The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-11
The Troubles OF Criticism Appeal
from an Actor.

In notice Of the Performance OF "A Midsummer
Nights Dream" ~ the Broadway, alluded to Mr..
Davisgs, who psrsonAted Bottom, Ia the following
terms -
In the comic uuoerplot the graf character ., every
ore knows Is Bottom the weaver ~ wAa taken BY
in II REM eripg Still u 10 impo sshls 20 endors him
Bottom until first he harms his part thoroughly aud
cocdy his grctssque Aston ana comic ORGANIZATIONS
approach little nearer 10 nature
Mr. Dsvdse lie zct satisfied with nir and writes as the
following letter. ,e.,
TO TIE EDITOR oE THE HERALD.
gH-An article IN tts days OF tbs HERALD, prr
porting ba = criticisn oais Immr Night Dream
70 qualify ltv praise IL vouls bestow on my per
sor alton OF the o; Ba.om by asserting ths.
was In perfect IN the text.
nay entertain of pocr ability IN the various OF ~
terf called TO sutaa OF course have no mag
10 aovarcs Jmust presume them TO be given WITH tas
conviction that You right End wrong; but 90
mott stenlousiy p'etes, ssalas; charge 81 esos I'm
PEI ia the woScs; and 10 justice myself you
to state in portion OF The plsy yoa discover
ed the celn 3uency.
I'm ready 70 admit the freedom of the prsss ia
the .ma ss we'll e.ry other other br ncu Of ART
and d, not infer my equaDmity 10 be raftsc In tae
desree b. either rr. adice coavisos ont
charge lke the en- In question would tuNjse me- u
ver1 ton 10 other cities Of the Unon
Waiting yours. am, sir, !ocrs os.asn ny,nor
s.-noth NJ. Barry and Mr. Wight, tbs ponp.eE,
bear testimony 10 ny position in thi, matter.
We quite rillrg 10 comply with ar bssiuBe re-
quest and TO point out In what part or poi OF the
play" "discoveIed his delinquency" it vas gene
rally in 10 pat the til (shakspssrea veraios)
Which he hse studied sE' :say, ana cid not knos
by heart. II particularly 10 the oislogue between
Pyrsnus TDisoe which Ar DSvdse c,ud never have
got through without the assistance Of the proaper "
was particularly ir the beginning grim Looked
night" when spectators In the orchestra heard the
promper better than Mr. Dsvidse seemed TO do II was
particularly another portion of the sSshs, when
Mr. Davidge stopped short entirely, hAving forgotten HI
part and tbs whole house laughed 1T his preicsnsnt
II was sise particularly in the 'ceae' whore Mr. D.
vdge Bottom, being transformed into an ass ard not
aware Of his transtorrnaton committed tbs unpar'
donAbls soecism Of brayog and thus showed his very
superRc,l acquaintance with sbakspesrss meaning II
likewise particularly in act III scene shasspeA.ef
version) when NJ DAvidge biuncered in his dialogue
with the fairies and required assistance bosh from this
performers en- The stage aud the prompter When In
reference 20 these crying faults We simply observed that
Mr. Daviege had not learned his part thoroughly" VI
submit that We dealt with him with leniency in shiof
We were not critics entirely justified We the more
inclined to regret 1t, comparison between hr. Da
vidse Bottom and tha. OF Mr.. Burton perhsps due
70 the public, ami would have Abled to point out
| a few words how vrry fsr the former from VIA
misbt lave been expected from leading comedian st
| netropolitan,theR,rs.