p. 293

395.
of that "learned fool." This well-written
play was never built for a continued popu-
larity and no doubt was endured rather
than enjoyed through Macready's skillful
acting. Mr. Anderson's rendition was suc-
cessful. He is an actor who elaborates every
character he plays and evidently has studied
the aesthetic of his art but fails more from
that study than from any other reason.

Mr. Anderson is a native of Scotland
and was a great favorite of the Edinburg
stage. He made his first appearance at the
Covent Garden Theater under the auspices
of Mr. Macready as Florizel in Shakspere's
"Winter's Tale" during his management in
1837. He made his first appearance in the
United States at the Park Theatre as Ham-
let took a tour of the country and returned
to London where he became the manager of
Drury Lane in 1851.

He has a fine figure a fine sonorous voice
of infinite compass. His conception is gene-
rally correct but often fails in his execu-
tion--lacking that intensity of expression of
the model which he attempts to follow as the
idol of his dramatic worship--viz. Macready.

The excellence of Anderson's personation
of Hamlet may be fairly questioned. In
many of the second parts of vivid tragedy
crossed with comedy he may claim distinc-
tion. As Claude Melnotte for instance he
stands a comparison with the first of its repre-
sentatives. He is at times energetic vivid
and impressive but often a fatuity marks his
judgment.

He seems to have deserved well as the
manager of Drury Lane--but he ultimately
failed. The great national theatre from the
change of public opinion the loss of its aged
monopply and reformations in public amuse-
ments was doomed to dissolution. It is now
leased like our own grand Academy of Mu-
sic for almost anything or everything. The
spirits of the legitimate either either of music or
the drama seldom wander over its boards.
We earnestly deprecate the trashy exhibi-
tions too often desecrating the stage of the
Academy! Its purpose should be kept sa-
cred or let it pass into some public insti-
tution.

December 16th Mr. Anderson's benefit--
"Damon and Pythias"--Damon first time
Mr. Anderson ; Pythias Mr. Perry; Her-
mion Miss F. Morant; Calanthe Mrs. Duf-
field. With the comedy of "The Wonder;
or A Woman Keeps a Secret"--Don Felix
Mr. Anderson; Donna Violante Miss F. Mo-
rant. This closed up their engagement.

December 20th a grand testimonial benefit
was given to J. Edwin McDonough when he
appeared in "The Corsican Brothers" to a
full house.

December 21st Mr. P. Richings and Miss
Caroline Richings were now engaged for a
limited period. They appeared in "The
Daughter of the Regiment"--Marie iss
Richings; Cartouch Mr. Richings; Tonio
Mr. Eytinge.

December 22d "Don Caesar de Bazan"--
The Don Mr. Richings; Maritania Miss C.
Richings. Also "Daughter of the Regi-
ment." Repeated Saturday Christmas eve.

Monday December 26th the new local and
satirical comedy in five acts with new scenery

by Grain Jr. of "Extremes" was given with
great eclat and to a crammed house.

Mr. and Miss Richings closed the old year
of 1853 on Saturday December 31st with their
performances.

CHAPTER CXXVII.
Spring and summer season of 1854 at the Wal-
nut Street Theatre--The Ravel family and
Yrea Mathias--"Life in the West"--Close
of the spring season--Opening of the sum-
mer season--Blake and Brougham--Close of
the summer season.

On Monday January 2d, 1854 the Ravel
family commenced an engagement of great
success at the Walnut Street Theatre which
continued upwards of four months. The corps
consisted of the old members of the family
viz: Gabriel Francois Jerome and Leon
Ravel Paul Brilliant Marzetti M. Lehman
M. Maugin Madame Axel Madame W.
Lehman Madame Marzetti M'lle F. Leh-
man M'lle Ducy Barre &c. But the com-
pany had received the aid of a new and splen-
did dancer in the person of M'lle Yrca Ma-
thias aRussian artiste who had at the St.
Petersburg Opera received the appellation of
the "Queen of Dancers."

The Ravels opened with their usual popular
pantomimes and ballets one of which is a
military pantomime was very attractive as
Francois Ravel as Jobard excited much
pleasure in its performance. The opening
pieces were "The Elopement" and "M. De-
chalumeau." The leader of the orchestra
Monsieur Eugene Fenelon was a very capa-
ble chef in that department.

