New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-04
RACHEL as PAULINE.

hidu uc heCnci nPpedftQ last evening as f6uttue
in Comedies Po.yyeucte."
Those who, having iesd the glowing accounts Of
Der fascinating presence beasd Rachel for the first
tine last plight, must have expeecceda certain degree
OF disappointment on witnessing the restraint which
the very nstme of the role Of Pauline imposed upon
her genius. The essential feature Of the character Of
the wife Of Poyeucte is the reprtssion of all this.
passion which furnishes Inspiring food TO the
Rachel GENTS, II is in the smo.hering Of that
very passion and the straDgulston Of all emotion,
of which Pauline IS 30 beautiful an example,
that that sublime loyalty to duty is exhibited.
Yet in the quiet dignity Of Rschel's attitude
and 10 her studious effort TO keep purely within the
spirit Of the character she undertakes TO represent
bound to recognize another feature in the
grandeur of her personstons treby great from often
entail ing especially on woman, so heavy q sacrifice
Ii s as every one must feel 10 Rachels power at any
moment by of her viii to- in technical phrase,
bring down the house. But it rebounds, we think,
infinitely to her credit, and should hold bright ex.
ample to Others, that one has her allow
herself for a moment to be nveiged by any mereri-
cious temptation into buying the applause Of the
audience at the sacrifice Of the reverence she owes
her art
Having said 80 much let us in honesty add once
that Pauline, Poly eucte Severus and Company,
including at the close even old Felix, exhibited such
an excess Of sublime qualities and the poor fra hu
menity around felt much overpowered by the giant
dis ofnmaculate moral purity and religious fervor
so thicky exhibited to occasion surprise at
seeing here and there stray sinner steal out in the
center of act evidently conscience stung perhaps
ennuye.
Yet did Rachel, where il was all consistent with
fidelity to the character improve ofar upon Cornes,
az 10 throw around her love for Severus, and subse
oueptIy where his danger las is the with
generous woman enlisted her sympathy, around her
affection for her husband, large a surrounding of
human passion as the character could legitimstely
bear. This was especially significant in the passage
where she mplores her husband not to throw into de-
spair soul which adores him
me deses pere pas une anne qui tadore-"
which, ifrepresented before Corneille himself would
have appeared imagine, to the great dramatist to
have teemed with too deep love to be compatible with
the classic dignity of his abstract denestOn Of the
idea of devotion.
But in spite of here and there a fash of thrilling
emotion the play, until the last scene, wore too much
the appearance Of being made up Of pieces Of theatre
cal sermons to sustain successfully the interest even
of the many who came with sincere admiration of
all that was intrinsically great in Comedies ideas,
and with the kindliest desire to be pleased
We admired Rachels classic attire, Of singu'arly
cbaste beauty and were struck as usual with her grace
full elocution but until after the death of Polyeucte
and the conversion of Pauline the interest Of the au
dence, if not fed by thorough appreciation of the
spirit and language of the tragedy Jared very poorly
indeed if simply dependant on the incidents of the
stage.
The conversion of Pauline, however was beaute.
GUS compensation for the patience exhibited by
large portion of the audience, and the ecstatc radi'
ance which Eliminates Raches whse being through
out the last scene, is again one Of those wonders
which belong to her alone. Her celebrated Je vols,
d" lie sais je crois had the usual effect upon the au
dience, and woke full enthusiasm. No words can
picture the hectic fervor and expression Of intense
rapture che throws into those simple words crois"
1t was declaration of faith which must have con-
WINGED the most scepcal of her sincerity, and it was
satisfactory to find the effect it produced on that
rather worldly old gentleman Felix, who in laundering
tones astounded Severus with the intelligence that he
too bad turned Christian. Indeed, instead Of the
usual number Of deaths at the close, had so many
converted Christians.
We do not desire TO express an anxiety, nor
do we ask to see this tragedy repeated. But the
last act may be given with considerable effect in Ra-
chefs readings, exhibiting her genius as it does in
phase it wears in no other play-that of religious
ecstacy. We commend to Monsieur Noguet in the
kneest spirit to communicate to his employees little
of that graceful pOteness and eager desire to please
the fairer portion of his audience which is one OF
his own and his country's characteristics. Their
want in this respect was the occasion for many gentle
murmurs of complaint which were last night painful
TO hear. The house was not crowded, but moder-
ately full.