The XVIIIth century; its institutions, customs, and costumes France, 1700-1789 . Fig. 264.—Madame Vestris in the character of Irene. Costume desi^ned al the Theatre-IVangais, and com-municated to Moreau for his picture of the crowning of Voltaires bust (Jan. 30, 1778). were sent to play their parts at the theatre, and brought back tothe prison after the performance, Lekain, Dauberval, Mole, andMdlle. Clairon being amongst those arrested. At last Du Belloywithdrew his tragedy from the bills; Dubois retired from the troupe;Mdlle. Clairon renounced the stage for ever ; while Bellecour, onbehalf o
The XVIIIth century; its institutions, customs, and costumes France, 1700-1789 . Fig. 264.—Madame Vestris in the character of Irene. Costume desi^ned al the Theatre-IVangais, and com-municated to Moreau for his picture of the crowning of Voltaires bust (Jan. 30, 1778). were sent to play their parts at the theatre, and brought back tothe prison after the performance, Lekain, Dauberval, Mole, andMdlle. Clairon being amongst those arrested. At last Du Belloywithdrew his tragedy from the bills; Dubois retired from the troupe;Mdlle. Clairon renounced the stage for ever ; while Bellecour, onbehalf of his comrades and himself, apologised to the jait; and sopeace was re-established. 3 f 402 THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. Actors, as well as authors, had some supporters amongst thepit audience. At first these partisans were personal friends andadmirers, who were granted free admission, on the strength of whichthey applauded loudly. But in the course of time it became the. Fig. 265.—Moiivel, as Memnon, in tlie tragedy nf Irciii:. (See Fig. 264.) custom to hire persons to applaud, and in 1786 military recruitingagents undertook, on payment of a fixed sum for each representation,to back Jip an actor or a play. It is true that the influence of theclaqueurs, as they were called, was counterbalanced by the presenceof a group of disinterested connoisseurs who occupied one corner ofthe pit. Lekain, after being applauded even more enthusiasticallythan usual one evening, left the stage with a very disconcerted air, THE THEATRES. 403 and, on being asked by a brother-actor how this was, he repHed : Itis true that I was applauded, but the applause did not come fromthe little corner. In this corner were the most noted dramatic
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