[39] This was one of the most successful of Sophie’s “creations.” The piece, the libretto of which had been adapted by Sedaine from a _conte_ of the Chevalier de Boufflers, published in 1761, was played twenty-six times in succession, an unusually long run in those days.
[40] The _Mercure_ is lavish in its praise of Sophie’s rendering of Colin, the boy’s part, in Jean Jacques Rousseau’s _Devin du Village_, in which she appeared in December 1767. But Mr. Douglas thinks that her performance was less successful than that rather partial organ declared it to be. At all events, he says, she did not repeat the experiment, and was always extremely sarcastic if any of her fellow actresses undertook masculine parts. Mlle. Allard, whose innumerable _galanteries_ had astonished, and almost shocked, even the nymphs of the Opera, one day happened to remark, after playing such a part, that she believed that half the audience really thought she was a boy. “But the other half _knew_ you were not, _ma chère_,” observed Sophie.
[41] Mr. Ernest Newman, “Gluck and the Opera,” p. 133.
[44] E. and J. de Goncourt, _Sophie Arnould_, p. 119.
[45] Desnoiresterres, _Gluck et Piccini_, p. 93.
[46] Mr. Ernest Newman, “Gluck and the Opera,” p. 139.
[47] The _Mémoires secrets_ attribute much of the applause to “the desire of the public to please Madame la Dauphine, who did not cease to clap her hands, and thus compelled the Comtesse de Provence, the princes, and all the boxes to do likewise.”
[49] Grimm, _Correspondance littéraire_, viii. 322.
[50] Métra, _Correspondance secrète_, i. 64.
[52] Campardon, _L’Académie royale de Musique au XVIIIe siècle_: Article, “Levasseur.”
[54] By the rules of the Opera, Sophie, as senior “_actrice chantante seule_” could have insisted, had she been so minded, on taking the part of Alceste. In 1774, Mlle. Duplant, who then occupied that position, claimed the title-part in _Iphigénie_, and considerable difficulty was experienced in persuading her to forego her claim, and be content with Clytemnestra.
[55] In October of that year, two successive issues of this worthy’s organ were confiscated by the police, on account of the scandalous attacks upon certain members of the theatrical profession which they contained.