e extolled as a wonder, carefully noted
certain of the merits and characteristics of her performance. "She was
an unskilled child, but she possessed heart, soul, intellect. There
was something bold, abrupt, uncouth about her aspect, gait, and
manner. She was dressed simply and truthfully in the coarse woollen
gown of a peasant-girl; her hands were red; her voice was harsh and
untrained, but powerful; she acted without effort or exaggeration; she
did not scream or gesticulate unduly; she seemed to perceive
intuitively the feeling she was required to express, and could
interest the audience greatly, moving them to tears. She was not
pretty, but she pleased," etc. Bouffe, who witnessed this
representation, observed: "What an odd little girl! Assuredly there is
something in her. But her place is not here." So judged Samson also,
becoming more and more aware of the merits of his former pupil. She
was transferred to the Francais to play the leading characters in
tragedy, at a salary of 4,000 francs a year. M. Poirson did not
hesitate to cancel her agreement with him. Indeed, he had been
troubled with thinking how he could employ his new actress. She was
not an _ingenue_ of the ordinary type; she could not be classed among
soubrettes. There were no parts suited to her in the light comedies of
Scribe and his compeers, which constituted the chief repertory of the
Gymnase.

It was on June 12, 1838, that Rachel, as Camille, in "Horace," made
her first appearance upon the stage of the Theatre Francais. The
receipts were but seven hundred and fifty francs; it was an
unfashionable period of the year; Paris was out of town; the weather
was most sultry. There were many Jews in the house, it was said,
resolute to support the daughter of Israel, and her success was
unequivocal; nevertheless, a large share of the applause of the night
was confessedly carried off by the veteran Joanny, who played Horace.
On June 16th Rachel made her second appearance, personating Emilie in
the "Cinna," of Corneille. The receipts fell to five hundred and fifty
francs. She repeated her performance of Camille on the 23d; the
receipts were only three hundred francs! the poorest house, perhaps,
she ever played to in Paris. She afterward appeared as Hermione in
"Andromaque," Amenaide in "Tancrede," Eriphile in "Iphigenie," Monime
in "Mithridate," and Roxane in "Bajazet," the receipts now gradually
rising, until, in October, when she played Hermione for the tent