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Leader (1850-1860), 9th August 1851, Edition Town of 2, Page 758, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      The Tutor ' s Ward is interesting as a passionate story , written with unusual eloquence , " most musical most melancholy , " and containing three or four scenes of great pathos . " Written with an eye to an especial " moral , " it is , perhaps , hypercritical to object to the want of lifelikeness pervading it ; but the following description of Millicent ' s aunt and cousins will show that the writer is not deficient in sarcastic observation : — " This lady was the personification of di gnified

      propriety , and of composed , resolute acceptance of all the advantages and privileges , physical and moral , which were to be derived from her station in society . Stately looking , well dressed , never varying one hair ' s breadth from the routine of life , easy and luxurious , which is the settled system of existence for persons of her fortune and position , everything in her house , her person , her manners , and her religion , were arranged to meet the approving eye of the world .

      Whether she were the urbane hostess , the careful mother , the mildly reproving , silently determined wife , or the benevolent dispenser of soup and blankets at Christmas-tide ( these benefits being transmitted to her awe-struck tenantry through the hands of a housekeeper in black satin and pink ribbons , who wore kid gloves in case she should accidentally touch any of the recipients of her bounty ) , Mrs . Egerton still acted up to the one principle which guided her in all things of making a faultless appearance in the sight of her fellow-men , and obeying to

      the very letter all the requirements of established , custom , according to her rank and circumstances . If there were any one quality peculiarly prominent in Mrs . Egerton's character , it was what is commonly called ' proper pride , ' that mysterious virtue belonging we know not to what faith or to what tenets , which is held in such esteem by those who not the less , through some subtle calculation of their own accommodating mind , firmly expect that inheritance of the meek which is promised in the doctrines they profess .

      " . Millicent received another measured English mbrace from this stiff but comfortable-looking representative of good feeling , dignity , and respectability , who was further remarkable for a serenity of aspect peculiar to ^ herself , and which emanated , no doubt , from the pleasant conviction that everything she had ever done , said , or thought , was exactly as it ought to have been . She was then ushered into the drawing-room , having just caught a glimpse of poor

      Nanette , hurried off , with despairing looks , by three or four gigantic footmen , to the care of a housekeeper , awful in satins and statelines 9 , who appeared dimly in the far perspective . The drawing-room seemed to Millicent blazing with light and full of people . She clung involuntarily to her uncle ' s arm , nnd stood looking round from under the masses of her long brown hair , with the shy , timid glance of a startled deer .

      " Mr . Egerton presented her in due form to the various members of his family ; three daughters , Anne , Fanny , and Sophia ; two sons , Charles and Arthur . ' Anne , tall and frigid , looking by no means po young as she could have wished ; unpleasuntly handsome , having bold features and hawk ' s eyes , haughty and supercilious in manner , as though she had discovered some excellent reason why she was to consider hernelf superior to every one around her , » nd that , duly pious and Christianized as she was ,

      ¦ he had received a special licence for giving pain to others by coldness and contempt . This young lady - \ vns wont to delight herself solely in matters altogether beyond a . woman ' s province , for she talked polities and philosophy with an asuurnnce which had its desired effect on the majority of her acquaintances . We may further add , that Miss Anne Egerton also fully expected to reap the reward of all the virtues , such as humility , gentleness , and nelf-denial , inculcated by the creed she professed with much Sunday ostentation .

      " Fanny , with indistinct hair and indefinite features , a small mind and a small voice , loving- to sing small Hongn and to entrap unwary individuals into swearing an eternal friendship ; all nerves and sensibility , continually declaring she must have sympathy , that she could not exist without it ; that who was entirely dependent on her friends for happiness , and therefore , though she was sorry to be troublesome to them , yet really , constituted as she wiih , she must entreat of them to sacrifice themselves to her ; kIio must really claim all their time

