Julia Ward Howe to Ann Ward Mailliard, Sunday, November 6, 1859

Sunday, November 6, 1859.

The potatoes arrived long since and were most jolly, as indeed they continue to be. Did n't acknowledge them 'cause knew other people did, and thought it best to be unlike the common herd. Have just been to church and heard Clarke preach about John Brown, whom God bless, and will bless! I am much too dull to write anything good about him, but shall say something at the end of my book on Cuba, whereof I am at present correcting the proof-sheets. I went to see his poor wife, who passed through here some days since. We shed tears together and embraced at parting, poor soul! Folks say that the last number of my Cuba is the best thing I ever did, in prose or verse. Even Emerson wrote me about it from Concord. I tell you this in case you should not find out of your own accord that it is good. I have had rather an unsettled autumn — have been very infirm and inactive, but have kept up as well as possible — going to church, also to Opera, also to hear dear Edwin Booth, who is playing better than ever. My children are all well and delightful. . . .

I have finished Tacitus' history, also his Germans. . . . Chev is not at all annoyed by the newspapers, but has been greatly overdone by anxiety and labor for Brown. Much has come upon his shoulders, getting money, paying counsel, and so on. Of course all the stories about the Northern Abolitionists are the merest stuff. No one knew of Brown's intentions but Brown himself and his handful of men. The attempt I must judge insane but the spirit heroic. I should be glad to be as sure of heaven as that old man may be, following right in the spirit and footsteps of the old martyrs, girding on his sword for the weak and oppressed. His death will be holy and glorious — the gallows cannot dishonor him — he will hallow it. . . .

SOURCE: Laura E. Richards & Maud Howe Elliott, Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910, Large-Paper Edition, Volume 1, p. 176-7

Diary of Josephine Shaw Lowell: October 25, 1862

Another battle before the month is up. Oh! we are indeed being crushed and chastened! It is a great comfort in these days when (in New York at least) the people seem trifling and uncertain, to hear such good, strong confidence expressed as Mr. Henry James¹ said he felt in the people's “coming to self-consciousness,” as he called it. When I asked him if he thought it would take long to make them feel that they were the one and only power, and that they must save their native land, he said: “No, perhaps a day might do it. Some manly act on the part of a leader might crystallize the men near him.” Everything looks dark and uncertain ahead, except the pure faith in God and ourselves. However, it isn't well to be down-hearted in view of the proclamation, — that must work. I was told yesterday by Lou Schuyler that the negroes in Georgia had quietly refused to work, sitting calmly with no idea of insurrection, but simply immovable. In Louisiana (as a lady told Mother who came from there) there is no more slavery, and with such facts before us how can we say nothing has been accomplished?

Yesterday at the theatre it didn't sound well when Richelieu² said: “Take away the sword,” etc., to hear loud applause, but we comforted ourselves with the reflection that it was New York and only the upper gallery at that. I suppose waiting is wholesome and trust that it is as Mr. James said, that “When the people do wake up and know themselves, we shall have blessed happy peace forever.” We, as a Nation, are learning splendid lessons of heroism and fortitude through it that nothing else could teach. All our young men who take their lives in their hands and go out and battle for the right grow noble and grand in the act, and when they come back (perhaps only half of those who went) I hope they will find that the women have grown with them in the long hours of agony. Mr. James brought Nellie and me today two photographs of Wilkie,³ who had gone off in the 44th as Sergeant, and on the back was somebody's or something's escutcheon with the motto, “Vincere vel mori.” It seemed a very fitting one for a young soldier going forth in all the ardor of a first campaign. Dear boys! How noble they are, and yet how can they help being noble? I have longed so to go myself that it seemed unbearable, and Emmie Russell⁴ wrote me from Florence that it always made her cry to see soldiers, partly for thinking of our army, and partly for chagrin that she was not a man to go too. We can work though if we can't enlist, and we do. It is very pleasant to see how well the girls and women do work everywhere, sewing meetings, sanitary hospitals and all. Lou Schuyler told me at the Sanitary yesterday that there were 150,000 sick and wounded now in the different hospitals to be cared for! and I suppose, poor fellows, they are cold and tired and miserable, even after all that's been done for them! God help us all.

