated vrith regard
to her sayings and doings during her stay in the
Czar^s domains, we venture to present the fol-
lowing to our readers, by many of whom it may.
I i
MF.MOtM or BACHRI. 149
. . ' Inrs Blrcitil/ been Men, m it hu appeared in
} prinL Wo j^vc it, not on account of it* being
: more worthy of Itclicf, but becaiuc, if true, it doea
;- , credit to Rnchol — if not, she had ready wit enough
to hare mndo the rc|)l/, though her patrwtiam
I would never have vuf^citcd it.
A dinner hnd been ofTcrcd to the French Mel*
pomene, and the young military gucats wert
■peaking of tlie powibility that the aword might
be called to sever the Gentian knot that diplo-
nuicy aectncd to despair of ever loosening.
" We bIwII nut bid you ndicu, but aw rttoir,
niBclcinoiftpUc," quoth one of the gay mhu of
^laratothe IrttyidUnne; "we hope toon toapplaud
you in the capital of Fiance, and to drink your
health in iu excellent winc^'
"Xay, meaaicurt," replied ihe, "Fiance will
not be rich enough to aflbrd champagne to all her
priaoaere."
150
CHAPTER Vra.
1854.
•
Return from RtiMia— Pnidenee verfici Patriotism— M. Logour^
LoMi Patienoe— A Declaration of War before the CitU
Tribunal— Soft Wordi— M. Le;;oaT6 Appeased— The
Spoiled Pet and the Public— Another Quarrel patched up—
Mademoiielle Bachel in the Clasaie Repertoire at the Close
of Her Career-i*** PhMre "— ** Camille "—A Souvenir of
the Past.
It was said that the harvest l^Iademoiselle
Rachel reaped in Russia amounted to 300|000fr8.
for her own share, and that Raphael's modest
gains, as manager of the company, gave a total
of lOOyOOOfrs. A very handsome reward for
making what, under the circumstances, might be
considered a pleasure trip I
But the hour had arrived when Russian hearts
were to be left to break, or seek comfort else-
where. As to that of the fortunate daughter of
Israel, it found satisfactory compensation in the
roubles she bore away ; she might say with truth :
^ C'est autant de prisur Tennemi t ^
t
H •'
I
i
MBMOin or BAcmi. 151
Polittod evoBtt mudieil on KpMC, and left do
tinM to dclibcimt«; the war wu unnuncBt. It
wu lud that thfl Cnr bad oae moment onter-
tained the idoa of detaining Mademoiadla Baobel
aa a TiUiag hMtesa, bat that ihe had rcTuaod to
I . ; remain. la Fact then waa no longer any indooe-
I \ nwnL If (ho ateyed afW the cloae of ber «&•
I'l gagement ahe had to do w on her own aooount,
I .■ and the ehancca were againat her in that eua.
The m^ority of the fiuhionablo aiiatocrac/ haring
a knowledge of the language could appredate hor
octing, but many would be called away to join the
army. Of the gentry, aoue went to tee her
merely becauto it waa the laahion to do ao, and,
tlie novelty once over, never cared to go again.
It wai not in St. Pctcraburgh aa in Pari*, where the
hourgeoUit arc among the staunch supportera of
the atage and ercn the lower elaaa delight in thc*-
tricala and contribute gladly their quota to
support them. Tlte RuMian tradespeople oould
find no chamu in Racine and Cnmeillo, and the
inferior mnks were not to be counted at alL
All tlieac considerationa aroused the dormant
patriotism of the tragedienne, and she hurried
b<Hiie when she could get nollung by staying any
longer. £»hc was, perhaps, the last Frenchwoman
that crossed the frontier.
152 MRHOIRS OF RACHELS
During her stay in the Czar^s dominions Made^
moiselle Rachel had continually heard her Russian
friends boast of what they should, could, and
would do. The invasion of 1814 and 1815 were
to find their parallels in 1854. These vain
^laggings probably had their effect on the pru-
dent actress, and made her resolve to quit, for a
time, a country that was likely to be impoverished^
if not ruined, by the invader — she might in the
meanwhile seek in America another Eldorado.
Time was money, and she could not lose hers.
She did not even await her arrival in Paris to
carry out her plnns, but began their execution
before she lefl Russia.
That the American excursion was planned at
that time there is every reason to believe. Why
else should Rachel have thought fit immediately
on her arrival in France to repay the courtesy and
kindness with which the Emperor, the Minister
of State, and the Com6die Franfais had permitted
her to visit that northern nation, by sending in
her resignation T Why else should she have de-
puted her mother to signify to M. Legouv^ that
''decidedly she would not play Med^e,** the
^fed^e which Mademoiselle de Saigneville had
announced ** should bo played immediately on her
return firom Russia,** and which Mademoiselle
t
.. 1
II
i?
MBMOIM OF EACnXL. 113
Raebd wm m ifnid alw would not find "tKa
Muna pare nuiilcn,* though hor love wm raeh abe
wu " willing to Uko her from the uvu abo night
bare ■tra7«d into."
We know not how the French Oovemment re-
i T\ ceivetl the aanounceroent of the reuguitioa, but
I -. the rercUliona of the Pebie de Justice bare
ui pkecd before ue the rather ahup anawer retunted
( I by M. LegouT^ to the intiniatioQ forwarded to
; I bim of Madcmoiwlle RaebeTi reaolutiona with
'i regard to " MedJe."
"DfJiR LAnT,''wratcthcpoet,*'Ihave had the
honor to sec nwdame, your mother ; ahe oonmuni-
eatcd to nic llic contenta of your letter. I replied
aa I reply to you now — that it ts impocaible you
alutuld not play ' Mediie.' Of tbia I will eaaily eoD>
vioce you on your return. I shall be delighted
to have afforded you the opportunity of » new
triumph, even a little against your will.
I "Youps, very truly,
"E. LBoomrs,'*
This firm but courteous letter met Mademm-
< relle Kachel in Warsaw on her way baok. Her
reply, dated March Uth, was as follows:
HEH01B8 OF BACHBL.
"Mr DEAR M. Leooctb,
" Yoon letter reached me on 1117 arrival ;
Waraaw; I hasten to answer it, fori would m
be the cause of delaying any longer the succe
that awaiu 'Mcd^e' at the Th^tre Fnuifui
" My rcsi^ation is most scrioiu ; coDsequenl!
I have but six months to give to the Th^ti
Francis. I wieh in that time to play all n:
classic repertoire ; this I could not do if I unde
took a new creation at present. I will tm
confess that I ought not to create B new rOl« wh<
I am on the eve of quitting the French Btag
The conviction that the press would not euppq
me, fear would paralyse my facultiea, and it w D'
at the close of my career in the rue de Richelit
that I would tike to risk seventeen yean
success in Paris.
" Pray believe, dear M. Legouv^ that I a
truly grieved to find I mudt give up the pUyii
of ' Med 6c.'
" Very much your finend,
«IUCBEL.'
Ko sort of doubt could remain, and I
Legouv^~the courteous, peace-seeking M. L
gouv4 — was obliged to ecck the redress the la
alone could give him. Mademoiselle Each
MBHOm or BACnBU IM
reacbedPuuootktS7thof&Uroh; oo Uw SOth
•be wu Icgallj notified to pUj ilidh. This
fint stqi baring boen taken no notice of, » petitioa
to be allowed to Mimmon tbe rcbellioua aotTMi
licndf, wu |>reMnted on tbe lat of April to tba
Praidcnt of tbe Cinl Tribunid of tbe SeuM^ ud
forthwith gntnted.
MadcmoUcUe Racbel know well witb wbon
eho bad to deal, and, oonrineed that tbew fieroa
dcmooatratione uminatwd not from bin but fncn
hi* lawyer, ebe wrote bus a lattor that would bare
duonncd a otan of ttcrnor mould than the eon of
the soft-hearted author of "D« AUrita dee
Femntes.'
" I am about to start for the Pyrcncee to meet
my liatcr Itcboccaf who is then eztromcl/ ill, to
to take one of mj children there, whose state of
health alarms mo greatly, and to seek myself tbe
rest which has been prescribed to me. I leave
here on account of all ihcso very strong motives^
of which you are not ignonmt, but I eannot
absent myself from Paris without coming to
some dccitfioD on the subject of the lawswt you
bavo commenced i^aiost mc, you whom I
called, and whom I etiU call, my dear Monsieur
Legouve.
li
156 UEHOIBS OF KACHEt.
" I am only here, on my way through Paris, a
prey to the most hnrrowingiinxiety, and I recdre,'
one after the other, two horrid bite of stamped
paper instead of the interview of ten minutes
which, OS you wrote to me in Wareaw, was to set
matters right between us, and which certainly
would have done so had you consulted your'
memory instead of the retailers of chicanery.
"Must I imitate you? I ask myself this ques-
tion between two half-packed trunks, but I hesi*
tate but A eecond. Ho, I will cot play Medie
under judicial compulsion, with the risk, if the
guilty, the abominnble 'Medee,' does not meet
with the eucccBS the author expects, of hearing
myself accused by his friends as the cause. Peo-
ple of the world and of the press will not &il to say
that, if ' Mcdec' did not succeed it was the fault
of Mademoiselle Rachel, who retahated by oppo-
sing ill-will to compulsion, and revenged herself on
the author by killing the piece.
" Med^e may murder her children, she mayeyen
poison her worthy father-in-law; I cannot do the
same, even if I would.
" The public must not be taken for on accomplice
to avenge theatrical (juarrels .when one bears such
a name as mine, and when one has for it the re*
spect I have.
Ml ■*
!;
H
MBXOIM or UCHCL.
"ConMqucntljr, mj imt M. Legou*i» I wilt
•how in thit pettj wwr mora nudenuioa thut jrou,
■llhougb tke apoeh wben I •lull irreToeaUjr eowe
tobdoDgto thaTlwitraFrufutiiTerf ni^; al-
tkougli I ou DOW gin but » very few porfitrniMieei,
which, out of gmtitude^ must be from mj eluue
reperloin, when eTCiytliiDg provea thmt I alwU
not haTe timo iD cmc of poasibla fiuliire to Mok to
Ktrieve it, I will not hare • Uwauit. You wilt
luvo no pUy Umlt« under tlieoc eiroum-
■UiDCCtT Well) I will do BO I 1 will even tar
. • d«»vor to forget your ■ummonaci, your atampod
paper, uiGuagcs and Aui§aiera' viait. I will foigct
I. , *11 my gncfi, aod only remember the auceoaa for
wliich we bare boeo reciproealty indebted to oaeh
J other, and the friendabip you have been ao ready
to break.
it "At the expiration of ray eongi\ will under-
take Mt'lce. You Itavo merit enough to afford
I - .' to be modcat, but you arc certably too modcet
I when you deem me indispenaable to your work.
" Meanwhile, until Z can call mywif your d^
t . voted Medi*, I atill ugn myaelf,
"Your entirely devoted,
** JtACUBU
Parii, April 9lh, 1854."
las iiCHOins OF rachel.
This time the motivca alleged by MademoSsel
Kachel for her absence and for the delay ehe agd
begged were but too well founded. The state i
Rebecca's health woa moat alarming. M. Legoni
is a poet, but above all he is a man hcreditaril
devoted to the worship and companionship i
woman. The most sensitive chords of his hea
had been artfully touched — he was diearoied — tl
suit was not prosecuted ; ho waited.
The congS, however, at length expired, an
Mademoiselle Rachel made her re-appearaoce i
" PhcdrB," on the 30th of May.
Never, perhaps, had the absence of that personi
sympathy which had always been lacking betwee
Mademoiselle Rachel and the parterre of tb
Th^tre Fran^nis been manifested so plainly as o
the evening of this rentrie. Many were the sin
accumulated on that head. The remcmbcrance (
her conduct towards the committee of the theati
and the legal debates to which it had given ris
were Iresh in every mind. The Comcdie Franfu
is a sort of holy ark with the Parisians. But tha
which had added gall to the cup was her subse
qucDt anti-patriotic fugue to Russia — a countr
that had left such painful louventri in the capita)
touvenira that had then not as yet been etfuced V
the glorious exploits of the French army in tbi
//
» I—
» •
I
f
MBXOIU or BACHBL* 159
Crimeft^a oountrjr that boMled of reMwing the
daysof ihame and hamOiatioii of 1814 1 Oo the
eve of a bloodj war» Rachel had hastened to con-
tribute her talent to the entertainment of the
enem J. The reception of the capriciouf, mommde^
grasping renegade, was in accordance with the
thoughts that hUed everj mmd. It was silent,
cold as the tomb ; erery brow was steni| tmarj
eye serere.
But the more implacable and resolute seemed
I', i
I ; • the audience in its indignation, the more deter-
I ' "^ mined was the actress to conquer and bring it
I t back, if not to love, at least, to passionate admi-
' ration. And she succeeded, for, we have already
said it| with her, will was power.
Now that this, the greatest French trsgic
{ ' actress that has appeared for many years, and
who, perhaps, will have no worthy successor for
several generations, is in all likelihood really ex-
cluded for ever from that stage she so frequently
threatened to forsake, a few words on the manner
in which she performed at the close of her career
the plays of her classic repertoire^ are due to
her.*
* Tho TttAtt will bttf in miwA that Um grtater portios of
thb work WM wriltoa bofbrt the doaih of MadomoieclU
lUcboL
t
160 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
When Mademoiselle Rachel first won the enthu-
siastic admiration of the publici she was imme-
diately called la grande tragedienne. Yet, at that
timci she only gave promise of what she would be ;
the signs were indeed extraordinary^ and she fully
justified afterwards the expectations she had
rused and the title she had obtiuncd. But it was
not at once that, in eyery rdle, she deserved the
extravagant encomiums lavished upon her first
steps; there were some in which only transient
rays pierced at intervals through the darkness.
It was not until some years had elapsed that the
radiant sun burst forth in all its splendor.
The one in which her exceUence was most evi-
dently progressive was **Phfcdre." It was not
until her return from Russia, when her talent
was in its maturity, that she fully realised this
superhuman conception of the poet.
It was remarked that she had brought back
from her distant excursion the art she either had
not before, or had never deemed necessary-—
the art of pantomime. When, in France, Rachel
had uttered in her deep, cleai, sonorous tones the
poetry of Comeille and Racine, the poets were
su£Bcient in themselves ; they were at home and
loved and appreciated ; the public knew the text
and needed no paraphrase. But the priestess had
-^m
161
bone ker god* into u unknown ngioa, Mtab-
lUbed Uieir alun in an n n eomo ei atod tampU^
nmid unbeli«Ting MUtooa ; die pTtbooeH epoke a
fltnnge tongue ; the melodjr of tliOH eloquent
oraclee fell into ecnled een, and the buman
pAiuone to which ehe gire n voiea wen mute to
tliOM de«f epcetaton. Something that af^iealed
to the ejre wm wanting there, and the intelligent
interpreter tupplied it. And when the broi^t
back thw now &oulty, ctbo thoae who had nerer
found it lacking exulted in the aogHJiition, and
llie detractor!, who would formerly onljr »o-
knowledgc ahc was a splendid reader dared no
k>ngcr tbui qualify their praiw.
The character pUycd waa now not in the voice
and look only of the actrcse, but in ber whtde
iKiing. The voice of the actor hai but a liatitod
part to play in the event. When be ceaece to
•{Muik the interest is transferred to the next
speaker, and so on from one to the other of tbe
dramatU pervmm. With Rachel tbe case stood
wholly different. She concentrated the trap
gcdy on herself. She embodied tbe event,
began and developed it— forcaliodowcd the end.
Sbe incarnated the character, the action, When
she appeared as PiAdrt, bending under the weight
of the diadem that burned that brow like a
VOL. IL M
162 MEMOIRS OF RAOIIBL.
fiery circlei shrinking from the yeils that enrobed
her, she was the type of euiferingi the living imnge
of Destiny B victim ; her curse and her crime are
present throughout the pkj.
It was more especially in the death scene that
Rachel typified with mute^ thrilling eloquencci the
Greek victim. The agony, so calm, so proud, so
dignified, is truly that of the God-descended
queen, who disdains to betray the mortal pangs
that rack her terrestial nature. Pantomime is
not only almost impossible to describe, but is
also one of the most difficult things to imi-
tate. It might perhaps be very dangerous for
anyone else to attempt the reproduction of
gestures unless they conveyed as vividly the
terrific idea.
It was not till after fifteen years had elapsed
that Rachel rose to Phhdre and presented that ex-
traordinary combination of pagan passion and
Christian remorsci where Euripides appears to
have inspired Racine, and to which an Athenian
audience of his day would have listened with as
great delight and surprise as the enthusiastic
Parisians of the nineteenth century.
It need scarcely be added that the fascinating
actress cemented anew her empire and was re-
called with deafening applause.
HBHoimB or MAonu. lU
On the 6Ui of June, tb» oeI«bntwii of die Uk-
nivcreary of Coraeille's Inrtbday, the iouigunlKM
of which WM due to MademuMlle Raebel, took
pUeo at the Th^tra Fnutfau. The tngedy wm
** Lm Iloraec*." Between the Ktt the tragUumm*
recited a poem in honor of Corneillc, "La Mum .
Hittoriqiie," hj M. Theodore de BaiTille. Lu- ^ f
gua];c haa bcco exhaiutcd to eonny an idea of f
Rachcra Oamille. Xothing haa been left unaaid.
'I Whaterer might be the rank aaaigned hj the
author to hia pcrw>nagcs, the actrcaa took the
i fir«t for hen. Voltaire conudcrcd the cod of the
fourth act as an cpiiwlc; with MadcmcMSclle Rachel
i it waa a accond pi»j, ao new, ao eloquent, ao afH
} palling, that it cfTnccd nil remembrance of the fint,
) and when rhc had finialicd all aeemed to end with
t her, for the ])ublic tliouglit neither of the old &th«r
nor of the youthful victor, nor of Saiint, nor of
i Emt'U, atill lc« of Valhre, or of the aalvaUoo of
Rome too cheaply purchased with the grief and
desolation of a single house.
In Comeille, the epiaode bc^ns with tlie moni^
loguG of CamilU. With >fAdcmoiselle Rachel^
, the play begins with the 6rBt scene of the fourth
acL And when, too, Va&rt relatea the combat
4 that eoda with her lovcr'a death, the mute, but
i terrifically eloquent by-ptay of the actrcaa «u)-
\ m9
'^""V-' ^"^ ' ii*r'C»»»J -^-^
y
164 HEMOIBS OF RACHEL.
grossed all the attention of the public. No one
thought of the old man who had lost his two brave
eonsi but gained eternal honor by the third ; all
the tragedy was in the brow, the sinldng form of
CamiUe*
That which constituted the superiority of
Rachel, was the unique, the superlative grace that
was in eyery motion, a grace that no violence of
passion could annul, this grace mingling with the
terror she so readily conveyed to every heart,
acted like a magical charm that subdued and ra-
vished all who saw her, yet was inexplicable to the
very ones who acknowledged its influence.
Sheriskedeverythingand seemed to risk nothing.
She dared more than the author, she went beyond
him in the reality, yet she had so completely the
art of assimilating what she did to the tragedy
itself, that she and it were identified. She dallied
with the agonies of the flesh. She imitated to
perfection the work of physical destruction, and
yet the body, the obedient instrument of her will,
which reproduced with such frightful truth the
shivering, the convulsive throes of approaching
death, transformed that horror into an ideal of
grace* Everyone has witnessed the scene, there
is nothing new, and yet the effect is as power-
ful the last as the first time; there was a
MBMAIW or EACHBL. IM
•OTDcthiDg there that could neitW wcklua nor
tilL
With MRdeiDoiaella Bachel then «ru no c o unt i n g
oftiine,oriinn,of Tcnes; the real tragedy wh in
her heart, and the apecUtor followed iu Mtioa
on her brow, in bor motiona ; aooording to her in>
■piration ahe gate you at timea a whole acene in
a line, in a word. Iter decpeat dejection, her
■| wcakncan, were full of might — bowcTorcnuhed ahe
! appeared by the blow, you felt inatinetively the
would paH auddvnly from that proatratioD to th«
! extreme of fury ; that the violence of the paanon
would outatep all limit*, that amid thia wild rage,
' this apparently ungoTcmable outbreak, there waa a
strong will curbing and aubduing it all — there waa
", inspiration guided by study, paaaiouate ardor
-J reatnuncd by cool judgment
* Thia part alwaya remained a &vorite one with
the tragi'fiimne. Wherever ahe went she made
her dibit in it on erery stage. It was in thia
rHU that «he appeared on the most important day
'■ of her life — that wliich decided her fate — that
on which the doon of the temple were firat
^ opened to admit ita future pricstcaa^that on
which she was to set foot for the firat time
j on the atage that waa to aee her ao trium-
I phanb
166 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
For the foUowbg account of the acene we have'
the authority of Monsieur Janin :-—
It was in the summer of 1838; some half a
dozen persons had assembled in the darkened
theatre^ glad to escape the blaze of the noon-day
sun^ but anxious to get through the wearisome
task before them — that of hearing, for the hun-
dredth time, perhapsi the finest poetry in the.
French language marred by the wretched delivery
of a new claimant of the three debiU granted to
those deemed worthy : the judges were to decide
whether the public should be called to endure the
ennui they had themselves tested.
The appearance of the neophyte was not pre-
possessing. Scanty mean appaiel, a pale face and
meagre figurC| betokened a childhood spent amid
the want* and privations attendant on poverty,
and gave the idea that at that very moment the
g^rl might be suffering from hunger. What
could be hoped from such a source? Who
would have ventured to prophecy that the shadow
before them was the reality and the life— the re*
surrection of art — that the gruff but weak voice
was to say to the slumbering poets: arise and
follow me I The assembled judges were there as
a matter of form, to get through an indispensable
task— not from any conviction of its use, for they
i
r
t
Ti
f
MBMOIU or BACIUU 167
had ceaaed to baliera m the return of the tragic
luiMC ■ioce the had fled, bearing in the folds of
,] her ttinio her latt reprotentatiTOs: Talma and
DuckcMoia.
The girl came forward, but» oontimrj to all
aspoctationty tho did not, with franUo geaturea,
bawling Toicoi and time^oonaccratod emphariat
} give tho :
** Homo I Funique objct t do mon retienti-
mcnt t **
\ with eyca that auddenly gleamed like liring
; coali in their dark orbit« ; the uttered in a low,
\ deep, firm tone, at though the spoke to heraelfy
words that really doomed to destnietlon the proud
1 city:
2 *' Rome I'unique objet de mon rcssentimenU**
I \ It was evident this was no mere transitory
j anger, no burst of evanescent fury. Tliere was a
^ depth of passion, of concentrated, eamcst» impla-
: cable resentment, the more fearful that it was not
violently dcmonstiutivo ; indeed there was hardly
>
a gesture ; but, as she proceeded in those terrifio
anathemas, the impression on the hearers was
that mode by tho approaching storm— at first low
and distant, but coming nearer and nearer at
j every fearful peal, and finally bursting over their
heads, scattering ruin and destruction. Each of
168
2IEMOIB8 OV BACHSL.
the astonished judges looked at his neighbored
hceio read his thoughts. The wisest deemed
the thing accidental^ a fireak of chance. None
there saw the signs of a rcTolution. All agreed
to {^ve the giil the solicited permission to play
thrice on their stage. After which they went to
dinner and thought no more about it
I
»
1
<
1
■i
!
i
:
169
CHAPTER IX.
^ 1854.
^ TIm Tim Real AflictioB--De*Ui of RebcccA FtUx— n«
' ) RoMrr— The •• Pardon "— Min SmilliMm— M«a«moiMlto
'i 8oDUg~ A Waniing* A Letter from M. Lcgo«v4— Lcttan
■> from MadcmotfcUe lUchel and her Sccreuuy— Madruoi*
i telle lUrhclcoBdemned to pUj '*Medce "^lUdemcieeUo
lUchcl doctn'i |»Uj •* Mod4« **— •• Roeomoodo "^Aaochor
MiicakaUtkm.
t Amid these continual triumphs, obtained^ as it
I were, against the will of the Tcrj ones who con*
I tributcd their meed of applause, a great grief, the
I first real one that had ever been felt by the tra^
I gtditnne during the course of her feted and
brilliant career, interrupted this happj life, this
long summer's Jay. Iler favorite sister, Rebecca,
died.
Rebecca Felix, when in her fifteenth year, in
1843, made her d^bui in Ckimhie. She continued
some time to act in tragedy, but good sense, per-
sonified in the person of her father, soon saw an
170 MEM01B8 OF RACHEL.
imminent danger in her following in the footsteps
of a sbter who had already taken the first place '
in that branch of dramatic art The lesser light
could not fail to be lost in the stronger rays of the
greater luminary. Rebecca could at best be but ^
a fiunt copy of her sister. Her yocatioui was,
therefore^ very judiciously altered, and she en- «
tered the easier walks of the drama and of'^
comedy. Her last and best effort was in '^ Made- -
moiselle de Belle-Isle.** But a lung complaint ;
that had succeeded a typhus fever cut short a;
career which^ if it did not promise to be as bril-"!
liant as that of her sister,-gave hope of some dis- •
tinction.
Rebecca was — and deservedly so— the favorite
sister of the tragidienne. We have seen, by her
letter to M. Legouv^, that, on her return from
Russia she had hastened to visit the dear sufferer ^
then in the Pyrenees, where she was waiting to •
take the Eaux Bonnes. When her conge expired
she was compelled to resume her duties at* the •
Thi&tro Franffus. She con tinned, notwithstand-
ing, her watchful care over her sister, and, while >
acting twice a-week, managed to perform the '
journey to and fro thrice in as many weeks.
An incident occurred during one of these flying
trips which proves not only the excitable nature •
MBHOIM or BAcau. 171
of Boehd, but abo UmU tbe vitit to Um VMiaw
liad BOkdo ft mon peimmacot imp K M iwi tbia wh
lite diMue, ■oeording to the wont of that
treacberoui nwlad/, bad appeared to take a £kTOr-
■ble turn ; tlie alarming aymptoaM had nuHnea-
tarily vanished, the patient waa Mddcnljr rtliercd.
MadcmwacUe Rackeli who had been a ooutaat
attendant for aome days, took tbe opportuut/ to
go and we Sarah, who waa ooofioed b; eooie tem-
pomy indupoaition to her owd lodgtoga. Several
fricnda were aMcnblcd in tlw room, and, exhila-
rated hy tlie good Dcwa abo had brouf;bt and the
hopca all Uastcned to build on tbe change, Mado-
moiacllc Rachel began to chat and laugfa quite
merrily. In the midat of thia exuberant guctj
bcr maid broke into tlie room in a state of great
cxcitciucDt ; a fit hod conic on, the jiatlent waa
in much danger, the phyaician deaired Matlemoi-
acUc lUcliel's immcdlftto presence. Bisiog with
the bound of a wouodcil tigress, the iragiditniu
Bccmed to seek, bewildered, aomc cause for the
blow thai fell thus unexpectedly. Her eye lighted
OD a rosary blessed by the Pope and which ah«
had worn round her ana as a bracelet cvor aioce
her visit to Uome. Without, pcibaps, accounting
to bcraelf for the belief, ahe bad attached tome
172 MRMOIB8 OF RACHEL.
taliamanie virtue to the beads. NoW| however) in
the height of her rage and disappointment she
tore them from her wrist, and dashing them to the
ground^ exclaimed :
<<0h! fatal gift I 'tis thoa hast entailed this
carse upon me I *
With these words she sprang out of the room,
leaving every one in mute astonishment at her
frantic action.
On the 23rd of June, four msters and a mother
brought back to the fathei^s house in Paris the
body of the kmented lost one. On the day of
the burial a scene took place of the most moving
description^ and in which the different tempers of
two of the survivors were brought to light very
forcibly.
There is a rite among the Jews denominated
the Pardon. Before the body of a deceased child
of Israel is carried out to be buried, the relatives,
one after the other, go up to it, and calling out the
name several times, invoke forgiveness for any ill
examples or ill treatment they may have been
guilty of towards the deceased when living, ending
with the repetition three times of the word pardon I
pardon I pardon I When it came to Sarah's turn,
the consdousness of her manifold errors came over
her with terrible force, and, jomed to the horror
mMom or bacobl.
173
and grief of the momcot, to ovorpowoiod Uiai
•CDMtiTOy exciublo, paMionata nature, thaty fidSng
proetrate ou tlic groundi f he shrieked the name of
the dead one in heart-rending toneti ealling with
•obt and teara for foipreneie.
There were two etrangera proienti two Chrie-
tiane, the actor Laferrivrei and a ladj. When
Sarah waa raited and taken out, the mother taid
hurriedly to the Chrittiant :
'* 1 1 it Rachert turn now ; for God*t take, go ; do
not look at her, do not ttop."*
" No,* added young Dinali, * dou*t ttay— doaH
let Raclicl think you watch her.** The contciout-
nett all tltc family hod of Rachert retenredy
peculiar disiKwition, and the respect with which
tlicy submitted to itt exactions, is surprising.
The strangers of course withdrew, but not
before they had caught a glimpee of Rachel, led
by her father, approaching mute, with brow deeply
pitbcred, while all the other members of the family
stood aside seemingly dreading what was com-
ing.
Mademoiselle Rachel withdrew into Belgium
after this loss. Her health required change of
scene, and she chose Drussels that she might be
uear the physician in whom she placed most
liance.
•."%
mm^f
ms
■ At i
V
174 IIEMOIBS OF RACHEL.
Miss Smithson, the English actress who hod
made so favorable an impression in Francei died in
the spring of this year. The French critics ex*
hausted every expression of regret on this untimely
loss.
But in the autumn the news reached Europe of
a death that was more deeply felt than either of
the preceding ones, that of Henriette Sontag,
Countess Rossi. Though the world-wide cele-
brated cantatrxee had fulfilled the career — in re-
gard to years— of a singer, though hers could not
be called a premature loss like those of the two
actresses carried off, the one in the full flush of
youth, the other in the maturity of her talent,
there were circumstances attending it that rendered
it far more sad and gloomy than theirs. Tlib
noble-hearted woman, venturing again on the
scene of former triumphs at the risk of withering
the laurels of past years and annihilating the very
memory of her fame, seeking in a new world to
recuperate the loss of fortune entailed on her
children, and dying in that far-distant land away
from those for whom she struggled so valiantly
and whom she loved so dearly, left deep regrets in
the hearts of all those who had known her. The
amiability and kindness of her disposition, her
conduct as a wife and as a mother, had won her as
MBMOtBt or RACHBU 17ff
moeh loT« and respeet u privato life at h» woal
talenU had fame and admiiatioo in her pobBe
career. From the Grand Dukei who does honor
to her memorj with the erown of drer horde he
depoeite on her eofBn, to the poor waiting-aaid
who with tean contbuallj recaUa the eonetant
goodnete of her mietreet, the lamenti her lorn oo-
^ eaeioned were heard from the lipe of all who had
j t been privileged to approach her.
i
This year, too, died one whoee lifo and end eon*
trait sadly with the lait, and ehouU be a naefhl
lesaon to the young and pretumptuoue, who deem
'that headstrong will and ambition constitute power^
were they ever willing to take warning from such
terrible examples.
While MAdemoiscUe Rachel was throning at the
i Theatre Fran9aisy in the full maturity of her
; -powers, and receiving more applause and broad
\ pieces than any of her predecessors had ever done,
< one, who at the very commencement of her sue-
[ cessful career, had attempted competition vrith
I her, WAS expiring on board a miserable craft bound
{ for tliat re/ugium peceatorum^ California. The
i body, wrapped in an old sail, with a huge mass of
I i coal as weight, and thrown into the deep with few
regrets and fewer prayersi was all that remained
• of the once gay, vain, handsome Helena Gaussin.
> «
176
HBHOIBS OF RACHEL.
Like m»ay other uDTortiiiiRtes who, in t
outMtof life miitake high spirita, minds impatie
of mtruDt, and eoofidcDt aeiT-eataem for the qua
tics that ensure success, and imagine that brig
eyes and fine forms will compensate the la<ik
good sense, judgment and experience, Hele
had added one more to the host of aspirants wL
allured hy the marvellous good fortune of t
young Jewess, deemed that they also were entitl
to dispute the scenic palm. She bore a name th
was in itself a title — but she justified it only in i
worst acceptation, and imitated her ifuno
iomonifme only in the foibles that obscured li
■rtisUc fame — for of the great points that di
tingnished the Mademoiselle Gaussin of 1731, h
namesake of 1840 possessed not one.
Those who saw her in her dibHU in clasuo ti
gedy, at the Odioa, mistaking her «ctatt b
dashing style, for inspiration, for the /eu tact
admiring her splendid stature and r^al gai
jiropheued a second Mademoiselle Geoi^es. SI
certunly recalled her beauty, but not her talei
She made no prt^press, though she had numeroi
opportunities of adTanoement, had she possessi
the requisite qaalides. Unfortunately, she oou
not see where the fiiult really was ; of an ej
lutable temper, eztrane m good or eril, and ui
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Muioiu or RAcnsL. 177
\ governable in either emae, she threw the bUine of
I her defeat on her whom the denominatod her
' ^ rival, Rachel, and attempted revenge bj hiating
lirr. TIii« impotent expreaeion of rage sealed her
i fate ; after the scene of tumult and diaorder to
which her unbridled rage had given riaei aha waa
\ \ forcibly expelled, and the doora of the Thtttiw
' j Fran^ais were for ever cloaed againat her. She
i took refuge in the provincen, and reigned there
I } with uncontrolled away for aome time. Her next
appearance in the columns of the newapapera waa
in a very diflfercnt chnructcr — to her name waa
attAche<l the ignominioua epithet of thieC The
Mcropr had stolen dinner-plate — ^1 ^Aa/ia had
enveloped her diadem in the greasy napkina
of a rcsfauruNle. When she came out of prison
a man was found generous enough to give hia
name to conceal her shame. But nothing could
save her ; once again she was on the police-sheets
for theft; once more that beautiful hair was cut
and (the was6cnt to keep company with the lowest
and must abandoned of her sex.
Mistaken vanity liad crazed the weak braina,
and the next time poor Helena was heard of waa
in the rvfe of a prophetess* preaching a new
gospeli receinng communications from the divinity.
In 1848 she was apprehended on the barricades
VOL. IT. N
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178 IIEMOIBS OF RACHSL.
where^ with, waving banner and firantio words^
this Tisiphone was inciting the populace to deeds
of blood.
It waa then that some charitable persons, pitying
the degradation and wretchedness of the poor
outcast, obtained means for her to be sent to Cali-
fornia, and it was on her way thither that, worn
out by excesses of every description, alone and
friendless, the unhappy creature died, having, in
the course of an existence that lasted but thirty
years, run the gauntlet of every sin and every
shame.
Notwithstanding the last-announced resignation.
Mademoiselle Rachel re-appeared on the 18th of
September in the rdle of Marie Sluariy playing
with a perfection of entente de la scene that she
had never before displayed in this, one of the
greatest of Schiller's conceptions — one which
the French translator could not wholly spoil.
But while [Mademoiselle Rachel delighted the
public, in whose good graces she now seemed com-
pletely reinstated, she had either forgotten, or
she did not choose to remember, that in the month
of April she had written to M. Legouv^ : '' At the
expiration of my conge I will undertake ' Med6e.' **
M. Legouv^ had not the same motives for short
memory, and, seeing she took no notice of him or
1.
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MBMOIBI or BACRBL. 179
hU production, thoagh aha had made her rmUnt^
in Maji ventured to recall it to her. She mgm
•ought an excuse in her •iatcr^a illnetti her grief
incapacitated her from atudying a new riU. Bat
1 the aubterfuge waa of no availi the poet would be
' put off no longGr, and returned the following
I I anawcr, written in a apirit of inflexibility quit«
i j foreign to hia nature, but alwaja within the linuta
I of courtcaj be waa incapable of outatepping:—>
!
* ** D£AR Madame,
" No one can ciympatliiae more deeply with the
aorrowM of othcrv, than one who like myaelf haa
I experienced similar ones, and I also know how
much coumgc is required to undertake any kind
of occu|>ation when the heart is full of anxiety.
I But, alas ! the stem law of necessity governs ua
all. We arc all com|>clled to puri^ue the exercise
: of our profession amid anxieties of all kinds, and
I may add tluit this necessity of labor is perhaps
I i the only real alleviation of deep grief.
