Year: 1875

them out and appeasing a widespread solici-
tude. We thank the President of the Senate
for the frankness and courtesy with which he
responded to our request and communicated
his views for the information of the country.
Alexander Dumas New Play "L'Etrnn-


gere."


Sardou once entitled famous play ''La
Famille Benoit," and it was announced to
appear by that name. He received by mail
the energetic protest of q person accom-
plished in the small sword exercise, who, in
timating that he had the honor to bear the
name of Benoit, expressed the chagrin it
would give him to see any unpleasant use
made of it. Sardou then called his play
LA Famille Bonnasson," and the parts were
changed throughout to that effect This
stirred up the widow Bonnasson, a respect
able person, who said that the Bonnassons
were a virtuous family and did not appreci-
ate the attentions Of his muse. Then came
the last name, LA Famille Benoiton, which
was adhered to against the strenuous objec-
tions Of gendarme, who wrote that his
friends were of opinion that the dramatist
meant to ridicule him personally in this use
of his name, and limited luridly at the posi-
bly, tragical consequences Of such proceed
ing.


Now that it is known that Nj. Alexandra
Dumas has written play called L'Etran-
gere," that is in our clumsy English the
Foreign Woman" it is to be hoped that all
the quarters of the world will not be uneasy
on this example and too hastily take the
compliment to themselves. Let not Italy
tremble, nor England hide her head; let not
the German Ambassador in Paris prepare to
inform the Ministry that the play must not
appear if the woman is Teutonic; let not the
Czar betray his excitement by adding to
his dominions four more provinces in Central
Asia. These nations may be easy. Their
withers are respectively unwrung. They
are not the CALLED jades that must vince at
the touch of the artistic pen to which we owe
SO many faithful and startling pictures Of
French life. Their respectable names are
not intended. The foreigner who is of such
Importance in Dumas new play that she
gives the title to the piece is an American.
Her husband is in the piece also; but whether
she deals with that person as the French
women in Dumas pieces always deal with
their husbands it would be premature to say
1t appears, however, that she is not presented
as q model Of the virtues, for writer in the
Figaro says that she is not only stranger"
in the sense in which every foreigner is, but
that she is also a stranger to morality and the
social proprieties; in short almost an
enemy to the human race


This person is called Mrs Clarkson, and
her husband is Mr.. Clarkson. In order to
draw their pictures with unmistakble Ameri-
can lineaments NJ. Dumas we are told, has
read ''more than thirty volumes" on the his
tory and manners of North America. His
Americans, therefore, will be as indisputably
successful as ''the cataract of the Ganges
with real water" 1t appears that the Ameri-
can is shockingly put down in one exciting
scene by Duchess, in whose parlor he pre-
pares to load his pipe with view to COM
Portable smoke She protests. He yields
the point, but not without demonstrations
Of astonishment at the discovery that it is
not customary to smoke in the parlors Of
refined life. Startling fidelity to nature of q
great dramatist Wonderful nicetv of per-
ception Who can wonder at the success Of
the author who derives points like this from
the perusal Of ''more than thirty volumes
Of American history. And yet we may not
complain, for when We consider how Dumas
has pictured his own countrymen perhaps
we should be content if be says no worse of
us than that We smoke ignoantly.


The ScASNELL TRIAL is drawing to a close.
y The verdict will depend entirely upon the
\ question Of the insanity Of the prisoner at
the time Of the shooting


Fox HUNTING is to be promoted if for no
other reason because it affords Mr. Bergh a
new theme for his interminable essays The
first Of this series We print this morning. and
it will be observed that Bergh rivals Dono-
hue in the use Of the vernacular.


In THE TWEED CASE in the Supreme Court
the motion to vacate the order of arrest or re-
duce the bail in the one million suit was
argued yesterday, but the decision has been
reserved While fees are to be earned il
seems the lawyers will continue to find ex