New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-10
NDLLE. RACHEL.

hcbANe IfCtNcl nom Mee6rs. Darcie a tOfONn, pun
lisber TO the Rachel Troupe, small volume con ain
iDgs psnegyr Of the great French actress Tee mate
ria for have beer uInshed by brother Gnd ed
tied by heg irend aud extracts from various European
journal, are appended 70 set forth tho brilliant SIC
cess Of Rachel, aud the opinions OF vIri critics
adauo, TO attssr the legitimacy Of t'at succsss.
Th:s pare gJric, or biography a. it is called, g n
course published with Tie very natu Il purpose Of
eni ing sympathy IN favor Of .ole. Riche. ald
rmoyiDg lny prejudiccs which may have boon sap
posed 70 prevail against her 10 the American mind
Monsieur Felix the brother n. Darcy, the friend,
and Mdle. Rachel herself may however, rest assured
that no pGnPgyrc wGs needed = manufacture admra-
ton, 10 explanation 10 kill of prejudice, in reference
70 ole whose fame universally established a. he
and whose b.iiliant genius as an artist Il a. vel
kuown az her striking defects a. woman. In cntl-
csrg her IN the first capacity we should have never
touched upon the second, which to tie artistic critic
should be sacied ground, had not this biography
challenged such discussion.
Meantime We may serve that il is a mistake to
imagine that either what European critics have thought
o. Rachos genius or her friends think Of her character
can affect American critics 10 the appreciation Of the
ole or guide the American public in tlei- judgment
q tie other.
When Mdlle. Rachel scts foot on our shores 1t
will be tue enough 10 express an opinion on her
character; when sbe makes Der debut N our stage II
will be time enough 10 expess aD opinion on acting
Until then all piocouceved o, inons snouid. be kept
si to give fair trial u independence Of mind and
Mole. Rachel.
TIE lecture Which viii It srikes Us, appeal most
strongly 10 American sympathy Is that which has
covered in the great American tragedian' so many
defects-her noble struggles when poor, unaided
child Of the people and her r.e through all the diff
cuties which poverty imposes, BY her own industry
and genius to that shining steep Of fame on which she
stands.
From what VIC have seen Of Rachel in Europe our
i1rprcs,ior however was that her peculiar and as we
thought most wondrous genius for e-sonatng wicked
crazy or feon women OF heather times. appealed
rather TO the corrupted taste OF rotten courts to the
bloated ieayiDes for excitement Of volu Iuous arts
tooracy and the blafe population of large cities
than % tie healthy tone OF the honest and vrtuous
nasse5 Of mankind.
The applause Of kings and rou6s Is one thing; the
cdr iraton Of the honest and yrtuous ia another. In
Europe IA her iheatcal tours, her acting always at
tracted-.n london, Milan. Vienna Berlin, St.
Petersburg and Tie other sceles Of her r.umphs-'he
scecr ana more corrupt few not the nike but more
reversed, il Rochds success among the many SOW
r,icns Of America l. to be as triumphant as before
tic few Of European couts. Forthc first time in her
career Rachel approaches the nome It iull Of s'len
nifty. when great masses of freemes will pronounce
verdict on her genius That moment sic faces under
tic peculiar drawback Of fpeakiDg in a tongue,
foreign to many, perhaps to most. Her courage
quality beloved among Americans, viii insure her
sympathy.
What the verde: viii be VIC cannot tell. But this
we viii venture TO affirm, that though putting and
paueeyric e which sc are bound to say there has in
this Instance oecn scarcely any, may attract, puff
ing or panegyric however deliberately written
~ scales in her favor, If her acting manner ,hoald
prove uncongeniol to the popular American mind, and
Islander or prejudice arrest her triumphant sue
cess if che once seizes on the peoples admiration.
Mdlle. Rachel will be- sOor among u aud VIC have
10 doubt that woman Of genius she is she viii pre-
fer for once to hear the sincere expression of opinion
Of great pcope as unbiased by prejudice or unai-
fected by ptnfgyric ana after for years having Ia
Lore 10 win the applause Of the select few IN Europe
SIC must ho it as provdentiai privilege that she Is
rnnitteo 20 put her genius 70 sharp tri glorious
iest, by cndeayoring, as did Jenny LAnd' TO puHa
home for her name in the hearts Of the free men OF
work OF America.
Bat meanwhile, though the little brochure before us
is too much Of paDegyrc TO be called bograpbyof
Aldlle Rachel. let us nevertheless thank ii. Darcy,
the editor ara VI. Raphael Felix, the brother Tor Its
timely rublcati,n. No doubt many Of the facts stated
and criticisms extracted from Journals aro very useful
reference while the general, although very neiger,
ttatemcn's about Rachel progress from POOR sri In
the streets up to thai high pinnacle Of art and soy'o
which she hss, alter many orduous and mehtorou7
struggles, pobly attained cannot but prove interesting
20 those who sle not yet .aniia' with these facts
The most attractive feature Of the little volume Il
tic ina portrait On steel on the font page executed
in Paris ty the photographic process, representing Ia.
cbol in her great character of Phedre IN the tragical
and msit site attitude which she assumes IL the second
act The portrait j. admirable both in perfe,ton OF
likeLess ard o. photographed execution.