The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-20

On uesg1isg her pest at II Theakrs Frsacaje in
o der 70 scoepS IT, She theroupon otter
mined not y play In Medee. n. Leg0uvS
demanded an interview with her N order to remoa-
strats but sbe wrote ~ bm under date Of the 17th
Of March, 1864, my resignation b quite sericas;
have therefore only SIX months TO give to the
Theatre Fancais am anxious to play all my classic
rspertoys and should not have the time to do 20 Il
] wese to undertake tic creation OF new part l
VII confess 70 you that am no, - ~ % sxs tho %
French stage. Persuaded that the press would not
support me, fear would paralyze my powers, and Il
10 not ct the end Of my career IN the Rue Rcheieu
Paris. Believe, however, dear n. Lexouve, that it
causes me great pain to abandon the performance OF
your Mel6e'D In consequences Of this refusal M:
Legouve, o. the 30th Of March, sent her formal
no notice II K, 10 commence legal proceedings.
She then wrote TO him very friendly latter, TO say
that abe was obliged to go the Pyrenees TO sec her
sister Rsbecce, who was extremely Ill, TO take
and to obtain spose for herself, Of which she
stood In great need. She complaiped that he
should have commenced proceedings instead Of
going to 80 her, and she declared that II he
continued them she would certainly not consent to
play in the tragedy BY order Of justioe for that, II
Il should fail I'll tho blame would BE- cast upon her,
q 1t would be said that abe had murdered IL from
vengeance. She rspreseatsd that, q her engage
that, on condition that Law proceedings wsre drop
ped, she would play tho piece and would begin stu
dying Il seriously on her return. N. Legouv6 wait
ed and after few weeks, Rachel returned to Paris.
But she did not begin studying tho part, and whom
be reminded her Of her promise, abe said that she
was hauassed by domestic Affections. Henrepre-
aented to her. in very courteous TERMS that that was
not sufficient reason for neglecting his play, but
he produced NO effect. At length, on tho 20sh OF
September she made female friend Of hers write
to himhst abe could not perform in tho tragedy, -
ehe was T" determined never to play part In mo.
dern tragedy the old clAsdcal tragedy contained
moro fpsrte1 than abe could ever play" In this
letter Of the friend was one written by Rachel herself
to the friend; and in it she said-"I cannot, deci
dedly perform Med6e; II is In vain that hsve en-
deavored to study 1t. ! have, however, learnt all
the first act but the part does not suit me; II, in
fact impossible for ma to hope for success Ia this
much known 10 Fmovs the public, even by terror"
She, however, charged her friend to bog Of n. Le
gouv6 not to reproach hef, and to confess to him
that she felt herself in the wrong.
N. Chalk d'Est Ange, for Mademoiselle Rachel,
commended that she had never absolutely engaged TO
play the character, and that all the expressions Of
appreciation Of tho Art attributed to her by the wit
nesses were nero phrases OF ordinary courtesy TO-
wards an author. He affirmed that she had honestly
endeavored to reconcile herself to revolving part
not suited to her genius, she fels compel ed In
justice to her osn reputation, to renounce 1t. He
warmly reproached N. Lsgouv6 for going to law, to
force great artistic to be mere speaking machine.
The court however, thought 1acemoisells Rachel
wholly without any ground Of defence; she had
clearly contracted with NJ. Legouve to play Aedee,
and the contract was recognised by law. Mademoi-
eee Rachel was therefore decreed to play the part
at the Francois forthwith, and In default to pay 200
francs for every days delay for the space q Two
she must pay 40 900 francs for damagea The costs
Of the suit will fall upon her.