New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-26
RACHEL IN BOSTON.


irgly. when that famous artist, who in America fin
sbes the conquest of the civil zed ~o1d, INST con-
fror ted Boston sye ieace, fresh she from the
eptsusiasm OF New York it was like passing from
tropical sumner to hyp-aborean cold. The the,ter
was crowded but it was crowd Of Independent, un-
symps,hetc critics. II was curious 70 wstch the
fgid rv-ista.ce gradually yielding, bats i'll doubling,
and hesitstipg 70 be conquered. II was eyea more
curious to see the na surrender and the volcanic ia
natici.m Of aelieht which broke out at last.
Rachel first appeared in Bos on - Camille Tsere
can be no difference Of sentiment on that wonderful
creation of ART except those who have seen II ofs-a-
est ii MOE, deeply EEL and enjoy its exceeding be susy
/. never seemed more perfect than On thst evening At
Boston. The stately erase the melancholy MUSIC OF
the voice slender and absorbing passion Vie shadow
ans sense of the coming csaro.h she shich in R.ches
performance crown the sssive and maculice IN der
work of the poem a. q Gothic cathedral Gro ~ns its
foundations had hswever, little effect the specta-
tors. txcest to hold them in silence Throughout the
touching earlier aoenes scarcely throb Of applause vas
heard and even tina: exquisite burst OF eeiog where
Camille watching the effect of hr ssters app al upon
her brother and lover and hoping that they will still
refuse the frstricdsl combat etclsins
Courage! hs sss,endrssont:
seemed not 70 soften the critical heart Of the audience,
any more than the savage stubbOrnness of the cham
pions on the stage.
The last scene Of this play, and especially what
follows when Csmil hears the result Of the battle,
IT, We must believe, the most consuulmate achieve
ment Of this great actress And it is mono the los
vorby of admiration from the fact that i: 10 original
with her CorneHle affords no indication oft. Ia the
written play Camille, hearing of the event. simply
e1cIsns Alas while the trss ton OF the French s'sss
merely made the heroine sink into chair over
rbeluel with sorow but not failting a soe uttered
the word and long after her reputation had been
established Rachel continued 70 perform the scene a.
il had been done before her. We have heard-and
we believe the apeedots is new st lest 10 the Amer
lean public-thet the irst innovation WAS sug-
eested by au accident which only genius
could turn to such account. Mile Racbs ""
recovering from fit of illness, when al at once
her physician ceased his visits. One day ne resp
peared with his arm in q sling, and on the inquiry
from Madame Felix why be had deserted them so sud-
denly, be replied that be had dangerously hurt his
ha d, at the same time drawing it from the scarf,
brui.ed and banda ed to show it to the qu@.n,Dsr.
At thst inst.n, M1ls Rachel happened to look into
the ROOM and the sight had such au effect upon her
perves sensitive from weakness thai she instantly
swooDed; but while shs felt herself fais log tbs
thought flashed over her mind that il thing like thus
had such influence on her, tho result on Camhle
OF Der lovers ceath must be much more Intense snd
crushing. The thought wss confirmed by refsc-
ton sfterward and first playing the part
again this piece OF PERSONAL experience ras intro
duc.d with an etfec. which We, to whom 1t was never
an Innovation upon established usage, canoos SPprs-
ese But tbi, from being the perfect scene
that pow so tbriIls and every he.rt. We veil
RENE nber that the Camille We saw az Paris several
years ago. revived from her swoon at once to deliver
the repy her tieas father" whereas nov there
int4svebes the very climax. and the most affecting
trsi, of all her acdfg. We mean OF coune, the duu,
wandering diote are with which she RECEIVERS 70
partial cons iousncss rom the blow that has broken
her heart fore ver and then hoso terrible, ressess
sobs in which her agony and despair next fud eHprc.
sion This. too is said to be suggested by an event
in her personal history, which we meatioa hsco as
ilusu ating the gradual way 10 which perfect work
of art is brought TO is final form. Ml'e Rachel
bad heard that very dear friend had been accident
ally killed, and in state bordering on distraction.
rushed TO the house. Ga entering the door she heard
from an inner room the voice OF her friend Tbs shock
was so great tina. she fell 70 the foOr .nd rs-nsned
insepsble for several minutes. When she opened hss
eyes-so runs he ececdote-shs was conscious OF
nothing neithx where she was nor Whist had hsp
p%ned, BIZ. only of sort of IDIOT, forgedalness of
everything till Suddenly she perceived her friends
around ap1iously watching her, ssd entire Conscious
ness brought burst OF passionate and nervous weep
ing accompanied all the white, a. she said sftSwHt,
BY feeling hat tie great scene of Camille should
thus be finished. The use of such suggestions a.
these N such way, recalls the example OF Goethe,
whoae most exquisite PRODUCTIONS were go often but
"a cd IN M
poses Of bis at.
This matches piece Of acting produces double e.
feet upon the behoder frst the entire sympathy
with the suffering depicted by tia artist ana tnes'
CORE spending admiration for the po~e which crestee
such an illusion and causes pure and ire pleasure
to the mind. At Boston there the silence which
marks the one feeling, bat Il seemed somehow to be
mixed with wonder and doub. and when tie applause
came which expresses the oter it was cold and feeble.
Nor was the explosion in which Camille responds
to her father or that with which size meets her brother
and finally msddeas him to hex own ki ling, effective
with the Bostonsns We bad is else where. Afer
the curtain fell the applause was comparatively small,
and though Nile Rachel ves cS led out % bow once
more TO the audience, Il seemed TO be bestowed rather
a. duty The result of the experiment WAS BY 10
means each We 81 OF the next evening whe, Boston
forgot all its superficial ;dity its hidden deeps
Of Cnh usiasm burst freely on. and 10 high tide.
What the pure I'D sor-ow'ul Camille hst flsd +,
do was dole BY the superb Phedre, victim Of F>'e,
vtinly conendng sgsias: passions inspired by al in
plscsbe deity end The crimsi by wh.sh they sought
gr.sfcctoo and safety. II Camille is the most beau
tful and touching Of Rsches characters, Phedre Is
the most powerful and exciting. Compilations and
contracts of pa-sion reach their highest point II tbs
most tragic Of I'll plays PseSre 10 n By every