The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-24 00:00:00

TALMA.

This celebrated actor died at Paris on the morning of
the 19th. The following letter appears in the Etude of
Friday :
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ETOII.E.
Sir.—Talms died this morning at thirty-five minutes pest
eleven o'clock. lie has repeatedly, and in presence of trimly of his
friends, expresoed a wish to be tarried directly from his own house
to the place of his last rest.
" I beg, o.r, you will give all possible publicity to this declare_
don. (Signed) " ASSEDLE fAt.ma, 31. D.
" Patio, Oct. 19."

The following notice is from the Journal des Debuts of
the name day :
Pmtis, OCT. 19.
Talmo died this morning, between eleven area twelve o'clock.
His mortal agony, which began about nine o'clock, appears to base
been severe. Ili the ereninl, of yesterday his ai4tit entirely failed
him, and during tlie, night his leehle and faltering tongue was nu
longer capable °loitering but half-articulated souaus, the meaning
of which could not be oadeestookl. It is thought that, agreeably to
the wishes of his family, his body will be cubel ned, and that the
funeral sill, in consequence, not take place until Saturday, at mid-
day. It is asserted that, according to his last will, his remains
will be carried dir:ct from his own mansion. in the street of Tour-
aux-Dames, to the cemetery of Pare la Chaise. This assertion has
this moment been confirmed by a letter from Dr. Arnedee Telma,
the nephew of the deceased. This evening the Comedic Francaise
is shut, and sill continue so until the interment in over. We shalt,
tosniorrow, consecrate a necrological article to this illustrious actor,
wlt. for forty year., has been the glory of the French stage, and
whose talents, by a rare felicity eajoyed by him alone, never
shone so brilliant as at the period which, in less favoured' in-
dividnals, their decline is dated. Tulma, whose age it were now
us4tess to dissemble, since the numbed of his years tail henceforth
constitute an addition to his title to theatrics/ time, was 87 at his
des b.
Etoile of Saturday adds the folloising particulars:—
The body of Telma was opened this day at anon, in presence of
the physicians and surgeon. who attended on laws during hris fatal
illnems. It was discovered, from heath:edam*, that what had been ad.
vaned. several months ago was perfectly correct—namely, that the
cause of this celebrated actor's death was a complete obliteration, for
near:y two inches in length, of the large intestine, at about six
inches heat its termination. In the other parts of the bowels the e
we, a secondary inflainniation ohservable. It is obvious, that the
tobliteraf;on above noticed must have rendered rain all his cares of
the first meelcal men of the capital.

The following sketch of Tslma's life and character is
taken from the Courtier Francais:—
Francis Joseph Talma was born in Paris, not in 1766, as some
biographers have etroneously stated, but in 1760. He was taken
to England when very young, but sann returned to France, where
he completed his studies. This circumstance has given rise to •
claim on the part of the English newspapers, which is honourable
to the memory of the illus'rious enantryman whom we now de-
plore, These Journals claim for Great Britain the honour of giving
birth to a talented man, who, in the science of giving expression to
therassions, and carrying theatrical illusion to the highest degree, far
surpassed he Kain and Garrick. When Talma was about ten years
old, and was entering college, he first felt and proved his vocation
to be the drains. The instructions of the most learned and judicious
masters were not hat on him. His first debut in a French scene
wax in 17t17. The commencement of his profession is thus
spoken of:—" He has succeeded in tragedy and comedy. Be.
sides his other natural endowments, he has an agreeable figure,
a voice at once sonorous and audible, with a pure and distinct
enunciation. Ile feels the harmony of versification, and can
communicate such feelings to others. His deportment is simple,
his action natural. He is always in good taste, and has no
mannerism, being an imitator of nu actor, but using his own dig_
eretion and abilities." Telma was peculiarly distinguished in
the part of Seidc." Ile was passionately fond of the theatre,
avd had a great ambition to extend the limits of a profession to
which he was about to become ito great an ornament. Being on the
most intimate terms with literary men, the most celebrated painters
and sculptors or the day, he resolved, in the very commencement
of his career, to effect a revolution in the costume of the stage,
which i:ad been scarcely commenced by Le Kain nod Madame
Clairon, aecorting to the advice of alarmontel. In despite, how-
ever, of Gothic usages, which arc sometimes as powerful in the
theatre as in the great world, end to the great scandal of the old
people accustomed to French tragedy, Talma, who had gained some
confidence to the tragedy of Bruins, Mid the courage to appear in a
veritable Roman /natl. Ftom that moment may be dated the great
intimacy that has existed between the me- t distinguished actor of
the present day and the greatest painter of the French school.
They both advanced the science in which they were respectively so
eminent, by the most simple, natural, and correct rcpresentattona.
Ile was fur a Long tisn,, owing to absurd regulation*, condemned
to play ports unworthy of hint, and it was to Chenier he was in-
debtwl for bring bronchi into a more tavourable light. Every o: e
knows his success in Charles du; Ninth ; but his triumph lit this
character brings to mind the persecutions to which he was sub-
! jectod, from the jealousy excited ;writ:sit him. We shall not
mention the long list of characters in which he 'scilicet t the first
he became notorious in was Charter the "Virdh, the last Charles
the Sixth. "
It was said by the old flatterers of Napoleon, who, however,
were Lis greatexrdetractors after his fall, that Talmo did not teach
him how to bear the insignia of his posaix with-digaisp. Itess..,
row fired tit habits -Of intimacy with that great man, who never
suffered talent, in whatever state of life he World it, to go without I!
its. reward. We leave to others the part of describing tee subli- I
mity of his character as an actor I we shall merely say that his mi-
-1 state life merited the attention and respect of those numerous friends'
whom his death has plunged into the deepest sorrow. The frank-
nem of his disposition—the excitement with which, even ii. an ed.
I veined age, he spoke of the study to which he had devoted his life
on wine occasions, the almost intantine simplicity of his
maroon, threw an inexpressible therm around his acquaintance-
! ship. It is melancholy to think that, had lie followed the advice
given him 'by a physician at Havre, the progress of that malady to
which he fell a victim might have been mutated. Ile preserved his
strength of mind to the last.
Talon' published some excellent observations on the stage last
year. It was hy him that the celebrated Spanish tragedian Maio tie:
was taught, who has waned hinisclf such credit in his own country,
'as the fruit of his auties and observations at Paris. This actor,
bower: r, was driven Huth the theatre amid die political storms
which burst on his country,.and was not afterwards replaced. Ile
died young, and in poverty, in which latter circuit-stance, we ere
sorry to say, his destiny was similar to that of his illuattious
master. •
We understand that Tsima's bodily pain was not great Imme-
diately before his death. Ills nephew has kept an accurate journal
of every thing said by him from day today, and from hour to hour,
during his tedious illness. ilia last words were a tender adieu to
some friends around him ; then followed same expressions in broken
accents, among which the Daus of Voltaire was dis itictly heard.