Choron took her half frozen from the streets of Paris, she wore a gorgeous diamond necklace, with the words "Victoria to Rachel" emblazoned upon it!
Mademoiselle Rachel is at the head of her profession as a tragic actress, and her annual income is not far from thirty-five thousand dollars. Like Jenny Lind in another public sphere, she has no peer in her profession or the admiration of the votaries of the drama. She might have been one of the greatest of living singers, but she preferred to aim at the highest tragic eminence. That she has accomplished.
Would that we could add—what may be truly said of the sweet singer of Sweden—"Mademoiselle Rachel bears a spotless reputation!" It could hardly be expected, accustomed as the poor little girl was to scenes of misery and low vice in such a licentious city as Paris, that Rachel would grow up with much natural delicacy o< feeling; but genius should have a purifying power, giving more elevation of sentiment to the soul of a woman. No doubt calumny has exaggerated the reports of Mademoiselle Rachel's amours; nor ought she to be judged by the standard of a Siddons, who was born and trained in a land where female chastity is required as the crowning grace of the actress. Still we do regret that a shadow has fallen on the fair fame of one who might have been, like Jenny Lind, a glory to her sex as well as to her profession. But let us record her good deeds. Mademoiselle Rachel is said to be very charitable to the poor. She has provided generously for her own family; educating her sisters and brothers, and never forgetting the humble condition from which she has risen. As a memorial of her street minstrelsy, she religiously preserves her old guitar.
RADCLIFFE, ANN,
A celebrated romance writer, whose genius and amiability adds lustre to the glory of her sex, was born in London, July 9th., 1764. She was the only child of respectable parents, William and Ann Wood; and in her twenty-third year married Mr. William Radcliffe, who was brought up to the bar, but subsequently became proprietor and editor of the English Chronicle. The peculiar bent of the genius of Mrs. Radcliffe was not manifested till after her marriage; though she had, from childhood, displayed extraordinary powers of mind. That her husband encouraged and promoted her literary pursuits is probable, indeed certain; with her love of home and delicacy of moral sentiment, she would never have pressed onward In a career of public authorship which he did not approve. Her first work, "The Castles of Athliu and Dunbayne," was published in 1789, two years after her marriage. This romance did not indicate very high talent; but "The Sicilian Romance," published the following year, showed a decided development of intellectual power. It excited deep interest, attracting by its romantic and numerous adventures, and its beautiful descriptions of scenery. "The Romance of the Forest" appeared in 1791; and "The Mysteries of Udolpho" in 1794. This was the most popular of her performances, and is generally considered her best. "The Italian" was published in 1797.
In examining these varied productions, all written in the course of ten years, we are struck with the evident progress of her mind, and the gradual mastery her will obtained over the resources of
