some assert, that the direction of the gentilhommes de la chambre was, in general, beneficial. Formerly, the theatres were under the controul of the gentilhommes de la chambre, but, at the establishment of the directorial government, they were placed in the power of the minister of the interior, in whose department they have since continued. Of late, however, it is asserted, that they are to be under the direction of a prefect of the palace. Doubtless, the liberty introduced by the revolution has been, in some respects, abused. But why should we fall into a contrary excess, and resort to arbitrary measures, which are equally liable to be abused? Their number may justify the interference of the government; but the liberty of representing pieces of all kinds, such only excepted as may be hurtful to morals, seems to be a salutary and incontestible principle. By disengaging the French comic opera from the narrow sphere to which it was confined, this licence has effected a musical revolution, at which all persons of taste must rejoice, by introducing on that stage the harmonic riches of Italy. This too has produced, on theatres of the second and third rank, pieces deficient, neither in regularity, connexion, representation, nor decoration. Before the revolution, the spirit of dramatic authors was fettered by a set of privileged comedians, who discouraged them by ungracious refusals, or disgusted them by unjust preferences. Hence the old adage in France, that, when an author had composed a good piece, he had performed but half his task; the more difficult half of getting it read and represented still remained to be accomplished. It certainly belongs to the government to limit their number, not by privileges which might be granted through favour, or obtained, perhaps, for money. The taste of the public being known, the population should first be considered, as that which furnishes both money and spectators. It would be easy to as VOL. III. NO. XVI, certain the proportion between the population of the capital and the due number of its theatres. But all public places should be free as to the species of amusement. All would then be well attended, and all concerned secure against the consequences of failure, and the true interest of the art be likewise promoted. Neither absolute independence nor exclusive privilege should prevail, but a middle course be adopted, to fix the fate of those great scenic establishments, which, forming an essential part of public diversion, have great influence on the morals of the nation. The playhouses have been well attended this winter, particularly the principal ones; but, in Paris, every rank has not exactly its theatre as at a ball. From the spectacles on the Boulevards to those of the first and second rank, there is a mixed company. Formerly, the lower classes confined themselves to the former, but now they visit the latter. An increase of wages has enabled the labourer to gratify himself with some kinds of luxury, and he now takes a peep at those scenes, of which he before acquired, from hearsay, but imperfect notions. If you wish to see a new or favourite piece, you must not neglect to secure a seat early, for, on such occasions, the house is full long before the curtain rises. You cannot take places as in England, except you take a box, which is expensive. In that case you pay for it at the time you engage it, and it is kept locked till you make your appearance..... Besides the boxes reserved for the officers of the staff of the city of Paris, and those at the head of the police, who have free admission to all the spectacles, on producing their ivory ticket, there is a box at each appropriated to the minister of public instruction. In Paris you are kept outside of the house till you receive a ticket for your money, through a hole in the wall. A few paces from the door of the principal theatres are two receiver's offices, which are no 7 sooner open, than candidates for admission begin to form long ranks, extending from the portico into the very street, and advance to them two abreast in regular succession. A steady sentinel, posted at the aperture, repeats your wishes to the receiver in a mild, conciliating manner. Other sentinels are stationed for the preservation of order, under the immediate eye of the officer, who sees that every one has his turn; however, it is not uncommon for forestallers to procure a certain number of them, especially for a new or favourite piece, and offer them privately at a usurious price, which many are glad to pay rather than fall in the rear. The method I take is this: having informed myself what spectacle is worth seeing, while at dinner I send my valet de place, or desire him to dispatch a commissionnaire for the tickets wanted, so that when I arrive, I have only to walk in, and place myself to the best advantage. It is wise not to establish the receiver's offices inside of the house, as in our theatres. By this plan, however great the crowd, the entrance is always unobstructed, and those violent struggles and pressures, which have cost the lives of many, are effectually prevented..... No half price is taken, but in different parts of the house there are bureaux de supplement, where, if you want to pass from one part to another, you exchange your counter-mark on paying the difference. Nothing can be better regulated both inside and out. You are not shocked, as formerly, by the presence of black-whiskered grenadiers, occupying different parts of the house, and, by their inflexible sternness, awing the spectators into a suppression