New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-04-01
MISS CHARLOTTE THOMPSON.
Nell Gwynae."

After an interval of years. during which
memory has been faithful to her trusts, and
reeolects with surprising distinctness the
incidents most grateful to her tastes, and
most worthy of her care. Charlotte Thomp-
son comes before US with the promising
loneliness of early years settled into
matured flush of beauty, full Of histrionie
honors, and ripe in the fruition of that
genius, which, even in its faintest shadow
ings, seemed direct inspiration.
We plead to curiosity, sharpened by
prestige and repute, to have seen Misc
Thompson. Rumor had it she was hand
some, graceful, sweet. Fame, with blast
from her single trumpet, swelled the diapha.
son, and joined in the laudatory chorus.
The prints assumed at least to be faithful
transcripts of the original 1--WE say this in
justice to photography, represented her
with arch features, softened by mild ex-
preston, radiant with intelligence, and
deeply shaded by clustering tresses, that
formed as it were, rich background to the
more salient lineaments Of the picture. The
accident of her sickness was vexatious. The
anxiety on our part to see her. became in
tensifed as the doors of the "courtn were
closed, and the ''stage," shut out from view
by the fall of the drop-curtain.
At last the occasion came. Miss Bsteman
filled with admirable acceptability the hiatus
that ostensibly existed through the entire
range of the first act. Aye, more; she gave
Us faithful representation, rendered with
spirit, inteiligibly conceived and compre-
hensively executed. Her Frances Steacart
was, critically speaking, an excellent piece
of acting, and we only regret that the limi-
tation of space precludes the possibility of
our entering into more specific and de-
tailed account of her performance.
NeU Gyacnne was the first entrance in the
second act after Frances Steecart made her
exit, and as a star, itself luminous, is paled
by the kinding Of q brighter glow in the
heavens, so Miss Charlotte Thompson euf-
fused the dramatic sky that night. She was
fresh, fiirtish, fiashy-not flashy as paste Jew
els are. or pseudo-sppearances, but spark
ling with the CLEAN of vivacity, sprightli-
ness, and dash. Flrtisn, too, it rollick-
ing pert, devil.me-care mien, irresistible
fascination. and q cunning coquettry, that
attracts lovers with the same magnetic in
fuences it dlscsrds repelling forces. can be
twitched into any such q sgnlfcatiOn.
And withal woman, for she has heart
within which is shrined fountain of both
pity and sorrow; heart vivi6ed with emo
ton and full Of sen sibiIity, yet coated at
will with q caustic satire, and tipped with
bitter irony. gay paramour, dangling
his majesty, Charles II, about asa child, q
toy, mere plavthiDg, in one Of her face
tious whimslcaiities. and vet, by a reyolus,
ton of strange caprice. rising to the dignity
of earnes ness, and perpeXing him with the
IAxrf Il.
ton. A pet, not spoiled; a butterfly Of the
vogue. as painted by the historic pen, with
gaudy wings too, perchance, but little
more than the mere ornate insect that
comes out gaily fiedged from the chrysalis
state. For Nell has made some lofty flights.
and her pinions must as sequence, blend
strength and sweep with beauty and grace.
Forsooth, she was a diplomat. But to the
point. Charlotte Thompson is so easy and
80 patursl-that's the word. We felt we
were English history, or rather that we
were living the free, icentious, rollicking
life princes and kings enacted during those
days of enhancing women, when every
mistress was a sorceress, and enmeshed
her swain in the net of IN entangling spell.
II was Mel G,oyrsne herself, pretty, captiyat-
Ing, arch NeH, ready for hunt in park, or
after lovers, and shot with her fowliDg~
piece. or her keen, passionate eyes. It was
an intriguing court over which Net
Gpynne presided, and yet to look at her, the
sun seemed to mels in liqud radiance in her
q nile, and virtue to nestle in form whose
beauty vouched with silent eloquence for
its purity and chastity. This is the historic
sketch, and this is just the way Charlotte
Thompson looked history.
We shall have more to say. We leave
1Ieniette de Santerre standing ny ITSELF We
do not wish to ser it AGAINST Nell Gsrvnas's
portrait, so as to thfox q u adum bration overa
single feature. We close with az invocation
to the public. lfthey can Apr, ciate legiti-
macy and fidelity. modesty and genius, they
can only lose themselves q blended sight
and feeling Of them N. BY staying away
from the Varieties.