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¹ The elder of that name.

² Played at that time by Edwin Booth.

³ Wilkie James, brother of Professor William James.

⁴ Afterwards Mrs. Charles L. Pierson, of Boston.

SOURCE: William Rhinelander Stewart, The Philanthropic Work of Josephine Shaw Lowell, p. 35-6

The Marble Heart

THE MARBLE HEART, OR THE SCULPTOR'S DREAM, a drama in prologue and four acts adapted by Charles Selby from MM. Barriere and Thebout's drama of "Les Filles de Marbre," was produced at the Adelphi Theatre in London on May 22, 1854. The cast was as follows:

Raphael Duchatlet, Leigh Murray.

Volage, Benjamin Webster.

Viscount Chateaumargaux, Paul Bedford.

Monsieur Veaudori, Charles Selby.

Marco, Madame Celeste.

Clementine, Miss Cuthbert.

Mariette, Emma Harding.

Marie, Sarah Woolgar.

Madame Duchatlet, Mrs. Leigh Murray.

A little over a month after Benjamin Webster assumed management of the Adelphi Theatre, he brought out Selby's adaptation. The original play had created considerable furor in Paris upon its performance in May of the previous year, when it had been produced at the Vaudeville with Charles Fechter as the hero.

"The Marble Heart" had a very successful career at the Adelphi, and was praised moderately in the press, the chief exceptions being taken to the manner in which the crucial scenes were prolonged beyond the point of interest, and to the allegorical prologue, which was found to have little or no relation to the drama itself. Mr. Murray achieved unexpected distinction in the leading character, and Madame Celeste also came in for a good share of praise. "While Mr. Murray's acting is the chief feature of the new drama," said the "Times," "Madame Celeste makes the most of a not very kindly part. Her quiet manner of acting the marble-hearted lady, who sits in calm contemplation of her lover's distracted gestures, is as truthful as it is unobtrusive; and the remorse she feels when at last she sees the dead body of Raphael is depicted by a most terrific expression of countenance."

The character of Raphael was a favorite one with Edwin Adams and Lawrence Barrett in the old stock days of the American theatre, and almost every actor of note was at some time or other seen in the drama, for it contained several good parts besides that of the hero. The original American performance of the play was at the Metropolitan Theatre in San Francisco in January, 1855, with the parts thus distributed:

Raphael, Edwin Booth.

Viscount Chateaumargaux,Henry Coad.

Volage, Henry Sedley.

Marco, Mrs. C. N. Sinclair.

Clementine, Mrs. Burrill.

Mariette, Miss Lane.

Marie, Miss Mowbray.

On April 23 of the following year it was brought out in New York at the Metropolitan Theatre, with George Jordan as Raphael, G. K. Dickinson as Volage, T. B. Johnston as Chateaumargaux, Laura Keene as Marco, Ada Clare as Fedora, Kate Reignolds as Marie, and Mary Wells as Madame Duchatlet. Its first performance in Boston, in September, 1856, was with Julia Bennett Barrow as Marco, Mrs. John Wood as Marie, and John Gilbert as Volage. One of the most famous Raphaels of his time was John Wilkes Booth, a character in which Charles R. Thorne, Jr., was also successful, while F. B. Conway as the sculptor, and Mrs. Conway as Marco, were noted in their respective parts. Madame Ponisi used to play Marco, and John Brougham at one time acted Volage. Of late years, Robert B. Mantell has been the only star who has essayed the character of Raphael, although in many instances the local stock companies have given the play with satisfactory results.

SOURCE: John Bouvé Clapp and Edwin Francis Edgett, Plays of the Present, p. 174-6