of their feelings. No fusileer, with fixed bayonet and piece loaded with ball, now dictates to the pit that such a seat must hold so many, though some among them might be as broad-bottomed as Dutchmen. If you find yourself incommoded by heat or pressure, you are at liberty to declare it, without giving offence. Criticism is no longer silenced by a military despot, who, for an exclamation or gesture, not exactly coinciding to his liking, pointed him out to his myrmidons, and transferred him at once to prison. This despotism has been denied: but I will relate an instance of it. Some years ago, I was present at the Theatre Francais, when, in one of Corneille's pieces, mademoiselle Raucourt, the tragic actress, was particularly negligent in the delivery of a passage, in which justice to the author required the nicest discrimination. Ẩn amateur in the parterre reproved her, in a very gentle manner, for a wrong emphasis. Being, at this time, a favourite of the queen, she was, it seems, superior to admonition, and persisted in her misplaced shrieks, till it became evident that she set the audience at defiance. Others joined in expressing their disapprobation. Instantly the major singled out the leading critic: two grenadiers forced their way to the place where he was seated, and conveyed him to prison, for having had the audacity to reprove an actress in favour at court. From such improper exercise of authority, the following verse had become a proverb: "Il est bien des sifflets, mais nous avons la garde." A guard outside of a theatre is necessary for preserving order; but that the audience should not be at liberty to approve or condemn such a passage or actor, is to stifle the expression of that general opinion which alone can produce good performers. The interior police of the theatre being, at present, almost entirely in the hands of the public themselves, it is more justly observed and duly respected. Considering the natural impetuosity of their character, one is surprised at the patient tranquility with which the French range themselves in their places. Seldom do they interrupt the performance by loud talk, but converse in a whisper. When one sees them applaud, with rapture, a tender scene, which breathes sentiments of humanity or compassion, one is tempted to question whether the Parisians of the present day belong to the identical race that could, at one time, display the ferocity of tygers, and, at another, the tameness of lambs, while their nearest relations and best friends were daily bleeding on the scaffold. No theatre can be opened without the permission of the police, who depute proper persons to ascertain that the house is solidly built, the passages and outlets unincumbered and commodious, and that it is provided with reservoirs of water, and an adequate number of fire engines. Every public place is shut up immediately, if, for a single day, the proprietors neglect to keep the reservoirs full of water, the engines in proper order, and the fire-men ready. No persons can be admitted behind the scenes, except those in the service of the theatre; nor must the tickets distributed exceed that of the persons the house can conveniently hold. No coachman, under any pretext, can quit the reins of his horses, while the persons he has driven are getting out of or into their carriage. Indeed the necessity of his doing so is obviated by porters stationed at the door of the theatres, and appointed by the police. They are distinguished by a brass plate, on which their permission and the name of the theatre are engraved. At every theatre there is an exterior guard, at the disposal of the civil officer, stationed there for the preservation of order. This guard cannot enter the theatre unless the safety of the public is endangered, and at the express requisition of the said officer, who must first, in a loud voice, apprize the audience of his intention. All are bound to obey, provisionally, the officer of police. Every one invited, or summoned by him to quit the house, is immediately to repair to the police-office of the theatre, in order to give such explanations as may be required of him, whence he may either transfer him to the competent tribunal, or set him at liberty, according to circumstances. Proper places are appointed for carriages to wait at. When the play is ended, no carriage in waiting can move till the first crowd coming out of the house has disappeared. The commanding officer of the guard on duty decides the moment when carriages may be called. No carriage can move quicker than a foot-pace, and but on a single rank, till it has got clear of the streets in the vicinity of the theatre. Nor can it arrive thither but by the streets appointed for that purpose. Two hours before the rising of the curtain, sentinels are placed in sufficient number to execute these orders, and prevent any obstruction in the different avenues of the theatre. Indeed, obstruction is now seldom seen: I have more than once had the curiosity to count, and cause to be counted, all the private carriages in waiting at the grand French opera, on a night when the boxes were filled with the most fashionable company. Neither I nor my valet de place could ever reckon more than from forty to fifty; whereas, formerly it was not uncommon to see here between two and three hundred; and the noise of so many equipages rattling through the streets, from each of the principal theatres, sufficiently indicated that the performance was ended. A PARIS BALL. By a traveller, in 1802. IN this gay capital, balls succeed to balls in an