New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-04
RACHEL As CAMILLE.

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| Rachel achieved iast night triumph. Whom the
enbuy -m which greeted be, entrance had died away
into siIerce thought We hsd never seen her look 70
,,eb advantage, or wear such classio air, Is wheo
amid the stiffness sue advanced IN her Roman robe,
full Of dignity Jet ofgracs, with that plastic beauty
which beorcs to her snd to IN ale4e Tie memory
Of No-ms passed al opee over cur mind, much was
there Of the DGud prier.ess in mr. appearance and
vet 80 much Of ehaste elegance. WAen utteing hg
frst words TO Sabna whist mmediutey struck ~ wa
the extraordinary expression of her month, siwsys Is
il were ,hres tenipg to break into some SERGE burst q
passion; bat surrounded with an Incompatible grace
when the feelings she represents ofa joyous char
acter. The Deep sonorous voice, CULTURAL almost ~
the strength Gifts inter sty anu yehemenee ncx rvets
the attention But the par amount power she wields
ia that from the momest shc enters on ,he stage we
cannot Let our eyes leave her tnr Instant. Ii is
an indescribable fascination. We feel hat every
movement, every gesture, even her very breathing,
is replete with some thought which We fear TO oso Il
she passss from u.s. In her first words to Sabna her
countenance assumes an air of halt boudere and half
ehacrn al the idea that her sister should suppose her
ess affected by domestic and public troubles than she
il. To pass in review every emotion which convulses
her during the description of her love for Curiatius,
her sorrow for the war and her Joy at receiving sat
issc tofy promise from the oracle, and again tho sad
ness which weighs upon her heart in Consequence of
her dream, would be 10 present tableaux of the most
beautiful paintings of the highest masters in the
delnestion of the feelings of the human heart.
Her conception Of every one of Comedies words 20
sublimely spiritual, and her power in making every
attitude speak in harmony with the conception Is 90
wondrous that we follow her almost with bewildement
as she gasps with the se of her genius every Turk
inc Thought and makes il aglow with In teeotual vi
tsty Yet so rapid is her movement, so intent u she
in losing as little Tine possible with what Is nsg-
ni6cant and concentrating her whole soul upon
derine with the utmost intensity what Is OF moment.
that while we see those strange eyes at one moment
darkening with almost graceful coquery, a. If to
cover some of the superHuous words the poet puts into
her mo, tb sgain lit up with dazzling piercing gaze,
and look on that mouth, eloquent 10 its silence ana
80 imperious il its utteranee, we feel certain
strange sense Of mystery come over Us, and
realize that we ore in the presence Of truly great
artist, one stamped by the finger mark Of genius a.
trsgedsn whose very breath is full OF classic fra
GRANGE and whose very robe is full Of thrilling folds
At this late hour the night it would be impossbls
to dwell on all the beauties Of her PRESERVATION Of Co
mile Is they fell upon our mind and sank into our
heart. But few who were there will soon forget the
look Of unutersble anguish which she throws upon
Curiatius when overwhelmed with the excitement OF
the hour be seems almost inclined to cast duty to tho
winds and live for love alone and how that anguish 10
| suddenly transformed into radiance of joy.
when she catches the tear stealing down his
cheek and exultngly exclams, " II Get atendri' The
scene of the night which produced upon US the most
foreble impression however that of her agony on
hearing of her lovers DEATH Have you heard Of
nature and art combining to produce effects which
almost pass understanding. SO almost twas. As she
broke down signing, and sobbing and palptating OH
il WAS sorrow 80 II ue, so full Of love- wOmanly t
was sorrow SO touching, so penetrating, as to make
you pse ard feel with every fibre OF your heart, tor
| ere who loved tenderly. And yet around this
picture of there lowered plas ic grace which
brought up before you in all its beautiful sadness tho
| form Of the Hebrew Woman, who, forsaken by oil
mankind, and burying in her soul deep sol
| emn sorrow, knelt down in the wilderness.
her whole being haowed by trust in that omnipotence.
who alene knew how much she suffered This Is no ex-
aggerated coloriDg. The more dwell on the form OF
this Asiatc woman as in her white Roman robe she ~
racked by her love grief, with physical suffering
so intensely true, that it might have been borrowed
from some couch of suffering, and yet preserving a
classic attitude 80 full Of imposing dignity that you
might range the galleries Of art and not find statue
surprising her IN severity VI symmeuy, INC m'0 ""
ore filed with its wondrous beauty. Terrible, great,
and exciting is her imprecaon in the last sccne Not
the tgess when gathers itself TO- with glowing vein
and fiery eye, and fury eaten heart, for the deadly
tpring upon the murderer Of its tiger babe,
could be more terribly beautiful in look and attitude
than was Rachel, when with the grand mouth, fosmng
and trembling with rage and contempt, and deep
cultural uterance Of hatred as II the intensity OF her
soul too gres. for uerance she heaps her curse
on Rome But terrible and majestic as this scene Is,
10 our taste and heart the agony on her lovers death
is clothed with still greater beauty.
The house sas brilliantly attended, the audience
including most Of the distinguished men OF this
country and being, perhaps, the most severely classic
before which Rachel has ever played. There was but
one f.slng she surpassed expectation and the enthu
siasm OF shout and flowers in which found express
sion evidently convinced her that the American people
lnow how 10 appreciate and reward true genius.