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446 awaited with almost breathless suspense, and was greeted with a tumult of joyful enthusiasm. No artist, indeed, could wish for a heartier welcome than American au- diences habitually accord to a stranger. Nor, in the case of Bistori, did this spontaneous cordiality abate, as the perform- ance proceeded ; for the actress was recalled at the end of each act, and three times at the end of the play. Every heart felt the presence of an extraordinary woman. Her majesty of person and demeanor ; her gracious dignity ; her powerful and perfectly melodious voice, — the grandest voice that has been he^d on the stage in modern times; her stately, Roman head ; dark, flashing gray eyes ; wonderful mobility of feature ; luxuriant freedom and massive grace of gesture ; and, above all, the sense that hung about her of ex haustless reserve power, — could not fail, in truth, to thrill the sensitive, sympathetic American temperament. Then, too, her personation of Medea disclosed, as in a comprehensive picture, all the chief faculties and qualities of her genius. After-performances did, of course, make them more fully and definitely known ; but this performance seemed to crys- tallize them all. In the tragedy of " Medea ** an irresistible appeal is made to sympathy with both passionate and mater- nal love, — each of which is seen to be scorned and outraged, — and also to admiration for a brilliant personality. Medea^ a barbaric princess, has not only been deserted by her hus- band, whom she loves with an intense and wild ardor that is frightful and almost impious, but her children are taken from her, even at the supreme moment of agony when her recre- ant husband has cast her off in scorn, and announced his de- sign to wed another woman. To be wronged as a wife was a sufficiently miserable disaster. To be wronged as a mother is an overwhelming calamity. The double blow breaks Medea^a heart and crazes her brain, that is predisposed to madness. Then, in the poisoning of her rival and the