The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-09-01
mile Rachel, the French Tragedienne-Her
Personal Appearance-Her Biography.


From the account which appears in the N.
7. Times, of the arrival of the eminent French
Tragedienne, Mile RACHEL, in that city, we ex-
tract the following paragraph, which may
crafty the curious in giving some idea of the
great artistes personal appearance:
"Dnring her exit from the steamer and ride to
the hotel she showed very much curiosity as to the
character and appearance of the people among
whom she was about to be introduced She raised
several times her VEIL and with herlarge eyes, deep
set but penetrating in their gaze, sought, it seemed
to scan the measure of American appreciation of
tragic passion. Her attire was wholly of black
plain black silk dress with ounces-over her shout
ders thrown a simple black mantilla; black Grape
bonnet and richly embroidered veil forming the pro.
lection and adornment of the head She wore
dark kids, and on her left arm supported heavy
and gorgeous serpentine bracelet. Add to this,
moderate stature, rather slender form, and lively
though graceful carriage, and you have the distin-
guished tragedienne whose dramatic genius has so
long electrified the European world, as she ap-
peared during her transit from the Pacific to the
wharf.
The London Sunday Times has the follow
ing paragraph in reference to Mile Rachels
history and transcendent professional success !:
elizabeth Rachel Felix is the daughter of a
German.Swiss, named Felix, and his wife Esther
Haya, and was born on the oath day of March,
1920, in a wretched Swiss tavern. For the first
ten years of her existence, she along with her pa
rents and sisters, led sort of gypsy fe travelling
through Germany and Switzerland, the eldest
daughter singing in the streets, and Rachael taking
up collections. In 1880, when the latter was ten
years of age, they reached Paris, where they sup.
rad hams hu cir in tha
the founder af the Royal Institute struck with her
musical powers, took charge of her, and placed her
as pupil in his class. From this time she rapidly
improved. Her debut in Paris was highly success
full, and her subsequent triumphs in that city une-
qualled
In 1s4l she first appeared in London with un.
bounded success and since then has been the great
star in the musical world of Europe. She is already
twice a millionaire. Her engagement at the
Coincide Franchise brings her in, at the present
time, $4,000 francs per annum for playing two
nights in the week during six months; and, what
with the amount she gains during vacation, and the
various other little items, her income amounts to
about 100000 francs-i. e. $50, 900 year. From
her recent tour in Russia she brought home 30O,.
900 francs and in connection with her visit TO the
United States, apocryphal figure of four times
that sum is mentioned as promised her."
Notwithstanding Mile Rachel's unquestion.
ed talent and accomplishment as an artistic, we
think her tour in this country bids fair to
prove q splendid failure. She speaks only
French, and her performances are theatrical
which very many of our countrymen viii not
witness, and very many others will not appre.
ciate because they are total strangers to the
language she speaks. We confess we shall moi
be grieved if her failure is SO signal as to dis.
courage, for the future, these periodical irrup.
tons of the foreign adventures to fleece our
people annually of hundreds of thousands Of
dollars merely for recreation and amusement,
which could as well be furnished at home
without tythe of the cost.