beauty, and the expression of her countenance was one of the most unhappy I have ever seen; but her worn, weary aspect, her sad, mournful eyes, were not ill-suited to the tragic rôles she assumed. Her voice was no longer so full and round as when I had seen her in Paris some few years previously, and she appeared, too, not to have fully recovered from the fatigue of her sea voyage. Yet, notwithstanding these drawbacks, her Camille was a magnificent piece of acting. The curse in the fourth act she gave with a burst of fury which fairly electrified the audience. Her death scene was powerful - painfully so—and not easily forgotten by any one who had once witnessed it. The "upper ten" not turning out as largely as was anticipated, the middle-class playgoers were appealed to by a reduction of the prices of admission, but this failed to bring the masses. On her off nights she gave "readings" at the Broadway Tabernacle, which consisted of selections from the French poets and entire scenes from various plays in which she was assisted by members of her company.

After many requests having been made for her to sing "La Marseillaise" she consented, and on Oct. 12, and several subsequent nights, “La Marseillaise" was given by Rachel after the play. Having quite lost whatever voice she might once have possessed, she chanted, rather than sang, the lines. She gave $1,000 to the widows and orphans of the victims of the yellow fever at New Orleans. She went to Boston, where she made her début Oct. 27. She returned to this city, and appeared at the Academy of Music, alternating with the Italian opera, but the engagement was a dire failure. Her last appearance here was Nov. 17, as Phedre and Le Moineau de Lesbie. While playing at the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, an incident occurred that was the cause of her death. It was an extremely cold night, and between the acts Rachel, instead of going to her dressing-room or greenroom, where a fire rendered it pleasant and comfortable, sat beside a small table placed near the prompter's seat. On the table she had placed several wax candles, the book of the play, and some papers. There, in the extreme cold, with but a slight covering, sat this fragile, classic form, the cold air rushing down, around and about her, chilling with its icy influence even those who were seated in the parquet. Raphael Félix, Rachel's brother, had taken the theatre in its entirety, assuming all the expenses of heating and lighting, and he thought it probably a master stroke of economy to suppress the furnace fires, or possibly he did not trouble his head about them. But Rachel awoke the next morning, gasping with pneumonia, and Raphael's saving in fuel resulted in the untimely death of his great sister. Rachel sailed for Charleston, S. C., where she was able to give one performance Dec. 17, 1855, and it was her last appearance on any stage. She acted Adrienne Lecou

vreur. From Charleston she went with her company to Havana, expecting she would be well enough to act, but she never did. Day by day she grew weaker, until at last, finding that it was useless to prolong the struggle, she returned to Europe, took up her abode at the Villa Sarden, at Cannes, France, where she died, almost alone, Jan. 5, 1858. Thus passed away the greatest tragic actress France has ever produced. Sarah Felix, sister of Rachel, played in "Les Horaces at the début here of Rachel. She was two years the senior of Rachel. She was a comedienne, and was engaged at the Gymnase and the Comedie, Paris. She died in Paris, Jan. 13, 1877. It is said that her declining years were devoted to the vending of cosmetics, which implies that but little of Rachel's great wealth descended to her. There were two other sisters, Dina and Lia.

The Rachel season terminated Oct. 20, and the house was closed for alterations. Laura Keene was the lessee, who announced the reopening for Dec. 24, with, for the first time in America, "Prince Charming.

Laura Keene had an indignant "card" in the morning papers of Dec. 24 in which she protested against "wanton attacks, malicious insinuations, and ungenerous allusions," and asked, pertinently, why she should be expected to refrain from catering to the public because there were other establishments with which hers might interfere. This same piece had been announced by E. A. Marshall for the holiday attraction at the old Broadway Theatre. Quite a war of words took place between Laura Keene and Marshall. Some of the newspapers treated Miss Keene in a particularly ungallant manner. "Prince Charming" was done at the old Broadway on the night of Dec. 24, but not so at this house, as advertised; nor did it open. Laura Keene was announced to be indisposed, but the truth is that the night before the opening was to take place, some miscreant cut and slashed one of the best scenes in the play so badly that it was impossible to use it. An advertisement appeared in the newspapers, signed by Laura Keene, offering a reward of $500 for the apprehension of the person who cut the scenery. The opening took place Dec 27, with Old Heads and Young Hearts." The company engaged were: Mrs. Abbot, Rosalie Durand, Kate Reignolds, Mrs. W. Hough, Emma Hall, Mary Marshall, Mrs. Carpenter, Annie Walters, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rea, Fanny Dean, Laura Bishop, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lyster, Clara Cushman, Minnie Scott, George Jordan, Chas. Bass, Harry Hall, John Dyott, T. B. Johnson, T. Watson, George Vining, Thos. Chandler, Thos. Price, Frank Trevor, Fred G. King, Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Charles. Laura Keene was directress; Fred Lyster director of vocal music; Mons. Monplaisir, ballet-master; Thomas Baker, leader of orchestra.

