True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-06

STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER s, 1868.


Theatre Francslse, Rachel burst like a
comet on the dramatic world. She played
Camille TO an audience which almost
went mad with enthusiasm-to an excited
people, whose applause was not only that
OF shout, aud stamp, and bravo, but who
gave the filter tribute of hushed breath
and fearful silence. From that hour,
there was a new meteor of unrivalIed
brlliancy in the dramatic sky, aod from
that night her European reputation was
dated. Various were the pieces in which
this tragedienne gave token of her won
derlul genius-in "Adrienne" and many
others. she was pre- eminent; but in Ca
|mllle she was unsurpaSsable. and must
continue so, till greater star than hers,
not set shall flash across the dramatic sky
land that shall be-ah when? Camille
always remained the most celebrated
character in her repertoire.
During these bright years, these sunny
years of triumphant success, began the
.love-dream of Rachel's life. Whose pen
shall chronicle the first wild, thrilling
bliss OF the woman who hears from ar
dent lips the story OF passion--alas, a
guilty passion, unhallowed by churchly
rite land that woman, her with the heart
Of fire-Rachel!
Not mine.
We know that her life had many tenn
ptations; and the code of woman's honor
in lax, gay, Ia belle France, is lighter
held than in colder climes but more's
the pity, that great soul yielded up its
woman's virtue! 1t is said that Rachel
might have married the father of her first
child. the Count Walewski, and thus
have become the sisler-in.law of the EN-.
peror Of the French, for Walewski was
the son of the great Napoleon and the
reason assigned for rejection was, that
such anion would not have conduced to
her happiness. since the noble count,
though of so royal lineage, was poor in
purse, and would have .squandered the
earnings of her profession which, with
the natural instinct of her profession,
which, with the natural instinct of her
lsraelitsh race, she was said to be fond of
boarding. This we cannot believe; we
do not believe that the great tragedienne
preferred her gold to her honor. Il may
be that the fire of her ardent love had
glown cold, for nature like Rachel's was
capable of loving or hating with an equal
degree of intensity. Hers was strong,
deep, passionate nature, and as her loves
were cherished with all the abandon OF
her orient race--So her resolves and an
tipathies may have been as firm and de.
termined. But who can lift the veil from
woman's heart in the matter of her loves,
the children of her soul!
In the early autumn of 1855, Rachael
set foot in America. Here, too. she set
the dramatic world in furore. In New
York, Boston and Charleston, S. G., she
held audiences enthralIed by the grace
and tragic abandon of her attitudes, and
by the terrible flashes Of her fierce black
eyes.
/ Said one who encountered her at her
private hotel, and caugh! the full express
sion of her gaze, ~ would not like to
incur that woman's hate T. Another who
saw her in "Adrienne," said to me, IRA
chel was on the stage, and | trembled.-
The mere glance of her eye had fendish
fascination lit made me shiver from head
to foot. She spoke, and her voice was
like nothing l ever heard, ever imagined;
but it was the glance of her terrible eye,
the mobility Of her features, their passion,
wildness, pallor, which thrilled me. Her
thin lips worked convulsively, her hollow
lips were pale as marble-the very spirit
Of tragedy seemed essenced in her terri
bic voice-but burning, beneath the dome.
like forehead which rises above the classic
structure Of her face, were those luminous
eyes. The eyes were Rachel"
Rachel's career in the new world was
a triumph. Every night the impersona-
tions of her genius electrified the world
of play-goers. Men and women grew
pale as death beneath the tragic splendor
of her genius. Sometimes storms oil
applause beat the air; sometimes rain
OF flowers fell at her feet. Although few
comparatively among her audience could
interpret much beside what was told in
the universal language Of expression and
gesture, still, SO perfectly were the emo.
tions which filled the soul Of Rachel
conveyed to them by the varying shades
of expression, and the play Of her hands
and arms, that but few, and very obtuse
were they, who did moi comprehend all
She gave US the last flashes Of her brilliant
genius--but it seems melancholy, but
accredited fact, which is confirmed by
her own letters, that here she first caught
the cold, which finally terminated in that
dreaded destroyer, consumption. She
writes to friend in New York; Il anl
really tired out--perfeclly tired out. II
laurels ward of the thunder, they don't
keep me from growing rusty. The fact
is, took cold in the train, and evel
since have been in Boston, have been
coughing like consumpiive, which am
not, ! beg you 10 believe, in spite Of my
i pale complexion and seeming thinness."
4 Poor Rachell the seeds Of disease
were already sown, and our harsh, New