The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-12-08
THELATE MIR. BOOTH.

We received yesterday, a note, reia'iVe 10
this gentleman, from which, though 1t was no!
designed for the press, we make the subJoined
extract. The writer, apart from the advantage
Of having known the actor well, is himself
man of genius, and has had ample opportunl-
lies 10 estimate the greatness OF his favoHte by
the only true method OF ascertainng 1t that
ofcompa, son. For ourselves, we VIII say
that so far as we have been able toJudge. Booth
was, in his better days. incompErabiy the
greatest actor we ever saw. We never saw
any one, indeed WHO could approach him.
With the exception of Fanny Kemble, he was
the only person we ever saw on the stage, who,
in our estimation, possessed the gift called ge-
MUS gift, the nature OF which, every person
understands, though there has. as yet, been no
one that has been able to define il. 1t is like
the heaven which leavens the whole lump. II
is that which makes the orator rouse his audi
ence. and keep their attention-it is that which
makes the reader go along with an author,
though his subject be anything but agreeable,
in spite, as it were, of himself, and which John
son, Internationally, ascribed in such a man
Def 10 poor uOlUsIiltIJ "HSi IC SEIJ, NOiuiC
is going to write a Natural History, and he
will make it as entertaining as fairy tale.'-
1t is that which enables q n actor to bring an
audience to their feet as if moved by an ire
sistible impulse. Without it, the most harmo-
NOUS verses, the most artistical prose, the
most sensible Grafton, the most polished acting
can never animate, excite, or even warm
Those who remember Booth, in his best days,
will concede that he possessed this gift in an
extraordinary degree. 1t was contrasted, it is
true, with defects ola glazing description; but
rs the metal which governs the world is al.
ways mixed with substances of base alloy, so
true genius is ever found 10 the ne;ghbo rhood
of faults which only offer foil to set off its
original brightness. 1t is only the inferior
metals that exist in the unmixed state, and me-
docri'y alone is fautless.
Booth was driven from the London boards
by cabal of the partzans of kean. Broken
in mind and health, he visited the island of Ma
deira-(he saw q good deal of Madeira, by the
way, on his arrival in r chmond.) He sailed
direct from the island to the por of Norfolk
where he arrived in the summer Of 1921. Gil
fert was then the manager of the Richmond
I HeStEt, Will Tie Dest StOth COIufaNy mat GV-
er existed in America. 1t was before the age
Of Stars. Gilfert went at once TO Norfolk, and
effected an engagement with Booth, for the
Richmond Theatre. 1t was here not Petersb'g,
that he made his hrst appearance in 4mer9-
ca. was in the Theatre to witness it. The
public, not having heard Of Booth, could not
conceive how little fellow, in straw hat and
roundabout, looking like a country boy, could
play Richard. They had been accustomed to
ri, ctofa al of fooror ho
themselves joined in this opinion! He went to
the rehearsal, with the apparent bashfulness
of school-boy; but, when that night, he COM
mencsd the stirring parts in Richard-those
terrific bursts of passon-tor the first time
they saw Shakespeare by flashes of lightning.
The Pit rose at him. AT the end of the play
there was one yell Of enthusiasm. 1t was the
first time had ever seen an actor called for
after the performance. He came to the foot
In after years, poor Booth often REQUIRED to it
as the happiest night Of his theatrical career.
The reaction! He had left England persecu.
ted and illuminated. Such welcome from
old Virginia, consoled him for all. Remember,
there were "giants in those days" Our Chief
Justice Marshall, Leigh, Wickham, &c, were
his most enthusiastic admirers. | was boy
at the time, but remember as it were yester-
day. He was then, in appearance, mere lad,
modesty. There was loft the stage) nothing
OF the actor about him. 1t is pleasing ref1ec.
ton to know that q Richmond audience gave
the first balm TO q wounded heart, after that
most Infamous persecution that drove him from
the London boards. | could tell you good
deal about that, heard, not only from him, but
from Others qualified to know, whom be-
came acquainted with in London. Booth was
emphatically a man Of genius. | have wit
esSpd X cams apt n tho vapitb # h;c
and my impression has ever been that, except
IN certain characters, where great physical
power was required-Such as Othello and
Macbeth-Booth was the best &C tor. There
was, in Booth, that indescribable trait Of ge-
mus that kean neuer possessed.
Since We received the above, We have had
an interview with the author, who related many
interesting anecdotes with regard to the great
'ragedian. The circumstances attending his
exclusion from the London boards, ere some
what as follows. Kean had, for number of
years, been without a rival on the London
boards, when Booth came up to the city, mere
YOUTH aud was engaged to play at Covent Gar
cent, hean being at the time in Diury Lane
There was striking resemblance in person
ana manner between the two, and it happened
maj they both played the same role of charac-
tsrs) Richard, Sir Edward Mortimer, Sir Giles
overieach, &c.) The resemblance in man.
aer was SO striking that the friends of kean
have always said it was the effect of imitation
Out this, we are assured, was not the fact The
ADVENT OF Booth created tremendous excite
ment' and the torn was Immediately divided
between the fixed star OF Drury Lane, and the
comet oil Covent Garden. The press took
SIDES, and the war waxed SO fast and furious.
that Mean became alarmed for the result. He
was man OF deep policy land had full share
OF that Jealous sensibility which the world
saysno actor is ever entirely without. He pa.
'u''ea 10 crush his rival, for such he consider.
po0f hooih. and with that view induced the
manager OF Drury Lane to offer him sucb