with fever, fumigation and ventilation ought immediately to be had recourse to, in order to prevent the propagation of the infection. mily is suspected to be attacked || their directions are often forgotten. It were, therefore, to be wished that every person were made acquainted with the means that ought to be used, in order to employ them immediately on any appearance of fever occurring in their family. 4. Clothes belonging to an infected person, or clothes or furniture suspected to be at all impregnated with any contagious matter, ought to be washed and fumigated before being used. Were these few general rules strictly observed and practised in all cases, I have no doubt, continues the writer, that much mischief would be prevented, and many valuable lives saved; personal experience of their utility enabling me to recommend them with the greatest confidence. In regard to fumigation, in those cases where the fever is very prevalent in a narrow street or lane, perhaps it would not altogether be a visionary idea, to endeavour so far to charge the atmosphere for a certain space with nitrous vapour, by having vessels of the above description, or else what are called fumigating lamps, on a large scale, placed properly for the purpose in the open air, and kept constantly going this might add so far to the means of checking the progress of Medical men often give general directions on these points, in visit-infection. ing the sick; but I have occasion to know, that many of them, from a culpable supineness, are not sufficiently exact in this respect, and it generally happens that none of these means are practised, at least amongst the lower orders. Besides, medical men have not always time to superintend these measures, and As to the amulets worn by many individuals, containing camphor, &c. they can only be useful by inspiring confidence; but by inspiring a confidence beyond their merits, they may prevent the adoption of those means that are of real utility. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES AND ANECDOTES. MEMOIR OF M. TALMA, THE FRENCH TRAGEDIAN. THE visit to this country of the most celebrated performer on the French stage, having naturally excited some public curiosity respecting him, the following memoir, extracted from No. XX. of the Literary Gazette, will, we doubt not, prove acceptable to our readers. M. Talma, who is now in his fiftieth year, was born in France, and remained there till he attained his eighth year, when he was sent to receive a part of his education in this country. It is a remarkable circumstance in this early part of his life, that he was selected to * A weekly paper published by Col-perform a principal character in a burn, Conduit-street. play, that was got up and perform The French almost despair of ever finding his equal-his superior they think impossible. It was not to be expected that such a man as Talma, considering the times in which he lived, could have avoided the imputation of party principles. He accordingly has been put down as of the revolutionary party; but this is an error, or rather a calum ring the whole course of the revolution, of the moderate party, and, whatever his enemies may say to the contrary, he never made himself conspicuous. His commanding talents-his general acquirements-and, above all, the excellence of his private character, so distinguished for liberality and hospitality, cannot fail to ensure him a favourable reception in this country. ed before their Royal Highnesses the Prince Regent and Duke of York, at the Hanover-square rooms, then belonging to Sir John Gallini, by the proprietors of the academy where he was placed; and that, though he acquitted himself very well, he was so much agitated by his emotions in this his first essay, as not to recover from its effects for some time after the perform-ny, of his enemies, for he was, duance was over. He returned to France in his fifteenth year to finish his education, remained at college a few years, and revisited England in 1783. It was at this period that he first felt an inclination for that profession, of which he was destined to become so distinguished an ornament. On seeing Mr. Kemble and Mrs. Siddons in tragedy, he returned to France in 1786, and began to apply himself to surgery as his future profession; but his predominant passion still carrying him to the stage, M. Molé, a celebrated comic actor with whom he became acquainted, took him under his care, and from the high opinion which he entertained of his talents, introduced him to the committee of the Theatre Français, by whom he was engaged in 1787 he made his first appearance in the character of Seid in Voltaire's Mahomet. He was then about twenty; his success was immediate, rapid, and astonishing: he soon became so celebrated a tragedian, that La Rive, a famous actor, who, before Talma made his appearance, shone without a rival, was forced to retire from the stage. To that high character which he acquired so early in his professional career, experience in his art has given additional