I ** You have had within your own knowledge a
r I very striking proof of this; four years ago one of
\ your most honorable comrades, M. Kegnier, lost
his daughter ; but he had promised M. Augier he
would play in * Gabrielle,* and the success he
obtained in that play was all the more gratifying
n2
S'*^
180 MF.MOIR3 OF nACIlKI..
from the conwiousocss tliat in Gulxluing a grii
lutd McomplUhed a duty and obliged a friend.
"lean well uodcntand, deormadame, thatii
first momenta of grief the reecot sight of the
patient occasions you should dread the crenti<
a new rvU ! but I am also sure that on rcflec
you will acknowledge that we hare no righ
•aerifiee the interests of others to any private
aidentious of our own, even the most Icgitiir
and tliat you will seek support in an increased
votion to the duUea incumbent upon you am
the ioteresta which have been eonfided to yoi
"This is, perhaps, a very serious letter, >
madame, but I know to whom I write it. I :
add that it is even in the name of your deard
herself that I ask you to resume agiiin the re)i
sals of * Med^o.' You know she liked the w
and already foresaw you in it full of passion
pathos. Give her then the greatest pleasure
can owe you, the news of a new success obta
by you.
** I remain, &&,
"Leoowvj
This letter mada no impressbn on her to w!
it was addressed. Seeing, however, that the ]
tion was beoonuDg one of immediate diffici
MEHOIM or KACURU 181
•ho luul reocMirM ia the ordinuy uid QXtnordiiurjr
diplonutio ncgotiationt. She conuniMHMMd the
t (liacreet and •kiirnl agent who bad been the former
I mcflium of communication to aignify her ultima-
; turn to M. LegouT^, and with thia object addreawd
i to MadcmoiMlle de SaigneTillc a letter, which the
i latter waa to show to the author but not leave in
j hU handa.
1 MadcmolMlle de Saignevillc commenced on the
\ 20th of September her negotiation aa follows :
■; " It i« with the dcc[)Gst gnrf, dear )L Lcgouve,
-^ that I (end you my friend's letter, (I beg you will
return it lu »doii n^ yun have read it.)
1 "I will not wek to jiiftify Kocltol's conduct
towardu you, Vou tco that aho hcncif acknow*
ledgea her fault, and that aho ii right in believ-
ing that I pvc her a great proof of my attach*
ment in consenting to communicate ao aad a
resolution to you. But believe me, do not ituat,
moke thii sacrifice to the future. She boa ob-
tained another leave of absence, she will return
at^aio next year, and, if you are generous enough
to remain her friend, how powerful will bo your
right to make her play in some other work I She
has resolved neter to create another modern
tragic part \ she saya the ancient clauic repertory
182 2IEMOIR8 OF RACHEL,
will rurnlsh her with more characters than ahe
can create. (And here she may be right.)
** Comci now, be noble and generous ; set to
work, write for her an interesting drama, such as
you know so well how to makcy and we shall all
be happy.
'< Saioneyillb.**
The letter alluded to as accompanying the
above ran as follows :
''Dear LouidE,
'' I COME to beg you will undertake a mission to
M. Legouv6 ; I know well how disagreeable it
will be to yoU| but you have so accustomed me
to your kind offices I do not fear to rely on them
in such a case of necessity.
'*! positively cannot play Mcdee ; it is in
vain that I have endeavored to undertake it ; I
have gone so far as to learn all the first act, but I
have such an antipathy to the part that it were
vain for me to expect sympathy in a character
that is almost odious^ and that is too well
known to cause any sensation in the public, even
in the most terrific passages. You see, dear
fricndi what a task I am giving you. I dare not
» ii
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MKHOnn or RAcnsL. 183
write to M. LcgouT^ fearing he •liould come to
me iiunicUialdjr, khU indeed I un not aufficientlj
R»lorcd to my imiuI bc«tth to look ftt uid Utten*
GOoly to tlifl almoat d<^•erved reproaches which
tlio Kutlinr of ' &f^>)M * lioft, pcrluiiw, a right to
nuke, for I li*v« accepted tlio rSle, I liav« vna
rclicaracd it twice at the theatre; but although I
mnjr have liecn tenfold wrong, I cannot bind
Dij-Klf to piny well a port unauitcd to my tngio
power*. I cnnnot, tlicrcforc, go forwnnl and riak
« failure when the moment when I sIiaH quit the
•tagc it not far diatanL
V " Go and wc, or write to M. Lcgouvj. What I
i> exact of your love fur oic,fof ourvli/Wrnn;, islhat
1 II. Lcgouvi will atill remain my friend, dcaitito the
i vexation I cauac him and which I ao earnestly
1 dc«irc to cancel aoroc day.
1 "'Lea Iloracei' greatly fatigued me thii
) evening. To-morrow I elmll go and hrcathe the
; air of Montmorency ; for Ilcavcu's <iika use your
I endeavors tlut M. Legouvo bo not too angry
' with me. You know how very little suffices to
'l slmlic my poor nerves and cause me gmt
•ulTcrins.
* Wlicn Madcmoitell* lUehil moi ifai* letter it i« probo-
bla ihc had am h«r muU Mcrcurj u bond, •nil «M oUiga4
to indite u wall a« wriia it baiMlf.
184 MEMOIRS OF RACHEU
^ I am your devoted friend ; prove to me on this
occanon that I also can relj on you.
" Rachel.*
This desire, so coaxingly expressed, to be friends
with the author, even the tender allusion to his
play, ** our Adrienne,^ all was insufficient to fool
him any longer; his patience was exhausted, and
Mademoiselle Rachel was again sued to appear on
the 19th of October.
In the meanwhile she continued to play her
classic rdleSf delighting the numerous spectators
who, attracted by the Exposition Universelle from
every part of Europe to Paris, took that opportu-*
nity of hearing her. The poor young woman little
foresaw that this was the last season but one she
would be permitted to display her talent on the
French stage on which, had she been less grasp-
ing, less eager for rapid gains, she might have
pursued a longer, more lasting, and more glorious
career.
In the meanwhile the day appointed for the
trial arrived. On the 18th of October the haU
of the Tribunal de Premi&re Instance was
crowded. M. de Belleyme, a magistrate as well
known for his strict principles of justice as for his
love of arts, presided. The bom champion of the
HKMOtRS OF BACHBL. 185
viuliini of tlicir (MHion* and of MtUli of ererjr
kind, M. OuU-d'Ert-Ansc w&s there ramdj to
cOT«r Mndcmnucllc Riicliera mds with the fold* of
1 h'u togn, while M. Mathicu, e elcnr and witty
I joun^ Inwyvr, wm epiwinted to cipOM the grief*
', auflcred by M. I«4^uvj.
i Tlie tnik of llic latter waa not n difficult one,
i fur ihe proofri were numcroui and clear,
^ The orator thouglit proper to take up the
i matter in ham), from the beginning of the friend-
\ ahip that had existed between hii client and
^ )[ndcmoi»cIlG RuclicL Having dwelt on the
f iiiotivca tliat Imd given rite to that fricndvhip, and
' ciilitlcd tlic author to M>me gmtitude on the part
uf tlic ocircM, 1)C gave the origin of "McdL-e,"
written at Motlcinoiocllc Itochcl's rcf|ucat, entliu-
■ioaticully nj)[ilaudcd by licr, and the competent
arcKnpngua ai'i'ciiiblcd in her taJon to decide on lU
merit*— ill contirmation of which, Icdcra were
read nddrronpil in M. Lc^uvo by MrMticurs Henri,
Martin and Ckirlton— tlic subac(]iicnt rccci>lion of
tlic [>lay by the fomiie de lecture, of the theatre
and iia rehcarml there, al«o corroborated hj
Icttera from Mct«icura Iluitlnnd, Ui-gnicr, Mau-
bant.and Uavcanc. M. Mathicu then related the
fickle conduct of the actrcM, her levcral capricious
' rcfueali, her want of good fuith, the condcMcauoD
186 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
of M. Legouv^ <m the ere of her departure for
Russia.
** He was not aware,** es^claimed the eloquent
advocate, ^ that this great ariisie, whose excur-
non had cost the Th^tre Fran9ais more than
200y000fr.y had another god besides her art. He
was soon obliged to recognise that ; for her, the
stage was but a means» that gold was her aim.**
He then stigmatised her conduct towards
France, to whom she was bound, who could have
opposed her voyage to Russia, and jret who
generously furthered it, receiving in return as a
testimonial of the actress* gratitude the notifica-
tion of her resignation on her return. M.
Legouv^ shared the same fate ; he, too^ was re-
warded for all the proofs of devoted friendship he
had shown her by the notification that ^' decidedly
she could not play Medier
The orator concluded by saying that French
literature was interested in the question.
''It must not," said he, '^ be left to the mercy of
Mademoiselle RacheFs caprices. It was not thus
that Talma acted. Many authors have had cause
to complain of Mademoiselle Rachcrs fantastic ver-
satility. She also refused to play ' La Fille du Cid '
after accepting the part. ' Yirginie/ ^ Charlotte Cor-
day/ 'FrMigonde and Brunchaut'were alike ao-
HBMOIIM or BACnBU 187
eciitcd, rqccted and leccptcd ag«n withoot maon.
Madcmouellfl Rachel miut be compelled under
•omc MTcrcpcnaltT to' keep her engageroenU. It
t u mucb to eicilc aJmiretion, but eat«m ■• of mon
j, value ; and nothing can make uneoda for want of
*■ integrity, not even glory I "
' Thccaac of MadcnoiMlle Rachel waaa difficult
I one to defend, and with all his akill M. Chaiz-
^ d'Eat'Antie could not prove that she had not ao-
; licited &I. Lcgouv^'i tragedy, that aba had not
pcrMnolly a[>[iroved and applauded it, that abehad
cauKil it to be rehearsed, had not taken her part
and distributed the others, and that, after numci^
oiu and long delays, she had not, under fallacioua
prctenccf, refused tlic work.
The only part of his pica in wbicl> he could re-
tort will) some show of success his sdversary's
arguments was when he eadcnvored to answer the
reproach thnt Kacliel had but one idol — gold,
lie insisted tliat the reproach was equally ap|>lio-
ablc to the other side.
" Mademoiselle Kachcl," said he, " is accused of
loving gold bcjond all things, beyond her art, be-
yond her glory. Gold is her god ! Yet we notice
that M. LcgouTc has not fur gold the contempt
he would lead us to infer he had. lie begins by
claiming 40,000rr. damagea. It would Ul fa
HBHOIRS 07 RACHEL.
him to affect indifference for pccuniiuy interecl
No, no; gold for liim is no chimera."
M. Legouv^, however, imnicdiatelj poralyn
the effect of this argument, ad iominem, bj d
cinring that he hnd fixed tlie amount for the sal
of form only ; that he renounced it attogctht
and left the penalty entirely to Uie discretion
the tribunal.
The court decided against Mademoiselle Bachi
who WH8 to reeume and continue "on the da;
designated by the management of the Tbd&t
Franpiis" the rehearsals of "Medde," and act tl
part designated for her by the author, or
default thereof to pay to M. Legouvi damages
the amount of 200fr. for every day she delay<
doing 80, and that during two months, aft
which a further decinion would be taken.
This decision would seem, at first sight, very sati
factory to M. Legouvi5 ; it was, however, followed I
no result: the management of the Th&tre Fnui^a
to whom was Icflthe right of appointing the da;
of rehearsal, having failed to do so. It was n
until some time after that M. Legouvi was
obtain a more adequate compensation for the injui
he hod sustained.
As for Itlademoiselle Itachel, she was on tl
eve of finding in her very ingratitude ita (eve
UEUOIM OP BACBU.
and dcoervcd puoulimcnt. If she bad dladainod
tlie clinroi* of " Mcd£e " U wu not on account of
tlie little failings and middccdd of the enchantroM,
but bccauw ahc liod been ollurod by a dame of
like gentle temper, one Raiemonda — not the fair
Rooamond of Kngliah bolloda and tradition,
whom bcnuty woa fatal to borscif atone — but •
Lombnrd queen whom M. Latour do Su Yhan
arouied from her peaceful slumbers in the old
nooks of Gothic atoiy to bnog before the Pori-
•ioiiB, under the patronage of Mademoiselle
Rachel.
It appears that Mademoiselle Rachel bad
knocked at more than one door to obtain the
"short tragcdjr containing one very brilliant
jnrt" which she hod sohcitcd of M. Lcgouvd.
" McUcc," with her three acts, and her suite, was
nol what she wished; "Koscmonde," with her
one act and three personages, pleased her bett«r.
" Mcd<^ " was a rvU of the ancient rtptrtoirtf
minus the superioritjr of the great masters.
" Roacmondc" was the fnmtic, dishevelled off*
spring of jroung literature that was to stood
forward with eclat in the gallerj of antiques that
constituted Mademoiselle Rachel's dromatio
luggage.
It now became plain tlkat while the trojf^dunnt
"* j 'tfji^iua a ■*■ ^1 i m
190 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
was alleging her health, her resignatioiii her ex-
cursionfli her domestic affiictions to avoid playing
MedUf declaring solemnlj she never intended ere*
aUng another rdUj that fear would paralyse her
powers, that the press would not sust^n her, that
she would not risk compromising seventeen years
of success by a failure, she was at that very time
busy studying Rasemonde. She was learning it in
secret with the passionate enthusiasm she had
shown for Louise de Lignerolles. She flattered
herself with the hope of crowning her Parisian
career with a brilliant triumph, and deemed she*
could carry to America a play, short and easy to
get up, that would afford an opportunity for the
display of all her powers and the entire interest of
which would centre in herself.
The decision of the court that sentenced Made-
moiselle Rachel to play ^^Med^e" was pro-
nounced on the 2ist of October. On the 27th of
November Mademoiselle Rachel, encouraged by
the complaisant complicity of the manager, ap-
peared for the first time in ^* Rosemonde.*
What motive could have actuated the iragidir
enne to adopt so strange a course it is difficult to
imagine. It could scarcely be that the remembrance
of her success in "Virginie* was proof against
that of her failure in the absurd '^ Y ieux de la
t
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MBUOIRS or lUCRBL. 191
Montogne.** At any rote, whAterer hopes autlior
I } and actrcM had raised on tho pitMcnt prcpostcroua
I \ creation were doomed to disappcnntnient. Made-
) moiscUe Rachel had hoped that horror carried to
i tho utmost limits would cause a great sensaUon—
i the eflcct was the opposite to that expected, the
! spectators were rather inclined to laughter^the
great iragidienne was simply ridiculous I
^ Roscmon<lcy" withal, possessed one merit, and
that a Tcry great one in the present case— there
was but one act of it. Vet it was a tragedy^ and
the author by virtue of that title had a right to
inflict five acts on the public* Notwithstanding
what some modern author says, that it is ^ so easy
not to ninko tragedies in five acts,** some credit ia
due to M. Latour St. Ybars for his forbearance.
He supprcMcd the first four and served up the last
only, crowding into that one all the horrors he'waa
at liberty to have spread over five acts.
The theme chosen is one of the ferocious inci-
denta thut abound in the early history of every
nation. The author cannot be accused of having
altered or disguised historical truth ; on the con«
trary, he has veiled none of its hideous nakedness,
he has softened none of the revolting particu-
lars.
M. Latour evidently meant to draw forth all the
> I
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192 IIEMOIB8 OF RACHEL.
chief characteristics of Mademoiselle Rachel.
His attempt was not altogether ill-founded. Set*
ting aside the impossibility of reconciling with the
laws of modem taste the ghoulish incidents he
allowed to stand, there were dramatic points wUch
a great poet would have made very effective. But,
unfortunatolj, in *^ Kosemonde '* we have the most
intensely tragical occurrences developed in the
most trivial, weak, nerveless language. The feio-
(Uty of the idea is completely lost in the tameness
of the expression ; that which in the magnificent,
passionatCy all-powerful poetry of Victor Hugo
would have sent a tlirill of terror through every
heart, in the milk-and-water style of M. Latour
caused ennui or derision.
According to the chronicler, after reigning three
years and a-half in Italy, Alboin was assassi-
nated' by his wife in 373. The cause of the crime
was the following:
The King having become excited with wine
during a banquet, ordered tliat a bowl, made of hec
father^s skull, should be presented to the Queen,
bidding her joyously drink vnth her father (uteum
paire suo lalanier bibereLj
. ^ The thing,** adds the old narrator, Paul Diacre,
<^ may appear impossible, but I speak the truth in
Jesus Christ ; I have seen the bowL"
1
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MBMOnt or BACHSb 19S
The unfertunato Hojemonde being infiuvied
afterwarde what bloody trophy had touohed her
lips, vowed rovenge. Haring eeduced the di|fe
annour-bearcTy Ilelmichii^ and PeredeuSy one of
the bravest champione among the Lombards^ eh«
caused the King to be assassinated,
M. LatouFi suppressing such details of tho e^
ductioos employed by the Queen as were too die*
gustiog for the stage, and which may be found at
length in ** Gibbon*s << Decline and Fall of tU
Itoman Empire/ gives the story in all its barba-
ric horrors.
AlAoif^ King of the Lombardsi having van*
quiflhed and killed Ounimund, King of the
Gcpidas, cliooscs among tlic captives 2tai4momd4f
the daughter of his late foe, for his queen. At a
banquet given to celebrate his victory, the bar- .
barian, maddened with the fumes of debauch,
compels liosemonde to driuk from the skull of her
father. Among tlie earls of Albain is one who,
having been sent some time previous to the war
on an embassy to her father's Court, had seen and
fallen in love with Itosemonde. Absent on another
i
i expedition at the time of the defeat of
f he returns to find the daughter has been selected
^ by the victor. Earl Duiier is consequently the
.| fittest instrument for her vengeance. To arm his
% VOL. II. O
««
!_-.'■ ••i- .■'•.. . \ ^-^«S«
194 MEMOIRS OF RACHEU
band against his King she promises her own and
the crown as his reward. When the deed is per*
petrated Jtosemonde fulfils part of her promise.
She recommends Didier to the people as the sno*
cesser of Alboin^ and phices the orown on his
head. As for herself^ she £es on her father^s
grave of the poison she has taken. One or two
other deaths of minor importance fill, up this
framework of murder, profanity, treason, and
vengeance.
This tragical story has been dramatised more
than once already by French poets. We find it
put on the stage as far back as the year 1609 by
Claude Billard, Prior of Canterbury, the 'same
who the following year caused the '^ Death of
Henry IV.'* to be played before Marie de Mcdicis
in mourning. A year or two before, Nicholas
d'Argentan wrote his *^ Alboin ou la Vengeance
Trahie." In 1649, Balthazar Baro again put
'^ Rosemondc * upon the stage. In more modem
times Alfieri also chose this heroine, though not
at the same period of her life. Indeed, he laid
aside the facts altogether, and substituted incidents
of his own invention.
The choice of the locality itself, though his-
torically faithful, jars with all our preconceived
ideas. True, all Italy was at the time devastated
—^^Sktjk^^
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MBMOIRS OF KACIIBLi 195
by the barbaric hordes of tbe North ; yet one
would not with to find the eccne which the
loTca of Romeo and Juliette have invested with
) I such tender and melancholy assodationsi the fiur
I city sought with delight by the antiquaiy and an-
} ticipated so grnccrully by the poet :
! \ ^ Are these the distant turrets of Verona ?
And sluill I sup where Juliet at the masque
Saw her lov*d Montague and now sleeps by
him T **
selected as tlie clwrnel-housei the shambles in
which wild beasts enact their butcheries. M.
Lntour does not say with Dante :
'^ Vieni a voder Montecchi o Cappellctti.*
IIo bids U0 look on a far difTcrent scene ; here we
have neither the rose nor the nightingnlci wo
have an orgic in which besotted barbarians, drunk
with the fumes of blood and wine, and despairing
captives, the living 8|K>iIs of the most ferocious
war, are mingled ; the former are howling the
burthen of their song of battle, with accompani*
ment of cymbals, horns, and clashing shields.
The song of the bard is in keeping with the deeds
he celebrates.
Some dramatists are induced to choose their
epoch and nation on account of the picturesque
beauty of the costume of that time and people.
o2
^ ■ Mua
196 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
If we conralt the historian we will hardly be iiH
dined to accuse ^L Latour of haidng been guided
by any such puerile considerations.
*'The dress of the ancient Lombards consisted
of loose linen garments ; their legs and feet were
clothed in long hose and open sandals; and even
in the tranquility of peace a sword was constantly
girt to their side ; thdr heads were shaven bchind»
but their hair before hung over their eyes and
mouth, and a long beard represented the name md
character of the nation.'*
For further particulars we have the testimony
of Cunimundy the Prince of the Gopidao :
^The Lombardsi" said the rude barbarian, ^^ re-
semble in figure and smoU the mares of our
Samaritan plains.**
** Add another resemblance," replied an auda-
cious Lombard, ** you have felt how strongly they
kick. Visit the plains of Asfeld, and seek for the
bones of thy brother; they are mingled with those
of the vilest animals.**
The above interchange of compliments preceded
the war and atrocities wliich are the groundwork
of the tragedy.
Whether the actress was terrified at the respon-
sibility she had assumed, or that, accustomed to
the sublime beautiesof theclassio repertoire, she felt
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UKMOIOS OP JUCUBLi 197
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herself uninvpircd bjr tliia niocIernUed tuwue of hor-
run, and, loiing confidence in iU succcm at the verj
moment of trial| lo^t confidence in her own powers,
or whctlier the attitude of the public disheartened
hcr» from whatever cauae it might be, this chanio-
] ter« so obstinate!/ adopted in despite of all tMte,
'; reason and judgment, was ill sustained by her. It
I lingered a very few nights and was then dropped
for ever.
With its manifold faults the play possessed pointa
1 well suited to l^IadcmoiscUe Rachel. It is said
f' that Ilacine borrowed from the '' llosemonde " of
". Dathazar Bare the charncter of //cnnioite^-Madc-
moisellc Rachers best part The scene of the
Greek Princc;«8 inntifnitinj; Orcsla to the murder
of PijrrhuB certainly presents a striking analogy
with that in which Iti}nemonfle endeavors to per-
suade Knnujiu9 to slay Alboin ; the arguments
used by Ilrrmione and the answers of the hesitat-
ing, reluctant Oreslcs, though clothed in the fiir
superior poetry of Racinc,are the same, in realityjas
those of Baro*8 heroine and hero ; then again^ there
is so great a resemblance, in fact, between some
of the situations of ^L Latour*s play and those of
^' Andromaque *' that it is somewhat strange Ma-
demoiselle Rachel did not feel sustained by the
resemblance. There are others, too, where her
•.#
198 MCM0IB8 OF RACHBL.
tragic expreasion and atUtudes had excellent op-
portanities of display ; for instance, in the scene
where the tyrant, mortally wouuded| drags him-
self on the' stage and is met by Hosenumds enter-
ing with a lamp to ascertain if the deed has been
well done. The King, on retiringi had found
Egildcj one of R^semonde^i women, dressed in the
regal robes, dead on his conch. He has not mis-
taken her for the queen he had chosen, and, bdng
set upon by his murderer, has had no time to dis-
cover his error, hence his first exclamation, when
the real Rosemonde meets him, a la Lady Macbeth^
with her lamp :
*' Cette femme, quelle est cette femme?''
RoBemonde.
^ La haine
La yengeance, tai^dive, il est vraie, mais
certaine.**
Alboin.
«AhI"
Rosemonde.
''Regardc-moi bien.*
Albain.
^ Fantome, que veux-tu ? ^
ItMemonde.
** Je veux te voir mourir k mes pieds
abattu.*"
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IfBMOIM or RACHEL. 199
AI6om {tcmb$ pri$ d$ sa courofmi).
'^ Ilotcmonde I . . • elle est morte."
JRo$emonde.
^ £Ue est encore riTante
Pour jouir de ta mort et de ton ^pou-
yante.*
Alboin.
y ^ Mes armcs I dieux d'enfer I ** &c^ Ac.
•^ Itosemonds makes a long speech to the djring
\ King, the pith of which &L Latour found in Uie
five magnificent lines o( Poly nice to EUoeUSf ia
Bacine*s ** Les Fr6rcs Enncmis : **
^ Et tu mcurs, lui dit il, et nioi jc vais regner
I ICcgardc dans mcs mains Tcmpire et la victoire
Va rougir auz enfcrs de Tcxc^ de ma gloire ;
Et pour mourir encore avcc plus de regret,
Traitrc, songe en mourant quo tu meurs mon
soujcL*
We cannot say that Rosemonde^s harangue is
j ^sweetness long drawn out,** but the idea so con-
ciscly and powerfully expressed by Racine has
been so expanded, dilutcdi spun out in M. Latour*s
prosy stylcy that all the original horror is lost.
The coldness with which the public received
i this feast of Atreus reacted on Mademoiselle
Rachel. Her delivery was so precipitate, hacked
and indistinct, that it was often necessary to wait
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200 XEMOIBS OF RACHBL.
the reply to know the meaning of what she had
eatd. It wae true that she was never quite mis-
tress of herself on first nights ; but aside from the
emotion incidental to the fear of failure, there
could not be in this # Queen of the French stage,
whose mil was omnipotent, the anxiety of the
young and timid debulante, whose untried powers
have feW| if any, chances of pleasing. She had
chosen the play, she had brought it out, she was
bound to exert herself to the utmost for its sup*
port
£ither the vexation of failure, or some, other
unknown cause, acted on her nerves to such an ex-
tent that after the fall of the curtain she was
seized with a fit of hysterics that was so violent
and lasted so long it was feared her reason was in
danger; she tore her veil, dashed from her the
crown and threw down, with looks of frantic hor-
ror, her poniard.
An explanation of this singular scene was
sought in the supposition that it was the remem-
brance of the death of her sister Rebecca that
had awakened a paroxysm of delirious grief. But
it is difficult to find any analogy between this
recent family bereavement and the tragedy of
^Bosemonde.**'
. The result of this last miscalculation was that
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MEMOIRS or RACnSL. 201
Madcmoiscllo Rnchcl, vexed and Mhamed, retired
under the usual pretence of ill health.
Mademoiselle Rachel had introduced thc'ecle*
bnition of the anniversary of Comeille; it oc-
curred at last to the management that there was
another great man to whom they were equally
indebted. And the annivcrMuy of whose birth was
equally entitled to dramatic honors. On the 2 1st
of Decemberi the ThcAtro Fran^ais inaugurated
the celebration of Racine's birthday; the tragi*
(iifiuitf condescending for that day to forgot she
was ill, and act *^ Phcdrc."
i Since the unfortunate exit of ^ Rosemondoi**
I this was the first time Mademoiselle Rachel had
i appeared on the stage. She retired into her tent
j and did not come forth again until the latter part
I of January of the following year.
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CHAPTER X.
1855.
L* Ctarins ' — HetpomcDa in Hfitertw— A Formidal
Rival— Adeli'ide Rittori, ths Siddoiu of Ilulj— " Fra
cews da Rimini "—" L> .Fia da Tolonsi '— " Hal
DusiNO her temporary atuence from the atoj
Modemoiaelle Bachet was studying a ncrr rOle
a drama in five acts, by M. Scribe, " La Czarine
which was brought out in January of this jts
Am the student of histoiy will not think of eo
suiting M. Scribe's pUys as works of reference,
is unDccessnry to quarrel witli that authoi
peculiar mode of treating historical events ai
personages; in truth he has merely borrowi
high-sounding names, the inddenta and characte
mm entirely of his own invention.
Among the subjects that apparently pteasi
him best was th« eetebrated Catherine, wife
Peter the Great. Findbg her veiy successful
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IfEMOIRS or RACHBI* 20S
tlio ^ Etoilc du Nord,** ho tried her without the
INU'tition and at a mora advanced period of her
existence, substituting Mademoiselle Rachel for
I the musical charms of which he now divested her.
I
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{ The hero is no longer Peter, the shi
enamoured of the fair young gipseji and ooaH
mitting no worse crime than that of an extra
glass to drown the sorrow her absence oecaMona,
At the present stage of his existencCi Peter is
advanced in his imperial career; he has learned
his various trades and is now giving his subjccta
the Wncfit of his experience. He has alrcadj
founded St. Petersburg, conquered Sweden,
fouglit with Turkey, butchered his son Alexis,
drowned in torrents of blood the conspiracy of
the Strclitz^and carried to some extent his system
) of civilitiationy ciTcctcd according to the principles
of barbarism. Czar Peter is more at leisure now,
and turns his mind entirely to his own littlo
domestic nflfuirs, wliich ho regulates according to
his usual expeditious system. To keep his hand
in, this imperial executioner amuses himself with
putting to death the admirers of his beloved
) Czarinc. In fact, there is much more of the
Ogre of fairy talcs, and much less of the Czar in
i^ til is Peier than there was even in the historical
onei and he is much better suited for the tyrant of
44
204 H£H0I]I8 OF RACHEL.
the melo-dramas in fkror on the Boulevardd- tlian
for the hero of a play at the Th^tre Frtm^aiB,
whose more refined and eritical audience tolerated
with difficulty this brutal Provost Marshal.
The Czarine has not one great qualityi one
marked characteristic, one attractive point to
raise her above the common level; the author
could not have written a more insignificanti point-
lessi colorless role for Mademoiselle Rachel. There
is not from beginning to end a fine possagCi an en-
clitic speech.
The other characters are a set of Russians such
as were presented as specimens of the nation at
the Theatre du Cirqui during the Crimean war.
There is an Admiral Vilderbeck, a sort of Dutch-
Russian, always tipsy, always ridiculous, who is
the unconscious marplot in the play; Jakinsky^
an automaton spy of the Czat^i — ^he acts, but
leaves the talking to others ; Men9chikoffj the un-
fortunate Menschikoffw ill-treated by La Harpe,
expiates, by the gratuitous charge of poisoning
Peter the Greatj now brought against him by M.
Scribe, the hatred which the people of France
bore the Memchikoff of 1855; Olga, his daugh-
ter, a simple, candid little girl who can, when
required, show a very heroic spirit, but whose
combustible heart catches fire like a little keg. of
MBUOIBS OF UCnXL. SOS
powilcr «t thfi approocli of the apark Sapielia f
Sapitha, ft young Pole, cut on tho pntMni of tli«
Lftuxuna, a courtier fresh frocn the Voraullca of iIm
(£il de Ikcuf.
With thcBo §tercotypod peraooagcs, reprodiw«d
again and sgaio in their proper aphcra at tha
Porto St. Martin, any dnuaatiet of M. ScriWa
•cliool waa sure to proceed on exactly the laoM
plan OS the master, and to produce a play ui tbe
nunc monolououa, lukcwann and •upcrbcial style
at tho mnjority of those thii fertile and akiiful
playwright lia« made tho public applaud so r^
puatcdiy.
Count Sapieha, juBt arrived from the Court
of Franco, is the lion of the Mmi-barbarie
Court wliicli Oar Peter ia civilising with his
cane and pruning with the axe ; the Indica of tha
Court invite h!in to more rendczroa* than he haa
time or inclination to attend to, fur he aspires to no
lcs4 llian an imperial heart and disdains the con-
quest of any of lower station. Peter, who ia a«
jealous OS a tiger, has lately chopped off the head
of MaiHt de la Croix, tho last admirer of bis wife,
and is looking out very sharply to catch the next.
Tho fato of Im predecessor only ntakes the new
pretender more boastful and daring; be openly
avows his hopes to VUderbt'Ji, a very &ithful
MG1I01B8 OF SAOHBL. 223
time Wallulc and bia company alternated with the
Italian company at the Italian Opera-house. A
Gcnnao family just arriTed in Paris, and anzious
to«e« tlio far-famed Madame ^stori, sent their
vaUt-de-plare to procuro a box at the theatre
where she performed. On the following. night
they were all installed at an early hour, and won-
dering at the little enthusiasm the half-empty
house manifested. However, they listened at-
tentively, neither understanding a word nor yet
clearly making out the pantomime, but getting
xipt notwithstanding, n very lively admiration for
the young and pretty Miss whom they took
for Sladame Ristori. The next day they were
congratulating themsclTcs before some friends on
their good fortune of the previous evening in see-
ing the charming Italian tragedienne ia " Maria
Stuarda" when, to their amazement, tbcy were
i'jformed they had seen Miss in Degdemona,
More than one French critic might have found
himself making a simibr mistalco. Not so M.
Fiorentino, who, a Neapolitan by birth, is, in wit
and talent, a Frenchman. This writer is one of
the few foreigners who have acquired the French
language in such perfection that to them it is as
their own, and who lutvo borrowed even the cha-
racter of the nation that baa adopted them. Since
tn HBHOnt OF BACHBL.
them, but unong the nuuten of tb* pruning
knire wboM judteiout uid doqoeat uttclM M
grefttlj oontributed to her •xaltstioa then is <m»
m woald (eal it s reproach to hare omitted ha4
we not raeerrcd hU name ibr m speewl mentiaa
when that of hU giftodoouatiTwonwa ■booM find
ita pUee in theoe p>gM. Of all the dramatio
oritiee of the Pariaiaa joonuli, M. FfontitiDO»
who u alike maitor of French and Italian, ia the
moat capable of oorreetlj judging the taloat of tba
two trai/idiennei and of establishing a paralld
between them.
There arc, doubtless, in dramatie art, beauties
that VMf be recognised and appreciated by apeo-
tatora who understand the language but imper-
fectly. But to. examine the subject in all its
bearings and pronounce on ita merits on oD pmnt^
the conscientious critic must be perfectly familiar
with the language, he must need no preliminafy
study to feel all its charm and power, to be a
nice judge of elegance and purity of pronounci*-
tion, of correctness and truthfulness of intotia-
tion. He who does not possess this gift can only
apeak of the mimic talent of the actor. On all
other points his opinion is subject to discussion,
for his erron may be infinite.
An auaNng instanoe of this occoired at tha
HEMOIBB OP BACHEL. 221
She is fruit in the artistic aeiiae of the word, for
she takes from nature tho aiost enei^etic expres-
sion of its passions and always subordioatca it to
the laws of beauty with tlie exquisite tact that is
innate in her. Werosheto bn'.otne more classical
she might lose somewhat of her grace, trhilo on
tho other hand, a mora familiar, a more natural
style would impiur her dimity. No ckp-tr&p, no
eccentricity is mingled with her acting. She has
invented no system of her own, consequently can
have no imitntora. Content with studying the
hiiinnn heart, she gives tho rein to her own instinc-
tive sense of what should be. This is tho whole
secret of the success of those poets and painters
who have reached the highest summit of art. To
those who would approach the superiority to which
Madame AdcJInide Kistori has risen, we would
say:
" Search your heart ; if it be pure, honest, truly
pious, you may succeed, for those qualities ore
more necessary to on artist who would be loved
and admired than is generally supposed."
In reviewing the different phases of Mademoi*
9cUe Rachel's career, we have had occasion to ap-
preciate the merit of the various critics who have
made hei the subject of thm feuiUelont. We do
not la_' clum to having given a complete list of
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2S0 IfEMOIRS or RACSBL.
of paanoiM that ditfiguret poor himuui naturo ui
thcM tplendid tjpeti and whichy firom the da/ of
thmr ereation, hare boon portiayod with tbo
furiotii rant of a maniaoi would, by her, be brought
into bold relief with new and striking effect. The
mianon of the tragio poet is to ezcitet in the
highest degree, emotions of tenor and pitjy and
nerer can this aim be sosuccessfiilly accomplished
as when the actress unites the nobkst gifts of the
heart to a splendid and cultiTated intelligenoe.
It b SMd, with what truth we know not, though
we feci no inclination to doubt it, that Madame
Ristori is in the habit of seeking in mental prayer,
before going on the stage, the strength and nerre
she exhibits in her different characters, and that
she placed implicit reliance on tlie religious inspi-
ration thus sought. This is a view of the Toca-
tion of dramatic artists never before taken, and
one which, should the example find imitator^
might lead to great results. It would certainly
tend to dignify and elevate in an extraordinary do*
gree the drama and its interpreters, and silence all
the objections hitherto brought against them.
Those who have seen this charming actress in
private life extol her modesty and simplicity. Her
style on the stage partakes of her character— it is
simple and unpretending in its very grandeur.
