The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-01


are amusing It conveys an absurd idea of Ameri-
can manners, and people who do not know our
country, Frenchmen especially, would have queer
ideas about us The scenery IL good. The Sard0u
agent brought back photographs and sketches OF
scenery and places the scenery is accurate The
jokes Of the play too idiomatc and too Ameri-
can for Frenchmen TO comprehend. Iquestion II
the French viii see their meaning. They win be
more appreciated In New York. AS TO the interdict
don't know what the motive Is. 1t mas been said
that the government objects to the play satire
upon republican institutions. They see what
ridicnle Sardou showcred upon Gambetta, and his
party. and do not covet the same ridicue upon
republic But cannot say" ~
Your correspondent said that no doubt the censor
threw the responsibility upon Mr.. Washburne
knowing very well he could not interfere. Mr..
Washburne said he could not say as to that, and
could not assign motives to the French authori-
ties. 1t was certain, however, there was nothing
in the play of Sardou to annoy any sane American.
And 30 saying your correspondent relieved the
handsome young Secretary from the torture, and
was bowed out of the Legation with smile that
indicated what q relief his absence must be 10 the
diplomatic mind. -
vICT0RIEN sARDoU. 0
Your correspondent then set our for N. Sard0u.
This dramatlst was rather pressed by AFFAIRS, but
In time he admitted your representative. In The
body the famous Bohemian is a clever, bright,
bouncing little man, with cOablack eyes, radiant
with heat and light: long falling hair, as becomes
poet, and speaking the French OF Provence.
His face Ia smooth and closely shaven. or him
some other particulars may be added. He is about
forty-twO, and as dramatist has had greater
success than any one since Scribe. His fiat
terers call him the Scribe of the age
which is as appropriate as 1t would be to
call Knowles the Shakespeare Of the time. His enc
mics call him plagiarist-but he has succeeded,
and that win account for enmities, among other
things Ia life, here as well as In many other lands
Sardou was intended for the medical career, and
so skilled himself but to the grief OF his family, he
abandoned his calling and became professor
Of mathematics In time he made marriage
that brought him within the Theatre DejaZet
CIRCLE and he became writer of vaudevilles and
tribes which attracted some note. In 1861
he produced the "Pattes De Mouches,"
which was performed at the Gymnase and
attained great success. After this came
"Famllle BenOiten," which was played
In 1865. This is the comedy to which referred as
satire upon the second Empire Then came mos
B0ns Villageois''-a satire upon the peasantry as
the former had been upon the bourOeofsie, who
sustained Napoleon Then came "Patrie," to
which have REFERRED and "Rabagas" which ran
for 200 nights. These plays have given SardOu Q
IL
is said He owns part OF the old park Of Marty,
near st. Germain-the same Marty where Louis
XIV. built one OF his palaces, and which was
turned by the Revolution. The American play,
| should add, Is called "Uncle Sam.n rt .f.
N. sARDOU's STORY.
M. Sardou said to your correspondent virtually
what Mr.. Washburne had said, adding however that
the interdict was really the work of Jules Simon,
the Minister OF Public Instruction, and not the
Censor. 'Mr washburne" said NJ Sardou, "saw
the play. mean the young Mr.. Washburne. He
seemed to be amused, and was very kind and gave
the actors and actresses some useful hints as to
the pronunciation OF English words and phrases.
He was kind enough to give me a sketch of bar
on Mississippi steamboat. He read the play, al
though 1t was left with him without my knowledge
and against my consent. am told Colonel Holman
only read two acts, and would read no more being
offended at my making fun Of American colonies
who have no commissions. ! am sorry to have
given man like the Colonel. who really deserves
the title pain. made no reference to his elass.~
n. sARDOU DOES NOT LIKE AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS
Y0ur correspondent asked NJ Sardou whether he
fancied the action OF the government was prompted
by the resentment or sensitiveness Of the Ameri-
cans resident In Paris.
mot entirely, he answered. ~ have no doubt
If 1t Is played the house will be filed with Ameri-
cans. for curiosity. If for no other This will
be one result of all this clamor." v
"But, do you,n your correspondent asked, "say
many hard things about the Americansy'
"wel,n said M. Sardou, 81 will say frankly
have no liking for American Institutions ana Gus
toms. OF course one people is as good as another.
certainly have not spared the Americans any
more than l have spared my own countrymen and
countrywomen in my play, La Fanllle Benoton.'
writer ofcomedies must be permitted some license,
and have not gone outside Of the limitations. At
the same time no one can truly say that my play
is an attack upon the Americans. The most
charming character In the list is an Ameri-
can girl. The hero is Frenchman,
but have made the girl so attractive that the
bachelors in the audience win want to marry her."
M. sardou then said be had sold all Of his rights
over the play In America to Mr.. Daily, remarking
that he heard with regret that Mr.. Days theatre
had been burned down.
THE PLOT OF "UNCLE SAM"
Your correspondent having asked M. Sardou for
an idea OF the plot of the play. he said that IL
not usual to divulge the plots Of plays before their
production. nthe HERALD were to print anything
more than general idea OF the plot it would be
reprinted in the French journals
The plot, however, is something like this The
action Of the play begins on q steamboat on the
Hudson River. The scene represents as well as
the resources of French stage will permit, one Of
our floating palaces. Among the passengers on
this steamer are Samuel Tapplebot and his niece
Sarah Samuel is q type Of the Yankee-an the
good and bad points, the bad rather prepon-
derating. When twelve Samuel sold matches; at
fifteen he was in the backing line; at twenty he
had made afortune out Of sugar. Then he became
q chocolate merchant, and in this business
he lost all he had made in matches, backing
and sugar; but fortune directed him into petro-
Ia sfruc oil nd 40 Mt no utane af
play, he was o millionaire. On board the vessel
il French marquis-De Rochemanne-a young
nobeman travelling In the States for observation
and adventure. He is q representative French.
man. There is Q Nine. Bethany who says disa-
a 4h4nna. q Mr. Ellfatf who In a iournaiaf