, 1876-03-19
EUROPEAN GOSSIP.
Dumas New Play OF "L' Etran-
gcre."
Abraham Lincoln aud Stouewan Jack
son on the Paris Stage.
4 Modern pyramus and Thfsbe..-Baron
Haussnlaun---Queen Victoria In
Nhitccllapel.

Haussnlaun-.-Queen Victoria In
TTiitccilapel.
Dumas NEW PLAY. ...-
A letter from Paris, Feb. 1G, 20 the New York
Ereninq Post eays: Mondag evening Alexandra
Dumas presented his comedy OF "L'Etan-
pc,e." which had been expected to be the liter
e1y event of tie Season. at the Theatre Fran
csis. T,,s public did it's sharo OF the honors Of
the occasion very gracefully. The Marshal
President and the Ministers Of his household at
tended. The literary and artistic world cent q
huge delegation in addition to the persons Who
we're at the general rehearsal on tho previ-
Gus Saturday; aud tho fashionable quarters con-
ttibrted many hundreds OF spectators. Orches-
t.a seats were sold for 100 and 150 francs from
three in the afternoon until Monday evening !;
aud 1oqe was disposed Of att o'clock for 45o
francs. Great wae the curiosity, and I think
may also cay, great was the disappointment.
Some OF the critics are kinduer than others,
but it Is evident that they all expected some
thing which they have rot received We are
ouce more invited to see tue splenoors ead
honors Of another volcanic social eruption; We
are treated to elaborate theories on the rtoraon,
rs Monsieur Dumas has chosen to aenominate
tho most corrupt and degraded SOCIAL specimens
which lie shows us. The rtbraon, he explains,
is an elenentsrE organism. an apIaal ~ 19e e1es
OF some sayans. simple vegetable according to
others Which appears in liquids or solids that
nre in process Of accommodation. As soon
~ The rsdri0n has accomplished Its task,
wkich consists in eissoclatlng the organic
Tissues exposed TO fnn;d the ar i d;asnnea1s ssns1
It's death being 9ignaled by no other rhenome-
non thnn the displacement OF q minute globule
OF air; scarcely visible through the MICROSCOPE
Imagine Dum1s calling Duke from the fau-
bourg Saint Germain-Tho Is enc OF MS eaAzac-
There is nothing dreadful in the story Of
~.I, Etraueere." but there is much that is OBJ
scure. The comedy" ssid an acute critic on
leaving the theatre on the opening night. - needs
q preface Not even the wit with which every
iina spgrkles can save an insufficient story and
lack Of completion. Tie uaity Is superb; the
action passes in day: every scene is q gem
ertistcaliy; but the whole produces an eplsodlc,
and, to SUN up, a dlsagtceable, Impression. He1e
is sketch OF the story;
Mrs. Clatlson is M American woman With just
enough peEro blood in her veins to have been
knar1y7ized under the slaFo system when it pre-
vnilcd in the United States. She saw her own
mother cold on tho auction block. and heard that
mother solemnly epjoin upon her the task OF
vengeance upon mankind in general. Young,
beautiful, and full OF genius this vlndichve crea-
ture wauders through the world, sowlng diseord
and ruin upon her ratl. She visits Europe sitter
having married an American named Garrison,
iurly nays her bills. She is perfectly honest and
true to her plighted faith with her husband but
she takes zualicious pleasure in allowing her
own reputation to be s1liied in order that she
may make victims. She Is, in short: q peramou-
listing spirit OF evil whose name is frequently
heard in the Faubourg saint Germain coupled
with praises by the men, with auatheuaas by the
women.
After q time, however, Airs. Clarkson finds
person who will not be her victim, and whom
ia ri
he ia young engineer, talented aud poor. Bat
hlre Clarkson is no. alone in her alteration OF
Gerard. The Duchess Of Sepsmonts, young
lady who WIS the daughter of o rich bourgeois,
Rnd who married debtrburdened gentleman IN
order that she might enjoy hts title, has also
discovered his good qualities, and strangely
enough, while she is indu1ging in platonio
affection for this young engineer. the Duke ee
6eptmonts, the famous cltrson goes to throw
himself at the feet If Mrs Garrison. This latter
lady, despisine the ribrion aud wishing to re-
vcnge hereelf upon the Duchess and Gerard,
tells him enough to excite him. The Duke de
6eptmonts at once challenges Gerard, and asks
CIarksou, the husband Of ,LEEan9ere, to be his
secord. But Clarksnn, who is convinced that
the Duke is indeed ribriozs, and Who doesn't
quite Ike the part which that person haa played
in the society Of his wife, challenges lim IN
stead OF becoming lis second, and kills him.
Thore the piece stops We may never know
becomes Of '*LEtrangere>" We only CLEAN
from the remark Of the latter parsonage that
Europe is too little, that abe contemplates 1e~
turning to Amerca, OF, as an accurately INSTRUCT
ed French critic phrases It, to her native pam-
pas.
Monsieur Dumas has the consolation Of hay
ing accomplished that which he endesTored TO
do In g seues Ut brilliant tableau1 he has
1,ainted the Decentralization Of 3 certain class OF
and exhibiting them in all their disagreeable
rhaaaa There is no strong aud terrible crime