New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-11
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE.
" special L liz New orleans ofosesael 81,

viding her wardrobe andjewelry among her friends
the day before her execution, 18th February, 1887.
The artists description of the picture is as fol
lows:
The scene of this picture is laid in the Abbey of
Fotheriughay, the last of the numerous doleful
prisons in which this lovely but unfortunate Queen
was imnured, and the prison in which she ended
her eventful and eyer-poetic life. rs
The room is her drawng-room where she made
her last will and divided her jewels and wardrobe
among her friends.
After partaking of slight supper, she proposed
to go up stairs to examine her trunks, and to dis
pose of their contents
Burgoyne, her physician. requested her to re-
main seated, on account of her illness, and offered
to have the trunks brought before her, that she
might divide the contents with less fatigue. To
this the Queen assented.
Her maids and gentlemen, and all others attach
ed to her service were summoned before her.
Overcome by their emotions, they commenced to
sob and weep; but she encouraged them with kind
and gentle words, saying, shat they should re-
main composed indeed joyous, at the prospect
that her earthly sutierings were SO soon to term-
nate.n
From her state-chair Gf such it may be called in
her poor royalty she bestows upon each some
memento of her affection, and asks their prayers
in her behalf
At the back of her chair is DR.. Burgoyne, re-
garding with sadness young girl who has re-
oeiyed silver rosary. This is Mary Curle, born
in the prison, to whom the Queen consented to be
godmother, and thatshe should bear her name.
Opposite the Queen are her maids of honor, Jane
Kenethye, Elizabeth Curie, GILES Mowbray, a
Scotch maid, Elizabeth Butler, Alice Forster, Bas-
tian's wife-the first receiving brown satin gown.
The little page, Hamilton, q favorite of Mary, is
anxously inquirng Of Scotch maiden, Elizabeth
Butler, What is to harm the Queen"
The Secretary is the Surgeon M Grevas, who is
engaged in collecting the documents necessary for
the preparation of the Queen's last will.
The young girl in the attire of nun is Mary
Gomez. person of unaffected piety, o constant at
tendant of the Queen at her devotions, and who,
Immediately upon her death, entered a convent.
The observer will perhaps notice q black veil
which covers the escuteheon Sir Pouet, the
keeper OF the prison, had in reality ordered her
bed-chamber and drawipgroom to be draped en-
tirely in black, with the intention of wouuding the
feelings of the Queen. The artist could not, with
out injury to the harmony Of the picture, do more
than suggest the idea.
The little dog near the Queen was found nestled
in her garments after the execution, and it is on
account of this touching incident that the figure Of
this friend of man is introduced.
1t was with regret that the artist had to omit
Melvin, the Queens confessor, in the composition,
for the reason that he was separated from the
Queen Of the time, and only allowed to meet her
on the way to execution next morning.
The picture is called fair by connoisseurs. Not
being a connoisseur, cannot pretend to judge.
Church's tArctic View" has also been vouch-
safed to the public. The color and prismatic eff
fects are wonderful. The Academy of Designs has
opened its annual exhibition. The number of pic
lures is about the same as usual. / have not yet
had an opportunity to go over them carefully; but
from cursory inspection, | am forced to the con-
cluson that either there is something wrong about
the Academy, or else art in the city of New York
retrograding. Of this, however, more anon.
The book-trade sales have commenced. The
attendance Of buyers from East and West is about
the same as usual. The South is not directly rep
resented. In view Of the hard times, the pub
fishers, except the Appletons, have put down their
trade prices from ten to twenty per cent. The
Appetons, refusing to coincide with this arrange
ment, will lose their spring sale altogether
Talking of spring, am charmed to be able to
inform you that that balmy season has set in with
its usual severity. Snow storms, cold rain, east
day. AT Albany they have six feetof snow on a
level. Think Of that while you are eating your
strawberries and green peas.
