The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-10-09

clock Preaching by the Rev. Mr. Ar
lington. In the evening at half past
seven o'clock by the Rev. Col Dawson.
NEW THEATRE-MIss JoNEs.-It has
been heretofore most generally the
case, with the 1Great,7 $50 called) ac-
tors and actresses of our stage, that
whatever has once rendered them eel
ebrated, they stupidity insist on retain
ing in every character, to the surprise
of good critics and the amusement Of
good judges. To be renowned for a
particular quality is, to them, an ex-
euse for the repetition Of the once sue
cessful peculiarity in all new situations.
In nine cases out Of ten the Nature
which we are given on our stage Is
merely the nature OF the actor or &C.
tress who stalks before us.
II they have been praised for their
force, in a forcible part, they viii dis
joint a sentimental part to retain that
estimable quality. If they have been
Landed for peculiar piquancy, they
will afterwards burlesque tragedy If
fof elegance, they viii afterwards blunt
the edge Of passion II for beauty,
they will make Apollos and Venuses of
tyrants and hays If for grace, they
will limp becomingly for yod1n every
thing they do. If for majesty Of per
son, they viii, as beggars, stalk about
like kings And all to preserve what,
perhaps, they are aware is their only
recommendation.
tits remarkable. in this connection,
how Miss Avonia Joness-who has been
playing all this week to very crowded
houses at the New Theatre, and who
came among us so medestly, has
rendered some Of our most cherished
early impressions distasteful.
Not because the novelty Of a new
face and q new tongue attracts US for
a period TO be measured by the limit
of ordinary transient fancies, but be-
cause we sec IN her an art 10 which we
were strangers: the art Of being natural
in the most dissimilar types of nature.
This lady is at once the favored child
of the tragic and the Inirthful mrse
She unites to a fine stature, a classical
head, great expression Of face, and an
elegant figure Besides the charm
which her mere presence lends to the
scene, you feel that greater pleasure of
following her novel conceptions Of the
most varied characters, and compre-
hending the fidelity to nature she dis
playa in all When Avonia Jones comes
upon the stage she does so unassisted
10y either splendor or uniqueness of
dress or toilette. And yet her fidelity
of costume to the rank or period of her
character is one of the leading charms
of those representations Of which she
is the star. She seems in imitation Of
those ancient warriors who disencum-
bered themselves of every trihing or
nament that might impede them in the
combat: she clothes herself with the
greatest simplicity, only designing to
surprise you by her acting and not by
her appearance.
During the week Just closed she has
appeared as Juliet--as Leah--as Pau
ine-as Lady Macbeth--and as Par
thenia. 1t seems surprising that the
same woman, and she yet so young,
could give US one ideal conception of the
gentle Juliet on one night, and almost
the next thrill as with the grandness of
her Lady Macbeth. Still it is so in this
instance. Her face is yet a little young
for tire latter-but iienity,psssi am
bition, and remorselessness are devel-
oped in her features as the drama G
wolves those emotions. A girl of sew
euteen. beautiful, passionate, selfwilled
and innately good, was the enhancing
picture she presented as Pauline. Her
Leah was a master piece of intense act
ing. The ardor Of her love scene in
the second act, was scarcely less thrill
ing than the vongoful outburst Of pas
sion in her curse of the fourth while
in her agony in the tableaux at the end
of the third, and the tender picture Of
resignation and forgiveness in the fifth,
she carried every heart along with her.
We have heard much from other cit
les Of her performance Of Cameo,
which she is 10 give tomorrow evening,
and we shall certainly be surprised if
we do not find her in that part still the
undeniable artistic she has proven her
self heretofore.