New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-19
CORNEILLE'S BT-CENTENARY.
MEMORIAL SERVICES IN CHURCH AND
THEATRE.

Tho Corncillc bcontcnary has been the cher the
atrcal event # the week IL was celebrated both
in tho Church OF So Roch and In tho House of
Moere. To from no posthnnous darndf honorable
has ever been made by the clergy. This votary 81
Thalia was refused Christian sepulture and buried
stealthlly 10 night. Nevertheless the shole
Comeds Francaise went to the funeral mass at st.
Roch for the rcpo-e of Comedies soul. the glory of
his memory aud the enrichment Of the Abbs
Millault cure of the parish IN which the greatest
author of French tragedies died in poverty and for
gotten by th. world. The Able Mhault is of jew
sh origin AMI has stage managers genius. don't
say he was wrong TO celebrate the bi-centenary OF
Cornelllc But wish he had done IN a less the
atrlcal and u more grave and earnest spirit. There
y cataialque on which an empty coffin was
reared placed in the middle Of the nave which was
hung with black drapcres decorated with es-
cntcheons and .tears" Of silver The " tear" in
this funeral misc scene is the shape Of ai oblong
pearl and supposed to represent that which might
fall from a weeping eye. Round the mock coihn
were placed authentic descendants Of the author vi
"Cinna."" lie Cid.' and Polyrncte.'
Tie gentlemen of the Francois were headed by the
harsh looking VI Perrin. and Got. then senior mem
bcr Being dressed in evening suits the common
people who assembled on the steps took them for
undcrtakers. They thought proper TO appear To
greve for the death Of Curneic-an event that
happened two hundred years ago. An actor IN the
daylight never looks to advantage. nor does an
actress when she has not a fresh complexion. On
the steps of st. Roch strong. crule Sunlight poured
down upon those who assembled to enter by the
grand portal Inside there was an artltcnl lilum-
nation.
Mile Marsy IN mourning 1T the most costly
and coquettlsh description. II was Of chantl!y
lace over thick black silk The bonnet alone was
81 s.tt1 f.al s
granddaughter of Nile. Mars, actress who was
very celebrated early the century, and has for her
good genius Il might a more l-sounding word
ono of the richest tuancicrs in Paris The evening
ON which she made her debut f,idH,ene. about y
year ago size was covered with briauis Her chic
is OF rather staring kird. But ~ Is stylish aud
throws into relief her beauty Mile. Rechenb berg,
who Is stngy AMI patronizcs those great enporlnms
where ready made costumes are found, had mean
air beside the lovely young Marsy. Yet she had
been Il was evident. at some pllns tn come IN an
elective torttc. Mile. Thcnirl was IN the church
~ much the duenna ~ she was ever on the stage.
Il was interesting Ia watch the by-play of the
comedians and their little efforts 10 iiN the attention
of the public | iaresay they fancicd the eyes OF
the world were upon them. Got. who Is man OF
sense WAS tie only one of the lot who seemed rot
10 b. -elf-conscious. C0queln was unable To hide
sense of his importance. aud feeling OF delight
at the new position that he filled. He an' ms
lelow-actors and actresses sat parallrl WIN vi"
drputatinn sent by the Academy. II was enough To
make them drunk with JOY 10 find themselves on a
line with NM Caro- Bosser and Camille ucct who
represented that body.
The mass was musical ard funeral IL went OF
without a hitch Each time b"l ging bags were sent
round they were filled with silver CONS. On the
whole the ceremony ut IT. Roch was greater sue
"a, ,,u vit1 ltp A tranrats
IN the evening. But one essential element was
wanting in the former IL was not solemn.
