JOAN OF ARC.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 46, 7 March 1890, Page 19

JOAN OF ARC.

(Paris correspondent of Liverpool Catholw Times.) Thr production of Jules Barbier's '• Jeanne d'Arc " at the Port-Saint-Martin Theatre is a dramatic event of sufficient importance to appeal, even to those uninterested in a general way in theatrical matters. A heroine whose process of beahtic aion is going forward at Rome it brought upon the stage ; her character is personated by the greatest of living actress ; while the music, which forms an importanr element of the performance, is by the most re igious-minded com poLjr of out tim-i, Charles Gounjd. Fjronce, noble Catnolic matrons were not afraid to take their young diusjhters to the Port-Saint- Martin ; so that od the opening night the curtain rose up>n an assembly comprising many members of the old French aristocracy. The world of fashion and of letters was well represented on the occasion. Critics are of opinson that Sara Bernbardta* Jeinned'Are surpasses hersalf, and that never in her dramatic career hassho achieved a greater triumph. Her subtle genius and imposing personality are lost sight of in the historic and inspired heroine. Wearing a peasant dress of blue and grey stuff and with large Rosary beads by her side, she ren lera ia aa adauraole manner Jeanne's mystic communings with the saintly visitants, St. Margaret and Bt. Catherine, in herfitaer'a house at Domreruy. A little later she is the iron-clad warrior leading the victory ; and again a little later sha is the martyr burning at the stake in the market-place of Rouen. All this is grandly historic, while the scenic side of the performance is like a backward glance at the France of four centuries ago. The marvellous cathedral scenes pressnted, an t the grand religious music to which one listens, render true the remark that at the Port-Saint- Martin" the Cnurch has beeo brought on the stage."

Mgr. Perraud, Bishop of Autun, says : "Jeanne's body, reduced to dust, was thrown into the Siine ; and, as the waves have carried particles to all parts of the univerie.she has a tomb wide as the world." M. Pasteur siys : " Jeanne d'Arc is a proof that the greatness of human actions is to be measured by the thought that inspired them." M. Leon Say writes : " When our country is in trouble a consolation remains to Frenchmen. It is that a JeaDne d'Arc was bora unto them and that history repeals itself." M. Herve, of the Soleil, gives as hisopinijn that when Jeanne d'Arc is canonised she should become the patroness of France. Still later opinions have been emitted on eanne d'Arc. Jules Clartie. man of letters and director of the Comedie-Francaise, has just written : " I know nothing more beautiful oi mnre exquisite in our past history than the episode of Jeanne d'Arc — the heroic and holy Jeanne. She appeers like a lily growing in an ensanguined soil. She has the bravery of a soldier, the tenderness of a woman, and the canioar of a child. I think of her and I say with Schiller, ' Has heaven no angels left V " The Cotnte d'Haussonville writes : "Jeanne d'Arc is the embodiment of the two great moral forcesthat have made the greatness of France ia the past, viz., the rehgi us and the national sentiment."

A Paris telegram reports the murder of two French missionaries near Berbera in Eastern Africa.

Miss Lahiff and Miss Lillie Lahiff were recently received into the Church at Gort, Co. Galway. They are daughters of Mr. James Lahifi, J.P., a gentleman of large landed property residing at Gort House.

The Conservative Party (says Truth) is fortunate ia the possession of a lecturer named Bill. Mr. Bnl is also a bit of a poet. He enchanted a Tory gathering at a place called Chilvers Ooton the other diy by reciting a new Irish National Authem, of which he has been safely delivered. Ihe reference to the Pigott conspiracy in this work are so effective, if not altogether cohere, ir, that they ought to be at once incorpora'e i with the original aotnem, though Id) uot know why they should have been rapturously applauded by tha Chilvera Cotomans :—: —

" Fiom edi'onal knaves. Black, factious, facile staves, [Qi/., braves, or Bom to fill vilest grave?, giaves or waves] God save Ireland 1 From prostituted pens By fiend hands, not by men's, Wielded in murd'rous dens — God save Ireland .' "

Mr. Edward Allingbam, M,8.,T.C.D, Belfast, brother of the deceased, wntes as filiows: — "i wish to correct the impression sought to be conveyed that the late William Alhngharn is to be regarded as aa Enghsn pG t. I am his brother, and lam better content to simply adhere to fact ; and I am proud in being an Iriehman, and it ought to bt stated tint he also was such ; and fame will only tpeak of him regardfully or lovingly as an Irish poet, pure and simple. His father, grandfa her. and greatgrandfather were Irishmen. He was likewise In^h on hia mother's side. The family were in Ballythan'ion in Queen Elizabeth's time."

Cocaine, as is now well known, is a very valuable, but an exceedingly daugerous dius ; and M. Dufoumier has ldt'ly pub ianed id. the Archixes de Medicine the remarkable results of his investigations iuio us use. Cißes whoie accidents have occurred are very numerous and there is nard.y a surgeon using c came who has not had occasion to witm ss them. As etrly as 1887, Dr. Mattison pubhhhed an account of forty such instances, and the roll of victims who have lost their life from a. dose of cocaine has now reacbel as high a 9 nine. In a laige numDer of cases it has given rise to a species of poisoning, fioan which the patient usually recovers. AmoDg the phenomena characterising tins foim of poisoning one observed in a patient of Dr E. Bradley is worthy of special mention. This patient was taken with facial paraly&i*, irom which he did not recover for six months. Other symptoms are hall icinations, great excitement, and cerebral agitation ; and, finally, Dr. Leslie Callaghan in one case saw the entire body covered by a scarlatina-formed rash,