" It is
said here, that Madame S. has long had only a friendship for Chopin,
who, perhaps, on his side prefers to be a lover, and a jealous lover;
but she does not leave him, because he needs her care so much, when
sick and suffering. About all this, I do not know; you cannot know
much about anything in France, except what you see with your two eyes.
Lying is ingrained in "_la grande nation_" as they so plainly show no
less in literature than life.
RACHEL.
In France the theatre is living; you see something really good, and
good throughout. Not one touch of that stage-strut and vulgar bombast
of tone, which the English actor fancies indispensable to scenic
illusion, is tolerated here. For the first time in my life, I saw
something represented in a style uniformly good, and should have found
sufficient proof, if I had needed any, that all men will prefer what
is good to what is bad, if only a fair opportunity for choice
be allowed. When I came here, my first thought was to go and see
Mademoiselle Rachel. I was sure that in her I should find a true
genius. I went to see her seven or eight times, always in parts that
required great force of soul, and purity of taste, even to conceive
them, and only once had reason to find fault with her.
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