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The house was now christened "Laura Keene's Varieties." The cast of "Old Heads and Young Hearts" was:

Laura Keene managed to play her part in the comedy, but broke down while reciting an original poetical address. Dec. 29" Dreams of Delusion" was seen, with Kate Reignolds as Amabel; Dec. 31, "Dreams of Delusion" and "Masks and Faces." The latter play had this cast:

Jan. 7, 1856, "King of the Court" was given for the first time, Geo. Jordan as Louis, C. Bass as Marquis, Kate Reignolds as Adrienne, and Laura Keene as Louise. Rosalie Durand made her début here as Thérèse. "Perfection" was the afterpiece, and Mr. C. Howard appeared as Charles Paragon. Jan. 14, "The Love Chase;" Jan. 16, "Still Waters Run Deep," George Jordan as Hawksley; Jan. 21, "The Lady of Lyons," Mary Wells as Mme. Deschapelles (her first appearance here); Jan. 24, "Money,' Annie Lee (her first appearance here) as Georgina Vesey; Jan. 26, the drama, "The Violet," and the burlesque, "Midas; Feb. 4, the farce, "The School for Tigers;" Feb 8, "The Love Chase,' and first appearance of Conrad Clarke, acting Master Walter; Feb. 11, "Belphegor the Mountebank, or the Pride of Birth," Mrs. Lesdernier making her appearance as Madame De Barbleu; Feb. 15, "Masks and Faces;" Feb. 18, "Serious Family," Louis Mestayer (his first appearance here) as Charles Torrens; "The Hunchback" (first time here) Feb. 21. For Washington's birthday a rhythmical, musical, scenic, dramatic, extravaganza, called "Novelty" was given in one act and ten tableaux :

Rosalie Durand
Kate Reignolds

The first tableau was "Toodles," by a gentleman who once "twinned" with the great original; second tableau, Rachel, Annie Walters as the tragedienne; third tableau, Mr. and Mrs. Barney Williams, by T. B. Johnson and Lottie Hough, the latter singing "Bobbing Around" and "Whiskey in the Jug;" fourth tableau, "Undine," by Mlle. V. Franck, Mlle. N. Tilman and Mons. Til

man; fifth tableau, "Pauline;" sixth, "A Midsummer Night's Dream;" seventh, Shakespeare; eighth, "Uncle Tom;" ninth, "Herne, the Hunter;" tenth and last tableau, "The Apotheosis of Washington. Feb. 25 "Look Before You Leap," was given. March 3 "Two Loves and a Life" was played for the first time in America, with this cast:

Sir Gervase.
William
Musgrave
Capt. Dormer
Standish

Ruth Ravenscar

This drama held the boards until March 15, when "She Stoops to Conquer" was acted. "Camille, or A Moral of Life," adapted and rearranged with many novel effects expressly for this establishment, was acted for the first time, March 17, and thus cast:

Chas. Bass
T. B. Johnson
Mr. Wemyss
Laura Keene
Annie Lewis
Mary Wells

Miss McDonough
Emily Lesdernier

This version of "Camille" was a decided improvement on all others. The life of the coquette, her abandonment to vice, her redemption once, her love for Armand, her sacrifice of him and his love for very love, her illness, decay, and death were all represented as a dream, from which, in the last scene, she awoke to the realities around her. Many of the objectionable features of the original were omitted. This drama was given by Laura Keene in four acts and six tableaux, with an apotheosis. April 5 "The Bride of Lammermoor," was given, with the first appearance of G. K. Dickinson, who acted Edgar; April 7, first time here, "The King's Rival." Ada Clare appeared as Mrs. Wells. H. Hall took a benefit April 19, when the bill was "Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady," Emma Hall (her first appearance in America) as King Charles; "St. Mary's Eve," and "The Unfinished Gentleman," Lionel Goldsmidt making his first appearance in America as Bill Downey in the latter play; April 23 "The Marble Heart" was acted for the first time here.

May 5 the musical burlesque, “"Norma," and "Slightly Removed," were acted for the first time. An original American comedy called "My Wife's Mirror," was given May 10, for the first time. "Diane, or Hands, not Hearts was seen May 12, for the first time. Mrs. John R. Scott was in the cast. For Rosalie

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Durand's benefit, May 24, "The Daughter of the Regiment" and "Novelty" (fifty-seventh and last time) was done. This terminated Rosalie Durand's engagement here. May 26 John Brougham's dramatization of "Jane Eyre" was acted for the first time. Laura Keene made her reappearance, after a long illness, in the title rôle. This was the cast:

Chas. Bass had a benefit June 5, with "The Rivals," first appearance here of Mrs. H. P. Grattan as Mrs. Malaprop, and the comedy “It Takes Two to Make a Bargain." Charles Loveday appeared June 10, as Frederick Flighty in "Married Rake." 'The Spitalfield's Weaver" was seen for the first time at this house, June 14, at the benefit of H. Hall. "Clarissa Harlowe, or the History of a Young Lady," was given June 16, for the first time, and with this cast:

The season closed June 21, 1856, with a benefit to Laura Keene, when "The School for Scandal" was played with this cast:

When Laura Keene leased this house, she took it for one year at the weekly rent of $400. She had the privilege of a renewal of four years from September, by giving notice on the first of May. On that day she was in arrears for rent, and gave no notice. Strictly speaking, therefore, the covenants of the lease were violated. But on May 19 she paid La Farge, at his residence, $2,875, the amount due in full. On receiving this money, it is said La Farge promised Laura Keene the theatre for four years from September, 1856, but Wm. E. Burton purchased the building, and took a lease of the ground, causing Laura Keene to close

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