HEUOIBS OP RACnBU 319
all nature ; the scene where, preparing for death^
•he bide U laat adieu to her liandmaidena with auch
melting, yet lubducd, affection, lo queonljr still in
her condescension, yet so gentle, so womanly in
her love and care for these, her faithful ones; and,
at the close, the heart-rending, ecsUtic , pause
during which the bittemoss of death contenJa
with and is 6nally absorbed in the heavenly hope
that transports her beyond the terrible present, is
a sublime inspiration springing from a deep re-
ligious feeling, from a soul filled with love of the
beauUfuI ideal.
Id " Medea," bo difficult a part to bring before
a modem public, the actress had to conquer the
some obstacles as in that of " Myrrha." \Vhila
she made her audience shudder, she had the power
of ennobling characters and passions tlio most
appalling, of exciting sympathy for heroines
scarcely to be tolerated on the stage, without,
however, losing any of the terrific energy which
is one of her chief characteristics.
In the French classic drama Madame Bistori
would be equally successful ; her interpretations
of the feelings of an Hermione, a CamiUe, an
Emilia would, wo think, differ widely &om that
which has hitherto been given. The bitter sar-
casm, the despairing anathenuu, all the wild array
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S18 MBMOIM <Nr SACHBI.
mimlMMi in dIatb *!«•* an. dmBatinllT. bdn
medioorityy we omj hare tome idea of whet ih
oould eocompliih had alie been the mterpvelw <
a CorneiUe, a Racinei or a Shakeepeare.
Tbe part of JUaria Shtarda has more irarie^
'more ttriking dramatic •itqatione ; benee it ei
/ dtee mora eDthoaiatm Uum tboee we liaTe mei
tioncd. Tbe woman in ber grealneee and be
wcaknett ie bore more apparent, particnkriy ii
tbe magnificent icene wbere, baring etrnggle
with adnmrnbly-expresecd eSbrU agmnstber riai^
wrath, the aarcasmt of EUmohtik finallj render i
irrepressible) and it breaks oat in a torrent c
annihilating disdain and crushing contempt tba
overwhelms her rival; the rapturous, almos
childish joy, with which she then coogratulatfl
herself on having purcliascd without besitano]
and at the price of almost certain death, tb
bitter pleasure of revenge, is one of tbe moi
superb pieces of acting ever witnessed on an
stage.
To analyse the various inspirations that actual
the actress in this character, we should have I
quote the whole of it The sudden gesture whe
Maria speaks of the hidden dangers that surroun
ber ; the passionate joy of the prisoner who one
mors sees the fiice of Heaven, the trees, tbe Urd
MEMOIBS or RACHRI. 217
Kistori; but with that taleat the charm th»t
entttnntcB from the purity of tho woman, imd
which blends with and raises the genius of tlie
arlitte to ao sublime ft hei^t is a combinntion
rarely — we dare not say never — met with. Our
toutenirt of Madame Ristori would lead us to
look on any other Franceaea as less chasto, less
idealised.
These remarks will apply to Madame Ristori's
style of acdng in otl her characters, but more
especially to the part we have just mentioned,-
and to that of " La Pia de Tolomei." The play
of "Silvio Pcllico" is more properly an elegy in
three acts than a tragedy. A succession of ex-
quisite shades of feeling alone redeems his work
from on otherwise insupportable monotony : it is
rather a charming poem, of which the actress is
the soul, than a play. M. Carlos Marcnco, when
he wrote his drama of " La Pio," drew his inspi-
ration from PcUico's tragedy ; the tatter is superior
with regard to style, but, in both, interest and vigor
are lacking ; the plot is weak, the characters are
tame. The patriotic sentiment that animates the
fine passages of Ftance»ca, which every Italian
knows by heart, makes the play tolerated on the
stage, and an actress like Madame Ristori renders
the " Pia *" endurable. If, then, she causes such a
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S16 VKMOIM OF BACHBL.
terrible eflfeet of heedlong, mioiirbed pMsoB, widi
en energy and force that etrike terror into oveiy
heart ; but if that of the aotreee has no tender
fibres, her voice none of the moving dioidi^ the
melting accents that indicate a pure and genenm
nature, the will awaken no ejmpathy in the
spcctatort— the J may admire, thej cannot hnre her.
The most charming of Madame Rielorili char
mctert was undoubtedly that of JFhnwesea di
Himinif and, among performers fiuned for their
talent, she alone could give us the image of the
veiled tenderness, the struggle between duty and
passion, the truth and purity of Dante*s beaatifiil
creation ; she alone could embody the spirit of the
fair FrancfBca. On what stage could we find
another profile so full of nuyestic giace, the
chaste confusion of those eyes ovenurchod by so
noble a brow, and that radiant smile called up by
the evanescent joys of love. And, above all,
where else could we find that voice, anon vibrating
soft, and girlishly gentle, then again quivering
with the agony of grief, that voice we all recognise
as that of PaoloU love T Its sound reaches the
inmost soul of the listener, conveying far more
meanmg than the poetry it utters. Another
actress might, perhaps, reproduce this type of
JWuicsseo with as much talent as Madame
USM0IB8 OF BACnEL. 215
dreamy reverie and ardent paifllon. ThU char
racteristici 90 specially her own, U portrayed on
her countenance, the aspiA'ation towards the ideal
is in every feature ; the purity of the brow, the
oval contour of the face, the somewhat severe
lines of the Roman nose, the nameless grace of
those of the mouth, indicate the noblest feelingS|
a heartfelt sense of the beautiful, and the love of
whatsoever is virtuous and good*
Another cause for her succesS| which was
wholly independent of the profession, was the
high opinion held of her character as a wife and a
mother. The spectator was, unconsciously per-
liaps, under the influence of this superiority. Ere
she opened her lips the natural dignity of her
manner predisposed in her favor, rendering every
heart sympathetic; when she spoke the hearers
were under the charm of a voice of unparalleled
sweetness, revealing candour and goodness un-
bounded — a voice that came fraught with every
noble and generous feeling, directly from the
heart that is their spring. The features and
gestures may be schooled by strength of will and
of intellect, to represent a great tragic part, even
by a mind of perverted principles. Consummate
talent and long stage-experience may give the
power of expressmg every bitteri strange, and
lit MEIIOIU or BAORBL.
Ihe diUferenoa u tmiHj Msootutod for.
To Ital^ beloag bold and vivid feelingi ■b-
thuiiam that came* all befon it — tba pawinwH
•dniration of perfectioa of fiwin, brilliaBC^ at
ooloriii^ (rf* tha muiio which in that privilagad
Uad Kcma the «cbo of the hTna of joj wA
wUch tha Craatioa gneta iti Creator.
To Franoe belonga tha aevere aBalyiatioD of
tha boautiea of Nature^ the noro iatimata nalia^
tioo of the dreaming, doltoate touehea of Ai^ a
more itudicd appradation of tha uadefiaed aad
■hadowjr aubtletica of tliougbt.
In Madame Riatori her oountr]rmen admired
the deep paauone and energy that gave auch
atartltng reality to each part abe rcprownted.
In Franco thoaa were equally admired, vrbib
tbe profound knowledge of human oaturo dia>
played in ovcry glaacc, every goature, every in*
tonation of her flexible and musical voice wore
better appreciated i and tbe soft, vague melan-
choly, which at timca veils and apiritualisea tha
look of tbU aotreai, recalling viaiona of Oaaian'a
daughters of tbe mist or of tlie gcnth) Uodino of
qur German neighbors, woa far better uodoiatood
by the French than by the Italians.
The groat originality of iladamo RistorPa atyla
eunsisU ebiefly in the union, ao imrvly net with, of
MEMOIBS OF RACHEL. :<IS
that there she was not duly appreciated. Though
instances of the possessors of genius and talent
meeting only with indifference from their feUaw-*
citizens are numerous, and though the voice of thei
prophet seldom finds an echo at home, the ap»'
plause of an Italian public has constantly followed
the career of her whose admirable enunciation
added new beauties to their harmonious language.
But it could not be expected that in towns
where the theatre-going public remains always
unchanged, enthusiasm can be kept up constantly
by three or four dramatic works, brought before
it by the same actress, however excellent she
may be in her art, as in largo capitals where the
floating population is so numerous.
Thus, though long years had established the
reputation of ^ladame Ristori in her native land,
it was eclipsed by the more brilliant one a few
weeks procured her in France. The perfect
classic outline of this great talent had been
hitherto fully admitted, but it remained for a
Parisian audience— an audience of consummate
critics, too long accustomed to tecellence to
tolerate mediocrity— to discern its mystic and
ethereal characteristics. Hence the triumph of
the great arlitte was in France as complete as it
was xapidly achieved.
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J
but now tlnTo arose a new star on t
horlz >n, wlili'li tliroateno*!, if ni>t
at li'ust to rival licr. On the 21t
Miidaroe Ristori appeared at the Ita
house in the part of Franeeica <
Never, perhaps, had a French actr
univcrsallj admired in Paris as was tl
actin;; in a foreign idiom. Never cc
she, even in her own land, where
eoume better understood, been the ob
extravagant encomiums. The critics
her perfection, the public countersign
cinion. The success of the Italian £
certainly without precedent if we cc
not over one-fourth part of her audi<
stood what was siK>ken otherwise thai
interpreted bj the roarvelfous .eloqui
countenance, attitude and gestures of t
Her great effects were entirelj due tc
«%^ AKa ^AA^tl
♦Ua
ma«vaM
#%f fki
MEMOIRS OF RACHEL. 211
lltdevy, M. Alocquart, and Scribe, were among
the guests. The invitations had been issued in
all probability when it was expected that the
play and the actress would meet with the most
brilliant success. The play had been eyidently
a failure — the actress had, as was usual witl| her
on first nightSy been far below her own standard.
These di8apiK>intments had thrown a cloud over
the doctor's entertainment which Rachel, feeling
that it was partly owing to her, would willingly
have dispelled. To get up a fictitious excitement
she, who was excessively abstemious, drank two
glasses of champagne. It produced no effect be^
yond a headache. As soon as the dinner was ovef
she withdrew into another room and gave way to
a fit of tears ; after which she slipped away home.
M. Scribe, who was extremely uneasy, remarked
to M6rrim6e that he would not wonder if she
never played the part again.
The ^' CzarinCi'* was, however, played for a few
nights, and then dropped for ever.
Tiiis wretched production was the last of
Mademoiselle Rachel's creations. Nothing re-
mained of it but two portraits of her in the coa^
tume of the Czarine, a blue dress embroidered
with gold and a mantle of ermine, fine paintings
by M. GcfTroy.
p2
M
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f l"i
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and lie roiintorinan<l!« the exccuti<
Cathnin'^ lio now l>ciiovrs there wa«
her s'nli' for Sjpirha\ he ailds that he
convinced Sapieha has none for kcTi 1
intercepted the Count's lost adieu to
wifci a letter full of ezprcasionB of
tendemcM, in which he tMures her si
mifltress of his heart, &c^ &c* Caik
oould look on calmlj when her loTer i
his he.idy when she finds she has lost
is overwhelmed with rage* Careless
qucncesy she vents her jealousj openl;
incensed Czar re-orders the execution,
the sentence can {lass his lips hb woi
short by his own death. Memchiioff^
save his daughter, Olga^ has hastened
tion of his plans ; the Czar is poisonc
This sudden death puts other thi
QuherineU mind. She sends the Cou;
bassador to Warsaw, with his bride :
MEMOIRS OF BACHBL. 209
think themselves alone, a few words, which, oyer-
heard by Olga^ reveal that she has been only used
as a cloak to shield her mistress. Feeling this
the more deeply that she herself loves her husband,
the poor little wife has still the magnanimity io
endeavor to persuade the Czar that she is really
loved by the Count. Her generosity is of no avail.
Peier is conscious that he is betrayed, he is deter-
mined on revenge. He exiles Olga to Siberia and
orders the execution of Sapiehcu The Czarino
uses her influence to save her &voritc~-she pre-
vails on her former lover, the Turkish Ambassador)
to convey her present one out of the kingdom in
his own carriage. But on the road Sapieha learns
the fate of Olga ; her noble devotion, her love for
him, her beauty and especially her youth have
changed the current of his love ; he is no longer
fascinated by the more mature charms of Catherine;
he now adores his wife, and to share her lot, wherever
it may be cast, he escapes from the Ambassador's
carriage, rushes back to St. Petersburg, is taken
and brought out on a scaffold under the windows
of the palace to be decapitated. The Czar, by a
refinement of cruelty, compels the Czarine to
view the scene, that he may catch on her counte*
nance the signs of grief that will be in his eyes the
proof of her guilt. But the Czarine views the
TOL II. p
^4
i
208 MEMOIBB or R&CmEL.
been in lore with pretty ifi— Oigo all thetia^
•od to luire resll; nude with her tlic rmJitam
tb»t hu w grntljr trouUed the Cnr mad ocm
uoDcd hU spouae to be eoeueed fnlacljr. Uni
natural concluBion bera would lure added tb
" Cxarina ** to the long liat of oomcdicv furaiilud
by M. Scribe, per oontract, to the Gynmaae. I^
may be that tbia was originally the cak. and dn
it had remained in tbia atate in M. Scribe's dnwtf
until the time of the Cruncan expedition, whau
the a«]uel woa tacked on. The dnuiia ia all in te
laat three acta, in wbidi are, alao, all tlie allunoi^
to Constantinople and to tlie Turka, the bated fbti
ot Peter tke Great; the Turiuab AmbaMvdortfl
the Court of Kuasia ia the man who once, thaab,
to Catheriitti interposition, permitted the Ciar W
caeape when he might have driven him into ibe:
Pnith. One might auppoee theao iucidcnta would!
infiucnce the action of the drama; thej baveij
however, nothing to do with it. "Wliile AfMUcAt-
koff and bis maeter are having a little fiuniliar'
diacussion on political maltera, a common-[^acej
remark of Peter in Olga, who ia present, with re-|
gardtoher husband, draws forth aa answer wbid^
arouaea all hia lately-appcaaed ausjnmona. SapiJim
baa not spent hia wedding-night with hia bridi
The Ctarine and the Count exchange^ when tb^i
MBUOIRS OF BACHBL. S07
enough, but here the embroglio begins. Vilder-
beckf going home late, in rather a confused state of
mind, wanders into the gardens of the palace,
finds a door open, enters a pavilion and catches a
glimpse of a lady in white, who screams and puts
out the light. At this moment a powerful grasp
is hud on his shoulders and he is tumbled down
stairs and out of doors very unceremoniously.
The next morning he finds himself at his own
door, half frozen and quite unconscious bow he got
there. In the scuffle a chambcrbin's key has
been dropped ; this key, picked up by Jahtnak^,
like Bluebeard's, gets every one into a scrape ; it
is shown to the Czar, whose suspicions it arouses.
Vilderbtekf being quesUoned, relates his nocturnal
adventure — it was too dark to recognise his assail-,
hmt or the lady, and he was too tipsy to remcm-
' bcr the locality of the scene. However, the key
is proved to be the Count's, and he is summoned
before the imperial inquisitor.— What was he doing
there? — He wns there for — Olgal Very well, he
roust immediately repair damages by marrying
Olga, who, on her side, knowing nothing of the
adventure, joyfully consents to obey orders and
take the husband provided for her.
The play might have been brought to a close
here, the fascinating Coimt turning out to have
I
I
SOfi IIKMOIBS OP SACBBI.
friend, but too much given to iadiscretioiu lAei
in his cups. Catherme knows of this love,
eneoura^ca it m ma agreeable diveruon to the aam
and repulsion tho brutality of her apouM ioipim', '
abe ia not ft bit mof« di«crcc( than lier Iwvcrt tui
unheaitatingly ilevelopc* hcridcuontbewibjeettl
Mattehikoff', who hod hlmaclf been tho happjpa^
MHor of her heart in former (Uys, but, like agMd
courtier, hoc] yielded it up to his nuater. Um
«cAii»^(]oe« not object to the Cnrine** new Co?
on moral grounils, but only as entailing Uaogtn*
results. Peter, who is abMnI, has set him to wildi
Catherine, but, having no great confidence in l>ii
nunistcr, has appointed Jakiniki/, another spy, 10
look aAer the 6rsU MeitBchikoff repays tbc
Czarinc's frankncse by the information tliat haviif
been, on some slight ocouion, caned by his impt-
rial master before all the Court, he, the favorite,
intends to take an early opportunity of p*ying
bock the little favor.
Id (he nieanwliile the Czarine promotes CmmI
Sapieha to the post of Chamberlain, aod Olga—
who, following the fashion, has &Uen in love with
the daabing, Frenchified Pole, is unconsciously he(
rival— to that of mud-of-honor, and admits her,
by a special lavor, to lodge in a pavilion occnped
by herself. So &r nutten have gone on BinootU;
224 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
tlie days of the learned Abb6 Galignani and
Baron de Grimm we know of none who^ not a
Frenchman bom, has been so thorough!/ French
in his language*
M. Fiorentino did not attain his present high
position in the ranks of the French press without
some trouble. He has had to struggle agsunst
jealousies, to conquer antipathies, to confound
calumnies ; but he has at last succeeded in taking
his place. He openly edits the dramatic y^tii//^
t<m of the '^ Constitutionnel," and, under the
name of '^ de Rouyicre,** the musical /etftV/tf^on of
the ^'Moniteur.* Monsieur Fiorentino is especi-
. ally noted for the correctness of his taste^ for a
style full of vivacity, piquancy, rich coloring,
clearness and elegance; the romantic neologism
which might be excusable in an Italian, never
throws a blemish over his productions.
No one has written a more fidthful and more
highly-finished portrait of Madame Ristori, yet he
has not been in any degree influenced by his na-
tionality! and has done as complete justice to the
cosmopolitan Rachel.
If we have entered on a somewhat minute
description of the rival that sprung up so unex-
pectedly before the eyes of the autocrat of the
Tli^&tre Fran^aisi the effect her advent had on
{
MBUOIB8 or RACnXL. SS5
•
the capricious Rachel must excuse the apparent
digression. From the Toluntary retreat no
prayers, no entreaties, no sense of equitj could
induce the imperious ioeUtaire to leave» the re-
ception shown to Madame Uistori suddenlj drew
her. The echo of the applause so enthusiasticallj
bestowed on the Italian Muse grated harshlj on
the ears of the French Melpom&ne ; ever/ word
of praise addressed to anoUier was a theft to her
disadvantage. She was aroaxed that the publiCy
in lieu of mourning her dci)arturey thought her
loss worthily comi>cn8atcd ; she was vexed to tlie
soul when she found her caprices, her 8ulks, her
imperious will, totally unheeded, her smile or her
frown no longer regulating tlie temperature witlun
the walls of the temple. For the first time she
trembled, for there was real danger — this was no
competitor she could scorn or frown down. Right
willing was she to descend from her throne and
seek in distant lands tlie substantial gifts of Pluto,
but she did not choose the vacant scat should be
filled in the meanwhile. With swelling heart and
lowering brow she went to see this fair-haired
stronger who had crossed the Alps, bringing two
crowns already firom her own land, that of comedy
and that of tragedy — a union of honors Rachel
herself had failed to achieve.
VOL. II. Q
226
MEUOTRS OF RAOnEL.
It was on the 5tb of June, Rachel| who had
been vainlj solicited to lend on the next eyening
her co-operation to the annual celebration of
Comeille's birthday, had gone to the Thd&tre
Italien to see ** Myrrha." At the moment that
the daughter of Pasiphm was receiving an ovation *
such aS| perhaps, Camille herself had never been
the object of, the latter came suddenly to the
conclusion that she would grant what she had so
obstinately refused ; she, then and there, in her
box, at nine o'clock in the evening, dispatched a
note to M. Ars6ne Houssaye, desiring her name
should be put on the bills in the morning for the
performance of Camille.
Duing the tragedy she had steadfastly gazed at
Mj/rrhof with mute, concentrated attention, but
without giving the slightest token of approval.
As an excuse for this discourteous conduct, a
critic suggested that she was probably applauding
internally. As a proof that her emotion was none
the less powerful for being undemonstrative, he
added that it had rendered her so ill that she was
compelled to leave before the end of the play I
Madame Ristori, complaining to M. Legouv^ of
the incivility of her sister arliitef in leaving in
the middle of the play :
^Madame," replied the poet, ''the jealousy of
I
4
MRXOiss or bachh. SS9
niming to mmnI a b«w Mum, doMrreil eondign
puDubment, uid nothing leu than Uu> proknged
•bMitca WH judged Bufficientlj WTfln.
On the 30th of Julj the tragidimit* Bppaarod
in "Lea Horacee" at St. JaiDci^a tbeatra. The
perfonnuice waa honored with the [weaeoee of the
Duke and Duchcaa of Aunude and the Duke and
Ducheaa of Xemoun, who appUaded itrj wmnaljr.
The illustrious exiles were ainonfc the hut of tbur
eountrrmen who saw her on an European ataf^
The Duke of Aumale remarked to Hr. Mitchell,
who aaw him to his carriage, that ** the beaoUful
language ol'Comcillct the Unguage of his native
land, had been to him like a refreshing dew after-
a burning summer's day."
On the 1st of August "Phudre" was given ;
on the 3nl, " Adricnno Lecouvrcur ; ** on the 4th*
** Andromaquo ; " on the 6th, " Lady Tartuflfe ; "
on the 6th, " Adrienne Lecouvreur." AAer this
series of performances Mademoiselle Raebel con*
sented to speak the dream in ** Athalie," at an
entertainment, given on the 9th, at the Theatre
Rojral, Dnirr Lane, for the benefit of the French
Benevolent Society.
230
CHAPTER XI.
1855.
DepArtvre for America— Pauion for Cardi and Affection for
her Brother— An Ill-ntWifed Expedition — ^Vojrage'ecroM
the Atlantie — ^UnpleeMnt Prediction — A Sad Angvrj
—Our Past Enron pnnne ue through Life— A Stimulant
to Learning — Spontaneoui Qenoroiitj — '^La Maneil-
laite " in the New World— A Slight Cold— Boeton-
Philadelphia.
In London the resolution of the tragedienne
had well nigh failed her completely. Her recep-
tion by the English audiencci with whom she was
always a great faToritCi had this time been ex-
ceedingly brilliant* She knew how generous and
how capable of appreciating her was the public
she was forsaking, she had strong doubts of the
one she was going to see. The millions that had
appeared so sure in the distancci as the time for
gathering them approached, seemed yery proble-
matical, and now most unwilling was she to un-
dertake the distant expedition.
MKMOIBS or SUHKk S31
Wo luTO now retched one of the most unpoi^
tant cvcnU in tlie career of iladeimwael le Baob*! j
iU dir« reaulu hang Uke a fui)eral>paU orar the
remaiDder of her life, which it ■bortowJ and
finolljr ended.
Thia ilUplanDod expedition, the subject of the
moit abaurd and ezagf^rated repoita, was alto-
gether a financial apeculation, in which art waa
even more than luuallj a acoondarf oonndon^
tion. Bocliol hcraclf waa but an iostnuaeat to
adranee the intcrciu of othcra. Her whole
family )u>d conspired to bring about thia grand
finait, which was intended to make every member
of it rich : tlie merit of its conception was doa to
the fertile imagination of Rapliad. Inexperienced,
luir-bmincd, full of chimerical illusions, the
young Israelite imagined that the pockets of the
citizens of the United States, mines richer and
nioro inexhaustible than tlioso of Peru, sdoly
awaited the advent of his sister to yield up their
rcaily-eoined treasures. Even old Felix, who
bad hitherto manifested the most consummate
skill and prudence in the management of hia
daughter's interests, was inoculated with thia
insane spirit of adventure, excusable in a man of
thirty, but strange indeed in one of his age and
experience. The contagious vertigo resembled
232 MRMOIR8 OF RACHEL.
the &tal one of old which wms the precunor of,
the ruin of the nation. In the present case it \yn»
the hitherto fortunate Rachel who was doomed to
paj the penalty of the family error.
From the day the fiucinating vision of the
American placer took possession of their bewitched
imagination, there was no peace for Rachel.
Continually pointing to the golden mirage the
demon of covetousness spread before them, they
assailed her with constant solicitations. Raphael,
Sarah, Dinah, Leah, incessantly dinned into her
ears the l,700,000fr8. realised by Jenny Lind in
thirty-eight nights. An estimate was made of
the expenses and profits of the expedition ; the
latter were not to amount to less than 2y554y600fr.
Of this sum Rachel was to receive l9200yOOOfr.
free of all expenses; her three sisters ITO^OOOfr.
each. As to Raphael, he was to have all he could
make after paying expenses.
The least reflectioui the least experience of
men and things would have shown the weak
points of this plan of campaign, and dispelled all
iUusions. But these children of Israel were so
completely carried away, American dollars shone
so brightly before their dazzled eyes, they could
not perceive how little connection existed be-
tween the easy gains made in a foreign land by a
MBMOIU or BACBBL. S33
ringer or « danoor Mid thow mide bj « tragio
&(uile, pantoinime mnd dancing an unirevMlly .
undcntood and appreciated; the; are at honia
whttrerer they go. A fine linger, a gracefill
dancer exert the aama fiweination on the andienea
whatever may be their nation. To undentand
them, no interpretation, no proliroinary atudiea are
re«iuircd ; their aim ia the gratification of the eye
and ear only.
It a far otherwise with the tragic actren, who,
even in tho country whoao Innguago she spcaka,
con only expect constant patronage from a certain
chus, tlio tUta of society, for tasto and education
ore needed to appreciate her art— elie ofibrs no
entertainment that can please the masses long;
with Uie crowd curiosity is the chief inducement,
and that satiafiod, the novelty once gone, the ma-
jority seek elsewhere amusements better adapted
to their intelligence und associations.
Had Ka[>hact read with discernment the news-
paper articles which within the lost tea years had
most powerfully contributed to exalt and glorify his
sister, ho would have seen the organs of the presa
constantly complaining of the indifference shown
by the French public for the masterpieces of their
own language. Had he known anything of the
234 JUHOIBS or RACHEL.
hutoiy of great dnunatio artista ha would bav*
remembered that Talma, the great Talma himself
sever, even when in the apogie of hii &mei at-
tuned to the ram of the reoeipta of the houaea
brought bj Madame Catalani and M adame Mali-
bran. He would have learned that the art of the
tragedian ia a liberal art and not a money-making
one, exercising ita influence on the diteuiA not on
the crowd. He may poeaiblj hare been led to
form his conclusions by the enthunasm always
manifested for bis nster in England. He did not
consider tliat she found there a numerous and
tughly-educated ariBtocracy, that the gentry, in
fact all the upper claseea, are well acquiunted with
the French language and ^miliar with its great
authors, that the distance between the two
countries permitted of a constant interchange of
ideas that rendered the appreciation of French
diamatio literature and its intcrpreten easy.
He did not pause to reflect that in America,
though education is far more widely disseminated,
it is also more superficial ; that this busy nation,
while it astonishes the rest of the world by the
gigantic adnncea it makes in all the mechanical
arts, by its wonderful inTentions in navigation, in
agriculture, has had no time as yet to perfect itself
io the arts that are lea* practically uieful'^^o
MBMOiBS or RAcnxu tSS
leiture to eultiTate the taste for tlunge thst to old
Europe are neoeeiariet and to young America
•upcrfluitiet.
Had Raphael been guilty of two literarjr idoM
hU wild anticipationa of tucceaa would hare beem
•omowhat tamed by the difference between tho
French clastic drama and the English or Shakeo*
perian, which is also that of the United Statca.
That ^ladame Ristori should charm CTcn thooo
among the Parisians who were ignorant of her
language is easily accounted for — the sulgects of
the tragedies she played were, for the most part,
familiar to the French public — they were treated
•
and developed in the same manner as tlieir own
tragedies ; they, thercforci asked no more than the
Italian actress could give themi and that tliey did
not understand they knew intuitively.
It could not be thus in regard to Rachel in
America ; its citizens were accustomed to dramas
in which the tragic and the comic clemcntSi the
sublime and the grotesque, the language of royalty
and that of the lower classes are all combined and
mingled. They do not, even in their own Ian-
guage, like to have that narrated and described that
might be put into action before their own eyes^
It was not probable that those accustomed to such
scenic performances would be entertained by
236 MEM0IB8 OP RACHEL.
French tragedies, trajicedies of Greek and Latin
origini without any varioty of scene or style^ where
the knguage, always sublime, nerer unbends,
where the dramaiis peranuB nerer even change
their buskins*
The above considerations are, eerle$^ not far-
fetchedi and would hare presented themsclres to
any thinking mind, and, had he reflected| would
hare dispelled some of the vapors that spread so
thick a haxe over the brain of Raphael Felix.
A last, and certainly not the least, important
consideration, was one quite overlooked by the
ambitious manager : he forgot, or did not choose to
remember, that between him, the improvident
and inexperienced youth, ignoring the language,
the customs, and manners, the men and things, of
the country he was going to put to contribution,
and Bamum, the famous showman who exhibited
Jenny Lind, and whose extraordinary tact, great
experience, and well-combined measures in the
way of pufis, trumpet-pealed announcements, Ac.,
&C., had so largely influenced her success, there
was an immeasurable distance.
From the moment this great project was con-
ceived to that which witnessed its execution,
nothing else was thought of, nothing else was
cared for. We will not pause to speak of all the
MEMOIRS or BACHKL. 237
•
atteropta nuule by friends and admireis to dissuade
tlio tragMienne from this suicidal design. It was
whispered that indueemcnts of considerable pecu-
niary Talue were tried in Tain« Among theae Ints
of prirate gOMip, it was said that in aceordance
with a wiah expreaaed by the iragedimm^ to poe-
tess a set of daspc to complete the superb panir§
of jewels she wore with the costume of Adriemme
f^ecoHcreur the sum of 100|000frs. was offered on
condition she would remain in France. Thia»
though a paltry consideration when opposed to the
IK>tcDt one of the expected l^OOyOOOfrs^ was still
too important to be slighted. The condition was
accepted, the sum was sent — part of it was used
for the purchase of the clasps, the remainder pru-
dently addc<I to the moss, and the tragidienne re-
mained — the handsome bribe purchased a respite
of fix months.
It must be owned, however, that it was long
before Rachel herself viewed tlie proposed emi-
gration in the fair colors in which it was pictured
by those who hod an interest in her going. Such
was her irresolution, that, to the very last moment,
Raphael trembled lest she should give it up alto-
gether. However, it was said that he had wisely pro-
vided against such an emergency and insured him-
self in more ways than one against any eventual
238 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
backsliding. Under color of losses at the Bourse he
borrowed a sum to defray the expences of a pre-
liminary voyage to America,- undertaken to make
the arrangements for her reception there. Be
afterwards obtained a second instalment for some
other preparatory requisitCi then again, another to
advance the month's pay to the actors engaged,
for the passage expences, &c., &c. When he had
thusborrowed to the amount of 80 or 100,000fr8. he
felt more secure for his own share of compensation.
On the 11th of August all doubt was at an end,
Rachel embarked in the Pacific. The counte-
nance of the tragedienne wore a heavy cloud;
mute and thoughtful, she seemed to leave the
shores of Europe with marked reluctance. It
might be that the natural grief of parting with
friends had thus saddened her; some of the mem-
bers of the company suggested that she might be
reflecting on M. Dumas* pleasant prediction that,
''should Mademoiselle Rachel succumb to climate,
fiitigue or disease, like Mademoiselle Sontag, her
brother Raphael would make the best of the mis-
fortune by having her embalmed and exhibiting
the body of Rachel to the Americans since he
could not exhibit her alive.''
Her very first day on board was marked by an
incident that might well have inspired sad pre--
MEMOIBS OF RXaiEL. SSV
icntiniCDtA. One of the pMScngerii who was fiur
gone in a cont umptioni died thnt aftcrnooo. Tho
body was put into a coffin and placed in one of
the boaU. For the first few days the presence of
death cast a gloom on the passengers ; for some
time when walking on tho deck they either aroided
the side where the body hung in the little boat,
or the laugh was hushed, the voice bwercd to a
whisper, the quick pace slackened as they passed
by. But the impression of awe that produced
this respect was soon cflfnced, and the merry chat,
the light song and cheerful laugh were hoard, as
uncontrolled and free as though that sad roomento
of what was, is and Mill be, to the end of time it-
self, was no longer there. The mute eloquence of
those lips doomed to eternal silence was soon un-
heeded by the thoughtless crowd, and the poor
aunt of the youth was the only one whose counte-
nance retained any trace of sadness.
During the psissage Captain Nye presented to
his celebrated passenger a superb mahogany boX|
filled with American perfumery, the gift of a
citizen of New York, who wished to remain t/icoy-
nito. The gallantry of her unknown admirer did
not, however, render the tragidienne more clieer-
ful, and she finally chose to remain altogether in
her cabin.
240 MEMOIRS OF BACIIEL.
The day before the arriTol of the Pacific she
coDdeacendcdy howcTcry to make her appearance
at the public table. This was the day of what is
called the Captain's dinner, when champagne i^
supplied gratis, and toasts, speeches, and con*
gratulations are made and exchanged* After the
usual toasts to the Captiun and to the ladies,
some one propo^ the health of Mademoiselle
l{acliel. So far there was nothing unusual or out
of the way in the proceedings, but they did not
end here. It occurred to some busy gentleman
tliat the members of the French company would
hail with delight an opportunity of singing the
** Marseillaise " — proLably he thought they were
in the habit of singing it night and morning as
some other people are supposed to say their
prayers, and with like hopes of a happy result.
His expectations were rather disappointed, for the
astonishment of those thus unexpectedly called
upon was great indeed. The honor was unani-
mously declined, for the very good reason that
not one knew by heart the French national
hymn.
No one seemed inclined to make a display of
his musical powers, until a gentleman from New
Orleans, haying devoted himself, Curtius-like, for
the good of all, volunteered, on condition the
I
MKMOIBS OF RACHBU Ml
burthen of the eong should be tnkon up by all
present. The reputation of the Freneh oompanj
for patriotism was thus saved. As for the bur-
then it was taken up« and in such guise» that,
whaterer credit the singers deserved for good will,
it was evident there was nothing to boast of in
Uie way of harmony. It was plainly apparent
they were nearing a land of liberty, for every man
sent forth his voice in the most independent
manneri perfectly free from all trammels of
time or mcasurci and utterly careless of his
neighbor's i>erformance. At any rate the result
was one that had not always been the case with
the belligerent hymn — it ended not in tears
and bloody but in hearty and prolonged merri-
ment.
The close of the voyage was marked by the
usual act of conventional generosity which
cudtom has made a law for all artists of European
celebrity, and which to neglect would be to
peril the expected success. Mademoiselle Rachel
remitted to tlio Captain two thousand francs to
be distributed among the crew of the Pacific,
and eight hundred francs for the Sailor's Orphan
Asylum. Thinking this a favorable opportunity,
one of the lady passengers requested the generous
ariUu would give a few scenes firom Comcille
VOL. If. R
242 MEM0IB8 OP BACHSL.
or Racine for the gratification of all the passen*
gert. Rather surpriaed at a call for which her
experience of English society had not prepared
her, the tragidtenne^ returned a Terj positive
refusal.
At seven o'clock on the following morning |^;
Rachel and her companions landed on the
shores of the Eldorado, on which so many
hopes were founded. They were received by
Mr. Gustavc Naquet, the agent of Raphael) who
seemed rather annoyed than pleased that the.
Pacific should have got in so early. The cause
was soon explained : preparations had been made
to receive Hermione with all due honors ; a
steamboat was to have brought out her guards-—
the Lafayette company of militia, consisting of
French citizens of New York — ^with a band of
music playing French tunes, to meet the steamer
and greet its celebrated passenger. A number of
ladies and gentlemen had been invited to join the
party. Great, therefore, was the disappointment
when the Pacific, expected at ten o'clock, chbso
to anticipate the time by three hours and spoil
this little nautical y3?/«.
The tragidtenMi however, seemed rather
rejoiced at having escaped the threatened ovation,
and congratulated herself on being permitted to
MEMOIIIS or BACBBL. 243
diicmbark quietly without the annoyanee of a
gaping crowd caoorting her to herhoteL But aho
wna not to be let off «o easily ; no tooncr had tho
kid her hend on the pillow, tired, weary, and glad
to think she wua once more on Utrafirmn^ when
the perierering Lafayette Guards congregated
under her windows and commenced their sere-
nade.
