New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-01
rise the towers palaces and terraces Of the Paatne

Y1ee gOWerB palaces anu UefIacod VI
and into the distance stretches away the vast epse
of the arena. The spectators embarked above it
in high, steep, parti-coored slopes, the sunshine
pouring over them-or over those that we see-and
touching the reds and yeows of their dresses into
gaudiness. Down the center of the circus runs
long, narrow platform, covered with brazen monu-
ments and columns, and making at each extremity
the corner which the chariots are to turn. They
have reached the end which is presented to the spec
tators of the picture, and they are in the act OF
rounding the brazen cape, from which n great por-
phyry column rises like lighthouse. They are
eight in nupber-as one distinguishes them among
their clouds of dust-and each has three horses
abreast. 1t is n ierco m6Ifc of beasts, men,
and Wheels the struggle and confusion are power
fully expressed and the horses and charots painted
with that hard cOnsummate finish characteristic OF
the author. The coorng of the picture, meanwhile,
is not that to which Gerome has accustomed us; 1T
has certain anomalous crudity and an abuse of
brick-liko tones 1t is evident however, that this
is perfectly calculated. The painter has wished to
represent the full glare of sunshine bedizened and
gilded surfaces OH stained and painted walls, and
on garments in which the mingled and complex
tones of the modern costume were unknown. lie
has an immense eXpanse of fnnctiOnarics in ono Sec
ton of the auditory-senators possbly-drapcd in
pure yermilon.
AN AMERICAN MELoDRAMA.
The adventurous American in Paris at the present
moment is deriving much entertainment from going
to see the highly successful melodrama of the
"Chevaers de la Patre" at the Theatre llisorique.
say adventurous" because the theater in ques-
ton is very far Off and, though of splendid aspect
and proportion, much frequented by that class OF
amateurs who find the suspense OF the extracts IN
tolerable without the beguilement of an orange.
l.,o-v x,xff lA Anna
can civil war, and the "chevaliers" from whom it
takes its name are Abraham Lincoln and Stonewali
Jackson. II is in no less than eight acts, bnt sat
to the end for it is a most exhlarating affair The
author, one NJ. Delpit. is 1 believe, by birth
IouiSianian, He evidently "knOws better" but he
knows that his audience does not, and he gives them
their moneys worth of local color. In the rst act
the greater part of the drdmdts persona are assem-
bled on o steamboat on the Potomac. and they all
come to the side of the vessel and narrate Their MS
tories to the audience. Meanwhile the steamboat Is
racing with craft of an opposition line, ana the
cantain has formally announced that his boat must
win the race or blow up. One or other OF the
boilers must burst-they can only hope 1t VIII
be the other. The passengers exclaim in chorus
"Au right" and await further developments
At last the rival steamboat comes along
side, aud, after o moment OF painful suspense,
explodes, " It's the otherw cry, the passengers ana
continue their promenade on the deck. The sequel
is worthy of this beginning, but / cannot begin to
unweaye its tangled web. Abraham Lincoln is ever
administering Justice in one Of the saloons of the
White House, Ike primitive chieftan under the
spreading oak. The White House, indeed, appears
TO omen out i'm the rear into the forest primeval.
The scene is of course in high degree farcical, but
the actor who represents Mr.. Lincoln has succeeded
in making up his head into very tolcrabe likeness
of the original. Then We are transported 10 the
Southern army in which two gallant young French
men have come Ia seek commissions and introduced
to Stonewall Jackson and the famous cavalry chief
tain, Stuart. This. of course furnishes the oppor-
tunity for q very dramatic contrast-Jackson sitting
reading the Bible on one side OF the stage Stuart
draining his glass the other and the Southern
army displayed in the BACKGROUND. Stuart proposes
to give "f6te" in the evening but Jackson piously
protests. Stuart, however insists, Jackson goes
of in sorrow if not in anger, and the ftte-consiSt-
ing of a dozen negro mnstrels and as many ballet
girs-is promptly put forward. 1t is interrupted.
however by the return Of Jackson a litter, fresh
from the field of battle, and mortally wounded.
During the fete a battle has been raging. at which
Stuart's attendance appears to have been deemed
super1uous. Jackson, i'll his death agony, struts
and stamps about the stage, and requests the two
French officers TO repair straightway to W ashngtoh
and kidnap Mr. Lincoln. THIS they proceed to do
in the next act; but Wilkes Booth-whose name has
been altered by the censorsbip-comes very near
being beforehand with them. They are all bailied.
however, by the subimty of Mr. Lincoln's CONVEX
sation and the curtain falls upon the reunion of the
French officers and their swoethearts in one Of the
parors of the White House, where the President
fraternally bcsses them.
There is a certain analogy between this brave bur
lesque and the lively trayesty o actual Things pI-
sened in NJ. Victor Tissot second volume on ms al
ventures III Germany. The book has been out but few
DAYS and it is already in its eighth edition. NJ victor
TissOt is the author of the Voyage au rays des
Millards," which published "A few months since,
and is now III its twenty sccond edition. lie al
present gives u sequel Les Prnsslcns en- Allie
maguep which suppose will gain the same dlsiinc-
ton as its predecessor that of being placed under
an interdict in Berlin. This last Circumstance raises
the one presumption in iavOro1 NJ. 1lssots yeraclty.
He u exceedingly clever, admlraby ol'Srrvait,
and his TeutophObia, as an exhibition of yyaclty
and energy, il really very 6ne. But, Ike VI. lie
moinne's England, his Germany IL quite an
"artlcle de Paris" heard gentleman of Germanic
sympathies characterize al impairment fable the
other day ~ "du lssot tout pnr" and certainly VI.
1issOt's reader largely Tcpunctuates his pages Win
interrogation marks. lie should remember the
proyerb that he who wishes 10 prove too much
proves nothing. The French they say, are beginning
10 study Germany, but they had bcttcI not take III.
Tissot's volumes for their Textbooks.
HEARY JAMES, JR.