New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-08
of the world. and they are neither more nor less

or the world. ana they are neither more NOT less
stupid than other people.
Even for the critics she has no great respect and
of them fear THE 'visite de Noce'" she
writes to Fanfan, lis sharply criticised, but you
know In France everything at first has to be
crticsed' and then:
The papers will give you but a weak notion OF
our success. know none of them: they all nave
their favorites whom they protect IL ~ a mir
acle that they don't pull me to pieces But every
evening at the theatre there are salvos OF applause
and more salvos and recalls till everything Is
ready 70 break. The whole house. too: which is
not common in Paris. Yes. read that had once
more astOnshed Sarcey. Cette petite folle etohhe
de tout NJ. Janin does not mention my name
admit have not called on him for year was
wrong. but his way OF inducing me to so Is not a
good one.
And again
As to tho Femme de Claude" everything has
gone we'll for me-; less well for him Dumas. The
press is all Of one mind. Saint Victor discusses,
but he admits the success. Sarcey also adihi's'
which IL all that anybody asks Of him.
Such is the tone in which the actress writes or
the all powerful critics; three Of them, each in his
own time supreme. Janin. Saint Victor. Sarcey
And Sarcey Is still supreme. IN spite OF or because
Of his innumerablc brutalltles. These his readers
scem 10 accept as 40 many proofs Of honesty.
They are proofs Of something else than that.
Such passages as have quoted give you no
hint of the nature Of those letters. tho publica-
ton Of which called an outrage. Nor shall
quote any. II Dcsclcc. in passion OF repent
ancc. or from the mere nervousness Of reaction
against the reckless lie she too often led. chose
70 pour out her remorse to Dumas or 70 Fanfan.
Is that a reason for printing the poor womans
self-reveations? Il there in France no such
thing the sanctity of friendship. no loyalty. no
private correspondence which may not become
public after DEATH But there are also letters or
n very different kind; letters which show Descee
to YOU as the rare and beautiful thing she really
when at her best. She describes. says
Dumas. the movement on the surface of her
artist-life the solitude. the melancholy. the bit
terness which underlay II all, the inner and Bit
ter struggles of II, in a manner which the best
writer's would disown. for 1t IS the soul which
speaks. The true image IS there; or. ! am afraid
we must say. the true images are there the
image OF the artist and of so much OF the woman
as won the admring homage OF the most cult
waited public in the world; and the image OF
her who seems so remote from the other: and OF
that part of her life for which the only Kindness
is forgetfulness and silence. She passes judg
ment on herself in terms severe enough to en-
title her. if not to forgiveness. to sympathetic re-
gret Her longing to escape from herself Is too
genuine TO questions.I cite one more cry of that
again an appeal TO the seclusion Of a religious
hermitage:
The summary Of all 7 have written You IS
tina. | shall end beyond doubt under a starched
cap. | never think OF killing myself. most
willingly consent to die. In a convent shall I'VE
IN a state Of ecstasy. ! shall adore my Chr'E'
perhaps He will return II. There. and there
only shall at last be content with my lot; II Is
perhaps a vocation against which | Struggle.
summons which shall yet obey
of her "A
another life: 'It existed before did. That Is
her effort toward 2 new birth and 10 that virgin
ity Of soul OF which a true woman's soul seems
never quite to despair. The pathos OF 1t Is in
expressible. You may trace II In the portrait
nrefjxei 10 this volume; a face Of the strong st
fasc!nation-noi. perhaps. pretty. as somebody
saws but with n haunting charm which makes
merely pretty women and beautiful women look
common and dull She was such an actress as
yvo shau never see again. Greater there may be.
But not TO have seen Aimee Dcsclee is TO have
missed seeing the most original OF all the
actresses Of the time: who lived her true NE on
the stage because 10 II she brought every tx
perlence through which she had passed, every
impulse every Joy every sorrow' al me variety
NJ her unfathomable nature. all the mystery or
n tempcrament which had In II not one element
81 the commonplace. She erred. fhe sinn'' f"e
pald dire penalties for her sins. She loved ana
threw away her love and drove her lovers -
dosnair She suffered sometimes she seems !"
have lived In agony worse than Ia" lhyaicM
agony which ended her days. And all this Hhc
nil, M the service Of her art. Let NJ. Dumas say
what he will. such an artist Is immortal. ana her
ta,,o ,,,,orisbable @. w. s.