Tragedy and comedy, of their classical pieces; in a word, to the
dramatic performances usually given at the Theatre Francais.
The first piece I saw performed was Manlius;[44] but I was too far off
from the stage to judge of the acting, and could do little more than catch
the sounds. The parterre and the whole house was full. I was in the fourth
tier of boxes, yet I could distinguish at intervals the finest and most
prominent traits, of Talma's acting, particularly in that scene where he
upbraids his friend with having betrayed him. This he gave with uncommon
energy and effect. The plot of this piece is very similar to that of
Venice preserved.[45]
The next piece I saw represented was the Avare of Moliere, which to me
was one of the greatest dramatic treats I had ever witnessed. Every part
was well supported. The next was Athalie of Racine. Here too I was highly
gratified. Mlle Georges performed the part of Athalie and gave me the
perfect ideal of the haughty Queen. Her narration of the dream was given
with the happiest effect, and in her attempt to conceal her uneasiness and
her affected contempt of the dream in these lines:
Un songe, me devrois - je inquieter d'un songe?
she seemed in reality to labour under all the anxiety and fatigue arising
from it. That fine scene between Joad and Joas was well given, and the
little girl who did the part of Joas performed with a good deal of spirit.
The actor who played Joad recited in a most impressive manner the advice to
the young prince terminating in these lines:
Vous souvenant, mon fils, que cache sous ce lin,
Comme eux vous futes pauvre et comme eux orphelin.
The interrogating scene between Athalie and Joad was given spiritedly, but
the rather abrupt and uncourtierlike reply to the Queen's remark, "Ils sont
deux puissans dieux" - "Lui seul est dieu, Madame, et le votre n'est rien" -
excited a laugh and I fancy never fails to do so, every time the piece is
performed.
Racine has several passages in his tragedies which perhaps have rather too
much naivete for the dignity of the cothurnus; for instance in the answer
of Agamemnon to Achille in the tragedy of Iphigenie:
Puisque vous le savez, pourquoi le demander?
A poet of to-day would be quizzed for a line like the above, but who dare
venture to point out any defect in an author of whom Voltaire has said and
with justice too, that the only criticism to be made of him (Racine) would
be to write under every page: "Admirable, harmonieux, sublime!"
The costume and the decorations at the Theatre francais are so strictly
classical and appropriate in every respect, that it is to me a source of
high delight to witness the representation of the favourite pieces of
Racine, Corneille, Moliere and Voltaire, which I have so often read with so
much pleasure in the closet and no small quantity of which I have by heart.
