Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-12-29
A Great Actress.

The celebrated Adrienne Lecouvreul
was a hatmaker's daughter, an amateur
actress, then strolling player. In iii
she burst upon Paris, and in one month
she enchanted the city by her acting in
Monimia, Electra, and Berenice, and
had been named one of the King's COM
pany for the first parts in tragedy and
comedy. Adriennes magic lay in her
natural simplicity. She spoke as the
character she represented might be ex-
pected to speak. This natural style
had been suggested by Moliere, and had
been attempted by Baron, but unsuc'
cessfully. 1t was given to the silver
tongued Adrienne to subdue her audi
ence by this exquisite simplicity of
nature. The play-going world was en-
tLusiastic. Whence did the new charmer
Gomez She came from long training in
the provinces, and was the glory of
many provincial city before, in l7l7,
she put her foot on the stage of the capi-
tai. and at the age of ftwenty-seyen began
her brilliant but brief artistic career OF
thirteen years. Tracing her early life
back, people found her 8 baby, trpe
child Of Paris. In her little glrihood
she saw Polyeucte at the play house
close sg her fathers house. She imme-
diately got up the tragedy, with other
little actors and actIessce. Madame la
Presidente La Jay, hearing OF tie Rbility
Of the troupe, AID the excellence Of
Adrieune as Pauline at the rehersals in
a grocers warehouse, lent the courtyard
of her hotel ia the Rue Garanciere,
where stage was erecLed and the trage-
DIV acted in presence OF az Spdiepce
which included members Of the noblest
families in France. All Paris was talk
ing of the marvellous skill Of the young
company, but especially of Adrienne,
when the association called the Com
edie Francaise' which has tbe eXclu'
sive right OF acting the legitimate drama,
arose in its spite, screamed Privilege
and got the company suppressed.
The ittle Adrienne, however, devoted
herself to the stage and " hen she came
to Paris, after long and earnest ex-
perienees in the provinces. hsr gsy
subjects hailed their new queen-qusen
of tragedy that is to say, for when she
took comedy by the hand the muse bore
with rather thep smiled upon her; and,
wanting sympathy, Adrienne felt none.
Outside the stage her heart sad soul
were surrendered to the great soldier
and worthless fellow, Maurice de Sake
He was the only man to whom she ever
gave her heart, end he had given his 70
so many there was little left worth the
having. Whst little there was vas coy
eted by the Princess de BouiilOn.
Adrienue Beccuvreur Whose story has
been tsieo told in French dramas and
once msrveloasly illustrated by the
genius Of Rachel) before she made her
exit from the world, thought OF fhe poor
Of her district, and she left them several
tao0ssni francs. The cure Of st. Sui
piaa was lold of the death and Of the
legacy. The good man took the money,
aud refused TO allow tho body to be
buried in consecrated grOuad. Princes
Of the church went to her petits soupers,
but they would neither say rest her
soul" nor sanction decent rest TO her
body; aud yet charity hsd besuG6ed the
one. as talent and dignity had marked
the other. The corpse of this exquisite
actress (she was only forty when she
died. was carried in q farce, accompa-
MED bv q faithful few, 70 a timber-yard
in the Faubourg st. GERMAN, and q
hired porter dug the shallow grave OF
the tragedy queen.