      and attention ; whatever their avocations might be , they could never be ho important as tlio necessity that she , in her highly wrought state of mind , should have some one to whom she- could tell her feelings : —Fanny fell into the common unare of imagining that she established a legitimate excuse for her eapriee , self-indulgence , and thorough egotism (( nullified , of course , by far daintier names ) , when she nflirmcd that they wen ; inherent to her nature , and therefore indispensable evils , not to be resisted . " Hophiu , decidedly plain , short , thick-sot , nnd able-bodied , having u worthy look , which Whs a

      species of moral livery to the peculiar line she had chosen ; for this young lady had discovered that her especial vocation was the improvement of mankind , and to this end she laboured with a noisy zeal , no detail of which was ever allowed to pass unobserved by her numerous acquaintance . She pursued her calling without the slightest references to established principles or authorities ; for , as she loved to say , when setting at defiance those before whose grey hairs she should have bowed in reverend silence , she had a thoroughly independent mind , and acted in all cases on theories of her own . Her conversation she

      never was of the most lively description , for as was fully convinced apparently that no one would be so much acquainted with her own merits as herself , she habitually undertook the task of doing herself justice , and discharged the duty with extraordinary fidelity . She was at all times to be heard quietly detailing her own meritorious acts , % ever dreaming that any merit they might have possessed was turned to veriest poison by such an open display , and in her daily descent on the village , armed with medicines and tracts , and stocked with severe , overbearing admonitions , she gathered up material for much complacent haranguing at her father ' s luxurious table . "

      Untitled Article

      BOUFFE . There is no audience less capricious in its attachments than an English audience ; once captivate it , and your empire is assured ; nay , you may even found a dynasty , and your children will succeed to the throne by right of birth—by right of that influence which lies in a name . The greatest of French actors—as Bouffe unquestionably ishas every right to be a favourite with our public , and is one . On Friday last he reappeared after a long absence and a serious illness , the ravages of which upon his face and frame were affectingly

      noticeable ; the reception must have told him unequivocally how little he had been forgotten by his English admirers , for the applause was heartier than I ever remember it within the quiet walls of the St . James ' s Theatre . His voice was weak and husky , but whether from illness or " stage fright " I cannot say . Perhaps you think that with so old a stager nervousness is the last cause to be predicated ; but I can assure you that an actor never loses . " stage fright" if he be once troubled with it .

      Why even the " spoiled darling of the public , Madame Vestris , never Io 6 t it ! A curious psychological inquiry might be opened here as to the nature of this " nervousness , " and the class of minds most affected by it—the phrenologists would probably settle it offhand by saying that Love of Approbation produced nervous apprehension , and that Self Esteem kept the actor confident and calm ; but I am in no mood for psychology , and must return to Bouffe .

      MicJiel Perrin—or , as the English version is called , Secret Service—was the piece chosen for his debut , and happily chosen ; it is a pleasant little Comedy , healthy in its tone , ingenious in construction , and affording the actor free scope for the representation of one typical character . Boutfc * as the simple-minded old Cur ^ is a study . If actors would follow it closely , they would observe that its success lies in the predominance given to the

      character over the " points "—to the whole over the details . Bouffe ' s constant aim is to represent the character ; if that be laughable or touching , he is laughable and touching ; if not , lie leaves the audience to blame the author . All his speeches addressed to persons are . addressed to them , and not to the audience ; all bis " asides" are murmured as if to himself . This seems a small tiling to notice— yet watch other actors , and see how rarely it is their custom to do so . BouiFc ia natural in the

      highest sense ; he represents the nature of the character ; the " stuff" of human nature is plastic in his hands , and out of it ho carves images which all the world can recognize as true . The comedy expands your heart with laughter , at which yon are not afterwards ashamed , for judgment approves what instinct caught at—the pathos moistens your eye , for it is real suffering , not indeed the high

      impassioned sorrow and and majestic pains of Tragedy in its " sceptred pall , " but the tfiief of simple nature appealing to the common heart of sympathy . He seeks effect , and not effects—he cares for an artistic whole more than applauded " points ; " that mainly is the reason why he is universally recognized as the most consummate actor now living . In he Gamin de Paris , for example , which lie played on Monday , it waa curious to eco the

      number of " points' * which he refused to make , and which any other actor would have made , though at the expense of the general effect ; so that his acting was almost as admirable for what he forbore as for what he accomplished . , It is needless at the present time to dwell upon a performance . so well known and so unique as that of Bound's Gaminits gaiety , feeling , boyishness , and its nicely discriminated boy-grief . His rage and pathos are never those of a man , but always of a boy .

