New-York tribune., 1903-03-15

the leading editorial in to-day's journal des
Debats" which calls attention to the fact that
while the rulers OF European nations. even
Emperor William, conservative. acting as
brakes rather than as whips to the chariot OF
state, President Roosevelt. author OF THE
Strenuous Life" surprises the world by incit-
ing his people to activity and whipping the
team. by putting bellows to the fire. by shaking
out reefs and by putting on full steam The
s'Debats" concludes, president Roosevelt is
the only ruler who has yet shown courage to
employ the same language as that Of nature In
the springtirne. and to voice the same words as
at this season ot the year uttered by the
snowdrops. primroses Hlacs. cuckoos. spar
rows and AL the little green buds Of garden and
forest"
The news received in Paris concerning the
health Of the Pope indicates that the recent re-
ports Of his waning strength are exaggerated.
During the Papal audience this week the Pope
seemed amused at the eminent French eccle-
siastics who ventured to urge greater prudence
in the continuance Of the receptions. The Pope
replied, We'll perhaps you are right, especially
we have many festivals and celebrations
in prospect. Why, just think Of it. there is the
fftieth anniversary Of the proclamation of the
dogma Of the Immaculate Conception in Decem-
ber Of next year. Don't fear: am still quite
strong and am sure that shall be able to last
stated that the Pope in a most cheerful
mood and exerted as powerfully as ever his
singular fascination and charm.
The centenary of Hector Berlioz. celebrated
the beautiful terrace at Monte Carlo. where
a marble bust Of the composer Of THE Damna-
ton Of Faust" executed by the sculptor Berna-
tramm, surmounting q group of Mephistopne-
leses Marguerites and Fausts, was unveiled with
great eclat by the Prince Of Monaco. is regarded
sort of apotheosis Of the composer, who
alluded to by Jules Massenet in his speech
on the occasion a Prometheus. who was to
music what Delacroix was to painting, and
what Byron and Victor Hugo were to poetry.
a romantic excellence. The author Of 'Manon"
and 'Herodiade' continued his eloquent eulo-
gium of Berlioz by saying: "Our nineteenth CEN
tury Orpheus is now placed on the rock or
Monte Carlo. He was torn by the cruel pens
Of his critics the original Orpheus by the
claws Of the m@nades. but the rock Is covered by
roses and the devouring eagle has now flown
away never to reappear." Then Raoul Guns
burg. manager Of the Monte Carlo Opera, hand
ed large. pair Of scissors to Prince Albert, who
cut some silken cords and unveiled the bust of
Berlioz to the strains Of THE Marseillaise' and
of the national anthem Of Monaco. This brill
liant ceremonial has ELECTED sarcastic COM
mentS in musical circles in Paris, where the
feeling is voiced by Andre Hallays regarded
here of the foremost musical critics,
who declares, Poor Berloz. who was never ap-
preciated during his lifetime would turn in his
grave II he could witness the manner In which
his memory is celebrated. 1t was owing to the
liberality Of Benazet head of the gambling es-
tablshment at Baden-Baden that Berloz was
able to obtain public hearing for his compost
tions. 1t was for the Baden-Baden Theatre,
under the management Of Benazet that he COM
posed Beatrix and Benedict and now to-day.
by the irony Of fate, it is on the terrace OF the
gambling hell at Monte Carlo that the Berlioz
monument is raised on the misery Of genius
and the fortune Of roulette"
NJ. Andre Hallays states that 1.-The adapters
of Beroz have ruined the expressive beauty of
The Damnation Of Faust by Transforming II
into spectacular opera These adapters. Mas
senet and Gunsburg. have boldly falsfed his
conceptions Berlioz. who himself wrote hun
dreds Of articles denouncing as malefactors
those guilty Of adapting Gluck. Mozart. Weber
and Beethoven. IS now powerless to defend his
own masterpiece from similar PROCLAMATION. and
If Berlioz should come to life he would tell Mas
senet to be content with Transforming his own
oratorios into operas without applying the proc
to the oratorios Of other composers.
This is why the bust Of Berlioz retains an
expression Of anger. and why the lips are stiff
ened with indignation and Indifferent to those
seductons which delight the indulgent soul Of
Massenet. insensible to the JOY Of having dis
covered Bethlehem in Monte Carlo"
Massenet's Mary Magdalen." originally an
oratorio. but transformed into opera and
brought out at the Nice Opera House. is de-
scribed by the critics as a highly interesting
performance and likely to be reproduced next
season in Paris. The realistic appearance on the
stage Of Christ before the footlights. singing in
a tenor voice with strident tremolos. neverthe-
less arouses unfavorable comment. The opera
is described as confessional without religion.
The cakewalk craze seems to have reached
its climax in Paris with the appearance to-day
of highly grotesque colored illustrated edition
Of LIE Rire," headed lie Cakewalk Oficiel," In
which a caricature Of a grand ball at the
Elysees Palace is depicted. in which President
Loubet holding American flag in his hand,
is represented dancing a cakewak in which
take part all the members of the Cabinet, state
functionaries, soldiers police and prominent
Frenchmen Of every walk Of life
The startling proportions Of the cakewalk
craze in Paris stimulate the emulation of Miss
Isdora Duncan, the attractive American girl
who attained great favor III Berlin during the
winter months by her graceful revival of new
Grecian dances with bare feet and bare ankles.
and who is enthusiastically patronized here by
several great ladies, among whom the
Duchesse Dues, the Countess de Bearn. the
Countess de Guerne, and by two or three emf
nent Partisan painters and sculptors. She has
already attained the sobriouet Of La Sym
phoniste des Mollets Nus" (''The symphonist OF
the Bare Calves'), and has leased Sarah Bern
hardt's theatre for gala performances of her
Grecian dances at the middle Of April.
Another American Smthson or Diavolo. has
introduced an American novelty in Paris by