The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-02-19
Lady Macbeth.
tFIom Boaaen.. sIsnloi.. 0fMr.. siadon..l

I
disturbed by M scruple insrnidated by danger. |
The occasion does not change the nature here, as |
il does in her husband There is no struggle after
any virtue TO be resigned She is as thoroughly
prepared in one moment, II visions Of greatness
hadlong informedheF slnmbeIs; and she had awaked
to mediate upon every means, however dreadful
that could secure her object.
When Mrs. Siddons came with the letter from
Macbeth THE first time we saw her), such was the
impression from hsr FORM her face her department.
the distinction OF only external-' her spir-
its" informed their tenement with the apathy Of |
demon. The commencement Of this letter is left TO
the readers imagination. They met me in the |
day OF success, shows that he had previously mem
toned the witches. Her first novelty was little
suspension Of the voice. " they made themselves
air - that is less astonshed at il miracle OF
nature than attentive il manifestation OF the
reliance to be built upon their assurances. She
read the whole letter with the greatest skill, and,
after an instant Of reflection, exclaimed
''GIamis thou art, and Cawdor-ands SHALT BIZ
What thou an promised
The amazing burst Of energy upon the words
shall Be, perfectly electrified the house The deter
lnination seemed uncomfortable as fate itself.
The searching analysis Of Macbeth which she makes,
was full OF meaning--the eye and the hand con-
firmed the logic Ambition is the soul Of her very
phrase;
Great Glamis this Of her husband! metaphysical
speculation calculated estimate-as if it had regard
ed Caesar or Pompey. He is among the means be-
fore me-how is such nature to be worked up to
such uRhoky objects
"Hie thee hither," says the impatience, which
longs to begin its strife with the antagonist virtue
HE thee hither,
.tThat may pour NY spirits in thine ear,
And ehastise with the ualor of my tongae, etc.
But different style Of beauty called forth by
the hasty entrance OF a servant, to announce the
coming of the King that night into the very mesh
es she is about to spread for his destruction. Shak
| speare alone perhaps, would have written the da-
ring compromise OF all decorum, which bursts from
the exulting savage upon this intelligence
''Thoun MAD to say III
Aware OF the inference to be drawn from ear
nestness so marked he Immediately cioaks the pas
sion with reason why the intelligence could not
| seem true. The actress, fully understanding the
process after the violence of the exclamation re-
covered herself with slight alarm, and in loteeref
tone proposed question suited to the new feeling
| ''Is not thy master Nth him who. vert 90, t,
| Would have inform for preparation.
The murmured mysteriousness of the address to
the spirits "that tend on mortal thoughts, became
stronger she proceeded
''Come to my wouAx's BREASTS,
And take my niak for eALL, you murd ring ministers.
A beautiful thought, be it observed; as if these
sources of infant nourishment could even consent
to mature destruction, without some loathsome
change in the very stream itself which flowed from
them.
When the actress invoking the destroying min
sters came to the passage
. wherever in your sightless substances
| You wait on natures mischief,
the elevation OF her 5ros the full orbs of sight tn
raised shoulders, and the followed hands, SCENE,
all to endeavor to explore what yet pronouncet
no possible objects Of vision. Till then am quite
sure, figure terrible had never bent the pI
OF theatre; that night crowded with intelligence
and beauty, in its seven front rows.
! The salutatisn OF Macbeth--the remark upon th
! abstraction on his couutenanee, which follows lac
briei intimatou OF all that is TO be done-sll esie
e notice.
i Shall sun AGtJnoruw see.
y Macbeth himself (Smith) sunk under her at ono
: and she quilted the scene with effect which cal
4 not be described in short, the TRIUMPH OF n.
TURE, rightly interpreted by the greatest writ
and greatest that had ever labored for the
= Flight and instruction Of mankind.
q The following scene is the beautiful reception
:, Duncan at Inverness. The honored hostess r
ceived his Majesty with all the exterior of profou
f obligation. She too PtEre actress to allow
Q glance of triumph to stray towards the spectators
II Macbeth, conscious Of his design, is neglet
~ full OF his duty host he is absent from the roy
fs banquet and his absence provokes inquiry. I
q lady, bending steadily to her purpose is equal to
er occasions, and now breaks in upon her HUSBAND
Ia fearful ruminatiou. He had determined TO proce
of no further in the business, and she has again
of vve the unholy flame which gratitude had quenche
IN She assails him with sophistry and contempt, a
er female resolution, seemingly superior to all man
IN daring. She quotes his own bolder against his prt
I'D ent seif and urges the infamy OF receding from
ID proud design. Filled from the crown to the
he with drest cruelty the horror of the following Sc
y tence seemed bearabe from its fitness to such
ing. But yet wonder at the energy OF both utts
ID ance and action with which il was accompanied
st "T,would, while it was smiling in my face.
And dgsh'd ne y 6rstHs out had $50 sUorH as yor
-, There was no qualifying with our humanity
the tone or gesture. This really beautiful and int
r resting actress did not at all shrink from standiI
-, before us the and perfect image OF the create
bs of all natural and moral depravatons, fesidA
1ooman.
d. The scene after the murder exhibits Lady Ma
L. beth as bold in action she had, during specu
nm ton, asserted herself to be. Give NE the da
r. gers excited general start from those around
,st ! Upon her return from the chamber OF slaught
he after gliding the faces of the grooms from the
TO- culiar character OF her lip she gave expression
of contempt more striking than any she had hithel
,e- displayed.
he The task OF Lady Macbeth is here finished
lat the great temper she has done her office, and
lr- husband must now Defend by military skill a
Is bravery, the which his crimes have aoquir
~ and hazarded. But Shakespeare has more L
f'e rible lesson to give; namely, to show that, wh
O the force of votion is Withdrawn, the fancy beeom
~ a dreadful victim to the images OF past guilt: a
10 she who waking dispel her husbands terri,
and her own, in sleep beholds her bleeding vieti
IL, for ever present. and the circumstances OF their e
nc passing continually in their original order.*
nc In the performance of this scene, Mrs. Siddo
W. differed essentially from every other actress. v
ID, explain myself The actresses previous to hers
70. seemed TO consider such perturbation not p
"a sessng fuu power upon the frame; they, thereto
ar, Isther giidea than walked; and every other act
had Jt19tvr-eh~=oAter than is exhibited by ,
on awake. Their figure. TOO. was kept perpendicular
an erect and the eye, though open, sruuivuvs.sAi.
motion.
But the theory of somnambulism is somewha
eD variance with the stage exhibition; and il the
m. tor of physc, who attends upon Lady Maebe
no had been very profound in his art, he would h
" considered the eyes being opea the most extr,
dinary part of the scene before him. The cs
=, quoted in our books all state the sleep-walke
~ have his eyes closed. 1t is only when any oheC
a'e his fancy has been removed from its expected pl
that the eyes feeby Enclosed, as if to find
orv position OF it, and are Immediately shut, to leave
ng fancy to control entirely its own operations. II
our been observed that the iris on such occasions
sis. pears fixed, and the eye dtRl.
as Mrs. Siddons seemed to conceive the fancy
ms, having equal power over the whole frame, and
to- her actions had the wakeful vigor; she laded
rk, water from the imaginary ever over her hant
nee bent her body to listen to the sounds presented
ing her fancy, and hurried TO resume the taper WI
vo- she had left it. that she might with all speed
Gus her palld husband to their chamber The ex
aeh lent Duaald Stewart thinks that in the SOhRn