      I must not omit a word of emphatic praise to Lafont for his very remarkable performance of the General in this piece . It was a perfectly dressed , perfectly represented character . The great scene of indignation , where he taxes his son with dishonourable conduct , and tears from his coat the ribbon of the Ugion d'honneur , was played with fine truth and intensity . He fairly divided ! with . Bouffe the honours of the evening .

      Untitled Article

      THE OPERA . I might fill two columns with criticism on Madame Barbieri Nini , and her debut as Lucrezia Borgia at her Majesty ' s on Tuesday , but it would all amount to this : She is not young enough to captivate , and not young enough to improve ! What she may have been some years ago I will not pretend to decide , after having seen one of my own idols and the grandest lyric actress of our time—Giuditta Pa 6 ta—exhibit the affecting spectacle of her ruin to those who had never worshipped the fulness and magnificence of her power . It may be that the faults so obvious in Madame Barbieri Nini are but the ravages of edacious Time , or the consequences of her attempts to conceal those ravages . This much is certain , that her voice is irrecoverably gone , only some few notes of the higher register being still agreeable ; and although great singers make shift with fragments of a voice , nothing short of greatness can extenuate such defects .

      As an actress we are in a better position for judging her , because what might be lost in grace and youth ought to be compensated by experience , and she did not play a youthful part . Confidence , vigour , energy , and a certain brio she undoubtedly has ; but no dignity , no breadth of passion , no subtlety of expression . 1 will not compare her with Grisi , because Grisi is incomparabl e as Lucrezia ; but comparing her with Parodi or Frezzolini , I will say that , surpassing both in energy , she is surpassed by both in grandeur and delicacy .

      Needless to say that her success was immense , colossal ! Bouquets and wreaths , callings before the curtain , vociferating " orders " , and all the items of a triumph ( for two nights ) saluted Madame Barbieri Nini , as they have saluted so many other marvels 1 Needless also to say that Alboni ' s Brindisi was the gem of the evening , though her acting was so culpably deficient of all respect for the audience , that even I , her sworn chevalier ,

      cannot stifle a protest . During the very quarrel , when the angry knife is flashing in her hand , she was " chaffing " F . Lablache aside , with a sweet smile upon her sweet face , thus destroying the situation . Marietta ! Marietta ! not even your exquisite voice and delicious singing can rnako the public forgive that , ltespect your Art . * ou may not be an actress , but you can at least be conscientious !

      As if to make amends for her careless Maffi <* Orsha , she played Marie in La Figlia del Regg *' mento with great care . It was her first appearance in this part , and the very announcement prejudice many against her . What ! Alboni as La Fi j * j Alboni after Jenny Lind ! It seemed incredil » - But such a singer can do anything . After « ur " passing Viardot in the ProphHe—at least s Meyerbeer says—why should she not _ l » l » y ^ Figlia with perfect success ? And she did . ^ singing was enchanting . The opening duet , vidi la luce . " lies awkwardly for her voice , » iv *» -im" a **\^\ -., jxivn uirivwaiuiy mi /* # »* - » - flifl

      produced no effect ; but the ciascun lo <" > ffl confession si ardente , and the lively ratap lan , W e ^ sung with a verve and brilliuncy indescribable , the rataplan she herself played the druflii played it very well too . Neither Jenny L t Sontag did so "; though that is an accomp »«* " ^ La Figlia ought to possess . If I remember rI »^ Fraiilein Tuczek , at Berlin , used to play ' - i oUt boni ' s acting in the first act was sprig htly wi » ^ being remarkable-. In the second act hIio waH iBlle successful , though her divine voice and «* 1 , ^ method made the Hinging lesson and the aria ^ sedur han crrdute" things to go home and of , which I did . Vivian-

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      Untitled Article

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  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 9, 1851, page 758, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1895/page/18/