r in gaiety, and probably excelled her in humorous
expression, but we suspect she must always have been deficient in
elegance and refinement. The actress who, we think, comes nearest to her
in genteel comedy, is Mrs Henry Siddons, in her beautiful representation
of such parts as Beatrice or Viola; but she has not the same appearance
of natural light-hearted buoyancy and playfulness of disposition; you
see occasional transient indications of a serious thoughtful turn of
mind, which assumes gaiety and cheerfulness, rather than passes
naturally into it; which you admire, because it places the actress in a
more amiable light, but which takes off from the fidelity and perfection
of her art.

Wherever Mademoiselle Mars has acted, in every part of France, the
enthusiasm which she inspires, and the astonishing interest which they
take in her acting, is such as could be felt only in France. We were
fortunately in Lyons when she came there, on leaving Paris during the
course of last summer; and during the few days we were there, nothing
appeared to be thought of but the merits of this unrivalled actress. The
interest which the recent visit of _Madame_ had created, was altogether
lost in the delight which the performance of Mademoiselle Mars had
occasioned: She was crowned publicly in the theatre with a garland of
flowers, and a fete was celebrated in honour of her by the public bodies
and authorities of the town.

* * *

Corresponding to the Opera House in London, there are three theatres in
Paris; the Odeon, the Opera Comique, and the Academie de Musique. At the
first of these there is an immense company of musicians, of all kinds;
and Italian Operas are admirably performed. It is the handsomest, and
perhaps the most genteelly attended of any of the Parisian theatres.
The music here, as well as the musicians, are all Italian; and there
can certainly be no comparison between it and the French, which is
generally feeble and insipid in pathetic expression, and extravagant and
bombastic in all attempts at grandeur. The first singer at the Odeon was
Madame Sessi, who has since been in London; but Madame Morelli, with a
voice somewhat inferior in power, appeared to us a more elegant actress.
The performance of Girard on the flute was wonderful, and met with
extravagant applause, but it was somewhat too laboured and artificial
for our untutored ears:

The Opera Comique is confined almost exclusively to the sort of
entertainment wh