The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-09-01
THE MAID OF SARAGOSSA.

\ Nelson is dead. What world Q
feeling is conveyed 10 these brie
words! What pa2g Of sorrow i
carried to thousands of hearts in the.
short sentence! 1t seems but yester
day that in the bloom Of youth, ra
diant in her beauty, grand in her &c
Mus, she stood before US, and to-day
dead.
/ How we'll can the writer recall tht
few short weeks agone when our up
era house was a scene Of granf
Shakespearian revival. Living EN-
bodiments of the grandest Of the
masters poetic creations stood be-
fore us, portrayed by Nelson, with q
realism and power never before
eqnalled or approached. Who is
there that has witnessed it can ever
forget her Juliet? Tender, loving,
trusting, impulsive Juliet with
those passionate love utterances on
the balcony, and the wild, frenzicd
horror. revealed by the artistic in the
chamber scene?
Willie Winter has written: "Miss
Nelson's Juliet is a young, ,beauti
full, passionate Italian girl, impetu-
Gus in all things, proud but gentle,
fiery but tender, capricious but true,
to whom mere existence is an arden,
joy, and to whom first love comes
like revelation from heaven"
What is true Of her Juliet, is
equally true of her other great con-
ceptions. AS Viola with that ex.
quisite phrasing, "she never told her
love-" Imogen in "Cymbeline," Ju-
liza in the "Hunchback," Rosalind 10
"As You Like It." Pauline in the
"Lady of Lyons" or as Amy Rob
sart, Miss Nelson was sublime.
Lillian Adelaide Nelson, the Maid
Of Saragossa, was born, IN that his
toric town, in Spain, in 1850. Her
father was Spaniard, but her mo-
ther, an English woman, taught her
from her earliest childhood to prize
the English tongue and English lit
erature. Even at the tender age Of
nine years, the lessons of the mother
had taken so deep a root, that she
knew no pleasure as great as reading
Shakespeare. 1t is said that she at
that age acquired by rote the whole
Of Romeo and Juliet. Thus began
her love for an art that subsequently,
rendered her world famous.
Continuing her studies throughout
childhood, her love for Shakespeare
heroines grew apace, with years, IN
til entering upon the blush of maid
enhood, she at length made her de
but upon the dramatic stage at Mar
gate, England. A biographer says
Of her early histrionic career: "From
the moment when MISS Nelson ap-
peared she became the Juliet. Crude
aud immature it was, but the infor-
ming touch Of genius was evident,
and there were those among the wit.
nesses Of the entertainment who
foresaw and predicted the coming
triumph"
After succession OF triumphs in
London and the provinces, Miss
Nelson accepted a brilliant offer
from Jarrett Palmer, and on No,
vember Is, 1872, in that transcend
ent impersonation4 of Juliet, ever
associated with her earliest and
highest triumphs, she made her
American debut in Booths Theatre,
New York. She was we'll received
and sprang at once into popular IA.
vor. The critics were unanimous
in her praises. She carried the me.
tropolis by storm, and in her sue
ceeding impel sonations of the poetic
Imogene, the trusting Rosalind, and
pathetic Isabella, she added brighter
garlands to her wreath of fame.
There is no occasion to recouLt il
detail her triumphs in this country
From Maine to California, from the
lakes to the gulf, the rare gifts anG
attachments Of Miss Nelson are
known.
! After 500 representations in Amer
ca, Miss Nelson returned to Albion
shores, where additional ovation.
and tributes to her talents, genius
and beauty awaited her. Juliet was
the theme of society small talk.
Her beauty was discussed at tn,
clubs, while her great genius filled
the columns Of the leading journals
of the worlds metropolis. A critic
on London Truth writes: "She il
Juliet. Therefmay be in private lif,
Miss Nelson, but can hardly be
lieve it possible. Juliet must b.
living somewhere amongst Us ant
palming herself of as Miss Nelson
Truth then rails at the English Gus
tom of reprinting all the critique'
upon performance, and closes afte
this fashion: '.Now, my Gear 3 uliet,
the press did not make you an &C
tress and it cannot unmake you
You are an actress by the right di
vine Of genius. Your title to cal
yourself onefests upon the verdic
Of the thousands and thousands VIII,
are ready to bear witness that yol
are their ideal Of the most ideal of
poets creations"
i Miss Nelson's farewell tour il
America began in October, 1879, a
the Park Theatre, New York, ant
closed last July in San Francisco
It was indeed q farewell tour--a sa,
one. A farewell for ever.
On tue 9Th Of March of this yea,
Mice Noi1eon nnnnnd az tha Gron,