The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-09-06
MRS. FANNY KEMBLE BUTLER-MISS
SEDGWICK.
NoRrA ApAMs, Mass, August 10, lS49.

SEDGWICK.
NoRTH ADAMS, NJ ass, August 10, 1919.
Last Monday evening, was at Lenox, to hear
Mrs. Fanny Kemble Butler read Shakespeare.
She read 'The Tempest This, am told is a
tavorite play OF hers; and | am very sure that il
Shakespeare had been present, he would have
been more than delighted with his own Tempest.
mad set my expectations high, but they were
fully realized Mrs b is the best reader have
ever heard Her manner is inimitable--naturaI.
1T was the only time, save one, that | ever
heard Shakespeare read publicly, when could
not have returned verdict aglnst the reader, OF
=" Murder, in the first degree. Mrs B. re.
veaed to her attentive and admiring auditory, new
beauties in the Tempest 1t seemed almost i'm
possible that the woman could so well personate
by voice, by look, by gesture-Prospero Cali
ban, Stephano, and Ariel At times, the erpres.
SION of her face would be perfectly beautiful; and
then again, she would look lke'a devi-a born
devil" Her deineation of "Caliban, savage
and deformed slave," was wonderful and power
tul. 1t was unequalled by any thing have ever
heard Mrs B. has voice, 4ao,C-low, soft, and
sweet, as the gentest discourse OF wind harp,
and nOtc-loud, fierce, heavy, turbulent, and
toarse as drunken giant. Her enunciation is
cerfect-her intonations admirable. She conveys
pc the audience the feelings, passions, character,
OF the person she represents: and she reads the
sentiments OF the author, as he felt them. 1t
seemed to me that she was magnetized by living
Shakespeare; as his heart aud mind seemed to beat
and act in her. She is perfect master of her
tavorite author; and rather guess, it is doubtful
ii she is not the very best reader Of the great
Poet, living.
Twas very much disappointed in the Personal
of Mrs B. She is masculine, very, in mind, and
body. Her figure is not majestic, Or commanding,
or elegant Her form is not comely-her face
any thing but beautiful; and yet in her reading
she would make it radate with the beauty OF
love like expression. Her person is short and
massive;-she has nothing Of the light and grace
ful in her form. You can read in her face, that
she was born 10 command; never to obey. She
is woman OF great talents--ot correct principles
-ot great energy-ot strong passions and feelings,
and likes the mighty cataract, and the live thun-
der, better than she does the winding rivule or
the evening zephyr, or | am mistaken in that
eye, and in the expression OF that mouth. She
must hate tame man. She would rather play
with lions than with lambs, and would rather
ride a wild horse Of the prairies than the gentle
palfrey OF tmid girl. There is no horse, am
told, too spirited for Mrs B. 10 ride or driv. She
admires spirit IN any living thing and, guess,
most of all in men.
Mrs B. has purchased an estate in Lenox, and
will probably build her home in that town,
where she has large circle OF devoted friends.
So much has been said of Mrs Butler-so much
has her name been before the public, that shall
offer no apology for thus writing my impressions
Of her, have not trespassed upon the sanctity
OF private life. She is a remarkable woman-bet-
ter fitted 10 delineate every variety of human
character, upon the stage, than TO make happy
the domestic home. In this, | may be mistaken
She does not look, to me, if, for domestic lite,
she was +" made OF every creatures best. 4"
hope our people, in Cleveland, will have the
pleasure of hearing Mrs B. read, the coming au-
tumn, as am informed she purposes to visit Gin
cinnat in November.
had the pleasure of meeting, at Lenox, Miss
Catharine M. Sedgwick, who has world wide
regulations: and whose little volumes will in
fuence, for pure and lofty purposes, human minds
and hearts for ages after her spirit has been
peaned by the songs of angels, to its home in
Heaven. Miss S. has face in which benevo-
lence, kindness all the virtues and affections are
strkingly revealed. She looks the very person.
i6caton OF goodness. She has left the impress Of
her mind upon thousands of hearts--aud has stamp
ed them with the image OF truth.-What writer
has more beautifully delineated the home virtues,
or the practical duties OF life I! He who has not
read "The Poor Rich Man" "Live and Let Live"
and "The Boy OF Mount Rhigi,'' should read them
forthwith. They among the best books ever
published. They should be in every family, and
be read every month, by every member.
Cor. Cleveland True Democrat.