The Tictim was doomed — there was no help fur
it but to resign herself with as good a grace as
mi^l^ht be to the infliction. She dressed herself
and made her appearance on the balcony. Con-
tent with this submiMion, her tormentors finally
permitted her to seek the rest she so greatly
needed.
The St. Nicholas, with all iu New World
splendor, was not the place to suit one accustomed
to the quiet comfort and retirement of an European
hotel. The very next day found Knchel installed
with her younger sisters, Lcoliand Dinah, in a pri-
vate boarding-house in Clinton Place. Raphael
and the father went to other lodgings, and Sarah
chose to rettidc by herself in another quarter of
the town. This division of the family gave rise
to numerous conjectures as to the motives that
led to it, OS though some very potent one were
needed for such a measure. The remainder of
r2
244 UeUOIBS OF RACHEL.
the companj took lodgings wherever it eaited
their means and convenience.
Preparations were now acUvely made for the
great attack on the pockets of the American
citizens, and the manager was soon exceedingly
busy carrying out the operations of the siege at
his office in Wall Street. A wonderful effect of
the desire to make money nnanifestcd itself in the
quickacss with which Bnphael mode himself
sufficiently master of the language of the country
for all ordinary purpo^s. On his arrival he could "^
say but a few sentences ; in a few days he could
not only understand all that wns said, but make
others understand him — lohen ha chose. We say
when he chose, for it did not always suit Raphael's
purpose to be too clear. When Americans who
spoke French well attempted to prove their pro-
ficiency in that language when applying for seats,
or for any other purpose connected with the
theatre, the prudent niana^r preferred replying
in broken English, because, as he used to tell the
actors, he could not be made responsible for any-
thing he might be understood to promise — he was
liable to make mistakes in a foreign tongue and to
any one thing when he meant another. Itus he
found means to evade keeping such engagements
as turned out to be against his interests.
s
MBMOiM or EACnU. t4&
On tht Srd of Sflptcnbar tiM trmgUimmt
m»dfl her fint appMimaee oa tba bovda of tht
Metropoliua Theatre. Tb* pky that preoedad
tlte tragedf was ** I«m Dtmu da rilomiM,* wlud^
mneli ai it waa liked ia EuropCi aeaieely p l e ai ad
the nuyority of the audiene^ wlto^ aot imdo^
standing French, and haring oona utprMdj to
aee Rachel, thought tho two aota of the eooMdjr
iatenninable. The;r had, howerer, to aodon
with what patienoe they poaaBwed, the Ant act of
**Lea Horaoea," before their eurioaitj eould bo
ntiaficd. At length it was Camili^a tarn 10
come on, and >he waa greeted with three or four
rounds of applauae. To one who waa aeeustoowd
to create an extraonlinaiy Mnsation wherever aha
went, and who had been recalled twentj-two
linMa in Vienna, the reception given her b/ tlM
Now-Yorken aeemed but lukewann. She wa%
however, warmly applauded and recalled at the
end — not of the tni^rcdy, for it waa not all acted
— but of the rdU, The ap|)lauM uf the European
claque being wholly unknown in the United
States, the iinut^/Sdt expressiooa of approbatioo
the real public there give is for more valnablc^
thongh, peihapa, leM violent and prolonged than
that of the hired Komona stationed under the
lustre of a Fariaiaa ;!watre>
246 HEHOIBS OF RACHEL.
Tills fint perfurmanco produced 26,334fr., n
auin exceeding an^ one ever made in a single
ni^ht hy any actor in Europe. But it vtaa &r
below the brilliant expectations tliat had been
founded on the succces obtained by Jenny ; as
long OS the singer's gains were the point of com-
parison, that wliich would have been thought a
very handsome reward dwindlcdinto insignificance.
The Lind's first performance hod brought nearly
lOCOOOfr.
Notwithstanding Raphael's disappointment, he
could not improve the situation of affiiira; no
after performance even attained as high a sum as
this first one, and though it will be seen that every
one yielded a much larger sum tlian he could have
hoped to realise during a siniilur tour in any
European country, it was nothing to those who
had counted oa fifty or sixty thousand fnincs
every night.
On the 4th "PhMre" was given, and another
comedy; on the 6th, "Adrienne Lccouvreur."
This drama was in America much prefcired to any
of the classic tragedies, and this was also the cose
in Europe wherever French was not the language
of the country. For those not perfectly familiar
with the literature of France the long speeches in
the tragedies of Comeille and Kacino must have
MKIIOIBS OF BACnSL. 247
•
been ezeeedingly tireaome. Bcaidcsi thcro is no-
thing in theae to please the eye ; the etenud re*
petition of the eaine eostumee— a few jarda of
flannel — and of the same decoration. The Greek
pahice with its two old red arni*-chMra — must in-
vest tlie whole thing in the eyes of foreigners with
the most unendurable monotony; add to these
drawbacks, the being obliged to follow the author
in an execrable translation tluit has neither rhjme
nor reason, that wakes the most egregious non*
sense of the most eloquent passages, and in which
the sublime is grotesque, the pathetic ludicrous, .
then let the public connist of people who have been
too bu9y moncy-mnking all their lives to have had
time to study the deuii-god i>aM»ions of the Greek
aiul Roman heroes, to have Icumed to appreciate
the simple grandeur^ the sculptural purity, the
archaic severity of art, and what wonder that it
should prefer the brilliant, high-colored melodrama
" Adricnne Lecouvreur," with its change of deco-
ration at each act, its rich costumes. 2^Iademoi*
sellc Kachcl and her sister Sarah might have fol-
lowed the precedent set by Mademoiselle Georges,
and had it announced on the bills that they
'' played with all their diamonds,^ so daulingly
were they adorned in '' Adricnne.**
The pure lines, the still, statuesque beauty that
848 inMOIRS OF RACHEI.
no grief, however violent, muBt alter, the etera
dignity that would diadun to exhibit ita agon; in
exaggerated contortions, the eternal serenity and
heroic grace of the tragic muae eould have no
ehamx compared with thoM of the drama, her
bastard aiater, whose unbridled ptusions, nervous
excitability and convulaive grief are more in
accordance with the blati taste of the day
and delight those who have no time to analyse
their sensations and dietinguish truth from fiction.
During Mademoiselle Bochel'a stay in New
Toric the yellow fever was raging in Norfolk and
Portsmouth with extraordinary violence. _ Public
subscriptions wore everywhere raised to remedy in
some measure the misery and destitution that its
ravages occouoned. H. Gustave Naquct havbg
represented to the tragMiennt that it was custo-
mary for the stars who levied large taxes on the
land to show themselves munificent tu such cases
as the presenti and that the mite she was to con>
tribute must not be under a thousand dollars, she
reluctantly consented to make this donation to the
families of the victims. The capital thus employed
not bringing in the immediate interests she had
expected, for the Americans were too much ac-
customed to such acts to give them the importance
she attached to her spontaneous gift} it was soon
MRMOnU OP KACHBL. S49
rr^tted, uid sho reproached her adfiaer quite
lutterlj, M^ing :
" Well, what good have my 5,000fr. dona nwT
Jut moncj thrown aw»y."
Id the meanwhile the flTer>buij Lafajrette
Goarda took it into their wue hcada that Hademoi-
•elle Rachel should sing them the " Maneillaiac"
Thej hod no parUcular reaaon to give for tha
wiah ; because she had aung it for the gratifica-
tion of the Pariaian populace of 1848 it did not
follow ttiat tlie cieizena of Sew York akould tak«
any particuUr delight in it The difference of
time, place, people, opportunity were conuden-
tions totally overlooked by these exacting gentle
men. Pcrlinps they imagined the demand proved
their nationality.
WhutCTcr their motives, they would give the
trayidUnna no rest until she had consented to
their whim. It must be owned that they had
some little trouble in obtaining what they asked.
Mademoiselle R&chcl refusing at first on very
good grounds. As an apology for her reluctance
she sent the following letter, alleging inability,
to her exacting countrymen. The letter was re*
published in France as « justification, inasmuch
as it proved she had complied only afW much
beutation; but it scarcely accomplished thede>
250 MEMOIRS OP RACHSIi.
sired object, Jules Janin inristiBg she should have
said she ^ would not " instead of ^ she could noti"
she should have declined point-blank in lieu of
pleadbg want of voice.
''Dear C!ouktrtmeK|
^It is seven years since I have sung the
'IklarseiUaise;' at the time I did sing it I had
voice^ and my health was still young. Now I am
often exhausted after the play ; I should, th^ure*
fore, really fear to injure the interests of others
should I increase my fatigues.
^ You may believe in the deep regret I feel in
not daring to promise what you desire of me,
^^ ft
when I tell you I loved to sing the 'Marseil-
laise ' as I love to act my finest part in Corneille.
** Believe me, dear countrymen, &c., &c
''Rachel.
"New York, September 8th, 1855.*
But the Guards were not to be thus discou-
raged, and, finally, on the 28th of September,
having, after the evening's performance, repaired,
to her residence and given her a serenade with ac-
companiment of vociferations for the ''Marseillaise/'
they obtained a solemn promise firom Baphael that
the " Marseillaise** would very shortly constitute
MSMOIBS or BACnEU 26 1
a pftrt of the eycning^i entcruinmcnt offered bjr
AlMlcaiowelle Itechel to the theatre-gobg pablie.
At for linging it on a baloony for the gratificatioo
of a non-paying street audienee, the irap&lktmg
could never have been made to undentand that
sucli a tiling was expected of her.
The announcement of this extra peribrmanoe
was, however, very injurioue to the reoeipta of the
intervening once — people waited for the aong-nighu
It came at Uat ; on the 8th of October the biUe
announced the longed-for ^ MareeiUaiee.**
But in the interval that luid elapsed between
the promise and its realisation, a terrible blow had
been struck at the foundation of the delicate con-
stitution that required so much care and received
so little. There was either a tendency from
birth to pulmonary diseases or the seeds had
been sown in early youtli, when poverty entailed
insufficient clothing and frequent exposure to the
inclement weather. Rachel, when at the Con*
i>crvatoire, Imd suffered from a complaint of the
larynx that frequently ends in consumption.
. Nowy however^ the misciiief, long dormant, was
suddenly developed by negligence. A grand
religious festival having occurred among the
Hebrews of New York during her sojourn there,
Uachel was invited. Ignorant of the treacherous
m^jm
252
MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
nature of the climate and its sudden yicissitudeS,
she had dressed herself in accordance with the
mildness of the day. On her return home, how-
ever, there was a complete change, a sharp East
wind prevailed, and the consequence was she
caught a violent cold. From that moment her
doom was sealed, for subsequent carelessness
rooted the evil
In the evening she went to a sair^ at the house
of M. de Tropbriand, the talented editor of the
** Courier dos Etats-Unis,* to whom the French
were indebted for very excellent articles on their
performances. This second imprudence aggra-
vated the mischief done in the morning.
On the night, then, that the '^ MarseilUise **
was to be given, Rachel was ill-disposed to sing,
but the audience had assembled chiefly for the
purpose of hearing it, and she had no choice ; as
long as they saw she could act they took it for
granted she could sirg.
The effect of the '' Marseillaise'' in New York
was nothing compared to that produced in 1848,
and it could not be otherwise. In Paris the
a
house was filled with an excited multitude, who
heard and saw through the medium of their own
feelings, and whom it required little exertion to
raise to a pitch of enthusiasm that reacted more
MEUOIBS or KACRBL. 353
or le» on ihe actrSM : there w>u no tueh Btimo-
luit in Amcricft, where the hjmn of ** Rouget
do riile " could awake no domuot putions kod,
in fact, could have in ittelf no tnore real interest
Tor the audience than on; other wng. Madcoioi*
•elle lUchct had never had oojr voice for iinging.
and ■till Icn> car; she could keep neither time
nor tunc ; the orchc»tra of the Theatre Fran9kU
wa« aware of theso doficiencea of ta grande traft-
dienme, whom nature had never designed for a
canlatrice, and when she chose to step out of her
•plicrc it took care to supply them; she did not
ving to the muaic, the muaic followed her nitiopteia,
diNcmblcd, covered the defective poiats^ and not
unfrequcntl/ anticiiwtvd aud prevented too die-
cordont ones. She and tho orchestra were old
acquaintances, and had practised the thing
together of^cn. But here she was in the pre-
sence of musicians who thought she knew how to
■ing, and therefore played according to rule,
leaving her often at a distance, or finding her start
on before ; they pcrfonned a tune while she
chaunlcd a sort of recitation without much of
any. Add to this diwuivantage that of a want of
inclinatioD, a cold on her cheat, a cold audience,
and the effect could scarcely be very exhila-
rating.
■« "~ ^ 1 V
254 IIBHOIBS OF RACHEL.
The spectators gave her credit for her compli«>
ance if not for her skill, by applauding very
courteously. The esteem «n which they really
held the performance was made apparent by the
difference of the receipts when it was given the
second time. On the first night it brought
2 1 ,299frs. When it was repeated, some days afteri
there was a decrease of over one- fourth in the'
receipts, which only amounted to 15y267fTS.
The benefit of Mademoiselle Rachel proved at-
tractive, and consequently remunerative, though
she gave one of her worst plays, *' Jeanne d'Arc.**
She again performed the ^Marseillaise,'* and
Madame Lagrange sung the grand ur firom- ** I
Puritani." The result was 22, 1 28frs.
Though much troubled with her cough, such
was RacheVs impatience to finish her engagement
in America, that she played four nights in suo*
cession. She had private reasons— jmra^^ inas*
much as they did not concern the public at
large, but not secret, for she did not hesitate to
speak very openly on the subject — for her eager-
ness to return to France.
From New York the French Company went to
Boston— not the best climate to cure coughs—*-
and on the 23rd gave ''Les Horaces.** Made*
moiselle Rachel continued to perform in succes-
lfKM0IR8 or BACH£U t55
•ion OQ the 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th. The
ccM obtained in Boeton wm fiir more brillianty
coniidcring the numericml diffcrenee in the popu-
lation than in New Yorlc
At this juncture there waa a little reactioQ»
cauied by an attempt to obtain higher prices
for ceruin tcata than those mentioned on the
bilU, and the rather cavalier way in which the
prca«9 to omnipotent in the United Statee, waa
treated by Raphael Felix. Whether the fault
was really in the manager, or whether, as he
as!iortc<l, it was attributable to outride specuUtorSi
with which he had nothin;; to do, the conse*
qucnocs fell on him, for though Mademoiselle
Uachcl np|»carcd in two pieces on the same night
— "Polycuctc ** and *• Lc Moincau dc Lcsbie**—
they brought only fome 4,000rr. Satisfactory
explanations having been given and the evils
complained of remedied, the breach was healed,
and the public restored iu favor to the French
company.
By a curious coincidence, while Mademoiselle
Ilachel was giving the " Adricnne Lecouvrcur of
Messrs. Scribe and Lcgouvc to the Bostonians,
Miss Eliza Logan wos playing on a{)Ocryphal
Adrienne in a play translated, or rather
*^ Anglicised with voriationsi** from the French
256
XBMOIBS OF RACHEL.
drama, and entitled ''The Youth of Marshal
Saxc.*'
On the 2nd of November the tragedy of
** Virginie," and, ** by requesti" the " Marseillaise,'*
was given for the benefit of Mademoiselle Rachel,
on which occasion many of the students of Cam-
bridge wishing to obtain a better view of the
tragedienne^ came on the stage as supernumeraries.
All the French in Boston, the majority of whom
were workmen, were in the house that evening ;
of course the success of the ^ MarseillaisCi'' wHs
very great, that portion of the audience having
some affinity with the public Mademoiselle Rachel
had chaunted it to in 1848. This was her last
night in Boston. •
I
t
S57
CHAPTER Xn.
1856.
Rctom to Kcw York— Jolet Jmub m Um FMd
PhilaiclphUi— Itf GwuMareacai A is Fi m Li ltU FamII/
Jaw— ChTlwto a - T hs huH Peffocm— ct — M i ari et
While the tragedienne waa electrifying all the
French pretenders to ultra-RepublicanUm in the
American cities, the news of this revival of by-
gone mummeries had reached Paris and rekindled
the wrath of her quondam admirer Jules Janin,
who, in a very eloquent article, fulminated his
anathema, not on the originators of the sin, but
on those who were most innocent of it. He cen*
9urcd with more severity and spirit than strict
justice the American nation as having asked for a
revolutionary French hymn never perhaps thought
of by them, and which was to the Frenchmen
who did request it solely a reminiscence of their
own land. His article, making all allowance for
the ezaggeradons into which his anger hurried
VOL. II. S
■fti ■*>■ W ■ M
-/
258 MEMOntS OP RACHEL.
him, was ably written, and annoyed Mademobelle
Bachel the more aa, although full of pmisea of her,
it spoke of her expedition as a complete fidlure.
On the 6th of Noyerober the French company
again commenced its performances in New York.
The first was ^ Adrienne Lecouvreur,** followed,
on the 8th, by ^ Lady Tartuffe," but the disad-
yantages of the house were such that the receipts
were not oyer half the usual sums. The next
performances were giyen at Niblo*s little theatre,
and proyed more lucratiye.
On the 17th Iklademoiselle Rachel bade farewell
to the Now Yorkers in '^Ph^dre'* and ^Le
Mobeau de Lesbie." An ode, written for the
occasion by M. de Trobriand, Rachel k PAmerique,
was recited by the tragedienne and receiyed with
hearty applause by the audience.
From New York the company proceeded to
Philadelphia, where, in an eyil hour, Mademoiselle
Raohel made her appearance at the Walnut Street
Theatre, in '<Les Horaces,* on the 19th. The
house had not been warmed I This piece of un-
pardonable neglect on the part of somebody was
fatal to Mademoiselle Rachel, whose cough had
continued firom the day she caught cold in the
synagogue. It was a cold November eyening, and
the atmosphere of the house, damp and raw, was
MBMOIBS or BACHSL. t59
wome thao that of the open street. MeJcmoieeBe
Rachcri hacking cough waa painful to hear, and
»ho looked wretchedly pale as the aat» wrapped
up in her ahawli waiting in the alipa her tnm to
come on. The result of this was, that she waa
unable to rise tlie next day, and remained ill
during all the time she was in that town.
This was the commencement of SaphaeTs dis-
comfiture. So far, if the reality had not equalled
hill wild expectations, it had consisted of such
solid, substantial profits as would hare satisfied
any reasonable hopes. From New York his sister
had already sent to Fmnce 300,000fnL of her
gains — including her London receipts — and he
himself GOyOOOfra. The few drawbacks that had
occurred had proceeded fmm his own mismanage-
menu In his eagerness to make money rapidly,
ho had curtailed the privileges of the press, in-
fringed the laws and customs of the country he
was in, quarrelled with his agent, and, on the
whole, proved himself but an indifferent show-
man. Besides these outside troubles there were
little domestic jars, inevitable in a family where
the tempers were so varioiui and sonie of them so
violent, and where the several members had be-
come accustomed to a perfectly independent and
uncontrolled life.
S2
^ iiBiiiir ■ 1^1
260 lIBMOISfl OF RACHEL.
It was moro eapeciallj between Raphael and
Sarah that diaaensions were wont to arisei but
although a furious quarrel would at times spring
up from the most insignificant causes, it seldom
lasted. On one occasion some little misunder-
standing having occurred during a rehearsal, there
was a terrible falling out between them, the
brother entrenching himself behind his authority
as manager, and the sister setting it at nought in
the most defiant manner. Sarah knew no bounds
when in a passion, and her language was then more
apt to savor of her earlier career than was quite
befitting her present position, nor were the ears
of her adversaries always safe from substantial
buffets as well as angry words. After a very
violent interchange of epithets, neither fraternal
nor complimentary, during which the manager
maintiuned himself at a respectful distance from
his refiractory actress, she declared she would tear
up her engagement, to which the reply was that
nothing could give him greater pleasure. Ao-
cordingly the document was sent back in a dozen
pieces. No one seemed to think the country was
in danger, or that the interest of the French com-
pany vrould be severely damaged by the loss of
the retiring member. * Raphael was exultant, and
Rachel in a state of great hope that Sarah would
MBMOIM or BMUb Ml
fblU Imt thrart and tolM benoir bMk to Eonpa I at
tbe MOM tiiM ■he wu in gnat psrpbxitjr, ht At
dH«d not «7 ihc wuhea her oO; iMt Suik ihaold
aUy to Mfita hor, nor emU iha Mstan to toll
hcrtoiUylotibaihoaldaUowhaMlfteba ad-
vitod. When Sftnh, tberaTMP^ cum in hot hart*
to naka bar oomplainta, abe took a aiddU eona^
oondoiod with bar griofi^ wtii it waa too h aj
there wai no Uviag with Raphael eoPGlaft^f
withi
"At any iste, dear, joa ihall not go pen ri tewj
m let you here eix tboiuand franci to kelp jron
to rotunif &e^ &&'
Meuwhile "huij TArtuBe" ww to be pev>-
fonned the next ni*;ht, and of oouree Sarah, wb»
played the Counteaa, wai out of the qneetion.
Raphael, too, id tbe bcatof tbeqoarrel would uot
ehange tbe aonouBcemcot, counting on Mademoi-
■dle Durey, a vciy intelligent actroai, who had
played the port otien, in tbe moat able maDiier,
when with Itochcl on other toura. MadenoieeUe
Durey replied afao waa ready to play tbe part, bat
that, her lalaiy not permitting her to own to ez-
penaire a wardrobe as MademmicUe Sank, ahe
had ao dreaa befitting the occauon. Anxioua to
prove to the dcUnquent how well be could get
.along witboot ber, Raphael offered, if tbe dreaa
262 MEMOIRS or BAOHBL.
could be got ready in time he would pajr for it*.
Modemoieelle Durey, in a 'great fright lest the
loving relatiyea should get reconciled before she
had secured this munificent gift, posted to Stew-
art'si selected a splendid moire antique, exacted a
solemn vow of the dressmaker to bring it at the
appointed hour, and awaited in great trepidation
the result.
^ My forebodings proved true,** quoth Made*
moiselle Durey, ^ they did make it up, and Sarah
played the Countess, but the dress was in time ;
it had been cut and fitted for me, so Raphael had
to pay the 500fra. it had cost. I was still fearful
to the last that it would be taken from me and
altered for Leah or Dinah, they being shorter
than !.••
Rachel, though often the cause of strife, seldom
allowed herself to quarrel. She invariably pre-
served the quiet dignity we have so frequently
had occasion to mention. She dreaded anything
like a scene. She had brought with her from
Europe a second waiting-maid, a great, awkward,
raw-boned virago, called Eleonore, who had been
a cook all her life, and was entirely ignorant of the
duties of the elevated station Mademoiselle Rachel,
for private reasons, had promoted her to. Be-
tween this useless supernumerary and the faithful
aUItoMllMn«nt«dgmt jvlao^. Bm Mt
thai wUU lU had all tka ai^iniMM and om af
bar aiabaa' waidraba and toOat. tUi intidapw.
who did aotU^, wai bai^ pattad aod iMda
nuok of. Tba atriA giaw to violant that Ifada-
naiaalla Baehd wai oUigad to aapanta tka ibali
aad Mod Uoaa to Uva at tba hotal wbva ikamnm-
htn af tba oompany rwided t than iba oontiaMd
bar duty of attaadiiig to bar eoitMii^ ko-, bat
Klaooon wmainad attaebad to bar owa panaa.
Tbi> piaoa of iiuuatka waa dietalad bf tba ftalwg
tbatranderadberioimpatieBt to return loEun^w.
The womui to whom aha gave the preTarenea over
tbe Btuehed oreatura that had beon with bar from
the b^DDing of her career, <nu tba aarraat of ft
friend ehe had left behind, aad for whom aba
openly profeaMd an aflTcction ahe had oaTcr fth
fur anyone before. Slw had taken of her own aoeord
thia coarae cook-maid into her aerriea at a aalary
of IfOfn. nonthly, ia order to bare a witncaa of
her truth and constaacy, and there waa no kind*
ooaa ahe did not laviah on this woman to ■aouro
her &vorable report.
Poor Koao cried from morning to night, and ox-
eit«t the aympathy of th« two younger liitara, Laah
and Dinah. The latter, one day, ezpreaaing bar-
•elf rather hardUy wUh regard to BachelV tmt<
>*iL^ — ■
./
264 MEMOIB8 OF RACHBL;
ment of Roaei Sarah, who was presenti took the
matter up so hotly on the opposite side that Dinah
could not play for a day or two after in conse-
quence of the impression her sister's ailments
had made on her face*
All these little bickerings, however, though fre*
quent, did not interfere with the general prosperity
of the French company. Everyone but the
Felixes was satisfied with the prospect of con-
tinued success. In a letter from one of the mem**'
bers to a friend in Paris, we find the following
under date of October 20th.
• ** We are playing every day. I am obliged to
own I fear we shall «ee you again too soon ; the
success of our grande tragidtenne is such I really
think she will make her i,200,400firs. before the
nine months are elapsed.''
In another, dated the 14th of November, the
same correspondent remarks :
^They say in Paris we make no money. We
do not realise 30,000fnL a*night, but Mademoiselle
Rachel has already remitted to France 300,000frs.
including the last receipts of the London perform-
ances* She has come to the United States very
reluctantly, for, as she says herself, she loves for
the first time, and she has only resigned herself to
tho sacrifice she makes in leaving France for the
ttf
idb ^iitrfmmlf. Let m bofw thk fcalhqt wiH
prapoodanta oTor tlw fini, aad thatwaiUtMt
•M Fnnea agiin bofcn nut JuatJ'
Tlie atata of Raehd'a health pnebdiq; Imt
frooiix^wriiigbefegathaPhihidalphiaiiaaadtha
phTneiaiia hanng adnaad an imniediatn ranMlfil
to amnner eUmate, tha eompaa/ gnva fimr p«-
I '' fcnnancaa without her. Engliah phiya wera per*
fomwd on the wow •▼eningi bj tha EogUih eon-
foj, but tha plan met iritb ao littk bver that tha
f* raonpta did not amount to a thouand fiaaea
a-night. The houu had boon n»tcd for ten per*
fbmunccsi, and had to bo pud in anj oaae. The
Mine thing occurred «nth n^ard to all the theatrea
I ;. that bad boon engaged before-hand, and the
amount thus ipent did not aTerage leae than
ZOflOOfn. for the citiea of the Uoitod Statea and
SOfiOOfn. for the Havana theatre.
It waa during KfodcmoiMlle RachcTa foioed eo>
duaion in Philadelphia that the rcp(Ht of herdeath,
with the inoit oireunutantial aocount of her laat
momenta, went the round* of the American papera^
and finalljr travelled to Europe, where it waa ro-
publiihed in all ita moat minute detoila. When the
aubject of thia wretched joke heard of it ah* waa
more amusod than rezed.
It waa finallj deotdod that the company abouU
^UMrikH««M>
266 X&MOIB8 OF RAOHBL.
go at 0DC6 to Charleston. Much was hoped from
the climate there, but Rachel herself would have
willingly returned immediately to France. With
her this was now the ruling passioui and it was
more than once feared she would start by the
next steamer, and leaye her brother to settle his
affiiirs as he chose.
On the 27th| Mademoiselle Rachel, her &ther|
and her sister Sarah, anticipating by a few hours
the departure of the other members of the com-
pany, left Philadelphia. The invalid travelled by
shorter stages, so that although she had preceded
her companions, she arrived after them. The first
performance, consistingi as usual when she did not
playi of comedies, was given without her on the
10th of Decemberi and was not very numerously
attended. It was everywhere the same, the
attraction was Rachel; they wished to see the
idol Europe had so long worshipped, not a
French play they could not understand. As for
Raphael, convinced that the health of his sister
would now be completely restored, he took this
opportunity to go on to Havana and make
the necessary arrangements for her reception
there.
There was in Charleston a French doctor,
whose skill was highly spoken of ; he was sent for
! g -I ^J l '-' _ .L ' ■ ' '. ■ "•1 \ •■•J ' / - ' .rafl^^r i^scarsag i , ■ ■■ ^
m
by KidciBoiitlh RmM, ud Id* calr adnot «u
tWt ilw dKNild DMiataia bcrMlf m * ftBta of
absoluu npoos for hz iDOBtlw, Thii vw tha
oolj thing >h« Deeded, but it wm a timt ftm mm
eooditicp at healtb. Tlua, btnrerer, tka patient
rqeeted m ui aU«r impoeubilitjr. Uar eoogfa
ooatmned varjr tnwbleMaM, but bar atjwvtb moA
genenl boalUt beiag Bligfatly unprored Jm wh
bent DO pvformiag, uul bcr nnippeanutoe wh
■ooounced to l&k« pUco od the 17Ui iiMtaat is
tbo part «f ^otiMW LaemuMmt.
Tbia doctor waa probablj tbe fint peraoo wbo
really a>w tbe danger in whiob tbe trajfeJiwHt*
Hood even tbea. Her tlloeaa waa qtoken of ai
■n aScctioa of tbe larfox, but tbe luojia wen
attacked already, and tbe utmoat care and pn^
dance waa re<iuired, but wben abe bad reaotved
on anything it waa not easy to diaauado her from
it. Play aba would, and play abe did — for the
but time in America tbe lulls said — for tbe last
time on earth I cud implacable Destiny.
>[. Chery, who played in tbe drama tha part
ot JlKkimxtt, the noble old stage-manager, waa
greatly shocked by tbe change be saw in the oooe-
brilliant Adriaut^. A niece of bla bad died of
the &tal disease, the symptoms of which bo
dearly reooguaed in BaobeL Tbe bat aoeoo of
268 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
the play containa passages but too allusiye to
the doom she has since so cruelly realised.
''Ah| quelles souffirances • . • • ce n'est
plus ma tStCt c'est ma poitrine qui est brulante
j'ai ]k comme un brazier • •
comme un feu d^vorant qui me consume —
^Ahl le mal redouble. .... Vous qui
m'aimez tant, saurez moi, secourez moi • • •
je ne yeux pas mourir I ... 4 pr^ent je ne
veux pas mourir —
'* Mon. Dieu I exaucez moi I • • Mon. Dieu t
laissez moi vivre . • quelque jours encore
• . • Je suis si jeune et la vie s'ouvrait pour
moi si belle t
^ La vie I • • la vie I • • Vains efforts 1
vaine pri&re I • • mes jours sont
comptesi— je sens les forces et I'existence qui
m'6chappent I
" O triomphes du thd&tre I mon coeur ne battra
plus de vos ardentes Amotions I • • Et vous,
longues 6tudes d'un art que j'aimais tant, rien
ne restera de vous i^rte moi • • Bien ne nous
survit k nous autres • • rien que le souvenir.^
Hearing her utter with all the eloquence of
truth these heart-rending phrases, in which the
dying actress clings so despairingly to the life
ebbmg away so rapidlyi these passionate regrets
I
ff
t
I
I
i
■!
t
\
MEMOIRII OP RACHSL. S69
of the triumphs of a career cut short so earl j,
M. Chcry was dceplj impressed with the imim-
nonce of the [Knl. He could not direst himself
of the terrible thought that the death she
was imitating was really in her, mocking the
mocker I
" We have seen liachel act for the last time,'*
said hcy to a friend.
Wiicn Raphael went to Havana on the 4thf he
wished to take Maurice with him. Maurice was
a fine young man with whom he had become
i scquaintcd on board the Paci6cy when he made
his |)ro{>amtor}' trip to America. Pleased with
^ thirt youth's manners and addrc98| Raphael had
l>rou;;ht him back to France, and he now filled the
! p(>j«t of ticket-taker and interpreter in the com-
i pany. An indisposition, which afterwards proved
to be the »malI-pox, prevented his accompanying
•| the manager to Havana. On tlie ninth day the
; poor follow died.
Kveryone regretted Maurice, he was so obliging
and kind ; as for Mademoiselle Rachel she liked
liini very much, and had promised to establish him
in some sort of business before the end of the
conge. His death was therefore carefully con-
cealed from her, lest it should cause too great an
i impression in her weak state, and on leaving
i
*•**» ■i'^*fca
270 IIEMOIBS OF RACHEL.
Charleston she wrote to him who was post all
earthly joys and sorrows. •
The letter concluded with these words:
^ AdieUi my dear Maurice ; I am firmly con*
rinced we shall soon meet again.**
The incident is related by Mademoiselle Durey
in the correspondence already referred to.
^ Her father. Mademoiselle Briard, and I, hod
dined with her that erenin^i^i and she read us the
letter she was writing to comfort poor Maurice
whom we have to leave behind us, she said ; the
last lines of it sent a chill to our hearts. We
could not help thinking they were prophetic of
the writer's own approaching death**
The news of Raphael's progress in Havana
being of the most exhilarating nature, the com*
pany embarked on the 19th instant for that city.
The HavaneroSi too enthusiastic Mrith regard to
the line arts, not to be electrified at the idea of
possessing in their own town the grande tragi'
diennef had subscribed en masse. There' could not
be a doubt that the greatest success would attend
her if she performed; unfi>rtunately the lost point
was very uncertain. It was hoped, however, that
when Ahe hod recovered firom the fiitigues of the
voyage, s)ie would improve.
Every physician that was called in agreed in
MBMOIBS OP KACBKU S7l
■aying that rest wm inditpenaable. If elimata
could bo of anj arail she cortainlj htd the
benefit of the inildo«t winter qiuurten in the
world, yet she did not ■eem to get better, and the
J period or her announced appcaranco waa indefi-
nitclj aiyoumcd.
This state of things was extremely annoying to
the hapIcM manager, who saw before him a
wretched prospect — the idea of having to refund
all the bright dubloons and fair dollars that had
passed into his i>osscMion was cruel indeed.
As for the Ilavancros, their impatience soon
mndc ihcm irritable, an<l they declared their utter
diitbcHcf in the sUcgcd cause of delay. That
liachcl could not play for them when they knew
f^hc had plnycd a few days previous in Charleston
— the thing was absurd, and all the blame was laid
to cnpricc. By way of revenge, one of the
leading pnpcrd '*La PrcuNi,** commenced the
publication of M. Mirecourt's biography of Rachel,
transliitcd into Spanish, to the infinite vexation of
the traj^dirnne.
Nor were the Ilavaneros alone to deem them-
selves fooled. Unfortunately Rachel had so much
accustomed all who knew her to feigned indispo-
ritions during the course of her theatrical career,
whenever it suited her convenience, that now the
..•Jp.M>--. -■ .
272 1IBM0IB8 OP RACHEL.
members of the compan j could not be brought to
believe her as ill as she^ reallj was. Her own
&mily long doubted the serious nature of her
illness. Knowing how interested her relatives
were in her health for their own sakes, she had
sometimes, in France, frightened her mother hj
complaining of just the kind of symptoms she
knew to be those of consumption. Even when
subsequently she was sent to reside in Egypt, few
in France believed her ilL She paid the penalty
of former deceptions.
The first performance was to have been given
on the 25th December; it was postponed to the
6th January, her physician having peremptorily
required the delay. The tragedienne herself was
exceedingly disappointed ; while the public mur-
mured and her companions accused her, she was
suffering acutely in mind and body. She removed
to a house belonging to M. Marty, the manager of
the Havana theatre, and secluding herself entirely
refused to see even her relatives, on whom she
laid the blame of having brought her from France
on this injudicious expedition. She declared that
all the company should leave for Europe, and that
she would remain behind, keeping only Made-
moiselles Briard and Durey, and her fiuthfiil old
Ilose. It was hef intention, as soon as she got
Ij
i
I I
• t
I
f
MEMOIRS OP BACHBIm S7S
better, to perform detached loenet in whioh aha
meant the two actrcMes should aacift her. She
would Imve none of her rclatlvea remain with her;
they must all go back to France.
TkU misanthropic fit lasted ten days, during
which the two bdiea mentioned were alone ad-
mitted to see her. At last alie allowed heraelf to
be persuaded that her wiaest courM would be to
return to PariS| where ahe could have ererj re*
aource of medical art ; it waa agreed that every^
^ one, excepting Rachel| waa to aail for New York
on the 8th of January, and thence for Europe, on
i the 10 th.
