Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1855-11-15
KiDENOLSLLLE RACHEL.

the h!gh reputation winch p.eceoes het'
As she will be the all.absorhiug topic
which will fill the columns Of the city
journals, it will not be amiss here to VEN
ture an opinion in regard to the we!l-de.
served merit OF this famous parsonage. as
cleaned from the encomiums which have
so fat'ering!y been lasished upon her. by
the press generally. since her advent upon
the stage. -.
Rachel enjoys the reputation of being
one of those amiable artists who are al
ways new. So many beaties are in eve
ry one Of her del;neations thai in each
successive season some fresh discovery is
made. The Same critical observers who
carefully followed her through many sea-
sons, and paid her an amount ,ot aitca.
ton which histrionic Assists seldom find,
see her this year in the very character
they have seen her in before, and yet
leave the theatre astre astounded by her
excellence.
1t is great thing to say of Mademoi-
selle Rachel, that she is thoroughly sat
istactory actress in every respect. There
is no need TO put up with fault in con-
sideration of a beauty, to pass over an i'm
perfect elocution for the sake of an evil
dent inspiration Of genius; to excuse Il
mannerism foy the sake Of a substratum
of intellect which it partially covers. Ra-
chel needs nd apologist; "ifs, " butts, and
''considerings," belong to vocabulary
with which she has nothing to do; she
may be tried by one ordeal after another,
and she will pass through them all tri-
umphan.ly.
Some connoisseurs, especially Of an
ancient school, are especially charmed
with all that shows the high training Of
the artist-with perfect elocution, with
a nice appreciation Of metre, with a gen.
eral power to preserve character at a
CERTAIN elevated level. To such connois-
sears, Mademoiselle Rachel vii! afford ev-
cry satisfaction. The French metre is
never cut up from any realistic notion, but
flows from her lips stream Of, rhythlaical
music. The strongest exhibitions of pas.
sion never betray her into rant, nor does
the orgnn ever seem to crack under the
violence Of the enunciatiation. Every
word, not only Of this or that snowy speech,
but Of the entire play, seems studied with
the view Of thoroughly ascerta:ning its
capability; and the spectator is often. sur
prised at finding a striking significance
elected from an apparently unimportant
line, and at the varied effects which tie ac-
tress produces by her by-play during the
progress of speech uttered by another
performer. When Mademoisellc Rachel
is on the stage, ihore are no gaps during
which you may cease 70 listen and wait for
the next point; .bul the whole character is,
so to speak, perfectly filed up.
BY her cultivation Of this his highly
elaborate style Of speech, am. gesture,
Mademoiselle Rachel has attained an ex-
preston Of certain emotions ti:at no other
artist ever approaches. The hatred OF
jealousy, blended with contempt, which is
not told BY ejacuiation, but is exhibited in
the form of irony, and the strength oi
which is shown by the constant effort to
repress it. is something quite peculiar in
the hands Of Mademoisel!e Rachel. o.
cai,n deliberate, and canstic irony, she is
themost consummate mist.ess; uttering he,
sarcasms with the air of a superior being
who, tortured with hate, will not conde.
scend to be in passion. 55aa.sss So as-
Those actors who have greatly excelled
in finished defamation have often failed to
please another school Of connoisseurs who
care more for an appearance of inspiration
than for training. A brilliant .point''
made with energy win CRAFTY this class
very large one-more than the most ade.
-x,,,a fal.. s,,sfa;nnd 1aharae4n. IL Z. IL .