On this page
-
Text (1)
-
A BAKE OLD LADY. 269
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
_ — Amon G The Curious And Unexpected Th...
tlie delicate shading which _brought out every point in this subtle duel of wordswere beyond praiseand elicited the warmest
exful pressions fable of of admiration " , The Two from Pi her eons auditory " , was . next > La recited Fontaine b ' s the beauti old - g y
countess simplicity with and wonderful spontaneousness dramatic , power that , , in yet listening with such 1 to her apparent , one
could hardly believe that one could not do as much by simply opening one ' s mouth . After this Madame de Chalot gave us a
tragic scene in which her marvellous power of word-painting was made , perhaps , more strikingly evident ; her gestures , the
expression of her features , and above all the flexibility and pathos of her voice—it was of this lady that tlie famous remark " She has
tears in her voice , " was first made—all conspiring to render visible to one's mental visionboth the passions she is pourtraying , and
, the scenery and objects suggested by the poet ' s words . Once or twice only did the old lady ' s memory fail her for an
instant ; but speedily recovering the train of thought , she proceeded with the same admirable apparent simplicity of perfected art , to
the conclusion of the ' scene . To see her while inspired with the thoughts and emotions of
her youth , one could not believe the old actress to be either old or feeble ; yet it needed the exertions of ? four persons to lead her to
and from her seat , and when tea was brought in , it was necessary to furnish her with a tableher hands being too weak to support
the weight even of the delicate , little porcelain cup before her . Most striking were the comments on the frailty and mutability
of mundane affairs afforded by the sight of this aged lady , who has outlived all the companions and associations of her youth and
maturer days ; who , after sharing tlie triumphs of the stage . with its most distinguished ornamentsfavored and flattered by
emperor and king , and enjoying all , that wealth , talent , andf beauty can win for their is now ending her days in
volunthe tary idol seclusion and , liaving forgotten survived possessors by the all world , her of natural which connections she was formerl , tende y d
hy strangers , , , to whom , in default of other heirs , she will probably leave her fortune . It would , indeed , be difficult to imagine a more
striking and impressive practical illustration of the " Sic Transit " so clearly written on human destinies and on earthly things .
A . B .
A Bake Old Lady. 269
A BAKE OLD LADY . 269
-
-
Citation
-
English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Dec. 1, 1859, page 269, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01121859/page/53/
-