lustre. He speaks English fluently, but does not intend to perform any character in an English play, nor, indeed, is it certain that he will in a French one, as he came here merely for his amusement. The above account has appeared in the Antigallican. We have to observe that the editor mistakes in saying, that "he soon became so celebrated as a tragedian, that La Rive, a famous actor, who, before Talma made his appearance, shone without a rival, was forced to retire from the stage." La Rive continued long on the stage after Talma had acquired his reputation. He fully enjoyed public favour to the last, and the crown he had won did not lose its lustre when opposed to the laurels of his young rival. The debut of Talma excited no enthusiasm. The part of Charles IX. in the tragedy of that name, by froy was at the Theatre Français, accompanied by his wife, and a lady and gentleman their friends, the door of his box suddenly opened while the performers were on the stage. A man appeared, and said in a loud tone of voice, "Is M. Geoffroy here?" Without waiting for a reply, he entered the box, and seizing Geoffroy by the hand, "Come out, villain!" continued be. claimed Madame Geoffroy. The friend of the critic then repelling the tragic monarch, whose nails were already imprinted in charac Chenier, was the one which afforded him an opportunity of commencing and establishing his reputation. Among other things, it was observed that he devoted such minute attention to his costume and head-dress, and gave so peculiar an expression to his features, that he presented a striking resemblance to the portraits which are preserved of that monarch. French critics have been divided" Heavens, 'tis M. Talma!" exin opinion concerning the merits of Talma, who is the creator of a new style of declamation on the French stage. Some have accused him of heaviness in his delivery, a hollow-ters of blood upon the hand of his ness of tone, and a voice which is almost always confined, and which never developes itself except by sudden bursts. Others declare him to be a model of the beau idéal, and an artist who has arrived at a degree of perfection which none ever before attained, and which none can in future hope to acquire. Impartial amateurs agree that no one equals Talma in the character of a tyrant or a conspirator, such as Nero, Manlius, &c.; but in those which require spirit, nobleness, and dignity, like Tancred, Orosmanes, Achilles, &c. they prefer La Fond, who at this moment shares with him the tragic sceptre of the Theatre Français. censor, succeeded in forcing him out of the box and closing the door upon him. The door was, however, opened a second time; the siege of the box again commenced, but the occupants had the advantage, and remained masters of the field of battle. Had such an affair as this occurred in England, the actor would have been tried for an assault. In France, however, he was dismissed with a slight reproof, which Savary, who was then minister of police, delivered to him with a smile. On the following day Geoffroy gave a description of this scene in the Journal des Debats, and was expert enough to turn the joke against his adversary. Napoleon was exceedingly attached to Talma, and appointed him lis reader. The celebrated critic Geoffroy, perhaps a little too much imbued with the principles of the old school, frequently attacked the acting and declamation of Talma in the Journal des Debats. The latter, who was intoxicated with the applauses lavished upon him, could not endure the pointed censures with which the old critic daily stung "Britannicus," says Lady Morhim. One evening, whilst Geof-gan," so long the fashion, from We are happy in being able on the present occasion to subjoin an extract from Lady Morgan's forthcoming work, further illustrative of the peculiar talents of this distinguished actor. not an ear unattending; every one seemed to have the play by heart, and every one attended, as if they "In the famous scene of Britannicus where Agrippina is left tête-àtête with her son, to enter on her the Roman empress, went through a long speech of a hundred and ten lines, with great clearness, elegance of enunciation, and graceful calmness of action. the inimitable performance of Talma in Nero, awakened my most anxious expectations; and it was not without emotion that I saw my-had never seen it before. self, for the first time, in the great national theatre of France, and in a box chosen and procured for me by M. Talma himself. Still, how-defence, Mademoiselle Georges, as ever great my expectation, however lively my impatience for the rising of the curtain, which recalled the long-blunted vivacity of feelings of childish solicitude and curiosity, I soon perceived that I was cold, languid, and inanimate to the genuine French audience that surrounded me. The house was an overflow at an early hour: the orchestra, cleared of all its instruments, was filled to suffocation; and the parterre, as usual, crowded with men (chiefly from the public schools and lycées, whose