New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-18
RACHEL rs HKRMiONE.

with spplausc Hut 10 our mind especially in tho
carly sccncs she lacked her usual inspiration. When
she first appears sho looks with painful truth the
slich,cd woman and her prde-wounded heart bleeds,
"A il were ON the stage when she shudders at con-
fronting tho lover she has sighted at the very moment
that she is herself sighted by the man she loves,
Este II. dir. til .ette 6ere Hermiono!
Ele me dodsguo sutrc PabandOnne.
But the love which fills Raches veins does no.
seem to be love which springs from the gentle foun-
tain of the heart it looks TOO much like love which
springs exclusively from the senses. Her appearance
is more that of passionate houi racked by spite,
than that of a noble Greek Princess deyoured by
anguish When she declares that she loves Pyrrhus
too much not to hse him. the impression conveyed to
our mind was that she rather loved TO hate than
hated because che loved AT such moment there
is no beauty to us in Rachels countenance. We see
only the colo forehead brain aabastered as If mac
cessbe every feeling, and the face, 80 fascinating
when expressing any soft emotion, assuming low
expression which mars it's beauty. The peculiar
Asiatc construction OF the nose is not as in the Saxon
or Celtic races, lifted up it were beavenward, bat
is slightly bent down, as if prevented by the soul from
rising and feeling most congenial to this lower earth
Possibly Mad'le Rachel takes Hermone to be Pa
gan woman of intense sefshness, and shapes her
genius can supply inspiration where there is total
absence Of it in the character. The puiseesSness OF
the audience during the first part of the performance
furnished certain evidence of this truth Ii Is the
spiritual beauty which clothes her Camille with such
nimitabe grace; it is the absence Of it which makes
HeImione here and there, at best, wearying.
Rachel on hearing that Phyrus consents to marry
her, does not display the return of his affection
Joy corresponding with her grief at his arrangement
In the presence Of OIeses she may feel restraint,
though women seldom conceal su,h feeling; but with
her confdan,e we would have expected an ehthusi-
astc explosion of exuliug Joy, and are disappointed
at its comparative GOODNESS But when Andromache
appears to implore her to interfere with Phyrus on
behalf of her boy Rachel is herself again. and moth
ing could exceed the superb insolence with which
she Iets with her robe while she speaks and
Kisses triumph over her fallen foe. On hear
ing that Pyrrhus has again deserted her, her rage
is appa ling ab her triumph insulting. 1t is only
when Oreses heststes to do the deed of vengeance,
however, and she herself threatens TO execute the
bloody purpose, that the desoate endshness of the
scene is relieved by touch Of grandeur. And when
she exclaims-
Je percera lie cGur, que je mai pu TOUGHER
the effect produced by this uterance is the climax
which art can reach. when snc tACiehho W P0i-
cera lie cpur the face is all hatred; when she comes
to ie rial pu TOUGHER" quick as the lightning which
when you cry Behold it, it is gone, hatred vanishes
and n tearfnl sonness takes It's place. But
except at this point, this scene brings
too wildly before us Hermione the fend, and
not sufficiently Hermione the loving woman. Here
and there we find splendidly worked-up phase of
feeling but on the whole we cannot get nd Of the i'm
lint ia enraQei
herself than from her sighted love of Pyhus. 1t is
ONLY in the interview with Pyrrhus that we are for
moment thrilled with emotion, when, her whole soul
upbeaving at the kings skeptcism about the sincerity
of her love- she indignantly repes tue doubt aud pic
turing the fidelity of her affections spite OF al his
coldness, utters the touchingy poetic words
AZ = aimos inconstsnt, gu 'auroisj fat hde.e y
The farewell scene with Pynhus is another wOndrous
piece of acting and the horror she feels at seeing the
bloody command literally carried out almost redeems
by its intensity the GOODNESS with which she has con-
ceyed the murder Her whole attitude IN the scene Is
a study for an actor, moldng into marble woman
instnctivey rebelling against her own crime.
We would be unjust to the colleagues of the illus
trious tragedienne, were we to close this criticism
without expressing admiration for the actor who per-
sonated Pyrhus. Especially his interview in the rst
act, with Orestes was full of fire and tine histEonic
action.
We were sorry to zee the gentleman who personates
the gallant diplomstist in Les drots de rhomme re-
duced to so insignificant part thet of Pyades. 1t
is very much to bis credit that, as we suppose, as
matter of courtesy, he undertook this part.
The lady who personated AndrOmache was we
thought too humble and meek in the scene with Her
mione. Andromache should ever behave with the
dignity inherent TO the widow of Hector, but in the
other parts of the tragedy, especially in her interview
with the King, she was effective. The weakest
point in the disposition the gentleman who performed
Ores,es His whole physique is too intensely antagon-
stic TO all the traditions cherish OF the graceful
look of the Greek prince TO make u1 ior one moment
realize even the remotest sympathy with his peculiar
sonow and the little feeling which may hnger In our
heart from recollection of what we have read OF the
character is unfortunately all killed by the crushing
Dimensions Of his voice.
we closely analyzed the House. The parterre and
parterre circle were on generous estimate three parts
full the second gallery perhaps half and the upper
desert with here and there few Bowery oasoes scat
,ered few and far between. The state of the house
at the conclusion of the tragedy gave hor evidence
Of the truth of our early sdmOnltion TO the manage
meut of the public estimate OF the comedy MOI h'y
per,ons remained to see the Droits de lHommes,
and even the French deserted and refused to pay TO
Miles Leah, Dinah and Sarah Felix the compliment
OF lingering round the wreck. People 60 to see IA
Oh el and Rachel alone and when she is of the stage,
all are weary and would tina, they dead. Let lies
Leah Sarah and Dina longer weary unnecessarily IN
comedy their innocent lungs and provoke by over
e1ertion such melancholy illsoss as that which de-
pr,ed The public Of performance on Saturday night