National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-03-18
ANIUsENIENTS.


'MllllemarCh" George Elliot teaches this
lesson: There are natures In which, II they
love US, we are conscious Of having sort OF hap
tisln and conservation; they bind us over TO rec
tiAdc and purity by their pure belief about US,
and our sins become the worst Kind OF sacrilege
which tears down the invisible altar OF trust"
II was "baptism anil conservation" for all who
listened at Walls opera house last night to the
lessons taught a frivolous husband by chaste,
tender and loving wife. In other cities fault has
been found with the morality Of the play. The
play, In our judgment, Is as free from immortality
as "Dlvorce," which In some respects II strongly
resembles. II the pen Of a London or New
York playwright had been employed IN dramatic
ing Inc same scenes and Incidents they would,
In all essential particulars, shine In the same
light Mr.. SardOu has surrounded them win
that Is TO say they are no more French than
English or American, and the material for Just
such a natural life, or society drama, as IL
Ia called, Is furnished almost every day by wash
lngtOn men and women.
10 consider things nrst which are Of the least
importance In an actress, we can only say that
Miss Ethel's wardrobe was a beautiful one, Ad-
olson once said that "the single dress OF lady
OF quality Is often the product Of hundred
clinles," and II old Cowlcy was alive he would
say her dresses are OF the Kind
"In which all cOlors aud all figures were
That nature or that fancy can create"
Her robes were In perfect taste, and worn with
an ease and grace seldom seen. The character
of Agnes Is surrounded by several others which
are Immoral to q certain degree. For instance,
the harness dc Fautellle Miss Jonesl Is q
thOughtless, giddy creature, who has no respect
for her husband nor regard for her home, and
who, without question as TO his character or an
tecedenus, falls In love with Russian adyen.
turer, Cracowitch. stella, Miss Alice Stanley,)
with whom stephen, the husband OF Agnes, falls
desperately In love, Is n danseuse, thoroughly
deprRyed, and yet du fdh In the art OF entrap-
ping men with purses longer than the,I heads
ETbele) Is one OF those absolutely bTainless eN.
qulsites found everywhere on the surface oil
society In large cities, while the other young
gentlemen Of the play are nothing more nor less
than the cOmmOnest sort Of young men who
Affect style and patronize swine and women"
The pure, noble and delicate nature OF Agnes
Is brought into contact with these creatures Iol
no other purpose than To show the attractive
ness OF virtue aud the hideOusness Of Vice, IL
the INST act, In her own salon. with her husband
she displays her strong, cOnndlng nature and hei
belief IN her husbands purity and Innocence
Notwithstanding his sometimes coarse and al
ways eyasiye answers as to where he keeps hi
late hours. In this scene Miss Ethel Is simply
natural nothing more shs G1ts Just as Wei A. 4,
her own house. Her acting makes a pleasant
impression In her favor, and excltes stronl
hope for something better, which IA fortunately
realized, Her husband leaves her Tor the purpose
OF visiting Stella ut the Opera-hOuse, when Splnd
Ter, (MT. J. Willis,) Il tradesman, Is announced
He comes TO collect BILL aud At fTst Is rude, bu
Is soon softened by the discovery that the levels
Tor Agnes by Stephen, but for Stella Here wO
man used TO the wiles Of this world would not hay'
exposed the scandal to tradesman, nor broker
out In lamentatlon In his presence. But In the
very fact that Agnes did, was revealed 10 stront
co0Ts her real character and the skill OF the dram
atlst. For some private theatrical she was TO re
hearse that night, aud she concluded the seen,
by saving az shall not rehearBe tonight bu
act,n In all this there was natural pathOs,
| touching simplicity that wholly compensated TO-
a certain lack Of dignity, almost atoned for lacl
30, 0k,.t. .NlfVhI Mt AT
| ately exhibited. Even In society actress
| touch Of the tTagediennes IRE and earnestncs
is pardonable at times.
| Inc next scene transfers rs TO the dressing
room Of stella at the opera house. Her piron
| cites before the foOtllghts have won applause
| and she IL followed to her dTessng-rOOm by IN,
young men referred TO, who indulge m coarse
JOkes and treat her TO champagne, and all In thu
j most unnatural and awkward style possible
| That part Of the scene Is better done even
| night by nOn-pTOfessiOnalB at a variety theatre
In fact, we could liDReT here aud nnd fault viii
| this scene forever Agnes Ia introduced into Il
disguised as a dress-InakeT. There she learns 1
| lesson from stella new TO her, but old TO society
men generally. She bears herself her0lcall
| through 1t all, and alone makes II dramatic ant
powerful. stephen Is there, too, anti behind I
screen she hears him declare his love for Stella
and surprises the audience by leaving without
| having the terrible storm antlcinated-leayes
| him, too, amid his friends, resolving, witt
| Goods help, TO save him from ruin.
| This scene Is faulty In construction and silly
In many respects. The business Of the re-
| pnrters, Bryan and kingsley, was wTetchedll
| done, and the bObblng In and out all the time o.
so many people was distressing. The scent
| would be handsomely rounded out by intro
ducllg premiere danseuAe, as long as the stag
| Ii set Tor one, aud let the supper come on after
wards IL would make a vast improvement, an,
one that Miss Ethel could easily enough AFFORD
II was the scene In the ONCE OF the Pretect
Police, however, that won the most applause
| SaTreys acting az the PTetect was splendirl
Ills nee AMI easy style with the Baroness