Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-03-12
NUMBER 26.
Playing the bible.

J.'H. Siddons, in ono Of tho intsrestine
" European Retrospects" be 10 coutribut.
ing to the Boston Journal, gives the fol-
lowing account of a singular stage repre-
sentation he once saw in Paris:
I was present i've years ago 1t one of
the most extraordinary dramatic perform
ances that ever was produced even upon
the daring French stage. It partook Of
the ancient mysteries and moralities,
wanting, however, the excuse of the ab.
sen0 Of printed Bible for usurping tho
modern method for teaching the Christian
religion. l had gone into the Anbige
Comiquc, under the idea that was about
to witness some comedy, in which rash
youth, the hero, had sacrificed the love Of
an interesting heroine through his own
designations, and that the title Of the piece
had been selected as happily descriptive
of the young gentleman's loss. lie had
forfeited Paradise When, however, I
entered the theater profound silence
rsigned. l had great difficulty in getting
seat, and was at length squeezed into
the corner Of little box ia the FIRST circle
through the medium of silver key. The
first thing that met my eyes on the stage
was the forbidden tree, and Adam and
Eve conversing! Adams very first words
arrested my attention: La grace etait
dams les pas, lc cell dams les yeur :" "Grace
was in all our steps" "Why," exclaimed
l aloud, "this Milton" "Chutw came
in loud whispers from several mouths
One added in a low voice, Oui, Monster,
c'est rotre Milton" From that moment I
was absorbed. Eve was represented by =
lovely woman, whose golden hair fell to
her feet. Adam was fine specimen of q
youth. Around the person of each WAS
fanciful arrangement of muslin, as if .
cloud had accidentally fallen to fulfil the
office which afterward developed on tbe
fig leaves. Adam left the scene, and Eve
being alone, was soon accosted BY the
serpent, who wound about the trunk of
the tree after manner fearfully represent.
ing nature, but he soon cast his shin and
sprung up from a trap door in the guise
of a very handsome man, clothed in
white muslin robe,. encircled in golden
grdle. His ample hair was so arranged
as to give it the appearance of horns, and
gilt cloven feet decorated his neither ex.
tremities. The whole process of the temp.
tation, borrowed from Milton, was admir-
ably acted. The crime is committed
Suddenly the stage darksns, the Angel Of
the Lord appears, and, armed with fam.
ing sword, drives the offenders from the
garden. The second act introduces us to
Cain and Abel-:he sacrifces-the murder
Gains remorse and EYES grief Here
Lord Byron was pressed into the service,
and | followed the translations Of bis
" Cain, a mystery The third act repre-
sents a scene Of bacchanalian revelry. All
Mesopotamia is drunk. Vice in every
form is depicted -woman's vanity, mans
sensuality. In the midst of the orgies
Represented as they only can be in =
large French thea,er with Eve hundred
performers rushing noise is heard-a
deep gloom gradually settles upon the
revelers-the waters pour in-the people
are frantic-dismayed-the dsluge has
begun 1t continues, marvelously por-
trayed. until the whole scene is enveloped
iu perfect dark ness, and nothing is heard
but shrieks, groans and discordant music.
The next &C, opens On wild waste Of
waters, perfectly calm. Bodies and BRAN
ches Of trees float upon the surface upon
a jutting rock stand Adam and Eve, while
tae Evil One triumphantly points to tho
desolate scene and exelaims, Toyez' lie
resaltat de ton trespas! At that moment
the Ark appears in the distance; the dove
returns to it bearing the olive branch the
back scene opens and Salvador Mundi,
standing on the globe, announces Gods
mercy on the redemption. Exit Satan
and exeunt the audience all the old wo.
men and young women piteously crying,
beating their breasts, making the sign Of
the cross and calculating, "Nea cnlpa
mea marina calpa'' Such things may
shock very serious people. but / am not
ashamed to confess that the whole morali.
ty affected me- deeply. I. would be we'll
if the stage were never applied to any
worse purposes.