The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-04-23
Mr.. BENEFITS LETTERS FROM EUROPE,


celebrated actress in high comedy, during the
revolution, the consulate, the empire, the resto-
ration, and may also say the revolution No. 2,
or that of the present dynasty, to heI latter
end at the close of very long and curious life.
In 1888, when was first in Paris, she appeared
athhe Theatre Francals, at the age of sixty and
over. 1t her last benefit, and farewell to
the French stage. She had in her old age wasted
the fortune made in youth, upon some worthless
lovers, and she was induced to make last ap-
pearance then to recruit her almost empty Golfers.
She died at the age of seventy, or Whereabouts,
II her residence in the LauOisier, and was
buried yesterday with great pomp and parade,
but not exactly SO much military display as that
which accompanied the funeral of M. Martin du
Nord, late one Of the cabinet
attended the obscquies and the funeral, and
was much interested in the style in which it was
got up. All the artists, male and female, con-
nected with the theatres of Paris, were invited |
10 the funeral Some of the principal theatres
were shut up and hung in black-the Theatre
Francois for one They met at her residence,
and went in procession with the corpse to the
magnificent church Of the Madeleine, which was
also hung in black Grape. Here the religious
obsequies was performed-her soul was prayed
for, and admitted into heaven. The music of the
choir-the gloom OF the church-the glimmering
lights in that vast Finterior-the crowds inside
and round about gave the ceremony considera-
bic splendor and magnihcence-no to say mys-
terry and religious pomp. Mile. Rachel, and all
the principal artists were there.
After this part of the ceremonies had been
completed, the corpse, with the procession, took
up tho line for Pere la Chaise. Here a number
Of funeral orations were pronounced over her
remains, recounting her great genius, her re-
markable life, and the lustre she had shed on the
French Stage. The corpse was lowered into the
tomb, the stone put over, the crowd dispersed,
and every one went home TO dinner
The career of Mile. Mars was thus finished
for this world. Her career in life was quite re-
markable. In the hey-day of YOUTH beauty and
genius, she was considered the greatest actress,
in the higher order of comedy, that ever had
graced the French stage, even greater than
Mile. Claison. She had tried tragedy, but did
not succeed. Indeed tragedy, as the English or
American understands it, don't exist on the
French stage. French tragedy is nothing but
deoamation-not natural acting. | have seen
Rachel herself, and her acting is only series of
declarations on the passions of the very highest
kind pronounced in very eloquent rhymes
French tragedy is naturally artificial, and thus
prevents Rachel from taking that line of conduct
which corresponds with her genius, her power
and her temper. But if | condemn French
tragedy as an artificial and unnatural production,
always delivered in rhyme, must give the palm
TO French comedy over that of England, Ame
RIGA, or Germany, as being more natural, more
life-like, more delightful, and presenting the
finest displays of genius, w.t. fine manners, and
knowledge Of the world. In this line, Mile.
Mars is acknowledged to have been superior to
any artist that ever appeared on the French stage,
since the time of Mile. Claison, of the last CEN
fury.
Mile. Mars was the daughter of an ordinary
actor Of the same thcatre--his name was first
Beto,, then Monvel, but how she came to take
the name Of Mars, do not understand; suppose
from her mother. During the first revolution of
France, the stage increased tremendously in
rrmber, but sunk into a low state of degrade
tin In 1896 there were fifty theatres IN action.
, ind, talent, leisure, idleness, ambition, plea
sure villany, virtue, and humbug, were all turn
ed for several years, to politics, newspapers and
theatres. When Napoleon became First Consul,
he began to regulate the press and the theatres by
restricting their number, and limiting their ope
rations In 1907 the theatres were reduced to ten
only II was during this period that Mile. Mars
began create the great reputation in the line of
high comedy. Napoleon lavshed his favors upon
her, and for time she was the mistress of the
First Consul and First Emperor, for, according
10 all the accounts published in the brochures sold
in the stalls round Paris, Napoleon was as dsso-
lutte in his private life he was unprinclpled in
politics. and great as a warrior and In the pursui
of power for his own aggrandizement She had
u daughter by Napoleon, but she died very young,
and has tomb stone in Pere la Chaise inscribed
the daughter Of Nile Mars. Mile. Mars made
AN immense fortune, retired from the stage very
rich, opened large private hotel or town house,
set up her equlpage, gave splendid fetes and
kept lover, as mostly all the other moral and
distinguished artists of France and Italy do. In
Germany and England there is little more de-
cency Jenny Lind is said to be perfectly pure
in her private life Well, this lover who was
much younger than Mars, and was Count, or
Baron, contrived to spend the most Of her for
tune, 80 that her latter days were spent in COM
parative poverty in small apartment in the rue
Lacoisier. Her farewell appearance, which took
place in 1888, to which | have already alluded,
was got up to procure little fund for her old
age.
She is now gone. Her funeral obsequies were
as magnificent as those of saint or a cabinet
minister, and her remains were placed side by
side with Tama, near the other celebrated per-
sons in the burying ground of Pere la Chaise.
where also repose the ashes Of Abelard and
Eloise.
The French stage is remarkable institution,
and the French artists are equally remarkable
class of society. There are at this day wcnty-four
or twenty.six theatres in Paris and the envrons,
called the baaiiem. The four principal Of these