The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-11-14

NJ Latour Ybars wrote the play OF ''virguie" in
which Mile Rachel played the heroine last night to afu
house. The subject of thu play already familiar TO the
English theatre goer, by Mr. Knowles excellent play in
which Mr. Forrest has inperishao Die laurels The
French play differs in several important particulars from
the English In the latter Vginius IL the best part and
Virginia is simply young dressed In white, with
her hair dsheyelled who is always in trouble, continual
y pulled about by thin-legged persons with rods and
axes who might by people OF highly imaginative tenn
nents be considered sconsecraed ctors, Who'll claim
ed by conventional tyrant under old Fugitive Slave
act, and who is finally killed by her father. She is al
ways secondary considerationa the effects and situa
tons being for Vrginius. In the French piece every
thing for Virginia, her father being only old BORE
WHO talks great deal about Rome, and who is con-
tinually b,asting of what he has done the big
The incidents somewhat different. Virginia, lin
1atour's pece,) Is discovered sacrificing To the
ld,ts and penates previous to leaving her fathers
house for the temple wherein she is 10 be married that
dashing youth lcilius Appius Ca,dius, the Decenvir
meets them route He upbraids virginus and Icius
for their absence from the of war; where he snys
they imperatively needed. They co. and the mar
riage is postponed. Appius then makes love to vir
gnia, who refuses his offer of marriage. His
freedman Maximus, then demands her his slave
stolen from him when infant, and intr reduces three
witnesses to prove the fact. Appius holds a public
court of record and Fsbus appears Virgpia's
sci. He that the decision be postponed till the
arrival Of Nrgnius from the Of Appus con.
SCENTS and takes Virginia to his house. In the Eng
lish play he remands her to the custody Of her own
friends Vreinius escapes by great efforts from cap.
tvity and in Rome in time TO hear that hi,
daughter is in the hands of the tyrant She escapes
tells long story: how Appus promenaded her cham Der
al night; that she kept eye him all the time and
the other dagger that Fabus had given her. tna hi,
lamp went out that he then autcd her. that she at
tempted TO kill herself and that he fled from her. and
that she ''saved her honor"
The second days proceedings in C1audiuss court of
record establishes the fact that Virginia il the slave OF
Maxmusthat is by false Witnesses Fabius in vain at
tempts to stir up riot among the people and vrgnus
kills his daughter prevent her from falling into the
hands of the tyrant.
The play is not superiorto that of Mr. Knowes' his
for virginus this for Virginia. N. Latourahough
he introduces few locaisms, and makes the Romans
talk great deal about their household gods--cannot
escape from the conventonalies Of French writer his
Roman Pisinns disguised in the toga cirii Ii has
been kel that the eleventh satire Jayenal woul
apply very well to the Fifth avenue and IL is GER
tain that speech IN this play in relation 70 the Ro-
youth is strictly true With regard to Young New
York, who spends his time in horse racing bar play
ing and cog lighting rather than buying himself with the
Of State.
Mdlie. Rachels Virginia was the realization Of the
part. We have her to more advantage ex-
copt in Horace indeed the remarks will APPLY 10
her in this Roman piece al hough she 1, not exactly in
the situat Virginia great throughout and
quiet witha We say much for the Others They
were singuarly solemn and sopinolent.