criticisms not unfrequently decide the fate of new pieces, and give weight to the reputation of old ones), exhibited hundreds of anxious faces, marked countenances, and figures and costumes which might answer alike for the bands of brigandage, or the classes of philosophy. Some were Some were reading over the tragedy; others were commenting particular passages; a low murmur of agitation crept through the house like the rustling of leaves to a gentle wind, until the rising of the curtain stilled every voice, composed every muscle, and riveted the very existence of the audience (if I may use the expression) upon the scene. "The theatres of other countries assemble spectators, but an audience is only to be found in a French theatre. Through the whole five acts attention never flagged for a moment; not an eye was averted, "During the first seventy lines of this speech, Talma, as Nero, sat a patient and tranquil auditor. No abrupt interruption of haughty impatience, disdaining the curb of a long-neglected authority, was furnished by the genius of the author, or gave play to the talents of the admirable actor; and the little byplay allowed him, or rather that he allowed himself, was not risked, until towards the close of the speech: it was then, however, exquisite--it was nature. The constraint of forced and half-given attention, the languor of exhaustion, the restlessness of tedium, and the struggle between some little remains of filial deference and habitual respect, blended with the haughty impatience of all dictation, were depicted, not in strong symptoms and broad touches of grimace and action, but with a keeping, a tact, a fidelity to nature, indescribably fine. His transition of attitude; his playing with the embroidered scarf round his neck, and which made a part of his most classical costume, his almost appearing to count its threads, in the inanity of his profound ennui, were all traits of the highest order of acting. In London, this acting would "The dignity and tragic powers of Talma, on the stage, are curiously but charmingly contrasted with the simplicity, playfulness, and gaiety of his most unassuming, unpretending manners off the stage. I (who had never seen Coriolanus in the drawing-room, but as I had pected to meet this great tragedian in private life, in all the pomp and solemnity of his profession; the cold address, the measured meet the actor: but in the simple, unaffected manners of this celebrated person, I found only the well-bred and accomplished gentleman. Talma had, in his early life,been intimate with Buonaparte; and the ex-emperor (who never forgot the friends of the young engineer officer,) accorded the petitesentrées of the palace to the sovereign of the Théatre Français. Tal have produced a thunder of applause; in Paris it was coldly received, because it was innovation; and many a black head in the parterre was searching its classical recesses, for some example from some traditional authority, from Baron, or Le Kain, of an emperor being restless on his chair, or of the incident of playing with the hand-seen Coriolanus in the Forum,) exkerchief being at all conformable to the necessity" de représenter noblement," in all kings, since the time of Louis le Grand. "Whether on the stage at the Thé-phrase; in a word, I expected to atre Français, or in the Thuilleries, Talma is eminently superior to the school whose rules he is obliged to obey. His great genius always appeared to me to be struggling against the methodical obstacles presented to its exertions. He is the Gulliver of the French stage tied down by Lilliputian threads. Before talents like his can exert their full force, and take their uttermost scope, a new order of dra-ma saw him constantly; not, howma must succeed to the declama- ever, to give him lessons (an inventory and rhyming school which tion at which Buonaparte and Talnow occupies the French stage. ma both laughed); but to discuss Talma is a passionate admirer of his favourite topic, tragedy, of the English drama, and of Shak- which he was passionately fond. speare. He speaks English fluent-On this subject, however, the actor ly, and told me that he had a great frequently differed with the empe desire to play in one of Shakspeare's ror; while the emperor as fretragedies. He did not complain, | quently dictated to the actor, greetbut he hinted at the restraint under ing him with, Eh bien! Talma, which his talents laboured, from vous n'avez pas usé de vos moyens that esprit de systéme, which the hier au soir.' Napoleon always French have banished from every disputed the merits of comedy, and other art, and which keeps its last observed to a gentleman, from hold on their stage. But he said, whom I had the anecdote, Si vous If I attempt the least innovation; préferez la comédie, c'est parceque if I frown a shade deeper to-night vous vieillissez.' Et vous, Sire," than I frowned last night, in the replied Monsieur vous aimez la same character, the parterre are tragédie, parceque vous êtes trop sure to call me to order.' jeune.'" - |