New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-15
Benefit OF Mfss Isabel Freeman-.'Pygma-
dion and ia1atea.'


when our an nateurs volunteer as secont
reliet to the professionals, New Orleans hal
frequent entertainments devised for he,
good cheer, and thus far. since May, hal
found fruitful amusement in the wholesome
competition OF her several clubs. Among
these the Orleans Dramatic and the New
Histrionics have received especial com
mendation. due both to their careful pre-
sentiments and to the material aid afforded
| by Miss Isabel Freeman as their leading
I lady. Sensible Of this service, they will
| join in an expression of its value next Wed.
nesday night at the Varieties Theatre, when
| many of their members will share with her
IN the representation Of "Pygmallon and
| Gaiatea"
Her role will be that Of statue, which
descends from its pedestal a living woman,
and ultimately returns thereto, chilled back
20 stone. IL must be said that the author
avails himself Of 10 slight licen 50 in his
dramatic translation Of the old myth. which
TO: only ascribes no name to the ivory vir.
gin wrought by his hands. but relates that
Pygmaliou was q celibats who abhored
women.
The play. however. presents him as a
benedict, whose wife had already stood as
the model Of bis statue, and baptizes that
handiwork as Galatsa. The reason for bor.
rowing that sea nymph title We tail to dis
cover, unless it bs that she classic al Gala.
tea was as cold as marble image to one of
her lovers. the Cyclops. who in jealous rage
tumbled an upcarved boulder on his rival,
Acis. whom without suspicion of pun. she
held as the best of her cards. But in thrust
ing Mrs. Pygmalion between the sculptor
and his work. and in ignoring both his
hatred Of women and the full, poetic dedi.
cation Of his heart to the dumb presence of
counterfeit woman, we conceive that the
author sa critices much of the old classical
flavor. while he contributes q pleasant mod
ern pungency in the invention OF new mo-
tives and characters. His Pygma1ion can
not. as did his prototype. call his statue
"Wife;" can not solicit Venus to flame an
omen from the altar. can not clasp the
awakening image as his own Eve, formed
from an ivory rib, and in time have
her little Paphos on his paternal
knee. He is an orthodox husband, in
whom passionate marital love for the
statue would be naughty and would sur
prise even Cyprus. though that city was
not reno wned for scruples in accepting the
relish if not the hazard Of bigamy. He
loves bis wife. Cynisca as a mate, and his
sculpture as sweet, radiant conception of
art. while tue tradition fuses the two af.
fections in one; the wide gulf between the
two Pygmalions is patent. So greatly,
indeed. is the love of the sculptor in the
drama for his wife, that the craven image
10, after all. but an adroit suggestion of
her, not an image wrought simply in ex-
alted fancy and SO beautiful, as the Grecian
fable runs, that It surpassed all living wo-
men. In other words. the modern Pygna.
ion carved q copy, the ancient Pygmalion
IN original dream. !
In both the fable and t1e play. however,
The hero appeals to a feminine infrmity by !
INVESTING her limbs with fine raiment, her |
ingers and breast with jewels, and if any
hing could quicken an inanimate woman,
We suspect these should do it. just as the
lead Paddy at the wake had to sit up in
he coffin when the aroma Of whisky tickled !
lis nose. The author starts off Mrs. Pyg-
nalion on short journey, and during her
'bsence the mischief is done. The sculptor
aresses the image till at length it responds
nd moves serenely down from its pedestal.
The picture is one Of signal beauty. The
tstue stands in firm, classic pose. every
art OF it's contour and every fold OF it's
arb the seeming product of . Grecian
hisel. At length its topper seems to thrill
18th warmth. the veins to fill. and the breast
, heave, until the dead block glows a wo.
ian, marveling at the deep. wild throb at her
cart, which, amid bushes, makes gracious
nswer to the glad wonder of Pygmalion.
he art here to be exhibited by Miss Free.
ian will doubtless compel the heartiest ac-
amation from the house. From this stage
'rwara Gafatea moves through the scenes
ith naive ignorance of the social laws of
yprus. her affection for Pygmaliou, her .
'eat intelligence, and can not understand !
at she is not free to love him to the full |
easure of an ingenious faith. At last she ,
cunts the pedestal anew, benumbed ;
lck to mere sculpture by the knowl. ,
ge. so slowly learned. that her mis- :
IN OF companionship with Pygmalion
fatally forestalled by his welded mate.
,e curtain descends upon being stunned
heart that longed to live out it's un- q
lued pulses in wifehood, maternity and | q
all sweet service to him whose hand had o
N her from the block but to repel her at a
u. stunned to a pathetic memorial, wit q
ssing by its erect, pallid form that the g
me. which was the cradle, is henceforth G
tomb of wasted life. Pygmalion's b
ldio Is thenceforth no studio, but q sane. Il
ary. consecrsted to a tender and reyerent 81
81
We predict that Miss Freeman will win | p
nal honors in part to which she can
ng such dramatic aptitude and beauty of u
son as are hers. After thorough ex-. L
ination of the text of the play. We feel 81
g in saying that the performance prom is
> TO be an unusual treat to the public of fr
" Orleans. tr
nj
Lawlessness in iberia. e1
he iberia Progress mentions that two cl
ored men, named Sam johnson and Jim er
I'd, were arrested in the lower part of th
parish upon the charge OF horse steal ey
. and without any warrant, without any or
examination or trial of any Ii