' Wlicn this decision was announced great was
i the dieappuintment of the actors, and with good
I rca5ony for, from the day the notice was given, all
*^ salaries ceased. Mademoiselles Dui-ey and Briard,
.f acting upon the idea Mademoiselle Rachel's pro*
i I>o5al had suggested, resolved to renuiin and try
' their fortunes there since they were so &r from
■
? 1 home. Having mentioned this to Rachel, she
highly approved of their plan, and promised her
support.
" Go to New York," said she, *• I will pay your
expenses thither ; my brother must give you the
) amount of your figure back to Europe; that sum
will enable you to liv6 until you can carry out
VOL II. T
I i
S74
MEMOIRS OF RACHBL.
jour plan. You will haye letters of credit and re-
commendation from me to use in case of fiulure.
Write me all particulars, you will always find
me ready to assist you; you are the only disin-
terested friends I haye met with in my life.*
She cautioned them not to mention to their com-
panions her good intentions.
When the two adycnturous ladies went to
Raphael for their passage-money there was quite
a commotion among the other members of the
company.
'' What were they going to do in America T *
^ Going to act, of course.**
The example was contagious, all would stay ;
the next day half had repented — then again, only
four would remain— on the eve of sailing there
were but the two proposers of the scheme and
the hiur-dresser still firm in the resolvci and on
the 8th, when the yessel left, the two ladies only
embarkedi steadfastly reiusting all efforts made to
dissuade them.
The real motiye for the apparent fickleness of
the other actors was the opposition their pLm met
with from RaphaeL When the Havaneros found
they were not to hear Rachel, they expressed a
wish to see at legst the other members of the
company^ and the latter, nothing loth, as they
a»^mfmmnmt
^i«wa
*l^^
I ■ ^ I - ' -g J.!_ "
OV ■A5?"»>-
fe',
s
I
giviog a wmm of pwteiMuwas widMvl Om
openoioa of the irmt d H m m^ Tkm siaafVi
ntendod retoniiiig the fcUowiaf jmat at As iMtti
of a eompanj, ftariag that the aofilty woold bo
ovariftlMpnieBi tQlioaM look d fce t» r a ftw iJ ta
pormil of it.
At fint thoro vat a alioag toadoMj to fOM^
aaoo; thaj would reuMa and ghro a oariea of
pioect b threo aota» loqinriBg tovoa p ct fc r m o ia at
most Tbofar-offyellowiofcratlatt ooaqaoia^
aad thoj tliought thoj had botlor aot Ion tfMir
|Mango>rooncj.
Rachel had at fint announecd hor rotolotion
to remain. On the eye of the daj her oomndoa
were to leave the had changed her nundi and waa
going alio. The next day the had again altered
it, and would renuun. The Oyde finally aailod
without her.
The ladiet already mentioDed were not the
only ones who remained in America. Sarah
Felix left in the Isabel for Charleston, on the
morning the Clyde sailed for New Yoric ; she did
not return to Europe for some time.
Rachel had taken it into her head she would
return to Europe in the same Teseel that brought
her out, the ill-fiUed Pbeifio that was then
T S
M
' III
Hi!
276 UEUOIRS OF RACHEL.
pcctc<l ia New York, but which was never h(
of. It yna not until tb« 28th of January, li
that the ratnmed to France.
Thus ended thii disaatroua trip— dlsaatroui
11 it understood, with regard to its reiulta on
%| health of the tragedienne, but not, all things i
jijl sidered, m a pecuniarr view. The iact that
fortf-two pcrfonnancce pven by MadcraoL
Bacbel produced a sum total of €84,033fr.-
share alone amounting to 298,0O0fr. — sufficic
provea that the dtizena of the United Stotes
thnr tribute to dramatio art with more liben
than anj other nadon, and that thej were
W from deaerriog the yiolent diatribe fiilmiu
j'Jl against them hj M. Jules Jaain in his ftuill
entitled "Baohel and Tragedy in the Uii
States."
Howerer, the beat aniwer the Ameiicans
|];l:|{ make ia to be found m the still more vin
reproaches the same critic bad addressed tc
own countrymen on the aolgeot of elaauo art
former oooauon, when a fit of spleen or <^
had soured his temper.
m
271
I
I.
CHAPTER XIIL
1656.
MralAB— Hotel Ruhcl— HoMehold Oodi p«t «p «t AactiM—
Va1u6 mi vpoa Soamtrv— Iii^aioM CiCTOaM A ICo*
1 thcr*i Letter— I>ear-Ilo«fht Abeeace^ WaekiBgloali
GrandPM— A Vew CUim oa tbe TbIAtrt IWn^i*— Ra-
tqrn fron E^pt — Sttjomrn in Muaipellier — Rachel's Ckil*
j drcB.
i
»
1
I . , We have now before us the mekncholj taak of
I 2 narrating the last two jears of a life hitherto §o
\ t agitated, so brilliant and bo busj, but which
now drawing to its close in obscuritj and
two years, during which alternations of hope aad
I ' fear incidental to the deceptive nature of her
J disease, and the anxieties of a mother who anti-
\ cipatcs the day when her children will be left to
i the care and protection of comparative strangers^
I had succeeded to the intoxicating triumphs that
{ .. had hitherto marked her days.
From the day she set foot on the continent
liachel had but one thought, one deairci one aim
•
r-i-irrnari: . ■.: j...
278 MS1IOIB8 OF RACHEL.
-^life I Her time was spent in Tain struggles to
dislodge the enemj that had gained possession of
the yerj stronghold of yitalitj, in disputing every
breath to the heavy hand that was oppressing the
weak chest; one day lulled into security by some
fiivorable symptom, the next feeling herself
within the shadow of the tomb, yet, in truth|
nearing with hourly-increased rapidity the &tal
goal. For twenty-two months, and until within a
few days — ^we might say hours— of her death, she
continued to hope against every probability.
And yet the recollection of the &te of Rebecca,
whose illness she had studied in all its pbasesy
might well have discouraged her from the first
moment she perceived in herself the same fiital
symptoms.
She spent the spring of this year, 1856, at a
friend's residence in Meulan, but, on the approach
of Autumn, in pursuance of the advice of the
physiciansi she resolved to pass the winter on the
NUe.
It was reported on tins occasion that the tragi'
diennef disgusted with the enthusiasm manifested
for Madame Ristori, never intended returning to
France. The announcement that her town resi-
dence was for sale, which was published shortly after
her departurci seemed to confirm this resolution of
! li . TH!£< JL ■*'■ '-^ '
MKMOIBS OP RACHKU S79
pcrpcliiol exile. A fem words on thie hotd, of
which Mich manrcU were related maj not be ami«
here. On the Minouncement of the sale the
French periodicaU were teiied with a auddea
frcnxy of admiration, grief| enthusiasm, and dct*
pair. All that could be said on the immense leas
Paris was about to sustain in the person of the
owner, and on the immense value of the dwelling
and its contents, was exhausted. Tlioae who thus
took on themselves the riU of auctioneers, to pnff
and cry up the floods and chattels of the irogi^
dienne^ seemed to wish to show the world how
low their venal adulation could stoop. But the
result was only partially attained. All Paris
h.i8tcncd to satisfy the curio/ity excited by the
I>ompous descriptions of the improvised Robinsea,
and all Paris was disappointed. The domestic
curiosity-shop was pronounced to be such a col-
lection as might be found equalled by the contents
of almost any well-appointed private dwelling;
and the temple itself a tasteless, common-plaoe
affair, more remarkable for defects than beauties.
The Hotel Rachel, situated on the street to
which the 4checin Trudon gave his not ver}' eupho-
nious name, cannot boast of the prospect its win*
dows command. On one side they overlook a
large boarding-school, on the other the garden of
* -.- »•**•- -». ■^ i_
280 XBMOIBS OF RACHBL.
M. Mir^ The present buUding was erected at
Mademoiselle RacheFs desire by Charles Duvali
the architect who has since constructed the cele-
brated Grande Cafe Parisien. The defects already
referred to were inevitable where so serious a dif*
culty as that of want of space existed ; he was de-
sired to place an elegant and comfortable mansion
on a surface of little oyer 200 yards* The phins
had been approved of by Mademoiselle Rachel on
the eve of one of her congA,BXki the price having
been fixed at eO^OOOir., she left him to execute
them. Her tour that year proving very productive^
she wrote to the friend to whom she had left the
charge of overlooking progress, and authorised any
additional expense the architect might deem ne-
cessary; the consequence was the 60j000ir«
swelled into 2009000ir., a price no one would
think of giving for the residence.
The house that had originally stood on this site
was of much more simple aspect; Mademoiselle
Rachel had occupied it when she removed from
No. 10| rue de Rivoli| celebrated as having been
the residence of Mademoiselle Mars before she
occupied her own hotel, rue Sarochefoucault*
The predilection of Mademoiselle Rachel for this
■pot arose firom her son, Alexander, having been
bom there, and though it had only been intended
MKUOIM or KACBBL. 281
for % tcmporuy remdesM, she choae to renuuD
there t^init the kdvice of her frieode, who rag-
geatcd tliG Chuaps^Elji^ m fur pr«renbla.
Tbc prcflcnt building consist* in « grouDd-flo(w,
ui tnirttolf A&nt'6ooT, Kod Mtics, and the whol*
presents a sin^Ur confusion of sit the diffcrmt
styles in luchitecture. The ground-floor or rtM
dt ehauttn, is dirided into a restibulc, ■ portei's
lodge, and a little parior, where admirers not ad-
oiiltcd to see the dirinitj of the temple inscnbod
their names. The architect was so cramped for
room that he put the stables in the cellar. Up •
GotUic-archcd stairrnse, a« durlc ss a pocket, and so
narrow thcro is no room for a moderate-sized
criaolinc, the benighted visitor gropes his waj to
} the fiitretol, and here the suite of rooms coo^
j mcnces.
An in»igni6cant anto-cliamber leads into a
I dining-room, ornamented and furnished in very
<]uc«tiflnnblc ta^te. The intention wat that the
I Etruscan should linve prerailed, but it was never
^ carried out. The heterogeneous articles it con-
1 tained were tcvcrally meant to denote archaism
1 and erudition, but seemed nthcr astonished at
being brought together. A wunfcot of the mid-
dle ages looked down upon a modem carpet;
Groco-Roman paintbgs and Renaissance iahmU,
lar-. «!rtr.
282 HfiHOIRS OF RACHEL.
Etruscan vases and Parisian ciystalsi were uncere-
moniously associated* The whole was lighted up
by an odd-looking lamp, of no particular age, style
or beauty. The room itself was a sort of narrow
passage, with so low a ceiling that a man of ordi-
nary height was inclined to stoop as he entered.
On the other side of the ante-chamber a door led
into a small salon hung in chintz. Among other
things it contained a glass-doorcd piece of furniture
filled with knick-knackS| in which lai^ sums had
been invested ; every rarity had been collected in
this toy-receptacle ; Lilliputian statuettesy diminu*
tive Chinese monsters and costly fancies of all
sorts were there. Yet, with exception of a small
marble bust of the First Consul, chiselled by
Canova, there was not an arUde in the room that
indicated a taste for the truly beautiful
The library adjoinmg the fo/on, is— as might be
expected — the smallest room in the house. The
oak-panelS| wainscot) SXf are finely carved| but
the books, splendidly bound| and each in its place,
looking as if it had never been read, gave the room
a cold aspect.
On the first-floor are the reception-rooms and
bed-chambers.
Two muses— Melpomene and Thalia, exiled in
the ante-chamber, seemed to protest against the
'
4'
ungnitefuliieM of the nuitveit ivfao fbifot dMl
without them olio soror wooU havo laid m mIm.
801M exeuM fiMT her ught have been fiwidi m the
Utile Mtiiiio beentj of theee leppeeentetbei of
tragedy and eomedj.
The Louis XIV. mIm was gocgeone and ooellj
aiiJ that was all that oould be eaid in its piaiaeb
The curtains were of embioidered eashmeve. Hie
diairs and sofiu» riehlj carred and pit, wen
eovered with crimson silk damaslr. Each pieoo
borstoanred in a shield^ the iniUal B; though
there were anumberof peoes, the set sold for only
2|l00rr.— not over half iu value. The pannda
and wainscot were highly gilded. The dock and
six candclabny though masterpcces of Deniire's,
only brought 4,500fir. Nothing in this room, so
magnificently furnished, spoke of the inner life of
the woman — nothing bore the impress of the
mrti$i4; the upholsterer had worked busily and
laTishly, and the furniture was such as might haye
been ordered by any rich stockbroker. Nothing
wore the stamp of an exceptional and pririleged
being* There was not a bronxe, not a marblcynot
a picture of any Talue.
Between the salon and the bed-rooms was the
so^alled Chmese boodmr, a closet some ux feet
square^ and so daric that until the eye became
JfclMi^lfcl M ■ t fc'-J^. ~ ■ _ _?
284* HBMOIR8 OF BACHBL.
fiimiliarised with itif gloom, it ooold discern no*
thing. The scant light admitted through the ceil^
ing was lessened by stained glass that was not at
all Chinese. The ornaments of this dark closet
were four or fiye Chinese figures and a Pekin
lantern. Among these grotesque mandarins was
' placed — ^how appropriately the reader may imagine
—a portnut of Rebecca, a lock of her hair in a
black frame, and a fine marble bust of Christ)
around the throat of which was wound the rosary
that has already been mentioned.
The best bed-chamber was also magnificently
gilded. The furniture was Louis XV« and of
rosewood, with* medallions of Sevres. The superb
bed, in marjtieterie, adorned with gilt bronze
ornaments, the owner had slept in but seldom.
It was sold for lOOOfr.
In one of the rooms hung the portraits of old
Madame Felix and her husband, looking as though
they were making an estimate of what the box of
toys would bring.
As this is not an auctiooner's catalogue we shall
omit the rooms held of less importance— one of
the latter, however, would have been well worth
a chapter to itself could the history of its contents
be fiuthfuUy recorded* This was Rose's room. .
In the restibule of the Thtttre Francais there
Kt
it tlwtjt • boct of Um rrigung pomr. W^m •
TCvcdutioD brin^ tbonfc » abugo, tki dcduoaad
a^jMtj H burned op into tbi attie, aad iCi plae*
it fiUad ^ Um imig* of Ibi B«w tdoL Tba oU
biMb on sot ^ ipotod of or doMrojod, tbcj «n
Bmljr kopt out of dght tbew k do knomag
wbkt M17 boppoB and m oho of • nrtoimtioa it
nigbt be eeoaomicol aai bandy to bnvo lb* old
laaogo of oU nodj.
It woe pnboUy witb tbie ouBipU bofora hm
aje^udin ooooiduoe witb tbo ombo priae^le^
that tbe busU aad portraite of indmato friendly
after bavuig had their day ia the moet coupieuoua
and honorable placo in the trmgcdiemH^a dcgaat
noDM, allerwaide eeoended to the ntaid'a dornu-
toiy. SoM bad, at UMt, qoite a gallery of wbiob
tbe hiitoiy night hoTO afforded ue a ^anoe into
the hidden reocMea of the feminine heart
The hotel waa to hare been aold (m the Uth of
KoTenber, 1856, but, at the eleventh hour, M.
Emilo da Girardin, to whom Baehel had delegated
her powcra, countermanded it. The numeniua
pvBk had not bad the auccew expected, and aa the
little excitement manifeated by the publio made
it probable no Terj liberal ofiiwi would be mada^
tbe ■peculatitm waa given up forthe tine. A aalo
of a portion of tbe funuture took pkc« in Jul/,
286 MEMOIB8 OP RACHEU
1857, ftt veiy low prices. The remainder of the
furniture was remored to the apartment Made-
moiselle Rachel had taken. Place Royale.
Among the articles sold for much less than
their real value were some fine paintings. An
authentic Boucher (La TaiUtteJ went for 200fr.
^ L*£cu de France,** an original of Eugeni Isabey,
brought but 660fr. The '< Trial of Maiy Stuart,*
a fine composition by Achille Deveria vras given
for 705fr. Two real Diaz, presented by M.
Ars^e Houssaye to the ^o^^iVim^, were actually
allowed to go for 360fr. Two fine ' paintings
representing '^ Music and Comedy/* by Natlier,
only brought 606fr.
A ^'Virgin and Child** in water-colors, after
Van Dyck, by Madame 0*Connel, that had cost
M. le Comte Leopold LehoA 800fr., sold for only
350fr. ; ** he Triomphe de Mademoiselle Duclos,*
by Rigaud, 150fr. only.
Among the works of art was an exquisite
portrait of Adrienne Lecouvreur, in Beauvais
tapestry, a most excellent imitation of a fine
painting, and which had been a great favorite
with the iragAiienn4 -^yet she allowed of its being
sold for 160fr. Certainly the possessor of mil-
lions could know nothing of that peremptory
need that brings under the hammer the most
MKMOIW or BACBfil. 287
Tmlued Aiticlcsi yet these fine pictmci^ mil p r eee n ts
firom thoee who were or hid been inend% wtrm
allowed to go for prices infinitely below their
Tmlue, as though the owner Ibond henelf rednoed
to the utmost penury.
When the hotel of the rue Tnidon was built^
some ten yean ago^ the next thing was to famish
it suitably. /lermiane said to her friends :
^ Contribute something to the adorning of my
little hotel— a trifle, a sonrsiitr.**
Every one hastened to prore his taste or his
liberality; one sent a china Tase, another a
iiaiueUt^ another a painting, &c^ &c
Had these friends chosen they might haTO
bou;;ht back their valued and yaluable $oucenir$
at public auction. These various oontributiona
were estimated at 300,000fr.
When the hotel was first announced for sale,
•evenil hundreds of persons daily visited it Thoee
who manifested the greatest curiosity to see the
inmost recesses of the muse*s private dwellin;i;
were foreignersy who were not aware that tickets to
view were to be had on application to M. Lemon*
nyer, the notary. Some ingenious speculator hav-
ing procured a number of these tickets, repaired to
the hotels most frequented by strangers, and
oflfered them at prices, varying according to the
288 MSMOIBS OP BAOHEL.
dupe, from 2fr. to 20tr^ at the same time toIod*
teering Iii» services as eieerone. An American
was firmly convinced he had seen the portnuts of
Talma and Mademoiselle Marsi punted by David
— the likeness of Father and Mother Felix having
been dubbed with these illustrious names by his
guide. Another enthusiastic gentleman offered
an additional louis to be allowed a sight of the
historical guitar.
Mademoiselle Bachel had left France on her
way to Egypt on the 2nd of October. The fol-
lowing letter to her son, dated from Cairo, the
18th of the same month, is interesting, not only
firom the maternal feeling that dictated it, but
also from the paruculars it contains.
^ Dear little oke,
'^ My health seems improving, for I have already
acquired some strength, and my appetite is to-
lerably good. I am settled as comfortably here
as it is possible to be in Egypt. There are in
Cairo two hotels, and I am in the best. The bed-
room, which has a southern aspect, is as large as
one of your school doriairSf with a ceiling proper*
Uonally high, so that, although it is very warm
here, there is no lack of air. The table is very
good. The cook, who is a Frenchwoman, in con-
Muioiia or sACBSi- t89
udcntioo of our beiog oouDtiTwomeii, geU up
little eztn-Dice diihes for lu. I hsra klrcadjr
token liMTt waIIu in tlie town uhI in the snTirooa ;
it U B yerj rich, curioiu, uhI intereating couotrjr.
I hope you will aoma day Tiait it nnd thnt God
will itennit me to bo your drcwrotu/ that ii^ your
failliful guide.
" Mora than ever do I coDgimtoUt* myedf oT
being a gr-r-r-nudt trageditHmt, £veryono wo
meet !■ ready to oblige, to aerve, and to procure
ua aniuacmcnta ; ever ainoe I left Maracillea I
have everywhere met with the moat uuiomal
lio«|iitaliiy,
" Your aunt' ia very well : altc laughs, ahe aings,
ehc would dance to make me auiilc, and that ia
not nlwnya caay, for I am often tliinking that I
am far from my dear little onca. It ia true that I
find aomc comfort in the thought tliat I am a
voluntary exile for a few monifaa in t>rder that I
may return to my children atrong and healthy, to
leave tlicm no more.
"I have juat mode an effort to write you ao
long a letter, for writing fatiguea and agitatoa me
— two thinga strictly prohibited by the [^ysicians.
I can, therefore, write to no one elae by tbi«
nm\.
• M«<lcMoiMlU Ssnb.
VOI^ IT. U
u'^AiSaBHhiMaTLuf 'r ' ;-.-r.^t,
290 MB1I0IB8 OF RACHEL.
''I hope you will prove your gratitude by
writing me a long letter. Tell me all your
thoughts, and all the news, if you know of any, for
we can get no papers here.
" I shall write to my dear parents by the next
boat There was an earthquake in Alexandria
while we were there. There was no harm done,
but it made a great impression upon me. It is a
sublime horror. In Cairo there were several
accidents. I must now bid you good bye, enclos-
ing a thousand kisses."
This letter is charming, from its simplicity; it
was evidently written by the mother herself
and bears no resemblance to those written for
her by her too numerous secretaries.
We have also in the above epistle a very
amiable and doubtless correct picture of Sarah's
endeavors to cheer her invalid sister. Malicious
tell-tales have asserted that this enient4 earcUaU
did not last long, and that the absence of this
kind, laughing, singing sister, soon became the
most ardent wish of the tragedienne* Apropoi
of this, the following little anecdote went the
rounds. We give it as we find it in one of the
periodicals of that day, without at all warranting
its authenticity :
^Sad news from our great /to^miiim— she
•Wipppwffiw^^
MBMOIM ot nuflnk
waSm ft«n two rnk— fanmolutis and h«r rirtw
Sunk Dsn^ th« immdMM nnvml of tU
gnattf mil mi^ ■BoUotaU bar Bonffitioa ud
■Afd bw » bsUM> dwDM far fiito* nfitf froM
ftuah woaU go to Fkrii is order to wakm aoao
pusfaaiM tbsra. Hor notivi «m muimttaoit
*"1*U aar« fomke tliM,* mi tho nplj of tlw
dnoCMl ^rmnt— * ubImi I got IO,|OOOA>. to oo»>
livrt BW ondv tbo ofiiotioD tk* ■^■ntioa will
*■ Buhd thoaght tho griof mi^t bo a
witb IcM — SanJi wu infl«zibl«.
" ' HKTOi't I fomkea Amcrii t — refiuod o ■ploa-
lUd ongftgement I Wu I not to ban manied a
Touth, bandaonte, wealthy, of noUo birth* a do*
KCDdant of WaabingtOD, who wai to ban aoted
the OupiM$ at the Odeon I All tbeaa haro I
■lighted for thy aake— care S0,000fr. wero bat
poor con^>eiiMtion for the ■erifico of aooh ad-
vantageal' *
" ' You're killiog me,* cried poor Aachd, * take
I5,000rr.'
"'3O,00Ofr. or deaf«ra-ath/ stemly ropliea
Sarah. The reault ia Dot jet known,"
Sarah's temper waa too irritable to qualify her
for a compaoioa to ao inTatid, and aba waa not
US
Bi-»--"-T- .;• n-mm-
292 HSMOIB8 OF RACHEL.
periiaps able to keep that curb upon it long which
immediate danger had rendered necessary. Symp-
toms of returning health in one sister brought
• symptoms of returning violence in the other.
Numerous were the anecdotes for which the
well-known peculiarities of Rachel's elder sister
afforded some foundation. It is not likely that
the punreyors of the daily press were very scru-
pulous as to the veracity of the sayings and.
doings they recorded of Mademoiselle Sarah.
They probably often made their readers merry at
her expense with stories entirely of their own in-
vention. Her short sojourn in America after the
departure of the other members of the company
furnished matter for innumerable absurd reports,
among which that of the approaching nuptials
with the descendant of IVdshington was not the
least laughable, being, moreover, firmly believed
by many envious of the bride's good luck.
Though apparently exclusively pre-occupicd
with the care of her health she could not quite
forget that of her pecuniary interests. She re-
membered that as a societaire of the Thd&tre
Franfais she was entitled to her full salary during
her illness just as much as when in active service,
and she wrote to prefer her claim. The demand
was preposterousi and had it been put forward by
MRyoiM or RAcnicL. S93
anyone eke would hare been laughed at. Bat .
the oonimittee was aocuftomed to the exactiona
of thii despotic quecDi and kneff, moreorer,
that their own deliberation wae a mere matter of
formi she pkced no dependanee on the iame if
left to their dcci«on ; ahe had more fitith in her
influence in higher quartan than with the eook* -
radea whom the grant of her claim would dee-
poil of their earnings to defiraj her expenses
while idle.
The salary of a 9om(iair^ amounted to 12,000fr.
Tcarlv. Maflemoisclle Rachel received 42|000fr.
for nine months, during which, indeed, she seldom
avcmgcd over three of actual service — and this
large sum was allotted her in consideration of the
eupcrioritjr of her talent and of its favorable in*
fluence on the receipts of the house. This in-
fluence, however, could not be alleged to be
exercised during her sojourn in her congi on the
Nile.
The plea of past services was also subject to
discussion. She had undoubtedly done good
service to the cause of art, but that she had, as
she asserted, made the fortune of the theatre, was
contradicted by the unanswerable eloquence of
figures. The ten performances given by her in
one month produced some 40,000fr. — but on the
294 HEM0IB8 OF RACHEL.
.Other handi she entailed numberless expenses and
disadvantages on the theatre, the exclusive atten-
tion of the public being wholly engrossed by the
great arHsie, reacted wofully on the nights she did
not play ; everything that was not connected with
her was looked upon with little iavor, a natural
result of this was tlie discouragement of every
other representative of tragic art; the confusion
and dissensions her despotism occasioned in the
management, her capricious etitries and sorties ;
her brother, her sisters, forced on the committee ;
her lawsuits, her free boxes and seats, her dressing-
room, her costumes, were heavy charges to be de-
ducted from the benefits,, and somewhat counter-
balanced the receipts her presence brought into
the treasury.
Mademoiselle Rachel returned to Franco at the
end of May, 1857.
On board the steamer that was bringing her from
Egypt there was a missionary bishop, Monseig-
neur Ouillamum, with whom she frequently con^
versed Bachel had at all times the roost fasci-
nating, winning mannerS| and now, to a man of
that sacred character, the shadow of death within
which he saw her stand, must have invested her
with a deeper interest.
%7hen the boat stopped at Mafta, the prelate
MBMOiBS or SACnSL. 295
took the opportunity to ny niMt in the chureh of
Su John, in behalf of her who was on the brink
of eternity. The object of his •c4icitude having
known of hie pioua intention, re|)aired to tbo
ehorch and heard him officiate.
In his conTenaliona the |MreUto anxioualy ez-
borted her to alter her oounc, and, instead of re-
entering FraneCi to proceed to llonie and be bap-
tiled by the Holy Father. To thia ehe objeeted»
on the ecore of not being prepared to become a
conrert : ^ beaideai** said she, after a few momenta*
hesitation, ** people would say I was playing a
|)art, and that it was done for cflfecty^I cannot***
She s|>cnt a |Mirt of the summer in the environs
of Montpcllicr. While tlicrc it is probable that
her thoughts recurred more than once to the poor
recluse whom she hod visited in the prison of that
city ten years before, and whose impending fate
she had then so eloquently lamented* She, too,
the once gay and brilliant favorite of fortune
whom the sad, proud captive had probably then
gazed upon with envy as well as admiration, was
herself dying of that dreadful disease that hod in*
spired her with such horror and commiseration,
and to which she would have deemed sudden
death by a " ball in the chest or a tile on the
head some windy day far preferable I ** She, too^
S96 HSHOina OP HACHEI.
was hastening to that unlcnown land whither the
weoiy, worn, and vexed iplrit of her she had so
pitied, and the joung, buoyant, and light-hearted
sister she had so loved, had preceded her.
Her son Alexander being on the point of going
with his tutor to Geneva, where he was to finish
his studies, Rachel hnetencd back to Paris on the
night of the 23rd of June. Such was her anxiety
to embrace her child that, weak and ill as she was,
she would not consent to atop on the way, but
came directly through.
Of Bachel's two boys, the eldest, Alexandre,
who has been acknowledged by his fether, a well-
known diplomate, was a very handsome child
when quite young. But, as he grew up, this
very beauty, derived irom his close resemblance
to his mother, became less suitable to his sex.
The features and figure are so delicate, small, and
feminine, that they Uck character, and will give
an insignificant appearance to the man.
Gabriel, the youngest child, was, when a baby,
as plain as his brother was handsome, and for
some little while considered an unwelcome ad-
dition to the femily. Some one asking Rachel
what she thought the second son would be ;
" His brother's conchman," was the reply.
' ' Tliis apparently onfeeling remark woa probably
MBMOnS OP RACRBU 207
made imther because she would not loao the oppor-
tunity of anying what ahe eonaidered a amart thing,
than becauae ahe thought it, aa ahe afVerwarda
prored heraelf a kind nioUier to both her children.
Siie had allowed the elder child to be the god-
father of the jounger, and thia added link between
the boja haa giren to the affection of Alexandre a
character of paternal aolicitude that manifeata
itaelf in the moat charming and graceful manner
on every occaaion where hia little brother aeema to
require hia aatfiatance or protection. He eonaidera
himself his brother^s guardian. Unfortunately
the elder has inherited his mother^s delicacy of
constitution as well as her features.
Gabriel, who nt first was clumsy in shape and
wlioAe heavy features promised no beauty^ is be-
coming a very good-looking boy ; years are de-
veloping a fine athletic form, handsome limbs and
an intelligent countcnimce.
The children werci on account of the frequent ab-
sence of the mother, under the exclusive care and
surveillance of their gmndmother, until the elder
was taken charge of by his father. Both were pUced
at the bestschoolsy and no expense was spared in their
education. But in other respects tlie greatest eco*
nomy was observed; inall thatooncerncd theirdreaa,
parsimony was carried to the utmost limits*
298 HBUOIBS OF VACBXL,-
Every article, hj mending, patching deuiiag,
tuning Rod dying wu made to lost to the fiirthest
▼ei;ge of rcBpeotalHlity. In a letter written to bis
mother, who waa then in America, the elder lad
Mudi
" For all I keep telling grondmamma over and
over again that you are to bring home 1^0U,000fir.
abe wm't give me a new suit of obthee, and I
baTe to wear the aame ihabby one."
It appears that the mother gran ted the wiah, for
•ome little whUe afW> and nt the time her coM
fiwtened upon her, ahe jestingly alluded to the
above passage in one of her own letters to the
child:
" You see, dear, how imprudent it was in me to
go to the expence of 2£0fr, for your new suiL I
have been taken ill, and now good bye to the
l,20O,0O0fr.I"
The elder lad was old enough to understand .
the dangerous nature of his mother's illness, and
manifested the most anxious solicitude to have cor*
rect infomuttion on the subject of her health.
Fearing the truth might be kept &om him hy
his grandmother and aunts — he was probably
aware of their system of negation on that subject —
he would write to the &ithful Rose, adjuring her
' to tell him exactly how bis dear mamma was.
mMoiu or R&cnii. SM
The loTO of ehango that had «etukt«d kcr
throughout her life caumU hor to ohooee a new
midence in Pftria when ahc returned firon Egjrpt^
ftltbough her hotel, rue Tnidon, and it* oontenta
were yet unaold. Her new «parttnentB, "So. 9,
Fbee RoyeJ, were moch more ipMiou than tboM
of her own hotel, and the lialF-jcetinf^jt half-endl/
remarked that * there would be plenty of room
for thoM who choM to attend her funeraL Hw
nwumful prevision wa« not justified bj the event,
for.witli the exception ortlicivdacceandpublicedi-
ficeSi no building in Paris would have been spacious
enough for the crowd that followed her renaios to
their lost rostiog- place.
The hotel in the Place Itojral had once pertained
to the ancient family of Xicola^ and had been la>
boljitcd by eminent magistrates and venenble
chaaccllorv, one of whom was the Presideot
Nicolai, the tutor of Voltaire. This had also been
the last residence in Paris of the poet Victor
Hugo.
««dl
300
CHAPTER XIV.
1857.
ConeeAlmcnt of lUneM— Bulletins of Health Read on the Stage
— Moll — Nicholet's Monkey- Acton — Departure for Cannet
— Mclaneholj Pilgrimago— Cannes — Villa at Cannet—
The Dream — Variations in Health and Spirits — Farandoles
—Sister Sarah*— Raphael and the Cross— Last Autograph—
Hebrew Prajer — Death — ^Funeral — Tente aprH Dins.
Thb state of the tragidiennifM health prohibit-
ing her remaining in Paris during the winter^
Cannet was the residence selected by her medical
advisers.
A singular circumstance connected with the
illness of Kachel was the doubt so long entertained
b/ the public as to its dangerous nature. This
proceeded not onl/ from a long experience of her
propensity to feign illness, but also from the care
with which her relatives concealed the real state
of her health. When her indispositions were
for her own convenience those around her pro-
claimed them; when there was real cause for
MBM01B8 or RACHKL. 301
mUrm thcj were no lose anzioua to conceal it.
Rachers influence wmt bdispcntaUe to her name-
roui banger»-on ; to long um the livedi there was a
prt9iig€ attached to all belonging to her, and that
pr€$iif€ was increaied or le«eened bm the danger
of losing her became more or Ices imminent
A witty j^Mma/tf^^i referring to the position of
Rachel in her own familj and to the degree of
dramatic talent poeecMcd bj tome of the other
members of it, said he was reminded of a diUi*
tanii kaUiue of the Opera, who, during the over-
ture of ^ Robert le Diable,** beat the time very
AMidiioutly. His neighbor in the next stall, see-
ing thi« philharmonic enthusiasm, and dooming
that he might possibly have the honor of touching
the elbow of Meyerbeer himself, at last ventured
to say :
'' You are a musician, sir T **
^ Not exactly, but I have a brother who owns
a musical snuff box I *
In the Felix family, added the narrator. Made-
moiselle Rachel was the owner of the musical
snufT box, and its name was La Tragidie.
Rachel herself did not scruple to jest on the
manner in which she was erpioitie for the general
benefit of her kith and kin, and most willingly
permitted of it. Some one remonstrating with
I*
5
MBMOIB8 OF BACHEL.
her on the oocasion of her American trip, the
laughingly replied :
^ Raphael is the wandering Jew, and I am his
five sons.**
Madame Felix, accompanied by a young rela*
tivCi was met on the Boulevards within a day .or
two of her daughter's death, by a person who
enquired how the tragedienne was. The young
relative was thoughtlessly replying that the last
news was very bad and that little hope remained|
.'l| ' when the elder lady, hastily interrupting her, said
it was quite a mistake ; Rachel was much better I
' During the last centuryi when any favorite of
the theatre-going public was ill, it was customary
for one of his or her comrades to give the bulletin
of the absent one's health to the audience every
evening. On such occasions the spectators fre-
quently testified an interest highly flattering to its
object Sometimes, however, these tokens of sym-
pathy were so exaggerated that they excited the
ridicule of less passionate admirers. Thus,
when Moli the celebrated comedian, was kept
firom the stage by a severe and protracted illness,
the report of his physician, which was read nightly,
drew firom the audience, and more especially from
the feminine portion of it, the most absurd de-
monstrations of feeling.
!i
MBXOIBfl OF BACHBL. 803
That there is but a step from the tuUime to
the ridieuloua is most frequently exemplified in
France, where criticMm is erer on the alert and
humour ala-ajs in aearch of a auIgeeU Naoolet,
tlie manager of the little house now known aa the
Thdltre <le la Gaitc, parodied the ecenee of a11/
enthusiasm that took place at the Thtttre Fran-
fais bj giving nightly bulletins of the health of
one of his best actorS| a fiiTonte monkey then
ill.
The public of the present day carry to such an
extreme the love of fun and the propensity to
criticism that it was quite as well, perhaps, that
no attempt was made to revive the old custom on
the occasion of the trngiditnne^B illucss.
