The Portland daily press., 1870-04-07
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND
Thursday Morning, April 7, 1870.
Letter from BOstoh.

Letter from Bostes.
(from Our Own Corresp ,nieut.1
Boston, April A, 1870.
10 the Editor of the Press:
After three days of delightful Spring wealth
er-during which the dry, even dusty streets,
the blue sky and the warm sun all conspired
to delude one into the belief that winter had
vanished leaving, as its only reminder, the
faintest easterly tang in the breeze that was
waited up the harbor-fckle April turned the
cold shoulder upon her many admirers yes
terday in sudden pet and the cold winds
blew, the snow and rain beat down, and Bos-
ton looked as cheerless as only Boston can in
storm. Throughout the day the storm con-
tinued aud to-day as direct my glarce from
my window it encounters an army of umbrel-
las on the sidewalks hurrying to and fro while
my ear is saluted by the plash Of the rain.
FEcHTER.
On Saturday afternoon we went to see
Fechter. As there has been considerable con-
troversy in regard to the pronunciation Of the
name of this celebrated artist. will inform
your readers that he prefers to hear his name
pronounced after the French fashion, as If It
was spelt Fdish tare. The proper German
pronunciation Is Feckter. The performance
was matinee and the play the highly sensa-
torial melo-drama of the Dukes Motto" with
Fechter as Henri de Lagadere. The great
Boston Theatre was packed with maguii-
cent audience, composed of the professions,
literati, wealth, fashion and beauty not only of
Boston but from the surrounding towns with
in radius of forty miles. and 80 great is the
demand for tickets that they have to be pur-
chased three or four days in advance. As you
cast your eyes over that immense auditorium,
as the green curtain slowly rises, and note
the eager attention, the well bred qu;e. that
ieigns, you cease to wonder that Boston is
the head quarters of the artist-world in this
country since she patronizes what is worthy
of being patronized so literally, first satisfying
herself by the most critical analysis that it is
worthy.
The readers of the Press are no doubt ac-
quainted with the plot of the Dukes Motto,
but lest any ofthem should have failed to read
the story we will give mere outli ne of the
plot.
Henri de Lagadere is a soldier of fortune
foremost in the use o. his sword on every oc-
casion which may turn either to his profit or
serve to spread his reputation as a master of
fence. Blanche de Nevers has married the
Duke lie Nevers secretly and the fruit of the
union is daughter. The Prince de Coma.
quez, not knowing of this marriage, but aware
that he has powerful rival for the hand of
fair Blanche in the person Of the Duke, hires
Lagadere to assassinate Nevers. Lagadere
while lying in wait for the Duke under the
portals of the Nevers' palace, is surprised BY
the Duchess, who places in his hands her in.
fant daughter, she thinking al the time that
she is conversing with the Duke He is so
struck by the circumstance that when the
Duke arrives be defends him against the at
tacks of the assassins, but the Duke is slain
and with his last breath obtains the assurance
from Lagadere that he will protect his child.
Years are supposed to elapse during which the
infant heiress has grown up to woman hood in
the midst Of band of eipsies. Gonzaquez has
married the widowed Duchess and attempts to
palm of on her and the Regent Orleans anoth.
er girl as the lost heiress, but the mother will
not be deceived, and is supported in her beliefby
Lagadere who, hidden in the Regents palace,
dictates her response to Gonzaguez before the
Regent and the Council, aud tells her to 90 to
the Regents ball that night and he will bring
her daughter with the proofs OF her BIRTH
Disguised as hunchback (Esop) he has an
interview with the Regent, secures a safe.
guard for himself and at the ball appears In
his true character OF Lagadere. But, in the
meantime, a tool of Gonzsguez Ly the name
Of Peyrolles, has secured the person of the
young Blanche and confined her in the palace
Of Gonzaguez, so that when Lagadere at
tempts to produce her at the ball his plan fails
and he is cast into prison. Peyrolles is sent
to the prison by Gonzaguez TO slay Lagadere
but the gallant captain turns the table, on
him and escapes. Disguised as Esop he visits
the house of Gonzaguez and tells him that he
(Gonzaguez) can secure Blanche's property
either by her death or by her marrying below
her station; that he IS prepared to marry her.
Gonzaguez laughs at the hunchbaek's pre-.
sumption, but agrees to let him make the tri-
al. Blanche is called in, and, to the great as
tonishment of Gonzaguez and his friends
agrees to marry the hunchback, being inform
ed by Lagadere who he is while pretending
to magnetic her They sign the marriage
contract and when Lagadere signs, and when
| they ascertain who he re lily Is they rush up.
on him to slay him. Just at this moment
the Regept, the Duchess and the soldiers ap-
pear on the scene. Lagadere exposes the
whole plot and Gonzaguez villainy. He gives
Gouzasuez chance on the spot of an hon.
orable death in duel which results in the
killing of Gonzaguez, and the curtain falls on
the happy reunion OF the Duchess and her
child who proposes to begin life anew as the
vile of Lagadere.
Your readers can readily perceive that, as
far as the play is concerned, it is of a piece
with the trashiest blood and thunder dramas
Of the sensational school. The situations are
forced and unnatural, the language weak and
stiled, and the highest order of genius is re-
quired TO enable highly cultivated and re-
fined audience to sit through four acts o.
bombast. At the close of the first act oul
sensation was that OF intense disappointment
The appearance of the celebrated actor wal
that of very large powerful built nan, will
a face that reminded you strongly Of Henry
Ward Beecher, very disagreeable enuncia.
| ton las if bis mouth is full of hot pudding)
which prevented your understanding half he
said, and quickness of movement that al.
most eluded the eye. Only one redeemine
point was visible and that was when the
Duchess having placed her infant daughter in
his arms he discovers from the Duke d.
Nevers that he carries the infant heiress o
the house OF Nevers. With stately courtes.
he removes the plumsd hat from his head ant
with indescribable grace remarks "Madamoie
sele l salute you" But in the remainin,
acts we were more than repaid. The seen
between Blanche de Nevers and himsel
where he confesses his love for her an,
awaits her decision as to whether she coult
give up her mother, whom she has neye
seen and whom her heart yearns for, Tor hin
was cne of the grandes: pieces of acting evel
witnessed on any stage The varying shade.
of emotion, Of hope, OF love, of fear, of sus
pense as they swept over his mobile features
were wonderful. The scene where, as the
repulsive hunchback, he magnetizes Blanche
to his will so concentrated the attention o.