The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-30 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

IRGINIB. Tragedie, en cinq actes, par Al. Latour
(de Saint Ybars). Representee pour la premiere foil a Paris,
sur k Theatre Francais, par les comediens ordinaires du
Roi, le 5 Avril, 1845, et au Theatre Francais de Londres
(St. James's Theatre), le 24 Juillet, 1846.
The story of Virginia has been a favourite subject
with the dramatists of England and France from the
earliest times. The earliest extant English dramatic pro-
duction publicly represented (" Ferrex and Porrex" was
only represented at Court), the plot of which is derived
from history, is entitled "Appius and. Virginia," and it was
publicly acted in all probability as early as the year 1563.
This curious production, which holds a middle station
between the old moralities and the historical plays, and
in which the vice of the old morality is introduced under
the name of Haphazard, was printed in 1575. We know
not whether the story was as early dramatised by the
French dramatic authors, but certain it is that every
century since that time has seen its Virginius or its
Virginia in both countries; and that, with the exception
of the Virginius of Mr. Sheridan Knowles in England,
and the Virginie of M. Latour in France, all these pro-
ductions have fallen into deserved oblivion. It might at
first sight appear that the present was an excellent
opportunity for instituting a comparison between the
works of the English and of the French dramatists, but
nothing can well be more different than the manner in
which they have treated the subject. We have none of
those large-hearted (we know no word that will so well
express our meaning), exquisitely beautiful domestic
scenes, which form the charm of Sheridan Knowles's
play, in the Virginie of M. Latour, but on the other hand
Sheridan Knowles gives us nothing like the in-
tensely impassioned scenes between Appius and
Virginia by which the work of M. Latour
is distinguished. Virginius is the great character of the
play of Sheridan Knowles, and Virginia interests us
passively rather than actively. We pity and love the
young, innocent, simple-minded girl of fifteen, exposed,
in the absence of her natural protectors, to diabolical
machinations, the object of which she comprehends but
indistinctly—we pity, we feel for her ;we love her as the
innocent victim rather than as the heroine. Not so with
the Virginie of M. Latour. She perfectly understands
the nature and. the object of the pursuit of Appius
Claudius. She spurns him from her presence with a
withering sarcasm, mingled with a warmth of indignation,
which savours rather of the woman of five-and-twenty
than of the girl.of fifteen—rather of the Lucretia than
of the Virginia. In this respect the Virginie of M.
Latour, although more dramatic than the Virginia
of Sheridan Knowles, is not so true to history, but we
' could readily, nay, thankfully, pardon a graver anachro-
nism for the sake of the exquisite poetry of M. Latour
and the sublime acting of Mdlle. Rachel, for whom the
character was written. The first act is rather heavy; it is
devoted to the preparations for the marriage of Virginia
with Icilius, and concludes with the departure of Vir-
ginius to the army, after a long conversation with Fa-
bius on state affairs, for the introduction of which M
Latour may plead the authority of Corneille and the
custom of the French stage, albeit it is a custom which,
in our opinion,

" Is more honoured in the breach than in the observance."
In the second act we have the first interview between
Claudius and Virginia, and this is one of the most
powerfully-written scenes in the drama. During the
absence of Virginius and Icilius the Decemvir has sent
presents to Virginia, which she has rejected. He then,
in an interview, personally urges his suit, and the scene
thus proceeds :--

CLAUD/us.
Virginie !...Et ces dons, et ee3 veeux emprcesis
Qu'on a du vous uffrir !...

vißcartra.
Je les ai repousses.
CL MIDII7B.
Rvousser les prevents d'un homme qui vous aims !...
E4t-ce m6pris pour mot ?
VIRGINIM
C'est respect pour moi-meme.
Et d'ailleurs, qu'on me dise ou Jo dois thiposer
Le prix du deihoaneur qu'on me vient proposer.
Irai-je le suspeudre avec cette couronne,
Qui rapproche des Dieux ceux auxquels on la donne ?
Pourrai-jo le placer sans crime sur l'autel
Des Onates gardiens du foyer paternel ?
Faut •il le renfermer dans la chambre oil ma mare
A cache les tresors d'une conduite austere ?
Dites, dites-le-moi ?...Le culte des aieux
Deja depuis long-temps a consacre ees lieux ;
Leur ame y vit toujours, et leur puissant exemple
A deja transforms cette demeure en temple ;
Its sent ici presents, et tout ce qiej 'y vote,
Pour m'inspirer l'honneur, semble prendre une voix.
into which Adieu !
The conclusion of this speech is poetry of the very
highest order. Sublime is the idea that a succession of
virtuous
it
a ancestorstem pl e consecrator
virtue, the
family
yit abode, Consti-
tuting
is a sacrilege
to let any impure thing enter. Worked up to a pitch
of desperation by her repeated refusals of his suit,
Appius Claudius at length offers to make her his wife:—
Ulan:dna.
Pardol.l6, apaise-tei...Quelle est done ta puissance,
quel charm° supreme est dans ton innocence ?
Explique-moi comment tes dedains, ta flerte,
Sans exciter ma haine, augmentent ta &mite ?
Dispose demon sort : je t'aime, je repouse.
Vous, seigneur !...De ses droits la noblesse est jalotise
Il vous est defendu de vous unir a moi
Je suis fine du peuple.
CLAUDIUS.
On peut Changer la loi,
Vludikitif
Qui peut changer la loi ne peut changer mon ame,
Et j'aime Mikis, et je serai sq femme,
Thus refused he informs her of the death of Icilius, but
breaks his intelligenge 10 rug 14 SIM a way as to probe
her lteut to the Wei—

CLAUDIUS.
Je repis de l'arrage
Des nouvelles dont Rome est a peine inform6e.
VIRGINIE.

Mon pero ?..,
CLAUDIUS, a part.
EllO ifs point tremble pour son arrant.
VIRGINIE.
Pit9B9P.l2Pieta WO est up affreux tcurixten‘