To return to our literary matters we have two
absolutely new plays. At the Winter Garden,
q The Babes in the Woods,n drama in three acts,
by Tom Taylor, and at Wallack's, " Henriette,''
comedy in three acts, by Edward wilkins, we'll
known. New York journalist. The scene of
Taylor's piece is laid in London. The Babes in
the Wood" are Frank Rus1ton, (NIr c. Barton
HilD and Lady Blanche Rstshton, (NIiss Ada
Clifton Lady Blanche has eloped with Frank,
whose father has ruined himself in stock obbing
",
been compelled by her step-mother to stop the
supplies. Added to this, Frank has promised his
wife that he will never again borrow money upon
promissory notes or bills, as they are called in
England, The young couple are living in lodgings
when the piece opens. The keeper Of the house,
Mrs. Beetle, Mrs. Chanfrau) hen-pecks her hus-
band frightfully. He is one of those peculiar
mates Of women who let lodgings, and have
husband to do all the dirty work about the place.
This part, Beetle, was written for Blackstone, and
is played here by Mr.. J. s. Clarke of PHILADELPHIA,
R(Arch Street Theater.)
In the second act, the best in the play, we have
the old Earl coming to see his daughter g on the
sly,n and leaving money for her in an envelope
which originally covered note written by her for
mer adorer, Sir George Loose Strife At the same
time Lady Blanche paFns ring in the name of
Mrs. Beetle, a circumstance which makes grand
row in the family. The fact of the pledgng Of the
ring is made known by Mr.. Todd, who has loaned
money to Mrs. Beetle and Frank Rushton both
Again Frank imagines that his wife has accepted
900 from Sir George Loose Strife and there is
another row. Sir George seeing Lady Blanche
coming yelled from the pawnbrokers, falls in love
with her figure, and pays Beetle to help him to an
interview. The majestic way in which Beetle
takes Sir Georges money and responds to his ques
lions about Mrs. B. is perhaps the best in the play
Todd succeeds in getting Lady Blanche to remove
her restriction as to the borrowing of money by
bill, and Immediately offers to accommodate him.
Frank Indignantly hands the Hebrew over to Bee
tie who kicks him down stairs. Todd who has
claims upon bothaBeetle and Todd, starts them off
to the Queens Bench Prison, in which cheerful in
sttntoR the action of the third act OCCURS Beetle
sticks TO Frank, who makes water color sketches,
while Lady Blanche composes music. Their COM
positions are bought up by Lady Blanche's father,
who finally arranges matters and takes the Babes
back to Belgravia Beetle becomes reconeilcd to
Mrs. B., and every thing ends nicely, with tag
about how much sweeter is the mutton chops
earned by honest labor than the pheasant of luxu-
ry and SO on.
The piece is on the whole bad. Clarke's acting
in Beetle was fine. His style is not unlike that Of
Ovens but the latter is the funnier Of the two.
The others were about as bad as they could be,
and the parts are all bad. Lady Blanche and
Franks spooney scenes, in the first act, were
enough to make man sick. Four times in ten
minutes comes this salacious stage direction peas
APP her mouth for a kiss.n This sudden attack of
tenderness is accounted for BY the fact that Tom
Taylor entered the holy state of matrimony while
writing the play. They say now that he Is over
working himself. He is the Fine Art Critic of the
London Times. Secretary to the Poor Law Board,
London Correspondent of the Manchester Guar,
dian, and variety of other things. He has as
many as four plays on the stocks at the same time
Latterly all his pieces have failed. His last ga
Duke in Difficulties is severely slashed by the
London Athenaum, which high authority informs
MI Taylor that he will if he is wise shut pan for
the present. = =
4 Mr. Wilkins play is an English version of a can't
tai French play, g Les Pattes de Mouche . nro
dnced at the Gymnase Dramatique, not the Porte
SAINT Martin, as the wise critics hereabouts saw
last year The plot of this piece is yery slight,
lady has written letter to gentleman and
placed it in secret postofice, under a statuette
The gentleman travels all over the world, while