The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-18


many were prevented from attending, and hence
fashionable and appreclatlve. The subject OF the
"conferencen was the history OF comedy and tragedy
ancient and modern, with Illustrations from well
known French authors and criticisms OF their works.
The fair entertainer commenced by telling her
guests that man was in his very essence, the great
est comedian. The sovereign princes are actors,
playing comedy and tragedy, loose and fast, with
their neghbors and their own people. The dplo-
mats are comedians in four different parts; they
play with their superiors, the kings; their equals
the minister's with their interiors and even with
themselves. The fnanciers are comedians; hus-
bands are comedians to their wives. In fact, COM
enny Is as old az the world. Greece was
the cradle Of acting comedy and Bacchus
Ms iataeY for he made men drunk with
0,hefs on the streets, and thus introduced mimicry
linen came the singers-the chanteurs-who went
Aristophaues first introduced the theatre into the
pubic arena and IN MS plays pictured the passions
turned the shafts of his mind against power. Now
the rotes nave changed and power turns its shafts
Audouard then skippngly referred to the anciens
representation OF Biblical mysteries az the
incipient germ OF the modern theatre, spoke
OF the Daru5 IN the north or France and the trOu
badours In the south, and mentioned Cnur dc Lion
as one OF them. The troubadours were knights,
always ut the service or woman; they sang OF grace
OF beauty and virtue, admired what was handsome
and most perfect, God, man ard woman. After de-
Madame Audouard came to the sixteenth century
which she declared to have been the grandest OF
p0esy and described Corneille and Racine She Landed
the splendid diction and the grand style OF both,
and as example she recited scenes from Andro-
mache Of Racine and from Horace Of Cornelle. With
true womanly devotion she characterized Moere as
ever young, though 200 years old, and who win re-
main young, for he who would understand society
should still read M0liere, as nature never changes
short biographical sketch OF Moere followed, show
ing that as he passed through every phase OF life
from the lowest to the highest, ne was capable OF
his powers OF observation enabled him to depict
with truth every character, and "Tartune''
was cited as OF the best comedies In
existence. She read several passages with effect
and the declaration OF the hypocre. that wrong
action may be expated by purity or intention, evoked
merrinlent and applause by It's language as well as
its rendition. THE MIsanthrope," or Moliere was
referred TO as his next best work ana that it was
wholly natural, and scene from this play was also
well recited lie Malade lmaginairen ('sihe Imagi-
nary lnvalid'' was then alluded to, and that at Its
fourth representation Moere himself fell and was
carried home nsensble. side remark thrown in
the French Academy OF Sciences are more attracted
by good cook than by the Academy created much
Madame Audouard then passed on to Ponsard, and
cited his masterpiece" LIIonneur ct L'Argentn
Honor and Money)-in evidence OF his high talent
as q dramatic poet. She then passed on to Alexan-
DIRE Dumas u.s. whose writings she declared TO be
not literature but mathematics containing no feel
ing, but only anesse OF language. There was in
them total absence Of moral sense. He takes his
heroines from the impure strata Of society, and in
assertion which work. N her opinion was utterly
ABSURD. Alexandra Dumas pere had generous
and warm heart. the younger Dumas was cold and
calculating; while the first writes with heart ana
SOUL as in "Inconnu,n the latter writes with his
logic, as when he sketched the character OF Jack
Sterne. Dumas MS Is, i'll fact, writing Tor the twen-
tieth century and not for the present. "Emile
Aug!ern was then lightly touched, and Madame
Audouard passed on to victorien Sardou, who
wants, ike Moliere, to expose the ridiculous
side OF society. lies Bon Amis lntimes''
and also la Famille Bennoitonn-the lat
ter or which was transferred to the American
stage as "A Fast Famiyn-were selected as proofs OF
his endeavors to initiate Molere. From the last
piece she rected several scenes to the delight OF the
audience But she regretted that the pictures were
too overdrawn that they give to the foreigner
wrong conception OF Partisan lifc, and that Instead
OF correcting abuses this style OF plays introduced
jdrgon, now becoming popular among certain classes
in Paris. Yes. 1t represented certain type OF the
youth OF Paris, who, though but fourteen or fifteen
years old. already sport their toOetfe and talk III OF
woman. Announcing that her next lecture would
be the literary works Of Victor Hugo the sednce
closed.
The whole was a very interesting entertainments.
Her conversational readings are indeed admirable,
and her to possess great natural taent varied
Information and a pleasing style OF delivery. IN
reading selections from the comic plays referred TO
| Madame Audouard was also pralseworthy; not so,
however. In the tragic passages from Corleie and
Racine in which her voice was jarring and her de-
livery monotonous and wanting IN that dramatic
meditation OF tone and action so necessary for
proper representation OF high tragedy. Her next
conference or cd,tserie Is to take place on Friday
i evening OF this week, at the same place.