The 15th of September was the day fixed for
her departure. There arc in our lives solemn and
decisive moments, when the veil that conceals
futurity is drawn a^idc and our souls are per*
mittcd a glance into the arcana of fi&te. We are
filled with vngue instincts, with secret aspirations
which we cannot account for then, but of which the
mystery is solved by subsequent events. At
times, for an absence wo design shall be but tem-
porary only, wo dwell on the farewell as though
we were conscious the parting was to be eternal ;
It others we are tormented by an irresistible
304 MEMOIRS OF RACHEL.
longing to revisit places towards which some
superhuman power impels us. Rachel was under
the influence of some such occult and inexplic-
able inspiration during the night that preceded
her departure for the South of France. Her
sleep was of short duration, and although nothing
required she should rise early, tormented by an
anxious wish to see once more a spot associated
with the most memorable events of her life, she
was dressed long before the dawning of the tardy
autumnal day. To those who remonstrated on
her early rising she peremptorily replied she had a
pilgrimage to perform before she left Paris, and
that her family could meet, and take leave of her
at the station.
From her residence in the Place Royale, which
she was never to re-enter alive, she drove, passing
by the Gymnase, to the Th6&tre Franfais, and
ordering the carriage to stop before it, remained
long gazing at the house that had been the scene
of her first deb^ and of fifteen of the most brilli-
ant years of her career. God only knows what
her reflections were, as mute and absorbed in
thought, she contemplated the doors which she
had entered poor, timid and unknowui to leave
rich, proud and celebrated. When first she had
crossed yon threshold she possessed none .of
UEUOIRS OF RACHEL.
Voitimtf* IprtB, but she •was full of hope, of llTo 1
NoWi A» Wfta rich in oil the world prizefi,' but her
cnp of life was nearly empty, uul, for her hopes,
tiMf wore fitint indeed I
A fiiflod nt \ast roused her from the meditations
IB wUeh) n^ardlcss of the hour, ehe was indulg-
ing Mid hurried her olf. She leaned her head out
dF Att window as long as the building remained
m«gfat Wbra ilienwjlMd tlw station ifae^oka
bnt litdc^ bidding, with n nd aaule onlj, lAat
proved to manj of the fiiotda mwemMed ther^ n
Ustedieu, She wsa carried in a chair fixwa the
station to the railway carriage^ for she was no
loDgcr able to walk.
Cannes, a small town of the Department du
Ver, is, or rather should be, the Nice of France.
If England owned a spot so prodigally endowed
with all the advantages Nature can bestow, a
beautifiil town would long ago have been boUt on
those smiling margins.
Cannes, situated in a reeeea of one of the most
charming bays of the Irfeditenaneao, and abeltered
by the surrounding highlands, is a sort of natural
conservatory where reigns a perpetual spring and
where the most delicate valetudinariani find,
during the severest winters, a sky ever clear and
Btild, a balmy atmosphere and the perpetual ema>
VOL. IL X
^\--
*1
4
306 MEMOIB8 OF RACHEL.
nations of flowered-covered fields. Flowers are
cultivated in that district as grain and fodder are
elsewberci and fields of violets, of roses, of helio-
tropesy instead of wheat, oats and clover, supply a
I I large proportion of the perfumery used in both
I hemispheres. The Isles of St. Margueritte, which
it might not be impossible to unite to each other
b/ moans of a dyke, close the entrance to the Bay
of Cannes, and protect it against storms. The
railway of Toulon to Nice, which touches at
Cannes, and makes it easy of xiccess, will, in all
probability, ^ve to this privileged town the de-
^ I velopment to which it is in so many respects en-
titled.
I
'J ■
(III I At the present day, however, Cannes of itself
i;
I
!
offers but few comforts and attractions to strangers.
Those who visit it are drawn thither by the pretty
villas built in the adjoining valleys, or on the
charming heights that surround it, by foreign
residents. Lord Brougham has for many years
owned a delightful residence here, and the picture
esque and splendid chateau of Lord Lowndes-
borough is worthy of note.
It is only in a villa that anything like comfort
can be obtiuned by an invalid, but it is very diffi-*
cult to procure one, as the owners have built them
for their use, and usually reside in them with
mMOIW or EACBBL.
307
1
(
I
their fiunilm. It it Mldom that one am bo
rented.
The retreat that sheltered Raehd*t last dajs
was not in Canneis ' but in Cannet, a little Tillajipe
in the environs, of rerj difficult access. The road
to it is from Cannes, and so extremely steep and
rugged that at one point it is altogether impmcti*
cable to carriages and horses. The risitor to the
rilla of %L Sardou, where Rachel receiTed so
generous a hospitalityi is obliged to walk, or be
carried » through the rsTines and Tallejs which
forbid its approach ; and, when he has reached the
goal, ho finds difficulties of anotlicr nature are yet
to be surmounted before he can enter it.
The house, spacious, beautifully situated in an
orange-grove and well guarded from the wind, is
singularly constructed. The main building has no
staircase, consequently the door affords an entrance
to the ground-floor only. To reach the upper-
etory one muAt enter the IcfV-hand turret, ascend
the stairs to the second-floor, cross a bridge con-
necting with another turret, descend one pair of
stairs in that turret, and cross another bridge,
which finally leads into the upper-stories of the
house itself.
The owner of this pretty villa, M. Sardou, for-
merly of the Grand Opera, placed it at Mademoi*
^ A
308 MEH0IB8 OF BACHEL.
selle Rachers disposal^ positively refusing any rc«
muneration, while M. Mario Ncehardi the author
of *' La Fiammina,'' by whom it was then inhabi-
tatedj as courteously gave it up to her. No more
favorable situation could possibly have been
chosen, and the interior of the house was fitted up
in a style that bore witness to the ownec's taste
for the fine arts.
M. Sardou had been the intimate friend of the
sculptor David (of Anglers) and many of that
artist's works ornamented the rooms. In the best
chamber-— a spacious one with high snow-white
walls, adorned with friezes and sculptures in the
antique style — the bedstead was also white, and
seemed carved of stone. At the foot of the bed
was a statue of the Grecian Polhymmia, wearing
on its marble features an expression of intense
sadness ; attired in long sweeping robes that had
a funeral aspect, she leaned on a pedestal that re-
sembled a tomb-stone. This figure, which gave
the beholder the idea of a mourner sorrowing over
a grave, made so painful an impression that it was
immediately removed*
But as in the life of every great public cha-
racter there must always be some remarkable pre-
diction or wonderful dream shadowing forth the
coming event previous to some great crisis, the
' <
MRMOIRS OP BACmU 309
following u nid to hare occasioned the horror
with which the £nt siglitof her dormitory at Cannet
filled tlie mind of the trag^tiiemne.
After the performance on the 8th of July, 1852,
before an audience of kings and princes, who had
ftdmired and complimented her to her heart*a
content, she had retired to bed in a Mate of
feverish excitement.
That night she had a fearful dream.
A gianfs hand, burning like fire, heavy as lead,
covered her chest, crushing it despite all her
cflTortd to rid hcrecif of the dreadful weight. She
dream* d that awaking with the excruciating pain,
»hc found herself in a room that was not the one
she had retired to, in a bed that was not the one
•ho hod fallen asleep in ; the room wai spacious,
its tall walls were white, and near the bed was a
prie-dicu of white marble, over which hung a
marble figure.
A voice that seemed to belong to the in-
viable body under whose visible hands she
was writhing, uttered several times these
words:
*' Thou shalt die here under my hand I— thou
shalt die here under my hand I "
The aspect of the chamber at the Villa Sardou
was certainly sufficient to convey a melancholy
■ m
310 HEH0IB8 OF RACHEL.
impreasion to one so ill| and no dream was needed
to account for it
Her health continued for some time to fluc-
tuate capriciously, but during these alternations
she daily waxed weaker. One day she would
declare herself much betteri the next she would be
in a state of complete prostraUon. These physical
variations necessarily reacted on the nenresi and
her humor varied accordingly.
In the beginning, and while she could still find
eneigy for any kind of employment| she would
beguile time doing such work as required
no particular attention or nicetyi and con-
stantly desired Rose to give her ''more towels
to hem.**
When she felt able she received a few friends,
and, when forbidden to speak, listened to their
chat, or played at cards, always her favorite pas-
time.
One day, when she was in the enjoyment of one
of those occasional moments of '^ feeling quite
well agMn,* with which treacherous consumption
deludes the victims it has irretrievably condemned
— gleams of sunshine that render the succeeding
gloom more terrible— she manifested a desire to
go down into the garden* She was immediately
carried there^ and the peasants of the neighbor*
UEU0IR3 OF BACnCL.
311
liocxl Imving assembled, danced for her amtuement
their provcnzol dances, called Ferandolc& But
poor Rftclicl was sustained but' by a momcDtarj'
and feverish excitement, her spirits fell aa rapidly
na they had risen ; she could not bear even tbcse
innocent amusements long ; a spnsm came on that
put an end to the improvised ^f«, and the acton
stole off like the performers in a comic opera*
scene, nilh hushed tread and finger on Up, aston-
ished, frightened, and saddened.
During her sojourn at Cannet, Rachel was at-
tended by M. Maure, former representative in
both assembiiea of the Republic, and a nephew of
the eloquent conventionalist, Isnard. The Medical
talent of M. Maure was thought much of in all
Provence, but when the danger increased her own
phyufuan was aent (or from Paris ; human skill waaj
however, powerioas, the disease was too deeplj
rooted.
Her denre to live was intense ; the nearer she
approached to death the more despairingly she
clung to the life that was escaping her. Her
docility to her phyatdana was implicit; ahe
followed to the letter every preacription,
obeyed every hint, asking but to Uve, to
live, to lire I
Her aafieriogs were esbteme and ahe must hare
312
UEHOIRS OF RACHEL.
often thought of her sister Rebecca's exclamation
under similar circumstances :
'^ Oh, 6od| must one suflfer thus to die ! "
The tragedienne endured patiently, sustained by
the hope that she would survive all pain, and she
had every consolation that friendship could bring,
every comfort that wealth could purchase. Her
sister Sarah never left her for a moment, and, as we
have already said, although the creature of im-
pulse and ungovernable in her fits of passion,
whenever there was imminent danger she was ex-
tremely kind and attentive. Sarah was the only
member of her father's family present when the
last sad hour came.
The tie between Rachel and Sarah was closer
than that which bound them to the other sisters.
Between these two there was less distance of
time, they had known poverty and want together,
they had grown up in evil days, of which Leah,
and more especially DInah| had little remembrance.
There were, perhaps, other and far more
serious motives on Rachel's side for the prefer-
ence shown for Sarah, in whose friendship
she had trusted on occasions of difficulty and
danger.
Rebecca had at one time been the favorite
sister of the tragedienne, but when she died there
MSHOIBS or ■JtaiEI. 313
WM too {treat a diapuit/ of ago to permit oC
either of the other giria taking her plaoe.
Raphael, being the only brother, was satuiallj
a fiivoritc, but Rachel ctpociallj wat alwaja di^
potcd to treat him with unbounilcd indulgCDev.
An anecdote, related bj herMlf, proves that in
early citililliood she exercised no small degree of
influence orer him.
Little Rachel had seen, among the paltry gew
gaws, gilt chun«, pinchbeck ring*, neeklacci^ Ac.,
ctpoaed for sale, in open cases, by a neighbor,
a trinket she covettcd exceedingly — the article
that had so much attfactcd the notice of the child
uf I«mcl was, strange to taj, a ctomI Without,
pcrliajw, any rcrj definite idea of the difference
between mrum and tuuin, but actuated by the im-
pulse that has led many bctter-cchoolcd and highcr-
bom children, she conimissioncd her little brother
to dtcnl thid cross. The proprietor of the dese-
crated STnibol, having found out who was the
thief) carried his complaiot to the parents, who
were very indignant. The charge being clearly
made ouc, condign punishment was administered
to the culprit. Though very severely beaten, the
boy maintained a Spartan silence with n^rd
to his accomplice, never attempting to plead
the extenuating circumstances of having operated
314 11BMOIB8 OP R1.CBBI.:
for another. Aa for Bachel, she used to say she
aeTer would forget her feelings wbeo she saw her
little brother hauled about by the hair and whipped
for dung her bidding. Fright, however, loft no
room for magnanimity, and she did not confess her
participation in the sin ; but she learned a lesson
that was of no small Talue— she was taught the
consequences of stealing, and what another child
acquires with years, she did in an hour. She was
wont to remark that, when very young, the pro-
pensity to steal was strong in her, but that this
incident had cfibctUAlly cured her.
She had a great passion for gambling, and,
when surrounded by her fiimily and intimate
friends, was always getting up some game, even
if it was but the child's play of bto. She was
not very scrupuloua in her play, cheaUng wlien-
ever she got a chance, perfectly delighted when
she won a few francs, and quite out of temper if
she lost insignificant sums. Yet, after mani-
foaUng the utmost vexation and ill humour because
she had lost a few francs, if Raphael came in with
some plausible reason for wanting a couple of
thousand, she would give them without hesita-
tion.
During her last illoess her children were with
ber; the eldest aocompanied by his tutor, and the
miioiBi or KACHBi. 316
youngest hiviog been Mst from hit coll^ of St.
Bube, at ber requot^ to etaj with ber.
Her mother wm not witb ber wben abe died,
though the hod rcnuuncd with her aome time pre>
vioua to the last momenta. Bacbel, actuated bj
the eapriciona impuUe which MOMtiinca led ber to
do the DKMt unexplainaUa tlungt, uuiated peremp-
torily, a few day* before ber death, that Madame
Felix abould reluro to Paris and attend to •oiae
buaineaa for her. She aeemed, iodeod, to wiab
all her relatirct awaj, with the exception of
Saiah.
Hot were tlioec who had been friend* and ad-
miren of tlic gny and brilliant trag^mn» forget-
ful of her when, wasted by diaeaM and swldeoed
by the prospect of a[>proacbiag diuolution, abo
could no longer minister to their amusement or
gratify Uieir vanity. Prince Xapoleon, wben at
kUrsciUca, made an excursion to Cannet and
visited the poor invalid, who was deeply moved
hy this proof of his Imperial Highness' land re* •
membrancc. She couM no longer ait up, but the
wi«h to appear to advantage atill ruled the heart
whoae beats were numbered. To receive the visit
with which she was to be honored she bad caused
herself to be drcsaed in an elegant quilted wbit«
silk pngwtir; a profusion of rich lace concealed tha
r.
316 UBHOIBS OF BACHEL.
emaciated neck and wrists, and a pretty morning
cap shaded the pale checks.
Another kind heart, whose sympathy she had
less reason to expecti M. Legouv^t the poet, with
whom she had had the lawsuit in 1853| hastened
from Paris expressly to offer her this last proof
of friendship. The breach| hpropos of ^Meddci*
had recently been made up. A short time before
her death Rachel had dictated a charming letter
to the poet| in answer to which ho had gone to
sec her. He arrived within four days of the one
that proved her last, and wh^ no one could be
admitted. ^
After having clung so despairingly to life, as
the term approached she would at times speak
of it calmly, though in reality her hopes were
never quite ".xtinguished. A week before her death
she admitted a stranger of distinction to see her,
and seemed gratified with the sympathy he ex-
pressed. To the never-failing request for her au*
tograph, she replied :
'' Ah| you do well to ask for it now, it will soon
betookteP
She then wrote on a sheet of paper :
^In a week from now I shall begin to be food
for worms, and for writers of biographies/'
^RACHaL.**
• l
S17
• •
Th« Tittlor» ahoeked at to
pAlioo, wiihod to deeliM tht ratQf{n^ bat Am
pwliid it towardi lum^ MJiBgt
«Tdn it, takt it, it will, ftAmp^ U tht ImI
tking I ahall erw write.**
On tht SSod of I>eeeBiber» tht did writt^
tliough with great diffimltj, t letter to t macj
diftingui«lied peiMiMige» tad dated it Jaaoeij let
1858, aeeountiag Ibr her eo doiiig^ ia theet
words:
"> I poet-date thk letter • • • • I foal
IS though the dolhg eo will laake me live till
And she did outlive her date, though but for
three days.
From a letter writtea to M. Sardou, the pro-
prietor of the house in which she died| by a friend
who was then present, we borrow .the following
interesting account of her last moments.
^ I had felt the approach of the fatal event on
Fridaji January 1, when we exchanged the com-
pliments of the New Year ; Rachel embraced us
wltli MO much feeling it was evident that in her own
mind she anticipated the eternal adieux* Doctor
Ueigonier had, however, assured me we might yet
expect life would be prolonged a few days.
On Saturday nothing particular oooarred.
318 UEMOiaS OF RACHEL.
Bachel remained, as U8ual| plunged in a sort of
stupor, the eiTect of excessive debility, and from
which she was now, at intervalS| roused by fits of
excessive pain, after which she would again fall
asleep. Toward midnight she awoke quite calm,
as though out of a long sleep, and chatted fami-
liarly with those around her bed. She desired to
write to her father, but had not strength to finish.
The letter she was dictating contained her last
requests, but violent spasms of pain compelled her
to cease for the time. She remained in a state of
complete prostration, and with infinite trouble was
made to swallow a little sustenance from time to
time.
At eleven o'clock Sunday morning the expecto-
ration had become so difficult that it was feared
she would choke ; an unexpected effort having .
relieved her, calm succeeded to this crisis. Rachel
then expressed a wish to finish the letter to her
father ; she dictated to the end, read it all over,
and then exclaimed :
^My poor Rebecca, my dear sister, I am
going to see thee I I am indeed happy I *
She then added a few words to the letter,
ngned it, and appeared to {all asleep. This state
lasted several hours.
Sarah had, up to this moment, hesitated to call
M&MOIII8 OF RACHEL.
3i9
iaidigioa>asdistancc;tlie words Uttered by Rachel
1 her, and she dci<pntc)icd a telegraphic
I to the ConaUtory of Nice, which iinnifr-
SmUij Mttt ten persona, men and women. They
Mncivad tomrds eight o'clock, but they wero not
iaimdaoed for some tiaic in the chamber, lest tlio
Mglrtof Uun ehould cause Hachcl too great a shock.
At tflo oUcick there was uoolhcr fit like that of
dw mntniBg, which alarmed all the house. This
th* doetan eoid would be the lust ; aad the mcm-
ban of tha Consistory wore BUiumoncd. Ttro
womea and an old man approached the bed and
began to aing in Hebrew a paalm, b^inaing :
■■ AMcnd to Ood, dughtor «f ImtL'
Kachel turned her hca calmly towards the
ungers.
" BchoM, Iiord, lb« kgoaj ofTbj hmndnuid ; pi^ bar nf-
feringi; •boiWa ber ptUBi, mj God, aad let tboM iba «odaiw
redeem hciwul
" In the nuae of Tli; \vn, Cod of Itrael. dslircr bar wml
■he ai|>im to retora to Tbe^ break the boodi tb«t biad bar M
dut and rafler ber to anaar befoia Tb7 {loij."
The ooantenance pi Baohel seemed illumined
by celestial light ; the singers continued :
"Tbe Lord raigoetb, ibe Lord bat migacd, ibe Lcrd wlQ
rdga aToijwben aad lor ararmon I
"BloMeJ. a ^ M jwlww aad br srar, ba lb« aasM of Hia |^
320 UEltOIBS OF RACHEL.
■ Th« Etarnn] Ona U God I (unn timttj.
" Liilcn, ImeL the F.lcrnNl, our Ood, ibe Etemal i« one.
"Go, then, whilber ibe Lori c*tlethThm. Oo, ftnd tnaj
IIU marc; ■niit thee. Maj the EtenuU, our God, be vitb
The*; mar Hi* immortal angeli gaida thee to bearen; and
ma; the rigbteou rejoice when the Lord roMivelh tbee in
Ilia boMM I '
"Oud of OUT father*, rcTirelnThjmere; tbufonl that goeth
ta Thu ] Bnite tt to Iboiie of the holj |»triareh% untd the
ciamal Joji of ih« heavonl; Faradue 1 Amea.'
liachet preeaed Sarah's hand, sad expired with
a emile upon her lips.
And the ungen said :
•■ Blewed ba th« Jadg« of Tnrth I"
All present were moved hj the tokens of
Iieavenljr gntco Rachel had manifested. It cannot
be doubted that Itoohcl died with the hope of
another life.
Until now I h»d doubted this faith of hers,
wliich) perhaps, wns not -definite and tiv<t from
doubt until the hut solcroo moment. However,
I must confess that I had already heard her utter
words of religious hope on the occasion of a solemn
act of her life, which took place on the 15th of last
December.
But, though she was, to all outward appearance
dead, life was not in reality extinct for some time
after the fatal news had been telegraphed to Iter
relatives in Paris. The syncope that preceded
MXM0IB8 OF SACHXL.
321
i*
death bore eo much reeembknoe to it that eren
the ph jeiciana were doeeived bj it. The one who
WM to embalm the body fimcacd he ^eoerned a
slight beating of the arterj of the neck. A mir-
ror held to the lips showed no sign of breath, bot
there was an almost imperoepdble motion of the
heartj which did not cease for some hoars.
Rachel had died without a sigh. Ofallhern-
laUvcs Sarah, who had not left her noce her do*
parture from Paris, was the onlj one present at
tlic last scene* Rose, the faithful maid, who had
attended her for twenty years, and decked her for
many a triumph, smoothed the pillow under the
death-pale cheek. The doctor, the Rabbi of Nice,
and ten members of the Consistory were the other
persons present So calm and beautiful were the
festurcs after death that a photograph was taken
of tbcm.
The body was embalmed and taken to Paris for in-
tcnncnt When the bier passed through Marseilles
the Rabbi and Consistory of that city came to the
station and said prayers over the body, after
which the coffin was raised by the members and
carried to the railway carriage*
Though every token of respect was paid thus
publicly to the remains of this celebrated woman,
though they were brought to Paris, with all the
VOL. II. r
822 UBlfOiaS OF RACHEL.
earoi the pomp of woe, that monej could procurci
a delay, occasioned, as already related, by the
fiust that death did not really take place at the
time it was supposed, gave rise to the most absurd
reports. The story ran that to avoid expense the
body had been put into a common deal packing-
case, and sent to the railway to be forwarded to
•Paris as merchandise, that in accordance with this
•denomination it had been stowed away in the
luggage van, but on the arrival of the tnun at the
Lyons station, to the amazement of all, the case
was missing I Who could have had any induce-
ment to commit so sacrilegious a thed ? None
but a lover, of coursCi consequently it must have
been M • He had been her first love. After
a rupture that had lasted years, during which
each had sought consolation elsewhere, the
breach had been healed, the friendly intercourse
.resumedi the tie cemented anew. Rachel had no
sooner undertaken the transatlantic excursion
that had proved so fatal than she longed
to return to Europe. To the addresses of new
admirers she replied by shewing the portrait of
M * On her arrival in France, she had,
with her sister Sarah, been on a visit at his
country residence, and when her health sent her
to Egypt, she had been followed thither by her
mifOIBS or RACHEL. S23
fiiithfiil frieod. M wis largely bterMted in
the LjroDS nilwmj, end could eeeilj poeteee
himeelf of the eeee that contained all that re-
mained of her he had loTed* The object of the
theft was to bter the precious remains in his own
groundsi and erect there a monument orer which
he might mourn unseen bj profime cjes.
The arriral of Sarahi accompanjiog the re-
mains, at last sQenccd the indefatigable news-
mongers, and the funeral obsequies were per-
formed according to the Jewish ritcS| in the Is-
raelite dirision of the cemetery of Pore La Chaise.
The hearse was preceded by the Grand Rabbi of
the Jc\^nsh Consistory of Paris, and followed by
the father, brother, and youngest boy, as chief
mourners. The ribbons were held by MM.
Alex. Dumas (the elder) Auguste Maquet,
Chairman of the Society of Dnunatic Authors,
M. GcfTroy, societaire of the Thdltre Franfais,
and Baron Taylor.
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the wea-
ther the crowd was immense. Perhaps no dra-
matic artist was ever followed to the grave by so
numerous a ccrthgi of distinguished writers.
Among these illustrious were MM. Scribe,
Alphonse de Vigny, St. Beuve, Emilie Augier,
Legouv^ Viennet, and other members of the
t2
324 1IKHOIR8 OP RACHEL.
Academy ; MM. Camillc Doucet from tho
Ministire d*Etat; M. Emile de Girardin;
MM. Ilalevyi Alex. Dumosi Auguste Barbicr.
Fiorentino, &fario Nehaud| Ara6ne HouAcayei
LouU de Satisbonne, Latour de St. Ybars,
Michel Lcvy^ and the managers of the Parisian
theatres. The majority of the artisies of the
Grand Operai Th<^tre Franfais, Opera Comique,
&c.» &c.| were also there.
Funeral omtions were spoken by MM. Jules
Janin, Auguste l^Iaquet, and Bataille.
' The public testimony the Rabbi's words af-
forded that the tragedienne had died in the faith
of the people was probably introduced in his
discourse on account of the reports circulated that
in her heart at least, she was a Catholic, in cor-
roboration of which it was asserted that during
her last illness she had constantly worn on her
bosom an image of the Virgin, and that so long
as she had strength to read anything, her favo-
rite book had been the '^ Imitation.'' How far
this was true it is difficult to say, as Sarah was
too staunch a Jewess not to conceal from every
eye any such manifestations of apostacy if they
had existed. Rachel herselfi even, at the last
hour, gave no positive indication of a preference
for any particular ereed, not even of the one she
^m
MBHOIBS or lUt'llEL. 3tS
WM bora in, uul of whidi ihe lud Dover been »
•iriot obKTTcr.
Uut wbtla Ml nunjr mm, ranking high in tb«
difl«rent brenclm of literuluro uid nrt, liad luu-
tcnoil to icMify, by tlicir procncc, iho lou Mi*-
taincil bjr the cltufio ilmnui, llio altwnce of oiu)
wbcisc jiUcc BO oihvr cnitU fill wiw noticed with '
MirpriM. M. Saa«on, tlw prorisaor wbow IcMon*
duriog ta auuty ycnn bad mi bu^ly contributed
to tho ■uccou of Madcmoiwilc lUdicl, uid who
wu expected, M tlic rcprcKCiitativc of ilia
Couwiijo Fnutfou, lu luiTO proauuuccd bcr funnrst
onttioot WM not OTen prMont *t tlio barU. Tba
n»Moa 9000 becwue pabUo. On tho pravMNW
Sftturdaj, U. Emfn*, tho tnftuger of the Comidie
Fnofut, kkd rooeiTod ft lottor fram U. Folix,
MB^ tho purport of wbieh waa that ho hoped aocoo
one would spoftk, in tbo nuno of tho oompuij^ at
tho intorment of hit dai^tor^ of^tointod to t>k«
pUco on tho following Mondajr, but at the
nine timo peremptoriljr r^jooting U. Suuoa h the -
ontor.
The letter having boon oommuDicatod to tho
a9ciiiair«$, thia expresuon of hoatilitj towards a
oomrade who waa lored and eatoemed hj all* wa^
TOTf properi/ rcoentod, and it waa reoolTod that
BO OM ahould take the place of bin whom merit
* 1.
• j
* I
t:
326
MEMOIRS OP RACHEL.
and priority of standing in the company entitled
to represent it
Thus it was fi&ted that dissensions and petty
quarrels should accompany her career even
beyond the grave.
|i
\
I
1
APPENDIX.
It mighl kara been tnppOMd diftt lb* curtain bmd
dropptd over Um doting moim, wid Oui tha lut Fnach
m^MftoMi lutd beon UA lo rest in tha tomb baUowad
bf Um memory of goniui. Not to. Sovnljr tbrM
monihi had elH[)9ed tineo aha was kid in her grava
when her name, placarded all o*cr Paris, odco mora
called the public, when tho curtain waa ooco more
raited. Tliit time the after-picce acted waa udder
than vij trage«)7 in which aba had, living, borne a
part : it wa* enlided " Venta Aprea Dccci de Mada-
moiaelU Raclicl." The onljr articlea it bad baan thought
naccaaaiy to apecif; in thaaa noticea wera tha dimm
and^Mc tn'iwf.
The traijalunne had been, througliout her career, the
■ta^ and chief support of her father's family. She had
been eiptoitet for their benefit as much as for her own,
to the last grnsp, nnd now that she was dead it occumd
to the children of Israel that something more might be
made out of her remaina. The ipoib were to be di<
vided, and, aa it it not the custom in these dcgenarala
dajt to cast lota for the raiment of the dead, ban waa
put up at auction.
Great ingeauitj was exerted in order to make tha
ii APPENDIX.
most of the prestige attached to eyerything that had
belonged to Rachel. Eveiy article was classed and a
number of catalogues were distributed all over the
eountiy. The sale was pompouslj announced, and
priyate and public exhibition-dajrs appointed with all
the ceremonial otsergenii de vUU to guard the treasures
and eheranes to explain them.
The show was a sad one. The things that had be-
come identified with the mistress whom thej had con-
tributed to adorn and beautify, that with her had had
their home sacred and inviolate, were now but so manjr
goods and chattels, inventoried, catalogued, numbered,
readj to come under the hammer, thence to be scat-
tered abroad in eveiy direction.
In one room, on tables, were displayed the ornaments
and properties pertaining to each character; the
damaskeened corslet, the casque and gauntlets of Joan
of Arc; the gem-hilted poinard otBaxane; the Egyp-
tian diadem of CUopdtri; and the cameos of Phidrt;
the tiaras and sceptres of the royal dames the tragSdi'
enne had evoked from their lethargic sleep, and that
now had died with her who had personified them so
welL Against the walls were arranged the theatrical
costumes. On a near inspection it was evident that
the dresses were made of the most costly materials ;
but, as they hung Uiere, lank, limp and shapeless, empty
of the lithe form that had given such classic grace to
their folds, such queenly dignity to their sweeping
trains, the rich vestures gave the place the appearance
of a costumier's show-room.
Had they voices what disdosuret those embroidered
APmoix.
III
bodioMi ihoM jew«Ued erownt mighl mak% of Um pM-
•ioiuite working* of tho heart thej had eovored, tho
brmin ihcj had ondrdod 1 IitUo» boweror, did tho
earelcM crowd troubU itaoir with Mch ooiyeeturM aa
itpawod akMig« commontiiig od all it aaw and on all it
had heard, on the probable ralue of the gew-gawa and
on the errors of her who had worn them.
In another room were arranged the plate and real
jewels, the latter in show cases much after the manner
in which those of some crowned heads wers seen at the
two great Exhibitions in London and Paris, and reallj
almost as worth j admiration. The imperial and rojal
gifts, each recording some triumph of which it had been
the brilliant reword, were placed conspicuously.
The libniy, though not extensive, was raluaUle, inas-
much as manj of the books, having been presented bv
the autliore, Hugo, Lamartine, Ponsord, Emile Auper
and others of the most admired modem poets, contained
their autographs, and, in some cases, complimentar)r
yenes addressed to the tragediemms. Among the works
of the theatrical repertory were tragedies with altera-
tions, additions and remarks in the handwriting of
Talma, to whom ihcj had belonged ; others had been
similarlj annotated bj the late owner.
Among the smaller articles of menoffe was a cup of
Sevres porcelain, which was doubljr valuable from
having also pertained to two theatrical celebrities, its
first owner was Mademoiselle Clairon. The paintings
and richest portion of the furniture had been disposed
of at the sale of the effecu in the Hotel Triidon, some
time before Mademoiselle Bachel*s death.
IT APPXMDIX.
So far there was nothing verj objectionable in the
exhibition. It was probablj necessary that the plate,
jewels and other articles should be sold in order to
make a division of the property in accordance with the
will of the deceased. But it really seemed unneces-
sary as well as grossly indelicate to make a public ex*
hibition and sale 'of the personal linen of the tragedi-
enne; if the family could not make some arrangement
among themselves with regard to such articles, they
might at least have been more privately disposed of. The
whole stock — and it was a larger one than many ready-
made linen warehouses contain — together with the
dresses, shawls and laces, was set down in a separate
catalogue, and displayed in the bed-chamber. The
|)etticoats ofAdrienne Lecouvreur and the hose of Marie
Stuart were to be knocked down to the highest bidder,
as well as the peplum of Camille and mantle of
Fhidre.
Here, too, was to be seen the only creature whose
countenance indicated a consciousness of the desecra-
tion going on. By the bed, on which was spread a
small fortune in laces, sat a woman past the middle
age, whose thin figure was clothed in mourning, and
around whose wrinkled features the border of a black
cap, unrelieved by a bit of white, was just visible.
This was Rose, in whose care for twenty years the
wardrobe of Mademoiselle Rachel had always re-
mained—she still sat there, fiuthfnl to her trust to the
last, the poor old waiting-maid who had seen the com-
mencement and the dose of the troffkUenn^s career,
who bad decked her so often with that finery, and who.
with tb« MUM Uvabling kwda, bad attired bar in Imt
iMtdreM.
What b«r fMlingt wan naedcd no telling. Ib tba
4c«{> UnM ftroawl th« oomprcaMd lips, griof wid aogar
w«ra minglad, and tJba look in ih* dark «jrw tkat
gUivd at «Mch Rtnuigvr wbo appcuacbed to axaniiiM
iba lacM OD iba bed, wat ooa of hatred and dafianec.
Thougfa th« flgnra waa notioiiloH, iboiigfa tba liaad
MTor turned, tba look followod you, jan eoald not
get rid of it, it reachsd whatsr«r good feeling U/
uodemealb tbe (hick coating of aetftthacM with whieli
experience of the world had cavered jour heart, you
frit iliorouRhlf aaharoed of the idle curiositjr that had
bruugUt jou there to overhaul (hoeo aad relic*, and,
unheeding the admonition of ihoCerbcruiin the ehape
of B tergeaiU lU vilU, bawling out at eliort intanrale :
" PaNH, Mesaieun \ pasaea, lieedames,*' jrou haa-
tened to make jrour escape.
The aame e<re to efTect lliat bad preeided over the
arrangement of the different articles had organiaed tbe
aalca. In lieu of the crowd of lordidlj-clotlted, dirty-
fuced, book-noied, long-bearded, cunniog-ejed dealera
in eccond-hand gooda, buttling, jo«( ling, elbowing, and
crufliing the toct of any luckiest wight whoee ile«ant
uppc-anuice proclaimed him not one of them, tlie re-
■pectuble-looking biddora who filled tbe rowaof Telret-
covered benches, looked ai though ibey bad met thore
to hear morning concerta. The auctioneer biouelf
•poke in subdued tooo* a* though he were murmuring
prayers to which the aiiantive audienw gara tha ra-
■ponaee.
Tb« bujen wera, as wa have olread j uid, of the
b«Uer classei at lb«M aalei, with the exception, how-
OTer, of the two ixja on which the costumes were
sold, when numeroos costumiers and manhanda a la
lo&ettt came in search of bargains. Thus manjr a gvf
masquerader will unconsciouBlj polk and quadrille and
walu in a fancj garb made of the robes in which
Camille has uttered her fierce anathemas, or Phidrt
lamented her fatal love.
Among other attempts made to give additional in-
terest to some of tlie articles sold, the old story of the
guitar was revived by some of the papers in behalf of
an instrument of the kind that was coming under the
hammer. But'tliis was beyond even the boldness of
on auctioneer. When it came to be the turn of the
guitar, he said that it " had been - erroneously an-
nounced that this was the instrumont with which
Mademoiselle Rachel when a child had sung in the
cajh. Still this guitar was valuable inasmuch as it
had been ten years in the tragidiaiiuft possession, and
was occHNonollj used by her en wiu>mm- of her first
calling." How iJttJo the bidders credited even this
nore modest statement, was evident in the price the
guitar broaght— lOfr.^-aa it was quite new and clean
it was moch leas than its market value.
a. BonM, Fantxa, etocoasna sraaar, aioaai's pjiax>
ia» tiBAt MAUBOttoow niAnov
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** A work which corrects til errors of former worka. It It the prodncilon of a herald,
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''This work derlres great vaint from tho high authority of Mr. Lodge. The plan Is
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** This work should form a portion of every gentteman*a library. At all Urnea, the Infos-
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In tbtf
BISTORT AKD BIOGRAPHT. 3
UESIOIBS OF THE COUBT OF THE BE6ENCT.
