The New York herald., 1879-07-07
THE IDOL OF LONDON.
Mile. Bernhardt's Indisposition and
Her Caprices.
POETICAL TRIBUTES.
Her Soirees Dramatiques and
Her Speeches.

Her Speeches.
LONDON. June %, 1879.
It was hardly to be expected that the high spirited
lady who has made London captive would sit still
under the attacks which have been made upon her in
consequence of her failure to appear in
Ell LEtrangere at last Saturdays matinee. That un-
fortunate at the Galety furnished ample OPP
portunity for q reactionary grumble ut the famous
actress and the famous company. "Where is the
boasted organization of the Comedie FrancaiseY ex
claimed the grumbers. when. at the last moment. in
O house crammed from pit to dome they are thrown
on their beamends by q caprice OF the lead
ing lady. Where is the ''under study" OF
which we have heard much and which is
supposed to be perfectly carried out that any
r6ie in the whole repertoire of the company can be
taken by u substitute at q moments notice? One of
the disappointed, signing himself "Belgravia,
wrote to the Standard. expressing himself strongly
npon the collapse Of the performance and referring
in scornful terms to the attack Of "nerves" which
had suddenly seized the fair Sarah. This was too
much for Dona Soils equanimity. and in to-day's
Standard she gives battle in letter. of which the
following is u translation -
sARAH's ANSWER
10 THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD:-
SIR Am u little astonished that you have given
publicity the letter OF ''Begravia without first
having informed yourself OF the truth or the case.
That letter has much panied me- affirm you. SIR.
that warned Mr.. Meyer at eleven O'Clock on Satur-
day I'm to eleven O'Clock hoped to be able to act.
But the vomiting of b,ood REQUIRED with much sever
ity ut eleven clock and was compelled to renqush
my desire. regret that Mr. Meyer did not senu and
nave my sickness verified. This is not the in
France. But it is also not customary to throw any
doubts on my sickly state of health. 1t has
CURED to people to complain OF it, but not to blame
me .or it. The English public. which has much
good will for me, ought not to believe that have
been wanting in the respect and tho acknowlede-
ment that owe it, As for my nerves.. as 'Bel-
gravla" expresses himself, never telt them
much when read his letter. beg that you will
have the exteme courtesy to give hospitality to my
letter. and receive the assurance Of my best sentl
ments. SARAH BERNHARDT.
The Mr.. Meyer. unfortunate man-to whom the
letter reers-is the agent OF the company here and
that portion of the British public which is inter-
ested in the matter will. am sure transfer its
wrath from the fragile adorable potrinaire his
shoulders with the utmost readiness and alacrity.
You may well believe that Sarah has fired the
heart and caused to roll in fine frenzy the eye Of the
topical poet Here is tho cffusion Of an exuberant
enthusiast in Punch
TO SARAH.
The Picturesque, informed BY Soul Of Passion!
Say ds hSS feed as,. On ns ases and
Champagne and nectar, shandy gaff suolime.
pas ssppho wh ree Of '%sea ns timer De
Seductive Sarahl
Compound Of Psyche. phryne, Britomarse.
And zephyr slender Syrian Astarte!
With voice the soul of music u. like e that harp
soui-swayng Sarahll
"Poeuse!' Pooh! pooh! Yet well pose
.urd ns s sss sn tho
Deiiclous Gives the touch of tenebrosity
That lifts thee to the Lamia level Oh!
propoS Of ietee and picture show,
Clinging enehantress, supple siren, sweep
In lithely languorous attitudes forever,
ms la hes my pases
About .hee plays the brightness Of Queen NAB.
place snobs who chair 1 could stab.
suggestive Sarah!!!l
Oh idol OF the hour and of my hearti
wh hse % sss1y a a and half ssprs0us'
An heed them not Play scrbOe, sculp. sing, paint,
Sapphire ser.phe aa,ntsssSnttii@ y, rs quaint
This, however, does not exhaust Flnch's ideas on
the subject for on the next is another outburst
called IA Query OF the Day.
Che sara Sara!
Aeis per-rara.
seuptress and paintress.
iossase aud faintress.
I1aying and praying.
For praise for profit,
On Stage or of il
Di actresses ,,s",sa.e actress;
lanard- -provoSing
Paragraph feeding,
che sara sara
Auts pcrrara.
And SO on. The idol of the hour could fill q large
album with the prose and poetry which has been
poured forth by enthusiastic London.
sARAH's soiREEs DRAMATIQuEs
The iact that never ill the whole OF her career
has leading lady OF the Comedie FRANCHISE worked
30 hard (and been so well rewarded) as during her
stay in London. "Gogner fay9ent' is u sacred say
ing in France. and 1t IS forgotten in expatris-
tion. What with her duties at the theatre aud her
$500 soireys drdndfques such inccment weather
London.
stands to reason that her powers should tail now
and then. The evening before the memorable Edsco
the tiaety believe she had sorte drdmatique
hand and could not therefore feel able to present
Mistress Clarkson in "L Etrangere' at two O'Clock
next day and Dofia Sol in 'hernaui' the same
ing. The sources drdmdfiques Bernhardt have
been quite feature of this season. She has given
Mrs. Schuster's. Lord Wilton's. Mrs. Hogan KEN
nards, Mrs. lallis and many other houses OF the
wealthy and fashionable. The WhitehdH RerieU has
the following paragraph on of the so,rtes-that
at the house OF the of the voyage Of the
Sunbeam" -
SARAH AT MRS BRAssEYs
THE more Doha Sol Is seen the more she is liked.
and the incense kindled by royalty at Mrs. Borth-
wicks was almost overpowering at Mrs. Brassey's
How many cards sent out know not: but the
rooms at No - Park lane were full that the peris
WHO came late we're not only shut out of Paradise but
fortunate II they got place within a few yards
OF the tcp Of the stairs BY some skul device
known only to the travelled hostess and kept pro-
found secret by her-Mrs. Brassey's salons
arranged that, after they are apparently over iu
between forty and itty persons able to hnd
system of displacement OF males, who. hav-
ing taken time by the forelock. and planted
themselves, they fondly imagine. a
favorable position, are relegated to
their proper position in the extreme rear. 1t matters
not who you are squres OF DANES are no respccters
of persons, not even OF ex First Lords OF the Adm
rally. and you must accept the inevitable. With
much difficulty lane such rs is formed for royalty
Is made and Mile. Sarah floats by you the host :
She IL in biliowy robe, which passes the
feeble pens of men TO describe. She has "a sort of
shoulder knot OF flowers, gigantic red glean.
ing boldly among them, and the rear guard Is com.
posed of solitary female attendant I'm route Sarah
bcstows many greetings. and then an envious Japan
screen hides her. 1t s ~ Valerie that she charms
and fascinates US tonight. and by common consent
she is at her best. The evening does not
pass without its incident. At M. Boucher's
earnest request a window has been lifted out but
the night in death to Sarah Bernhardt. and the
uplucky Boucher. in loud aside. is peremptorily