The New York herald., 1879-03-16
Sarah Bernhardt---Her Fan
cies and Caprices.
FUGITIVE AND IDOL
Her Successes as Actress and
Sculptress.
A SKELETON IN THE BEDROOM
PARIs, March I. 1879.

into two very distinct categories two classes diane
trically opposed each othcr--the class drigednte
and the class dirigse-the class which makes repua-
tions and the class which consecrates them. The
public of the class dirgean is relatively restricted.
1t is composed strictly of the persons who make it
point of being present at all the first representa-
tions of works--a public in itself sufficiently
peculiar to justify my devotng to it an article on an
other occasion. 1t exercises the functions OF judge.
1 will say Of justiciary. 1t glorifes condemns
tho pieces and their Interpreters its DEGREES carry
with them fortune ruin; it has u hundred jour-
nails to record its sentences and thousand tongues
circulate its fats. Profting by its unrestricted
power exhibits all the caprices Of tyranny has
o horror of successes which too prolonged and
crushes its idols in less time than it took to create
them. One evening it assists at the debut of
chaneuse Of operettas. The debutante has
but little voice; she has struggled against
sort Of chronic hoarseness; comedienne
there is for Improvement. but she is pretty.
adorably pretty. fair. delicate. with caressing
blue eyes and mouth beaming with the sweetest of
smiles. She might be taken for o portrait by
Greuze issuing from its frame. Every admits
that she is charming. "How droll her gestures are,
you hear every side. "How comically she walks
and bends her body forward like marionette. The
voice. even though rather poilee, is far from being
disagreeable." From one day to the next she be-
comes celebrated. She is the dird, la diseuse la
mode She is feted everywhere and overwhelmed with
bouquets The reporters publish her biography and
the illustrated journals her portrait This lasts for
three years. at the end Of which time the star
begins to pale and to fade out in the Partisan arma
ment; the samcness of her actions pals. All that
appeared charming at first now appears totally di-
vested of charms Peoples eyes are closed to the
artists qualities in order that they may only her
defects. The public Of the class dirigee acts as
chorus. 1t is strong in number. but it never uses
the strength which it thus possesses. 1t does not
to manifest its independence; 1t admires what
1t told to admre it goes where it is told to go it
is but reflection, echo When the idol is broken
it does trouble itself to collect the pieces
SARAH BERNHARDT.
An artist who has admirably appreciated the dan
gers of these sudden caprices Of the public taste is
Mlle Sarah Bernhardt She knows that her indis-
putabe value does protect her against them, for
the taste for particular artist changes into
lasstude, and to guard against the fancies OF the
public Mlle Bernhardt has become more fantastical
than her auelces She exhibits herself daily under
O new form. She is not merely actress but
sculptress, painter. writer. poet and an aero
naut. The consequence is that we hear Of nothing
her multifarious talents. OF all the actresses OF
Paris she is the whose noisy as well as brilliant
reputation seems to be the most sodly established.
geration in the worship of which she is the object
Seductive she is great her talent, the artist
is certainly equal to her reputation TALL thin
and straight and exhibiting none of the plumpness
of the woman, fair in complexion. with mouth full
of promise. sensual lips. hooked nose and eyes with
wonderful expressveness, Sarah Bernhardt is
charmer in the fullest sense of the word She sheds
around her on atmosphere Of Incompatible attrac-
ton. She not merely knows how to draw people
within the circle Of her destinations, but to hold
them there Born Of q Dutch mother and Of Jewish
origin she combines with the semimasculine energy
of the children of the North the Bohemian instincts
and the vagabond humor OF the Semitic race. Her
voice is one of the gentlest and most caressing that
it is possible to hear. critic said of her. "She
cites verses just the nightingale sings. She is her.
self the muse of poetry"
"CE NEST MALIS."
Educated in convent ut Versailles, she entertained
for brief period the idea of becoming nun. But
after little reflection she arrived ut the conclusion
that she not calculated for contemplative life
''Then she said to herself, II will be actress.
And she began by giving to her name of Bernard.
rather common one an original character by adding to
1t sn ''h" and "t" From Bernard she consequently
became Bernhard after which she entered the Con-
servatore She could obtain first prize there.
The year Of her first examination first prize
given to Mile. Lloyd, rather obscure pen
aomnaire OF the Comedio Francaise of which
Sarah Bernhardt is one Of the pillars.
''Ce NEST pas mdisn." exclaimed Sarah. when the
jury had announced their decision; "she managed
to make herself agreeable all the members Of
jury"
Isl &c NEST pas mdn." rctorted Mile. Lloyd. "why
did you not do the samcg''
Nevertheless the jury Of the conservstoire has
derod verdict which the public of the time
st,,,k
at the Theatre Francois the evening Mile.
Lloyd. She had there. while her rival
loudly applaudcd. Mile. Bcrnhardt remained but q
short time in the Rue Rchelieu and accepted
gagement at the Gymnasse But she had scarcely
entered there before she distinguished he rsef by her
manner of quitting it. One evening just the piece
was about to commence the director received do
spatch couched in the following brief tcrms:-
SARAH BERNHARDT.
Happily at this period tho fug1hvo belonged to n
class that 1t easy to replace. Tho director did
not even think of claiming from her the penalty Of
TO- 900 francs stipulated in her engagement.
SUCCESSES.
She returned from Spain, accepted engagement
at the Porto st. Martin. where she played and sang
In fairy pieces of which nobody now preserves
any recollection. Then. without any other transit
ton. she went and proposed herself tragedicnno
the Odeon. That theatre was at the time controlled
by two assoc late directors, NM Duqucsne 4 Dc
Chilly. The first, finding her interesting and
common, engaged her without consulting his
partner. VI. de Chilly her for the first time on
the evening of her debut ut the second Theatre
Francasc.
"whatl he exclaimed, IL that the tragedicnne that
they seek to impose me? Why, she is no woman;
she is merely bag of bones"
This director had horror OF thin women; epbon-
poin was with him Of the highest of qualities
| aud IL frequently happened to him during his long
to judge of the talent of actresses by their
| physical weight.
| His partner. NJ. Duqucsncl, defended her.
''She is thin, doubt" he said, ''but never mind
| that; she has the stuff in her, all the same"
The young tragedicnne remained ut the Odeon. IL
there that she formed herself 10 was there that
she had her first success Her thinncss. even. which
| hal proved so displeasing to NJ. de Chilly, helped
her wonderfully In the "Passant." where she played
travested part 80 well to be really taken for
boy She has, therefore, done thing to put
| flesh on her bones-quite the contrary. And since