From Orioiwal Familt DoeoMiiin. By tbt DUKB OF BUCKING-
HAM AND ClIANDOS, ILG. t f^ls. Sm, with Poitniu. 30«. bowuL
(
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•f Rnglith IHtMry. Bal «b«i y«M» iImw ««r«. fNai ISII to l«M ! Wkat ev«BCa at b«M«
^ ftbcMd Ikry kor« u tlM ffrrmi fc» WM I— frooi Um ■cmiloii mt tW BrfmC to r«v«r t«
at4Mlli«r 0««rg«III.— bMlndlMf lli«Mlaf PtfTcwaii cb« IsvmIm of »— ■!». aad tk«
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C«afrvM of VWiiaai tb« llttmlrT4 l>«yt 1 tte erMralag c«r««f« of U'oloriooi tte tsiW to
It Htkna 1 tlio rttmrm of tbo ■■■rfcaot » CW tulio n oi of Kiiropo 1 Cbo poWlc ■foo<ola ot
iw KmImIi C«ort I Ik* popvlor dkarooltol. oo4 llio i HM cri oC Pmrt oo I Oo aioaf porto
if Ult tiory ibo 4oc«iiioiiU paMlohM kf Iho iHik* of Bocklof koai caol Mvjoto of l%ht,
fkoflM op nark Mcrvi kitucy. OM Morin ora ooointi — ■ ifoMo of
fePMfkloiil. In akort, nooy oov oo4 pitaaoat
"lavalaalilo. aa tkaaiag tkt Ihm llfkc la wkirk Maay of tka •iWrtaf awala of tko
■•laary art to ka vWw«4. Tka lavat* af Caart foaaip trUI alao totf aoC a lllllo for ikoir
fMlcailaa and aaiaacaMot.**— litflfroqjr OooWlf .
'* Th««« Talamva cavrr a roaipl«l« apack, tka pcHad af tka lU g facy a parlad of larfo
•n4 ttirrinf Knf ii«h kUiatr. Ta ihv l>«k« mt MarklafhaK, wka thaa. oat of kla faatlif
•ffhirrt, pUrrt alihia oar rvack auihratic and •irrriilaflf ailautaplctarvaaf tha|rovrraora
tl CB(liinrf. wt owr gralrful a«:hBo«rieiifrnirata. Ilia papcra aboood la frrak llfkta on old
iaplr«. ami la artr litutiraiktna anii anerdeira. Tke iatrlnalc vaiur of tka lattcta laaakoa'cvd
hj ih« Jiidif tima •rlitnf of tka aipUnatofT caaimaat tkal acvompoalaa tkf, wkkk la pat
/ lagttbrr witk aiack rart and kooaaty.**— f^aatiNrr.
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE LAST FOUR POPES;
AM) OP ROME IN THEIR TIMES. Bj Hit Eninence CARDINAL
WlbEMAN. 1 large toI. 8ro. wiih Portrtitt, 21 1. bouad.
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■ark vacu' curiotlty. mr hart ao III tie Infaraiatioa, a« abaat tkr aacctaaara to tka PapaJoai.
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of whic k« haa bimaatf aarn, and wkat nona bat kioiaclf, parkapa, kaa kad 00 food oa
»Pporlunity of thornu|ihly Mtimailng. Ilia paaltloa In Ika Papal Collrita at Rooia would
t*cr$9»rilf brinf kim Into contact nlib iba arcana af Papal rak) and tka tkaraaghly
Cr.rlivb coiitiiiuiion of bit atlnd la apactally adapiad for tha raprta^ntatlon of tkaaa thloga
to Kn|r:uh rradrra. Thrra la a raaaipinir, ali-tcilttiff aiyk abaat tka book whkk k oartoto
U nalrc li popular with Kuf llah raadrra.**— ^oAa BmU.
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•ppoM-d to every Idra of hunan InfaJiiblllty raprraaatad In Papal domlnattaa."— J/4«n«w«B. .
I "Thia volnma la ikr lauat prodacUon af Cardinal fTiaaaaao't aloquaat aad (hdla pan.
i •ni thouik It anay net iult cvary aoa. Uara caa ba aa daabt tkat It will dallgkl all ikoaa
I abo ahall peraaa It."— Q^af r rrr.
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til coluiaoa with amaalDg citracta.**— CAramc/a.
/ "In tkIa rolttoia Cardinal Wkaasaa aaana parpoaaly to avoid aataafUaf klaaolf la
' dtipntad artlclaa af faitk, and dwaik ratkar apoa tka paraaaal. klatafkal. Illarary aa4
I vtiatk afaw af hk aobjact. He ralataa kk asparfaacaaof Rotooaad kar rakn la a pkaaaal
I faolal atyk.'**L<iar«rp Ooaaffa.
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Third and Foubtm Tolvmbb, compritiBg the period from 1800 to 1810,
tod completing Ihit. important work. Sfo., with Portraits. 80a. bound.
V»9U Tan TiMM^— ^TbrM veluMt Motltl. In the naln, of letters writtM ^ tbt tvt
kMthera, Lord OrravUle, And Mr. T. OrraTlllt, to Chelr ckkr brother, the Morqvlt ef
Bocklaf hon^ for hte InfemMtioo m to the potUical drettnttoncet of the time. In the tve
former irolomeo o great omoant of cnrlooe fooelp, oad of Tolooble loformotloa, vtt
cootaloed reloUre to the fermfttlon of the CoollUon Mlotatrr. the Klng'e tllaeM la ITM,
rad the eorif period of the wor with revolntlonory Fnuice. Volumce I tad 4 take op the
tale where volaoieo 1 ood 2 had left It 1 and herein we ind a conneetcd narrative of tht
many atlrrlof hietorkal ereoU whieh occnmd between 1800, when Lord OrcBTlUo and
Tdleyraod were In correapondenco reepectinf Booaparte'a propooala for peace, nntll the
retnm of tht Clnf'a malady In 1810 and the debatea In ParllanMnt relatlto to the legcncy.
The preoent collection la more talnable than the laat, Inaamnch aa Lord GrenrlUe, harlaf
attolned higher dignity and eipcrlence, la a more dIspaaalooaU obaenrer of pamlog efcalt.
Whoever wonid deaire to read the raanlng comoMnU of ao eminent and well Informed a
man aa Lord Ormrllle npon a decade ao Intereatlng aa that of 1800—10, wonld do wall It
cootnlt three volnmea. Lord OrrnrlUe waa certainly among the moat fhr-aighted men ef
hla time I and to him, ftam the irtt, belonga the credit of appreciating truly Napjilcaa
Bonapatce'a poaltlon and dealgne. He did ao even to' a higher degree than Pitt 1 and It la
moat remarkable how far hla predlctlona have been Terlficd by the event, even whm
tnbmltted to the aharp teat of thejndgment of poatertty. The principal pdnu on whkl
light la thrown by the present correspondence are, the aegodatlons before and after the
Treaty of Amiena nntll the time of Ito mptnre— the tme character of Addlugton'a Admlate*
tmtlon, and the rtlatioas betweea 'The Doctor' aad Pitt— the formation of the Pitt sai
aidmonth Cabinet, when the Klng'e prtjodlces agaloat Charles Fox were fonnd to be lasB^
aMonUMe— the Orenrille and P*i abort Administration— the Dnke of Portland's Cafatad^
the eapcdltlon to Pertngal, with lu climax at Qatm— the Dnke of Tork'a scandal with If it.
Clarke— Sir John Moore'a retreat, with the eariler Spanish campaigns of Mr Arthnr Wil.
Usley. and, fnally, the dlsastroas Walcheren afklr. There la much mrlona matter lalsr.
posed In the ahape of jrr/c<s npon the altnatlon of affaire written ftam time to time by Ud
Ormrille hlaMclf 1 aad perhapo aUU more cvrlona reporu made to the Marqola of BncMaf*
ham by a certain , whoae name remalna a mysUry, hot who seems to have bsrs
tolerably well ac^nalnted with the arwa itm/terU at the beginning of the centnry. Then
la mnch In theee folnmea whkh well deeenrea peraaal. Thorslaaportloaof thelrconleoli
which poaeeseea neariy aa high a dalm apon oar laataat aad earsfta aaasids r a t laa aa Ihi
Iflnatea of tht Soboatopol Commlttot.'*
TEE LIVES OF PHILIP HOWABD, EABL OF I
ARUNDBL, AND OF ANNS DACRBS, HIS WIPB. Bdited from tin I
Original 1188. By tho DUKl OF NORFOLK, B.lf. 1 voL antitM
"Tht a^Ut tdlttr of thaatMofriphlaa la wtU warraattd la tht traat which hit prsftsi
eapfoaaes, thai thty wlU ht read with tateraaC They throw valnablo Ngbt oa tht secU
habiu aad tht pmaleat awMapof iht U ls abe t ha a age. ThtDaktof NofMk,by9t^
Mahlagthaat carioaa MograpUta^hai aal talydaathoaoariohU oaceetort,hnthasnr|
pMed maltflaU of hitioskti iaii imn lit im whlcfc ha iwmii ihathaakaaC thAUMmd^
HUTOKT AMD KOOUFHT. 6
ELIZABETH DE TALOIS, atJEEH OF SPAIN, ASD
TItl COURT or PinUP ll. Pna ■» ■■■■■ ■ fb fc W iJ Mwec* la
a* ArcUm tt PrMM. luij, m4 tfii*. ij HIU lUMM. t ««lk
poat Its. «iU tM Portniu hj llurm. tU
■t>ktM»w«iMI>* n i>i mH nftli*li M i> n «fc* am.
THE LIFE OF MASGUEBITE D'AKGOULEME.
QUSEN of KAVARRR, SISTER al FRANCIS [. Fram auDcraut orisinBl
■ourcu, inclMilini US. Docamcati ia the B>blw(b6i]D« Impcriile, ud th»
Arrhivn du Kajiunie dc Fnncc, ud Ihc PriitU C^rmpoadcace of Qtm*
ttirpicrite with Tnncit 1. tit. Sj MISS FRBBR. S<comI Bditioa,
KcTlud, ] voU. pwt Bto., «iih ■■• Poctniu, eifr»«d bj Hkatb, lit,
'Tlilatii t«TMMplrt> uddtxrlr-vrllUa lllkcT A* lllMUtoM •taWT (f PiHcta U
»d II nif b* ulil (f kTT Lh>t Lhf nrted ud kalffntlai (tam ■( FiTKk tllM«T (Cw ■■
(kra> atn Btnhr rt mmtli ■■»< aUdT Iku llH nnvr •( ikii fnM rrtac***- *ka nw-
rlHil ■• |>Mn( u lalan« •••T lk> pallUca u4 BUHn •( Ik* •(• (f aUck (h* via
IU<I MnMinl. Tkt p*WI.JHiI >iU v»Mnf)ll 4*»»au
EEiniY in. KING OF FBAKCE: HIS COUKT AKD
TIUBS. P'om numcroni an|Mbli*bed Kmrcn, lneladiii| US. Dora«cati
Id tha Bihlwtlwque Inp^naW, aid th* AtcUtm of FnaM ud Iul7> Br
r - tU:tt raSKR. (!■ ib« pnaa.)
HURST AND BLACKETT's NEW PUBLICATIONS.
LOBD GE0B6E BENTINCE: A POLITICAL BIO
GRAPUY. B/Um RIGHT HON. B. DISRAEU, M.P. Fifth and cbetpi
BditiOB, Revised. Pott 8to. lOt. 6d. bound.
** This MofTApby cannot fall to attract the deep attention ot the public. We are boat
to aaf, that as a politk^l Uographj we have rarelt. If ever, sset with a book more desterojii
handled, or more replete with Interest. The blstorv of the famotts session of 184R.i
written by Disraeli In thai brilliant and pointed style of which he Is so consumniste a nuMU
Is deeply Interestinf . Ho has traced this memorable strafgle with a vlTscity and pew
wnsfnidied as yet In any namtlro of PnrUaoMntary proceedings***— lMnellrweod*s Jfof .
LOIUD FALUEBSTOITS OHNIONS AlO) POLICY; I^
MlNISTBE, DlPLOMATItT, AND STATBSMAIf, doring mON thu FOTtf TCll
«f Public Life. 1 fol. 8?o with Portrait, 7s. 6d« bonnd.
"This work onght to hsee a place In etery political library. It giTss n complete tic
'of the sentlmcnu and opinions by which the poUcy of Locd Phlmtnton hat been dictated i
EASTERN HOSPITAIiS AND ENGLISH NUESES;
The Namtire of Twelve Months' Experience in the Hotpitalt of Koolali
and Scntari. Bj A LADY VOLUNTEER. Third and Cheaper EdiUoa,
1 ToLvpoet 8to. with lUuttratbna, 6t. bound.
* A production which, not only In the sn)i!)ect.raatter» but In Its treatment. Is Ailed will !
the purest and best erldeoces of womanly tenderness. Wbst the nnrsrs did for our tick
and wounded soldiers— how they rolnlBtered to thdr wanta and assuaged ihrlr sufferings-^
how thst composite body of hired sttendants, sisters, nuns, and lady rolunteers, worln4
together for a common object— how their duties were apportiotied--«nd how. In health «
UIacss, their time passed away— sre all faithfully and minutely detailed In these toIubm.
*Bastem Hoeplials and English Nurses' will* no donbta command a good clrculatlos.*
—iVbellfflMi.
"The story of the noble deeds done by Miss Nightingale and her deroted slsterhssd
will neeer be more effectively told than la the boantlAU Mrratlve contained In thiM
TelMMt.*'-^IMii BmU.
JOURNAL OF ADYENTUBE3 WITH THE BBITISE
ARMY, from the Commencement of the War to the Fall of SebaatopoL
Br GEORGE CAVENDISH TAYLOR* Ute 95th Regiment. 2 v. 21i.
*" The erldence these volumes contain Is exceedingly Talnabte. The real state of thlsfi
• here exhibited.**— Je4» Bull,
** There wss scarcely an occurrence of any Importance that Mr. Tkylor was not an eys*
witness of. Balaklsva, Inkermaiin, Kertch» the operations In the Sea of Asof, Anapa, tl«
storming of the If alakoff and the Redan, and the taking possession of Sebestopol— «sch
It Is detailed In that concise but clear* prof^looal atyle which we have not aset wlU
"^'^UmUtd 8enie§ Onrefle.
TURKEY: ITS HISTORY AND PROGRESS; FROU
THE JOURNALS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF SIR JAMES PORTBB,
VUieen Yean Amhauador at Constantinople, contioned to the Pietent Time,
with a Memoir of Sin Jambs Ponnn, hj hia Grandion, SIR GEORGS
LARPENT Baet. t Tola. 8fo^ with lUuatrationa. 16s. hound.
"This highly totetesting wwk glees a Ihller and more IMb*IIke pictnra of the prescsij
1^ Ji'
lUf J-MU
mmk
BI8T0EY AND BIOORAPBT.
THE COUNTESS OF BONNEVAL: HEB LIFE AHD
LSTTBRS. Bj LilDT QBOKGIANA rULLBRTON. S vvb. poU 8t».
ait.bowML
:iiu
UEMOntS OF BERANGER. WBITTEN BT
SBLF. Bitoutv CorTAiovr BDinoit. Sccoftd BdUta, villi
▲ddiUoMl AMcdoUtaiiaNotot, hUhmto ■■pvbliited. Sta with PoitraU.
■ TM» !■ tbt CspTrtflU T Wtl all— of B^f i^ t i* i lltfmp h f , It ay p wf tea
i,M4to««nliy«fallpryM M M kMtM piMt of vMft. fatbUi cwf f M>
Ito PMt tftepteyt ttU tkt Mti^M filttf ^^4 tu nMi mtm, tW ■ rami > i >H < liat i iUy,
teMpwttMt frwB M« cteTMWr. H* Mia, wlik •■ a^aiilM itaiyUcltr, Um MMy aClilt cwlf
ftara. NIa Hl^ W taya. la tba AOiaal riaiiwtafy •« Ua aaafi, llMt««M« W «fH«a M.
TW ckara af iba aa r ra tH ra It ■Uagtlbtf fflmk. It tedadaa a aatlaty ot ^kammma, mmm fttat
p rt alai, lavcklaff t laat l y a« Um pafaaaal MMary aC vlOck tkay Uttm a part, akarvtf aaytafa*
mi^ aa tfca ial4 af acUaa Id lifc aKta a , awy >>< Ub w of c— U wpar ari aib md itm j md^ itn m iu
afaa mcb aM tMafa. Ttefa la a Ml appiaila to tka MasMlr. rirk to ktlOTi hliWvW
aapaMlalMd, aai la lalbnaalloa wMcH ■■■piitu tha atory ot lliatat*! Mb. Tkt
AaaM W rtad by aU.**— Jt««aite«r.
* TbU aaiaMafraphy ptaaaau la m not aaly aa aiailnibli p at tiaH aftfco gnu i
paat of rVaaaa, Wt aa aiiiaaMly ctoar pictaia af iba m u mtmn oi bla tIaM. Wm tba
aantat af biMary, alwaya m latawaattac aod tall af t— tmctlaa §m a MlfblM ptctrnt af
tba paat, aad Many pWaaaat tMa llfbu ibraara apaa tba prlactpal lacMaau af tba p ari ai
tbit valaaic will ba IWaad ai valaabla ai It la tetarvatlaf .**— Bla«*waa^ JfOfaaiaa.
THE LIFE OF MARIE DE MEDICIS, QUEEN OF
PRANCE, CowaoRT or IIbhrt IV., and Rbgekt uwdbr Lotrip XIII.
Dy MISS PARDOE. Author of " Uiua XIV, and the Couit of FAaoe, ia
the I7tU Century," he Second Ediuon. 3 tola. 8ro. Portrait!.
MEMOIRS OF THE BARONESS FOBEREIRCH,
iLLUaTAATIYB OF TBI SsCRET lliaTOUT OF THB CoUATt OF PmAKCC,
RuaaiA, AND Gkrmakt. Writtex by HERSELF, and Edited hj Her
GrmodMo, the COUNT DB MONTDRISON. 3 voU. poat Sto. l&a.
** Tb« DarofiM* 4*0b«rlilrrh baiag tba latlaMta ttUm4 af tba Kaiprcaa af l l ae ala. vita af
Paal I., aad tba caaidealial cooipaaloa •( Iba Durbaaa of Baarboa, bar ferilitica fwr
abuloinf informftUoa r»«p*ctlnf tb« nNwl privata affairs of tb« prtarlpal Coartt at Karopa,
foadcr brr llcB»oir« aniirallctl m a book •{ laUratUag aoccdaCra of tba royal, aobl* aa4
otbcr cakbraiad iMdlridual* vbo tovrtthcd on Iba cootlaaot dartaf tbo latlar part of tba
Uat caatury. Tb* rolaaiat foroi a raiuabU adUitloa to tba piwaaal blalacy of aa Uaportaai
paftad. Tbay daacrra gaaaral pop«larity.**~i>ai(|r A'«
PAINTING AND CELEBRATED PAINTERS, AN-
CIBNT and MODERN ; including HUtorical and Critical Notkea of tbo
ScUooU of ItaJy, Spain, IVaoce, GennanT, and the Netheilanda. Edited hj
LADYJERVIS. 2 Tolt. poat 8fO. 12s. bound.
** Tbla book U dealfoad to fiv* to tba raaaral paMk a papalar koovlcdga •( tba Rltlory
•( PalaUaf and tba cbaractara of Palalara. vilb rapadal rtftmca ta tba aioat proslaaal
aaoof tboM of ibcir vorki vbkb ara ta ba ataa la Sagllab ffallarlaa. It U pkaaaaUy wrHlaa
vilb tba lalaaUoa at aarrlaff a aaafOl parpooa. Il aaccwda la Itadaalfa, aad vUl ba af raai
aaa to tba aialUtada af plctaia aaara. Aa a plaaa af agraaaMa laadteg ala% It la
8 BURST AND BLACKBTT's NBW PUBLICATIONS.
THE BOOK OF OBDEBS OF KNIGHTHOOD, .
DECORATIONS OF HONOUR OP ALL NATIONS i COMPB
AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OP EACH ORDER, MILITART, V
AND CIVIL I with Lists of the Knights and Companions of each
Order. BMBBLUtHED wira Pitb Hvmprbd Pao-^imile Coi
IlXVeTBATIOMt or THB llftlOlfIA OF TBI VAllIOUt OrPSRA.
. bj SIR BERNARD BURKE, Ulster King of Anns. 1 toL rojra
biadsomeiy hound, with gilt edges, prioe A2. 2s.
THE OLD COURT SUBTJIIB; OR, MEMOBIAD
KENSINGTON! Rboal, Critical, and AirncDonoAL. By 1
HUNT. Second Edition. 2 vols, post 8fo. 21s. eleganUj bonnd.
* A dtHfht/lal book, of which th« charm heglot at tba the arat line on the 6rit ]
Ml 9t qvaiat aikl plaatant mcoiorfM la the phnuc that la Ita title—* The Old Court i
▼cf7 fall* tao^ hath af qualat asd plcaaaat mamoriea la tha Una that dealf natca the
It ia tha aaait of tha anoat chctrAil of chraolclcra, tha beat af reaMBsbnuicera of too<!
the Moat poUahcd aMi aatarulnlof of adocalcd goaalpa. ' Tha Old Coart Soburb * li
that will be welcome to all readara, and moat welcoma to thoao who have a love for I
ktada of icadbif .*•— Cffmiliicr.
"A more agtecable aikl aotartaliilaf book has not beon pvbUahad alBeaBoawcU p
his femlaliceMaa of Johoaoo.**— iMeerecr.
BEVEIATIONS OF PRISON LIFE; WITH AN
QVIRT INTO PRISOK DiSCIFLIIfn AKD SbOONDAKT PuIHSBMXKT
GEORGE LAVAL CHESTERTON, 25 Yean GoTcrnor of the H<
Correction at Cold-Bath Fields. Third Edition, Rerised. 1 vol. IC
** Mr Cheatcftoo haa had a rare experleace of human tnllly* Re baa lived i
Moa, the forfcr, the t^rtiig, the tafabond, the murderer i baa looked Into the
aepalchrraof the heart, withont flndlnit reaaon to despair of mankind. In hla Im
worat of men hare atlll aome of the anfel left. 8nch a teetlmony from each a quaru
•f aofelty aa It la af Intereat. A* a cnrlone bit of buouui bletory these Toluroea are :
aMo. They are very real, very alroplei dramatic withont exafrgeratlon, pbUotophIc
being dnll. la dealinf with a aabjcct eo pecallar aa priaoa life, Mr. Cheatcrton waa
■Mklng hla treatOMBt peraaoal and IncldeoUl. General deacrlpllona, however a
lalervat only a few | b«t atorlea ef crime, aaecdotca of crlayaala, may attract all n
MiJIAnueiim.
**Thla Intereatinf book Is fbll of each lUuatratlons as tha narrative ef atrlkti
albrda, and la Indeed as well calculated to entertain mere readera for amnaemec
laatnKtaad aaaletlhaae arho are atndyinf the great qneatSooa of aodal reform.*'— i^
**Tht very Inteteating work J«at pabllahed by Oapt. Chastartaai, entitled ' Bev
•f Priaaa LMb.**— ^■•rfcHEir Jlevicie.
AUT0BI06BAFH7 OF ELIZABETH DAVIS^ A
LACLAVA NURSE. Edited hj JANE WILLIAMS. 2 vols, pos
with PortraiU, 21s.
**IathlatnMatoryefaWelahwomaa*sllfe,wefeBcy, aowaadthca, thatwearo
ictfoa by Defee. Thecooraeof aventa la ao aataral, yet ao lamianal and amvtlng, th
hook, la the qaatait brevity of Ita manner, ia ao anHka the m^lorlty of atorlea and Mof
••«-a.daya pnbUabad, that M to In the traeet and beet aanaeof the word a new bool
hook llhs half the bookathat have been written befefa It, and half thoaa we are yet ^
Saieai. We think wt mast have said a>ore tha a s— agh la asad a giiat auay of ear
IStUS)
BItrOET AMD UOOftAnr.
S£COLI£CTXONS OF WEST END UFE; WITH
SKSTCllESOr tOCim 1H PA&IS. IKDIA.fte. B; MAJOt CUAMBU,
Uta l}tk LMMcn. t Mk.«itkFBttnktrOwr|« IT. tit.
•ir« tut ki H^H ChMknS INrir akMikn ■ mtm f MBiriM u
lai III iMlatw U IktM tat *" l^Mr p h IUm. Ml, iM patMoT i*|
SMBHOMtt* IV. «M k* >ni aU MMMMa uri iB I IIl.'t-H— ^
THE JOUBNAIA AND CORRESPONDENCE OF
QBNEUL SIR HAKtT CALTBtT, Bah., O.OB. •a4 OXXH^ A».
JVTAIT'QWIBKAL OT TKS MUM «■>»«■ ILB.R. TM* DvKm tT ToKE.
. MBprUM t^ CMp«i(M la Fkadtn ud BaUnd U I7M>M| mUk u
~ AppcmdU eoaUbOai Ilia PUm far lb* DrfcM* if Dm CwMiy h «••• W
UnAm. Xdil>db7HbSoa.llllUUYVnXBT. B*M^ iMLny*!
•i«H wilk lar|« atpa, Hk ban^
1 Owk CMKM M« hi (CMmM. Mr Hmt
iTiwTSii, n*fe«ktotM«NHat*dlpMt«
RECOIXECnOKS OF UY MHJTART UFE. BT
COLONEL LANDMANN. Ut« af Um Co>n or BaTu Eitamwa,
Aolhor •( " Adnntura ud Rccollcctioa*." 1 ml*. pa«t 8i«. 12*. bovad.
COLONEL LANDMANN^S ADTENTUEES AND Re-
collections. 2 Tok. pott Bra. 12*. boond.
- A*«( ikf uwnMfi U IkM Hrk will hi fH>4 ■«>»• (f KInf OMTf* IIL, Ik* D^m
ADVENTURES OF THE CONNAUGHT RANGERS.
Scc«KD SiHii*. Df WILLIAU CRATTAN, Em., UU LuonxAMT
CoHDikuaHT Bahorb*. 2 nit. lit. bound.
■■ Is (hU Hnad atrtn ■( (ht .dmiBrt* ar lkl> Aboh nilaHM. llH aUWr n<n4a
(br am (•ntaiio* w ihr [lUJul MKk (p la itw smpailM •( Paito.
NARRATIVE OF A RESIDENCE AT NEPAUL. BY
CAPTAIN THOMAS SUITII, Uu AuiiTAiir Peuncu^JUMsnrr *r
liarACU t toIl pMt Bra. lit. boaad.
10 HURST AND BLACKBTl'S NBW PUBUCATIONS.
PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER; OB,
MILITARY SERVICE IN THE BAST AND WEST. By LIEUT^^OL.
SIR JAMES E. ALEXANDER, K.CJi.S., &e. 2 volt, pott Sfo. with
lUiisirations, 21t. bound.
""TbiMt YtlamM art dttply IntOTMtlag and Ml of Ttloabl* iBftmoatloo.**— Jlf«H«iif«f^
** Out gffMt Bcrit of tht * PuMtfftt' to rtadablctifta. Anoibcr fcatnrc *of lh« work li
Mpcvlffocc. Th« aathar hat mrttd In India, South Africa, Canada, aad iht Crimea i an^
harlnf gt?ca m good doal of atttnUon to ■Hilary BMUtara, hto oplnloo to worth atttntiha.**—
SET EXILE. BT ALEXANDER HERZEN. 2 t. 2U.
" From thtae admirable memoire the reader may derlre a clear Idea of Rustlan politlol
•odet?. Af r. Henen*e narrative, ably and nnalTectedly written, and andoobtedly authentic, li
Indeed anpcrloe In Interest to nine-tenthe of the eatotlng works on Ruaala.**»ilMeMnrai.
"The author of theev memoiri !• one of the most dletlngutohed writers of hie nation.
A politician aad hUtorian, he acnrcely reached manhood before the Emperor NIcholM
feared and peraccuted him as an enemy. He waa twice arrested, twice exiled. In this
Xnsllsh ecfslon of his memoirs, he presents a highly chsractcrtstic view of Rnsslsa
oAclal aodrty. Interspersed with sketches of rural life, episodes of picturesque adrenturei,
nnd fragments of serknu speculation. We gain from thto narrative of persecution and exile
a better idea of the governing system In Russia, than from any prerlona work. It to rtoh la
aad aathaatic detail.**— n« Loader.
THE MOSLEM AND THE CHBISHAN; OR, ADVEN-
TURES IN THE EAST. By SADYK PASHA. Remcd with origiiul
Notes, by COLONEL LACII SZYRMA. 3 toU. Ut.
** Sadyk Pasha, the author of this work. Is a Pole of noble birth. Be to now commandfe
of the Turktoh Coesacks, a eorps organised by himself. Tho volumes on the Moslem sad
the Christian, partly fact and partly Action, written by him, and translated by Colonel
•syrma, dtoptov very well the literary spirit of the soldier. They are Atll of the adventures
aad easotloas that belong to love and wari they treat of the preeent time, they Introduce
ly existing people, and havo tho DanuMan principalities for sceno of action. Hero ait
of popularity whtoh the book falriy clalaw.**— Aniauner.
HOME LIFE IN RUSSIA. REVISED BT COL. LACH
SZYRMA, Editor of **RBTBLATiuNt or Siberia.'* 2?oU. poitSTO. 12t.
"This work rItcs a very Interesting and graphic account of the manners and customs of
the Russian peopto. The moet Interesting and amusing parts of the work will be found to be
thoeo interior scenes In tho houses of the wealthy and middle classes of Russia upon whick
wo have but scanty Inlbrmatlon, alihough they are some of tho most striking and truthAd
indlcntlons of the progress and dvtUsaUonof a country. As snch worscomaNad them to the
atudy of our roaders.**--Q6s ers< i' ,
REVELATIONS OF SIBEBIA. BT A BANISHED
LADY. Third and cbetper Editioa. 2 Tolt. poit 8fo. 16t.
** A thoronghly good book. It caanol be read by too many peopto.'*»Ho««c*old ITerdi.
* The authoress of these rolnmes was a lady of quality, who, hsTlng Incurred the
dtopleosaro of the Russian Government for a political oflence, was sxltod to Siberia. The
mace of her exito was Bereioe, the moot northern part of this northern penal settlement i aad
In it she speat about two yeara, not nnproAUbly.ns tho reader will dnd by her Interesttog
work, containing a Uvely and graphte picture of tho country, tho people, their manners sad
CMloms, Ac Tho book givee a most Important aad valuable Insight Into tho econovy ef
-^ M has been hitherto the terra Incognlu of Rasalaa deopotlsas.**— ita^ .Vewe.
« Unco the pnbllcatioa of iho Ikmona tomaaco the • Exllea of Siberia,* we haeo hid
^Ifc,^ dsiaton I— damore-tfncthtthwithtptmBtwwk.
•> w
HUTOmT AMD BIOGUraT.
KEM0IB8 AUB OOSBiSFONDENCS OF MAJOR
GENEEAL til V. NOTT, G£.B^ Commambw or na A>mt o»
(UvBikMAm. Ann Bwav at t«b Coon m Lacutow. I rate. •«*.
«Uk rartnit. Ifl*. bo«ad.
MTT.TTARY LIFE IN iXGEKIA. B7 TBECOTTNT P.
DB CASnUANB. t tsU. pwt It*. lb. hmmL
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN ENGUSH SOLDIER DC
TUE UMTUD STATES' ARMY. tniU.pMtgTO. 12*. bMad.
CANADA AS IT WAS, IS, AND MAY BE- BY THE
UteLIEUTENANT>COIX)SELSlltR.DONNVCASTLB. Witbu Ac««ut
<tf Renni TnuiniDoi. by SIR J. S. ALEXANDER, K.LJ., Ac I toIl,
poll 810. wilh napt, Ac^ It*.
ATLANTIC AND TKANSATLANTIC SKETCHES- BY
CAPTAIN UACklNNON,K.N. flT«U.po*t8T» 12*. beiud.
HISTORY OF CORFU ; AND OF THE REPUBLIC
or THE IONIAN ISLANDS. Br LIEUT. H. J. W. JBRV15. Rojd
Artillery. I raL po«t Mm. I>*.
SCOTTISH HEROES IN THE DAYS OF WALLACE
A.\'0 DRUCE. Uf ihe Rit. A. LOW. A.M. 3 toIi. poit 8>«. lU
•Wi (npUc ■«! •i.ibnUc unuin M tkMr pllut cirMU."— Mcn^ ft(<.
A PRACTICAL GUIDE IN OBTAINING PROBATES,
ADUINISTRATIONS, Ac. in Iltr M^olf't Court of Pratwtei witk
Dumcroui PnccdenU. Dj EDVaRD WBATEtERLY. of Doctor's C«n>
moat. DediMtcd, b; pcmiiiton, to Um Right Hoo. Sir CKauwsiA
C&uiwiLL, Jodp of ib« N«w Court of FrobAlo. Steesd Hd Cbc^cr
Edition. 12*.
• Wob. It! MOIW
Is HURST AND BLaCKBTT's NSW PXmtlCATlOKS.
MEMORIALS OF BAGH£L» Two Volumci, Pott 8to.
with Portrait. (Just Rttdj.)
ABT AND NATUBE, AT HOME AND ABROAD. B7
0. W. THORNBURY. Esq. 2 vols, pott 8fo. 21s. boand.
**Thla to iIm bMt book Mr. Tharmfmfj hoi wHttea. Bdof on ortitt, bt wHtto oboot
«rt| •• o Londootr, witb qakk oyva ond o cultlTOUd tosttf ho wriltt of Loodoof ■• a*
•rtitt wbo hM Iravellod bo tolU aoocdoCct and dwvlla oa accnta of bla poat life abroad. All
tbto bo dooo In a liraak. fooainc w^f,**^K*mmimer,
**Tbla to a book boloniHnf to tho tribo of wblcb OooflTroy Crayon to patrlarrb. Vr.
Tbombury** drawing may bo loaa accnrato tbaa ermwwm drawinf . bat It la ricbor In colour,
•ad wider and moro roraatlto In tbo cboko of anl^ccta. Aa a wbolt^ Mr. Tbombnry'o
votaBMfl aro Uvoly. pletortol, and Tarloaa.*'— JIAffunim.
** Wo bovo not not with ao orlnloal a work for many a day as tbcao two Tolnmoa by Mr.
Tbombory. Tbey baro tbo l^fodom and firotbnoia of fcnlna. Acnto oboerratlon to corn-
Ward wItb groat rcorarch i yot tbo atylo toao daablng. thai tho loot thing wo think of to tbo
oartoty and tbo ostont of knowlodgo whfch tbooo akcleboa orlnco. Mr. Thombury'a TOlnmoa
caatain aiattcr to ploaao all tattoo. Ho to graro and gay, ptetoroaqno aad roloct l TO | aad la
•B laada and oa all anfedocto bo to vtoacloaa aad •■aaing.'*— Tito i*r«M.
CLASSIC AND mSTOBIC FOBTRAITS. B7 JAMES
BRUCB. 2Tols.post8TO. 12s. bowid.
This work comprises Biographies of the following CUuic tad Historic Vft*
•onages : — Sappho, JEsop, Pythagoras, Aspasia, Milto, Agesilaus, Socrates, Plato*
Alcibiades, Helen of Troy, Aleiander the Great, DeoMtrius Poliorcetes, Sdpio
Africaaas, Sylla, Cleopatra, Jalins Cesar, Augustus, Tiherius, Germanicust
Caligula, Lollia Panlina, Ccsonia, Boadioea,Agrippina,Poppca,Otho,ConiDodost
Caracalla, Heliogabalus, ZenoMa, Julian the Apostate, Eodocia, Theodora«
Cbarleroagne, Ahclard and Heloise, Eliaabeth of Hungary, Dante, Robert Bmee,
Ignex de Castro, Agnes Sorrel, Jane Shore, Locresia Borgia, Anne Bullen, Diana
of Poitien, Catherine de Medids, Queen Elisabeth, Mary Queen of SooU,
Cervantes, Sir Kenelm Digby, John Sohieski, Anne of Austria, Ninon del'EndoSf
mie. de Montpentier, the Duchess of Orleans, Madame de Maintenon, Catherine
•f Russia, and Madame de StaeL
** Wo Bnd In tbcoo piqvani tolamoo tbo Ubrral aatpoarlnp of a rlpo acbolarahip, tbt
Itoof wfdo and farioaa laadlag, givta la a atyto aad oMaaor at oaco ploaoaat Md pltta»
FOREST UFE IN CETLON. BT W. KNIGHTON, KLA.,
Second Edition, 2 toIs* post Sfo. 21a.
