easy to make a livelihood in Paris, so Salem divests himself of his coat, with the bit of red ribbon in it, and stoops to be a model at five francs a sitting.

Other courtesans beside Laura de Dianti-who posed for Titian, and Diane de Poictiers, whom Primatice painted so often-have allowed their charms to be reproduced on canvas or in marble. And every now and then it is whispered that soand-so has executed a portrait, more or less decollete, of some fashionable beauty in society. It is well known that the Princess de S- -s was portrayed in the highest and most gossamer raiment. Sargent painted Mme. Gin a bodice that left little to be divined, and Beraud has a portrait of an American lady, hanging behind a curtain in his studio, which the jury of the Salon would never have admitted into the galleries of the Palais des Champs-Elysees. But the number of fine ladies who have served as models for artists is restricted, I am happy to say, far more than scandal-mongers would sometimes make us believe. It was currently reported that a dame du monde had posed for Gervex's Masked Lady' -you remember the picture and several names were given out which added much to the success of the work in a certain set. The fact was, however, that the exquisitely molded limbs were those of a model whom Gervex employs from time to time, and there was really no mystery about the matter at all, save the blackvelvet loup that concealed the upper part of the woman's features.

plays that are transplanted to the st,e of America generally fail. I saw one very striking proof of this in New York. Mr. Abbey, the indefatigable impresario director of Wallack's Theatre, brought out L'Abbe Constantin. The principal role was intrusted to Mr. John Gilbert, a veteran of the American stage. Certainly M. Got himself could not have played the part of the good old priest with more simplicity, tenderness or pathos; but this was not enough in a piece which demands at least half a dozen actors of talent, and the play was a complete failure.

French plays are written, not for "stars," but for whole companies of actors. The author knows that such and such an actor will play the lover, that certain otners will take the roles of the father, the prosiac notary, the brilliant officer, the valet; that certain ac

tresses will create the parts of the coquette, the ingenue the soubrette, the duenna. He knows that the director will only intrust the members of his company with such parts as are well within their province. The translator of these plays runs his bark with a light heart towards the rocks of failure. Sometimes he does worse than translate, he adapts. A study of French manners is transferred to America and Amer

ican personages. The play becomes incomprehensible, unreal, and it is not the acting of a "star" that can redeem or save it.

American theatres are not subventioned by the State, and private enterprise can scarcely afford to give the public the luxury of a whole company of talent. The "star" is usually his or her own manager, draws the public, and realizes the profits. The repertoire consists of two or three plays, which are performed before a New York audience for a month or two, and then taken round to the chief cities of the States.

This is why one sees fresh companies nearly every week in half the theatres. To-day a drama, next week comedy, opera-bouffe the week after. Sometimes the change is still more brusque. Mr. Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry gave a series of performances at the "Star Theatre, New York, during the month of March last. On their deparure they were succeeded by a troupe of performing monkeys. The theatre was just as likely to have been hired by travelling revivalists.

There is but one company of actors in America, and that is Mr. Augustin Daly's excellent company of comedians. I have seen comedies played with a good deal of ensemble at the Union Square, Madison Square and Lyceum Theatres in New York; but Mr. Daly's picked company is incomparably superior to any other to be seen in America, or, for that matter, in England either, if one excepts the admirably even opera company of the Savoy. Mr. John Drew is a young lover agreeable to look at, gentlemanly, persuasive, natural and full of life. Mr. James Lewis, whose grotesque face is a veritable fortune, is the best high-class comic actor on the American stage. Miss Ada Rehan's coquetry is irresistible. A certain coaxing drawl in her musical voice lends great se ductiveness to a very handsome presence, and gives an additional charm to her clever acting. Mrs. Gilbert, who is so like Mlle. Jouassin, of the Comedie Francaise, as to be mistaken for her, is the equal of that actress in some of her duenna parts. The actor whose roll consists of handing a card or letter

to his master is an artiste. This is the stage as we are used to it in France.

* * *

If good companies are rare in America, good ac

tors are numerous.

The greatest American actor is Mr. Edwin Booth, who is so justly famous for his interpretations of Shakespearian roles in America and England. Mr. Lawrence Barrett, who often plays with him, is also a highly talented tragedian. In comedy, two veterans, Mr. John Gilbert and Mr. Lester Wal lack, must be named first, then Messrs. Robson and Crane. In purely American plays, Mr. Joseph Jefferson is an unrivalled exponent of simple, touching parts. I had the good fortune to see him in Rip Van Winkle, a role which belongs to him as Pierre Chopart belongs to M. Paulin Menier. Mayo, Florence, Harrigan are names which are connected with a thousand successes in the minds of the Americans. Mr. Steele Mackaye is a good actor, besides being a dramatic author of great ability. His play "Paul Kauvar," with its realistic scenes of the French Revolution, would doubtless draw all Paris, if ever the directors of the Porte St. Martin or the Ambigu theatres took it into their heads to mount it. For original, fantastic creations, the palm must be awarded to Mr. Richard Mansfield. I wish M. Octave Feuillet the pleasure of seeing this young and versatile actor play the part of Baron Chevrial in the "Parisian Romance. The conception is as bold as it is artistic. For cleverness at "making up," Mr. Mansfield is un rivalled.

The greatest actor on the American stage is a Pole. Madame Modjeska has no living rival but Madame Sarah Bernhardt, whom, to my thinking, she sometimes even surpasses. Her interpretation

of "La Dame aux Camelias" appearen to me superior to that of her great French rival. Madame Modjeska does not perhaps put into this part the fire, the depth of passion, that Madame Sarah Bernhardt displays, but she endows it with more feminine grace, more purity. She appeals less to

the senses, but more to the heart; she subjugates the spectator less, but touches him more; it is the courtesan redeemed, purifled, by love, as M. Alexandre Dumas conceived her.

***

The American theatres are spacious, elegant, well lit and well ventilated. The seats are comfortable, and that French bugbear, the ouvreuse de loges, is unknown.

The ground floor is entirely covered with stalls, but the rise, from the proscenium to the back of the theatre, is so considerable that the spectators sitting on the last row have as good a view of the stage as those in front. And a good thing it is so, for the women adorn their heads with such monuments of millinery when they go to the play that, if the floor w. e horizontal and you had a stall that was not the first row, you would have to trust to the 1 Iness of the ladies in the front to tell you what went on upon the stage.

CHARMINGLY CONDUCTED.

(Editorial in the New York Press,) DESHLER WELCH'S magazine, THE THEATRE, is receiving a great deal of praise throughout the country as being an especially bright and charmingly conducted periodical in the interests of the various arts, The department signed "Trophonius" is a rambling talk that introduces all the theatrical news and most every topic under the sun in a delightfully digressive manner.