Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-03-26

might have been 10 this estimate. and
however far her detractorH ventured in
their attempts to minimize her right to
that distinction. the numbeFless admir-
ers Of the Divine Sarah" remained con-
vinced that never before had the stage
produced an actress capable Of soaring
TO such heights in the realm OF emotion
al drama.
The work Of Nine. Bernt ardt was best
where theme afforded the greatest OPP
porfunity for display Of her powerful
emotions. At the height of her career
this form OF acting. based principally on
love. hate and jealousy. held the pre-
dominant place now dedicated 10 char
acter delineasions. and fsernhardt was
never surpassed. her critics say. IN this
emotional school. Hundreds Of I.arss she
either rcwrote or created 10 suit her
self. seldom beirg content to act them
as interpreted BY others.
Three generations have praised and
even worshippcd the art Of Bernhardt.
and hundreds upon thousands of people
around the world have thronged 10 see
and marvel at her acting without under
standing the French language. which
Once. in Rio dc Janiero. she was called
before the curtain more thar 200 times
by wildly enthusiastic audience, and
many times. in other parts of the world.
she was obliged to answer scores Of
'enr.ain calls at single performance.
The long life story Of Bernhardt is
almost legendary clesely woven with
dramatic incident. off as well as on the
stage. il was set down by herself in a
lengthy volume published many years
ago. and. as one Of her critics has said.
Through the pages of the book peers
the face cf woman. little tired.
weary Of her own reputation. and bless
ed with more than her share Of the van
tiles Of the SEX Al she and others
have told the story. il il summed up
here:
The date Of her birth. the record Of
which was destroyed in the flames Of
the Commune in Paris. was commonly
accepted ms October p. 1s45. Her
mother was Dutch and Jewess. and her
natural father French official.
As a child Bernhardt spent much
of her time with relatives in Paris, and
Mt the age Of i2 was sent to the Grand
Champ convent. Versailles. where she
made her debut in little miracle play
given BY the children. Even at this ear
IN are. the pale and sickly child is said
70 have displayed the fits Of temper
which were characteristic OF her stage
career
After year or two nj the convent. she
conceived passionate desire 10 hr come
a nun. To this her mother recorded nm
qualified opposition. and suggested a
theatrical career instead.
shes too thin a. be an actress. :
little Sarah cafcgori.ally exclaimed.
Rachel is an actress. She came 10 the
convent and walked around the garden.
then she had Z" sit down because she
couldn't grt her breath. They fetched
her something IT, bring her around. hut
she was 50 pale oh. - pale. ! was yer,
sorry f.r her and rhe nuns told me that
what she was doing was killing her. for
an actress. won't"
But fate had determined otherwise. and
but fate had determined otherwise. ansl
al the age II n B-rnhardt was sent
~ n conservatory. At the end NJ the
first year she won second prize for
tragedy 4 subscription among the play
erS az the tomrde Franchise enabled her
to spend another year nj the eonservn
tory. and upon the completion ~ this she
carried off second prize for comedy. Her
first public appearance WAS nj the Come
die Franchise in August 1~ti2. She took
minor part without any marked sue
cess.
Five years later she emerged from
laboriouS ah~curity with her first drfin-
lite success as cordelia i'm French
translation of King lear ~ the Odeon.
then as Qnren in Victor Iiuyo's "Ruy
T;IaS.- and above all n Ianzeft in Fran
cois ccppc-'s -Te rassant.- which she
PLAYED in 1860.
Then came the Franco prusinn war.
I.-rnhardi increased her pornlariiy IVY
becoming war nurse. In 1871 she was
made life mmh.r of the Comedie Fran
t.nise. She FLASHED repeatedly with NJ.
Perrin. the manager. over the relies she
should take. and once in cit II piqne
fled from the theatre and d-rided ~ give
up the stage She plunged into sculpture.
Tier first piece. After the Storm -
finished some years latcr-won n place
in the Salon. She returned ~ M. Perrin
only ~ break with him again. ineurring
forfeit If iMM pounds. which she paid.