ve of his future career. On his return to Paris he became an
actor, and soon conquered great popularity. He is particularly clever in
disguising himself, so as to be quite unrecognisable. With his dress he
changes his voice, gait, and even his face; and will look the part of a
decrepid old woman every bit as well as the more easily assumed one of a
scapegrace student. His vivacity, good-humour, and fun, are
inexhaustible. In the ludicrous extravaganzas, reviews of the past year,
which nearly every carnival sees produced at the Palais Royal, he is
perfectly irresistible. Powerfully aided by Grassot, Lemenil, Sainville,
and Alcide Tousez, he keeps the house in an unceasing roar, even at
pieces which, like the _Pommes-de-terre Malades_ and the _Enfant du
Carnaval_, are in themselves of very feeble merit. An excellent singer
and clever actor, he is also a capital dancer and first-rate mimic,
imitating with extraordinary facility every possible sound, whether the
cries of animals or any thing else. And, off the stage, Levassor is as
unassuming and gentlemanly as he is amusing and accomplished upon it.

Ravel is another droll dog, but quite in a different style from
Levassor. The latter is all quickness, impetuosity, and _entrain_; Ravel
is of a more passive style of comicality. At times he reminds us of two
English actors, Buckstone of the Haymarket, and Wright, the Adelphi low
comedian. He has something of Buckstone's odd monotony of manner, and,
like him, often excites the laughter of an audience by his mere look or
attitude. When Wright is not compelled to make a buffoon of himself in
some stupid travestie, but is allowed fair scope for the display of his
comic talents, which are really considerable, we prefer him to Ravel. He
is a steady and improving performer. In _Paul Pry_, and some other stock
pieces, his acting is quiet and excellent. Many of Ravel's characters
have been taken by him in the English version. Ravel is seldom seen to
greater advantage than as a soldier. He exactly renders the mingled
simplicity and cunning of the conscript; the tricks of the barrack-room
grafted upon clownish dulness. The piece called the _Tourlourou_--the
French nickname for a recruit--founded on a novel of Paul de Kock's, was
one of his triumphs, and another was _Le Caporal et la Payse_, Englished
as "Seeing Wright." In short, he occupies a high position amongst the
half-dozen drolls who, night after night, send home the audience of th