The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-24
FRENCH ACTORS

We take the following extracts from an English
review of a book lately published, entitled ala
Vie des Comediens," by NJ. Deschancl:
Taking these motley people altogether, they are
an impudent grOup;-audacious, hdrdy-in the old
sense of that word imposing, brimfu of talent,
conceit small virtues, rascaltY, industry, generos
ity, extravaganza and self-satisfaction. Most of
them sprang from class below the educated ranks
of their contemporaries. Baron into life, it
is hardly remembered how, amid a company of
trampers Mde. Lecouvreur was the poor child
of poor halter, Mole was an upholsterers boy,
Mdle. CIarOn was about whose parentage
there clings a NEUROLOGICAL obscurity, but there is
none about her birth and her christening. Her
debut in the world made at a masked ball.
The cure and of the locality happened to be
there, in the guise of Harlequin and Scaramouch,
and in that attire the lively pair of sanity men
christened the young stranger, and drank her
health in generous Burgundy. Many future French
actors were born at Nancy, when that jolliest of
exiled monarchs, Stanslaus Leczinski, kept rows
terng court there. On the list of theatrical
births that Of Tama, the son of dentist is per-
haps the most exalted. His father was an old
practitioner in London and his advertising card is
familiar to the readers of newspapers of the mid
die of the last century. Rachel closes very long
roll. She, too was of the tramper race and born
full of genius and appetite. X # : AS
illustration of French dramatic life, perhaps the
career of the famous Mde. de Champmesle affords
as fair an example as may be found She was in
high fashion, and off the boards, just 200 years
ago. She vas the pupil Of Racne,-or as the au-
thor puts it. ''eie cut pour mGitre Racine, pendant
que Racine Pauait pour mditresse" Racine com
posed expressly for her, and taught her the parts
while he wrote them,-Hermione, Berenice, Mon-
mia and Phedra Madame de Sevigne de-
lighted with her when she was helping the young
Marquis de Sevigne to his ruin, that she always
wrote and spoke of the actress as her daughterin-
law. The poets crowned her, and wearers of
crowns flung their golden garands at her feet
every soon, said La Fontaine, 'everything in
the world will belong to the King and Mdlle
de Champmesle." Wddemoiselle she was called, or
rather for proud distinctions sake, La Champmesle
but she the wife of a so-named comedian,
whom she rendered notorious in more ways than
one. = i Perhaps the most dra-
matte incidents of this sort were when the
rages of actresses with gentlemen not of the sock
and buskin were concerned. When Feurys beau
tiful sister so charmed the gallant Viscount Clair
val de Passy that he made a proposal of marriage
to the young lady, her family was in a state of de-
| licious excitement, for they glad enough
that of the actress he should make ViScountess
| 1t was, however, Just the contrary that happened
for the actress made of the Viscount an actor and
under the name of Sainville the pair were rather
popular in their day. An incident of much more
dramatic sort illustrates another players wedding
Julie Candeille was famous in our great grand
fathers time, and she had stage friend, fair as
herself, named Lange, who had captivated the
son of NJ. Simons, the wealthy coach-builder of
Paris To break what he thought disgraceful
marriage, the coach builder hastened to Paris,
to demonstrate with Mdlle. Lange, at whose house
he found, on arriving, only Julie Candee. This
couple discussed the question, and with such de-
csive effect that the actress returned to BRUSSELS
the wife of the elder Simons, at whose residence
the other pair of lovers also united ! + =
The domestic life of these pleasant people more
frequently sordid than splendid-but it sharpened
the wits rather than depressed the spirits of the
| sufferers Rosambeau, of the Odeon, affords NJ
Deschanel an example, when he tells us that when
Rosambeau was without food at night for his chill
dren he was accustomed to say to them-Here! a
halfpenny for him who will go to bed without sup
perl They all extended their hands and received
a sou each. Now, childrenY would the poor actor
| say to his hungry boys in the morning-'whch of
You would like to have breakfast" A chorus of 4
Sand |, and /, Papa was the unanimous. reply
VERY well, bows; then he who wants breakfast
must give me a sou,'-and out came the money
| that had stood them in stead of supper.
A well-known broker on State street, Boston,
was conveyed to the Lunatic Asylum, at South
! Boston, on Thursday, in an insane condition. in.
duced, as is believed, by the ravng preachngs of q
| noted reviyalist.