The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-13 00:00:00

SECRET 11187'ORY OF THE STAGE.

(From Wilkes' Spirit of the Times.)
Barney Williams is probably the most prodigal spend-
thrift in "the profession." He has made a dozen fortunes,
and recklessly squandered them on the fine arts. His
magnificent house on -- street is literally jammed full of
the rarest works of foreign and native art. Benvenuto,
Collin', Michael Angelo, R tphael, liubens, Bastiane, Pon-
tius Pilate, Sol Fytingo, Ruggles (who does the " Gems,''
which can always ha authenticated by a red or blue flannel
border in the frame), Bierstadt, and Marston and Hays
have each laid their choicest productions at the feet of Mr.
and Mrs. Barney—for a consideration. Barney's collection
of Bibles is enormous, and the eminent Fenian is now stu-
dying the languages, that he may enjoy them all in
the original. He has one child—a daughter•; four years of
ago, and of great beauty. She possesses already, in her
own right, one hundred thousand dollars, the interest of
which her father regularly invests in porter-house Steaks,
horse-feed, taxes, cocktails, cigars, and other luxuries, for
the little heiress. Barney runs the Broadway Theatre,
except when the Press runs it, which happens occasionally.
Mr. Williams is of French origin, having first seen the
light of a dark lantern in De Vision street. lie is worth
about $400,000 dollars, including liat'lleen Villa and live
stock, and is a ornament to his sex.

Don John Lester Wallack is a peculiar man. They say
he dyes. He has a Berghian weakness for dumb brutes.
Perfect menagerie surrounds his house —bears, tigers,
lions, lambs, horned toads, buffalos, owls, bald eagles, till
you can't rest. Only the other day a little bear purchased
for Mr. Wallack fell dead of apoplexy in the streets. Mr.
Wallack is about thirty, well preserved, and there has
never been any scandal about him. In that respect he has
been fortunate--for a play-actor. He would have been an
eminent artist, but that he lacks confidence in himself, and
gives away all the good parts in the new pieces to his
brother players. Worth anywhere from a hundred
thousand to a hundred and fifty, including live stock. Has
been known to eat onions (privately).
Miss Kate Newton, the prettiest of three sisters, is the
leading lady at the "Broadway." She wears her own hair
and diamonds, and has lots of both. Has a sister married
to George Boniface. Miss Newton was married to a gen-
tleman with whom she is not living at present. Husband
to blame, as usual. Miss Kate's fortune is not large, but
daily improving. She will always hold a leading position
on the stage. Owns an orchestrion, two canary birds, and
some heavy old family silver.

The following paragraph is going the rounds of the
French papers :—" An interesting discovery has just been
made in the archives of the Grand Opera, namely, the
original score of the ballet, "Le Triomphe de l'Amour,"
performed in 1681. The piece in question was the first
in which women appeared on the stage, and that innova-
tion gave rise to great opposition on the grounds of im-
morality. An attempt had, indeed, been made about 25
years before at the Thatres du Marais to have a female
part filled by a woman, but the essay was badly received
by the public, and Mdlle. Beaupr6, as the actress was
named, was forced to abandon the profession which she
had been the first of her sex to adopt in France.. The
women's parts continued to be filled by men until the pro-
duction of the ballet mentioned above, on which occasion
the opera succeeded in securing the admission of female
dancers on the stage." It is interesting, no doubt, but it
happens not to be true. Without reverting to the fact
that women did appear on the stage in the middle age
"mysteries," it will be sufficient to state that Moliere's
" Amphitryo " was first performed in 1668, and that the
part of Alcmena was sustained by Mlle. Armande
WM.