On the first night in January John Sefton
brought out the very successful and novel
piece in one act called "The Debutante" in
connjunction with the Ravel troupe. Archille
Talma (a French actor and father of the de-
butante) Mr. John Sefton ; The Hon. Bertie
Fitzdangle Mr. Wallis ; Hyacinth Parnassus
(a dramatic author) Mr. Eytinge; Theophilus
Vemp (a stage manager) Mr. Stafford ; Timo-
theus Flat (a manager) Mr. France ; George
(a call-boy) Mr. Allen ; Wynne (trapman)
Mr. Neel: Emilie antoinette Rose Dufard
(the debutante and daughter of Achille) Mrs.
Clarke ; Miss Arabella Fitzjames. (an actress
and an imposing vocalist) Mrs. John Sefton.

This piece took with much favor in this and
the ensuing season. Miss Lizzie Weston in
the next season made Emilie Antoinette very
charming and fascinating at least so thought
the audience.

These entertainments ran one week to fine
houses the Ravels playing "Jeannette and
Jeannot" and "The Debutante;" "The Ita-
lian Brigands" "Vol-au-Vent" "Godenski;
or The Skaters of Wilna" "Jocko" "The
Milliners" and "Robert Macaire."

January 9th the second week of Ravel
family. The first night of the engagement of
the great Russian artiste M'lle Yrca Mathias
who made her debut in a grand ballet for the
first time in Philadelphia entitled "Paquita"
in one act and three tableaux as originally
produced at the Academy Royal Paris with
new scenery by Grain Jr. and magnificent
costumes by Messrs. Flannery Valtee and
Watson. Paquito an orphan girl brought up
by the Gipsies M'lle Yrca Mathias ; Lucien
de Hervilly Paul Brilliant ; Inigo chief of
the band of Gipsies Francois Ravel ; Don
Lopez de Mendiza Spanish Governor of the

Province Jerome Ravel ; Count de Hervilly
French General and father of Lucien Leon
Ravel ; Countess de Hervilly M'me Axel ;
Donna Seraphina M'me W. Lehman ; Alma
M'me Marzetti ; Carolotta M'lle F. Lehman;
Donna Anna M'lle Ducy Barre. The inci-
dental pieces were "Grand Scene Dansante"
M'lle Yrca Mathias; "Coquetterie Scene et
Pas de Fleur" by Yrca Mathias Paul Bril-
liant and F. Ravel; "Pas de Manteaux" by
M'me Marzetti M'lle F. Lehman M. Mau-
gin Jones and corps de ballet ; "La Savil-
liena" grand scene d'action by Yrca Ma-
thias; "Grand Minuet and Saraband" by the
corps de ballet ; "Pas de Trois" and to end
a "Pas de Deux" by Yrca Mathias and Paul
Brilliant. A Grand Galop Finale by all the
principals of the troupe.

Mad'lle Yrca Mathias was a new luminary
of this truly brilliant pantomime and terpsi-
chorean star troupe. She was certainly a
most splendid dancer--not so much in ele-
gance and refinement as in spirit agility and
passionate expression. Her manner and style
assimilated to those unique characteristics so
prominent in Mad'lle Cubas who lately elec-
trified our public at the Academy of Music as
a Spanish artiste. But Cubas is not as finished
a dancer as Yrca Mathias was. The latter had
the impassioned attributes without the objec-
tionable traits of the Spanish voluptuous
style as in the Bolero the Fandamgo &c.
Mathias like Cubas spoke with her quiver-
ing toe. Her agile step her expressive eye
rolling in the languid softness of love her
sympathetic attitudes revolving in volup-
tuous gracefulness lent almost enchantment
to the view. Mad'lle Yrca Mathias was an
exquisite pantomimist as well as a danseuse.
As the orphan Paquita she continued an at-
traction for many weeks.

The tight-rope performances with this com-
pany's miscellaneous adjuncts o their bills of
fare were of a most excellent character.

January 18th the grand pantomime of "The
Red Gnome and White Warrior" was pro-
duced with newand miraculous effects. It
ran many nights to full houses.

January 30th the ballet of "Graziella" was
produced--Mad'lle Yrca Mathias as Graziella
with other unique performances.

February 1st "The Perilous Ladder" with
the pantomime of "The Green Monster."
The Dramatic corps of the theatre generally
preceded the Ravels with some popular drama.
The above pieces had a run of two weeks.

February 13th "Bella La Paquerette" by
Mad'lle Yrca Mathias.

March 15th the great and unsurpassed pan-
tomime called "Mazulme; or The Black
Raven."

Francois Ravel was very capital in this
[?]piece. Gabriel was not with the company
now. He was starring it in other places.
Europe occupied his attention.

In one of these pantomimes a curious scenic
incident occurred in the Baltimore Theatre.
Some of the pantomime scene changes worked
from under the stage and the other half came
down from the top or borders of the stage
thus meeting to perfect the entire scene.
For instance the trunk of a tree comes from
above often when coming together making a
disjointed joining. On the occasion alluded
to the trunk of a tree arose at the prompter's