** A oory ctoror and aaiaalng book, by oao wbo baa llvod as a plantor aad Joaraallal saay
y tar a la Coyloa. Tbo work to flltod with Inioraatlnf aeconnu of tbo aporta, rrooaitoa, pia*
dactloao, aconory, aad tradlttona of tbo tolaad. Tba aportlaf adfoalarta aia aorratad la a
owy aplHtod Maaaor.**— Maatford.
TBOnCAL SKETCHES ; 0B» BEMINISCENCES OF
AN INDUN JOURNALIST. BT W. KNIGHTON, M JL 2 vola. 12t.
** Wboa Mr. Salgblaa'a ptoaaaal valaaios aa Otyloa wort pabltobod, wt finoly gsvt bto
paWlcatloa tbo pratoo wbick It appoara to bavo woU doaorrod, ainco aaocbor odltloa baa batn.
callcdfor. AoMafal tbo wrHofaor tboday,wokaawof aaao wbo aro aMroHrlldtoaaln bittlaa off
wUb aa aaiaa la g aaoaraay, tba rb ar ao t ara bo baa awt with, aad bto dooorlpthro powora aft tiat»
•aio. Tako bto Skoicbooaa aad apoa wbofa yon vU^efarypaft looms wttblaaliaaftlMi^
TOTAOn AMD TIMBU.
II
...flU
;m:kh:4
ORIENTAL AHD WESIEBV
MoirMUAv TBB KtBttSn l llf T M i Cl— ■ Ti
; Asia. 4j THOMAS WITLAM ATKDItOlI. la
fojil 8iP^ Priot MMm 9b»\
of M DlHtntiQMt toeM
▲ HAfr
la im»plilc« l ll mni »
•• A Wtk ar ifMvIa vMdiNi <
Its
• gfMt CMMi !•
bcltertd »• EurppMB hm» b««« bcfcv*. Be kaa
alM t^ BOM bcfttttital Mpccu Um old world
•BdpcBdU H* bM doM bMk vtU. M— y a tffldo wlU >0 <te t »■ »W<
eooTtrtcd tte ortlat Into aa oatlMr. Mr. AUrtatoa to a
•ccoiBplUlMd,alovcrof ad^otanands^ortoftfttrf ktad. H«
gcolofy, aad boCaay to laipart • adcatlAc latcmt I* kto
poMtMlof a kctn mom of homoor. Im teUo mosf ■ '•cf olorf •
loTtr orodTOQtore, whcUMr hf food or itid» «1U tad oaylo Mm
hi* lattroottag lrof«to.»*»l>fltff Nt
*« Aa oalBatcd aad Intelllfcat Mrrotivi^oppftcUUy tarfdriag tW
trcrtl. Mr. Atklnooa** okvicbco wtr* nodo by cspnoo pcralMioa of Iho
Boaalo. Fcrhopt ao XoflUh artist waa cror bof
blatory, or prortded with ibe tal l iia a aad aaiatot of a foaatal poaoporti
Atklaaoa availed bloMelf of tbo prlrlUfc. Oar ostracu wtU ba««
orlfflaallty aad Tarlety of Mr. Atklntoa** o b o tn a U oai aad advoaCateo daviaf
wandorlafa of aoarly forty tboaaaod aiUcs. Mr.
haa ccrtaloly broafbt booM witb bin tbo fbnaa,
Moat cxtraordloary dlvcralty of ffroopa aad occaco. Aa a i p art a Maa Mr.
a pUaltvdo of czcitcmret. Bto aarrallro to wtU atortd witb
Btoaacoatof tbo BMoaka to a cbaptcr of tbo wMal vhrld rooMaooof
attraetlvo tbaa bto ralattoao of waadertega aoaaa tbo l>oa<ft of OaMi
Mir, aad ba
ofa
yatltto
•"Wo pKdlct tbal Mr. Atklaaoo*o 'Slboria' will rcry
Cbrtottaaa Prcocat or New Year'a Old, aa It poeai m a, la aa
pio c lo aa aad aalUble qoalltlea for tbat parpooob— aaawly« a ii ftil aaiib otogaaoa,
aadaovolty. It to a work of great ralae, aot awly o« accoaat of Ito ap lea did
bat for tbe aoioaat It coatalaa of aatbealto aad bigbly latemtlag iatillltian
regieaa wbidi. la aU prababUlly, bad aorer, prevloao ta Mr. AU I aioa *i
rialled by aa Earopeaa. Mr. Atkiaoba*o advoatano are toM la a a^aly aCylo.
aad latcrtatlBf iaforaiatloa tbo book caatalat, gatberad at a
arraaged, aad altogetbor tbo work to oao tbal tbo aatbor.aittot auy vtll bt
Witb wbteb tboot wba otady il caaaoiAdI ta bt dcUgblid.'^«-JMa Jan.
!• laddlf
~<aad
14 HURST AND BLACKBTT's NEW PUBLICATIONS.
CHOW-CHOW; BEING SELECTIONS FROM A JOITB«
NAL KEPT IN INDIA, Ac Bj the VISCOUNTESS FALKLAND.
New end Rented Editioii» 2 Tob. Sto., with IUaitnitioiif» SOt. hound.
**Laif Fftlkl«Ml*f work maj be rtmd witb IntcrMt and pl«M«rt^ aad ih« reader will liee
Ami the peraael luetmctcd m well ee eaoaed.**— JMciMniin,
** Few WTllert on India eqjoycd the adfaatafca poesceeed bf I«*dy Falkland, who, aa
wllb to tbe Goremor of Bonbav, had aoceta to evciy aource of tnfonnalioii, and nence her
Jovroal hae a reality abottt It wblvh, coupled with tbe acute obeerratloo and good drecrip*
ttf« powera of tbe aatboreaa^ rendera It as pleaaaat reading aa we conld deelre.**— ^reet.
"An estreoMly pleaaaat bookt aa Atll of Informatloa as to tbe maanera and cnatoma
•C the Kast* aa It to of aoiaalng and Inatnictlve natter of entertainment. Lady Falkland la
• Meet dellghtfU eonpaoloo. She leads the reader along, listening to her descriptions
wutk he b s c eas s e ae CMilUar with India as If ha bad been dweUlag there ler years.*'— iferald.
SP0BTIN6 ADVENTUBES IN THE NEW WORLD;
OR, DAYS AND NIGHTS OF MOOSE HUNTING IN THE PINB
FORESTS OF ACADIA. Bj CAMPBELL HARDT, Rotal Artillkry;
S foil, post 8fo. with illoitntions, 2 It. hound.
* A spirited record of sporting adventures, Tcry entertaining and well worthy the atten-
Mae of all sportsmen who desire some fresher Aeld than Europe can afford then. The
tUmUM of Noea tkotla abound In asooee, cariboo, bears, wolrea, partridge, snipe and wild
#»ek, while the rivers ars teeming with salmon and other flsh, so that Lieutenant Hardy's
Import waa of tbe beat kind, and In the details which he has giveu ns there to much to
iBlsrost and amnsa. He to a thorough sportsman, patient, akilAu, and active, and relates
Us adiMitwes with the gvsto of e man who enjoys the life."— Tike Prest.
•
TRAVELS IN EUROPEAN TXTREE7. B7 EDMUND
SPENCER, Esq. Author of **TnTelt in Circastie," etc. Second end
Cheaper Edition, in 2 Tolt. 8to.9 with lUustnitiont, and a Taloahle Map
of Biuopean Turkey. I8t.
ARCnC mSCELLANIE!
LATE POLAR SEARCH. Bj tbr OFFICERS and SEAMEN of m
EXPEDITION. Dbdioatxd bt panMisaiOK to thb Loads of thb
• AoM i&ALTT. Second EditioD. 1 toL» with lUostrationi. 6t.
ATZLGBIMAGE into DAUFHINE ; WITH A VISIT
TO TBS MOKASTBRT OF THB GrANDB ChARTRBVSB, AND AkBCDOTB^
iMCXDBirrs, AMD Srstchbs from Twbntt Dbfartmbnts or Franos.
By the REV. G. M. MUSGRAVE, AM. 2 volt, with lUuitrations. 2U.
** It wsvld be dlAevlt to Bnd a nore acreeable and Inetructlve travellinf eompaatoo
the antbor of these volnnieo. He has snfllclent antiquarian, adentlftc, and artlatic
iBMwIedfS to BBske hlsi so enlightened obsenrer and reporter, aad a qoichtteaa of diseeffB>
«sat whldi dstscts the SMsUcat point of lalcrsst.'*— Ole^
THE HOLY PLAGES: A NARRATIVE OF TWO
TEARS' RESIDENCE IN JERUSALEM AND PALESTINE. By
HANMBR L. DUPUIS. With Notbs on tbb Disfbrsbd Cakaavitb
.. . Tmuis, bj JOSEPH DXTPUIS, late British Yioe-Consil ia TripoU and
TttBlk Sto&k with DlBstntioUy Sis. bowkL . . 4
LAKE mAKIi OB SXEXAKAHOBB AXD IXOi
•MMUW MnuM hnt Twtai* Vammmpm v na W«m W
nyd t*^ wbk UiV Mi ip«ii«i af M DM
Mat Mtaa wflMMlM*M««Miwl
«WMkMtt*M
4M*Hr.ila«WMMjMUM|arfaaikWi 1 I ""i iW Ji iii ii ■iihl~
L TW II I mil idlMlBW »<
TEE OXONIAK IN NOSWAT ; OB, NOTES OF
Eicouiom IV TMAT Coamr. By tka Bn. F. UITULR, MM^
rell»w of UmoU CoUcg*. Oiferd. Mair ud OMsptr UMa*. mint
1 ToL pat Bto., irith Uap ud nHittoil IIlwInUoM, Ite. U. bMu4.
•■■Th« OualHlaNHvar* ■• HfiiMa vUh la m m i, knttuala la ■■■■MiQljla
Ml. Mrtc«umu]mipiMrtw»Mii|ihfc— ■M»»r«mriM*»u«fc»ui»«ah^iM
>■ *-MH* pfactlHd kr Tvl«H p u flia, wttl mI.imi lili Halt fcrtW Mnaatirf Hta.
"Mr. MW fK rt taM li ■* Ml if hita Hd ■ i iri| MM
la lalHlarM .Mk iBcr aaM«a(«a. •ax «f Uaw an hlfblr «
Mam IkH lUii U la a Mir **>mM* aart. caatab^ a Itad a(W
M«ll«MM<Mi
16 BURST AND BLACKETT'S KBW PUBLICATIONS.
BUSSIA AFTER TEE WAR: TEE NARRATIVE OF
A Visit to tbat Covntat in 1856. By 8BUNA BUNBURY. 2 Tolt.
potl8YO. 21i.
*■ Wt cMigv^BtnUU IflM Bunlmrf vpen baHiiff writttn a Tcry rateruialog book— ent
thtl kM Um ntrit of bolBf rcod*bl« fHmi tho bcglnBlaf to the •ail. Tb« oothor mw oil
Ikot oho coold, oad koa dcoci1b«d wilh much vivacity all the saw Btr book !• Aall of
plaaaaat pktafta. eommoBdag with St. Petcrabarf aad Ita Itoos* and cBdlng wlih Ibt"
Mvaaatloa. It will lad nunoroM readera.*'— IMilf JVmm. >
''Mlaa Baabofy^ vlfaelont aketvhct aro aot oaly piqaaat with meaalog aa ta tbe ttata ^
•f aadotf la R«Mla« bat bare all tba cbarai aod nrMbaaaa of Irat loipmaloat on aa actlva^
tkongbttalt and obatnrlng mlad. W« can cordially rccomBond the work, aa prcwoting a *
««y ontcrtalniag aad varied panorama of tbo rontt takon by tbla Intelligent lady, and, '
■ a i aei i i , aa eoaveylag tbe mott recent Information witb regard to tbe present 91010 and '
MBdltiaa of tbe man Important parte of tbe Csar'e vaet terrltorlea.**— Jfomlff^ ^ofl.
A SUMMER IN NORTHERN EUROPE; INCLUIV
nro SBiTcaxs in Swxdbk, Norway, Fiklakd, ths Aland Islands^
OomiAiiD, etc. By 8BLINA BUNBURY. 8Tolt.poit8TO., 21t.
"All readera af tbe worfca of lady.lravellerB will be glad to know tbat tbey are fkvoared
•frfn by Mlaa Bunbary wItb an aecoant af l.er experience In Nortbem Europe, Inclndlog ^
Bodi of tbe aeal of tbe late war— Finland, for example, and tbe Aland lalce. Hie book '
la • vary w a leami caatrlbatiaa to tbe reading of tbe eeaeca.**— JEeaailner.
HARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY ROUND THE WORLD,
Comprising A Wintbr Pamaob across thb Andss to Cbili, with a
Visit to tub Gold Rioions or CALiroRifiA and Australia, trb South
8ba Islands* Jata, &e. By F. OERSTAECKBR. 8 toU. dli.6d.
** Startlag Aram BreoMn for Callfomla, the autbor of tble Narratlva proceeded to Rlo^
Mli tbenee to Boeooa Ayreei wbere be excbaaged ibe wild seae for tbe yet wilder Parapaa,
aad made ble way oa boneback to Valparaito acroee tbe Cordllteraa-Hi winter passage AiU of
diflcalty aad daagcr^ From Valparaiso be Bailed to California, aad viilted San PraacUco
BiiieiBiate, and tbe mining dletrlcte generally. Tbenee be steered ble coarse to tbe South
Sea Islinda, mllng at Hoaololn, Tahiti, and other gems of tbe sea la tbat qoarter, and from .
ta Sydney, mareblug tbrongb tbe llarray Valley, and inspecting the Adelaide district,
Aastralla be dashed oaward to Java, riding through tbe Interior, and uking a general
' of Batavia, with a glaace at Japan and the Japanese. An active. Intelligent, observant
tbe oocea be made of bis adventures are Aall of variety and Interest. His descrlpUone of
placea aad peraane are lively, aad bis rsmarke on natural prodncUons aad tbe phenomena of
earth, eea» aad aky aia alarays eeaeible^ aad made with a view to practical results. ThosA
pattloBa af tbe Narrative which refer to Callftomla aad Aostralla are repleu with vivid
■hatcbse 1 aad ladeed tbe whole work aboaads with livlag aad plctaiaaque deecrlptlona of
AUSTRALIA AS IT IS: ITS SETTLEMENTS, FABHS,
AND GOLD FIELDS. Bf F. LANCELOT, Minkralooical Svr^
TBTOB IN TBB AVSTRAUAN COLONIBS, ScCOnd EditlOD. 2 VOls. 12s.
A LADTS VISIT TO TEE GOLD DIGGINGS OF
AUSTRALIA. By MRS. CLACY. 1 ¥oL 6s. boond.
•Iho BMet pithy aad eatartalalaffafaU the baaka thai haea bean wilttaa on the gold
UGHIS AND SHADOWS OF AUSTSAUAK LEFR*
By MBS. CLACT. S vob. pott 8m ISh boaml
TOTAOU AMD TUTXU.
A PERSONAL NABBATIVE OF THE SIS0OVER7
OF THI NOtTH.WEST PASSAGE wttfc M— iw M l» d d wW «l TiwJ
■ad Advaian duiK ■M^r K*t-T«Ht' CMUaaMi S«Tica !■ Ibt Antk
BmIom white ia Se>fA of tha Bipcditiea ndar Sir Jafca fnmkXm. Bf
ALEX. ARUSTBONO, U.D-. ft.N^ tou SaiiMa •*< NMnliM W HJfX
• U*arti|>tar.' I td. WUh Uap ud PhU, I«*.
TEE WANDERER IS ARABIA. B7 0. T. LOWTH,
laa. S toIl p«M Sto. «rilh lUaiT ' — ■ ■
EIGHTEEM TEARS ON THE GOLD COAST OF
AFRICA; iHCLOsiifO ah Accodht or thi Katiti Tbibw. *•>» Txsik
iKT»coDu( wrTH Eii«irB*H>. BrnR0DIECRUlCK3I)ANK,UBMBa>
orTHaLaai»tATiv«CauHCiuC*rcCojkaTCA«TLB. S*»lt.pMtSTO. Sli,
"ThU U M* af ikt ami laMnMlM nfta UU ffH tM <■»■■>••* hB^. Ik
THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS. B7 ELIOT WAB-
DURTON. Tbirteenlh Edilioa. 1 nl^ with IS lUaitratioBi, 6i. bonad.
TRAVELS IN PERSIA, GEORGIA, AND EOOIU
DISTAN', WITH SmcHu o> thr Co««*aM and nta Cauomvl Bj
Da. MORITZ WAGNER. 3 n>U., pott S>«.
18 BURST AND BLACKnT*S MKW PUBLICATIONS.
VOLE AZID nXSRTTLE OF THE ENGLISH IN
AUBBICA. Br thttADtborefSAU SLICK." 2 toU. putSTo. 81i.
"WacMnlntkliinfk tabtbrfHlhiBiitnliublaudlnipvttnt J*d(« aiUborWa
kaaanrvrtlm.' Wkli« inMlif with iBUmt, Bonl uJ UitoHai, to tte ftntnl mdii,
KafMlIf (NM](iiu*>i>kUoHFkUKlitadr'>r*I>*P^IM>«udMUtuBu. ttirUlternuid
MM la B Matt at u^t spH ihi KUul ari|la, I^mMI—, ul pnfrm ri' »• npiiUU ■(
sun SLICED NATURE AlTD EUSUN NATUBE.
S nU. pMt Bfo. 34i. boaod.
■■ HiK* •» Bkk*i tnt mrk k* ku vritte* hUiIdi m rmli, »er> ■>' fnslMir
taBMaw H (hi*. Knrr I'm af llulJi Haia my « Mkni liuUacIlTflTi ulJrlallr,
Jaaaaaly.srwlullr. Adnlntlaaat ■»'• ailara taluti, ul ligtbUr Ulili droll jubi.
•MMuUr alunuw, M wlik aakaltlaf arldllf m ptnui Ihna lul toIbhi tl hi*. TbtT
*■ ' ilaf a UU, a akitch, a
BASE SLICE'S WISE SAWS AND MODERN
INSTANCES I QB, Wbat ■■ Said, D», ok ImBKno. Second EdiUon.
t nil. PMt Svo. 21».
'WatfaMt tar Upndkllkallkfaa daOfhtAilnlaiiM* will baikaaiaal papalar, u
tafMi 4mM, Uwt on lU k*M. af aU loigt Halllnnaav adiBlnbla nrki. Tha • Wlaa
MEatbtaaikar. Wtharr
aHptoVMldka aa lataaUeato aslkar md mi**. II li aw af Uh plaaaaatoat bi
*Tkt kuwv.ar ■amaikli lalaahUHllbl*. Ha !■ mr asd amrwkan a nlnma
iWlw I aiinai |fMt bl* irixvwhi (Bd «H ud wtadaa kaai apaa kit UDfoa. Tka pnatst
b alUfilkM a aaat adltrlaf pndBrtloB, niurkaMa allka (ar lu laer kaMMr, 11a aawd
tkllaiii|h|. Iba rtlldtr at lu UlaauaUana, aad Uii dallcKj a( Iti uUra. Wt praalit o«r
awdanapari baat (naa tbt ptrual at Ikat ' Wlaa Ban udkfgdan lartaacti.- whlA
•Mtala • vwtd a( pnetkal xiadaM, ud a MMiNT (T Ik* rtdMal Ita."— VanHiV ratf.
TEE AlIERICANS AT HGISE; OB, BYEWATS
BACKWOODS, AND PRAIRIES. Ediud bj tlM Author of "SAU
SUCK." 3 tolk po«t Sn. 91*. 6d.
•• ta ita pktHaaqH daUaaaUaa tt ■kinct*i.,aHl Ik* MkitaM pnHaltai* af aatlaaa]
ftMBfaa,Mwril*«*f Iki pn*Mtdar*1Ml> Jadf* aiUbanaa.' 'TkaAiMrtcaMatBan**
TRAITS OF AMERICAN HUMOTTB. EDITED BY
. l)MABtlMrrf«SAUSUCK.* Snb. portSTo. Sl*.6d.
>ir* UB hH daM man Ikaa tk* ftartat Jadt* Hallbarua, tkmi^ lb* aWBlk (T
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IIUMT AMD BUCKBTT'S KBV POBUCJLTIOKI. 19
THE RIDES AND REVERIES OF ]IIIR.£SOF SSOTE.
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.., ,._i.llMly« __ ..
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larlloa if lk> talrmud ulhw «( ' PnMTbUI rfcriilfty.'
A WOMAN'S THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN. BY
Ibc Author of "Joiiif iUur&i, Ccrtluiam.'' 1 roL 10«.Ed.
PEN AND PENCIL PICTURES. BY THOMAS
11001). SrrnnilCJilion.llcviicil. wilh AdOilioBi. 1 tbL villi naiacrau
IlluiimiDna.br llie Autbor, lOi, Cd. beund.
" Ttm <ri,l km •nil IKIm k«k ■iin»o»<l *llli>ul kl.Inf 1 >l>k U wilcWBt It. Br U*
rxirv ■■.<! kl( pr-u, ThunH K—l Ik* •kskiI dlitlndlT ■»><»«• hlmiiLr 1> b* bt*
hllitr'i tun. Mil ■■■•» kH ■ na» krri »a (lura Inwt Iki sW hnwbWit lnUKktnU
■tilib fell irkJlr aH rothtd. Mm* ar kla IkouikLi kambdniifuiilr »»- Bm U*
IT witu, Hd |Lid4« lb* btarW «f ll
THE DRAMATIC WORKS OF MARY RUSSELL
MITl'OUI). Author of" Our Vuligt," " Athcrtoo," &e. Srali. port Bra.
SONGS OF THE CAV ALTERS AND ROUNDHEADS.
JACo:uTt: niLLAns, .Vc. Cr c. w. tiiornuury. i vol. xu
uuDicruui IlJuitritiobi l.jr H. S. Makki. lOi. Cd. dciintl; bouDd.
"llr rKarnkiirThi*pnda»d>»l<iaM>/MM* k' k^*'* ■•t^r •• nok vltt
Uvui.rl OF Anauk-t L>Tt."— CAn^rlt.
"Tbsn wk* lof* |i|[ii», lift, Md M*t*a*Uwaf>IUh*nia4 rtMttofkCTk-—
so BUUT AMD BIACEBTT'S NEW PUBLICATIONS.
FASOLT BOIUAKCE; OB, DOMESTIC AKNALS OF
THE AKISTOCRACY. BT SIR BERNARD BURKX, Uuna Em o»
Amiu. S ToU. pott 8*0. tl*.
Anoaf llMBur MberiBiemllngUgeBdt ud romantic funllj hlitoriet com*
ytbadta IkcM mlnna, will be foand tb« followiDgi — Tba wonderful nuntivl
o(H»<«Slclla,Ladf Newbotoii|li,whoclilmedon »ach rtrong eridenee to b«
'*MMeM«rtIicHoDMaf Orlcani, aiid dlipuled the Identllr a( Louii Philippt— •
' na ((biy ot lb* bnnble marrime of tbo Maotiful Countni of Stnthmore, and
. AaanAMBpaadfauof beronljr child — Tba Lcudenof Faihion, from Gramonl
to iranar— The riM «f the celebrated Baroo Ward, now Prime liliniatar M
Farm* — n* curlout claim to the Baridon of Crawford — The Strang Viciitlladei
wtcai Gnat Fkmiliei, replete wilb the moat ronanlie delalli — The itorj of the
XMpatrielu of Ctoaebani (the aftceiton of the French EnpreH), and the n^
■arkabia Iraditios iwocia ted with Ibero— The Legend of the Lambiona— Tb*
" le of Ibc faraoa* predieiioM a* to the Earta of Uar->
1] andWjBfard |hMt atoriei, Ac
THE BOSTAKCE OF TEE FOBITM; OE, NAURA-
TIVBS, 3CBNES, AND AXBCDOTES FROM COURTS OF JUSTICE.
SECOND SERIBS. BY PETBR BURKE, Eaa., of the loner TempU,
Banri«er-at-Law. S Tola. po*t B*o. 21i.
PRINCIPAL CONTENTS I— Lord CrJcbton'a Rerenge-The Great Donglai
Coia- Lord ud Lad; Kino^rd— Marie Dclorme and Her Huihaad— Tho
SpMlnl Treaanre— Unrden in Inna of Court— Hattbieaon (la Forgei^-Triala
thkt crtabUahed tba Illcgalitj of SiaTcr;— Tho Lorar Highwajmu— Tha
Aflcoaing Spirit— The Altonej-aeneral of the Reifn of Terror — Eccentric
'Oeaaneaeea la the Law— AdTeatareua of Pretended Rank— Tba Courier of
■ L^oaa Caaaral SarraiiB'a Bigtm;— The Slitree Uurder — Cuaot Boearmf aad
Ui wife— Pnftttor Webttcr, Ac
^ oTtahiHrwHkwhlcklka IrH Hrtn af Ibli pabUcMtan na itf*»f*d, bu (adaMd
ar.BHk*u«IMaUinMWchn,<rlilcll kt hu4M«wtihffnl]*0(m«l. TkdBcianU
clafik*MCHa«Hn*r*uuu - ' - - >- -
aHiina«»>l«b»aw»J«fcritWHTfaHttlm. I
a» U >«aaid !■ hw, ar - "^ -
■aalaaUf fcaff ■>■*/' K—i^ii.
)roV£LB AKD NOVELISTS, FSXW ELIZASETH TO
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JOBK g*TTP4Tj OBRTLBXAK HXV • AS.
■nii b a Hft •••« M« k Mir WMMMt MHl. It It iMhpMMtaMtti Ml
g^ frt — —M il . liMMM«ilMM>i(>taakMia*MnMr
pMfeM. Ufcaf*lfcHli» wWiJ ■IlllUlllllillifcll JCSP
-•Jika iidlfci' lif «ftta — Ml Miiti iMllill il^irf)
IMMM li MlWiH. ».*MMM.lii«til% M lhltM< — lll ■ I I
HQTEIHG VEW, BY TBX ATTTHOB OF "JOB]
'_. HAUFAX, OUTLHUK.' tuli. iu
W «ww.M. aai ■■ n i»» i m Mw. wW* alt Ital ImmI m^"^
i.'aiMii,ifc.Wiail il liiMia jifcii ■iiTTri* niUfc ^^
IWwal w —I ■a*l>i n ■■i rtm laiioli^aM >ai— fcJMM <tf at jwjfc ■
gyjsasx'Si
ASELE. BY JUIIA XAVAlTAaH, ABTEOB 0]
•■ KATHALIK," «e.. S rah.
iiBltaA
BT THE AUTHOR OF UAROARFT UAITUND.
LILLIZSLXAT.
' Bn»naC«<ie»M»« •■■■■<■
Ckoptr C4iUMi, 1 laL ■>.
•"l*. (MdUlH •»••« if ■■■■«
k( ■ Lift •/ M ra. Il»*in4 MalllHr
to. oEtrb'i.. RiSSr M mE
■ipKlir fcr tat pkUmqot, urf k«r I*
OXPHAVS.
^VkT^ihwcT'
«f niMii'ii
ttti^tm la U
frrm n y iriJn nt
KJlBBTXUZX.
ASAX eXABXI,
W0BK8 OF ncnOH.
TEE OniT CHILD.
BrUsrScsn. It,
■hdrScstfiantldrtilnri hll tt
■U^, ItrsUr dltlliinil>btd in tb( MMM
A LOVEK'S aUASBEL.
>ftk(ArtbH'*("C*VM)f QiomuT.lT.
- Om •« Omi /»eli»tlBf UtM «hlck
wat adaHr-Ur hiUImJ ttm
!|4hu m ptel m tMiw and if.
Tb* ckancitn in dlaUiKt Md
iRd."— JVw«tar Clmld*,
A WILL Am A VAT.
■r *kt Bmi. RiifiiT Cnii, Aiibir i
" Hioa *■• Low," *f. I TvU.
■TWn l> ■ iml dml Ihal
KORALS OF UAYPAHL
■•■ ud iilnt Id Um Iwcf— til, On.
Uaiwif k kMwlcdgt of aHltlr. Mlk c*^
■idcnbW tlmncH la «(plcUBf Ik"—
COTTBT SECKETS.
BT Vu. TaoHioH. Inla.
■A IkaelaaUBf tUrj^-Mlm BmO.
THE SaUIBE OF
BEECSVOOD,
IMkalad ta a* Dak* (T Baaaiart. I lalft
A VOIUITS SIOBT.
BTlla(.«.C. Ball. iTaU.
•"AWDmst-iSMrT'lilBlfiMtlat. II
lawd viilln.UHl (Blu n>ial to laj »t
.Kn-a-CUaUlnrr "
SCKftSCT"
THE TWO BBOTHEBS.'
Bt ttt AaUar ■( "Taa Diaciiun ai
Lira," Jh.1 Talk
St Uaa. Oou. * reU.
VIOLET BANS,
DABK AKB FAIS.
Bt Ika AnUwr >f ■■ Baca ma ■•■(.>• ■ v.^'
■•ThaaBilMrar'BacklDibaB-huiiir-'
paM*d UaiKlf In • Itelr and FUr.' Tba '
charactan at* dlillarllT draa«. TbauaW'
It (iBpl* and iplriwiUr told. Tka dl*. .
lafuttinMn. naMral, hill ar (kataMir. i
la akert, 'DarkiuMl Fatr* ulna Ua flat*
IIIitE* cron af Ikfhl lIlRmlniT, naca."
ral, brUlliai, ud eoBUaaaaalT IMtnaU
iBf.'-OM*.
A LIFE'S LESSONS.
By Hi*. Ooaa. ) islt.
■"A UVi L«Kaa> la tald Id Uta.
Cera'i bnl aiflr. Sba ihawm mi.
(nc*, and Icanlnf iknuRb ih« pa(«a
wtlb kfT Bmal UUtUj.-^VIIf ffnn. .
CUTHBEET ST. ELICE, MJ. j
Oa.PAHBAGBSINTUELirEOB ,
A POLITIC! AH. troll.
"AbsaktalMrHd, aad diHiMlf M*
•I • lb* aaf all ■ af tha i*.f.~~l'nm.
FASHIONABLE LIFE; '
Ob. PARIS AND LONDON. ,_\
Bt Uai. TaoLLopR. ■*.
"The book hM anaai lU mnlltUil
laraluabla mt af btla| uanufblr laaA-
OEBTEnBE; '■
Ob, PAUILT FRIDB.
By Hai. Taauafa. 1 toU.
" na psUlnllaB af Ihl* *arli will add
'tra. Tnllopa'a blfli rapauitw ta >
BAKIEN;
Oa. THE UERCHAHT PBIMCB.
"Taa Gaai
la." Naw awl 1 . __
1 nl. ••. Uaal BaadfJ
8ETX0UB
AHB HIS FRIENDS.
Bt Ibt Aatkar W "Taa Shut Itw
wMij. 1.1JJJLJ !Mil EP
wosu or ncnoK.
SACEKL OSAT.
THX SOU OF ASHUSST.
Bf Aatkw af Xhiua Wiisbam. ■••I*.
XDOAK BARDOH.
•t V- Xviaanv, M.A. I nk
'Tk* •larr ■• ■■> tnn nT ovnkr if Ik
■'^ 1,,^ J,. __..,- — ^-
NhUaOKHtM
BOSAORET.
o
THI TOUKO WirK.ANOTHt OLD
I.WVE.
ASTHUR BRAKDOK.
*ni't-Ult la n«B« m ttfiiltllj (mL"—
XABOAKET
AFP HER BBTPF Sl''*"* ■
»f Ik* AMkw If ■■ Waunl ItcnnM."
4 >i rt <ial. wktekta mt
ISX TOVSO LOBSl
•f Ik* ABikw at - Taa DiaamM
Lipa.-Aa. 1 lala.
TEX HOUSX Of ELKQEE;
TRITR TO S ATXTRR. **
i>*t>.ii>.
■TlwrwJwIIIWMMtMfcraMan ■
kki If i^TBMiTfH^ 11 aa ifTttaM* irrt^
a«>» ibai >n npWU *<A *t|BBr aS
TlT»etlr."-Sam.
XAROnRRITS'S LE0AC7.
■r Ha*. T. r. Swv4. iTala.
tal>rtMl*f Ixxik Uiu IkU. TM alaff •• .
THE SORROWS 07
•A naarkiblTCMd awH."— Cuatiii'.
OUR OWN STORY.
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THE NEXT DOOK
HEIOHBOURS.
BTHB«.«**c«raHa. Aaikaraf-TaM-
THB ARMY AND THB NAVY.
OOLBjDBFS XTNUED SEBVICE MAGAZINE, ANB
NAVAL AND MILITARY JOURNAL. Pabliibed on the fint of ercry
aonthv price St. 6d»
Tbis popolir periodical, which hat now been eiUblisbed a quarter of a ctnUuff
cmbraeet nibjecta of aach extensiTe Tariety and powerful interest at must render
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cessioB of Original Papers on innumerable interesting subjects, Personal Naiw
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Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Officers of all branches of senrice, Reviews of
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Promotions, Appointments, Births, Marriages, Obituary, etc., with all the Na?al
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•
OPINIONS or THB PKsaa.
"TUs Is cooHMwdly on* of tlit ablest sad ssost sttrsctl?* ptriodlcals of wblcb lbs
Bdllob prtM am boost, prtMotlof • wldo Itld of tBlertoloaicat to tbt gtacrol at wtVL as
ffoftoolooal raoder* Tbo ouggcoUooo for tbo boncflt of Ibo two icnrlcto art dtotiofolaked
by vlgoor of oeooo, ocoto mod iwocUcol o b a si yo U oa, on ordent lovo of dlfcipUnt , tempored by
• blfb ooMO of josUct, booottr,aBd atondorfogaid Ibr tbo wtUbro oad coasfort of ouraoldloro
** At tbo boftd of tbooo pcriodlcolo wblcb ftinibb weAd sad Tolooblo lofonDOtloa to
tMr p^ ca l lsr riiiits of rtodcrs, •• wtU oo omvicniOBt to tbt gtocrol body of tbt pabUr»
bo plAotd tbo ' Uolltd 8«nrlco Magoslno, oad NotoI oad M UHary JoohmL' It ooaibtro
Its coatribotora olmott oil tbooo talbuit tpirito wbo bovo dooo no 1cm bonoor
to tboir comtry by tbdr iwordo tboa by tbcir ptno, ood obonodo witb tbo ssost lotcmtlaf
ilSHMiltni oo BOfal oad alllury offolrs, ood tUrrlaf nortothrto of dctds of ooos la oil
portoof tbo world. E?ory Inibmotloo of toIoo sad lotcrtot to botb tbo StrrlMV Is colled
wItb tbo greotott dUlfcoco flrooi ortfy ovalUblo tonreo, oad tbt corto i poodtact of Toriooo
^UCtofoltbod oCrtn wblcb oorldi lit pofto la a feotnrt of srcot attroctloo. Ir abort, tbo
* Ualltd StfTico Mafoslot' can bo rtcoomcodtd to trory rtodcr wbo potataattibat attacb*
SBoat to bio cooatry wblcb oboiald SMbo blai look wItb tbodotptatlattrtot oo Ra aoval oad
asBllory tooooictfl.**— Sim.
*" Tbio troly oatloool poffiodkallo always Adl of tbo BMOt valoablo Bsattorftr pffotealoBal
aMk*— Jf omter JTcrold.
** To aMUtary oad aaval smo, aad to tbat claaa of reodtia wbo borer oo ttt sklrta of tbt
aod toko a world of polaa to lafom tbtaMtlvta of oil tbo ffohifo o», tbo modto oad
tbo asoroflitota aod adTtotorra coaotcttd wItb eblpa aad bamMCS, tbia ptrlodlral
la tadloptotoblo. It la a rrptrtory of ficu ood ctHldioit oarfoUfta of p#t tiptrltoot, aod
tbot art to good oa If tbty wort trot lablta ood rttorot otw l«Ttatl9oo aod otw
boarlof opoo tbo omy aad aoTp— corrtapoodtoct crowded wSb lotelUfro c o ■ aad
oMttera tbat lie la dooo aeifbboorbood wItb ibe pia f iaslaos, aa d c oatrlbato
I or loso 10 tbo stock of gaoarol aaolbl I
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