J 803.] ^« Iriih.ticin's Nutf 



tones <eU most sucocssrully in those 

 sulfering characters, in which the ima- 

 gination is ever sure to suppose beauty 

 a ncressary attribute. This b.dy is per- 

 haps tiie justest anil most natural oi any 

 performer in Paris. It was odd, to be 

 sure ; but, on the score of l)eaHty, wc 

 used to like to sit and hear her witii 

 our eyes shut ; and we have tlnis been 

 moved by her to g^reat pleasure. 

 However, in spite of face and forty 

 years, the tales of j^ajlantry tell that 

 the favours of Mademoiselle's ailectioii 

 are in very warm requisition. 



Faintly, and at a great distance, is 

 Johanny applauded as Talma's rival, 

 at t!ie second theatre; there, too. Ma- 

 demoiselle Georffes more successfully 

 competes with Mademoiselle Duehes- 

 nois. On their own boards, these 

 ladies are as a Roxana and Statira ; 

 perhaps it were clearer to say, they 

 are, in an inferior deijree, a Siddons 

 and an O'Ncil. The jealousy of the 

 first house threw Mademoiselle Georo^os 

 into the second company ; and, in this 

 instance, the system of exclusion 

 brought its own punishment. The in- 

 terest whicli the struggle excited was 

 general : every paper detailed, each 

 coterie still more minutely repeated, 

 and all the boudoirs within the barriers 

 echoed, the exertions for honourable 

 admission on the one side, and the 

 intrigues for rejection on t!ie other. 

 Mademoiselle Duchesnois, according to 

 custom, refused (o act unless she reign- 

 ed supreme : Mademoiselle Georges 

 reciuested a fair division of leading 

 characters. T!ie directors believed 

 her above a connexion with an inferior 

 establishment, and declined iier ser- 

 vices. On the next night she made 

 her curtsey at the second theatre, and 

 has since drawn a tide of popularity to 

 the house, which the first one, too late 

 for remedy, sorely regrets. This lady 

 is known in London as Talma's com- 

 panion, during the visit he paid this 

 country. In those passages of violent 

 declamation, which arc the highest 

 attainment of Trench tragedy, she rises 

 bold and (ihough not unlVequently 

 noisy) commanding: but in that pro- 

 per conception and natural manner, 

 by which iier opponent so ofteii satis- 

 fies the eye and delights tlic ear, she 

 certainly fails, 



It were too long to enter into all the 

 claims to favour which other actors 

 exhibit: they make a large and meri- 

 torious body. At all hazards, liow- 

 /ever, a line must be devoted to Mutlc- 

 l 



s in Piiris, No. IF. 229 



moisellc Mars. Though she has more 

 than seen lior fortieth year, this lady 

 retains a fair young face, is a very 

 lively actress for the school, and i>er- 

 haps the first favourite of the Parisian 

 boards. Some notion of her talent 

 maybe conceived when it is remarked, 

 that she moves in a higher walk than 

 our Aiiss Kelly ; and is more natural, 

 as well as more classical, than Miss 

 Poote. She is constrained like others, 

 and, somewhat like Talma, mainiered. 

 Her comic ability is certainly enough 

 to entitle her to the high estimation in 

 which she is held; but when we consi- 

 der how much the theatre is directly a 

 Vent in France for political jircjiidice, 

 which elsewhere could not possibly 

 attain an insinuation ; and add that, 

 after the restoration. Mademoiselle 

 made Ikt appearance with a silent 

 tribute to fallen greatness, in the sweet 

 form of a pansied violet in her bosom ; 

 we have said what was enough to esta- 

 blish popularity for very iufeiior talent. 

 The flower was ollicially proscribed, — 

 the actress interdicted : but the Ihi-atre 

 found not a night's peace until their 

 favourite was restored to the acclama- 

 tions of the audience. Mademoiselle's 

 devotion in this instance, it is said, 

 sprung frum grateful interest. It were 

 hard to voiicli for its authenticity ; but 

 the story has been told, and I will tell 

 again, how the Emperor, won by the 

 actress, fancied the woman's love. It 

 was communicated to her, that Napo- 

 leon desired an acquainiaiue with her, 

 and the earlier the night of introduc- 

 tion, the more favourably, it was hinted, 

 she would be received. 'J'hough of a 

 disposition by no means presumed un- 

 susceptible, the lady did not happen 

 to esteem tlic oiler an enjoyment: the 

 heart is not to be reasoned. But the 

 agent, whose office included assent, 

 could not so easily sacrifice the emolu- 

 ment of success. Entreaties, threats, 

 reward,— any thing to save the fearliil 

 task of an excusing rejection to the 

 passionate hero, — was ollered, and re- 

 sorted to. Friends prayed, and ene- 

 mies remonstrated; and, it is reported, 

 that a pretended attack upon her per- 

 sonal liberty at length, and reluctantly, 

 proluccd the desired ellect. 'i o Na- 

 poleon the delay had seemed curious, 

 and, by an indirect enquiry, bitflearned 

 the truth. At the apijointed hour, on 

 a certain night, he approached the bed, 

 gently turned down the clothes, looked 

 upon the trembling fair one, and ex- 

 claimed, in the highest refinement of 

 polite 



