The Placer herald., 1859-05-21
Correspondence of the N. Y. Express]
Negro Minstrels in Paris.

and wttcsms. In fact, suspect that three
fourths of their French auditors only 60 out
of motives of curiosity; and because they
have heared that these 'Bouffes Americans"
have performed at the Tuilleries, before their
Maiesties and the Court. The Emperor and
Empress both of whom speak English re-
markably well, are said to have been quite
delighted with this, to them, novel species
of amusement, and frequently applauded.
Several of the oldest negro melodies known
as they are all over Europe were sung on
this occason-among them Lucy Long"
and "Old Dan Tucker" The latter air. par
ticularly, is familiar to everybody on this
continent, and can myself testify to having
heard it woven into a concert medley, per-
formed last summer on the Islands of the
Neva.
Despite the crowded audience on the first
appearance of Christy's Minstrels in Paris,
confess to have felt some misgivings AS to
what our fastidious critics might say of the
matter, new to them as it was. Judge, then,
of my surprise to find the redoubted feuie-
tonists of the daily press not only favorable
to these strange innovaters in the world OF
Partisan entertainment, but actually quite
enthusiastic in their praises In the Debats,
Janin, the terrible maker and unmaker of
theatrical reputations-he who claims to
have first discovered the talent of Rachel,
and to have brought her before the public
Janin is more than usually forid in his COM
meudations Hear him. "We had the new
butfoons announced last Sunday. They had
hardly arrived before they became veritabe
event. They are ten in number and all
Americans with one exception, who has the
honor to be geune black Here they
are with hands and faces stepped in the true
Ethiopian color. At the rising of the cur
tain, these wandering singers who, like
Ulysses, have seen a great number of differ
ent cities, people and civilizations, chant
mournfuIly all sorts of plaintive melodies
Little Lily who is dead and sleeps under
the old chesnut tree.' Listen how they
weep over herr More than one tear APP
pears to roll down those ebon cheeks,
and the death bell keeps time with the name
of Lilly. It's complete eegy. Then we
have another-the elegy Of Jenny Gray,
with blue eyes and golden hair Jenny
Grey is dead, too and it is worth while to
hear the groans of the banjo the tambour-
inc and the castanets, over this melancholy
event. Then we have Beautiful Star and
Come, Gentle dream We listen in astonish-
ment. We came to laugh, and feel strong
ly inclined to resist these unexpected lamen-
tatons. We have scarcely arrived at this
conclusion, when all at once the performers
strike up lively air. They have just been
sniveling; now they are laughing to split
their sides. They have Just been casting
flowers on the tomb of Jenny Gray, now
they are carong Kiss Me Quick! The
weeping willow has suddenly become fried
potato, which you almost hear cracking in
the pan. Then there's the Hoop de dooden
door-a genuine comedy; and a touch of
Tartufe, still nearer life. This new Tartutfe
Toured with SCOT, is a drama Of four. 1t is
called The Hutchinson Family who are a
sort of Quakers; whose mission it is to 60
about the world, singing, Were band of
brothers"
Janin goes on 10 show, learnedly, that
this is hit at William Penn, who had no
business to be Cumberland similar none
sense, not worth repeating, all evncing the
inevitable French ignorance respecting pret
tv much everything American.
Florentino the almost equally celebrated
critic OF the Constitutional, expatates up
on the subject Of these performers at even
greater length than his contrere. The ser
Gus seem to have made the same impression
upon both-that is to say, neither under
stood what they meant. Forentino des
cribes admiringly the jig (Which, indeed,
was the best | ever saw and then takes up
the buresque Julien concert.
''But the most transcendant comicality
Il f,,l of I,,ll
concerts. Who doesn't know Julien! lie
is the same man who, during his travels in
America caused the map of the New World
to be embroidered upon his shirt bosom, and
had the names of the principal cities OF the
Union engraved upon his vest buttons. He
is the Barnum Of orchestra leaders, and the
orchestra leader of Barnums.
Il don't know how they managed it, but
it is certain that these funny dogs possess in
their troupe an individual who resembles
julien like two peas. The same height same
breadth, same broad and jolly face, framed
in black whiskers; same white cravat, with
its long ends sticking out like the cross
piece Of telegraph post. The concert be-
gins, and YOU see the leader, real black Jul
lien, agitate his baton, guide, overlook, scold,
coax and push onward his musicians with
gesticulations and grimaces enough to make
the behoIder explode with laughter. Whilst
the mock Julien cuts these capers before his
desk, the artists, under his orders, perform
grotesque solos upon impossible instruments;
penny whistles, pewter trumpets, tin tunnels,
and gutta percha cymbaIs.
you are not yet at the end Of your sur
prses. musician leaves the orchestra and
goes behind the scenes, in search of a sort
of black Malibran, whom he conducts gal