almost incredible variety. There are an immense num 54 ber every evening, so that persons Midnight is the general hour for After I alighted, and presented my ticket, some time elapsed before I could squeeze into the room where the dancing was going forward..... The spectators were here so intermixed with the dancers, that they formed around them a border as complete as a frame to a picture. It is astonishing that, under such circumstances, a Parisian Terpsi chore, far from being embarrassed, Among the female part of the company, I observed several lovely women; some who might have been taken for Asiatic sultanas, irradiating the space around them by the dazzling brilliancy of their ornaments; others without jewels, but calling in every other aid of dress for the embellishment of their person; and a few, rich in their native charms alone, verifying the expression of the poet. In a well-educated French woman, there is an ease, an affability, a desire to please and be pleased, which not only render her manners peculiarly engaging, but also influence her gait, her gestures, her whole deportment in short, and capHer natural tivate admiration. cheerfulness and vivacity spread over her features an animation seldom to be found in our English fair, whose general characteristics are reserve and coldness. Hence that striking expression which exhibits the grace of the French women to superior advantage. Three of the most remarkable women in the ball-room were madame la princesse de Santa-Croce, who displayed more diamonds than any of her competitors; mademoiselle Lescot, who was the best dancer among several ladies renowned for dancing; and madame Tallien, who was, on the whole, the handsomest female that I saw in the A PARIS BALL. tected, is of more prejudice to society than bare-faced profligacy." The lady then resumed thus concerning the subject of my inquiry. "Were some people to hear me," said she, "they might think that I had drawn you a flattering portrait of madame Tallien, and say, by way of contrast, when the devil became old, he turned hermit; but I should answer, that, for some years, no twenty-four hours have elapsed without persons, whom I could name on occasion, having begun their daily career by going to see her, who saved their life, when, to accomplish that object, she hazarded her own." Tallien at the Opera Buffa, and was struck by her appearance, hefore I knew who she was. On seeing her again at the Salon des Etrangers, I inquired of a French lady of my acquaintance, whose understanding and discernment are pre-eminent, if madame Tallien had nothing to recommend her but her personal attractions? "In madame Tallien," said she, " beauty, wit, goodness of heart, grace, talents, all are united. In a gay world, where malice subsists in all its force, her inconsistencies alone have been talked of, without any mention being made of the numerous acts of beneficence, which have balanced, if they have not effaced, her weakness..... Here then is an additional inWould you believe," continued she, stance of the noble energy mani"that, in Paris, the grand theatrefested by women, during the most of misconduct, where moral obliga- calamitous periods of the revolution. tions are so much disregarded, Unappalled by the terrors of captiwhere we daily commit actions vity or of death, their sensibility imwhich we condemn in others; would pelled them to brave the ferocity of you believe, that madame Tallien sanguinary tyrants, in order to adexperiences again and again the minister hope or comfort to a pamortification of being deprived of rent, a husband, a relation, or a the society of this or that woman, friend. Some of these heroines, who has nothing to boast of but her though in the bloom of youth, not depravity, and cannot plead one act content with sympathizing in the of kindness, or even indulgence?..... misfortunes of others, gave themThis picture is very dark," added selves up as a voluntary sacrifice, she, “but the colouring is true." rather than survive those whose "What you tell me," observed I, preservation they valued more than "proves that, notwithstanding the their own existence. Rome may irruption of immorality, attributed vaunt her Porcia or her Cornelia; to the revolution, it is still necessary but the page of her history can profor a woman to preserve appear- duce no such exaltation of the feances at least, in order to be re- male character as has been exhiceived here in what is termed the bited, within the last ten years, by best company." "Yes, indeed," French women. Examples like replied she;" if a woman neglects these, of generosity, fortitude, and that main point in Paris, she will greatness of soul, deserve to be resoon find herself lowered in the opi- corded to the end of time, as they nion of the fashionable world, and do honour to the sex, and to human be at last excluded from even the nature. secondary circles. In London, your people of fashion are not quite so rigid." "If a husband chooses to wink at his wife's incontinence," rejoined I, "the world on our side of the water is sufficiently complaisant to follow his example. Now, with you, character is made to depend more on the observance of etiquette, and certainly hypocrisy, when de If, according to the scale of Pari sian enjoyment, a ball or rout is dull or insipid, a moins qu'on ne manque d'y etre etouffe, how supreme must have been the satisfaction of the. company at the Salon des Etran. gers! The number present, estimated at seven or eight hundred, occasioned so great a crowd, that it was by no means an easy enterprise |