New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-17
THE DRAMA.
MODJESKA.


18th of the professional career of Mnie.
sn ,rr,tten by j. T. Altemus. and published
No'gs Ogilyie g. Co.. OF this city, may prove
p - 80, and value to the collectors OF theat
Oh soors II fills volume OF 2l7 pages, nearly
f" s.,s Of it being devoted to exracts from
one 'Ae reviews OF Modjeska's acting. the
h',..s. Who ere thus quoted are Henry LaDouchere'
VIZ Augustus sala, Clement Scott, william WINTER
eeciss rn,gbt. George Edgar MontgOmmery, and John
soxp The style OF Mr. Altemus, as shown in his
.sS q loose and rambling nor has THIS writer at
% make any analysis Of the intellectual charac-
te"p .hs professional achievements OF his subject lie
,s himself with making disjolnted record Oh inc
co. facts of her life and tnis, no DOUBT mas Deen
s :, ,,,ormation derived from the lady herseu OF
ooDs ss, husband. Mr.. Altemus begins his narrative
nom ,ud,c,ou, statement that Modjeska is greater
Wv. han either Rachel, Ristor or Adelaide Nelson
~. ,hs he supplements with two or three pages OF
Aps oo,clndlng with q dire threat TO write other
,,s. and history OF the stage-whch he thinks
enaosd greatly" Some knowledge OF the subject Is
1.,,ss,lv "needed" by Mr.. Altemus; but very little
ss,m as writer is more than enough
s,a.ra we are told was born at Cracow. in Poland,
,ox Her maiden name was Helen Benda. AT the
-. a. seventeen she was married to person named
ss.e,ewska. with whom she lived TILL his death. In
sSes Ths sweet name the lady shortened for stage
~ ,,.o Modieska Her first appearance on the stage
.ada An 1862 at town called BOchnia. and she
$500 an actress ever since. In 1868 she became the
-, AZ Count Charles Bozenta Chlapowsh patriot ana
a.maue critic VINO had been concerned IN the Polish
srecion of $685. and subsequently had written forthe
wsnapers of Posen. Her marriage made her "mem-
sst,s Polish aristocracy" and ga leader of Polish
.oetyn and entering upon the warsaw stage sne maze
Alan hit as Adrienfe LeeOuoret. but soon returned
=. c,aoow where the Count Chlapowsh was managing
,os,,cal Journal, and where she "plunged headlong
s,.,he Ubir and excitement OF political hfe Later
ns vent back TO the Warsaw Theatre; while the Count
rn,anowsk finding that there were number or men
~ she as himself TO carry out the plans OF his party
soneudcd to resign his editorial position and deVoe
hi time to the advancement of his wlfes career as an
s.,rssn At Warsaw Modjeska acted many parts, and
.. Mr. Altemus substantially AYERS, aroused 80 lnuch
.aousy and envy both in social circles and on the
zoe that at length the Polish capital became almost
upnhabitable.
This fact together with domestic Affections, led the
runt and Countess Chlapow to emgrse and IN 1876
,bsy arrived in California where for short time they
,ved on farm" and where MOdjeska learned English
1877 the appeared at the California Theatre
asau Francisco December D. the same year. she
came out at the Fifth Avenue Theatre NewYork. Hell
career since then has been in the beaten track OF
ruupe and prosperity She revisited Poland in 1879
ana acted in several cities, and May, 1880. she APP
,<sred at the Court Theatre iu Londonand aerw ard
the Prncesss-with much success In the autumn OF
1882 she reappeared in America and at present she
engaged in a tour OF provincial cities.
These are the chief facts in the history OF
Nodieska's public life The deeper facts-ihe
facts OF the history Of her mind, US re-
vealed In her performances-we have before tired
record I'm reviews of her acting Modjeska has lately
aided 10 her repertOy the character OF I0g ana sne
pos appears in Adrienne, Camille Ff0ltfrou, Odet G.
rary StaTt VtOla ROsuii,d IDiO0eh, and JHfteL We
An sppIised by Mr. Aemus that ner present tour OF
America of "Farewel-ln hlcn case enc may D.
sxnrcted with long Jne Mt Altelnus
Ia laden his narrative with may Trivial details; Dut
perhaps his sin Is committed wheh ne represents
fonrfslow as having spoken OF "her rendition OF the
lpss' The poet knew his language de never would
have applied the word "rendlon TO piece Oh acunS