Wh,spcrtny convcrsation was kept up all the thlc
Che mass WA being celebrated. Heads were thrust
forward aud LADIES' stood ou Their pted'" cha IN TO
SOC the actors aud actresses. A. NciN lew c"nid
hcnr the rulog,un at tOrncillr. the Whispering
about Nar,rts lov"lines-. 'uqn"hns dro'l"ry.
kclrhrmh-tgs ptingura' and =" l"rth' went "n
white the Ahbr Mllault was rpcak,ur. II" began IA
AN apoosctiu tome ~ II o. excuse the Church Tor
honorlng Corurll'S memory. lie declared that th"
,nbliuc author of the. I'll" had been taught 10
rrad by "A pinn, mother IA the " Imitation oi Jesus
Christ winch after lac became famous hc Translated
into French la all hls lite the great poet h"i
never drilcctc from his ideal ut Christian mntality
Its works were the mirror of his heart and cou-
science and his faith gave dignity 10 hlS poverty
The Church on whose bosom he decd favored HIM
with her prayers aud held HIM ny Is an example.
Tie Able Mllldllt cNhOitrf lhis' tNctil'ii
and artists present to prepare to die IN an cdifyne
manner All the ladies of the FrarcalS, who would
be very glad to reconcile their free style oi living
with respcctallity listened. affected Ia listen,
with rant attention to the hOml'y, which was not
delivered from the ordinary pulpit, put from ono
cree ted for the occasion within IN" clla'rel. vile.
Bartet will probably 20 On receiving diamonds lnx-
urnt. r.uipu,rS and other splendid presents from
good g,nI,cs. and VI. Perrin Will not cease from eA,
h0rtug pretty actresses whom he engages on triai
a.. q - m IA IN
tlc.S. yes by hook or by crook sumpth"h> t'e'tfl-
cal Costumes. Jnlia Feyg ne. ! r'Ineml"r, was
paid SD a month bv him, and bad To ind the
gorgeous aud 60 tly toilets III which she mad" her
irbut M the Fgancais. ..
The representation in the theatre consisted IN "A
tribute TO Comedies memory aud ne h'uWur.
comedy and pOiycuctc. I tragedy. ~ that grand
author" These dramas were poorly plaNrn. ihe
company OF the Francois i too n"ch IN te n'oli ~
perfnu,iug modern plays to 10 justice Z" those Oh
TIE s,Vc nt.cuth century. IA ~hlch tDc plt@sr ~
often long and musical. and The style of which -
ore OF sustained amp tude. louhrt S"iiv maze
Foiaeuc:e, Roman converted 10 hr,stl",.y.
sti.ted fantastic and sensational. lie paid too
much attention to the plastic side OF his role oi,
tile other hand SgfrdlH was caini, simple ana
statur,uc. fOiy nee lays down his HE IA circus
which is nee shown on the stage, for the cause no
has cinhraccd. Mile. lnday was fdnii"'' VINO con-
vrrtrd him. She very "peratlc. al'l her hne
arms were well on view.
Ir the tribute to Cornec. all the actors and
actresses when the curtain rose were grouped round
u terr,-cntta bust of the poet Its noar was broken
The costumes for the greater part those IN
which the plays OF Moliere are performed Got was
in evening dress with the red rObOn Of the Legion
of Honor in his buitOnhOe. IN one land nc beid
cru h hat med with violet Sa IN and IN The other
roll of paper. On il was written the euogl nm or
Corneille by Racine. and read by Thomas CorneIile
M The Academy THIS the best feature of the
evening naS,,,Ich as Got IL an admirable reader
But the cniourogc was much more comic than tragic
and had "a Moliercsque air. Madame Samary, look
ing in the best health and spirits. was servant,
girl Rrlchcu org, ~ whic mnSlin, an wgebHe. anu
the elder Coqueiin Scdpia. PrOudhon was got up as
tie Misana,ope. and Madeleine lir"han III the rleli
brocalc dress IN which she plays a part IN Les
Precirn es Rldiculcs.' They all flied past the bust
and hid palms before IL. Got then read tho
enlOglun. at tlie end OI MhIch the CURTAIN yell.