of the style of acting in which Fleury so eminently excels.

Whatever may be thought of the other performers, none can see without
pleasure the performances of that celebrated actress, who has so long
been the ornament of the national theatre, and to whom the support of
their comedy has been so long entrusted. During the greatest period of
the revolution, Mademoiselle Mars has been the favourite and the
delight of the people of Paris, and there is perhaps no feeling among
them stronger, or more national, than the pride which they take in her
incomparable acting; all the grace, and elegance, and genuine feeling
which she so beautifully displays, they consider as belonging to her
only because she is a French woman; and nothing would ever convince them
that, had she been born in any other country, it would have been
possible that she should possess half the perfections which they now
admire in her.

Mademoiselle Mars is probably as perfect an actress in comedy as any
that ever appeared on any stage. She has united every advantage of
countenance, and voice, and figure, which it is possible to conceive,
and no one can ever have witnessed her incomparable acting, without
feeling that the imagination can suggest nothing more completely
lovely--more graceful, or more natural and touching than her
representation of character. Mademoiselle Mars has been most exquisitely
beautiful; and though the period is past when that beauty had all the
brilliancy and freshness of youth, time appears hardly to have dared to
lay his chilling hand on that lovely countenance, and she still acts
characters which require all the naivete, and gaiety, and tenderness of
youthful feeling, with every appearance of the spring of human life. It
is remarked by Cibber, that a woman has hardly time to become a perfect
actress, during the continuance of her personal attractions. If there
ever was an exception to this remark, Mademoiselle Mars is one. She was
an admired actress, we were assured, before the revolution; yet she has
still, at least on the stage, a light elegant figure, and a countenance
of youthful animation and beauty, while long experience has given that
polish and perfection to her acting, which can be derived from no other
source.

It were in vain to attempt describing the innumerable excellencies which
render her acting so perfectly enchanting;--the admirable manner in
which the French comedies are performed is so particular to the stage o