The New York herald., 1879-03-17


publish this book. The history of the Theatre is
strung together narrative embracing the career
of Sophie Guerin. "the flower girl of the Tueries,
who from that humble position to be leading
actress OF the Comede FRANCHISE. Her story Is
certainly romantic one. Knocked down IN the
street by the horses of the state carriage of the Mar
quis de yillemars assisted by the dashing and good
young noble, the Count d'Andore. educated for the
stage by Mile. Clarion. her first appearance
made before the King. her second meeting with
dAndore. her hopeless love and sad death are like
page of fiction. Whatever of history Mr.. Cochrane
has written he has woven deftly with this story
that it has seemed like part and parcel of the plot
One gets very exalted idea of the Theatre Francais
from this book.
The writer gives an account Of the prosecutions of
actors and the horror with which they were looked
upon by the Church. and tells Of one liberal minded
cure with spirit such presides over 1.-THE Little
Church Around the Corner who gave an actor de-
cent burial at the risk Of communication Yet for
all they treated badly we find that they were
hard working. God fearing people. who believed in
religion and bitterly amentcd the fate which
cruel to them. when highly gifted Christian men,.
says the author. "who by the grandeur of their
thoughts and the majesty of their expression elevated
the mind above the commonplace details of life; who
could raise the soul by conscious strokes of arts who
such were denied the right of Christian burial and
the Church Illuminated its edicts against the stage.
while it failed to denounce the excesses of the
Regency the extravagances of the Court OF Louis
XIV, the Church of France lost its spirit Of
Catholcity" The state of affairs in France at this
time was peculiar. Although Louis XIV had
given the drama his personal encouragement
by marrying the widow of farce writer.
actors not allowed to certain line either
in his reign or that of Louis XIV. They petted
and feted and even served by the royal hands. but
they not considered fit to marry with nobility
to receive the countenance Of the Church Still
the drama fourished under Louis XIV. In opposition
to the Church the theatre in Franco was supported
by all that was eminent or iuustrious in the
country, and to its influence greatly owing the
position which Paris had long taken the centre
Of refinement and TASTE When Louis XIV. sub
sidized the Theatre Franais its assured
The members Of the Comedie FRANCHISE during
tho reign of Louis Xv. remarkable. not only
for their histrionic talent but for their religion and
charity. To be admitted to this body was from the
first considered great distinction; it could only be
by the almost unanimous approval OF the whole
company that any actor or actress might enter as
pesonnaire. They had to remain in this grade
year before becoming eligible to join the company
socttaiyes. and every sociftaire compelled
to be reelected at the expiration of ten
years. It required no less than twenty years SER
vice to obtain pension Of four thousand
francs but these pensions were guaranteed by the
State, the charge being divided equally between the
government and the soeietaye who succeeded to the
place Of the retiring member, that every actor
actress of ability and of good conduct secured
from future want. Also, the death Of any member
the whole company subscribed to give small dona-
kiou to Of L in In he hiato Of
tho Theatre Francas at this date Mr. Cochrane very
truly says it is not only the State support and tho
influence of the Crown that have to be considered.
No amount Of subsidy or courtly patronage could
have sustained such company unless by its own
merit it had won the public approval. The incom-
parable dramatic literature of the seventeenth
try is clear indication that the general public sp-
preciated the conceptions Of the great dramatists
Corneille, Rxsine Moliare, the creation of the
spirit of the the former representing it's chiva
sentiment. the latter holding up to ridicue the
prevalent follies. of the time.
Mr.. Cochrane's object was to benefit the present
company of the Theatre Francais hecould not have
accomplished that end more gracefully more
tany than he has done by this history Of their past
SOUVENIRS OF NINE. vIdEE LIE BRUN.
Messrs. Richard Bentley & Son have done the nom
frencn rcadlnB puDlic an lmmeaSur3ole xavOr IN
publishing an English edition Of the letters Of Mme
vigee Le Brun. Two more fascinating volumes 1t
would be hard to imagine. Nine. LIE Brun gives her
souvenirs" in the form of letters to the Princess
Kourakin. which gives them less formal character
than the ordinary form of autobiography. Her liter
ary style good and she displays that kecnness of
observation and piquancy OF expression for which
clever Frenchwomen are conspicuous above tho
clever women of any other nation. Nine. vigee LIE
Brun was born in Parts in 1865. and died in that
city on the 18th of May. 1912. She tho most
popular portrait painter Of her day. and her popu-
larity not only thing of fashion, but her work
sufficiently mertorious to deserve all her fame.
Although her husband o spendthrift and she
was woman who regarded money rs thing Of
little Importance she accumulated comfortable for
tune her old age. and after residing in number
of the capitals of Europe she passed the last days
of her eventful life between her winter house at
Paris and her summer house at Louveciennes. Nine.
LIE Brun painted total Of geo portraits. fifteen pic
lures and nearly two hundred landscapes in Swtzer
land and England. No public establishment in
France possessed any Of her works until after her
death. when her niece. Nine. Tripier 10 Franc pre-
sented the Louvre Museum two Of the pictures she
inherited from her aunt These two portrait
OF Mime. Le Brun, with her daughter in her arms,
which had become widely known through engrav-
ings and heiotypes. and portrait of young girl
with mun. Besides being an artist Of talents,
Nine. lie Drun was singuiarly beautiful and charm
ing woman. and her friends were among tho most
men and women Of her time In France.
Italy. Germany, Russia and England. She seems to
have been thoroughly aware of her beauty and atrac
tons. and frequently aludes to them, though
she thought much about such things. only there
thoy were. and she knew it we'll the rest of the
world. Her father. who was an artist Of some ds-
tinction. died when she quite child. and her
mother, who was left pennilcss. married rich but
miserly joweller as a means of support Tho daugh-
ter married ut twenty.
Mme- Lo Brun painted number of picturcs Of tho
royal family. Louis XVI then King and Marie
was among the most frequent si.ters.
While painting the Queon day sho implorcd her
not to powder her hair and to part 1t in the
middle. ~ shall be tho Last to follow TINT fashion"