New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-15
THE GREAT FRENCH ACTRESS
MILE. BERNHARDr AND HER CRITICS

To HAVE CHARGE OF HER AMERICAN ENGAGE
MENTs-sHE DIMES WITH TIE PRINCE OF
WALES.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE
LONDON. July 3.-That Mile. Sarah BeTnhardt has
offered her resignation rs Socletaire of the Come
Ole francase is certain. That it will be accepted is
not certain, and until accepted il is not resigna
ton in the ordinary sense of the word Soci6tare
Is bound by signed contract and it is not by the
act OF will of one party to ii that contract can be
broken Madame Arnould Plessy tried it once. They
hned her $4,000 for doing ii, and in the end she
went back to the theatre and played out her fne
which she never paid otherwise. A compromise was
come to In her case, and the same thing is likely to
happen in Mile. Benhardfs. Negotiations are
going on, and, however positive may be the state
ments published on one side and the other they are
not yet terminated.
But why did Mile. Bernhardt wish to resign7 The
reasons she assigns are perhaps not the only
reasons-though they are good reasons as far rs
they 90. She was indignant at the cabal organized
against her in Paris during her absence. The jour
nal which has always attacked her, the Figaro,
printed an elaborate lampoon on her from the pen
of n. Albert Wolff one of those scribes who thrive
on poisoned gossip. VI. Wolf said that she had ex-
hiblted herself to the London public in Jacket and
trousers at shilling head; that she had separated
herself from her comrades and was exploiting her
own popularity at their expense; that she had
brought disgrace on the Coincide FRANCHISE by her
Irregularities; and 1 know not what else. She
thought it worth while TO reply by telegraph fatty
cOntradicting VI. VOLTS calumnies. The journal Ia
which no aired them is too powerful in
the theatrical world and on the Bouevards
to permit even great actress to treat the
aspcrsions with the contempt they deserve.
Some of the English papers had reprinted them,
though the falsity of them must have been well
known here. Mile. Bcrnhardt has exhibited her
pictures, but not herself. She was present at the
private view of her paintings and sculptures, to
which she had invited a numerous company of dis
tinguished people, but she has never been to the
gallery since. The trousers story is made ont of
whole cloth-mOre than enough for a complete suit.
The irregularities in the public performances
reduce themselves to the one failure IN ~
Etranpere.7 of which you have already heard.
And so on As for the private representations, she
vindcates her right to give them on the
ground that. under existing regulations, size
is the worst paid soclG'alre in the company,
though both here and in Paris she is beyond dispute
the most popular, and the one who brings most
money into the general treasury NJ. Wolf appears
to base one count of his indictment the fact that
she accepts some of the social attention and hon.
age offered her. To that charge she does not reply.
She might reply truthfully that she neither accepts
ali her invitations. nor keeps all the engagements
she does accept. You meet people going about with
Tuefu faces who tell you how Nile. Sarah Bern
hardt promised to come on such an evening, and did
not come. But she is by no means the only spoiled
child of London fashion who takes those liberties.
Perhaps it is true that hcr fellow-societares, or
some of them, have resented the lions share of pop
ularty which has fallen to Mile. Bernhardt, and
that they have made the theatre uncomfortable for
her. Their friends IN Paris, with the help of NJ
Wolff might have succeeded in giving her cold re-
ception Oh her return. But take il the main ex-
PLANTATION of her wish to retire from the Comedie
Franchise must he sought elsewhere This visit to
London has revealed TO her the financial brllliancy
of the future which Is open to her In position Of
independence. So long she remains societalre the
Theatre Francais has the first claim on her services.
She cannot play out of that theatre except by per-
mission. They say she cOntemplates tour through
Europe, that she wishes to play in all the great
capitals. And you know already that she has
formed definite purpose of going to the United
States. The rumor of this latter journey in the
mir before her plan was known. When she con-
shifted Nile Madeleine Brohan about her resigna-
ton. alleging one grief after another such as have
cited above, Mlle Brohan, who had heard nothing
of the American scheme, turned suddenly on her
with one of those inspirations which women only
ore canable of and said: " You are thinking of a
voyage to the States voiid rotro Urdie rdiSoH."
believe Nile Bernhardt admitted the impeachment.
But the other reasons contributed something to
her resolution
Az 70 this American visit, no details are yet set
fled. Nothing is settled beyond the determination
70 90. DAZZLING proposals have been made to her,
but the figures published the offspring of active
imapiuations 1t is probable that Mr.. Jarrett, who
has acted "a her agent here in the matter of private
concentrations will be the agent of her American
tour II NAV be that she will make a contract With
him for the whole business, and that he will charge
himself with the burden of engaging the company
IN act with her, of dealing with theatre managers
and all the rest of it. But before any decision can
he taken with respect to the time and circumstances
Of the tour in the United States, some conclusion
must be reached to Mile. Bernhardts relations
with the Com6die FraneaIse. She may be induced
IN withdraw her resignation and TO reappear III
Paris ON the return Of the company aud the reopen
ING of the theatTe-an occasion sure To ne orlnaht
ana manageable But | apprehend that the real
estion at issue is whether, IN case she consents 70
r.sr,no her Mace in the company leave of absence
will be granted her for her intended starring trips
II 10 TOO much to ask of an artist who has won
.bo worldwide fame which now belongs to Nile.
Ro,,bordt that she should sacrifice the great for
,o within her reach. Her critics say she is fond
of money. Very likely she Is; so are most people
who have their fortune to make by their talents OF
genius and who know that their physical powers
viii not last forever. Mile. Bernbardts health ls
delicate. She longs for secure independence She
"a. tI, s,,ne time fond of her profession and ma
naticnt of It's trammcls and exactions. She looks
forward TO the time when she shall be free ' leave
If sbould strength or talents fail her As socetaIIe,
her income may be about $4,000 year; while
some Of her associates whose names you never
heard, and who even in Paris occupy second OF
tbird-rate place in public favor, are earning. by
.----.--zi..- nd If the mcmillan rules of tho