The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-03-12

Ihe nightly array OF intelligence and beauty
which has assembled within the walls Of the badly
lighted and sombre st. Charles for the last four
weeks, attests the excellence as well as the appre-
citation oi the merits, by the public of this Nature
taught artist. The versatility of Miss Cushman is
wondrous one night impersonatng the wife of the
ambitious and usurping Thane-another, the wild
and intractable Nsighbor Constance ''--another,
the prophetic witch in Guy Mannering"-then
giving new life to fair Portia's worth-and the
gentle, contempative and heroic Io1
These characters, SO varied and diverse, reoui
ring in their deEneation and correct enactment
powers different and dramatic excellence so great
that they rarely seen developed and united in
the same artist, in Miss Cushman blended into
one harmonious whole.
1t has been said that she should never attempt to
play parts in comedy-for what reason know not,
except the opinions of many persons who pretend
to say that she is much better in her deneations
OF the tragic drama. ! need only cite her perform
of "Neighbor Constance" in the Glove
Chase on Thursday night last, to prove her apti
tude to embody comedy parts. The hexibity and
sweetness OF her voice perhaps not so great as
Mrs. Mowatt but she nevertheless thrills YOU with
the music Of her language and poetry of action.
" More Anon, in his communication which an.
peared in the Delta on Monday last, treats Miss
Cushman's LG9y Macbeth with such severity and
injustice, that his criticisms fall innocuous at the
feet of the great artist. He says he has been a
close observer of Miss Cushman's acting | would
advise him to read as attentiveiy and closely the
play of " Macbeth said to have been written bv
one VIII Shakespeare he will then have the candor,
hope, to acknowledge that the fault lies not in
Miss Cushman's conception. He must complain
of the great bard himself who has so malused and
slandered our common humanity in his portrayal of
the monstrous woman, that she appears to him
more like raving Pythoness than a cunning, cal
culating, reasoning strong-minded woman"
But enough of this badinage. We need not seek
IN the dim and musy legends and traditions of past
ages, for prototype of Lady Macbeth; the present
age has produced several, whose crimes are as de.
testable and who were prompted 10 their committal
by lesser motives-the acquisition of sordid gold.
Is 1t then a thing to be wondered that a cunning
Calculating, reasoning, strong-minded woman, =
with vicious organization of the brain, ('' More
Anon forgot to add, should, for the dazzling pos.
session OF crown, conceive, incite and persuade
her husband 10 murder his good king, a near kins-
mar and, moreover, his guestl Miss Cushman's
conception and deneation are borne out by the
very words of the play
~ Come, come, you spirits
That tend on mortal Thoughts, unseN me here
And MI me, from the crown to the toe, top full
" direst cruelty! Make thick my blood,
stop up theaccess and passage to remoFse;
That no compunctious vitings of nature
Shake my Eel purpose, nor keep peace between
go. ne effect and H.! Come TO my wOman's breasts
And take my milk for gall, you numbering ministers,
Wherever in your sightless substances : =
GU wait on natures mIschef.''
Again, in the same act, when Macbeth EaI,ers in
the doing of The bloody deed
+" have given suck, and know
How tender It's so love the babe that mks me;
would, while it was smiling in my face
Have pucked my nipple from his boneItss gums
Have TO this.'' " ''u
DO these givingsout denote nothing more than n
strong-minded, cunning woman, or rather, is she
not monster in human shape, who, to gain her
purposes, stops not at the commission Of any deed
however atrocous!